Chapter 2: Incarceration with a Git

So why are you so destructive?

Do you realize what you've done?

You can't bring it back to life now.

What are you running from?

Detective, No Doubt

"That is enough!" roared Snape, shutting up the two bickering teenagers. By this point, everyone was staring at Draco and Hermione, baffled by their sudden outburst. "I will see the two of you in my office, immediately. The rest of you," he addressed to the class, "will continue taking the test and don't worry: you can't cheat. I've made sure of it." He stalked towards the door with Draco, then Hermione, in tow.

"What d'you think's gotten into them?" Harry whispered to Ron as the two pretended to be measuring out the proper amount of ginger root for one of their potions.

"Beats the hell outta me- did you see that punch she sunk him? Talk about a left hook… You gotta admit though, he had that one a long time coming," Ron excitedly observed.

"Yeah," Harry responded absent-mindedly as he watched Hermione slip through the door, her face red and her hair out of control, giving her a rather threatening look.

Snapped moodily clicked the door quickly behind Hermione. "Sit down," he directed the two, and they did as they were told. Neither of them had ever seen Snape angrier before, and it scared the both of them. "Granger, you took this completely out of hand. Violence is unacceptable. A silly bookworm such as yourself should know that. In addition to that, you should know that not only does being Head Girl not put you above the rules of this school, but you are setting an example for others. Physical, uncontrolled hostility towards other students is not something that should even allow you to keep the title. Seventy-five points from Gryffindor."

Hermione glanced sideways at Draco, wanting more than anything to slap that smug look off of his face- but that was what had gotten her here in the first place. Somehow, she was able to restrain herself, returning Malfoy's look right back at him with the utterance of Snape's next words. "Mister Malfoy, you are not exempt from admonishment. I thought you might know better than to curse, especially in my classroom. Though it pains me to say the words, I will be forced to take twenty-five points from Slytherin." Hermione had to fight not to protest the unfair balance of point deductions, but she held her tongue, because she was in enough trouble as it was. "The two of you, on top of it all, will both receive one full week of detention and will receive a zero as a grade for this test. I am very disappointed in the two of you, though I never had very high standards for one of you," Snape said, staring directly at Hermione. "Mister Malfoy, Granger will escort you to Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing." The two feuding adolescents made for the door, eager to distance themselves from Snape.

Hermione avoided the gazes of her friends, making a beeline for the heavy wooden door, which locked them for what seemed to be hours on end in Snape's dreaded class. The one day she was allowed to get out of Potions, the only thing she wanted to do was to have a normal class, but she had blown that when she let her hatred for Malfoy get out of hand. Punching the git had felt good at the time, but she knew she would pay dearly for what she had done. She walked beside Malfoy in silence, leaving the Slytherin dungeon area of the castle and coming upon the Great Hall. Her stomach growled as she realized she had skipped breakfast.

As they got closer and closer to the Hospital Wing, the silence became unbearable. Hermione couldn't take it anymore. "Look, Malfoy, I can't believe I'm saying this, but-"

"Don't even waste your breath apologizing. I don't want to hear it," he angrily snapped back at her.

Hermione stared back at him, thoroughly shocked, with nothing to say. When she finally found her voice, she feebly replied with, "Are you incapable of human emotion or something? I didn't know it was possible for someone to be that cruel. Of course, you probably took that as a compliment. There's no way you would be that way unless you enjoyed doing it."

Draco stopped walking. "You don't know the first thing about me. It's not as if I would tell you, but you shouldn't go on about stuff you don't know about. You may pass all your tests with flying colors, but you sure aren't smart, are you, Granger?"

Hermione was completely taken aback. "Merlin! What is the matter with you? I was only trying to be kind, for some unknown reason, and you have to be a complete jerk about it! You are just looking for fights! I bet you spend your spare time plotting ways to piss people off and start fights! I can't believe you! Walk you own sorry ass to Madam Pomfrey's!" Hermione fled down the hall, silent tears streaming down her face. She didn't stop running until she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Someone's looking rather upset," the painting spoke to her in a sweetly fake voice. Hermione just ignored her, muttering "Merlin's beard" and stepping through the hole behind the portrait. She chose an empty chintz armchair to stay and wait for Harry and Ron. She would have gone back to her own common room, but it felt so empty on account of Justin never being around. Not that she particularly enjoyed his company on the rare occasion that he was there. She hoped to maybe talk to Ginny or Lavender, but when she got upset like this, she could only be consoled by her best and dearest friends. The 'Golden Trio' as they were once called, went through practically everything together, and still came together to talk about things only the three of them could all help each other understand. However much they kept from each other, they could always go back and talk like they had never grown apart.

What was really on her mind, though, was why she had acted up like that. Why did I get so upset over something like that? He and I piss each other off and fight all the time. Maybe it's just that time of the month or something. I just hope he didn't catch me crying. I'd never hear the end of that one, and the last thing I would want him to have is the assurance of being able to make me cry. It's just that every time I think that maybe he'll randomly turn around and be nice, he just comes out with something truly nasty. I just don't understand him! As Hermione brooded over these thoughts, she slowly drifted off to catch up on some of the sleep she has missed last night.

"'Mione! 'Mione, it's time to get to Charms! We're learning Flame-Freezing Charms or something botched like that," Ron's soothing yet urgent voice brought her back to reality.

Hermione's eyelids flew open. "Oh, Merlin! Where are my books? Does my hair look okay? What time is it? Who cares?" A storm of questions rained on Ron, leaving him unable to answer any of them.

"Just come with us, 'Mione. But get a move on it or we'll be late!" Harry instructed, handing Hermione her bag and leading her out of the portrait hole. "So," he began after they had walked for a bit, "what was all that about?" At her confused look, he elaborated. "You know, back there with Malfoy and all. Anything up with you guys that you haven't told Ron and I?" Harry gently questioned as they hurriedly made their way through the halls, around the large groups of second and third years.

"Nothing. He was just being an ass, as usual," Hermione answered sharply. Harry and Ron knew enough not to question further if they didn't want to suffer her wrath. They both just rolled their eyes and followed their flustered friend down the hall.

Hermione has never felt more tired in all her life. She looked forward to a relaxing evening in the warmth of the Gryffindor common room, surrounded by her friends, before drifting back to her own private one to go to bed. Then, she remembered her detention. With Malfoy, making it even worse. She got up out of her chair before she fell asleep and headed for McGonagall's office, where she was told to report, dreading whatever it was that was in store for her and Malfoy tonight. She finally reached the door to her Head of House's office and yanked on the ancient handle.

Professor McGonagall looked up and spoke to Hermione. "I am really rather disappointed in you. A Head Girl should under no circumstances be getting detentions and punching other students. I believe I can understand that this may have been a slip or mistake, but one more stunt like this, Miss Granger, and I will be forced to revoke you from your position as Head Girl." As if Hermione didn't feel bad enough. "You will be serving your detentions, as you know, with Mr. Malfoy. I want to hear of no more arguments between the two of you. You're seventeen, Hermione, and a very responsible young adult. I expect you to behave yourself. Tonight, you will take on the task of scouring the prefect's bathroom. That is all."

McGonagall went back to working on some parchments on her desk as Hermione found her way to the door, her heart feeling as though it had sunk to the pit of her stomach. If Malfoy figures out that my position is in danger of being removed, he will taunt me ad infinitum because I can't fight back. She walked up two flights of stairs, down a long hallway, down another flight of stairs, and opened the third door on her right: the prefect's bathroom. In it, she found some various cleaning supplies and among them, Malfoy. "Let's get to work," Hermione said, alerting him of her presence. He didn't look up, so she approached him. "The sooner we clean, the sooner we can leave." As he looked up, she tried hard not to laugh at the sight of a large bandage across his nose.

"Yeah, whatever. I mean, the less time I have to spend with you, the better. What are you laughing at?" he snapped at her in confused anger.

"Oh, not a thing. But wait, are we, like, actually agreeing on something?"

"Don't push it, Granger. Let's just get to work. You can clean all the toilets."

"I don't think so! We are dividing up the work evenly. I'm not going to do it all!"

Sixteen toilets, ten sinks, one floor, and one and a half hours later, Hermione and Draco collapsed beside the bathtub. If Hermione was ever dead-tired before, she was ten times that at this point. She felt as though she couldn't move another inch. Her eyes kept shutting on her, and she had to jerk her head back up into an upright position and struggle to keep her eyes open.

Draco, sitting to the right of Hermione, felt exactly the same way. Certain circumstances had left him with far too many sleepless nights. He was about to get up when he felt something warm and soft on his shoulder, like a pillow calling for him to surrender to dreams and take a long awaited nap. He lay his head on it and shut his eyes. He was suddenly woken up by a loud click, which startled him, causing him to jump to his feet. He looked down, seeing Hermione's head hit the tile floor with a thud that left her with a splitting headache. She winced in pain.

"Your head was on my shoulder," Malfoy offered, standing above her.

"So you just let it drop to the floor!? You could have woken me up or something instead of giving me this bloody headache! You're enough of one already!" She groggily retorted.

"I don't need to deal with this." Malfoy stood up and made tracks for the door. He took his wand out and muttered "Alohomora" at the lock. He pulled at the handle of the door, but it was stuck. He pulled harder to no avail. He rammed his shoulder at it in vain. "Um, Granger, we have a problem. Does your overly swelled brain have any solutions to our problem?" he directed towards Hermione, who was sitting in the corner, heavy with sleep.

"Not when you call it that," she curtly replied, coming to life from her previously dead-like state. She stood up and approached Draco. "Did you try 'Alohomora' yet?"

"Been there, done that."

"Hmm… Check the cleaning supplies to see if there isn't a key in there somewhere."

"Oh, this is rich. Me, taking orders from a Mudblood." But he was too tired to fight and too eager to get out of the bathroom to do any thing but hunt through the supplies anyway. "Zilch," he reported upon completion of his search.

"I tried the most advanced Unlocking Charm, but got no results. I don't know what to do!"

"For once. Maybe we could try banging on the door. Maybe someone walking by would hear us?"

"I highly doubt it. Filch is the only one out at this time of night, and there's a very low chance he isn't even in this part of the school. If you didn't notice, the castle is huge and there is only one caretaker. Anyway, he would like to see students suffer in the bathroom for the night. He's just that mentally unbalanced."

"You have a point. So we're stuck in here? Together? Overnight? If that's the case, I'm going to take a bath. I actually broke a sweat, not something normal for me, and I haven't gotten a chance to use this bathtub yet - I have my own in my dormitory." Malfoy turned on various faucets on and off, until he got the desired temperature of water and purple, aromatheraputic bubbles. "What? They're just bubbles," he retorted at Hermione's snort of laughter. He then picked up a towel and walked into one of the stalls to undress with a little privacy.

Hermione sat on the ground, longing to take a bath herself, but under no circumstances willing to get in there with him. She got up to pointlessly pick at the lock, hoping beyond hope that it would somehow come apart. When Malfoy finally stepped out of the stall, Hermione turned around and was stunned. She was finally able to see why so much of Hogwarts' female population salivated over Draco Malfoy. Oh. My. God. He has a gorgeous body. I mean, he's still the same slimy maggot and all, but WOW.

"What are you looking at, Granger?"

"Huh? Wha? No, nothing. Nothing at all."

"Exactly what I thought. Now, turn around. I'm getting in."

"As if I'd want to see whatever that towel is covering," Hermione replied as she turned around to avert her eyes from a sight she was sure would scar her for life. At the sound of a splash, Hermione turned around to find Malfoy looking very relaxed. The thought of him in the absence of clothes underneath the water turned her shades a bright shade of pink. She glanced resentfully at Malfoy, not understanding why she should have to sit on the cold tile floor while the Slytherin Prince bathed in the luxury of the prefect's bathtub.

He lazily opened one eye to catch her staring at him. "I know it must be your silly Mudblood dream to come in here with my irresistible self, but it'll just have to stay that way. Sorry to let you down, but I don't exactly share that dream."

"Thank you so much for you insight to my wishes and dreams," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm and then disgust, "but I'm not in the mood to fight with you right now. I am going to bed."

"To what bed?" Malfoy retorted as he pulled the plug from the drain and made to get out of the tub.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Don't try anything funny on me while I'm sleeping. Goodnight!" Hermione snapped agitatedly. Too tired to get up, she muttered "Accio towels" and created a makeshift pillow out of a lump of the soft, white towels, stretching out on the hard, cold floor. She rolled on to her side, suddenly unable to fall asleep. She heard Malfoy's wet foot steps lead to the stall door, the opening and then shutting of the door. A few minutes later, the opening and shutting again, drier, bare footsteps towards the other side of the bathroom, footsteps getting slower and slower, stopping, and a loud thud as a body hit the floor.

Hermione bolted upright. "Malfoy?" she questioned timidly into the dark space beyond her. No response. "Malfoy?" she called out again, louder than before. Again, no response. She got out of bed, murmured "Lumos" and paced quickly in the direction in which she believed he lay. As she approached him, she saw a thin, then thicker trail of what was unmistakably blood, ending at the unconscious lump on the ground that was Malfoy.

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers for… well, reviewing. I'm glad to know at least a handful of people are reading my story. I hope you aren't too upset at me for all this cliffhangerness… But you know you really love it. I don't know how I let this chapter get so long, the writing was just infectious!

Tune in next time to find out answers to many questions, such as: Why did Malfoy faint? Will the pair ever get out of the prefect's bathroom? What is UP between Hermione and Draco? Will this be another one of those stories in which both the main characters suddenly fall in love and become all sappy? What is a tchotchke? All that and more coming up soon!! So stay tuned!!

Charlotte ;)