Chapter 3 – Write It Out

"It's a light switch." Hermione said, pointing to the white block where she was about to flick the switch.

"A what?"

"A Muggle device to turn on a light."

"Alright then. What are you waiting for? Turn it on."

Hermione flipped it on, and in all of a sudden, the whole ceiling shined with bright white light, as if there wasn't enough of it already. Hermione squinted her eyes.

"Look." Malfoy said and Hermione turned to his attention. He pointed to the wall and she saw that their finger marks were glowing bright green. Hermione put her fingers against them and opened her mouth in awe.

"It's like…glow in the dark."

"Glow in the what?" Malfoy mouthed.

"Glow in the dark. Another Muggle thing. Mostly kids have it and put glow in the dark stars on their bedroom ceiling. Maybe…if we write a message from here, someone will see it from the outside?"

Malfoy shrugged, "It's worth a try. So what do we use to write it? Just our fingers?"

"Yeah, and I'm hoping there isn't just a black barrier outside of this room like we saw."

"Yes, I hope so too." It was amazing. They had just agreed on something for the first time.

So they wrote, as big as they could, keeping in mind to fit it on one side of the wall, and they waited for any type of response. It never came, though. They waited for hours but nothing happened. Hermione started crying all over again. She couldn't stand being trapped in this room anymore.

Last night had started in a heat of passion between Hermione and Ron as they kissed intensely on the couch in Ron's family room. Hermione had lied. This was not 'their' apartment, as far as finances went, but she spent more time there than she did in her own house so she guessed it was hers as well. Harry was off in his Auror adventures so much that he did not even have time to give Hermione what she needed, but Ron thankfully took care of that. She had always known that Ron had had a thing for her ever since they had been in Hogwarts, but she had never liked him that way. Now, however, he fulfilled her every need that Harry couldn't dream of doing.

Hermione stroked Ron's light red eyebrow and kissed his cheeks softly, trailing her lips to his ear and neck. Ron moaned cravingly and squeezed her breast. As she started to unbutton his shirt, he laid a hand on her and pushed her away.

"What's wrong, sweetz?" Hermione asked like an angel.

"Don't act so innocent. You know what's wrong. We can't keep on betraying Harry like this. It's wrong. Either you tell him or I will."

"Not a chance. That would be a complete catastrophe."

"He doesn't deserve this."

"You're right. That's why I'm here." Hermione kissed his lips to quiet him but he instantly broke off.

"That's not what I meant. He deserves to know and I am going to tell him. I know you're only using me for sex but he still should know."

"No you will not. If you do, then I'll never come here again, whether it is day or night."

"Then that certainly solves the problem." Ron stood up from the couch and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Hermione wiped her lips frustratingly and folded her arms while he fussed about in the kitchen. She admitted that he had a valid point but they hadn't done this everyday. It had only been a few special times when she had felt so lonely and unloved that she had to make her trip to Ron's apartment in the middle of the night only dressed in a bath robe.

Her life hadn't always been like this. She was happy with Harry once when his work didn't dominate his life, but now the only times she saw him were for breakfast and sometimes dinner. She never knew when he would be called in to the Ministry because it could even be past midnight since that was when most crimes took place. After a year of it, Hermione had grown tired to an empty bed and had done the thing anyone would have. Go to another man. If there was any blame, it should have been put upon her husband. She didn't want a divorce because he was still important to her, and as long as her affair with Ron went unnoticed, it was fine with her, but now Ron was going to ruin it. Damn it, it was his fault too.

As he walked back into the family room, Hermione said, "You know, this is your entire fault. If you had told me you liked me before Harry did, then we wouldn't have this problem. I found out the day after our marriage. That is pathetic."

"You know Hermione, for an intelligent person, you're acting rather stupid right now. It's both your fault. If you haven't noticed, you choose to come. It's not like I drag you here."

"I am still intelligent but I'm not the innocent little girl I used to be!" Hermione raised her voice, "I know what the situation is but I don't care. I don't have any regrets because this is not my fault. It's yours and Harry's."

"What's gotten to you? Did you hit your head on a brick wall?"

"You know I'm right."

Ron slouched back to the couch and sighed, "Well, whatever you do, I can't stop looking at you, kissing you, loving you…"

Hermione's heart thumped, "You never told me you loved me."

"Wasn't it obvious? All those years I spent arguing with you and I actually thought you liked me too."

"I did, but in that boyish puppy love way. I never thought you actually loved me. That is so…phenomenal."

"It doesn't matter because it is too late for that. You are married and I need to find a woman of my own. We can't keep on doing this."

"Yes we can, if you let us."

"No I can't and I won't. Harry is my best friend. This is the cruelest thing ever. You need to leave now." He said seriously but Hermione ignored it.

"I can't. I want you so bad-"

"Hermione, stop-"

"No, sweetz, come here-"

"Hermione, I'm warning you-"

"I know you want me too-"

"No!" Ron was on his feet again, veins popping out of his red neck. Hermione got up too and strolled over to him. She caressed his chest with delicate hands, sliding them down slowly, and pecked his neck softly, barely touching his skin. Ron grabbed her passionately and collided his lips with hers ands Hermione's hands traveled to his strong back. They were locked in a tight embrace that didn't break for hours to come, as Hermione felt transcendent.

That was the last thing Hermione remembered. She knew she had never left Ron's apartment and now he must have been so worried about her. Hermione wasn't concerned about Harry though, because he hardly noticed if she was in their house. It was better that she was away from Harry now because he needed a taste of his own medicine.

Hermione came back to reality and laid her eyes upon Malfoy. He was twiddling his fingers with boredom and she couldn't blame him. She was bored out of her mind too. They needed something to occupy themselves with, like maybe a book or a board game, but for the time being, she was glad they were apart from each other right now. Hermione had heard of Draco Malfoy's violent temper.

Night came and both of them went into dreamless sleep (how much tension could the mind receive from being stuck in a room?) for at least eight hours. Hermione was the first one to wake up, and had the displeasure to smell herself. She stank and definitely needed a shower. Hopefully one would just pop up like the toilet but it didn't. She tried hard to conjure up food, but it still didn't work and she understood why. You actually needed prepared food to conjure and she knew Harry and Ron were no chefs. Her stomach grumbled and told her to start eating the dust from the walls but even she wasn't that desperate. Then she thought maybe Malfoy had some food. She called out his name, and as he lifted his head grumpily, Hermione inquired, "Got any food?"

"No…" He scratched his head, "If I did, then you would have seen me eating it. Damn Granger…you stink."

"Thank you, Mr. Obvious."

"Don't you have anything? I thought you carried a first aid kit with you wherever you went."

"Haha. No, I'm empty."

"Good then. I hope you starve to death."

"Don't you think that's a little ominous, seeing that we probably will?"

"You will, but I won't. I'm strong because I am a man."

Hermione glared disgustingly at him, "That is such a chauvinistic thing to say, but then again, I wouldn't expect anything better coming out of your mouth."

"That's right. Stop while you're ahead. In a few days you won't even be able to talk from dehydration so you'd better save your breath."

"Shove it Malfoy."

"How touching, and here I was thinking that you wanted us to work 'together'. What happened to cooperation, eh?"

"It got lost along with my patience. Now leave me alone. I'm sorry I bothered you. Seriously, of all the people to be stuck with, it had to be him." She muttered to herself.

"Excuse me. You got a problem Granger?" Malfoy raised an eye at her.

"Yes, I do. Instead of arguing with me, why don't you help me so we can leave this room?"

"I try but your Mudbloodedness just gets in the way, as much as your hair. What can I do about that?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "You know Malfoy, if we were somewhere else right now, I would have blasted you off your feet."

"Yeah, well, I would have transported you straight up there." He twirled his hand up.

"At least I would have gone up there. Your place is clearly down there." In defense, Hermione pointed down.

"Yeah, reserved specially for me so I can stay away from you, you bitch-"

"What did I tell you? Don't use that language in front of me!" Hermione was one step away from slapping him but she held her hands together with self-restraint.

"I can say whatever I want. What makes you the boss of me? Do you think I even give a damn? There, I cursed!"

Hermione glared at him, wanting to take her fingernails and claw off all his skin and leave him looking like an ugly little duck.

"Would you act like a man for once!"

"I am! Why don't you act like a woman, shut the fuck up, sit down, and respect me!"

SMACK! Hermione slapped his face with all the might she could muster. He bent his face to one side for moment, gathered what had just happened, and looked up menacingly at her, sporting a red cheek.

"HOW DARE YOU HIT ME!" He shook her violently by the shoulders and pushed her hard. She landed right against the wall, making a thumping sound on the way. She screamed. She stumbled up, putting her hands on the injured thighs, and got to her feet, absolutely enraged at the figure in front of her. Hermione breathed deeply, not letting this situation get to her, and pointed her wand at Malfoy in a controlled manner.

"Stay where you are Malfoy. Don't come near me again or I swear I will curse you in the time it takes you to blink."

"I don't want to be near you, Mudblood. If you ever touch me again, you'll wish you'd never been born."

Both Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy sat crossly from each other and didn't speak a word for days. Time wore on like a violent gust of wind that was unbearable to all and it suffocated both of them. Hermione knew she was going to die. Two and a half days had passed in the white room with no sign of rescue. Malfoy had kept his promise because he had not spoken to her since the day of their little brawl. Hermione realized that the situation had become much graver now that Malfoy was able of abusing a woman…but then again, she had slapped him first so it was really her fault. However, said another voice in her head, he had been the one insulting her. She would need a counter to figure out how many times he had called her a Mudblood.

Her throat was dry, so dry that it made her believe that she had never devoured the taste of a droplet of water or the flavor of a crumble of any food. Her stomach was hollow as that of an empty bucket. Even her head felt light and her tears had run out. Hermione could feel herself drifting into the place that Malfoy had been referring to a couple of days ago.