Disclaimer: I don't own all the characters featured in this fan fiction. They all belong to J.K Rowling.
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Chapter three: A sick Malfoy.
Draco watched Hermione leave the library and then looked back at Ronald Weasley, who was standing there, glaring at him.
"Yes, Weasley?" Draco asked, pretending to yawn.
Ron raised an eyebrow at him. "What were you two doing just now?"
"Oh, arranging your prefect duties." He picked up the parchment. "On Mondays and Thursdays, you'll patrol the corridors before the lights-out curfew…"
"No, not that, Malfoy." Ron said. "Were you thinking of kissing Hermione?"
Draco stared at Ron. Then, he burst out laughing so loudly that everyone looked over at him. Madam Pince hissed, "Shhhhh!"
Draco ignored her. "Come on, Weasley. I won't even want to touch your Mudblood, let alone kiss her." He said nastily.
Ron's face filled with fury as he went up to Draco and grabbed him by his collar, forcing Draco to stand up.
"Let me warn you, Malfoy, don't ever call her that again." Ron said through clenched teeth.
Draco looked down at his collar and back at Ron again, "That's unacceptable behavior, Weasley. I'll have your Prefect's badge for that." He said, in a low, threatening voice.
Ron seemed to take that into consideration, he let go of Draco's collar slowly.
Draco smirked and smoothed down his uniform. "She doesn't even mind calling her Mudblood, so why should you?" he said. With that, he turned and walked out of the library, leaving Ron standing there, feeling a little stunned.
"Ron, save one! Save just one!"
Hermione found Harry yelling up at Ron, who was struggling near the hoops on his broomstick, at the Quidditch pitch.
"Hey, Harry." Hermione said as she neared him. Harry gave her a quick glance. "Hermione, how come you're here?"
"I came to watch you guys practice." Hermione replied, glancing up and saw Ginny waving down at her. She waved right back.
"Yeah, well, that's nice of you." Harry replied, looking glum. Hermione could hear his sarcasm and felt that irritated monster inside of her rise.
"All right, Harry, tell me what's wrong. You and Ron have both been being so cold towards me and I demand an explanation."
Harry cast a sideway glance at her. "Fine, I'll say." He replied. "Are you good friends with Malfoy now or what?"
"No."
"Well then, Ron told me Malfoy said you didn't mind him calling you Mudblood anymore."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I mind, Harry, but I just don't show it. Besides, I thought you guys knew I'm used to it." She said.
"No, we're not. We don't see you that often now that you're Head Girl. And you're alone with Malfoy in that common room. I reckon something's going on between you two?"
Hermione felt a twinge of annoyance.
"Look, there's nothing going on between us. I hate Malfoy more than everything else and I'm making that clear now." She said irritably.
Harry seemed to consider that for a while. "I'm glad to hear that, then. See you later, I'm off to practice." He mounted on his broom and kicked off.
Hermione sighed. Her two best friends were just being immature, she told herself. Nothing was going on between her and Malfoy at all. They were just kicking up a silly big fuss.
The Quidditch match of the season soon arrived on a very stormy day – Gryffindor versus Slytherin.
Hermione joined her fellow Gryffindors at the stands, some of which were holding umbrellas. Even Hagrid had joined them.
"They shouldn't play in such weather." Hermione was saying to Hagrid.
"Well, that makes the match challenging, doncha think?" Hagrid replied.
Hermione watched as the game start as she tried to follow the players in scarlet robes. She spotted Ron fly to the scoring area and then she spotted Draco hovering above the rest of his team members, looking around.
She didn't really pay attention much to the game after a while as it was difficult to watch – seriously. In this sort of weather… I ought to bring this issue to Professor McGonagall, she thought.
"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!" (Yeah, I know it is a little cliché.)
That night, Hermione found Draco Malfoy sneezing away near the fireplace.
"All right, Malfoy?" Hermione asked. Draco looked up at her for a moment. Then he looked away, "It's none of your business, Mudblood."
"Oh well, I was just being concerned. I don't want you to pass any illnesses to me or something."
"Yeah, right." Draco scoffed.
"And, I definitely know it's because you were playing Quidditch in the rain. But I didn't know you would be so weak to be sick after just a few hours out in the rain."
Draco wanted to retort back but he couldn't. His nose was blocked – he couldn't breathe. "I don't want to talk to you, Mudblood. Go away."
Hermione grinned, it was FUN winning the argument.
Suddenly, she heard a thump on the ground. She spun around – Draco was on the ground.
She gasped and ran towards him, helping him up. "Are you ok?"
"My head hurts… can't breathe." He muttered with his eyes squeezed closed.
"Do you need to go the Hospital wing or something?" Hermione asked as she helped him up onto the couch. She pressed her hand onto his neck. He was burning.
"I knew playing in such bad weather was a bad idea!" Hermione cried out.
"What are you babbling about?" Draco groaned, pressing a hand onto his forehead.
"You're running a temperature, let's go to the Madam Promfrey."
"No, no need for that." Draco replied.
"Why not?"
"I'll be all right in a while."
"Come on, Madam Promfrey will heal you in no time. It'll be better than lying here."
"It's okay!" Draco said, frowning at her. "I don't need the hospital wing, Granger, I told you. It's just a fever."
"Fine," Hermione replied, standing up. She went into his room, looking around for a towel. She entered the bathroom and took a small face towel, soaking it in cool water.
She brought it back for Draco and placed it on his forehead. "Is this better?"
"Yeah," Draco replied.
I didn't know you were this weak. She wanted to say but stopped herself. After all, he was sick.
Soon, Draco fell really quiet and Hermione turned to leave but then she heard a soft voice, "Thanks."
It was Draco. He thanked her!
Hermione smiled to herself. "You're welcome." She said, feeling satisfied.
The next morning, Draco woke up with a start. Sunlight was streaming in through the window. He felt much better after last night.
He sat up and a towel fell onto his lap. He picked it up and remembered – Hermione had put this on for him. And he thanked her for it.
Well, he ought to do that.
"Oh, you're awake." Hermione's voice said behind him. Draco turned and saw her, carrying something on a tray.
"I went to get breakfast for you." She said, placing the tray down.
"What?" Draco said incredulously. Why was Granger doing all these for him?
"It's Chicken Broth, specially brewed. How's your fever?"
"It's… gone down." Draco said slowly, staring at Hermione. Had something possessed her?
"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Hermione said, smiling. "You're lucky today's Saturday."
"There's a Hogsmeade trip today!" Draco said, suddenly realizing it.
"Yes, but you're not allowed to go."
"WHY NOT? I CAN HARDLY GET OUT OF SCHOOL."
"It's ordered by Professor Snape – your favorite Professor – so you have to listen to him."
"Says who?" Draco spat.
"Me." Hermione replied. "And I have to stay with you too." She wrinkled her nose.
"What!" Draco yelled. "Now, my Saturday's officially ruined."
"I'm ignoring your last immature comment and since you can yell, I think you're feeling better after all."
"Yeah, so can we go to Hogsmeade then?"
"Feeling better, Malfoy. You're not fully recovered yet."
Draco sighed. "I don't reckon Potter's sick." He said, with a little tone of disgust in his voice.
"No, sorry, Malfoy." Hermione replied. "But come on, everyone's been sick at least one. There's nothing to be ashamed about. You're just being immature."
Draco scowled.
Suddenly, there was a hoot at the window. It was an owl. Draco recognized that owl. It belonged to his father.
"Could you please get that?" Draco asked Hermione. She looked a little surprised at his politeness but went anyway. She passed him the envelope.
Draco opened it.
Draco,
I know you're down with a fever. You had better get well soon and not lack behind any of your lessons. I will not tolerate any bad results. And REMEMBER – NO MIXING WITH THE MUDBLOOD.
From,
Father.
"Who's it from?" Hermione asked. Draco stared down at the letter, reading it twice, then thrice.
Was that it? His father did not even say a word of encouragement or anything.
"My father." Draco replied. He felt like throwing the letter into the fireplace. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach.
He was his father and he didn't even give a damn about Draco being sick.
"Hey?" Hermione asked. "What's wrong?"
"He doesn't care. He doesn't give a damn about me." Draco replied, crumpling the piece of parchment.
Hermione stared at Draco. She had never seen him so disappointed before. She touched his arm softly. "I'm sorry."
"No, don't be." Draco said. "You don't even have anything to do with this."
Suddenly, Hermione realized she was touching his arm. She felt a little tingle go through every part of her body. Draco didn't seem to notice her hand on his arm. He just sat there, his head in his hands.
Hermione had never seen Draco Malfoy so upset before. All that she saw was a cruel and unfeeling boy all these years.
She never knew Draco Malfoy had sadness in his vocabulary.
"Draco…" she said softly. All of sudden, she felt herself something for Draco Malfoy. She couldn't be falling for this boy, could she?
But then, this Draco Malfoy in front of her needed encouragement.
He's not crying, is he? Hermione thought to herself. Draco Malfoy had a weaker side after all. And she was falling for it.
She reached out and pulled his hands away from his face. Draco looked up quickly. Then he hastily tried to wipe his eyes. "I… I'm okay…" He mumbled.
Then, Hermione did something which no one would think Hermione Granger would do. She reached over and kissed Draco Malfoy on the lips.
Draco was taken aback. What was Hermione doing? But to Hermione's relief and Draco's own surprise, he returned her kiss.
The both of them sat there, kissing each other hungrily and passionately.
Then, Hermione pulled away first. The both of them stared at each other for a moment, then Hermione pushed herself off Draco.
"What was that?" Draco smirked, obviously he had enjoyed it.
Hermione flushed red. Had she really kissed Draco Malfoy? And… she licked her lips, it felt really good. Maybe that was why he was every girl's dream.
"I'll be in my room." Hermione said and scurried to her room. Draco sat back and smiled.
He had kissed many other girls but kissing Hermione felt different. Well, maybe that's because she was a Mudblood.
Then, he mentally slapped himself. Don't you call her Mudblood!
Oh no, was he turning into another Ron Weasley?
Call her Muggle-born, it's a better sounding term!
He sure sounded like Weasley now!
"Oh shit, I must be going crazy." Draco muttered to himself. He tried to put the thought of him falling for Hermione away and laughed. How could he ever like her?
To him, she'll always be a filthy little Mudblood.
: D
I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. And I know you guys are anticipating when Hermione and Draco are going to get together. I promise – soon. (:
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