Chapter Six – Coming Along Nicely
Hermione lay on the bed watching the sunlight make a sleepy entrance into her room. She smiled softly to herself as she remembered her evening with Draco. But a scowl soon replaced this as she remembered the words they had exchanged. Her thoughts moved from Draco to Harry and became even more solemn; she was having concerns for their relationship already. Perhaps Harry wasn't what she needed in her life. The liaison was looking to be heading the same way hers and Ron's did, only this time much faster.
They had a great time together but they hardly saw each other. Half the time her thoughts were with Draco and the other half his were off somewhere. The Gods only knew where. And that was on the rare occasions they saw each other; most of the time Hermione was working or Harry was Quidditch practicing.
Hermione also felt increasingly guilty about her lack of time to visit their sick friend but she consoled herself by admitting the potion curing Ginny would be worth it. Thinking of Ginny, Hermione considered the other reason her and Harry hadn't been seeing as much of each other as the probably should; Ginny. Harry had spent large amounts of time in the hospital wing, next to Ginny's bed. From what she'd heard he would tell her of everyone's news, clutching her hand and trying not to break down.
"Hmmm......" Hermione mused to no-one in particular.
A knock on her door interrupted her musings and she rose from bed too greet a grinning Harry, all her previous negative thoughts leaving her head instantly.
"You're in a good mood." She laughed as he span her around in a huge hug, finishing with a deep kiss.
"Indeed I am." Harry smiled back, "The potion's coming along nicely, as is our Quidditch practice and I have a beautiful girlfriend."
"Even at half nine in the morning?" Hermione asked.
"Especially at half nine in the morning. You're gorgeous all the time; even when you've got morning breath and fuzzy hair."
Hermione punched him lightly one the arm before retiring to the bathroom to make herself more presentable.
Harry watched her wiggle away, admiring the way she had grown up; he had no complaints. Yet there was still something out of place at the back of his mind. Something that he couldn't quite ignore. He was happy with Hermione, there was no denying that but...no. Harry shook his head firmly and decided to flick through Hermione wardrobe.
"Can I pick what you wear today?" He called.
"Sure, if you want."
"Do you promise you'll wear it?"
"I promise. Although there are things in there I hate and only keep because my Gran bought me them."
Harry grinned wickedly as he flicked through an array of knitted jumpers and vividly coloured leggings. These must be the Gran-bought items as Hermione hated leggings and chunky jumpers; especially ones with vulgar patterns.
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Draco made his way down to the potion rooms somewhat subdued. He had not spoken to Hermione since the other evening, and the thought of confronting her was less than enamouring to him. As he opened the door to the potions lab and saw her, all thoughts and preconceptions about the awfulness of the situation faded into a smirk, which he tried his best to hide behind his hand.
"One word and you die." Hermione scowled.
Draco shook his head in innocence as though he had noticed nothing different. Hermione stood, hands on hips, in pink and white checked leggings with white socks bagged over the top and a large cream jumper, obviously homemade. The jumper by itself may have been almost semi- acceptable, but that fact it had a huge knitted pattern of pink teddy bear on the front declaring "I Love You!" made it too unbearable for Draco and he collapsed into giggles.
"It's not funny." Hermione spat.
"Oh yes it is Granger." Draco gasped, clutching his sides. "Why the hell are you dressed like that?"
"Harry."
"You let Pothead dress you? Why the hell haven't you transfigured them back?"
"He took my wand so I couldn't; he wanted everyone to reap full benefit of his evil handiwork."
Draco waved his wand and the frumpy, 80's clothing was replaced with black jeans and a pretty pink Japanese top.
"Much better." Hermione smiled. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Draco responded, noting his own work appreciatively. "We'd just better remember to turn them back."
Hermione nodded her agreement and silently they fell into their work, neither one wanting to mention the happenings of the other night.
Hermione watched Draco as he counted out the number of kelp eyes for the potion, carefully slicing each one into exact halves. Even she could see how attractive he had grown, yet his body did not interest her. His mind did; his wit and intelligence...and his eyes. Draco had the most extraordinary eyes Hermione had ever seen, it was true they were Dragon eyes but there was something else about them, the way they slanted upwards at the outside edges, giving him a slightly serpent-like appearance.
Those eyes met hers as he looked up from his work;
"You planning on adding me to the potion Granger?"
Hermione jumped, panicking at being caught not working.
"Um...um, I ..."
"Ah, forget it Granger. I know I'm devilishly handsome and if it's going to put off your concentration then I understand completely. I mean, you're only human."
"Draco Malfoy you are the most stuck up, arrogant, self obsessive, evil..."
"You go on listing all my best qualities I may blush a bit." Draco teased, moving to close the gap between them.
Hermione attempted to continue her rant, unfazed;
"...egotistical, wicked, conceited, handsome, intelligent, good-looking..."
Their lips met in a fusion of everything they had ever felt for each other; the hate, the love, the loathing and the passion all mixed into that one kiss that passed between them in the brief seconds before the door opened and Harry walked in.
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Harry entered the potion's lab in a slight daze. He needed to talk to Hermione and did not notice the pair spring apart as though burnt.
"Hermione." He said, hardly above a whisper, "Can I have a word? It's about Ginny."
Hermione nodded.
"Don't I get to know?" Draco whinged, "I'm making this sodding potion too you know."
"Shut up Malfoy. Don't act like you're doing it out of the goodness of you heart." Harry spat and Draco shut up; if only he knew.
Hermione exited the lab, closing the door silently behind her.
"You changed your clothes." Harry smiled.
"Yeah. Well, Draco did. I kept catching the sleeves in the potion; not a good idea."
Harry nodded in agreement, unable to control the look of upset on his face.
"Harry, have you bee crying? What's happened?"
"It's Gin." Harry wept suddenly. "She's got much worse. She doesn't have until the end of week after next, and that's when the potion will be ready. She started hallucinating more last night, and is flushing hot and cold like a broken tap. We're losing her Hermione."
"We're not going to loose anyone Harry." Hermione responded, hugging her friend.
"But I don't know what I'll do if Gin dies." Harry confessed, looking at Hermione as bravely as he could."
"Wh...what do you mean Harry?"
"Oh Hermione. I love you so much but..." Harry couldn't finish the sentence.
"You love her more don't you?"
Harry nodded silently.
"I'm sorry." He whispered.
Hermione locked her eyes with his, fighting the stinging that built up in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. She bit her lip on the inside, causing it to bleed. As the coppery liquid hit her tongue it was like a sharp slap across her face. Suddenly everything made perfect, bitter sense. Harry loved someone else. He was not her saviour from the anomie she had felt for so long. She was alone again.
"Go to her." She whispered, hugging him as bravely as she could and refusing to cry. Harry hugged her back but was reluctant to leave her. "Go to her!" Hermione repeated more urgently. "I'll figure something out for this potion. We will save her Harry. I promise."
"Pinkie promise." Harry grinned weakly, holding out his little finger.
"Pinkie promise." Hermione smiled, linking her little finger with his and shaking.
Harry hugged his old friend once more before turning away to the hospital wing.
Hermione returned to the lab, wiping her silently streaming eyes.
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Draco watched Hermione quietly as she re-entered the room. And immediately began busying herself with pointless tasks like washing tubes and vials.
"You could use a wand for that." Draco pointed out carefully.
Hermione ignored him and continued to scrub the beaker in her hand. As she rinsed it out her hand gripped too hard and the beaker shattered, splintering into her hand. This was too much for her and she broke into sobs right there in the middle of Snape's private lab.
"Hey." Draco said, shocked. "That can be fixed with a spell. It's OK."
"UGH! You really are a moron sometimes Malfoy. Do you honestly think I'm crying because I broke a beaker?"
She was still beautiful when angry and upset. Her hair flew wildly about her face and her eyes flashed. Draco couldn't help but want to touch her.
"Well, I don't know do I? Maybe you were close to the beaker."
This provoked a weak smile from Hermione and Draco went to sit by her side. Hermione clutched the bleeding hand to herself but as she felt Draco's fingers ease it away, she did not protest. Draco carefully washed the wound before casting a healing charm over it.
"Thank you." Hermione muttered.
"You're welcome. Is this about you and Pothead?"
Hermione nodded, feeling the heat build up once more in her eyes.
"He's chosen the female Weasel hasn't he?"
Another nod.
"How did you know?"
"It's a gift." Draco smiled.
Hermione allowed a small laugh to escape her lips.
"I knew we weren't right for each other but it still hurts. But what hurts even more is that I'm alone again."
"You don't have to be alone." Draco found himself saying.
"Nice." He thought to himself, "Nice and cheesy; just what she needs."
But he ignored his brain as he looked at the pretty lioness sat before him, looking as though the weight of the world rested on her slender shoulders. Carefully, tentatively, Draco placed his cool fingers beneath her chin and kissed away each of her salty tears. She didn't move away.
Hermione lay on the bed watching the sunlight make a sleepy entrance into her room. She smiled softly to herself as she remembered her evening with Draco. But a scowl soon replaced this as she remembered the words they had exchanged. Her thoughts moved from Draco to Harry and became even more solemn; she was having concerns for their relationship already. Perhaps Harry wasn't what she needed in her life. The liaison was looking to be heading the same way hers and Ron's did, only this time much faster.
They had a great time together but they hardly saw each other. Half the time her thoughts were with Draco and the other half his were off somewhere. The Gods only knew where. And that was on the rare occasions they saw each other; most of the time Hermione was working or Harry was Quidditch practicing.
Hermione also felt increasingly guilty about her lack of time to visit their sick friend but she consoled herself by admitting the potion curing Ginny would be worth it. Thinking of Ginny, Hermione considered the other reason her and Harry hadn't been seeing as much of each other as the probably should; Ginny. Harry had spent large amounts of time in the hospital wing, next to Ginny's bed. From what she'd heard he would tell her of everyone's news, clutching her hand and trying not to break down.
"Hmmm......" Hermione mused to no-one in particular.
A knock on her door interrupted her musings and she rose from bed too greet a grinning Harry, all her previous negative thoughts leaving her head instantly.
"You're in a good mood." She laughed as he span her around in a huge hug, finishing with a deep kiss.
"Indeed I am." Harry smiled back, "The potion's coming along nicely, as is our Quidditch practice and I have a beautiful girlfriend."
"Even at half nine in the morning?" Hermione asked.
"Especially at half nine in the morning. You're gorgeous all the time; even when you've got morning breath and fuzzy hair."
Hermione punched him lightly one the arm before retiring to the bathroom to make herself more presentable.
Harry watched her wiggle away, admiring the way she had grown up; he had no complaints. Yet there was still something out of place at the back of his mind. Something that he couldn't quite ignore. He was happy with Hermione, there was no denying that but...no. Harry shook his head firmly and decided to flick through Hermione wardrobe.
"Can I pick what you wear today?" He called.
"Sure, if you want."
"Do you promise you'll wear it?"
"I promise. Although there are things in there I hate and only keep because my Gran bought me them."
Harry grinned wickedly as he flicked through an array of knitted jumpers and vividly coloured leggings. These must be the Gran-bought items as Hermione hated leggings and chunky jumpers; especially ones with vulgar patterns.
---------------------------
Draco made his way down to the potion rooms somewhat subdued. He had not spoken to Hermione since the other evening, and the thought of confronting her was less than enamouring to him. As he opened the door to the potions lab and saw her, all thoughts and preconceptions about the awfulness of the situation faded into a smirk, which he tried his best to hide behind his hand.
"One word and you die." Hermione scowled.
Draco shook his head in innocence as though he had noticed nothing different. Hermione stood, hands on hips, in pink and white checked leggings with white socks bagged over the top and a large cream jumper, obviously homemade. The jumper by itself may have been almost semi- acceptable, but that fact it had a huge knitted pattern of pink teddy bear on the front declaring "I Love You!" made it too unbearable for Draco and he collapsed into giggles.
"It's not funny." Hermione spat.
"Oh yes it is Granger." Draco gasped, clutching his sides. "Why the hell are you dressed like that?"
"Harry."
"You let Pothead dress you? Why the hell haven't you transfigured them back?"
"He took my wand so I couldn't; he wanted everyone to reap full benefit of his evil handiwork."
Draco waved his wand and the frumpy, 80's clothing was replaced with black jeans and a pretty pink Japanese top.
"Much better." Hermione smiled. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Draco responded, noting his own work appreciatively. "We'd just better remember to turn them back."
Hermione nodded her agreement and silently they fell into their work, neither one wanting to mention the happenings of the other night.
Hermione watched Draco as he counted out the number of kelp eyes for the potion, carefully slicing each one into exact halves. Even she could see how attractive he had grown, yet his body did not interest her. His mind did; his wit and intelligence...and his eyes. Draco had the most extraordinary eyes Hermione had ever seen, it was true they were Dragon eyes but there was something else about them, the way they slanted upwards at the outside edges, giving him a slightly serpent-like appearance.
Those eyes met hers as he looked up from his work;
"You planning on adding me to the potion Granger?"
Hermione jumped, panicking at being caught not working.
"Um...um, I ..."
"Ah, forget it Granger. I know I'm devilishly handsome and if it's going to put off your concentration then I understand completely. I mean, you're only human."
"Draco Malfoy you are the most stuck up, arrogant, self obsessive, evil..."
"You go on listing all my best qualities I may blush a bit." Draco teased, moving to close the gap between them.
Hermione attempted to continue her rant, unfazed;
"...egotistical, wicked, conceited, handsome, intelligent, good-looking..."
Their lips met in a fusion of everything they had ever felt for each other; the hate, the love, the loathing and the passion all mixed into that one kiss that passed between them in the brief seconds before the door opened and Harry walked in.
-----------------------------------
Harry entered the potion's lab in a slight daze. He needed to talk to Hermione and did not notice the pair spring apart as though burnt.
"Hermione." He said, hardly above a whisper, "Can I have a word? It's about Ginny."
Hermione nodded.
"Don't I get to know?" Draco whinged, "I'm making this sodding potion too you know."
"Shut up Malfoy. Don't act like you're doing it out of the goodness of you heart." Harry spat and Draco shut up; if only he knew.
Hermione exited the lab, closing the door silently behind her.
"You changed your clothes." Harry smiled.
"Yeah. Well, Draco did. I kept catching the sleeves in the potion; not a good idea."
Harry nodded in agreement, unable to control the look of upset on his face.
"Harry, have you bee crying? What's happened?"
"It's Gin." Harry wept suddenly. "She's got much worse. She doesn't have until the end of week after next, and that's when the potion will be ready. She started hallucinating more last night, and is flushing hot and cold like a broken tap. We're losing her Hermione."
"We're not going to loose anyone Harry." Hermione responded, hugging her friend.
"But I don't know what I'll do if Gin dies." Harry confessed, looking at Hermione as bravely as he could."
"Wh...what do you mean Harry?"
"Oh Hermione. I love you so much but..." Harry couldn't finish the sentence.
"You love her more don't you?"
Harry nodded silently.
"I'm sorry." He whispered.
Hermione locked her eyes with his, fighting the stinging that built up in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. She bit her lip on the inside, causing it to bleed. As the coppery liquid hit her tongue it was like a sharp slap across her face. Suddenly everything made perfect, bitter sense. Harry loved someone else. He was not her saviour from the anomie she had felt for so long. She was alone again.
"Go to her." She whispered, hugging him as bravely as she could and refusing to cry. Harry hugged her back but was reluctant to leave her. "Go to her!" Hermione repeated more urgently. "I'll figure something out for this potion. We will save her Harry. I promise."
"Pinkie promise." Harry grinned weakly, holding out his little finger.
"Pinkie promise." Hermione smiled, linking her little finger with his and shaking.
Harry hugged his old friend once more before turning away to the hospital wing.
Hermione returned to the lab, wiping her silently streaming eyes.
-------------------------------------
Draco watched Hermione quietly as she re-entered the room. And immediately began busying herself with pointless tasks like washing tubes and vials.
"You could use a wand for that." Draco pointed out carefully.
Hermione ignored him and continued to scrub the beaker in her hand. As she rinsed it out her hand gripped too hard and the beaker shattered, splintering into her hand. This was too much for her and she broke into sobs right there in the middle of Snape's private lab.
"Hey." Draco said, shocked. "That can be fixed with a spell. It's OK."
"UGH! You really are a moron sometimes Malfoy. Do you honestly think I'm crying because I broke a beaker?"
She was still beautiful when angry and upset. Her hair flew wildly about her face and her eyes flashed. Draco couldn't help but want to touch her.
"Well, I don't know do I? Maybe you were close to the beaker."
This provoked a weak smile from Hermione and Draco went to sit by her side. Hermione clutched the bleeding hand to herself but as she felt Draco's fingers ease it away, she did not protest. Draco carefully washed the wound before casting a healing charm over it.
"Thank you." Hermione muttered.
"You're welcome. Is this about you and Pothead?"
Hermione nodded, feeling the heat build up once more in her eyes.
"He's chosen the female Weasel hasn't he?"
Another nod.
"How did you know?"
"It's a gift." Draco smiled.
Hermione allowed a small laugh to escape her lips.
"I knew we weren't right for each other but it still hurts. But what hurts even more is that I'm alone again."
"You don't have to be alone." Draco found himself saying.
"Nice." He thought to himself, "Nice and cheesy; just what she needs."
But he ignored his brain as he looked at the pretty lioness sat before him, looking as though the weight of the world rested on her slender shoulders. Carefully, tentatively, Draco placed his cool fingers beneath her chin and kissed away each of her salty tears. She didn't move away.