Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
To all my great reviewers. There were just too many to say thank you to each individual one. It went from like fifty something reviews to eighty something! I was sooooo happy when I saw how many people reviewed. For this chapter I am hoping to get to 100 reviews. So help me out here. I love you all!
In this chapter I was hoping to get a conversation going between Blaise and Hermione to show that Blaise isn't so bad. I also wanted to get Draco and Hermione more friendly with each other. Hope you like it.
It was about an hour until dinner, so Hermione decided to send the letter to her parents.
She was halfway to the owl wing when she got that feeling that someone was behind her. She turned around. Nothing. She walked a few more steps and got that feeling again. She walked around a corner and waited.
A few seconds later a boy with dark brown almost black hair(not Harry) walked stealthily around the corner.
"Are you following me?" she asked.
Blaise jumped a little when he heard her speak.
"No" she looked skeptical. "Yeah" he nodded.
"Why?" she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Well, I wanted to see where you were going." he stood up to his full height which made Hermione look straight at his tie. She huffed and looked up at him. She really hated it when people were taller than her. She wasn't that short, people were just that tall. There was a difference.
"I'm going to the owl wing what does it matter to you." she was slightly annoyed, but only slightly because Blaise was usually nice and not really the stalker type.
"I wanted to see what made you so special."
"Huh?" she was confused. How am I special. How am I special to a Slytherin? Wait a minute...
"Does this have to do with Draco?" She sighed and tapped her foot. She still didn't get how she was special, but if it was weird to her it usually meant he was behind it.
"Yeah. I think he's got some freaky Hate/Love crush on you." he said nonchalantly. Wait what?
"Wait what?"
"Yeah it makes sense, and I think you have a freaky hate/love crush on him too." he concluded.
"Why does everyone say that? I don't like him. And what do you mean by a 'hate/love crush'?" she was confused.
"I mean you may hate him, but the hate is really something more. Something deeper. Like love." he said very poetically.
"That's a bunch of crap. Now stop following me." She turned on her heel and continued to the owl wing. Blaise chuckled, turned around and set out for the Slytherin common room.
When she got to the owl wing she heard someone inside. They were whispering to someone. She poked her head around the corner and saw Draco sitting on the window ledge. He had his owl perched on his arm and he was inspecting it. She saw him mutter a few things. It looked as if the owls wing was broken. Oh. poor thing.
She stepped in to the room and made her presence known.
"Granger, finally someone with some brains. Come over here, I need your help."
She stepped forward and saw the owl definitely had a broken wing.
"Oh. How did that happen?" she tenderly touched the black owls head.
"I don't know, I came to send a letter and I found her like this. Can you fix it? I don't know any healing spells." he looked at her for help.
"Yeah, I know a few." she said. Eyes fixated on the beautiful owl.
"What's her name." she took out her wand.
"Belle nuit, belle for short." he responded. "My mother named her. She used to live in France, now she likes to flaunt the fact that she is fluent in French and I'm not."
"I know a little French. My aunt lives in Paris. Last year she came to visit us for the summer. She taught me some." she said a quick healing spell and the owl hooted in approval. "There, good as new." She smiled.
Draco took Hermione's hand moved it so her palm faced up. He put a few owl treats in her hand and moved it near Belle. Belle quickly ate up the treats and flapped her wings a few times. Then she flew off into the night sky. Hermione smiled at the beautiful scene before her. The beautiful black owl flying across the moon. Wow. How cliché. She smiled and shook her head. (they do that a lot in this story don't they?)
Draco was staring intently at her. The way her eyes lit up at the sight of the moon. She really is beautiful. Wait, what? What the hell did I just say? Now he was creeped out. He looked back up at her and realized she was looking at him.
"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost." she said looking at him strangely.
"Oh...um...um...yeah...I'm...good. I'm okay." he decided to just forget about it. It was no big deal. So what maybe he just had a little crush on her. No, no, no, I don't have a crush on her. Even if I did she's not beautiful. Cute, maybe but not beautiful. That's what he settled on.
He looked out the window and he saw the Quiditch(sp?) pitch.
"How come you don't like to fly?"
"How do you know I don't like to fly?" she asked while she tied her envelope to an owl and sent it to her parents.
"It's obvious, you were scared shitless in first year flying classes. And I've never seen you on a broom since. So that brings me back to my original question, Why don't you like to fly?"
"I'm not going to tell you, you'll make fun of me." she turned around. He grabbed her wrist and made her turn around.
"Well, I'll probably make fun of you anyway so you might as well tell me."
She turned around and sighed. "Alright there's three reasons. One, it is simply dangerous and two, well, flying is something you can't read about in a book. I couldn't learn how to do it and that made me uncomfortable. Scared even. Three, I'm deathly afraid of heights. Okay." she said.
"Well, first flying isn't dangerous if you know how to do it. And even you should know there is only one way to get over you fear." he stood up and they walked to the door.
"I know, I know the only way to get over my fear is to fly. Blah, blah, blah Harry and Ron have told me that a million times. But there is no way in hell that I'm going to fly on a broom." She closed the door behind her.
"After dinner meet me in the common room."
"Why?"
"We're going flying." he walked away from her before she could respond.
At dinner all she could think of was what Draco said. She was terrified of flying and heights. But there was something in her that made her want to do it.
It was like she wanted to prove to him that she could. Even though she knew she couldn't.
"Hermione are you okay, you haven't touched your food." said Ginny.
"Well, Ginny I have to tell you something." she looked at Harry and Ron, they were in an 'important' conversation about Quiditch.
"What?" Ginny asked like a true gossiper.
"It's about Dra...Malfoy. It's about Malfoy. Malfoy."
"What about Malfoy. Did you guys do anything yet?" she smirked.
"No. Ginny for the last time no. And we aren't going to be doing anything anytime soon. I mean never, we're not going to be doing anything ever. Anyway what I wanted to talk to you about was something he asked me to do."
"Marry him?" Ginny said. Hermione sighed and put her head in her hands.
"No Ginny, he told me to meet him in the common room after dinner so he could take me flying. Flying. Ginny I hate flying." she whined.
"So don't do it." she put a piece of chicken in her mouth.
"Well, I know I don't have to so it but something in me wants to do it. I'm so confused." She took her head out of her hands and looked over to the Slytherin table were Draco was smirking at her. He knew what she was thinking.
Ginny looked up to see Draco and Hermione staring at each other. She smiled knowingly.
"Uhh, moine, should I tell you what I think about the flying thing now, or should I wait until your little staring contest is over or what?"
"Oh , sorry Ginny. Yeah what do you think about it?" she turned her attention to Ginny instead of on Draco.
"I think you should go for it. Flying is awesome, I mean I love it. It's a real rush. Besides if he lets you share a broom with him, sitting so close to him, maybe he would wrap his arms around you!" she giggled.
"Not helping."
"Oh no." said hermione as she saw people leaving the great hall. Dinner was ending.
She saw Draco walk towards the door. She looked at Ginny who just smiled. She sighed and walked to the door. With a backwards glance, Ginny gave her two thumbs up and had a big smile on her face.
Outside the great hall she started off to the common room.
( a/n I was going to end it here but I don't think I will be able to update for a while so I'll keep going while I can)
Once she reached the portrait she asked Kara if Draco was inside.
"Yes, he just came in. I think he iz vaiting for you. Password?"
"ensemble à temps" she smiled at Kara and walked in.
Sure enough Draco was waiting inside with his broom in his hands.
"You ready?" he smiled.
"I don't think I want to do this anymore. Sorry." she tried to make it to her room, but he stopped her.
"Come on, your Hermione Granger, you're suppose to know hoe to do everything. Now go put on something more comfortable and get back down here." he sat down on the couch to wait.
She went to her room. I'm not going to change. I'm not doing that. I'm not flying! She paced the room. This is ridiculous. I'll do it. I'll prove to him that I can do it. It's easy. Harry, Ron and Ginny all do it. it won't be so bad.
With that thought in mind she changed into a pair of comfy jeans, put on her pajama tank-top and threw a baggy black sweatshirt over it. She put up her hair in a pony tail and she was ready.
She walked into the common room and found Draco looking at the clock.
"Five minutes? That's it? I thought it would take you at least ten before you came out."
"Let's just get this over with." she walked with him out the portrait door.
"Stop that." he said.
"Stop what?" she asked.
"Biting your nails, it's annoying me." he pulled her hand away from her mouth.
"Sorry, it's a nervous habit." she said, shoving her hands in her sweatshirt pocket.
"There's nothing to worry about. I mean it's not like I'm going to push you off the broom or anything." he chuckled.
"I honestly hadn't thought of that before now." She stopped dead in he tracks and shoved her finger back in her mouth.
Draco sighed. He walked back to where she was and pulled her by the arm. She groaned in protest. In a few minutes they were out on the pitch.
It was a cold night. She could see your breath when she breathed.
"You ready?" he asked.
"No."
"Good." he mounted the broom.
"You trust me?" he asked.
"Not even a little bit." she stepped closer to him.
He sighed. "I'm waiting."
"Alright, alright I can do this." she mumbled.
He moved back a little on the broom and she straddled it in front of him. Her eyes widened when he scooted up right behind her.
"Put your hands on the broom." he instructed. She did.
He put his hands behind hers.
"I'm going to kick off from the ground now, ok?"
She just nodded.
As soon as he kicked off hermione gasped and gripped the broom tighter. Her knuckles were white and her eyes tightly shut. They were only about ten feet off the ground.
"Calm down Granger. You're gonna make me laugh. And if I laugh I might loose control of the broom. We could fall to our deaths. Or at least we would get big boo boos."
"Sorry." she loosened her grip on the broom.
"If you have to, grip the broom with your legs. It's better than with your hands." he said right next to her ear, sending goosebumps all over her. "Now were gonna move."
He slowly started to move the broom. So far so good. He thought. He slipped his arm around her middle so she wouldn't fall. He started to move a little faster. Then a little faster.
"You good?"
"MmHmm." she said.
"I'm going to go a little faster now." Before she could answer he sped up towards the goal hoops.
"AAAAAAAAAHH! NO DRACO PLEASE GO SLOWER! SLOW DOOOOOWN!" she screamed.
"You know there's only one way to get over your fear." he kept up the speed. When he looked at her, her eyes were tightly shut.
"Open your eyes Granger, quite being such a wimp." When she did open her eyes draco did a flip on the broom.
He slowed down a little and said. "You get to take over now."
"No way."
"I'm letting go so you better do it." he let go of the broom but kept a loose grip around her waist.
She grabbed the broom with sweaty hand and tried to turn it around. The sudden jerk of the broom made draco let go of her waist. She couldn't hold on and went over the side of the broom.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!" she screamed. Draco with his quick reflexes caught her wrist.
"Don't you dare let me go." she was scared shitless. They were at least 200 feet off the ground. And if she fell, well, bye bye hermione.
Draco pulled her up with all his strength. He pulled her so she straddled the broom facing him. Her eyes were shut tightly and she was staring to cry.
"Calm down. You're fine. Everything's alright." he gently rubbed her arms.
"Oh my god, that was so scary." she whispered. "Can we please get on the ground." she put her head in her hands and leaned forward into draco.
Draco sighed, not exactly happy with the situation. He wasn't used to 'comforting' a girl. He gently patted her on the back.
"There, there?" he tried.
She lightly chuckled at his attempt. She sniffed and wiped her nose.
She scooted closer so he could put his hands back on the broom. He gently landed the broom. She got off as quick as lightning and started walking back to the castle.
He ran to catch up with her. "Sorry." he said genuinely.
"I definitely don't want to do this again." she said.
"Oh, you're not getting away that easily. Just because you nearly died doesn't you get off the hook. But I won't force you into anything. In your own time."
When they got back to the common room a thought struck Draco.
"Do you think that was a near death experience?" he started to smirk.
"Duh!" she snapped.
"And would you say that I saved you?" she sat down on the couch and he stood in front of her.
"Unfortunately yes. What are you getting at Malfoy?"
"Well, I guess I should start with a quote from your own mouth then you might get it..." he cleared his throat. "'If I am ever in a life threatening situation and you save me I will kiss you.'"
Her head snapped towards him faster than a turtle with a rocket strapped to its back.
"You didn't honestly think I meant that did you?" she was appalled.
"Come now Granger don't go back on your word."
"I'm going to bed." she stood.
"I'm not going to make you kiss me Granger. Because I know you want to. One day Granger, you'll ask me to kiss you and that's when I'm going to. You owe me a kiss. Just keep that in mind." he practically skipped to his room.
When Hermione got into her room she quickly changed into her clothes. Brushed her teeth and hair and did all her other bedtime rituals. Once she was ready she was very tired and settled in for bed.
I'm definitely not going to ask him to kiss me. That's insane! He nearly got me killed today. I wonder if he's really gone insane. Why is he being all... nice to me. Well maybe not nice, but I think he's flirting with me. Even though she wasn't exactly the frizzy hair, baggy clothes, dull colors, librarian girl from first year, she was nothing to brag about. And especially nothing to flirt with. That's what really stumped her.
Draco was having similar thoughts. Why do I keep flirting with her. The flying lesson, the saving her life and now telling her she wants to kiss me. I must be going crazy. Then again she's not that bad looking, She's not all bookworm looking anymore. I give up. I'll think more
Hi! I've finally updated. I tried to make this chapter really long because I don't know when I will be able to update next. Like I said at the top of the page, I really want to get to at least 100 reviews so review! And of course suggestions are always welcome. I think my story has kind of gotten very cliché so I'm trying to come up with more original ideas.
I'll try to update again soon.