The Agreement
Chapter 3
Draco Malfoy woke up to a loud hoot in his ear. His eyes shot open and looked into the black eyes of his mother's owl. "Fausta!" Malfoy exclaimed. The black eagle owl hooted again as she stuck out her right leg. "So mother's sent something has she?" He quickly untied the letter from her talon ad ripped the envelope open. He unrolled the parchment and read.
Dearest Draco,
How I've missed you so. I know you've only started term a month or so ago, but the Manor is quiet without you. I'm counting down the days until I'll be able to see you again. How are your grades? Are you doing well in school? How is your girlfriend? I want to hear more about her...
The blonde's stomach did a tumble of some sort. He gulped.
...Anyhow, I was thinking about you last night. I know how much you adore chocolate chip cookies, so I made a batch as soon as I woke up this morning. Enjoy them. I'll see you soon, darling.
Love,
Mum
He smiled at the thought of his mother thinking of him. Next to him he noticed a large package wrapped in shiny black paper. My cookies. He thought hungrily. He hurriedly unwrapped the tin and pried it open. Malfoy reached in and pulled out a cookie that was still slightly warm. He ate two more; he reached for a fourth, but then decided to save the rest for later.
Seeing as he was already awake, he decided to get up and have an early breakfast. He peered at the clock that stood on the nightstand next to his bedside. It was only quarter to seven. Before Malfoy could swing his legs out of bed, he heard Granger calling him.
"Malfoy!" He heard again. Grumbling, he made his way down the hall to her room and threw the door open.
"Malf...Oh. Finally. Did you not hear me calling you? I must have called four times. I should really get a bell-"
"What is it you want?" He snapped angrily.
"Can you get my slippers? They're over there by that window." Hermione pointed. Malfoy followed her finger with his eyes.
"Granger, you bloody made me get out of bed so that you didn't have to walk three bloody feet?" He gave her a scornful glare, not forgetting he had been getting up when she had called him.
"Yes, you're right on top this morning, aren't you?" She returned his glare with an icy smile.
He cracked the knuckles in his fingers but he walked over to retrieve her slippers all the same. "This is disgusting." He said just loud enough for Hermione to hear.
"Is it?" She asked watching him pick them up by the tips of his fingers. "I'm quite fond of them. Both Harry and Ron and I used to share them all the time." Malfoy froze in terror and threw them at her.
"I'm going to take a shower. I nice, long, cleansing shower." He said leaving the room. Hermione jumped out of her bed.
"Don't you want to try them on?" She asked evilly. His blonde head shook frantically. With that, he ran down the hall and slammed the bathroom door shut. Hermione heard the lock click. She shook her head then closed her door shut quietly.
It was half past eight by the time he was eating breakfast. He was already exhausted although he'd only woken up and hour before. Granger had made him do every possible chore you could do in the morning.
Malfoy made her bed—twice. He'd done it the "wrong" way the first time. "The sheets don't fold to the end of the bed. They go up, Malfoy, really. What, have you never made a bed before?" He remembered her taunting tones.
Who was she to think he had made a bed before in his life? Of course he hadn't. Is it not obvious? That's why his father employed house elves. Common sense is all that's needed.
Then she had made him brush her cat's long fur. "Look, his fur's just all over the place!" She had said. The cat was gruesome looking. Its face was smashed flat, literally. He weighed, say fifty pounds. Where Granger found him, Malfoy didn't know, but they were perfect for each other.
"Don't worry kitty," Malfoy had said trying to reassure the cat, "Granger has the same kind of hair, just a lot bushier." The ginger cat had bit him leaving quite a swollen finger.
Hermione also made him use a lint roller to remove the lint from her black robes. How he'd hated that one the most. Her robes smelled of old musty books. It was almost too lethal of a fume to breathe. In a dramatic way.
To piss him off even more, she had had the nerve to tell him to hurry up. Which was just the wrong thing to say, because he reacted by moving slower.
"Good morning, Draco." Blaise Zabini said sitting down next to him. Malfoy, whom had been thinking of his nightmare of a morning, jumped. Blaise however, didn't notice.
"You know that Weasley girl? Weasel's sister? I ran into her last night." Blaise said not giving his friend a chance to answer. He kept talking. "Quite the jumpy one, she is. She acted very odd. Like she was scared of me or something." Blaise now looked at him expectantly, as to say you can talk now.
"Weasel's sister...that little third year girl?" Malfoy asked not really caring.
"Sixth year." Blaise corrected. "I've talked to her before too. She was pretty polite, except for the fact she kept stumbling over her words."
"She probably fancies you, Blaise." Malfoy said pouring himself pumpkin juice into a goblet.
"Really, you think?" Blaise seemed to dwell on the thought for a moment, until speaking again. "Well, how's good old Granger been?"
"Good? Granger?" Malfoy asked. "Quite a mudblood she is."
"I was being serious, you know." Blaise said.
"As was I. I've been waiting on her hand and foot." Malfoy suddenly remember the disgusting slippers. "Ugh. It's regurgitating, what I have to go through."
"What the devil are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about doing every little thing Granger tells me to do."
"Why are you doing that? I thought you hated Granger?"
"I do, but I needed to bribe her into doing me a favor. Now I wish I'd just given her the money." Malfoy explained to Blaise what he had to do for her, and what she had to do for him.
By the time Malfoy had finished his story, Blaise was having a laughing fit. "Oh that's hilarious, Malfoy. You almost had me believing you. When'd you become so hilarious?" Blaise laughed, attracting looks from the nearby Ravenclaw table.
"What? I'm being serious. That's the agreement." Blaise, apparently thinking that was funny, just laughed harder. "I mean it Blaise stop laughing. Why do you think I had to carry her wretched bag to the table last night?"
Blaise stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes. "You mean, you weren't joking?" He asked.
Malfoy sighed tiredly. "No." He threw up his hands. "Why do I even bother?"
"Bother doing what?" Pansy asked sitting down next to him. Malfoy took a drink from his goblet.
"Nothing." He said a bit too loudly.
"What's wrong with him?" Harry said hearing Malfoy's outburst.
Ron shrugged. "Who knows? Or cares? He's always trying to attract attention."
"Yeah, probably." Harry agreed. Hermione, whom was sitting opposite the two boys turned around and watched Malfoy speak harshly to Pansy Parkinson.
"He's in a bad mood." She explained matter-of-factly, turning around to face them again. "I made him do some work this morning."
"Like what?" Ginny asked eagerly, sitting down on Hermione's right.
"I hope you made him suffer." Ron added.
"Oh, I did. I had him make my bed twice, brush Crookshanks for a good ten minutes, and then he brushed the lint off my robes."
"You're brilliant Hermione. Really." Harry said laughing.
"Why'd he have to make your bed twice?" Neville asked leaning over Ginny to look at Hermione.
"Oh, I didn't like the way he did it the first time. Plus, it looked like he was struggling to do it. He had me thinking he'd never made a bed in his life."
"He probably hasn't." mumbled Ron. The others noticed a twinge of jealousy. "He has all those house elves to do it at his manor, most likely."
"Ron, don't be jealous. There's nothing right about having a poor, little house elf do everything for you." Then she started sharing her latest S.P.E.W ideas with Ginny and Neville.
"Wanna bet?" Ron muttered to Harry,
Harry shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it mate."
Hermione stood up. "I'm going to go study a little extra in the library. See you lot later." She bid them goodbye. She walked over to the doors and waved Malfoy over. He clenched up his fists and hunched his shoulders when he noticed her calling him over. Hermione handed him her heavy bag and soon after flounced from the hall.
"And she talks about house elves. How hypocritical." Ron sighed.
"Go do your thing." Blaise said in a teasing voice, noticing Granger. Malfoy had not even finished eating, but he abandoned his food and stalked over to Granger. Pansy watched in interest.
"Care to explain that Blaise?" She chuckled.
Blaise looked up and gazed at her thoughtfully. "Nope."
Malfoy was about to give her a piece of his mind, but she simply skipped away. Malfoy struggled to hurry with one bag on each of his shoulders.
"Granger, you could have the decency to wait up." He huffed.
She ignored him, but slowed down. "I don't see why you can't carry your own bloody bag. Just trying to make me suffer, huh? Well you just wait until it's my turn." He smirked. He couldn't wait to destroy her.
Just the reaction he wanted. She stopped and turned around. "Oh, do shut up, Malfoy. I could really care less what you do to me while your mother is here." She lied.
"Oh really? Even a bit of a snogfest won't shock you?" He made a smacking noise with his lips, but in reality, he was making himself sick. Hermione herself looked just about ready to throw up.
"Just keep walking Malfoy."
"Where are we going?" He asked in a bored tone. He had and itch on his nose, but he couldn't scratch it because he was busy trying to stay balanced while carrying his and Hermione's bags.
"Granger, do you mind stopping, my nose itches. Granger!" Malfoy shouted. She kept going.
"Granger, get back here, or the deal is off. I don't think it'll be so bad telling my mother I got rid of my girlfriend. I'd much rather than do this." Hermione stopped and turned around. She knew he didn't mean that but she rubbed his nose with the tip of her wand.
"Much more like it." He smirked, stepping on her foot. "Oops, an accident." He shrugged.
Before he knew what was happening, Hermione had shot her wand back up to his nostrils. She muttered a few words, then stepped back proudly to watch the curse run its course.
"Granger! What'd you do?" Malfoy asked feeling an odd sensation coming from above his lips. Hermione tore her bag off his shoulder, then continued down the corridor at an extremely hurried pace.
"Granger!" He yelled after her retreating back, but she seemed not to notice. He grabbed his nose and felt it inflating. Oh Merlin. He thought. It's not like this was the beginning of a bad day.
I'm going to get her. Malfoy thought running in the same direction the Gryffindor had just gone. He turned the corner and kept running. When he came to a fork, he chose to turn right knowing the dungeons were this way. He continued down two flights of stairs.
"Granger, where are you? I know you're around here somewhere!" He paced back in forth in front of the door to the potions classroom. "Come out and fix my nose!" He poked his head into the classroom, but he didn't see her. He heard giggling a little ways from where he was.
Thoroughly disgruntled, he closed the door with a sharp snap. He surveyed the corridor with his eyes. There weren't many places to hide. He looked behind each suit of armor in the corridor. "You can't hide long!" He yelled. The bell had just rang, which meant students were to go to class.
Tired of waiting outside of the classroom, Malfoy returned to where he had dropped his bag and picked it up. He opened the door to the classroom so violently, it crashed into the wall. He was satisfied watching the glass fall from its frame.
He strutted into the classroom and but his books down on a desk in the back. Then he took his wand out and tried to reduce the size of his nose to normal. This is mortifying. He thought, realizing that nothing had changed. He felt nearly helpless.
Well, I can't go to the infirmary. There's a chance I'll be spotted with this bloody beak. I'll kill Granger. I'll kill her.
"Draco, what the devil happened to your nose!" Pansy said rushing over to him. She had just walked into the class and noticed her friend.
"What do you think Pansy? That bookworm of a mudblood-"
"Wait! Don't touch it. I know how to fix it."
Before he could object, he saw a flash of golden light before his eyes. He waved his arms around in a mad manner. "I've gone blind! Pansy!" He got up, knocking his chair backwards onto the floor.
He opened his eyes, and saw Pansy smirking with her arms crossed. "Don't be silly Draco." A few Gryffindors were now filing into the room. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan quickly caught sight of Malfoy's nose.
"Well, I never thought this day would come," Seamus was saying to Dean loudly, "Malfoy visited a plastic surgeon...for the worst." They burst out laugh, which made Malfoy red with anger.
"Pansy! What did you do?" He turned to look at Pansy, but she was on the other side of the room hiding in the middle of her group of friends.
Oh great, now Potter and Weasley have to walk in. He didn't notice Hermione sneak in next to them.
"What's a plastic surgeon?" Neville asked curiously.
Seamus was leaning over laughing and slapping his knees. "A plastic surgeon is a doctor that performs surgery on your body, to make it better to your perfection. Enlarges things," Seamus explained looking at Parvati's chest, "Reduces things..."
Parvati covered her front up with her arms. "They're not fake, Seamus! I don't even know what a plastic sergeant is."
Malfoy touched his nose. "I did not go see one of them! It was Granger!" He shouted. He had the whole class' attention. His Slytherin peers stood by trying not to laugh at him, while the Gryffindors laughed freely.
"Who are you trying to impress Malfoy?" Harry asked smiling maliciously.
"Or what are you trying to impress?" Ron put in. "A toucan?" Fresh rounds of giggles were heard throughout the classroom, this time the Slytherins laughed along with the Gryffindors. Malfoy sent them a glare that shut them up.
"I've had it." He said loudly. Forgetting his books, he stomped towards the door, but ran into Snape. He jumped back.
"Professor!"
Serverus Snape jumped back also. "Malfoy, what is the meaning of this?" He stared pointedly at Malfoy's large nose.
"It was Granger. We were talking outside the Great Hall, and then without a warning, she brings her stupid wand to my face, and then runs!"
The potions master pushed Malfoy gently aside and stepped into the room. "Is this true, Ms. Granger?" He asked in a dangerous tone. Malfoy realized she was sitting in the classroom.
"You!" He yelled walking toward her. "I'm going to kill you!" He made to walk towards her, but Snape had grabbed his robes.
"Granger, out in the hall. Malfoy, you too." Snape said still holding Malfoy's robes. Timidly, Hermione walked slowly up to the front of the room. "Faster, girl!" Snape snarled. Hermione sped up.
"Out." He pointed to the open door. When the three were all outside, he shut the door. Not realizing that the glass had fallen from the door, the whole class was able to hear the conversation.
"Is it true, Ms. Granger? You cursed Malfoy and gave him this..." He struggled to find the right word. Malfoy glared at him. "Nose?" offered Malfoy.
Hermione felt extremely small, but she spook with dignity. Sort of. "I, uh. No, well, yes. He stepped on my foot!"
"Come on, Hermione." Ron said cheering quietly from inside the classroom. Harry shook his head. He knew she wasn't getting out of this one easily.
"He stepped on your foot?" Snape repeatedly. "Why would Mr. Malfoy do that?"
"She was getting on my nerves, professor." Malfoy barked. He was getting annoyed at being ignored.
"Don't use that tone with me, boy."
"That gives you no reason to use your wand. If it was a problem, you could have come to me and settled it." Proclaimed Snape.
Malfoy, meanwhile, was muttering to himself.
"Do you have something to say?" Snape asked turning on the Slytherin.
"No." Malfoy replied nastily.
"Then the problem is solved. Granger, you have detention with me tomorrow night. Malfoy, you've ashamed me. 10 points from Slytherin."
"How come he doesn't get a detention?" Hermione squeaked, trying her luck.
"Ms. Granger, as far as I'm concerned he stepped on your foot. You, on the other hand, made a more violent move. You could have hurt him... and who did that!" Snape finished his last sentence with a roar.
He pointed to the glass that was lying all over the floor. He swept back into the classroom, banging the door against the wall. Malfoy sighed. He knew it wouldn't have been long before his greasy haired professor noticed.
"Which one of you is responsible for this?" He hissed quietly.
"Potter." Malfoy said at once coming into the room.
Snape rounded on Harry. "You? Potter? Detention and 30 points from your house!"
"Professor," Hermione exclaimed shoving Malfoy out of the way with some difficulty, "it was Malfoy. I saw him. He swung the door back so hard it hit the wall. He was glad he did it, too!" Hermione tattled.
"I did not!" Malfoy insisted, knowing very well that Snape knew who was telling the truth.
"Potter, my apologies." Harry's mouth dropped open, not believing what he'd just heard. There was a sudden murmur from the other students.
"Quiet!" Snape shouted succeeding in hiding his embarrassment.
"Ms. Granger, mind your own business." Snape sneered, turning to look at her.
"Malfoy, you're in detention with Ms. Granger tomorrow night, and I'm taking off another 50 points from Slytherin."
Malfoy looked defeated. He took a seat next to Goyle, and held his head in his hands.
The Slytherins groaned in unison. They had just lost 60 points from their house points from their own Head of House. "Shall I make it more?" Snape asked. "Get to work. The instructions are on the board." Writing appeared on the blackboard at his words.
Snape waved his wand lazily and repaired the door so that the glass looked good as new. After, he strode up to his desk and sat behind it, from where he eyed the class critically. "Thank your classmates; you've lost fifteen minutes of potion making time." He announced sounding almost gleeful.
Author's Note: Sorry it took a little longer to update. I also apologize for this boring never-ending chapter. I'll make it up in the next one. Also, thanks to those that reviewed. I really appreciate the tips, too.
I forgot to mention. I'm a big Hermione/Draco romance fan. Big, big, big. I'd love it if you would refer some of your favorites to me, and I'll do the same for you.
Also, please make it one of your options to review. I'd be most pleased. No flaming, no criticism. If you're unhappy with my fic, don't read it.
