MUAHAHA.. that was mean cliff hanger.. oh well.. heres the next chapter! Enjoy!
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Why me? I wanted to bang my head on the steering wheel. Why did everything that could possibly be horrible happen to ME? Why did it ALWAYS have to be me? I opened my eyes to glare at Malfoy who was looking at me as if I had gone slightly crazy.
Why did I have such bloody rotten luck that Harry just HAD to jilt me and I just HAD to flee to America where I just HAPPENED to be driving along the same highway that Malfoy would be walking on and I just had to be overcome by such a sense of generosity that I stopped the car and let him in!?
What the bloody hell was wrong with me?
"Since we're exchanging names, would you mind telling me yours?" Malfoy was looking down his abnormally large nose at me and I was overcome with the strongest urge to just boot him out of the car.
I glared at him fiercely. The git didn't even have the intelligence to recognize me! True, I hadn't recognized him, but nobody would have ever thought to see a Malfoy covered in a few days worth of dirt!
"Honestly Ferret, you'd think a Malfoy would have at least a little bit more intelligence." I sneered and waited for him to recognize me.
He turned pale underneath his dirt and I watched with no little amount of satisfaction.
His throat worked frantically. "You can't be...."
I grinned wolfishly. "Unfortunately for us both, I am."
"You can't possibly be..."
"Trust me, I am."
"MUDBLOOD!?"
My mouth tightened as years of memories of him calling me exactly that battered my pounding skull.
"Get out." I said coldly.
He continued to sit there and stare at me in bewilderment.
"I said, GET OUT!" My face was starting to flush in anger.
He shook himself as if he were coming out of a trance, then had the nerve to look angry. "What the bloody hell are you doing in the United fucking States of America, Granger?" Malfoy demanded as if he actually had a right.
"I COULD ASK THE SAME BLOODY THING OF YOU, MALFOY!" I yelled, completely overcome by anger.
Malfoy's eyes narrowed suddenly, "Wait a minute... This doesn't have anything to do with Saint Potter does it?"
I opened my mouth, then closed it. He couldn't know, could he? I mean he looked like he had been walking by the road for days, and Harry had only jilted me two days ago.
"I read about you're disgusting engagement to him in the Prophet months ago, so what are you doing here?" He paused and mockingly looked around. "And with no Potter in tow?"
Sometimes I swore that the only person who had intelligence that rivaled mine was Malfoy. Who else would be able to so quickly jump to the right conclusion? Here I was and here he was, without a scrap of indication as to why I was there and he was inches away from discovering that I had been jilted. I was becoming desperate for something to say to distract him.
"As I don't see how it's any of you're bloody business, I think I shall refrain from telling you." I said curtly. "Now why are you here, Malfoy? I never thought I'd see the day when a Malfoy wanders around a highway like a peasant."
I mentally patted myself on the shoulder as his jaw tightened. Mission accomplished.
"It's none of you're business."
I smirked at him. "It's entirely my business as you're sitting in MY car and dirtying MY leather."
Malfoy had obviously lost quite a bit of control in the past few days as I could practically read what was going on in his head. He badly wanted to just get out and leave but couldn't because for some unfathomable reason he needed to get to New Orleans and I suspected I was the only way he was going to get there. Why? I still couldn't figure out, but the taste of power was delightful.
"Granger, I..."
"Yes?"
He struggled. "I..."
I unsuccessfully fought the smirk off my face. "Yes, Malfoy?"
"I.... Needyourhelp." He finished in a rush.
I cupped a hand mockingly around my ear and leaned towards him slightly. "What was that you said, Malfoy? You slurred you're words together so quickly I hardly caught them."
Yes, it was shameless of me, but I had hated him for 5 years and strongly disliked him for 2. I probably would have gone on hating him for the other two years but he had turned over a new leaf and came to the good side. He had still acted like an insufferable git, but at least I knew then that he wasn't evil. But despite his not being evil, he had made my life living hell in seventh year when we were both Heads, and now I was exacting payment. Yes, it was mean and petty but then again, I was developing a new Hermione, and apparently she enjoyed being mean and petty, so why should I have stopped?
"Granger.." He growled. "Just take me to bloody New Orleans."
"Merlin Malfoy! Do you never learn?" I shook my head sadly. "You are a pureblood. I am a Mudblood. I have the car. You do not. I have money, my wand, and my magic. You don't have money, you're wand, and if I'm guessing correctly, you don't have you're magic. Now." I put both my hands out, palm up as if I were weighing something. "Pureblood." I lifted my left hand ever so slightly. "Car, money, wand, and magic." For each thing I said I lifted my right hand. "See the difference?" I almost grinned at his furious expression. "That's right, Malfoy. I do not jump to do you're bidding. You, in fact, will most likely be jumping to do MY bidding."
He looked somewhat surprised at my boldness until a crafty expression slithered over his pointy face. "Granger, you've got one thing wrong. I'm bigger and stronger than you are. They weigh a lot more than cars, magic, and wands." He said menacingly. Malfoy began to advance on me, clearly trying to intimidate me with his size and as horrible as it was to admit it was working if my heart rate was any indication.
"Not only that. You are all alone on this big stretch of highway, and you've very stupidly allowed a dangerous man into your car." Malfoy continued to scoot closer and leaned over the gear stick until his face was a few scant inches from mine. "And trust ME, Granger. I'm very.. very.."
His gray eyes flickered down to see my wand pressing into his nether regions. When they flicked back up they met my extremely amused brown ones.
"You're very... dangerous?" I guessed innocently. I cocked my head to the side. "What was that spell again for castrating men?"
Malfoy jumped back as if I had burned him. His eyes met mine and for the littlest second there was the barest hint of confusion in them.
"You're different, Granger."
Ahhh.. those words exploded fireworks of happiness in me. "Good."
I sat back in my seat and folded my hands on my lap. I continued to smile at him and he continued to glare death at me.
"Well?" He finally demanded.
I was holding the power and I was having quite a bit of fun. "Yes?"
I could see Malfoy's internal struggle and my grin threatened to split my face when his desperation won over his too large pride.
"Are you going to drive me to New Orleans or what?" He muttered not looking at me.
"I don't know.." I smirked. "Are you going to look me in the eye and ask me politely or not?"
His head whipped around and his eyes threatened to drill holes into my skull.
"Will you drive me to New Orleans?" He ground out.
"Hmm.. Did I hear a please..?"
Malfoy looked as if he were going to explode. "Will you PLEASE drive me to New Orleans?"
I sat back and thought about it.
This was the same Malfoy who had tormented me for seven years of my life and who had taken great pleasure in driving me crazy that last year. Now here he was dirty, hungry, and desperate. I was being eaten alive with curiosity as to what had happened to him but it was apparent that he wasn't going to say anything. It occurred to me that New Orleans was quite a few days away and I'd have plenty of time to worm the truth out of him.
Then I shook myself. Good God this was Draco MALFOY! Hermione, what in the name of Merlin are you contemplating? I asked myself. I couldn't keep him with me for a few days! He'd drive me completely batty within a hour!
I snuck a furtive glance at him from the corners of my eyes. He was leaning his head back against the headrest with his eyes closed and he looked utterly exhausted. I supposed that he had been walking for a few days. I mean, considering the amount of dirt he was wearing, the fact that he had been as thirsty as a camel, and then his utter desperation for my help. True, he didn't really show all that desperation, but during all the time we had been talking, there had been this sort of bleak look in his eyes.
So, as much as I wished for a cold heart, I couldn't do it. I just couldn't leave him there to walk along the highway until he either died of starvation, or a ruthless serial killer picked him up.
I wanted to pound my head against the steering wheel some more. Why me?
"Fine. I'll take you." I glanced over and saw that I had gotten absolutely no reaction from the man.
"Malfoy? Did you hear me? I'll take you to New Orleans." I said somewhat louder. I moved to shake him when I realized it. He had fallen asleep and the heart that I swore I was going to harden, softened a little bit more.
I sighed and started the car again. This was going to be a long long drive.
~*~
I was being hung by my wrists in some dank underground place. I lifted my head slightly as I heard the door open and close.
"Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy.." The guttural voice said.
I managed to lift my head fractionally higher as the man stepped into the dim light.
"Rodolphus."
He approached me and tilted my face up higher with a single bony finger.
"The Malfoys have fallen very far because of you."
"Ask me if I care."
"I realize now that you are the Malfoy but I supposed you can understand if I lack any respect for you, despite you're name." Rodolphus Lestrange dropped my head and walked back into the dark. I strained my eyes and searched for him, but lack of oxygen was turning my vision fuzzy.
"You see, I remember a time when the Malfoys were the highest of pureblood families. You're father, the right hand man of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I used to envy Lucius, even desire to kill him so that I could take his place. Those were the grand times for people like us."
I managed to lift my head and snort derisively. "You're pathetic, Rodolphus. A pathetic psycho who can no longer function without a master to tell him how to whimper and beg."
He came suddenly from my right side and wrapped a pale hand around my throat.
"You're a blood-traitor, Malfoy! You brought the destruction of my master and for that you will pay!" He let go suddenly and as I gasped for breath a whip suddenly appeared in his hands.
"You will pay." He began to whip me on my chest and each hit stung like barbed wire until suddenly, it wasn't a whip anymore but the fluttering of silk. I opened my eyes and saw a brown hair siren wearing a multitude of silk scarves fluttering in a magical wind.
She stood on a stool directly in front of me and began to slither up my chest to kiss, lick, and nibble everywhere. As my head drooped in pleasure she shoved at my shoulder.
"Wake up, Malfoy!"
I smiled. "I'm awake."
She kept shoving at my shoulder. "Wake up! Wake up, Malfoy!"
I jolted awake and found myself staring into the face of the brown haired siren who gasped and scrambled back in her seat. Her seat?
It had all been a dream, I realized. I glanced sleepily at the woman who was still looking at me warily. The brown haired siren? She was real and she was from my dreams?
Then I realized, Merlin! That's Hermione Granger! Memories of sitting in her car and realizing who she was battered my tired brain. Not a siren, just an intolerable know it all.
"Granger." I croaked. "Where the bloody hell am I?"
"Some place between Carmen, Virginia and New Orleans, Louisiana." She replied.
"You're taking me to New Orleans?"
"Yes." She said tight-lipped. I almost grinned at her aggravated expression.
"Why did we stop?" I glanced around and noticed we were parked on the side of the highway. The stars were shining exceptionally bright, quite unlike they usually did in London.
For the first time her expression softened slightly. "You were dreaming and thrashing around. It seemed like... Like a bad dream.."
I frowned, "It was."
"Oh."
We sat in silence in the middle of the road for a while. I began to think of my reaction to finding Granger here in America.
I snuck a glance at her from the corner of my eye. She really did look the same. I hadn't seen her in.. five years..? Yes, that was right, five years. I had read about her engagement to Potter in the Prophet a few months ago and I remembered snorting about it. I glanced at her again. What was she doing driving a Porsche in America without her fiancé?
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
I restrained the urge to jolt at her question and instead I pasted an impressive sneer onto my face.
"What makes you think I was looking at you, Granger?"
She sighed and turned her head to face me. "Because I can always feel the questioning eyes of idiots."
I turned away to hide my surprise at her response. She had always been able to come back with responses to my scathing remarks, but never like this. I remembered back in the days at Hogwarts she would seem to come alive only when I was around to torture her. Around Potter and Weasley she'd always seem to lose a sort of spark and was mostly subservient to what they wanted. It hadn't really come as a surprise to me when I read about her engagement to Potter. After all, I had always figured she'd become the obedient wife to either him or Weasley.
I finally turned back after my musings and met her angry eyes. When she saw I had no response she attacked again.
"What.. Don't tell me the high and mighty Malfoy has nothing to say?"
"I'm simply trying to keep myself from getting kicked out of you're car, Granger." I said in a monotone voice.
Her eyes widened at my non-aggressive statement. "Oh."
I let the uncomfortable silence drag on a little longer. "How long will it take to get to New Orleans?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Another day, maybe. Or two."
I tried my hardest not to pale at that. Two entire days spent in a confining area with just Granger for company? I was going to go completely mad.
"If you stay away from me I'll stay away from you, and that should keep both of us from going completely bonkers." She said, seemingly reading my mind.
"Right. Of course, Granger. So are you going to start driving or what?"
Granger looked as if she were going to say something but shut her mouth abruptly and turned the engine back on. "We'll drive for another hour, find an Inn and someplace to eat dinner." She muttered looking straight ahead.
I winced. "Granger.." She refused to look at me and I forged ahead determinedly. "I haven't got any money on me.."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Yes, I know. I'll pay for you, I like to lend a helping hand."
I stiffened. "I don't NEED you're charity, Mudblood. I'll pay you back when I get back to London." I remembered all those times 'friends' of my father had wanted to lend me a helping hand after his 'unfortunate' death, when really all they wanted was to find a way to latch onto the Malfoy fortune without me knowing.
Granger shot an angry look at me. "Fine. Whatever you say, Ferret."
~*~
I was beginning to get nervous. It had been an hour of driving after Malfoy's nightmare, and after our initial conversations, he didn't seem to be inclined to wanting to talk.
Oh, right. I had said that I would leave him alone if he left me alone, so now I guess we were leaving each other alone.
I resisted the urge to peek at him from the corner of my right eye.
I sighed. I didn't know how I was going to do this. Stay in a confined area with Draco bloody Malfoy for 2 days and not go completely crazy, hah! Impossible.
But then I thought about his strange nightmare. At least I thought it had been a nightmare. He had been sleeping for a few hours when all of a sudden he had moaned in pain. Then he began to thrash around and groan as if trying to bite back screams. But right when I had pulled the car over he began to groan again but this time in.... arousal? Since when were nightmares arousing?
I had scooted over and poked him in the shoulder to wake him up. It had taken quite a few pokes before he did, but when he did his eyes shot open so suddenly they had startled me. But really, it hadn't been his sudden waking that surprised me, but the look in his gray eyes. There had been anger and... something there... something else...
I shook my head, whatever it had been it must have been weird because right when his eyes cleared and he looked fully alert, a look of disappointment had pervaded his expression.
Disappointment because I was the one who found him?
Probably. My hands tightened convulsively on the wheel. I wish I hadn't found him. I wish I didn't feel this overwhelming need to help him. After all, what had Draco Malfoy ever done for me?
So what if he had turned spy for us in 6th year because Merlin knows why? He still took every opportunity he had to torture me and poke fun at the poor Mudblood who didn't have a boyfriend and no boy was interested in. Poor Granger who had been ditched by the people she had loved most in the world. Stupid muggle born who had no social life and was so pathetic she didn't even want one.
I reached out and abruptly turned on the music. I didn't want to sink into my thoughts and become depressed all over.
I glared at Malfoy who was eyeing the radio. I had been progressing so well before he had to come along!
"What the hell is that, Granger?"
I seethed silently and ignored him. Not only had he made me backtrack, but when I had offered to help him out and he had gotten all snotty on me and slapped me away! Merlin! Why had I gotten so stupid as to think he'd actually appreciate my help?
"Granger?"
After all, what kind of self respecting Malfoy would ever actually want the help of a no good, dirty Mudblood? He was just using me until he got to where ever he got and of course I don't even deserve an explanation as to why he was walking around covered in dirt even though I am the one who is driving him!
I began to work myself into quite a snit.
And the one time that I try to be nice to him he goes and acts like the complete git he is and has to make me realize how stupid I've been acting! All I said was that I liked to help people and he has to curl his lip at me and say in his meanest voice that he doesn't NEED charity because he's Draco fucking Malfoy!
"GRANGER?" The slightly panicked voice penetrated my rampaging thoughts and I finally turned to glare at Malfoy.
"WHAT?"
He shrugged and tried to look nonchalant. "Could you drive a bit quicker?"
I tried to burn him into non-existence with my powerfully angry gaze. "Why?"
Malfoy glanced back and then shrugged again. "Just an idea.."
I slowed down just to upset him, then darted a quick glance behind me.
I gasped. There was a black robed man chasing the car on a broomstick. He raised his wand as I whipped back around and accelerated.
"That's - That's Rodolphus Lestrange!" I shouted as I heard an explosion behind the car. I imagined he had fired a curse at us but had just barely missed.
Malfoy shrugged that extremely maddening shrug again. "Yes, that is. Excellent observation, Granger." He flipped me a sarcastic thumbs up.
I paused from flooring the accelerator to glare at Malfoy. "I HATE YOU!"
AND HE SHRUGGED AGAIN! "I return the sentiment. Now drive faster."
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MUAHAHAHHAHAHAH!!! That's a cliff hanger right?! Right?! Man, I must be a sadist because I REALLY enjoy doing that to you guys..
I'm going to keep the rant short because I have some VERY IMPORTANT NEWS!
I..... have..... started a new Hr/D fanfic....! *Gets hit by rock thrown from frustrated reader*
It's not my fault, I swear! It's my friend Nian's fault! It's all her fault! HER FAULT!! *whines like a baby*
I was just discussing my various fanfics with my friends, none of which write, and she just had to ask me to write an hr/d one with them still at Hogwarts, so of course an idea popped into my head and... *Looks around worriedly* Hermione started to have conversations with Blaise Zabini in my head!
And I swear I'm not going crazy either. Writers understand what I'm talking about... right? Heh..
Anywho, it was called Just Another Switching Places Fanfic, but that seemed too long and the title started to get on my nerves so.. I changed the title and it is now called.... The Switcheroo. Hm.. I think that one is starting to get on my nerves too.. anywho here's the summary:
Hermione Granger dislikes Slytherins and Blaise Zabini dislikes Gryffindors. What happens when a Polyjuice Potion goes wrong and they switch bodies? (overused plot i know) Will they be able to learn that each house has its strengths and weakness? HrD B?- Read to find out!
I swear that if you guys read and review that story I will try my VERY HARDEST to not lag on this one, and I'll still make this my priority! Which it really shouldn't be cuz I should finish up my other story, but I'm so lazy.. Oh, that would be another story for another day.
Okay, I'm done running my mouth.. or in this case.. my fingers.. heh.. right.. okay done..
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!
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Why me? I wanted to bang my head on the steering wheel. Why did everything that could possibly be horrible happen to ME? Why did it ALWAYS have to be me? I opened my eyes to glare at Malfoy who was looking at me as if I had gone slightly crazy.
Why did I have such bloody rotten luck that Harry just HAD to jilt me and I just HAD to flee to America where I just HAPPENED to be driving along the same highway that Malfoy would be walking on and I just had to be overcome by such a sense of generosity that I stopped the car and let him in!?
What the bloody hell was wrong with me?
"Since we're exchanging names, would you mind telling me yours?" Malfoy was looking down his abnormally large nose at me and I was overcome with the strongest urge to just boot him out of the car.
I glared at him fiercely. The git didn't even have the intelligence to recognize me! True, I hadn't recognized him, but nobody would have ever thought to see a Malfoy covered in a few days worth of dirt!
"Honestly Ferret, you'd think a Malfoy would have at least a little bit more intelligence." I sneered and waited for him to recognize me.
He turned pale underneath his dirt and I watched with no little amount of satisfaction.
His throat worked frantically. "You can't be...."
I grinned wolfishly. "Unfortunately for us both, I am."
"You can't possibly be..."
"Trust me, I am."
"MUDBLOOD!?"
My mouth tightened as years of memories of him calling me exactly that battered my pounding skull.
"Get out." I said coldly.
He continued to sit there and stare at me in bewilderment.
"I said, GET OUT!" My face was starting to flush in anger.
He shook himself as if he were coming out of a trance, then had the nerve to look angry. "What the bloody hell are you doing in the United fucking States of America, Granger?" Malfoy demanded as if he actually had a right.
"I COULD ASK THE SAME BLOODY THING OF YOU, MALFOY!" I yelled, completely overcome by anger.
Malfoy's eyes narrowed suddenly, "Wait a minute... This doesn't have anything to do with Saint Potter does it?"
I opened my mouth, then closed it. He couldn't know, could he? I mean he looked like he had been walking by the road for days, and Harry had only jilted me two days ago.
"I read about you're disgusting engagement to him in the Prophet months ago, so what are you doing here?" He paused and mockingly looked around. "And with no Potter in tow?"
Sometimes I swore that the only person who had intelligence that rivaled mine was Malfoy. Who else would be able to so quickly jump to the right conclusion? Here I was and here he was, without a scrap of indication as to why I was there and he was inches away from discovering that I had been jilted. I was becoming desperate for something to say to distract him.
"As I don't see how it's any of you're bloody business, I think I shall refrain from telling you." I said curtly. "Now why are you here, Malfoy? I never thought I'd see the day when a Malfoy wanders around a highway like a peasant."
I mentally patted myself on the shoulder as his jaw tightened. Mission accomplished.
"It's none of you're business."
I smirked at him. "It's entirely my business as you're sitting in MY car and dirtying MY leather."
Malfoy had obviously lost quite a bit of control in the past few days as I could practically read what was going on in his head. He badly wanted to just get out and leave but couldn't because for some unfathomable reason he needed to get to New Orleans and I suspected I was the only way he was going to get there. Why? I still couldn't figure out, but the taste of power was delightful.
"Granger, I..."
"Yes?"
He struggled. "I..."
I unsuccessfully fought the smirk off my face. "Yes, Malfoy?"
"I.... Needyourhelp." He finished in a rush.
I cupped a hand mockingly around my ear and leaned towards him slightly. "What was that you said, Malfoy? You slurred you're words together so quickly I hardly caught them."
Yes, it was shameless of me, but I had hated him for 5 years and strongly disliked him for 2. I probably would have gone on hating him for the other two years but he had turned over a new leaf and came to the good side. He had still acted like an insufferable git, but at least I knew then that he wasn't evil. But despite his not being evil, he had made my life living hell in seventh year when we were both Heads, and now I was exacting payment. Yes, it was mean and petty but then again, I was developing a new Hermione, and apparently she enjoyed being mean and petty, so why should I have stopped?
"Granger.." He growled. "Just take me to bloody New Orleans."
"Merlin Malfoy! Do you never learn?" I shook my head sadly. "You are a pureblood. I am a Mudblood. I have the car. You do not. I have money, my wand, and my magic. You don't have money, you're wand, and if I'm guessing correctly, you don't have you're magic. Now." I put both my hands out, palm up as if I were weighing something. "Pureblood." I lifted my left hand ever so slightly. "Car, money, wand, and magic." For each thing I said I lifted my right hand. "See the difference?" I almost grinned at his furious expression. "That's right, Malfoy. I do not jump to do you're bidding. You, in fact, will most likely be jumping to do MY bidding."
He looked somewhat surprised at my boldness until a crafty expression slithered over his pointy face. "Granger, you've got one thing wrong. I'm bigger and stronger than you are. They weigh a lot more than cars, magic, and wands." He said menacingly. Malfoy began to advance on me, clearly trying to intimidate me with his size and as horrible as it was to admit it was working if my heart rate was any indication.
"Not only that. You are all alone on this big stretch of highway, and you've very stupidly allowed a dangerous man into your car." Malfoy continued to scoot closer and leaned over the gear stick until his face was a few scant inches from mine. "And trust ME, Granger. I'm very.. very.."
His gray eyes flickered down to see my wand pressing into his nether regions. When they flicked back up they met my extremely amused brown ones.
"You're very... dangerous?" I guessed innocently. I cocked my head to the side. "What was that spell again for castrating men?"
Malfoy jumped back as if I had burned him. His eyes met mine and for the littlest second there was the barest hint of confusion in them.
"You're different, Granger."
Ahhh.. those words exploded fireworks of happiness in me. "Good."
I sat back in my seat and folded my hands on my lap. I continued to smile at him and he continued to glare death at me.
"Well?" He finally demanded.
I was holding the power and I was having quite a bit of fun. "Yes?"
I could see Malfoy's internal struggle and my grin threatened to split my face when his desperation won over his too large pride.
"Are you going to drive me to New Orleans or what?" He muttered not looking at me.
"I don't know.." I smirked. "Are you going to look me in the eye and ask me politely or not?"
His head whipped around and his eyes threatened to drill holes into my skull.
"Will you drive me to New Orleans?" He ground out.
"Hmm.. Did I hear a please..?"
Malfoy looked as if he were going to explode. "Will you PLEASE drive me to New Orleans?"
I sat back and thought about it.
This was the same Malfoy who had tormented me for seven years of my life and who had taken great pleasure in driving me crazy that last year. Now here he was dirty, hungry, and desperate. I was being eaten alive with curiosity as to what had happened to him but it was apparent that he wasn't going to say anything. It occurred to me that New Orleans was quite a few days away and I'd have plenty of time to worm the truth out of him.
Then I shook myself. Good God this was Draco MALFOY! Hermione, what in the name of Merlin are you contemplating? I asked myself. I couldn't keep him with me for a few days! He'd drive me completely batty within a hour!
I snuck a furtive glance at him from the corners of my eyes. He was leaning his head back against the headrest with his eyes closed and he looked utterly exhausted. I supposed that he had been walking for a few days. I mean, considering the amount of dirt he was wearing, the fact that he had been as thirsty as a camel, and then his utter desperation for my help. True, he didn't really show all that desperation, but during all the time we had been talking, there had been this sort of bleak look in his eyes.
So, as much as I wished for a cold heart, I couldn't do it. I just couldn't leave him there to walk along the highway until he either died of starvation, or a ruthless serial killer picked him up.
I wanted to pound my head against the steering wheel some more. Why me?
"Fine. I'll take you." I glanced over and saw that I had gotten absolutely no reaction from the man.
"Malfoy? Did you hear me? I'll take you to New Orleans." I said somewhat louder. I moved to shake him when I realized it. He had fallen asleep and the heart that I swore I was going to harden, softened a little bit more.
I sighed and started the car again. This was going to be a long long drive.
~*~
I was being hung by my wrists in some dank underground place. I lifted my head slightly as I heard the door open and close.
"Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy.." The guttural voice said.
I managed to lift my head fractionally higher as the man stepped into the dim light.
"Rodolphus."
He approached me and tilted my face up higher with a single bony finger.
"The Malfoys have fallen very far because of you."
"Ask me if I care."
"I realize now that you are the Malfoy but I supposed you can understand if I lack any respect for you, despite you're name." Rodolphus Lestrange dropped my head and walked back into the dark. I strained my eyes and searched for him, but lack of oxygen was turning my vision fuzzy.
"You see, I remember a time when the Malfoys were the highest of pureblood families. You're father, the right hand man of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I used to envy Lucius, even desire to kill him so that I could take his place. Those were the grand times for people like us."
I managed to lift my head and snort derisively. "You're pathetic, Rodolphus. A pathetic psycho who can no longer function without a master to tell him how to whimper and beg."
He came suddenly from my right side and wrapped a pale hand around my throat.
"You're a blood-traitor, Malfoy! You brought the destruction of my master and for that you will pay!" He let go suddenly and as I gasped for breath a whip suddenly appeared in his hands.
"You will pay." He began to whip me on my chest and each hit stung like barbed wire until suddenly, it wasn't a whip anymore but the fluttering of silk. I opened my eyes and saw a brown hair siren wearing a multitude of silk scarves fluttering in a magical wind.
She stood on a stool directly in front of me and began to slither up my chest to kiss, lick, and nibble everywhere. As my head drooped in pleasure she shoved at my shoulder.
"Wake up, Malfoy!"
I smiled. "I'm awake."
She kept shoving at my shoulder. "Wake up! Wake up, Malfoy!"
I jolted awake and found myself staring into the face of the brown haired siren who gasped and scrambled back in her seat. Her seat?
It had all been a dream, I realized. I glanced sleepily at the woman who was still looking at me warily. The brown haired siren? She was real and she was from my dreams?
Then I realized, Merlin! That's Hermione Granger! Memories of sitting in her car and realizing who she was battered my tired brain. Not a siren, just an intolerable know it all.
"Granger." I croaked. "Where the bloody hell am I?"
"Some place between Carmen, Virginia and New Orleans, Louisiana." She replied.
"You're taking me to New Orleans?"
"Yes." She said tight-lipped. I almost grinned at her aggravated expression.
"Why did we stop?" I glanced around and noticed we were parked on the side of the highway. The stars were shining exceptionally bright, quite unlike they usually did in London.
For the first time her expression softened slightly. "You were dreaming and thrashing around. It seemed like... Like a bad dream.."
I frowned, "It was."
"Oh."
We sat in silence in the middle of the road for a while. I began to think of my reaction to finding Granger here in America.
I snuck a glance at her from the corner of my eye. She really did look the same. I hadn't seen her in.. five years..? Yes, that was right, five years. I had read about her engagement to Potter in the Prophet a few months ago and I remembered snorting about it. I glanced at her again. What was she doing driving a Porsche in America without her fiancé?
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
I restrained the urge to jolt at her question and instead I pasted an impressive sneer onto my face.
"What makes you think I was looking at you, Granger?"
She sighed and turned her head to face me. "Because I can always feel the questioning eyes of idiots."
I turned away to hide my surprise at her response. She had always been able to come back with responses to my scathing remarks, but never like this. I remembered back in the days at Hogwarts she would seem to come alive only when I was around to torture her. Around Potter and Weasley she'd always seem to lose a sort of spark and was mostly subservient to what they wanted. It hadn't really come as a surprise to me when I read about her engagement to Potter. After all, I had always figured she'd become the obedient wife to either him or Weasley.
I finally turned back after my musings and met her angry eyes. When she saw I had no response she attacked again.
"What.. Don't tell me the high and mighty Malfoy has nothing to say?"
"I'm simply trying to keep myself from getting kicked out of you're car, Granger." I said in a monotone voice.
Her eyes widened at my non-aggressive statement. "Oh."
I let the uncomfortable silence drag on a little longer. "How long will it take to get to New Orleans?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Another day, maybe. Or two."
I tried my hardest not to pale at that. Two entire days spent in a confining area with just Granger for company? I was going to go completely mad.
"If you stay away from me I'll stay away from you, and that should keep both of us from going completely bonkers." She said, seemingly reading my mind.
"Right. Of course, Granger. So are you going to start driving or what?"
Granger looked as if she were going to say something but shut her mouth abruptly and turned the engine back on. "We'll drive for another hour, find an Inn and someplace to eat dinner." She muttered looking straight ahead.
I winced. "Granger.." She refused to look at me and I forged ahead determinedly. "I haven't got any money on me.."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Yes, I know. I'll pay for you, I like to lend a helping hand."
I stiffened. "I don't NEED you're charity, Mudblood. I'll pay you back when I get back to London." I remembered all those times 'friends' of my father had wanted to lend me a helping hand after his 'unfortunate' death, when really all they wanted was to find a way to latch onto the Malfoy fortune without me knowing.
Granger shot an angry look at me. "Fine. Whatever you say, Ferret."
~*~
I was beginning to get nervous. It had been an hour of driving after Malfoy's nightmare, and after our initial conversations, he didn't seem to be inclined to wanting to talk.
Oh, right. I had said that I would leave him alone if he left me alone, so now I guess we were leaving each other alone.
I resisted the urge to peek at him from the corner of my right eye.
I sighed. I didn't know how I was going to do this. Stay in a confined area with Draco bloody Malfoy for 2 days and not go completely crazy, hah! Impossible.
But then I thought about his strange nightmare. At least I thought it had been a nightmare. He had been sleeping for a few hours when all of a sudden he had moaned in pain. Then he began to thrash around and groan as if trying to bite back screams. But right when I had pulled the car over he began to groan again but this time in.... arousal? Since when were nightmares arousing?
I had scooted over and poked him in the shoulder to wake him up. It had taken quite a few pokes before he did, but when he did his eyes shot open so suddenly they had startled me. But really, it hadn't been his sudden waking that surprised me, but the look in his gray eyes. There had been anger and... something there... something else...
I shook my head, whatever it had been it must have been weird because right when his eyes cleared and he looked fully alert, a look of disappointment had pervaded his expression.
Disappointment because I was the one who found him?
Probably. My hands tightened convulsively on the wheel. I wish I hadn't found him. I wish I didn't feel this overwhelming need to help him. After all, what had Draco Malfoy ever done for me?
So what if he had turned spy for us in 6th year because Merlin knows why? He still took every opportunity he had to torture me and poke fun at the poor Mudblood who didn't have a boyfriend and no boy was interested in. Poor Granger who had been ditched by the people she had loved most in the world. Stupid muggle born who had no social life and was so pathetic she didn't even want one.
I reached out and abruptly turned on the music. I didn't want to sink into my thoughts and become depressed all over.
I glared at Malfoy who was eyeing the radio. I had been progressing so well before he had to come along!
"What the hell is that, Granger?"
I seethed silently and ignored him. Not only had he made me backtrack, but when I had offered to help him out and he had gotten all snotty on me and slapped me away! Merlin! Why had I gotten so stupid as to think he'd actually appreciate my help?
"Granger?"
After all, what kind of self respecting Malfoy would ever actually want the help of a no good, dirty Mudblood? He was just using me until he got to where ever he got and of course I don't even deserve an explanation as to why he was walking around covered in dirt even though I am the one who is driving him!
I began to work myself into quite a snit.
And the one time that I try to be nice to him he goes and acts like the complete git he is and has to make me realize how stupid I've been acting! All I said was that I liked to help people and he has to curl his lip at me and say in his meanest voice that he doesn't NEED charity because he's Draco fucking Malfoy!
"GRANGER?" The slightly panicked voice penetrated my rampaging thoughts and I finally turned to glare at Malfoy.
"WHAT?"
He shrugged and tried to look nonchalant. "Could you drive a bit quicker?"
I tried to burn him into non-existence with my powerfully angry gaze. "Why?"
Malfoy glanced back and then shrugged again. "Just an idea.."
I slowed down just to upset him, then darted a quick glance behind me.
I gasped. There was a black robed man chasing the car on a broomstick. He raised his wand as I whipped back around and accelerated.
"That's - That's Rodolphus Lestrange!" I shouted as I heard an explosion behind the car. I imagined he had fired a curse at us but had just barely missed.
Malfoy shrugged that extremely maddening shrug again. "Yes, that is. Excellent observation, Granger." He flipped me a sarcastic thumbs up.
I paused from flooring the accelerator to glare at Malfoy. "I HATE YOU!"
AND HE SHRUGGED AGAIN! "I return the sentiment. Now drive faster."
**********
MUAHAHAHHAHAHAH!!! That's a cliff hanger right?! Right?! Man, I must be a sadist because I REALLY enjoy doing that to you guys..
I'm going to keep the rant short because I have some VERY IMPORTANT NEWS!
I..... have..... started a new Hr/D fanfic....! *Gets hit by rock thrown from frustrated reader*
It's not my fault, I swear! It's my friend Nian's fault! It's all her fault! HER FAULT!! *whines like a baby*
I was just discussing my various fanfics with my friends, none of which write, and she just had to ask me to write an hr/d one with them still at Hogwarts, so of course an idea popped into my head and... *Looks around worriedly* Hermione started to have conversations with Blaise Zabini in my head!
And I swear I'm not going crazy either. Writers understand what I'm talking about... right? Heh..
Anywho, it was called Just Another Switching Places Fanfic, but that seemed too long and the title started to get on my nerves so.. I changed the title and it is now called.... The Switcheroo. Hm.. I think that one is starting to get on my nerves too.. anywho here's the summary:
Hermione Granger dislikes Slytherins and Blaise Zabini dislikes Gryffindors. What happens when a Polyjuice Potion goes wrong and they switch bodies? (overused plot i know) Will they be able to learn that each house has its strengths and weakness? HrD B?- Read to find out!
I swear that if you guys read and review that story I will try my VERY HARDEST to not lag on this one, and I'll still make this my priority! Which it really shouldn't be cuz I should finish up my other story, but I'm so lazy.. Oh, that would be another story for another day.
Okay, I'm done running my mouth.. or in this case.. my fingers.. heh.. right.. okay done..
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!