A/N: Aw. Your reviews made me happy and for that, I thank you. I know that I updated pretty late but I hope that this chapter can meet up to your satisfaction. :)
Note: To answer your question, Kura52. Alabaster is another word for white, pale or translucent skin. Uhm, that's what my dictionary tells me anyway. :p
Disclaimer: As of now, I can say that I own nothing yet.
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Chapter Three
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Draco raised a skeptical brow at Hermione as her hands flew towards her eyes, blocking her view of his naked body. His fingers ran through his hair shakily as he covered himself up lightly with the sheets that was innocently draped over his legs. As he finished, he coughed lightly to get the attention of Hermione, her face now glowing a bright red at anger and embarrassment.
"Malfoy," she stuttered, "why the hell are you naked?"
He smirked at her tittering form and nonchalantly answered, "can't a bloke go to bed naked when he wants to?"
Hermione flushed and glowered at his calm disposition. "No," she said through gritted teeth. "Especially when the git knows that there is an innocent woman in the common room."
Draco chuckled and stopped momentarily before his smirk started to reappear on his face. "What are you doing inside my room anyway, Granger? I see that you can't resist the Malfoy charm after all."
She scoffed at him then remembered the large bruise on his stomach. She frowned in concern. "By the way, Malfoy, where did you get that horrid bruise on your stomach?"
He grinned at her and then pretended to be slightly hurt. "The better question to that would be who gave it to me, Granger."
Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Okay, fine. Who gave it to you then?" She questioned curiously, absentmindedly sitting down at the end of the mattress of his bed. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears as she awaited his answer.
Draco mockingly placed his hand on top of his heart and spoke, his accent changed unto an immitation of Shakespeare's. "Thou might be hurt when thy would know the truth, but alas, thou is too much and is intimidating me." He paused for a dramatic effect. "Thou's friend had hurt thee, but I knew it from the very beginning. Thy's lover," here, Hermione cringed, "the weasel, had hurt me." He stopped with a heavy sigh.
Hermione tried so hard not to laugh out loud. That was entertaining, to say the least. It was like watching some sappy romance flick. She sniggered as he chuckled at his own idiocy. "I know that thou finds me funny, but my situation is not," he smiled at her, but not the one that can light her up. She yearned to see him smile, a true smile.
"Ron beat you up?" She asked, she reached out to him trying to caress his purple bruise. He nodded his head, and moved further towards her to help her. He winced as her cool fingers came in contact with his warm stomach. "Why did he do this to you?"
Draco hesitated if whether he would tell her or not but chose the first. She needs to know even though it would cause her a lot of pain; he'll just have to tell her gently. He mustered up the courage, his head down as muttered the words under his breath. "I caught him snogging that slutty chick from your house. What's her name again? Ah, yes. Lavender Brown."
He looked up to see what Hermione's reaction was. Her face is completely expressionless. It's devoid of any emotion that Draco couldn't resist having that slight urge to be concerned of her well-being. Well, he thought with a frown. I still love her so that means I still pretty much care for her. He shook her lightly on the shoulder. Her face turned towards his direction and pretended to smile.
"Oh," pain was evident in her voice as she spoke. "I-I see."
"Granger," he said softly. "I don't want to hurt you in any way but I just thought that you should know that."
"No," tears started to fall freely from her eyes. "I-it's alright. Its not your fault." She grasped the hem of her skirt tightly. "It was obvious that he didn't love me. I knew it from the start. He just thought of me as one of his bestfriends, and him to me as well." She sobbed.
"Shh," Draco took her hands in his and squeezed assuringly. "Still, he has no right to cheat on you. You're a couple, for heaven's sakes, he should know that."
"Like you and Pansy?" She spat, suddenly angry that the subject had been brought up. "Don't think that I don't know that you shag other girls behind her back, Malfoy."
He dropped her hands on her lap, his eyes turned to slits as he glared at her. "I can do whatever the hell I please, Granger."
"Oh? So how about the advice you just gave me? 'He has no right to cheat on you. You're a couple', is that all crap?" She sneered. "You are such a cunning liar, very typical of a Slytherin." She stood up as she got ready to leave.
"You're not going anywhere," Draco suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the bed. She growled, fuming.
"I can go wherever I please," she imitated his voice and slapped him across the face. "Never touch me without my consent."
Draco glared at her and pushed her out of the bed. She came tumbling down to the ground in a heap. She sat up, her face red from anger. He chuckled darkly.
"And never go inside another person's room without his consent," he drawled as he pointed the direction of the door. "Get out."
Hermione threw her hands in the air from frustration. "Ugh, will you ever change Malfoy? Grow up." With that, she left the room with a loud bang of the door. Draco ran his hands through his hair tiredly. He heaved a large sigh and lay down on his bed. He hugged his pillow to his bare chest and closed his eyes tightly.
"My Hermione, my sweet Hermione," he whispered longingly. "It's hard to pretend that I don't love you anymore." And as the stars twinkled merrily outside, the moon shining below it's radiance and the hooting of the owls soothed him made him fall in a deep, dreamless slumber.
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"The nerve of that guy," Hermione hissed as she opened the door of her own room. "Push me off of the bed, did he? How dare he! The nerve." She stumbled to her bed and forcefully lay her head down on the soft pillow. "And to think until now, I still love him." She muttered softly, running her dainty hands through her scalp and thick mane.
Her lithe body heaved as she closed her eyes slowly, picturing both of them walking in the park hand in hand. Their happy faces lit the dim lightings of nature. Hermione joviantly gave Draco a quick peck on the cheek and he ended up giving her a long, deep passionate one. She gave a sigh of content as he begged her to give him his needed entrance to her mouth. She ran her fingers through his hair as he cupped her face in his hands. She moaned at the sudden contact of his touch. And when they were nearing on loosing their sanities to each other, Hermione suddenly stopped.
She opened her eyes. "Okay," she breathed. "I need to stop dreaming about the git, he's driving me insane." She turned off the bedside lamp and closed her eyes again, not knowing that more dreams of him would haunt her in her sleep.
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End Note: Next chapter, Hermione would confront Ron about his cheating habits and Harry would... Oh, no. No need to spoil the fun now, do we? Anyway, reviews are always gladly appreciated. Please review, I especially crave long, constructive reviews / criticisms. I'm in dire need of them.
