Chap. 21 Letters

Meanwhile; (while Draco and Hermione are on their date)...

Ron was sitting in his room packing when Errol flew in with a RED letter.

'Oh no...' He moaned, almost frightened.

He took the note and shooed the bird away. It opened itself and the loud, angry voice of Mrs. Weasley filled his room.

'RONALD WEASLEY! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY! I NEARLY FAINTED WHEN I RECEIVED THE DISHEARTENING LETTER FROM HEAD MASTER DUMBLEDORE (a more submissive voice in the background said, 'Dear, you did faint.') THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT ARTHUR!' She shouted, 'I DO NOT EVEN WANT YOU HOME, BUT I KNOW YOU MUST COME BECAUSE YOU ARE A PROBLEM AT SCHOOL! HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH A THING TO DEAR, SWEET HERMIONE?! I AM ABSOLUTELY APPAULED! ONCE YOU ARE HOME YOU WILL DO NOTHING BUT CLEAN AND COOK WITHOUT MAGIC!!! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, BOY!'

And then the letter shredded itself.

Ron's face was pale and his eyes wide. He had never heard his mother that loud...and she's been plenty mad at him before. But could he expect less? No, he deserved it. He slowly finished packing and trudged down stairs to be sent off by Dumbledore.

Back to present time with Hermione and Draco

Draco and Hermione rode back to Hogwarts slowly, because Hermione was still petrified of riding broomsticks. Draco landed them easily into their common room. He helped Hermione slid off, then he himself jumped off and put his stick back in his room. He emerged back into the common room to find Hermione already in comfy pajamas.

'Wow, you are fast.' He stated, still in warm robes.

'Magic.' She shrugged. 'I wanted to get comfortable quick.'

'Understandable.' He said as he lifted his wand and magically changed into a black T-shirt and white basketball-like shorts.

Hermione went into her room and quickly returned with a handful of DVD's.

'Which one?' She asked.

'What are my choices?' He asked. 'And don't tell me the titles, because I've never heard of any of them. Tell me what each are about.'

'Alright. We have one about a man who wears a mask who goes around saving people and cutting Z's in everything.'

'Oooookayyy.'

She laughed and continued.

'Then we have one about two idiots who go on an "adventure" to return a woman her briefcase. Or we have one about a superhero who is like a spider and flies around New York. Or we have one about a spoiled rich son who's father threatens to take away his future job of running hotels unless he goes back and graduates school...which one sounds the best?'

'They are all muggle ones are they not?'

'Yes, you are correct.'

'They all sound like shit to me.'

'Are not! They are all really good movies!'

'Well, I have no idea. You pick one.' He said. 'I liked that pirates one and the astronaut one, so which ever one is closest to either of those two I'll like...hopefully.'

'Well...do you want action or comedy?' Hermione asked her irresolute boyfriend.

'Action I suppose...too late for comedy.'

'Then we go with either 'Spiderman' or 'The Mask of Zorro'.'

'Let me see those case thingys.' He ordered pointing to the movie cases.

She handed him the two movies.

'Ooh, she's hot. Let's go with this one.' He grinned staring at one of the covers.

'Fine, Antonio Banderas is hot, too, so I'm good with that one.' She smiled.

'I changed my mind.' He said abruptly.

She giggled.

'Then 'Spiderman'?' She asked him.

He nodded his head and sat down on the couch.

She put the DVD in and sat down with him. He wrapped his arm around her and she put her head on his chest.

'Are you comfortable?' She asked.

'If you stay here with me, yes.' He replied.

She smiled up at him and kissed him tenderly.

As they watched the movie, Draco could hear Hermione's breathing become serene and smooth. He determined she was asleep.

'Hermione...' He whispered. 'Hermione...'

She was not responding.

He sighed, not knowing what to do. He didn't want to wake her up, but he needed to get up. He couldn't sleep sitting up with her in his lap.

He decided that he could magically move her and she wouldn't even notice. Problem. His wand was on top of the television.

'Shit.' He muttered.

He stretched his arm as far as he could. He knew he could get it. The tip of his wand was hanging over the edge of the TV.

'I can do it...' He said quietly, stretching his fingers.

His middle finger tapped the tip of the wand and it fell and rolled under the table.

'Fuck...fuck...fuck!' He cried pounding his foot.

He forgot about Hermione and she flinched when he yelled and she woke up.

'What happened?' She asked groggily.

'I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean to wake you up. I was going to move you with magic, but I couldn't reach my wand, and so I tried to get it, and it almost got it, but then my finger tapped too hard, and it fell, and now it's under the table, and I cursed, thereby waking you up.' He said, angry with himself for hitting the wand further.

'I'm sorry I asked.' She said playfully.

He shrugged.

'Well, Draco, we have classes in the morning...I really should be getting to bed.' She said, yawning just as she finished.

'I'll see you in the morning.' He said standing up after she did.

'Good night.'

He kissed her on the cheek.

'Good night.' He replied walking to his bedroom.

Hermione went to bed smiling.

--(Meanwhile at the Malfoy Manor)—

'Leave me be, wife.' Lucius Malfoy spat as he sat at his desk writing letters.

'But, Lucius, come to bed, please. I don't want you up all night, and then restless in the morning. You are always angry when you don't get enough sleep.' Narcissa said calmly as she crawled into their large, thickly-blanketed bed.

'I'm going to be angry with you anyway because you won't shut up.' He snapped. 'Now, be still, woman, before I make you.'

He looked at her menacingly. She cowered in fear and laid her head down. He continued to scratch away on parchment. Narcissa laid there for an hour, awake, waiting for him, but he didn't move from his sharp black desk.

'What are you doing, Lucius?' She asked desperately.

'Didn't I tell you to be quiet?' He said cruelly. 'It's none of your business anyway.'

'Lucius! You're not working on things for the Ministry are you? You are working on things to the Dark Lord!' She cried angrily.

Lucius stood up angrily.

'Don't patronize me, Narcissa! I work hard for Him and you know we reap generously, so keep your unblemished nose out of my affairs!'

'But Lucius, I want you to stop with all those dark side matters, they scare me, I don't like what they've done to you.'

'And what exactly have they done to me? You don't like the way I am?' He asked threatening. 'Am I not good enough for you anymore, Narcissa?' He moved closer to the bed.

'No, Lucius, I love you, but you are changing...you are becoming so evil-like.'

'Evil, am I? You don't even know what evil is!' He cried.

He then came up next to her and slapped her.

'Lucius! Stop please!'

'Let me finish my work, harlot!' He yelled.

She whimpered and nodded submissively.

As he walked back to his desk, an owl flew in.

Narcissa cried in the bed as Lucius took the note. He read over it and then crumpled it.

He kicked his iron chair to the side and cursed out loud, throwing the note onto the floor.

'What's wrong?' Narcissa asked quietly.

'Your fucking son is fucking up his life!'

'What happened to my Draco??' She asked in concern.

She got out of bed cautiously and crawled over to where her husband threw the note. She read it aloud to herself.

Dear Mr. Malfoy Sir, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but I know you like to be informed of your son's current actions. Draco is going out with the mudblood, Hermione Granger. I know you know who she is. Draco has been acting very...un-Slytherin-like, too. He stood up in our DADA class today and publicly informed us of his relations with the mudblood. I tried to tell him that she was below us and I told him you wouldn't approve but he did not care. He thinks he likes her. I think the little mudblood tramp put him under a trance, but he might have also been tricked. I do not know for sure. I hope you can talk some sense into your son, Sir. He knows not of all the trouble he could get into if...the Dark Lord found out. With great respect and regards, Pansy Parkinson.

'Lucius, you know Pansy has liked our son for a long time, she could be exaggerating.'

'It doesn't matter. He's still going out with that filthy mudblood. Remember? He despised her last year. She's friends with POTTER! How can Draco mess up so badly? I am absolutely disgusted with him! He will be taught a lesson, and will think twice before acting so shamefully!'

'Lucius, he's just a boy.'

'He's MY son! If the dark lord EVER found out!! Oh, that boy will pay for this.'

'Lucius, he's our son, don't hurt him!' Narcissa pleaded.

'Don't tell me how to punish my son!'

Narcissa began to cry and she went back to he bed.

'I deal with him in the morning. Now be silent as I finish my letters.'