Disclaimer: This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Oops sorry that's the Echinacea label. Well whatever.
A/N: Hey everybody. Thanks to all of you who told me to get better. I haven't, but still it's the thought that counts. Ok well I just had some quirky ideas that I wanted to get into a chapter so here's a chapter whose soul purpose is to fulfill my whimsical ideas and fantasies. Yeah something like that. If any of this chapter sounds delusional, it probably is. Let's just put it this way, if Echinacea were a sedative I would have taken enough to sedate a fully-grown T-Rex. Yeah I've taken a lot. Ok well yeah read on, review, do some other stuff, have fun, go outside. Run around dressed like a peach being fuzzy. Don't ask. Enough rambling. Chapter.
Whisper~Mad~Crazy Chapter 18-Façade
Hermione's eyes fluttered open.
'I have got to ask Dumbledore to replace my mattress.' She thought feeling the lumps beneath her. 'Wait why is my mattress breathing?' A swirl of thoughts came rushing back to her. She looked up to find herself staring into Draco's peaceful sleeping face.
'Right, the infirmary and…Draco.' She laid her head back down on his chest. Her movement hadn't awoken him just yet. She reveled in the soft sound of his heart beating. She had almost fallen back asleep when she felt Draco's chest rise as he took a deep breath and sighed. She glanced up as he slowly opened his eyes. He noticed she was awake and smiled.
"Hey."
"Hi." She replied. He stretched and yawned.
"Did you sleep well?" He asked brushing her hair behind her ear. She smiled.
"How could I not? I was here with you." He smiled back at her; his silver eyes danced with amusement. "We'd better go." She said, slowly trying to get up. Draco wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back down pouting.
"I don't want to." She laughed and swept his bangs away from his eyes.
"Don't you think it would be a bit odd if someone walked in and found us here like this? We're supposed to hate each other remember?"
"Yeah, yeah. I know. I just don't want it to end so soon." He replied finally giving in.
"We always have our common room." She said softly. Draco's eyes brightened at the thought and he quickly got up.
"Well let's go!" He said impatiently. "Come on, come on. We don't have all day."
"Actually we do have all day and all tomorrow too. So just settle down." Hermione said half seriously.
"Sorry love, I just want to spend as much time with you as I can." He said wrapping his arms around her from behind. She smiled and laughed a little. "What?" He asked.
"You just called me 'love'." She said softly.
"Yeah I did, so…"
"So? Draco for the past six years we have hated each other. An intense hate that could rival Harry and Voldermort's. A hate that no matter how much we may try to forget, will always be part of our past. And now…now…I don't know what we are." She finished dropping her head. Draco took her hands in his.
"Hermione, I know this is all confusing for you. It is for me too and to tell you the truth I don't know what we are either. I know that right now I would give anything not to be who I am. Not to be a Malfoy, not to be in Slytherin, so that we wouldn't have to deal with all we are going to. But I can't change any of that. What I know is that if you allow me, I will be by your side no matter what. I will be there. Even if nothing comes of this and we end up just being friends or you decide that you hate me again. From this moment on Hermione I will be here. If the whole world gets turned upside down and you feel like you have no one, you don't have to worry. I'm here Mione, forever."
Hermione turned around in Draco's arms and stared into his eyes. She saw all that that she had hoped could be there and more. Suddenly she felt her knees go weak, Draco's arms tightened around her, as he too felt suddenly drained. A cold wave washed through both of them followed by a warm haze that settled upon them and lingered for a moment before dissolving.
"What was that?" Hermione asked, clutching Draco's arms trying to pull herself up.
"I don't know." Draco replied righting himself as well. "Wait…" He reached down and lightly touched the ring on Hermione's finger. There was no electric shock. Slowly he slid the ring off and held it in his palm. He gazed down at it and smiled. He looked to Hermione who was smiling too. They locked eyes, neither needing to say what the piece of jewelry clearly stated. Draco took Hermione's hand and placed the ring back on as he bent his head longing for the kiss he had dreamed about since that night mid-summer aboard the cruise ship. Hermione closed her eyes ready to welcome the kiss. His lips softly touched hers sending a chill down her spine. She deepened the kiss leaning into him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist. They slowly parted; Draco placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's forehead before leaning in and resting his forehead on hers. Hermione inhaled breathing in Draco's scent. She opened her eyes and looked at him quizzically.
"What?" He asked.
"You changed your cologne." She said.
"Oh, yeah. What do you not like it?" He asked worried.
"No I do." She replied quickly. "What kind is it?"
"Candies." He replied, his cheeks tinting with a faint red. Hermione smiled.
"I love it." She rested her head against his chest and sighed. "Too bad you're not in Gryffindor."
"Yeah then I could be all brave and valiant." He replied brandishing an imaginary sword and waving it around a bit. She laughed.
"Too bad you're not on the light side." She said baiting him some more. He placed his hands over his heart in mock hurt.
"Yes because then I could be one of Dumbledore's merry men, a proud member of the DA, but alas I must pretend to be the Death Eater that I am." He smiled at her, but raised an eyebrow as she smirked at him. She leaned back in tilting her forehead against his still smirking.
"Too bad you're not Harry." At this Draco smirked but had no witty come back.
"Yeah too bad." He said smiling.
Hermione smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips then turned around to head out of the infirmary. He shook his head and followed after her.
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"So you have a plan do you Severus?" Dumbledore asked raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
"I believe so." Snape replied. "Of course there is still some fine tuning to be done but I'm fairly confident it will work."
"And what does this plan entail?"
"Well it will all take place the night of Draco's Death Eater initiation. You see Draco doesn't know this yet but he will have to bring a sacrifice that night, a muggle born sacrifice."
"And you believe Voldermort will choose Hermione Granger as that sacrifice?" Dumbledore questioned.
"I don't believe it Sir. It has already been done. They are already in talks about it. Anyway, I believe we should place a locating charm on myself, Draco and Hermione. At a predetermined time you along with Mr. Potter and a band of ministry workers and aurors shall apparate to that location."
"It sounds like a good idea so far Severus, but how exactly are we going to go about killing Voldermort?"
"That's where Draco, Hermione and Mr. Potter come in. Draco and Hermione haven't yet discovered that they can perform different types of magic through the Cor Unum, Via Una spell. I have tipped them off about it, I believe they will find out in no time. But I think that if they start training soon enough they will be able the Navitas Translatum spell."
"The energy transfer spell? But that hasn't been used since we defeated…"
"Letroverin. Yes I know that's where I got the idea. You see if Draco and Hermione combine there power and then transfer their energy to Harry there's no way Voldermort could survive!"
"Very good Severus, very good. We shall see how things develop. In the meantime we had better keep an eye on 'Draco and Hermione' as you so fondly call them." Dumbledore said eyes twinkling behind his silver-framed spectacles.
"What…I don't know what you mean." Snape replied turning his nose up and crossing his arms.
"Since when do you call Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger by their first names?" He said still smiling.
"Well he knows I am his uncle now and since she seems to have been very influential in this sudden change in him I just…" Dumbledore laughed and raised his hand to stop Snapes rambling.
"Perhaps you should go check on them." He suggested.
"Yes, of course Albus." Snape bowed his head slightly and retreated. Upon exiting Dumbledore's office he proceeded to the infirmary but was stopped by a peculiar sight. He saw Hermione exit the infirmary alone but shortly after Draco followed suit. He saw Draco ran up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. She squealed as he picked her up and spun around before gently setting her back down. If anyone had been watching they would have seen the austere professor smile. He approached them and cleared his throat.
"What part of keeping up the façade didn't you understand?" He asked firmly but still smirked.
"Sorry Professor." Draco said immediately.
"Yes sorry Professor Snape." Hermione repeated.
"Well just be sure not to be so foolhardy among your classmates. Remember everyone needs to believe that you two are still at each others throats."
"Yes sir." They both replied.
"Good, now go to your common room and stay there. Only come down for meals. Let people think that you are sick. Understood?"
They both nodded and left toward their common room. Snape headed towards the infirmary to check with Madam Pomfrey but looked back in time to see the two clasp hands as they rounded the corner.
"Those two are going to be the death of me." He said under his breath.
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"…Understood?"
Hermione and Draco nodded and turned to walk back to the common room. When it was a safe distance, or so they thought, Draco gently took Hermione's hand in his. She looked up to him and he gave her one of his adorable smiles. She rested her head on his shoulder and they continued on until they reached Erin and his portrait.
"Quaere Verum." Draco said.
"I am sorry young Master and Milady but the password has been changed." Erin replied.
"What? But why didn't anyone tell us?" Hermione questioned.
"I am the one who is supposed to tell you." He replied.
"Well…then tell us." Draco responded, slightly annoyed.
"The password is, whatever you are thinking about."
"What?" Draco asked.
"What…are…you…thinking…about?" He said slowly as if talking to a two-year-old.
Draco looked to Hermione and she returned his gaze. They looked back to Erin and both replied.
"Draco."
"Hermione."
"As you wish." Erin said as he bowed and the portrait swung open. They stepped inside and Hermione involuntarily shivered. It was only early September but the day was unusually wintry.
"Are you cold?" Draco asked his worried eyes locking with hers.
"A bit." She said wrapping her arms around herself. She watched as Draco unclasped his cloak and draped it around her shoulders.
"Thanks." She said softly.
"Don't mention it." He replied. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"I'm going to take a nap before lunch. Don't leave without me." She said walking towards her dormitory.
"Wouldn't dream of it." He said. She smiled and closed the door softly. Draco, deciding that a nap sounded like a pretty good idea, entered his own room and was soon sound asleep on his bed. In her room Hermione was curled up hugging Draco's cloak to her chest. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of his cologne. She smiled to herself.
'So much for façade.'
A/N: Hey two chapters in three days. Not bad huh? Of course it will probably be another month long wait for the next but hey I'm a struggling artist I'll do what I dang well please. Actually I'm not struggling and I'm not really an artist but I'll still do what I want. 'Whatever, whatever I do what I want.' Brownie points to whoever knows what that's from. Well read and review or the cake monster will make another appearance! MMM cake. Oh and just a side note that has no value what so ever but it's still funny and I wanted to mention it. If anyone ever decides to make fudge, follow the directions because if you don't it tastes and looks like a big pile of crap. I wish there had been a fudge monster to leap out and eat the batch we made cause it was pretty dang scary. K sorry for the rambling. READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!
