Day Old Hate
Chapter Two

Disclaimer: If it were mine, I wouldn't be posting on here…Oh and none of the song lyrics belong to me, either…or I'd be singing them – which you do NOT want!

Author's Note: I'm sorry to keep you all waiting. Washington DC was being invaded by 50000 boy scouts…It was amusing. Thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Alicia. She is fantastic! This chapter, I'm hoping, will be longer. The actual song lyrics will be in the dialogue this time. See if you can find them, 'cause they really are great. Also, additional song lyrics are in here. Cookies to all who can find them. (:

Enjoy.

PS: This is all Pre-HBP. Hehehe.

Needless to say, I was completely and utterly confused, and I just couldn't face him. So I did what every confused Head Girl does; I stayed in my room and analyzed the situation from all angles. I pondered it for hours. And just when I had come to some sort of a conclusion, I had to think about it some more.

It was odd, really. Absolutely everything I had known for the previous six years was being questioned. How long had he felt this way? How did he really feel? Was it all a joke, a bet perhaps? Then an even bigger question hit me: How did I feel about him?

I'm not going to go into some sort of weird denial and not admit that he's good looking; I'm sure most girls would have to rethink their sexuality if they didn't find him attractive. But why me? Bookworm, Mudblood, completely incapable of looking the least bit pretty. Or maybe he fancies the smart girls that can "talk nerdy" to him -- Nah, Pansy's certainly incapable of that.

Then I had some form of a revelation. I'm the only one Malfoy acknowledges that he can carry on a somewhat decent conversation with – even if it is throwing insults too and fro. Hm, very interesting. But I'm still not ready to face him.

I figured I'd let the weekend pass and I'll stay in my room- think, sleep, and have some food brought up from the kitchens. A wave of stupidity washed over me. I had to patrol the hallways tonight …with him. After some therapeutic screaming into my pillow, I was reluctantly ready to go to dinner. If he tried to talk about it, I'd just play it off like it's not big deal and I'd soon forget about it. But it was a big deal and I won't soon forget about it. Merlin, have I gotten myself into something deep!

Dinner quickly passed by and before I knew it, it was 8 o clock. Half past eight was when I had to meet at McGonagall's office for the assignment. I ran back to my room – oh, it was so great being Head Girl with my own dorm – to grab my sweater. It was early October, after all, and I would've hated to catch a cold in this drafty castle.

I was now all set to patrol the halls. I went downstairs (four flights of them, to be precise) to McGonagall's office. The door is locked, the lights are off, and a piece of parchment with her neat, professor-like hand writing is attached to the door.

Mister Malfoy and Miss Granger,

I regret that I am not available at this time to give you tonight's assignments personally, for more pressing matters arose shortly after dinner. You two are to patrol the corridors of the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh floors. Do not worry about the west wings or the third floor. Mister Filch rose to the occasion and volunteered to patrol those. I trust the both of you will patrol together – without any quarreling – and make sure no student is out of their houses by curfew. You will patrol until 11:30, and you must be back in your respective houses by no later than 11:45.

Professor McGonagall

"Seems easy," a voice behind me said abruptly, making me give a small yelp of surprise and a jump.

"Good Godric, Malfoy!" I yelled at him, clutching my heart. "Don't do that!"

He chuckled a little, noticing where I'd placed my hand. "Oh, Granger, it's okay if I've made your nipples hard. It happens to most of the female population when they're in close proximity to me," he smirked.

"Yeah, laugh it up, you Nancy Boy," I told him, letting an attitude shine through. "And that's gross, Malfoy. You wish," I said, rolling my eyes and walking away.

"Oh…That explains a lot. And, indeed, I do wish you were part of the female population. It's quite awkward knowing that I had previously kissed a man," he stated, apparently forgetting the insult I had just thrown at him.

I stop, rooted in my spot, fuming. I could hear him laughing at me. He's so proud of himself. He walked in front of me to take a look at the emotions I was experiencing. "Draco Malfoy you insolent little prick! You wouldn't know anyone of the female population if she danced in front of you, batting her eye lashes, yelling 'I have a vagina! I have a vagina!'" I whispered to him in a deathly sort of tone. It was all I could do before I started crying. I shoved past him, not wanting to hear what other insults he had to hand out.

"Granger."

I walked farther away with every syllable.

"Granger, come back here."

The tears were freely falling down my cheeks. I submerged myself in my silent sobs.

"Hermione, I…I…"

I stopped walking, turned around, and stomped towards him. "First off, you don't get the pleasure of calling me Hermione. And second, don't even say the words 'I'm sorry' because we both know you aren't." I raised my hand, as if to slap him, but then I stopped myself. "You're not even worth it." I shook my head with disgust and sniffled a little, waiting for a reaction. When there wasn't one, I slowly walked forward, to start our patrolling session.

He quietly followed, apparently searching for the words to say. After meandering down two staircases to reach the main entrance hall at precisely 9 o clock, he finally said something. "Granger – Hermione, let's face it, this was never what you wanted."

"Malfoy, I told you not to call me that. It's Granger to you. Hell, even Mudblood has gotten so predictable that I'm used to it. But what did I never want?" I asked in a casual tone, trying to forget the previous quarrel we had just had.

"Fine, Granger," he put special emphasis on my surname. "I'm talking about the fighting and the name calling. And I know it's fun to pretend. But now…" he said, stopping me by turning in front of me to look me in the eye. ('Oh his beautiful grey eyes!' That annoying bugger of a voice in my head snickered) "Your blank stares and empty threats…They're all I have."

"Hah," I scoffed. "Sure, Malfoy."

"Hermione, I mean Granger. NO, I mean Hermione." I almost wanted to laugh at his little debate with himself. But I didn't. "Call me Draco…Please?" the handsome Slytherin pleaded.

"Fine, Draco," I spat as if it were a poison on my lips. Deep down, I did like calling him Draco, but please don't tell him that! I rolled my eyes and continued walking, checking the Great Hall and concluded that no one was there.

"Hermione…If you wanted to drown me in the lake," he said, taking my hand in his. Wow, it fits so perfectly. "I'd be okay with that because just knowing that you'd be the last thing I saw before I died…Well, it gives me a feeling – a good feeling – not in the sense that I'd be dying, but in the sense that I'd get to see you."

"Malfoy – Draco…" I paused, thinking that all through. "Draco Malfoy. Why are you saying this?"

"Why'd you call me 'Draco Malfoy'? Draco is fine…"

"Answer my question first," I barked as we continued, advancing towards a couple of classrooms. "Please," I added more as an after thought than anything else. "Sorry," I mumbled under my breath.

"I'm saying this because…I don't know!" Draco says, taking his hand from mine to run it through his hair stressfully. Oh, yeah, we were still holding hands… "You just…It's just…You know when we get so mad and upset with each other that there is a…tension and passion between us?" I nodded. "I can't imagine my life without that…Without you. I mean, third year, when you slapped me, I was furious but I guess that's when I realized that I loved seeing you angry. I just—"

"Wait, wait wait…" I interrupted, completely stopping in my tracks. "You've felt like this since third year?" He nodded, his eyes downcast. "Why haven't you moved on! You can easily have any girl at Hogwarts with the snap of your fingers!"

"I tried moving on!" He grabbed my arm when I attempted to continue walking. "Just when I thought I would be almost over it – over you -- something would happen and I'd notice something new that I liked about you…" he explained, wrapping me into a hug. "Hermione, would you believe me if I said I didn't need you because I wouldn't believe you if you said the same to me…"

"Draco…Malfoy," I stated weakly. "Draco Malfoy, this is moving way too fast." I pulled out of his arms and placed my hands on my hips. "Am I just supposed to rethink how I feel about you because after six years of hatred I find out that you've had a crush on me for half of the time?" I asked him, skepticism dripping from my voice.

"Hermione, I know this is weird. It's uncharted territory to me as well. You've always been the 'Forbidden Girl' and the 'Gryffindor Princess.' Like you said, I could have any girl I want in the school. But I don't want just any girl…" his voice trailed off as we finally checked a classroom. After an uncomfortable silence, and two classrooms later, Draco Malfoy was the first to speak. "Why can't I feel anything from anyone other than you?" he sighed.

"Draco Malfoy…" I began, slowly turning around from the room we were just in. "Draco is too intimate…Malfoy is too generic," I spoke barely above a whisper.

"Hm?" he asked in a tone of confusion.

"D-Draco is a term that's too intimate for what we are…Malfoy is used for enemies and friends, which we no longer are…" I explained a little bit louder than the first time. From the look on his face, he didn't understand what I was talking about. "You had questioned why I called you Draco Malfoy instead of just Draco or just Malfoy earlier. And you only feel things from me because you've let me consume you…"

Author's Note: Yey! A cliffie. And chapter three is currently being worked on. I'm really proud of myself that I did get a lot down up there. Now, if you'd be so kind as to review, it'd be greatly appreciated.
Thanks y'all,
Le Britties AKA a Texas girl.