DISCLAIMER ~ None of it's mine except Rosace.
THANKS TO ~ AngryMew2, Bulma Greenleaf, Corn Dawg (I like the suggestion, got anymore?), Ratty, Draco is the man and Leigh Nithra.
(AN: Just a small warning. There's some very mild swearing in this chapter, no f*ck or sh*t or anything like that, and there's also some violence and something which I suppose some people could class as sexual reference but it's so subtle that I wouldn't say so myself. So if you don't like it don't say I didn't warn you.)
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Chapter Four ~ The Verbal War
Anyone who may have seen the pair walking down the hallways together, not attacking or insulting each other would probably feel the need to go and yet their eyes checked, for Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were a very peculiar combination. They had, however, taken to walking as far away as possible from the other. Whether that was due to their unease about what had happened in the Owlry or the embers of hate were still burning, neither could tell.
At last they reached the Hospital Wing, and from within they heard the pitter patter of bare feet pacing around and the soft, soothing voice of a woman. Draco peeked around the door frame to make sure his mother wasn't feeding Rosace; it would be very embarrassing if Hermione saw that. He turned and beckoned to the Gryffindor to follow him and he stepped boldly into the ward, which was now empty save the three Malfoys and the Granger.
'Where's the matron?' asked Draco.
'Oh, she needed to see Snape about some potion or something,' Narcissa was walking up and down with Rosace in her arms, rocking her gently, trying to get her to go to sleep. She turned and scowled as she caught sight of Hermione.
'What's *that* doing here?'
Draco blanched at his mother's brazen impoliteness. She was usually so courteous. Then again, Granger *is* a muggleborn, he thought to himself.
'Er, she wants to see the baby.'
Narcissa snarled and glared threateningly at Hermione.
'What? No! Get out you filthy mudblood!'
Hermione started as though someone had unexpectedly let a firework go off in her ear. Nevertheless she held her head high and answered in a stiff voice.
'Very well. I have homework to be getting on with, anyway. I don't know why I wanted to come and see the rotten little brat in the first place.'
And with that last comment she turned on her heel and strode briskly out of the ward, ringlets bouncing and cloak fluttering. Narcissa just stood there gaping, apparently appalled at what had just been said about her newborn baby.
'Did - did you just hear that?' she cried in outrage. 'The little bitch! I've got a good mind to go out there and curse her!'
'Calm down mother! You'll make Rosace cry!'
Narcissa reduced her threats and insults to mere hisses and grumbles. Suddenly she whirled round and stared hard at her eldest, a steely glint of suspicion in her blue eyes.
'Why was *she* with *you*?'
Draco shifted about nervously, not sure whether he should answer truthfully or not.
'I'm waiting.'
'She was - nice to me.'
Well there's a first time for everything, said a nasty little voice in his head.
'She was *nice* to you,' repeated Draco's mother mockingly. 'Nice to you? What did she do, hug you and say everything's going to be okay?'
The shadow of wrath and defiance loomed over the boy's face and swept through his blood.
'As a matter of fact, *Mother*, she did!'
Narcissa's face went white and taut; her eyes grew wide with fury and her nostrils flared. Draco knew he had pushed it and prepared himself for the worse.
'YOU TOUCHED A MUDBLOOD ON THE DAY OF YOUR FATHER'S FUNERAL? YOU LET HER HUG YOU? YOU *DISGUST* ME!'
Draco clenched his fists and teeth tightly, trying not to allow his temper to get out of control but all the stress, grief and rage had fused into a solid force within his heart and at last he let it break free.
'YES I BLODDY WELL DID!'
Rosace let out a heart-rending scream as her mother and brother waged verbal war on each other.
'I DIDN'T WANT TO BUT I DID! SO YOU'D BETTER GET USED TO THE FACT!'
Narcissa screamed in frustration, ignoring her daughter's own screams.
'SHUT UP!' She bellowed at Draco. 'Just shut up!'
She sat heavily on the side of her bed, cooing to Rosace in an attempt to calm her.
'I would have thought you'd stay loyal to your father's beliefs at least until he was six feet under!' she growled through gritted teeth.
It was Draco's turn to scream in frustration.
'FATHER? You haven't said anything about him at all! You haven't even shown any signs that you're in the slightest bit mourned by his death!'
Narcissa glared furiously at her son, but the tears of defeat, anger and distress were welling up in her eyes and she turned away, laying her attention on Rosace. Draco scowled and swept out of the Hospital Wing, feeling no pity whatsoever for his mother, but wishing that his sister hadn't been exposed to all that shouting. He was now seething, and every fibre of power in his mind was bent upon finding that wretched Granger.
At last he found her, looking at a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress and he wondered why on earth anyone would want to look at such an ugly painting.
'GRANGER!' he roared. 'YOU GET YOUR WORTHLESS MUDBLOOD ASS OVER HERE *NOW*!'
Hermione turned serenely on the spot, and smiled sweetly at Draco, knowing that she had caused some severe trouble back there.
'Yes?'
'Don't you "yes" me, mudblood,' he snarled dangerously. 'Because of *you* I am now a disgrace to my mother!'
'Oh dear,' sighed Hermione. 'What a pity,' and she began to walk away.
Draco's hand shot out and grabbed her by the forearm tightly, causing the girl to wince. She caught sight of the treacherous flash in the Slytherin's wild eye and a dagger of fear scraped the length of her spine.
'I'll torture you,' he hissed so slowly and quietly that Hermione had to strain to hear what he was saying. 'And if you run away I will hunt you down and torture you again and again until you die. Then I will kill Potter. And then I will kill Weasley, just to finish it off nicely.'
He gripped her other arm with a vice like strength and pulled her closer. Hermione trembled in fright.
'HEY!'
Both the blonde and the brunette whipped their heads round to the source of the noise and were greeted by the view of Harry and Ron sprinting down the corridor with venomous expressions weaved on their features. Draco threw Hermione to the ground and turned to meet the other two boys. Ron didn't even bother to question the situation; he launched himself straight at Draco. Harry knelt beside Hermione and asked if she was okay. When she nodded he clenched his fists and threw himself into the battle alongside Ron.
All the portraits turned and gawped at the scene with much interest and it seemed as though they were too wrapped up to go and find a member of staff. Hermione scrambled to her feet and looked on in horror as fists flew everywhere. Like the paintings she was far to wrapped up and traumatised to go and find help.
The fight went on for a fair few minutes before Draco managed to knock Ron out. Hermione screamed in dismay as he head hit the floor with a crack. Fired by hate and revenge Harry threw a deadly punch at Draco but missed. At that move he threw himself at the black-haired boy and curled his strong fingers around his neck. Harry choked and spluttered as he face went from pink, to red to a deep purple, his glasses hanging off one ear. Suddenly realising that Draco meant to kill her best friend Hermione hurled herself onto his back, startling him, hence causing him to release Harry from his death grip.
Taking this new opportunity The Boy Who Lived delivered a blow to Draco's jaw, sending him reeling around, ploughing into Hermione. The two fell to the floor, with Draco on top of Hermione, who straddled him from beneath. They lay there perfectly still and silent, shocked by what had just happened.
He stared deep into her sparkling brown eyes. They glittered in the most striking manner as the pupils dilated to their fullest. He could feel her quaking and he looked down and saw her breast pulsing as was the vigour and rapidness of her heartbeat. Suddenly she shuddered and he looked back to her face and saw that she was crying, biting her full lip to try and stop it. Draco shifted his weight so that he was more comfortable, then reached a hand up and turned Hermione's face so that she was looking at him right in the eye.
'What are you thinking? You thinking I'm gonna rape you?'
Hermione stifled a sob and nodded. Draco laughed.
'Don't be so stupid,' and he lifted himself up from her and turned around, coming face to face with a very angry looking Ron. Before Draco even had a chance to do anything he was punched hard in the face. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his nose as Harry kicked him in the head. Draco gazed with bleary eyes at Hermione before his world went black and he knew no more.
AN: It's okay; he's not dead! Just very beaten up. Sorry this chapter wasn't up sooner, been having trouble with the computer. Chapter 5 is mostly mapped out but my river of inspiration is running dry. I reckon some reviews might boost it's flow again, let's say - 10 reviews? Don't worry if you think I'm not gonna continue if you don't review, it's just that the ideas aren't throwing themselves at me like they were a couple of days ago. 10 reviews, okay?
THANKS TO ~ AngryMew2, Bulma Greenleaf, Corn Dawg (I like the suggestion, got anymore?), Ratty, Draco is the man and Leigh Nithra.
(AN: Just a small warning. There's some very mild swearing in this chapter, no f*ck or sh*t or anything like that, and there's also some violence and something which I suppose some people could class as sexual reference but it's so subtle that I wouldn't say so myself. So if you don't like it don't say I didn't warn you.)
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Chapter Four ~ The Verbal War
Anyone who may have seen the pair walking down the hallways together, not attacking or insulting each other would probably feel the need to go and yet their eyes checked, for Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were a very peculiar combination. They had, however, taken to walking as far away as possible from the other. Whether that was due to their unease about what had happened in the Owlry or the embers of hate were still burning, neither could tell.
At last they reached the Hospital Wing, and from within they heard the pitter patter of bare feet pacing around and the soft, soothing voice of a woman. Draco peeked around the door frame to make sure his mother wasn't feeding Rosace; it would be very embarrassing if Hermione saw that. He turned and beckoned to the Gryffindor to follow him and he stepped boldly into the ward, which was now empty save the three Malfoys and the Granger.
'Where's the matron?' asked Draco.
'Oh, she needed to see Snape about some potion or something,' Narcissa was walking up and down with Rosace in her arms, rocking her gently, trying to get her to go to sleep. She turned and scowled as she caught sight of Hermione.
'What's *that* doing here?'
Draco blanched at his mother's brazen impoliteness. She was usually so courteous. Then again, Granger *is* a muggleborn, he thought to himself.
'Er, she wants to see the baby.'
Narcissa snarled and glared threateningly at Hermione.
'What? No! Get out you filthy mudblood!'
Hermione started as though someone had unexpectedly let a firework go off in her ear. Nevertheless she held her head high and answered in a stiff voice.
'Very well. I have homework to be getting on with, anyway. I don't know why I wanted to come and see the rotten little brat in the first place.'
And with that last comment she turned on her heel and strode briskly out of the ward, ringlets bouncing and cloak fluttering. Narcissa just stood there gaping, apparently appalled at what had just been said about her newborn baby.
'Did - did you just hear that?' she cried in outrage. 'The little bitch! I've got a good mind to go out there and curse her!'
'Calm down mother! You'll make Rosace cry!'
Narcissa reduced her threats and insults to mere hisses and grumbles. Suddenly she whirled round and stared hard at her eldest, a steely glint of suspicion in her blue eyes.
'Why was *she* with *you*?'
Draco shifted about nervously, not sure whether he should answer truthfully or not.
'I'm waiting.'
'She was - nice to me.'
Well there's a first time for everything, said a nasty little voice in his head.
'She was *nice* to you,' repeated Draco's mother mockingly. 'Nice to you? What did she do, hug you and say everything's going to be okay?'
The shadow of wrath and defiance loomed over the boy's face and swept through his blood.
'As a matter of fact, *Mother*, she did!'
Narcissa's face went white and taut; her eyes grew wide with fury and her nostrils flared. Draco knew he had pushed it and prepared himself for the worse.
'YOU TOUCHED A MUDBLOOD ON THE DAY OF YOUR FATHER'S FUNERAL? YOU LET HER HUG YOU? YOU *DISGUST* ME!'
Draco clenched his fists and teeth tightly, trying not to allow his temper to get out of control but all the stress, grief and rage had fused into a solid force within his heart and at last he let it break free.
'YES I BLODDY WELL DID!'
Rosace let out a heart-rending scream as her mother and brother waged verbal war on each other.
'I DIDN'T WANT TO BUT I DID! SO YOU'D BETTER GET USED TO THE FACT!'
Narcissa screamed in frustration, ignoring her daughter's own screams.
'SHUT UP!' She bellowed at Draco. 'Just shut up!'
She sat heavily on the side of her bed, cooing to Rosace in an attempt to calm her.
'I would have thought you'd stay loyal to your father's beliefs at least until he was six feet under!' she growled through gritted teeth.
It was Draco's turn to scream in frustration.
'FATHER? You haven't said anything about him at all! You haven't even shown any signs that you're in the slightest bit mourned by his death!'
Narcissa glared furiously at her son, but the tears of defeat, anger and distress were welling up in her eyes and she turned away, laying her attention on Rosace. Draco scowled and swept out of the Hospital Wing, feeling no pity whatsoever for his mother, but wishing that his sister hadn't been exposed to all that shouting. He was now seething, and every fibre of power in his mind was bent upon finding that wretched Granger.
At last he found her, looking at a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress and he wondered why on earth anyone would want to look at such an ugly painting.
'GRANGER!' he roared. 'YOU GET YOUR WORTHLESS MUDBLOOD ASS OVER HERE *NOW*!'
Hermione turned serenely on the spot, and smiled sweetly at Draco, knowing that she had caused some severe trouble back there.
'Yes?'
'Don't you "yes" me, mudblood,' he snarled dangerously. 'Because of *you* I am now a disgrace to my mother!'
'Oh dear,' sighed Hermione. 'What a pity,' and she began to walk away.
Draco's hand shot out and grabbed her by the forearm tightly, causing the girl to wince. She caught sight of the treacherous flash in the Slytherin's wild eye and a dagger of fear scraped the length of her spine.
'I'll torture you,' he hissed so slowly and quietly that Hermione had to strain to hear what he was saying. 'And if you run away I will hunt you down and torture you again and again until you die. Then I will kill Potter. And then I will kill Weasley, just to finish it off nicely.'
He gripped her other arm with a vice like strength and pulled her closer. Hermione trembled in fright.
'HEY!'
Both the blonde and the brunette whipped their heads round to the source of the noise and were greeted by the view of Harry and Ron sprinting down the corridor with venomous expressions weaved on their features. Draco threw Hermione to the ground and turned to meet the other two boys. Ron didn't even bother to question the situation; he launched himself straight at Draco. Harry knelt beside Hermione and asked if she was okay. When she nodded he clenched his fists and threw himself into the battle alongside Ron.
All the portraits turned and gawped at the scene with much interest and it seemed as though they were too wrapped up to go and find a member of staff. Hermione scrambled to her feet and looked on in horror as fists flew everywhere. Like the paintings she was far to wrapped up and traumatised to go and find help.
The fight went on for a fair few minutes before Draco managed to knock Ron out. Hermione screamed in dismay as he head hit the floor with a crack. Fired by hate and revenge Harry threw a deadly punch at Draco but missed. At that move he threw himself at the black-haired boy and curled his strong fingers around his neck. Harry choked and spluttered as he face went from pink, to red to a deep purple, his glasses hanging off one ear. Suddenly realising that Draco meant to kill her best friend Hermione hurled herself onto his back, startling him, hence causing him to release Harry from his death grip.
Taking this new opportunity The Boy Who Lived delivered a blow to Draco's jaw, sending him reeling around, ploughing into Hermione. The two fell to the floor, with Draco on top of Hermione, who straddled him from beneath. They lay there perfectly still and silent, shocked by what had just happened.
He stared deep into her sparkling brown eyes. They glittered in the most striking manner as the pupils dilated to their fullest. He could feel her quaking and he looked down and saw her breast pulsing as was the vigour and rapidness of her heartbeat. Suddenly she shuddered and he looked back to her face and saw that she was crying, biting her full lip to try and stop it. Draco shifted his weight so that he was more comfortable, then reached a hand up and turned Hermione's face so that she was looking at him right in the eye.
'What are you thinking? You thinking I'm gonna rape you?'
Hermione stifled a sob and nodded. Draco laughed.
'Don't be so stupid,' and he lifted himself up from her and turned around, coming face to face with a very angry looking Ron. Before Draco even had a chance to do anything he was punched hard in the face. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his nose as Harry kicked him in the head. Draco gazed with bleary eyes at Hermione before his world went black and he knew no more.
AN: It's okay; he's not dead! Just very beaten up. Sorry this chapter wasn't up sooner, been having trouble with the computer. Chapter 5 is mostly mapped out but my river of inspiration is running dry. I reckon some reviews might boost it's flow again, let's say - 10 reviews? Don't worry if you think I'm not gonna continue if you don't review, it's just that the ideas aren't throwing themselves at me like they were a couple of days ago. 10 reviews, okay?