Interlocking Chains Chapter 8: Guarding the Eight
"Worth it? What do you mean?"
"Just worth it."
"Worth what?"
"Hermione just don't okay? Leave it alone, it doesn't concern you."
"Doesn't concern me? You're supposed to protect me, how can you be prepared if your mind is elsewhere?", said Hermione getting nervous.
"Don't start! I'm trying to keep a level head here, I do not need you to come at me all worried.", he said at first shouting, then lowering his voice.
"I'm not worried I'm just nervous."
"Where do you want to go?", Draco asked in a very bored tone.
"I was hoping to just walk around."
"I don't want to walk around Hermione."
"Why, can't you walk and think at the same time?", Hermione said with an eyebrow raised.
"I can, but I prefer not to."
"Preferring gets you no where."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that when you prefer to still think your better.", said Pansy coming up behind them.
"What in bloody hell are you doing following me? Don't you have something better to do then act on some sick childhood obsession?", yelled Draco.
"Scared you didn't I?" she said very calmly.
Hermione noted that while her voice didn't break in sadness, her eyes showed otherwise.
"Come on, I know where I want to go.", Hermione said trying to drag Draco away.
Draco stood his ground, "Do you have a point to following me around Pansy?"
"No, I just know it gets under your skin. And that is a very fun place to be."
"You're doing this to get a rise out of me! How's this for a rise? Is this what you want, me to get angry? Are you wanting me to slap you or something!"
"If it gets you close to me.", Pansy said sadistically.
"What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you!", Draco was still shouting.
"Come on, Draco.", Hermione said fiercely pulling on his arm.
Draco turned around and looked at her in shock.
"Oooh, she used your name. Is that what you want from a Mudblood, her being allowed to say your name, as if she's worth anything?"
Draco's mouth opened and closed several times without sound. Finally he turned and looked at Pansy. Hermione jerked away from him and ran. Draco tried to go after her but Pansy grasped his arm tightly.
"Don't destroy yourself Draco. She's not worth, what's going to happen between you too? Oh, you marry and she invites you to her parents' with all there muggle things?"
"Who said anything was going to happen between us?"
"I did, because I can look in your eyes and tell. You're starting to like her."
"No, I'm just helping her.", Draco said unsure.
"Oh, you sound so confident.", Pansy mocked.
"I don't like her, Pansy. Just because I help people doesn't mean I like them."
"I must mean that Draco, why else would you help her, you never wanted to before. I can see it in your eyes Draco, just wait till her parents find out who's been helping her, 'The Heir of A Death Eater'. See you later Heir."
Hermione was crying in a corner she thought was unnoticeable.
"Pansy's truth a little too much for you?", asked Draco.
"Draco?"
"Don't call me that, Pansy's right. You aren't worthy enough to say my name!", Draco screamed. He reached over and grabbed her hair and jerked her towards him. "You don't even have the worth to breath in my presence.", he whispered harshly in her ear.
"What's going on!", yelled Draco. They looked over and saw another Draco. The Draco not pulling her hair ran over and jerked Evil Draco off of Hermione. Evil Draco still had some of Hermione's hair in his hands and when Draco pulled Evil Draco off, he in turn pulled Hermione's hair. Both Draco's started fighting and Hermione got so confused. She used her brain and pulled out her wand and pointed. Both turned towards her.
"Which one of you is Draco?"
"I'm Draco!"
"No, I'm Draco, Hermione don't listen to him."
Hermione looked between the two and started to move her wand to the left.
"No! Hermione don't!" She turned to the right. "Hermione, you know it's me. I wouldn't hurt you, it's that one." Hermione turned to the left and pointed her wand.
"Stupefy!", she screamed. A red bolt shot out and hit one of the Dracos. He fell to the ground knocked out. The not knocked out Draco walked towards her very closely. He stopped right in front of her and kicked her in the stomach, "Wrong Draco, Darling." Then he turned and ran off.
Hermione leaned over gasping for breath. She started crying and crawled over to Draco. "I'm so sorry. Wake up. Wake up." She laid on his chest and let the beating of his heart lull her to sleep.
"Hermione? Wake up."
"Draco? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Draco."
"It's okay. We have to be careful, come on. Let me take you to your dorm."
Draco walked to his dorm and when he walked in everyone looked up. "Where have you been?", asked Malcolm Baddock.
"Around."
He went straight to his room and started writing a letter to his mother.
The Saturday, the next day was when the owls arrived. Draco received a letter that feel quickly. While Hermione received a box of mints from her parents. Later on Harry was walking Hermione to her dorm when Draco stopped them both.
"Potter, you go on I need to talk to Hermione."
"Draco?"
"Yes, it's me. It's okay."
Harry walked away after looking Draco over. Then Draco turned to Hermione. He held out an envelope to Hermione. "Open it."
She did and a ring fell out onto her palm. "What's this for?"
"You're going to wear it, it has a charm on it."
She went to put it on her finger when Draco stopped her. "Woah, hold on! Don't put it on your finger!"
"Why?"
"It a family heirloom, and it's mean for who I want to marry. You're going to wear it around your neck...and when you're near me you'll feel it warm."
"So it's going to keep me warm at all times?"
"Yes, but only when I'm near you. So hopefully you'll be able to tell it's me. If you ever have to deal with what you did last night then I'll walk towards you so you know it's me."
"Thank you for doing this Draco. I don't know if I've ever said it or not...but I really appreciate all you're doing for me. I know it's not easy for you."
"No it's not, but I'm doing this for you, because you don't deserve to be treated this way.