A.N- sorry I did not get a chance to update yesterday, I was very busy with school work. I will be putting something in the next chapter that hasn't really been discussed in Draco/Hermione stories, or at least I have never read it. I will tell you my idea if you request in your review, I really want to ask your opinions of the subject before I type it, I want to make sure that it isn't stupid.
Chapter 4: Defiance
Hermione awoke and dressed the next morning before Draco ever came. She wanted to make deathly sure that the clothing incident did not happen again. She also formulated a plan on how she would ask Draco for access to the library. She decided that she was going to be pleasant all day, no matter what. She then heard her door 'click', and waited for Draco to enter.
Draco did not expect to see her up already, let alone dressed. Draco knew immediately something must be going on.
"Good morning," she said cheerfully, smoothing her skirt.
Good morning? Draco thought. What in the bloody hell is going on? Draco didn't answer her, he just stared at her, puzzled.
"I was trying to make up for what happened last night," Hermione said, biting her tongue. She knew she had not done anything wrong, but she would have said she would marry him if he granted her access to the library. She knew that books could keep her company.
"Well, like I said Granger, just don't make me lose my patience," he said. Draco scowled, she was not suppose to be like this. She was supposed to be crying and miserable, not being nice. She was putting a royal stunt in his plans. He took out his wand and pointed it at her, "Bondorus."
"Uh, Malfoy, I have something to ask you," she said softly. Draco narrowed his eyes at her.
"What?" he said, obviously annoyed.
"Well, I was, uh, just wondering..." she began.
"Spit it out Granger, we haven't got all day," he said impatiently.
"Does the Manor have a library?" she asked quickly, averting her eyes to the floor.
Draco smiled at her, now he knew why she was putting on her nice act this morning.
"Why yes, there is a library here," he said with mock sweetness. "Over a thousand books, probably any book you would like."
"Really!" she said, happily. "Thank you!"
"Wait," he said, voice turning harsh. "I said I had a library, I didn't say you could use it." Draco immediately noticed the smile fade from Hermione's face. Oh, how he loved to destroy her hope, chase away any of it she may have contained in her little body.
"So that means I can't use it?" she asked, defeated.
Draco really would have felt sorry for her if she was someone else, she looked so pitiful.
"Hmm, let me think about," he said sarcastically, rubbing his chin. "No! I knew you were up to something this morning, being all sweet. Should have known, this could only be expected from a mudblood."
"Please, just one book," she begged. "I wasn't faking being nice, I just wanted to start today off on the right foot."
"They why are you so concerned about a library, hmm?" he asked.
"Because I am lonely and I have nothing to do being locked up in a room, you know I have always loved reading," she said.
"Well, I will make sure you have plenty to do!" he said, pulling her out of the room.
"You really are an evil bastard!" she yelled. "No wonder you are so miserable, you let nothing make you happy!" Hermione knew the instant those words left her mouth she had made a mistake."
"What did you say mudblood?" Draco asked, moving dangerously close to her.
"You heard me, I said you are an....OH!" she screamed. Draco had slapped her across the face. She stumbled to floor from the force of the blow. She looked at him, her eyes welling up with tears.
"I told you not to test my patience," he said. "But you wouldn't listen, just had to make me furious, didn't you?"
Hermione could not answer him, she put her hand to her cheek, it stung horribly. She noticed a little blood streaked across her palm, he must have busted her lip open. She began to cry, her tears falling freely now, she didn't bother to hide. She did not cry from pain, but from fear. She truly was frightened of him now. The warm, salty tears tricked down her face.
Draco crouched down beside, regretting what he had done. He had lost his patience. He didn't believe in hitting woman, only evil bastards like Lucius would hit women. And now, he had acted just like him, nausea flooded him, remembering what Hermione had just called him. Evil bastard, just like his father.
"I, I am sorry," he stammered, removing a handkerchief from his pocket. Tenderly, he dabbed it at her bloody lip. "Are you hungry?"
Hermione shook her head no, she didn't want to say a word to him. She was amazed that he apologized to her, and yet furious at him for hitting her.
"If your not hungry you may return to your room," he said. "I really don't need you this morning, I have a few business affairs to attend to in Hogsmeade." He pointed his wand at Hermione and lifted the spell. "You may go."
Hermione didn't ask any questions, she just got up and ran. She opened the door to her room and threw herself on her bed. She cried, cried for a long time, letting it all out. She cried until her body was exhausted and quickly fell asleep.
"Oh damn!" Draco said. He had forgotten to lock her door, she could be anywhere. Draco ran upstairs to her room and threw the door open. He was shocked by what he found. Hermione was asleep. Not trying to escape, not causing trouble, just sleeping peacefully. He walked over to her bedside, not knowing why he just didn't turn around and leave. Her chest rose and fell with the breaths of her sleep. Her chestnut curls contrasted with the white of her pillow. He noticed her face, her cheek and her lip swollen. Even though her face was puffy and red she still looked beautiful, like a sleeping angel. He quietly left her room, closing the door behind him lightly. He placed the locking spell and started to walk towards the kitchens, he still had not ate breakfast.
Draco ate his breakfast alone with his thoughts. He was still plagued by what he had done to Hermione, even though she was a mudblood she was also a woman, which were not to be hit.
"Tilly," Draco called.
Tilly ran out to meet him, tripping on a rug as she did. She quickly stood as she tried to compose herself. "Yes master," she answered.
"In a little while take an ice bag to Hermione, she had an injury this morning that needs to be tended to, make sure she is better by the time I come home," he said. "I will give her further treatment if she requires it when I get home."
"Master, where is you going?" asked Tilly.
"I'm going to Hogsmeade to take care of some unfortunate business," he answered. "I'll be home for dinner." He then disapparated with a snap of his fingers.
Hermione awoke several hours later with a dull pain in her face. She looked in a mirror and found it not to be as swollen, but still puffy. She knew she would have a bruise there tomorrow.
"Feel better miss?" asked Tilly, sneaking up on her again.
"Tilly, you scared me," she said. "You must stop sneaking up on me."
"Tilly so sorry!" she squeaked, grabbing a lamp from her night stand. "Bad, Tilly, bad!" She started to hit herself with the lamp.
"No Tilly!" yelled Hermione, wrestling the lamp out of the elf's grip. "But yes, to answer your question, I feel better."
"Here miss, master told me to give you this," she said, handing Hermione the ice bag. "It help with swelling."
Hermione placed the cloth on her face, wincing at the contact of the cold ice.
"Miss, how this happen?" Tilly asked.
"Draco..." she began. She noticed the look the elf's face at the mention of Draco's name. The elf's face brightened and her ears perked. Hermione could not find it in her heart to tell her what Draco really had done. The truth would make her very upset. She knew that Draco was the only person the elf knew and served, the elf, for some odd reason, loved him.
"Draco didn't see me behind him this morning and when he turned, his elbow got my face," she said, faking a smile.
"Oh I see," Tilly said, not once doubting her word. "You be better in no time!" Tilly was about to disapparate, when Hermione stopped her.
"One more thing Tilly," Hermione said.
"Yes miss,' she answered.
"Draco told me this morning that I could have some books from the library," she said. "Bring some back to me?"
"Of course miss, I bring them right away!" she answered, and with a 'pop' she left.
Hermione inhaled deeply. She knew she had just lied to Tilly, and if she got caught Draco would be very angry. I'll accept whatever comes, she thought. But I cannot be locked in here and miserable all the time.
It was no time before Tilly cam back to her room, arms fulls of books.
"Tilly hopes these okay miss," said Tilly, poking her head around the large stack.
"They are wonderful," assured Hermione.
"Well, Tilly would love to stay, but must begin to help prepare for dinner, master be home soon," she said, disapparating.
"Let's see what she brought," said Hermione.
The first book she picked up was Hogwart's, A History. Hmm, that's odd for Draco to own, she thought. The second book was a potions book, All You Need to Know About Potion Brewing by Miranda Wilshire. The third book was slightly dingy and worn. It did not have an author or title on the cover. Hermione began to believe that it may not have been a book at all. She picked it up and opened it, shocked by what she found. It was a photo album, the inside front cover read...
The Malfoy Family
Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco
the first picture was of a young woman, not much older than herself. She had white blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes, and was very pregnant. There was also a young man in the picture with her, he to was blonde but had silver eyes, he was very strong looking and tall as well. They looked very happy to Hermione, both smiling, laughing and kissing. Quite often the man would tenderly rub the woman's bulging stomach. Then something dawned on Hermione, this was Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, only much younger. Hermione realized that the baby she was carrying was Draco. She turned the pages to find more happy pictures, these were after Draco's birth. Draco was an absolutely adorable baby and child. Every occasion was caught on film, Christmases and birthdays, all of them so happy. These certainly could not be the Malfoy's that Hermione and society knew, these people were totally different. She wondered what could have ever made this once happy family like they were. Voldemort, she thought bitterly. And for once in her life, Hermione Granger felt sorry for Draco Malfoy. As she turned the pages, she noticed the pictures changed. Lucius looked distracted and annoyed. Narcissa looked tired and weak and sad. Draco, he looked as he always had, spoiled and conceited. She closed the book and sat it gently on her night stand. She now finally understood why Draco acted as he did. Voldemort destroyed his life, just as he had hers. The 'mudblood' rubbish was an act, a cruel act, but it was a way for him to cover up. She knew Draco was hurting on the inside and was taking it out on everybody on the outside. She also understood that this was why he hated her, Harry, and Ron. He was jealous of their families and friendships, something he did not have and no amount of money could ever buy. She realized that she and Draco may be more alike that different, for her parents too had been taken from her by this madman. She then picked up the copy of Hogwart's, A History, and started to read it, surely for the 100th time.
It was around 8 o'clock in the evening before Draco came back. Hermione was sitting in her window reading when she heard his footsteps. She quickly hid the books and the photo album under her mattress. Just as she pulled down the cover, Draco came in.
"Is your face better?" he asked without much concern.
With the events of the afternoon Hermione had forgotten all about her face.
"It is better," she told him. "Tilly brought me some ice." She also failed to mention that Tilly had brought her books too.
"Well, do you think it's better enough to eat?" he asked. "Because it really does not matter to me if you eat, but do know that you won't be getting anything later."
"I can eat," she said, bouncing off her bed.
"Come on, I haven't ate much today," he said. He got a real good look at her face, a nasty, purple bruise had already started to form. "Come here."
Hermione became very nervous when asked her this. She walked over to him, trying to maintain distance.
Draco sighed and walked over to her, softly gripping her face in his hands.
"You have a bruise," he stated flatly.
Hermione did not want any problems to arise, so she quickly tried to dismiss him.
"Oh, it's nothing really, let's just go eat.." she said.
Draco suddenly pulled out his wand and pointed it to Hermione's face. He noticed she instantly became panicked and tried to back away.
"I'm not going to attack you," he said. "I'm going to make your face heal so the bruise will go away." He muttered the incantation and immediately her bruise faded away.
Hermione was stunned once again by his actions. Had he gone mental? First he apologized and now he was healing her. Would wonders ever cease?
"Thank you," she said softly.
"Now come, let's eat," he replied.
Hermione could not help but to notice how oddly quiet Draco was being. He had made no rude comments to her and had not called her mudblood. She decided to try to be nice to him again.
"So," she said, "How was your day?"
"Why would I want to tell you?" he asked, no emotion in his voice. He seemed to be in very deep thought about something.
"You don't have to tell me, I just thought I would try to make civil conversation," she said, taking her seat at the table.
"Well, I don't really feel like having a conversation," he answered.
And so, he did not talk for the entire meal, and they ate again, in silence.
After dinner Draco walked Hermione back to her room, still not uttering a word to her.
"I'll come for you in the morning, I may only need you part of the day," he told her at the door. "I have more business to attend to tomorrow."
"Malfoy, is everything alright?" Hermione asked.
Draco's dull attitude immediately turned hostile.
"Look mudblood, when I want you to know something I will tell you!" he yelled. "And until then, keep your damn nose out of my business!" He pushed her in her room and slammed the door, quickly locking it.
So much for not being called a mudblood, she thought. She walked over to her armoire and pulled out a pretty white gown. Better get some rest. She went to her bed and pulled down the blankets. She climbed in, loving the warmth and softness the bed provided. She hoped for a peaceful rest, but peace however, would be the last thing to come.