My eyes slid open slowly, but snapped shut again as a harsh light assaulted them. I blinked several times, trying to adjust to the bright white-ness of the Hospital Wing.
Wait, the Hospital Wing? I opened my eyes completely and pulled myself into a sitting position.
'Why on earth am I in the Hospital Wing? I don't remember getting hurt… The last thing I remember is what happened on the Astronomy Towe, with all the snow and…oh. I remember now.'
Flashes of memories flickered in my mind, me stumbling down a hallway, collapsing, and Tom carrying me… The flashes would have continued, but I was startled out of my thoughts. I jumped at the sound of a cough next to me, and my head turned so quickly that I heard my neck crack, hoping against hope that I wouldn't see what I thought I was about to see. There, sleeping awkwardly in the chair next to me was…
Leontes?
I was too shocked to do anything. Firstly, I was half-expecting to see Tom there, after what happened yesterday. That always seems to happen in books. Something romantic happens between the main characters, but some unforeseen incident occurs, and the guy has to carry his love interest to wherever it is that will help them heal from their tragic wounds. Then she wakes up to her prince charming sitting beside her, sleeping in a chair.
Luckily for my sanity, Tom was not sleeping peacefully in a chair next to my bed. Maybe that's a sign that the whole situation won't end up like those sappy love stories.
I was never one for romance novels, anyways.
The second reason I was so shocked was that it was Leontes there.
A Malfoy.
Sleeping uncomfortably in a chair.
A Malfoy.
I almost wish I had a camera at that moment, because the things I could do with blackmail like that…(insert evil laugh here)
Just as I was thinking that, Leontes stirred, his eyes completing the same adjusting pattern as mine when I woke. When his eyes were fixed, he shifted his bleary gaze over to me and offered a tired smile.
"What are we going to do with you, Granger?" he asked good-naturedly. "Second time in less than a year. Or so I hear, anyways."
"What happened?" I queried, my voice broken up a little from lack of talking. "I remember very little…"
"You went off and got yourself hypothermia," he answered lightly, his smile slanting into a bit of a smirk. "You've been here for nearly three days."
"Oh," I replied lamely. "Good job, Hermione."
"Not quite, Madame Granger. It is Tom who should be receiving that comment."
"I guess you're right. Where is he anyways?"
"I'm not sure. I've been here most of the time. I think he just dropped you off and left. He hasn't been here once."
"Oh." Well, at least he isn't blunt. Way to spare a girl's feelings, Leontes. Really.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yes, perfectly fine. I'm just…" I paused, thinking of how to put into words the slight sinking feeling in my stomach when he told me that. It was a very unwelcome feeling, considering the circumstances. Why did it matter that Tom hadn't come? He's Voldemort for goodness' sake! Did I really expect him to sit by my bed, waiting anxiously for me to wake?
Those damn romance novels. Putting sick, twisted ideas into my head. They should be burned five times over.
"I'm just…bored in here," I lied. "Can I leave now?"
"You should be fine now, Miss Granger," Madame Pomfrey declared, making Leontes and I jump. My goodness, that woman just pops up out of nowhere!
Leontes beamed. "That's wonderful!" he declared ostentatiously, rising from his seat swiftly. "You truly are an amazing nurse, Madame Pomfrey!" He then turned to me and held out his hand.
"Come, my dear Hermione! It's a Hogsmeade weekend! We've no time to spare!" With that, Leontes grabbed my hand and dragged me from the Hospital Wing.
……………………………………………………………
The chill in the air was almost painful, piercing me like white-hot needles. It wasn't a very pleasant experience, considering I had just left the Hospital Wing, and was still recovering from hypothermia. But I ignored it for the sake of Leontes, who seemed relieved that I was still alive.
I feel so loved!
He led me down the street, trudging through the tick layer of snow, to the Three Broomsticks. We sat in a booth in the corner, and Leontes ordered three butterbeers. I threw him an amused glance.
"Thirsty today, hm?" I teased him.
"Oh, no. Someone is meeting me here," he responded vaguely, looking over at the door.
"Who?" I queried, not wanting to intrude if he had decided to bring a lady friend along today.
"Oh, no one important…Oh, here he is now!" Leontes declared waving his arm wildly in the air.
I looked over to where he was facing, and much to my dismay, I saw Tom sauntering over to us. He hesitated a bit when he noticed me there, but kept going, striding confidently to our booth.
Arrogant git.
"Good afternoon, Malfoy. Granger, good to see you…alive." He said with a slight smirk, clearly not caring that he looked as if he'd have loved nothing better than my death.
Inconsiderate, arrogant git.
He slid into the booth, taking a seat directly across from me. I edged my way unnoticeably toward the other side. I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, Leontes rubbing his ear. I know that trick.
Suddenly, a simpering Ravenclaw ran up to Leontes playing with her dark hair and giggling sporadically. Now that is truly talented acting. If I could pull that off, think of the trouble I could have gotten us out of.
"Hey, Leontes," she giggled, rather annoyingly, while moving around in her spot like an unnaturally shy little girl, even though I knew for a fact that this girl was a seventh year. I had helped her with homework not too long ago. She gestured over to a group of oblivious girls, who were drinking butterbeer and talking quietly. "Want to come to Zonko's with us?"
"Why, I'd love to!" Leontes responded over-dramatically. He glanced over at us slyly. "That is, if it's okay with my friends here…"
Tom and I glared viciously at him.
"Well, then, it's settled!" Leontes declared, rising from his seat and edging away from us. "I'll see you back at the school!"
Tom and I continued to glare viciously at him. Tom's hand twitched.
Leontes rushed out of the store with a guilty smile, obviously fearing for his life. That left just Tom and I.
It was kind of uncomfortable, really, sitting silently in a corner booth with a teenaged psycho-killer who had kissed me not too long ago. I didn't really have much to say to him. And I could pretty much infer that he didn't have too much to say to me either.
Can you say, "awkward…?"
We sat in silence, looking down at out bottles of butterbeer. We took sips every once in a while. Either of us could have left, to wander around Hogmeade or go back to the school. Something just kept me sitting there.
I like to think it was courtesy.
Although the pub was loud and hectic around us, it felt to me like I could hear a pin drop. And so I jumped when Tom broke the silence.
"That was really stupid of you, you know," he said, tossing an accusing glance over at me. "You can't sit up in the snow and expect to feel healthy afterwards."
I looked over at him. Did he really care? About my health? That's really sw—
"You were really heavy, too, and it took time to carry you all that way to the Hospital Wing," he added as an afterthought.
I spoke to soon. I always do.
"Well, I'm sorry I inconvenienced you," I replied snidely. "You know, you could have just levitated me, you idiot. Top of the class my a—"
"Ah, so you're a poet now? I certainly hope you're better with words than you are with your common sense."
"Why don't you jump off a glacier or something?"
"Granger, Granger, Granger. If I jumped off a glacier, who'd be here to save your arse when you play out in the snow too long?"
"Excuse me, Riddle, but I don't need anyone to 'save my arse.' I don't recall asking you to carry me up to the Hospital Wing!"
"Of course you don't. You were delusional and dying. I suppose I'll just let you run off to the common room next time and die in your sleep."
"You know, I wouldn't have needed to if it hadn't been for you!" My voice was decreasing in volume, but turning to a harsh whisper.
Tom scoffed. "Oh yes, let's all find a way to blame it on that bully Tom. Because he forced you to sit out there for hours in the cold."
"If you hadn't kissed me, then I would have just come right in later,"
Tom paled slightly, his eyes narrowing. "W-what does that have to do with anything? You still could have come inside!"
"I didn't want to see you! Why would I come inside after that, only to see your brooding face and to hear your insults that are completely uncalled for?" I asked venomously.
It was odd talking about it, but I was too riled up to even realize that it wasn't something he was too keen to talk about.
"My insults aren't uncalled for. If you weren't such a brainless priss, it would then be uncalled for. And I would have stayed out of your way completely if you had come in. I had no desire to talk to you either. Stop trying to pin the situation on me, when you are equally at fault."
"Brainless! Equally at fault! What are you talking about? I didn't ask for you to come up after me! I didn't ask for you to kiss me! Oh, but you aren't at fault. I suppose you just slipped on the ice and fell into me, right? And my face was already turned up, so it's my fault you landed that way, hm?"
Tom was reddening very slightly. It was either from embarrassment or anger. I'd choose the latter. Voldemort doesn't get embarrassed.
"It was an accident, Granger," he stated, his voice deathly calm. "Don't make more out of it than there needs to be."
My stomach squirmed at this. I must have just, er, drank too much butterbeer. That has got to be it. The feeling of mild disappointment was a figment of my imagination. I think I'm going senile.
"I-I need to go," I declared. I stood up, setting my butterbeer down lightly. I slid out of the booth and strode out the door, feeling Tom's cold but perplexed glare penetrating my back. I needed to get away from him.
I always did, now that I think about it. I could never seem to quench that feeling I got. I dislike it immensely, and when I'm around him, it's worse. That flippy feeling in my stomach. And it isn't him doing it of his own accord. I know when I'm being "charmed." This feeling only comes when he's threatening me, or glaring at me, or being his usual disagreeable self. And why that makes me feel like this, I can't even begin to comprehend.
It had only come up recently. Perhaps a little before Christmas, and the incident in the Astronomy Tower. I blatantly ignored it, but it was really difficult, seeing as Tom was always there. I don't understand why, because he obviously hated me, and even he could tell that I wouldn't run away so far into the year. I just wanted him to stay away from me. I didn't like that feeling, and I especially didn't like WHY it was occurring.
I was forced to accept it that night. Which is why I wish this whole time thing would hurry. I wanted to go home before something happened. Something I would regret.
Like…
Like getting too attached to this time. What'd you think I was going to say?
I hurried back up to the school, relieved that Tom wasn't the type to chase someone and grind out what's wrong with them. I didn't need that. I needed to go back to my time. I needed Tom to stay away. He and his gorgeous hair. And his dazzling smile. And--
Argh! Damn my teenage hormones!
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((A/N: Alright guys. There it is. Obviously, I haven't decided to end it at 10 chapters. It'll probably go on for another few. I also have an excerpt from the sequel that is posted after the replies to my reviews. I haven't exactly started the sequel yet, but this is a piece of writing for my English class that inspired it, so naturally it will be in the story. Luckily for me, at the time I was writing this argument between Tom and Hermione, I was also engaging in a rather vicious row with one of my friends. He ticked me off so much, I had to completely restrain myself when I was writing this, because I almost had Hermione go off into a rant like I wanted to do. What went on between these two was about 1/50th of my actual frustration. But, enough about my life story, and on to the reviews! Please, let me know how you feel about that excerpt at the end. Hermione isn't very sarcastic, but you wouldn't be either if you were being chased down by Death Eaters!))
Well, whoever you are, I'm glad you like it! I don't really care what people say either, so power up!
mors4caudices: Okay, I'm going, I'm going…
Shi-Sha Hariken: Really? I LOVE time travel fics, but only ones that aren't written crappy. Which is not very many, because some people just don't know how to write…
Gallaz: Roger that!
sarklover826: Coolie! Thanks for your review Jess! Keep up the good…er…reviewing!
Mereret: Amen, girlie! I will marry Tom, if it's the last thing I do!
CareBearErin: Yep, life works like that sometimes. Just when you think you're safe… I've never actually been that sick before, so I just randomly guessed how someone with hypothermia would act. I've heard of some people being delirious.
i luv ur work: Wow, I feel like such a star! I have people naming themselves in positive phrases for me! (waves to crowd of fans) Thanks for your review!
Gywnn-Potter: Yep yep! There's a sequel on its way! I already have the prologue written!
Okay!
Michaeljnluver: Yay! I'm always afraid that Tom's characterization is off, but I'm glad someone thinks it isn't!
I x Am x Nobody: I'm happy, too! We have so much in common, really…
Black-rose23: Ah, my most faithful reviewer! I heart you! I'm glad your bro is a computer genius! Mine is just, as he calls it, a "Sandwich Artist." That's just a fancy way of saying he works at Subway. I hate that place…Thanks for your review!
Ll: yes, that's me. Brutally honest and loving it! I didn't think people actually read the Author's notes, considering all the reviews I get that prove that people don't read them! I wish they could all be more like you!
Demonstar: Yes! Another one who approves! Please, you're inflating my head!
Rachey Poos: Rachey-Poos! I forgot you were a reader! I hope you like this chapter, too. Unthinking is great fun. I always used to have to unthink about Yun. Now that I'm "over him" I don't need to anymore. We just fight relentlessly now. Yay! Back to the way things are supposed to be! I use a lot of real life experiences in my story, in case you haven't noticed! And I agree, the kissing was pretty hot…
Crazy Kawaii: Thanks! I liked Take My Heart Away, but I cried at the ending…Such a sad story…I think you need some sleep, there, buddy…
Bittersweet-Rose: Wow, I glad you like it, but you guys really should go to sleep! It will be there in the morning!
Googlebear: Tada! How'd you like it?
Pommygal: No, it wasn't a cliffhanger. Hermione was sick because she sat out in the snow. People generally get hypothermia from that, so I hope it was okay… Thanks for your review, but maybe you should limit your caffeine intake, hm? And just a "Bye!" would work out just fine…
Mandi: Hooray! Thanks for liking it!
Excerpt from "Tempting Fate"I struggled through the forest, fleeing the whispered voices and haunting footsteps that echoed in the silence of the dusk. I heard a slow, steady trickling coming from somewhere to my left. I bolted off in that direction, adrenaline streaking through every limb in my body. I came across a small stream, the water glinting ever so slightly in the fading glare of the setting sun. Glancing around at the surrounding trees, I searched for a place to hide from the oncoming horrors.
I slid behind a particularly tall tree, my thick brown hair looking more frazzled than ever. I took labored breaths behind my hand, trying my hardest to keep quiet.
After this is over, he's going to die. Slowly and painfully. I'm going to tear that ferret apart. Graahh! That idiot! If he wasn't so dense, I might not be in this predicament. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut for once?
After my breathing slowed, all I could hear was the stream running along the bank. My ears were strained, probing for any sound of footsteps, voices, sighs, or whispers. I chanced a glance around the tree, my coffee-hued eyes peering cautiously around the forest.
I stiffened as I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I took a deep breath and snuck over to another tree, meters from where I stood. I pressed my back to the tree, shivering slightly against the brisk autumn breeze. The leaves rustled quietly, almost mockingly, in the wind. My shadow mirrored my movements, or lack thereof, but was slowly fading away with the sunlight. No sound greeted my ears, so I took another reckless glance around the tree, and my rapidly beating heart slowed a bit. Everything was still, and the only sound was the soft murmur of the wind. The puffs of fog that my warm breath created obscured my vision slightly with every silent gasp of air.
When the fog cleared, my next breath caught in my throat. Dark figures were emerging from behind nearly a dozen of the trees lining the stream. They seemed to glare at me as they peered around the trees, closing in menacingly and incredibly slowly. I started to back away, but changed my mind. I stood firmly where I was, reaching my hand into my cloak. The black-cloaked figures imitated my action. There was a flurry of swift movement, a flash of light, and all was plunged into darkness.
"Damn you, Draco!"