I Can't Make You Love Me

Chapter 4

Krissy Muffinhead

Disclaimer: PS - …as if you didn't know.

Draco came out of double Potions and headed straight for his room. He couldn't be near Hermione, even from across the Great Hall, without getting distracted.

He entered his dormitory and shrugged off the robe. Heat prickled uncomfortably across his scalp. He perched on his bed, digging out a quill and parchment from his book bag. How to begin, he thought. If not worded correctly, sometimes the punishments were disastrous. Biting his lip, he set down to work.

Dear Father,

School is going well, and I've had Quidditch training every day as you suggested. I have had no chance as of yet to do anything about the proposal you made in your last letter. I will continue to do my best in these regards.

Sincerely, Draco Malfoy

Draco set his quill aside and read over the letter again. It was short, but it was the most he could do given the situation. He had to be much more careful with his wording than his father was with the letters he sent to Draco. One never knew when outgoing owls would be checked. He rolled the letter up to be sent before he went class after the lunch break.

He sat for a moment, just thinking, before leaning over to get something from his bedside table. He unrolled the stiff parchment and scanned over the words again.

Draco,

Both my Lord and I wish to see you do well, and it is with this in mind that we send you this task. You must get Potter or one of his friends. Bring them to me, and our Lord will reward you richly. You will not be attending Hogwarts for much longer, and we need to start training you now. If you complete this successfully, you will be welcomed into the Dark Lord's inner circle come graduation time. You should feel blessed to be honoured in such a way.

Regards, Lucius Malfoy

Draco's jaw jutted out of it's own accord. Should he… could he, even… hand Hermione over to his father tonight? It would be the best time. They would be alone in a secluded area of the castle at night. There would be no clearer shot at her.

Draco's mind skipped back and forth between his choices, before deciding he would mail the letter as is and wait to see what came of the Hermione situation. Wait to weigh which would be the greater prize in the end.

His back straightened. What are you doing? Getting involved with a Mudblood? A curvy, soft, smart, feisty Mudblood who has you all mixed up, something in him replied.

"Shit," he cursed softly, getting up to mail the letter.

Hermione passed through the day feeling rather surreal. Every now and again, she would get an uncontrollable urge to giggle like mad. She hardly dared to raise her hand in class for fear that one of those episodes would occur when she opened her mouth.

She still had trouble comprehending the fact that she had slept with Draco Malfoy. She had known that he was cute, but his massive ego and prejudices had always over-shadowed that. So what made the difference between her hating him and suddenly jumping him one night? It was simple. One statement made by Harry at lunch one day over a month ago.

Ron had been ranting about Malfoy's overall jerkiness, and Harry had quietly replied, "I saw him with his father once. He was pretty quiet."

That was it. Ron had blown it off, and they had continued their meal talking about other things. But someone, that tiny little fragment of a thought got stuck in Hermione's mind. Maybe Malfoy wasn't completely bad. Yes, it was obvious that he was cruel, but maybe there was more to him.

She had begun casually noticing more about Malfoy than she had learned about him in the six previous years they had attended school together. For instance, he often mashed up all his food into one gelatinous blob on his plate before eating it. Gross, true, but Hermione viewed it as a window to his psyche. He was a perfect shell of ice to everyone, but maybe there was a mixed-up, genuine person beneath that.

Then, what had begun as an innocent study of what went on in Malfoy's mind turned into something much more. She had started noticing things that had nothing to do with anything. Like how he often brushed his fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck while leaning against his desk in class. Or how he opened his mouth ever so slightly when he was thinking of an answer to a professor's question. And before she could even register what it was, lust sprang upon her. But it was more than that at the same time.

Malfoy was like an adventure into the unknown, someone that she didn't know inside-and-out. That was the problem with going to a school like Hogwarts. You knew practically everything about everyone, and vice versa. But Draco was an enigma, someone that no one at Hogwarts knew completely. She had become almost obsessed with him, always watching him out of the corner of her eye. Yesterday, she had been unable to keep living this charade, pretending she wasn't enthralled with the mystery of Draco Malfoy.

"Miss Granger, I would appreciate it if you would save your daydreaming for outside class time," Professor McGonagall's clipped tone cut through Hermione's reflection.

Hermione felt her face burn. "Sorry, Professor," she said softly, hating the feeling of guilt emerging.

McGonagall's expression didn't change, but she felt a bit worried about the girl. She had never been anything less than attentive in her lessons. She carried on anyways, and made a mental note to speak to Hermione after class.

She never got the chance though, because as soon as the clock chimed signaling the end of the class, Hermione was gone.

Author's Note: I know, whoever said it, I can't stand 'Pregnant Hermione' most of the time, but I didn't include any birth control references in the other chapters, so I figured if I was Hermione, I would be a little concerned. Also, thanks for the reviews! They make me happy… but just so everyone knows; there are much better fics out there so check them out!!! Also, frightfully sorry for the super short chapter, but it's the best I can do given exams are next week and my art summative is due tomorrow!

"Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am clean again." – The Cure