This is a part of Chapter 10. But I'll still call this Chapter 11 and the same title as the chapter before. Also, I don't see the need of Disclaimer in this chapter.

He balled his fist and bared his teeth, the Slytherin Serpent emerged...

Chapter 8: With a Serpent II

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" He said in a dangerously low voice. Draco had been patient to listen to Hermione's complaints, and now was his turn to pour out his emotions that were threatening to explode in his filled-to-the-brim mind.

The angelic innocent look plastered to Hermione's face, in Draco's point of view, was such a pain to look at. It was quite... correction, very nice to admire, and it was this that left him torn between love and hate for that woman. Her stubbornness and witty mind could make him Avada Kedavra her; her innocence and simple mindedness could make his freezing heart melt and spirits soar.

"I lectured you?" She replied quizzically.

"What else?" An eye of his rolled uncontrollably skywards, he thought it was another of his many inborn reflexes.

Hermione was puzzled, not by the question, but by her obedience. "The slapping?" Malfoys sure had the dominating power. Even people as strong as an above average Gryffindor (in terms of bravery) could be defeated by the supreme that had existed in every word they said, no matter how bad their attitude could, most of the time, be.

Draco drawled, but not before he sighed, "What gave you the audacity to hit me?" He paused to take in some breaths, "You know I'm not to be treated like that! And you think that I wanted these to happen? I didn't really mean to ruin things for you." Despite the current situation she's in, Hermione couldn't help but thought about those times in the past... He didn't mean to ruin things for her? Yeah, right. "Frankly speaking, I was really, truly, genuinely, positively trying to know you better. Don't look at me like I was trying to do what to you!" He added when Hermione winced with disgust. "Maybe, I only wanted a more peaceful year as the Head Boy, didn't want to be involved in much trouble, you know. On with the issue on the slapping, " It hurt to say that, literally. Draco took out his posh dark oak wand.

"Change your wand yearly?" Hermione asked from the corner where she was cornered. :p

"Never you mind!" He sneered. "It's a custom for the Malfoys to never let people who let us down, get past unscathed." The trademark smirk, accompanied by the raise of his wand, appeared. It was not like the usual smirk she was accustomed to, the usual playful one, but instead, what took over was an evil kind of smirk. That never failed to bring shivers down Hermione, much to the satisfaction of Draco. "So, what fun do you want?" He thought of something else and decided to add, "Of course, there would be not much fun in you without some... Cruciatus?"

Hermione can't hold it down anymore. "You are unbalanced in your mind aren't you? To think you want to use an Unforgivable Curse on a fellow human being! That's the best Malfoys can do? Don't tell me only the illegal curses are fit for wizards and witches' use! You guys are pathetic. People like us could use legal duelling curses and win others in wand-fighting, but Malfoys and those Dark wizards can't seem to do that! They thought they were powerful, when they were actually timid and fearful. They hide inside the shell of darkness and lost themselves inside them. Look at Voldermort! Compare him with Dumbledore and see the significant difference! Both are powerful, but one is still greater that the other. Dumbledore never really abide by the laws, but hey, Voldie's totally impossible! Unforgivable Curses are truly amazing, I agree with that, but use in on another human? No way!"

Draco said nothing. He conitnued to ransack Hermione's closet of emotions as he stared deep into her eyes. So that's what she thinks of him?

"Do you get me? I know you are going to follow your father's footsteps, being the vulnerable kid at home whose daddy says it all..."

"I'm not! You talked too much nonsense, Granger! Who told you I'm going to use Cruciatus? Who told you I'm like my father? And who the hell are you to lecture me yet again on life and things?" Wouldn't she get tired of nagging? Women!

"You mentioned Cruciatus and I was under the impression! Your behavior resembled your freaky father and I was just playing my part as a friend! It was known to the whole entire world that Malfoys are one of the vilest Pureblood family to ever walk on the Wizarding World despite all the riches they enjoyed!"

Her answers stunned him a bit. Wait. Did she say 'Malfoys are one of the vilest'? Oh my Merlin! "I don't want to talk to you now..." Draco let out slowly and softly. He sounded oddly like a mighty general who was returning to his country to report the defeat in his recent war.

Hermione processed the whole event into her brain. They were having a very heated argument, she knew, but the strange thing was he didn't want to continue. It was like he gave up on... something. She looked up from the ground to find the place Draco was at previously, empty. The click of the door announced the retirement of Draco back to his room.

Her eyes lingered round Draco's door for a while. Who was in the wrong, she didn't know. Perhaps she was being too protective of herself. Maybe it was him who changed so much that it was beyond her understanding. Or, he did not even change. Only that now, she got to know him better.

The latter seemed to be a better explanation for everything that happened not long before, and she settled with that.

The Slytherin fell heavily to the ground and laid there. No movement could be detected from him, people would have thought him as dead... but he was not.

Draco laid there and thought about what Hermione said. She was right. He had been obsessed in Dark Arts. However, that was in the past. He'd changed for the better already. She didn't know that, he could understand why, but still, she couldn't just jump to any conclusion. It hurt him. A lot... For Draco was clear about his feelings towards her... the love. Well, it could be an infactuation...

Since Hermione already started treating him as a friend, he thought he shoudn't be that harsh towards her just now. It wasn't her fault anyway.

Then, a long train of thoughts followed past...

Thinking through everything, he reached a decision.

A/N: Hmm... Not a good chapter I can see. Perhaps some excitement in the next chappie? I'll consider that... OK. Really sorry for the late update! I had been busy with a lot of things! Just to name a few, there's this thingy called rehearsals and lots of homeworks and projects. Argh.

Smile,
fionger

P.S: REVIEW!