Leather and Libraries
by Starlight-Heart
Edited because I'm a spaz. Let me know if you spot any mistakes as I can easily change them now!
AN: Yay, I have found my musings! Working on avital key flashback in Chapter 19 that will be used in corny sequel and it's going surprisingly well! It'sjust gone 12pm/amso the late night paid off! Still looking far and wide for a beta!
Hehehe I have a paid account! Not up to much but purdy all the same! Nice picture for starters for my muses. Enough with the babbling!
Celebrean – Poking? Hmmm may have to have armour installed… I get like that I'm insane but not hyper and when I'm hyper I just dance a lot.
AvId PiAnIsT – Here I go, again! I can't remember whether I replied to these so I'll just do them anyway!
3 – Snigger? –Shrugs- Coolness! Yes that's was completely out of character I have to change that!
5 – I know stupido moi! Oh wait…
7 – And he's a shexy boy. I can have these thoughts! –Does victory dance-
9 – I hate OOC! I have failed… Oh wait, this isn't Shrek 2!
12- I remember answering these now! Oh well!
13 – I'm a mongo who should be locked up….
16 - Your review was amazing! Gave me a lot to think about for future chapters and stories (I couldn't be bothered to re-do this chapter sorry!) It's really helped me a lot and hopefully made me a better writer. I really appreciate constructive criticism as I've had it for most of my life being an amateur singer and actor. Helps me build up on things I need help with especially those phrases! I'm more an imagery and poetic gal but I'm going to experiment with a few monologues or something.
Slytherin ice princess – Thank you! Yeah boys can be so insensitive –cough- ex boyfriends –cough- :) They have no idea what their doing is wrong! I'll try to R&R when I have time as I'm trying to get this story done by Christmas so it can lead nicely to the timeline of the sequel. Hence the many updates!
Sever13 – Thank you! It's hard to keep Draco in character especially so that meant a lot to me. Hermione's just go worse with periods and… shit… Little Britain rules! British people would know the 'ladies' I'm talking about! Sorry about that!
sirius-black-4eva – I fear our precious sex crazy Draco may have left us for good… He doesn't seem to grab her and snog her senseless anymore!
jesska-14 –Poor fish! I saw a cooking show (my dad's doing!) and the fish was being de-gutted! It was horrible so I'm going veggie…. What's that got to do with you though? –Gives nervous smile and sorts papers- Ostriches? I saw one put its head in the sand at a zoo and I was like 'What is the point mate?' Don't worry I babble as well!
silvereyedelven - -Skim reads Chapter 16- Just refreshing! Yes I can do that hence bad grammar and spelling! Draco's too sweet because my tooth just got chipped! Where's he gone?! Oh dancing! –Does the funky chicken- Yes it goes like that! Yes it does! Yes it does… Of course I'll preview, just send it to my email (see bio!) and I'll wait for your reply sucking my lolly :P
Also, huggles and purdy gold stars to hye em yes and ShimmeringEvil for their reviews!
Where's everyone gone? BlackPearl07, Tinkbelle, Quills 'N Ink, Evilevergreen, shexy-cleva-yollop?! –Gets down on knees and cries hysterically- Where's the love gone?
Bet you're think yeah……………..
Disclaimer: I own only a room in this maze I call life…
Chapter 17 – Take Your Final Bow
Hermione Granger woke up slowly, trying to piece together the night before. It seemed fairly spaced out and confusing to her at the moment when she was in-between sleep and consciousness.
"We had an argument," She whispered. "Me and who?"
It has everything to do with me Hermione! I'm your best friend and so is Harry! I thought we said no more lies after third year.
That was definitely Ron's voice in a rage, but what was it about?
You and bloody Malfoy! We saw you last night so don't try to deny it!
"Oh Merlin," Hermione said slowly, shaking her head. "Great, so now they know? What the hell did I do to deserve this?"
I did until you started to lie and date my enemy!
Hermione walked over to the bathroom, quickly grabbing some clothes.
'I can't help it who I fall for; it's my heart's choice, why can't Harry and Ron understand that?' Hermione thought tetchily. 'It's not as if I planned it to happen.'
She gave a deep sigh and quickly pulled her hair into a ponytail and only applying mascara. She didn't really feel like doing anything else as there was no point really.
Hermione was actually not looking forward to lessons! Of course she never particularly got up and sat on her bed, waiting for that bell to ring, but she did not even look forward to learning new thingsknowing that she would have to face Harry and Ron along with it.
She grabbed her bag which already had the right books in it and headed down to the Great Hall, seeing that none of the girls were up and the common room was empty. The hallways were not that empty,youngerpeople getting ready for lessons or going to breakfast.
Hermione averted all eyes and rushed down them heading to the Great Hall for some quick breakfast. The hall was quite crowded, mostly 1st to 5th years gathered around the tables, chattering. She sat on the table by herself, reading one of her many books and picking at her breakfast. Harry and Ron did not come in while she sat there, which she was grateful for because she was not sure how she would feel to not have some of the people she cared most about with her.
The bell went and she went to her first lesson, Muggle Studies, which not a lot of people had taken since they did not see the point in. But as Hermione pointed to, many of the Ministry of Magic jobs needed Wizards to have some kind of correspondence and understanding of the muggles surrounding them.
The class went by smoothly, Hermione not putting her hand up to answer the questions as her own questions were running through her mind. And all of them lead to Draco. Why couldn't this nightmare just end? In the muggle world this would have not been so much of a crime, but Hermione was beginning to feel like she was condemned for life. And that was never a good thing.
Before she knew it, the class was over and she had not made any notes, which surprised her as it had never been a common occurrence. She quickly asked a sixth-year if she could borrow his and walked out to her next lesson – Charms. Not something she was looking forward to.
Hermione passed the library after deciding to take the long way around. She contemplated about diving into the books and holding seeing her friends and Draco, but carried on down the hallway, knowing that she could never fight the inevitable. She swerved between the crowds, not wanting to be trampled by the many Hogwarts students that felt like a herd of bulls sometimes, sharpening their horns ready for their next victim. Many could actually be compared to one.
When she made it to the classroom, most of the class was there including Harry, Ron and Draco. The first two were giving Draco the death glare while Draco just repelled it with his own.
'Great, so I'm going to have to choose,' Hermione thought to herself while she stood in the doorway. 'Bye then.' She walked over to Draco, taking the vacant seat next to him.
"Hello," Draco said mildly, taking his glare away from the two boys and looking at the girl.
"Hi," Hermione replied, looking slightly scared.
"I'm guessing you haven't made up then?"
"No way. It's their problem, not mine. They think just because I'm their best friend that I can't actually have a life outside them and their problems."
"Well Potter and Weasel can be pretty vain and conceited all the time."
She smiled slightly and got out some of their research while Draco did the same.
"Hello class," Announced Professor Flitwick. "Today we will be continuing with your projects. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me."
"Have you come up with any more ideas?" Hermione asked Draco.
"Just one. It's to see if someone is hiding something solid – without them knowing. It's not like Accio because the person knows the objects would come out of their places but the person says a word and it sort of shows them in some way the objects," Draco messily explained.
"Well, that was enlightening!" Hermione said sarcastically.
"You didn't ask for the diagrams or the in-depth explanation!"
"Do you have them then?"
Draco looked down and said, "No."
Hermione gave a triumphant smirk and placed her hands on her hips. "See? Totally incompetent."
"Well, not in some things…" He edged towards her.
"Draco!" Hermione hissed, looking around. Ron and Harry were both staring at them with eyes like daggers. She shook her head and started to talk with Draco about his idea for the rest of the lesson, ignoring the stares.
The end of the lesson approached fairly quickly, too quickly for Hermione's liking. She packed up her things and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Have you got a free lesson next?" She asked Draco quietly.
"Yeah thank Merlin," Draco replied.
"Meet me in the back of the library in ten minutes okay?"
"Sure."
She gave a quick flash of a smile and swiftly hurried out of the classroom and up to Gryffindor Tower, getting a few things before returning back down and heading towards the library. Little did she know she was being watched…..
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"So what do muggles do for fun?" Draco asked, sitting casually on the armchair whilst Hermione was placed on his lap.
Evenshehadlaughed at her idea of a 'Muggle Lesson'but she felt it was necessary so thatDraco would not be so prejudiced against them, even if it took a lifetime as he seemed to be scoffing at everything.
"Watch films, listen to music, watch television, and go to theme parks. God the list is endless!"
"Television?" Draco said uncertainly and slowly.
"It's a box which has got electricity in it and gives pictures to the people watching them; but they move."
"Sounds a bit simple to me."
"Well, they are more complex when a fuse is gone or they blow up."
Draco looked faintly confused but nodded all the same. "And theme parks?"
"Oh, their places which have got rides which muggles go on which can get them wet, sick or dizzy. And their really fun despite what happens."
"I don't think I'd go on something which made me sick. Stupid muggles."
"Only because you'd be too scared.Chicken! Plucked, clucking baby chicken!" She taunted and laughed.
"I don't think a chicken could do this!" He scooped her up and placed her on his shoulder, her flopping down as she protested and thumped his back playfully. He ran about the discreet back of the library with her laughing like mad.
Eventually he put her down and leaned against the bookcase, grinning for all he was worth as he regained his breath.
"That was not funny!" Hermione said, hands placed on hips. "You could have dropped me!"
"I would never let you fall," Draco whispered huskily, approaching her with hungry eyes.
"I know… It's just that you never used to catch me." She took a nervous gulp before he entranced her in a kiss, their lips making a mould and the tongues performing their own unique dance. He played with her curly hair as she just stood there on the edge of time, taking everything in with all the worries swept away in the wind. It was in that moment everything changed…..
Hermione was the one to break the kiss with a joyful smile teasing her lips. "Come on, we better get going. We've got classes next."
"Just say we forgot about them. I can take your mind off them if you want," Draco suggested, raising an eyebrow with that smirk.
"No Draco. Come on we can walk together since people are in lessons," Hermione grabbed the books and his hand before walking out with him. They walked down the barren corridors talking while still holding hands, not really noticing that this would be really awkward if everyone came out of their lessons now.
Hermione made it down to the corridor by her class and stopped.
"I'll see you later." She pecked him on the cheek.
"Don't let Pot Head and Weasel get to you."
"Pot Head?" A voice questioned, coming out of his hiding place.
Hermione looked around for the source and her eyes fell on.
"Harry?"
"Hermione, get out of the way," Harry said, Ron now joining him.
"What are you doing?" She moved in front of Draco, somehow wanting to defend him.
"I said get out of the way."
"No! Why are you being like this?!"
"You know why," Ron open-ended. "You fell for that bastard and now we need to know if he made you fall for him."
"You're both acting crazy! Draco did not make me fall for him and he is certainly not a bastard! Merlin, I thought I made it clear last night, you cannot control my life!"
"Hermione get out of the way," Draco said this time, gently pushing her shoulder.
"Get your hands off her," Ron said slowly, eyeing him with repulsion.
"I'll put my hands wherever I want and where she finds acceptable because we are together, whether you like it or not," Draco spat harshly.
It was Harry who made for him first, grabbing him by the collar and punching him hard on the cheek. He raised his hand to do it again but was cut short by a foot kicking him hard in the shin and an elbow heavily jabbing him in the stomach.
"You fucking…" Ron now started on Draco, punching him in the stomach.
"Stop it!" Hermione screamed in plea. She tried furiously to get Harry off Draco, but failed miserably when he shoved her roughly back.
Ron was now pulling Draco's hair so forcefully that he felt the hairs were coming out of his head, so Draco was punching Harry in his arm. They seemed unaware of the crowd gathering from lessons, looking on astounded at the fight.
"Get off him!" Hermione tried again, looking for someone to help her. She noticed Seamus, Dean and Neville all looking on with eyes boggling. "Help!"
They all waded through the crowd and broke the boys apart with difficulty as all three boys wanted to keep on fighting.
Hermione immediately went towards Draco, looking at his cuts and bruises. "You should not have done that. You'll be in trouble with Dumbledore."
"I… couldn't watch… them just say… that," Draco said with difficulty, clutching his ribs.
"You need to go to the hospital wing." Hermione tried to support him and did it but it was hard since he was so well built.
"Going to look after your Slytherin bastard?" Harry said, cleaning the cut on his head.
Hermione approached him, with Draco still hanging on, and slapped him forcefully on the cheek, rage filling her. "Grow up, both of you. Accept it because it will not be changing."
Hermione dragged Draco to the hospital wing, forgetting that she could have easily levitated him. It took a great deal of time and she was worn out by the time she had made it. She opened the mahogany doornosily and dropped Draco on the nearest bed.
Madam Pomfrey came rushing over from her desk. "What happened?" She asked as she examined Draco's wounds.
"He ummm, got into a fight," Hermione said nervously.
"Boys. They never know when to keep their mouths shut and hands in their pockets." She tutted and shook her head at Draco's sight and muttered something like 'Always the same those Malfoys'.
"You think it was Draco's fault?" Hermione asked.
"Well naturally. He has always been the stirrer between you, Harry and Ron; it was only a matter of time before something drastic happened."
"It was not Draco's fault. Harry and Ron started it and didn't choose to stop."
They were interrupted by Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore coming in with Harry and Ron in the middle of them.
"Potter and Weasley, the back other side," Minerva said sharply, moving towards Madam Pomfrey. "I know what's happened. How is Mr. Malfoy?"
"It looks like broken or bruised ribs so far. Lots of bruises and cuts as well of course, but that's the main problem," She explained, taking off Draco's top so the woman could see them for herself.
Hermione and Minerva flinched at the purple and blue skin. Draco was fighting back the pain surging through him, much worse than ever he had felt before.
"And to think two Gryffindors could do this," Severus observed. "I hope that there will be punishments?"
"Only when we know what happened Severus," Albus said, moving to the centre of the room. "What were two Gryffindors fighting with a Slytherin so violently?"
Hermione indistinctively grabbed Draco's hand; frightened that Harry and Ron would do something to him again as the fire in their eyes showed they wanted to very much.
No-one answered the man's question.
"Let's try this again; what could have provoked either party?" He glanced at the laced fingers and a twinkle flashed in his eyes.
"Malfoy," Harry said irritably.
"And what did he exactly do?"
Harry stared darkly at the Headmaster and then looking at the couple across the room, hinting to Dumbledore.
"Ah, so you were fighting because Draco and Hermione have seemed to develop a relationship."
The word 'relationship' seemed to repulse Harry and Ron, but yet they nodded.
"Ridiculous! Three young men fighting over something as petty as this when the Dark Lord is out wreaking havoc!" Minerva lectured, moving towards Albus now. "I don't care what happened; just make sure that you should be ashamed of yourselves, especially the members of my house. Poppy, could you patch up Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley and then send them to my office."
Madam Pomfrey nodded and hurried to them, mumbling all the time and shaking her head.
Hermione gave them a deep glance and then turned to Draco. "Does it hurt?"
"Why don't you see how you feel after you're girlfriend's best friends just beat you up and then tell me because I could do with some fellow misery," Draco snapped because of his pain.
"Girlfriend?" She asked with a smile.
"Well I just fought for you so yeah," Draco said casually, trying to sit up.
"Don't, it'll get worse." Hermione gently fluffed his pillow and kissed him lightly on the forehead.
"I'll let Pomfrey know she's got a new apprentice."
"If I could hit you, I would." Hermione laughed and gave him a sarcastic smirk.
"You're catching onto my trademark too fast; I may have to cut you out of my line."
"You have a line now?"
"Of course, I'm always wanted. Any time, any place I'm there."
"You are unbelievable. I'm going to get some work okay?"
"I'm in a hospital bed and you want me to do work?!"
"No. For me since I'll be staying here all night. God, you really are a blond!"
Hermione rushed out before Draco could retort and headed to Gryffindor Tower. She wanted to keep Harry and Ron out of her mind, so she chose to study. She didn't want to go over why they did it and what actually happened; half of it was still blurry as it had all happened so fast.
She hurried to Gryffindor Tower and was in and out in a flash, blocking out all the whispers and stares. They didn't even seem to care she could hear them, all of them ready to pounce on her with questions she did not want to answer.
Hermione walked through the dark corridors. The sun was already set and the night sky was dark, as the nights grew shorter during winter. The candles gave off a foreboding feeling and her footsteps echoed through the hallways and bounced off the suits of armour. Evening had come far too quickly for her liking as the day was coming to an end and tomorrow she would have to face the school.
She turned a corner and felt a hand clasp around her mouth, pulling her into the nearest classroom. The room was also dark, but Hermione felt the presence of numerous figures. She would have screamed, but a hand was still covering her mouth.
A 'Lumos' was muttered by a female voice and Hermione saw numerous young women surrounding her, all bearing the Slytherin robes. Pansy Parkinson and Alison Williams were at the front, devious smiles showing themselves.
"Hello Granger," Pansy said calmly but full of malice, stepping towards her. Hermione felt a pair of hands grab her arms from behind, pulling them up her back.
"I hear you have bedded Draco Lucius Malfoy, congratulations."
"I have not had sex with him," Hermione said slowly and reassuringly. "I don't sleep with a boy I have only been seeing for a couple of weeks. Unlike you, I have some class that seperates me from common sluts." She felt a hand come in contact with her cheek, leaving it stinging and feeling hot.
"That won't get you nowhere; back-chatting your peers," Alison said, circling around her like a hawk.
"I just need to get this over and done with," Pansy snapped. "What is a Gryffindor doing dating one of our finest men?"
Hermione did not answer, just stared at the girl and never broke eye contact.
"Let me re-phrase what I just said; who the fucking hell do you think you are laying your filthy mudblood hands on Draco?!"
"He doesn't seem to mind. And what makes you think he wants your hands anywhere near him? They've probably still got other men's semen on them."
"You know, this is really getting boring; I might have to slap you again. Of course it would be fun for me, but not so much fun for you. And Draco never seemed to mind before when I put my hands on him. I made him feel like a man and we reached for things you have never even dreamt of before. I would have given him anything – he was my platinum haired baby." Fake tears swelled up in her eyes, eyelashes fluttering holding them back.
"So if you know what's good for you, keep away from Draco Malfoy otherwise the next time I have a chat with you, it'll get ugly and you will have more than a stinging face."
The girls all filed out and Pansy paused once they had all gone.
"Just face it; you cannot give Draco what he wants; power and pleasing. You caused him to be in the hospital wing so what's the point in being together when everyone's against you? Including all the school."
Pansy gave a little smirk before turning on her heel and walking out of the classroom.
Hermione sat down on the nearest desk, taking slow and deep breaths. She had not wanted to breathe for some reason.
She went over what Pansy had just told her.
You caused him to be in the hospital wing so what's the point in being together when everyone's against you?
It was true. The school was against them so what was the point of being together? It was not even the perfect relationship as they argued ever week over something petty and before long they would be so far in that they could not see anything.
AN: Drakie! Noooo the hurt soul in my mind is now actually hurt! Longest one ever! Don't expect this a lot! This chapter was sooo hard to write! The emotions just seem all over the place as I wrote it in dribs and drabs, but I am sort of pleased with the final result as I got everything in there that I planned to do.
Please continue reviewing! With a cherry on top? Thank you :) Star x