Chapter 4:
With the opening ceremonies over, Draco and Hermione walked to the head's dorm to meet Professor McGonnagle and Professor Snape. It was well known that the Prefects shared a common room in the west wing, while the Head boy and girl shared the dorm in the east wing. The heads were given every privacy and confidence: something easy to take advantage of.
"You hardly ate a thing at dinner," Draco sneered, "no wonder you're so bony this year."
Hermione simply huffed and replied, "What I do and do not eat is no concern of a Slytherin, Head Boy or not." Draco growled and turned, grabbing Hermione by her shoulders.
"Listen, Granger, I was simply showing a little concern for you…" he trailed off as he saw the fear form in her eyes, the tears well, her body shake. He let go instantly and looked at her his hand rising to touch her cheek.
Suddenly the door opened and Professor McGonnagle smiled, "Ah, Miss. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, do come in we've been expecting you."
Hermione blinked, trying to compose herself, surely it was the fear that had made her see the compassion in his eyes, surely his hand had been rising to strike, not to comfort. Dazedly she followed Draco into the room. He sat in a large chair… lounged. Hermione sat as far from him as possible, on a padded footrest facing the Professors.
"As you know," McGonnagle began "your last year is difficult enough. N.E.W.T.S. are coming up, Quidditch practice begins soon, you will be selecting your profession. Being the Head Boy or Girl is a huge responsibility, and if either of you feel that you simply cannot handle it, I would prefer to know now." She waited, a long silence passed before Snape spoke.
"You see Manervia, I told you Draco was up to the challenge…and that Miss Granger was too stubborn to back down."
Hermione glared at the potions professor and turned to look at Draco, quite expecting a smug smile of satisfaction. Instead he too glared.
"The list of rules and regulations of the Dorm are posted over the fireplace, your round schedules and duties are next to them. I believe you will find them without too much confusion." Snape turned and walked from the room, McGonnagle following with a "Goodnight."
Hermione walked to the fireplace and read over the rules: they were pretty much the same as the house rules and their duties and rounds were no surprise either. The first surprise came when she entered her room.
Draco, absorbed in his papers didn't notice the small woman leaving but when she screamed he ran to the door she had left open. "What is it? What's wrong?" She turned and pointed to the room, or rather to the beds. He tried not to laugh, and glared at Hermione. "We have to share a room huh?"
Hermione nodded, pointing again, this time to the bathroom, the only bathroom. "Ok, and a bathroom, what are you so bloody excited about it's not like we're sharing a bed." Stepping closer, years of his father's training began to take over, he whispered, "But we could you know."
Hermione stepped away only to find herself against the wall, Draco's next step bringing him within inches of her. "Could…what?" She was shaking again. Draco shook his head hard trying to block out the torture that had been beaten into him all his life and looked at her, scared out of her mind. He lifted a hand, brushing her cheek slightly. She jolted violently.
His eyes narrowed, and he moved away. Turning, he made a b-line for the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Hermione slid down the wall and cried. After an hour of not being able to enter the bathroom she changed, quickly, and fell into the covers sweet sleep taking her away.
He'd been reduced to hiding in a bathroom, bloody fantastic. He sighed, looking up at his reflection and began unwrapping his wrist. It had stopped bleeding now, would likely heal within a week, but no matter, it would be replace with another tomorrow: One for every day Sara was missing.
The thought of Sara was enough to make him want to cut again, to imagine it was his father's throat. How could he? To his own daughter. Draco sat for an hour composing himself, keeping the tears back.
Fighting back his feelings of sympathy and anger at the Granger girl, at her weakness, at her strength was harder. Finally, when he'd lost track of the time he went to bed. The bathroom cast a gentle light on Hermione, her face having found peace at last. He sighed, changed, and climbed into his own bed. Sleep overtook him soon.
A woman screamed down the hall. No, not a woman, Sara. Draco ran and ran the corridor endless, Sara never getting closer, and somewhere the Dark Lord laughed.
Draco woke with a start sweat pouring, soaking his nightclothes. It hadn't been Sara. It took him several minutes to notice that the screaming hadn't stopped, and longer still to figure out it was coming from Hermione's bed.
Bound and determined to have it out he stalked over and shook her. "Oi, Granger, shut up will you? I'm trying to sleep!" She stopped, silent tears taking the place of the screams. Satisfied he began back to his bed when he heard her murmur. "You're not alone." Draco turned back, crouching beside her, looking closely, and making sure she was asleep. Satisfied she was he crawled into her bed. He hesitated for a moment before curling around her back and wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Neither are you," he whispered, allowing sleep to take him, the first dreamless sleep he'd had in months.
A/N: Here's another one for you. Hope you like it. More to come.
Disclaimer: So not mine.