Hermione sat across the table at the library that afternoon like she always did, watching Draco struggling with a small quiz she had prepared for him. She was thinking about what had gone on that morning. She had asked every guy she knew if she had been in their dreams, which was probably not the smartest, subtlest way to go. Half of them thought she was weird (Harry and Ron included) and the other half thought she was flirting. Ernie MacMillian had asked her out because of it, the thought of which made her cringe. The point was, none of the boys would admit to having the dream. Who was she missing?
Malfoy let out a groan and slammed his head on the table. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Done, are we?"
Malfoy lifted his head up a little and glared. "I hate you."
Hermione stifled a laugh, and resumed her posture as the tutor. "Well, finish up then, so I can grade it."
Malfoy muttered something under his breath that sounded a little like, "Prudent little bitch," but Hermione ignored him. She was too busy thinking about her dilemma.
Suddenly, her mind drifted to something that could never be possible. But... he fit with what Dobby said... no, it couldn't be... But she might as well try, right?
"Malfoy, do you dream?" she asked. His eyes slowly lifted up from his paper and watched her warily.
"Yes," he said, slowly.
"What did you dream about last night?"
Malfoy's eyes flitted back to the paper, and he pretended to be working something out. "Nothing. I didn't dream last night."
"But you just said..."
"Once in a while, I dream, okay?" he snapped. "Not always."
Hermione quieted. After a few seconds of silence, Malfoy asked, "Why do you care?"
"No reason," Hermione lied, but Malfoy wouldn't fall for it.
"If there was no reason," he said, "you wouldn't have asked."
"I just... I couldn't sleep last night... and one of the House Elves told me it was because someone was dreaming about me..."
"And you're first logical choice was the Slytherin who hates you?" Malfoy asked, raising an eyebrow. Hermione realized how stupid she'd sounded.
"You're not the first one I asked, Malfoy," she snapped, defensively, but Malfoy continued.
"Although, I can see why you'd want it to be me," he said, cockily. "I mean, I am such a handsome, devonaire..."
Hermione laughed, harshly. "Please, Malfoy. I didn't actually want it to be you. I was just wondering. Now, take your test."
"What if I don't want to? I find this much more amusing."
"Find what amusing?"
"The fact that the Gryffindor prefect has a crush on the Slytherin prefect."
"I do not!" Hermione yelled. Madame Pince looked over from the book counter, and Hermione blushed. Malfoy laughed.
"You're always getting me in trouble..." Hermione muttered.
"You're welcome."
"Do your paper," Hermione growled. Malfoy raised his hands.
"Touch-ee," he said, but resumed scribbling down answers. After a few minutes, he handed it over. "There, Granger. Grade it and let me get out of here."
"Fine," she said, snatching it. Her eyes fluttered quickly across the answers, and she got a pleasant surprise. "Not bad, Malfoy. Only missed two."
"Damn it!" he cursed. Hermione jumped.
"What? That's good, Malfoy."
"But I can't stop doing this until I get a hundred percent! It just means I need more sessions with... you."
"You're welcome, Malfoy," Hermione grumped. "I'm giving you my time, and you don't even want it. Why don't you take advantage of the tutor you have at your disposal?"
"Because I'm not one of your jerk-off friends."
"Shut up, Malfoy," Hermione hissed dangerously.
"You know I'm right."
If Hermione had thought he'd been saying these things to help her, with that statement, those thoughts would have disappeared. She now knew without a doubt that Malfoy only kept bringing this up because he didn't want to be wrong. Unfortunately, Hermione wasn't sure that he was wrong anymore.
"Aren't you going to tell me off?" he asked.
"No," Hermione replied, decidedly. He raised an eyebrow.
"Erm... why not?"
"Because, for once in your pitiful life, I think you're... I think you're right."
Malfoy stared at her, eyes wide. If anything, that had not been the answer he was expecting. He had nothing to reply to it. All he could muster was, "W-why?"
"Because you have a point. Ever since I met them, they've only been in the friendship for themselves. I mean, in first year, we only started being friends because I took the blame for going after that stupid mountain troll and gained them five house points for knocking the troll unconcsious..."
"Only five? That's a crime, those things are huge!" Malfyo said, seemingly interested, which was odd since he was talking to a Mudblood.
"That's was they said, but they didn't mind. Harry and Ron just loved the glory. And then, in second year, I was the one who found the clues to the Chamber, and found out what the basilisk was, and figured out how to repel it's power, AND got petrified for it, but did I get any credit? No! It was all those two, and Ginny of course, but you can hardly blame her..."
"Of course we can blame her," Malfoy interrupted. "Scapegoating is fun."
Hermione ignored him. She really needed to rant. "And then in third year, when Harry got that awful broomstick, I thought it might be from Sirius Black, trying to hex him, so I gave it to McGonagall to strip it down, and make sure he wouldn't get hurt. I was only thinking of Harry's safety, but he cared more about the broomstick that our friendship and got in a fight with me because I wanted to protect him! Tell me if that makes sense!"
"I don't think anything Potter's ever done has made sense," Malfoy pointed out, and again, Hermione pretended she hadn't heard him.
"And in fourth year, with the whole Viktor Krum thing, don't even get me started! Ron thinking I would just automatically go to the Ball with him, puh-leese! I do have a life besides those two!"
"You do?"
This time Hermione really didn't hear him. She was growing quite flustered. "Finally, last year, with the whole summer vacation thing..."
"What summer vacation thing?"
"I mean I really couldn't tell him anything about the Order, could I? Not in letter. But, no, he gets so upset that I obeyed my freaking Headmaster..."
"What summer vacation thing?"
"And that whole year he was in a pissy mood just because no one told him things that could have gotten us killed..."
"WHAT SUMMER VACATION THING?!"
"IF YOU'RE GOING TO YELL YOU CAN LEAVE RIGHT NOW, THIS IS A LIBRARY!" shouted Madame Pince from her desk. Hermione looked up and blushed furiously. She had forgotten they were still in the library. Then, she realized what she'd been saying, and to whom she'd been saying it, and it dawned on her that she could have said something secret about the Order to a Death Eater's son. She really had to get a grip on herself. She began to pack up her things.
"Where are you going?" Malfoy asked. "You still have to tutor me!"
"I... I have to go!" she said, and rushed from the library, out into the hallway.
She didn't know why she was running. She didn't even realize that she was running until she noticed the rhythmic echoes of her feet pounding the stone floor. She slowed down to a walk, and pulled her robes around her. It was getting chilly. December would be here soon. Christmas time. Usually her favorite time of year. She loved shopping for her friends' presents, but this year, she didn't know who to shop for. Were any of them really her friends anymore, or was it just as Malfoy said? Was she just their friend because she was smart?
She gave a sniff and held back tears as she slowed her pace. She heard the pounding of footsteps down the hallway. Someone was running towards her. She turned around and saw Malfoy running after her. She stopped for him, though she didn't know why. She didn't exactly want to talk to him, not after making a fool of herself like she had. And yet, she stood in the drafty hallway, waiting calmly for him as though it was the most natural thing in the world that he should come chasing after her.
Finally, he reached her. Panting and leaning on his knees, he held out her Potions book to her. "You... forgot... this..."
She raised her eyebrow skeptically, but took the book. "Why would you run all the way down here for that?"
"Because if.. my teacher... doesn't have her book... how is she to teach me?" He gave a lopsided sort of grin, still panting a bit.Hermione saw a look on his face that she had never seen before, but she couldn't place it. And then she realized... he looked pleasant. It was the first time he'd smiled, really smiled, not just smirked, that she'd ever seen. She rather liked it.
Hermione shook herself out of the trance, and folded her arms over her chest. "I can teach you from memory, you know, Malfoy," she grumped. He nodded.
"I know you can, but I, uh, just wanted to, uh, make sure you got it."
"Um... right. See you tomorrow, then."
"Right. Tomorrow."
Hermione turned around and briskly walked away, almost frightened of the awkward situation she had just encountered. When I get up to the dormitory, she vowed, I will write one thousand times, 'You must not think Malfoy's smile is nice.'
Unfortunately, that resolution would have to wait. When she reached her dormitory, Lavender and Parvati were out as usual. She flung her books and bag on her bed. Out of her Potions book dropped a peice of parchment. She picked it up, delicately, wondering who had put it there. She never left parchment in her books. She read it over once, and then twice again, marvelling at the words. And then she realized who had put it there. The only person who had touched her book that day besides her.
"Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die,
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams go,
Life is a barren field,
Frozen with snow"
-Langston Hughes
I lied about not having a dream last night, but I didn't dream of you. I dreamed of who you could be if you held fast to your own dreams. Never let them die.
Signed,
Someone Who Knows.
The only one who had a chance to scribble down those beautiful words...
Was Malfoy.
A/N: Bet you didn't see THAT one coming. (cough, cough) Oh, how I love Malfoy. That's one of my favorite poems, too. I have it mezmorized (no, not memorized, mezmorized.) So... yeah, R&R and the next chapter should be up soon, as soon as I, ya know... write it. :-D.