Hardest Thing
Chapter Six
On Sunday morning, Malfoy waited around a corner until Hermione left her room, heading for the Gryffindor Common Room, before pulling out his wand and crossing the corridor to her door. Now what was the name of her cat? Crooked-something or other. He thought for a moment. The cat began to scratch at the door. Malfoy knew he'd seen it once at the Familiar care shop in Diagon Alley, and then again on the train, sitting in Hermione's lap, looking like an unfortunate accident with a brick wall. The blonde boy pressed his wand to the centre of the door and thought hard about the cat.
After a moment's hesitation, the door swung open, allowing Malfoy access to the Head Girl's rooms. He shot a spell down the hall to warn him should she approach and taking a deep breath, Malfoy stepped forward into Hermione's private sanctuary. He'd imagined something very like the image Hermione presented to the school, clean-cut and sophisticated, and he wasn't disappointed.
Sunlight spilled through a window across the room lighting the rich red carpet. A few dust motes sparkled in the air next to the towering, heavily-laden bookshelves against the wall. The two armchairs by the fireplace were low-backed and rounded. They looked quite comfortable, Malfoy thought, and was tempted to sit down, but decided against it. He continued to look around her room, pausing by her nightstand to examine the picture of her parents. For Muggles, they didn't look so bad, he decided after a moment (such a shameful thought!), and hastened to look elsewhere.
He turned around, examining the pictures on the walls and the things she had laying around the room. A spare set of robes was draped over the door of the wardrobe and he brushed it with his fingers, breathing the scent of Hermione's perfume. The bathroom was perfectly tidy, the towels hung perfectly and the rug tucked over the side of the tub. I'm taking too long, Malfoy thought and returned to the task at hand. All he had to do was wave his wand and write his favourite Gryffindor a clever little ransom note.
Hermione returned to her room feeling more cheerful than ever. Even Harry and Ron had noticed the extra spring in her step looking curiously at her after every other sentence. Luna Lovegood had given her a significant look in the third floor corridor when they passed each other, but said nothing to go with her conspiratorial expression. She hadn't seen Malfoy all morning, however, and wondered where he was. Not in Slytherin, if her guess was correct; Hermione had a feeling her actions the night before had thoroughly confused him. There was still no sign of him in front of their rooms. Hermione was tempted to knock on his door and run, but decided against it. She could always set Myrtle on him again....
When she opened the door, Hermione knew at once that something was odd. For one thing, there was a strangely familiar scent in the room, and the one person that came to mind was...
"Malfoy," Hermione breathed, looking at her empty bookshelves. Hermione set her bag down in a chair and went over to the shelves, examining them closely. She felt the air around them and tested the shelves themselves. Everything seemed to be in order except, of course, for the lack of heavy volumes. On her bed was a neat parchment scroll tied with a green silk ribbon. Hermione snatched it up and unfurled the scroll, reading quickly.
Hello, Granger. Missing something? If you ever want to see your books again, you'll meet me on the fourth floor during dinner.
D.M.
Hermione's glare nearly incinerated the parchment she held. This was obviously revenge for her actions the night before... she wondered what horrible thing he had planned for her.
At six o'clock that night, Hermione bid Harry and Ron good night, saying that she wasn't hungry and had homework to do. She returned briefly to her rooms, waiting until she no longer heard footsteps on the floors above or below her. The last thing she needed was to be seen hanging around with Malfoy while everyone else was away. Nervously, Hermione made her way to the fourth floor corridor, glancing around lest anyone see her by accident. Malfoy was leaning against the wall ahead of her, casually examining his fingernails in the flickering torchlight.
"Hello, Granger," he said, smirking. "I knew you'd come." He sounded very self-satisfied. Hermione glared.
"Give it up, Malfoy," she ordered. "I want my books back."
"Oh, they're not important," Malfoy said dismissively, dropping his hand and stepping away from the wall. "Come with me. I have something to show you."
Hermione followed the tall boy reluctantly, noting the extra spring in his step as he walked. Her pressing questions yielded nothing however, and she was left to wonder what the Slytherin had planned as they reached the Astronomy Tower door. Malfoy leapt up the stairs ahead of her, two at time. Hermione followed slowly, stepping onto the tower moments after he did. Upon seeing what Malfoy brandished at her from across the tower, Hermione took a step backwards, nearly toppling back down the stairs.
"Oh no," she said, stepping away from the door. "Oh no."
Malfoy grinned wickedly. "Come on, now. You said you weren't afraid of flying."
"I'll fall," Hermione said flatly.
"I'll be with you. You won't fall," Malfoy assured her.
Hermione shook her head.
"Do you want your books back, or not?" inquired Malfoy, waving one of the highly-polished broomsticks that he held in her direction.
Hermione scowled. "You wouldn't dare hurt them!"
"Watch me," Malfoy responded smoothly. "Come over here and mount."
Hermione forced herself to do as he directed, uncomfortably aware of Malfoy's smirking figure beside her.
"Now kick off and head that way," Malfoy said, pointing back across the tower. "No one can see us from the Great Hall if we're over there."
Hermione gulped and pushed off. Her stomach immediately flipped over. She closed her eyes and urged the broom forwards.
"Up!" she heard Malfoy call and she jerked the nose of the broom towards the sky, eyes still clenched shut. The wind rushed in her ears as she flew, hair blowing out behind her. Hermione shivered.
"Look where you're going!"
Hermione opened her eyes to find that she'd veered to the right by accident and was headed straight for a gargoyle mounted on the side of the castle. Stifling a shriek, Hermione jerked the broom in another direction and shot away from the wall, missing it by inches. She felt herself begin to slip sideways off the broom, and without thinking, Hermione looked straight down at the ground as she righted herself. The height was dizzying. Her head spun as the closed her eyes and gripped the broom handle more tightly. She sensed Malfoy at her side.
"Having fun?" he called to her.
"No," Hermione responded, holding the broomstick still more tightly.
"Your knuckles are turning white," Malfoy observed with amusement.
Hermione opened one eye and saw that he was correct. She also saw that they were now hovering over the Whomping Willow and closed her eyes with a squeak.
"Come now, its not that bad," Malfoy said comfortingly. "Honest. Come this way." Hermione heard him soar away to their right. She followed, squinting as the air hit her eyes, causing them to water.
"Now, open you eyes and watch me," Malfoy ordered. "Can you do this?"
"No!" Hermione cried in horror as Malfoy executed a perfect loop-de-loop around her. "I'd rather keep my neck un-broken, if you please."
"Then don't fall," shrugged Malfoy, coming back to hover at her side. "It's easy, just the nose of the broom back hard. Nothing to it."
Hermione hesitated.
"On the other hand, I'm sure I could find an appropriate book-burning spell somewhere..."
That was all it took. Hermione jerked her broom backwards, letting out a terrified cry as she spun in the air. Her stomach found a resting place somewhere near her larynx, she was sure, and her heart now beat somewhere in the vicinity of her knees.
"That wasn't so bad," Malfoy said, smirking at her. "Better than experiments any day."
Hermione flushed. "Can we stop now?"
"Nope, one more thing," Malfoy informed her. "You're going to dive."
Hermione gasped. "I can't!"
"You can," Malfoy insisted. "I'll be with you the entire time. Side by side. First we'll fly up a few feet. Then just point your broomstick towards the ground. Level out about six feet above the ground, and then we'll go back to the tower."
"How simple," Hermione said mouth dry.
"Ready?"
"No," Hermione squeaked.
"Excellent. Come on!" Malfoy shot up into the darkening sky, and Hermione had no choice but the follow. Then, taking a deep breath, she pointed her broom towards the ground. She stared, transfixed, as the ground raced closer and closer. Everything around her was just coloured blurs. She could see Malfoy out of the corner of her eye and could hear him shouting something vaguely over the rushing of wind in her ears. What was it?
"Pull up! Pull up!" shouted the Slytherin boy. Hermione realised what was happening just in time. She pulled the broom up, skimming the grass with her toes. A wave of relief swept over her and she relaxed just a moment too soon, slipping sideways off of her broom and onto the grass, rolling over and over, breath knocked from her lungs.
"Hermione!" she heard Malfoy cry. He landed on the ground next to her moments later. She felt a cool hand brush across her cheek. "Hermione," he said softly. She opened her eyes and grinned at him.
"What? Didn't think I could take a little fall?"
Hermione's pale face belied her carefree words. In truth, Malfoy found that she was gasping slightly for breath. The fall had obviously knocked the wind out of her. She sat up slowly and put a hand to her head. Malfoy leaned back on his heels and stood up, retrieving her broomstick from where it lay a few feet away.
"You're riding with me on the way back up there," he said in tones that allowed no room for argument. "And we're only flying because I don't want you walking anywhere."
"I can walk," Hermione protested. She got carefully to her feet and swayed, taking a step to regain her balance. Malfoy caught her with a steadying arm. Shifting Hermione's broomstick to his other hand, Malfoy pulled out his wand and banished his broomstick from where it rested on the ground. Still holding onto Hermione, the Slytherin boy mounted her broomstick and ordered her to get on behind him. Her arms tightened around his middle as he kicked off gently from the ground. He felt her cheek against his back through his robes as she relaxed against him. They touched down on the Astronomy Tower moments later.
"Ooh..." Hermione sighed, propping herself against the low stone wall.
"I'm sorry, Granger," Malfoy said quietly, busying himself with straightening his robes.
"You called me Hermione before," Hermione said from the wall, "and I'm not sorry. I needed that."
"Hermione," Malfoy repeated. Then, "You needed what, a collapsed lung?"
"No, a flying lesson. I want to do that again! Oh, not now!" she exclaimed in response to Malfoy's worried look.
"In that case, we'd better go," Malfoy said. He banished the broom he was holding and then slung an arm around Hermione's waist, guiding her down the narrow tower staircase. When they reached the seventh floor again, Hermione took an off-balance step away from him. Her stomach growled audibly and she blushed.
"Come back to my room," Malfoy offered. "I'll get us some dinner." Hermione agreed without further protest, leaning comfortably back into Malfoy's solid form. He was warmed by her trust in him, strange after he'd put her in such danger. He'd been so afraid when she hit the ground...
Before he knew it they were back at his room. Malfoy fished out his wand and pressed it to the door, allowing them entrance to his quarters. Hermione looked around with interest, sinking into a comfortable, low-backed armchair in emerald green. Her books were stacked neatly on and around a low table in front of another armchair. She smiled impishly at him.
"Glad to see they're all right," she joked. Malfoy watched her sigh and close her eyes, leaning back in the chair. She was still feeling the effects of her flying. He shifted guiltily and crossed the room to his fireplace where a few bright flames danced. Retrieving a handful of sparkling powder from a chalice on the mantle, Malfoy tossed it over the flames and stepped into the fireplace, disappearing with a 'whoosh.'
Moments later, he reappeared with a platter full of food fresh from the kitchens and the obliging house elves. Balancing the laden tray deftly on one hand, he flicked his wand at the table before Hermione and the books vanished without a sound. Hermione looked at him curiously.
"They're back in your room," he told her with a small smile, "and alphabetically arranged by author, just as you had them before."
Hermione grinned. "Thanks." She made to help him with the platter, but Malfoy motioned that she should stay in her seat.
"I think I can handle this." With yet another flick of his wand, the platter floated through the air and settled on the glass tabletop without as much as a clatter.
"Show off," sniffed Hermione. Malfoy handed her a plate and napkin, which she tucked daintily in her lap. He watched her dip the very tip of her finger into the sauce glistening on the vegetables in the bowl nearest her, bringing it to her lips. Her eyes met his as she tasted it and smiled around her fingertip. A shiver shot down his spine. Malfoy was suddenly made aware of his heartbeat, hard and loud in his ears.
"Who taught the elves to make Chinese?" Hermione wondered aloud. She served herself some of whatever the bowl contained and offered the spoon to Malfoy, who took it, eyes still glued to her. He ate absently, barely noticing what found its way onto his fork. Every so often, Hermione would glance up to meet his eyes, colour slightly and look away.
"What?" she asked once, laughingly. "Is there something on my face?" Malfoy merely shook his head, gazing at her as she tucked a stray piece of hair back over her ear, legs curled attractively beneath her. When they'd finished their meal, Malfoy gathered the dishes and set them on the hearth. When he turned around Hermione was watching him, a smile playing on her lips.
"Thank you for the lesson," she said seriously as he returned to his seat. "And for dinner, of course."
"You're welcome," Malfoy answered politely. "I'm terribly sorry you got hurt."
"That happens, sometimes, when you fall," Hermione said distantly, looking away out the window on the far side of the window. "I should go."
Malfoy stood to see her to her room. Hermione opened her door, and then turned to face him. Her brown eyes sparkled when they met his own.
"Good night, Hermione," Malfoy said softly.
"Good night," Hermione paused, and then smiled "Draco." She raised herself onto her toes and leaned forward to press her lips to his smooth cheek. Malfoy stood there for a moment after her door had shut, staring blankly after her. Some no-emotion job.
A/N: Sorry this took so long! School just started and I've been dealing with all of that, plus those annoying demands on my time such as homework, parents, and life. :0) This is probably my favourite chapter so far... I had to rewrite the chapter once because it was all wrong, and this is what happened.
Thanks for the continuing support! I love getting your feedback.
Big yell to my fabulous betas, Kerichi and Aindel S. Druida. Your hard work is so appreciated!