Only Fools Rush In
*Disclaimer – I *do not* own anything except my original characters, my story and plot lines and my scenarios, even though they've probably been used, mauled and distorted before. PLEASE DON'T SUE ME!!! And, also, please don't sue me for any of the copyrighted things in here (like music and songs) unless they're my own or if I added or changed a line, that line is MINE!. [Scratches head sheepishly.] Okay! Enjoy!*
Chapter 3 – Dilemma: A Tangled Webs and Waterfalls I
Hermione's POV
I love you and I need you
Nelly, I love you, I do,
Need you
I quietly sang along to the tune playing in my head as I walked down the hall.
(So fitting, darling.)
I kept singing and walking while I mentally answered. What is?
(The song. Yes, you're dating Ron, and have been dating him for over a month, but you're still hung up about Malfoy.)
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my Boo
You know I'm crazy over you
"It's so true," I sighed as I walked up to the wall size portrait of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin in the middle of a wizarding duel, surrounded by scarlet, gold, sliver and green clad spectators. A witch on Gryffindor's side looked at Hermione.
"Yes, dear. You know the drill. Password, please?"
"Hmm, what did Malfoy make it again? Oh, yeah. 'Oh, what a tangled web we weave/When we first practice to deceive.'"
"Thank you dear." The portrait swung open and Hermione came through the brick archway hidden behind the picture.
"So, managed not to forget the password, then?"
"Shove it, Malfoy," I said, trying to get past him to the stairs that led to my room. "Only you would use a whole quote from a famous author as a password."
"Well, it's so that the idiots that are in this school don't come barging through my wards, Hermione."
My jaw dropped. He used my name. My first name.
"Off I go then," he said simply, leaving me there with my jaw to the floor. I heard him walk up the opposite set of stairs and converse with his door portrait. Then he started reciting something.
"Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one/Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude/Never selfish, not quick to take offense/There is nothing love cannot face/there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and endurance."
Holy bloody hell, I thought as he swiftly stepped into his room.
(Dear, I think that 'holy bloody hell' would be called Earth. But it seems Draco Malfoy does have a poetic side under that rough exterior.)
{He's a very complex person, as it seems. But, alas, we all are.}
Shut up, both of you.
I walked up to my door and gave the little girl in the picture my password ('Stardusted dreams') and flopped on my bed, thinking.
I was going out with Ron and in two days it would be a month. But my evil ego was right: I was still hung on Malfoy.
"What is wrong with me?" I asked out loud to no one in particular.
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my Boo
You know I'm crazy over you
(Besides the fact that you're talking to yourself?)
I got up and went to my enchanted stereo system. I programmed it to play and repeat Nelly and Kelly's song 'Dilemma'.
Ron and I had really done nothing. We snogged on occasion, held hands, pretty much made everyone around us sick. But we really hadn't done anything like talk or… Other things…
"Maybe I should call it quits with him," I sighed. "I'm just so damned confused! Why me? WHY MY DAMNED LIFE?"
"Uh, Granger, are you okay? I mean, talking to yourself isn't really normal. Especially when it's not talking but yelling."
I jolted up. How much had he heard? He was on the other side of the door that led from my room to our joint bathroom. I sighed again (I seemed to be doing that a lot…) and picked myself up off the bed, dragging myself to face Malfoy.
"No, nothing. I'm fine, Malfoy," I stated as I opened the door. He was standing in front of the mirror, clad only in a short towel wrapped loosely around his waist. I turned to leave after I gave a high pitched squeak.
"Lies, Granger. And don't act like that for Christ's sake, woman. I'm sure you have seen other bodies before."
I swallowed and nodded. I had, mostly at beaches in California, but that was at beaches. This was here, now, naked Malfoy five feet away from me.
"What do you mean by 'lies'?" I asked, sitting down on one of the benches on the far wall. I tried my hardest to not look at him, but my eyes suddenly had a different opinion. I spied at his firmly toned chest and abs.
(Darling, my, my. He's got a six-pack. And look at those arms!)
"You're not okay. You lied. Easy."
(And those legs! Ah! The legs!)
"No, trust me, Malfoy. I'm fine. I was just… Confused about something, that's all."
(Now if we could only see under that bothersome towel…)
"Care to share?"
(Oh! It's coming loose! Darn. He stepped behind that stupid changing screen.)
"No, not exactly with you. No offence, Malfoy, but this is sort of girl stuff. Personal, y'know?"
(Well, I can still see his silhouette…)
"Sure, sure, Granger. Just don't go screaming to yourself in the halls. Might scare the midgets."
I stood and walked to my door, 'Dilemma' still playing. Just as I was about to shut it, he spoke again.
"Oi, Granger, don't close that door! The song is pretty good."
"What?!?"
"I said I like that song. What are you, hard of hearing?"
I flopped onto my bed, waiting for Malfoy to finish in the bathroom. When I finally heard his door shut, I shut off my stereo and I grabbed a set of clothes for after my bath. I looked at my selection as I laid it out on the marble bench with my wand, a robe and towel close to the swimming pool sized bath. A white baby-tee that had 'Angel' scripted across it and a pair of khaki capris. I stripped off my robes, bunched them up against the wall and pulled on the robe.
As I walked the perimeter of the pool/bath, I took note of the taps, each with their small, neat label on the handle. After reading them all through twice, I headed to one that said 'Strawberry-Watermelon, Clear'. I turned it on and let it run. I immediately smelled both prominent fruits. After the tub was full, I slipped off the robe and dipped in. The water colour was a deep, rosy shade of pink and clear enough that I could see the bottom of the deep end of the pool. I swam a few rounds of the pool and then reached over to the bench to get my wand. I pointed it at the ceiling and muttered a music charm. Ruben Studdard's version of 'Flying Without Wings' came playing softly. I sang along as I initiated another conversation with my egos and settled on one of the underwater stairs, the depth reaching my shoulders.
Hmmm… Ruben's right. I am looking for 'that something'. But where can I find it? Damnit, tell me, where?
(Darling…)
{Dear… Maybe you could try looking for it in somewhere you wouldn't expect.}
WHERE?
(My, you sure are stupid for someone at the top of her class. How about trying a certain blonde haired, tall, muscular young man whom you share a damned bathroom with!)
Malfoy? No. Gettoutta town!
I was so occupied in myself that I didn't hear Malfoy knock.
Draco's POV
Uh-uh
I met this chick and she just moved right up the block from me
And she got the hots for me, the finest thing i'd ever seen
But oh, no, no, she got a man and a son doh-oh, but that's okay
'Cuz I wait for my cue and just listen, play my position
Like a shortstop, pick up e'rything mama hittin'
And in no time I better make this with her mine and that's for sure
'Cos I-I never been the type to break up a happy home
But uh there's something 'bout baby girl, I just can't leave alone
So tell me, ma, what's it gonna be
She said, "You don't know what you mean to me,"
I knocked about a million times but she never answered. So I assumed it was okay to walk in. I needed to use the sink. I mean, I really wanted to keep my white shag carpet white, not blood red that would eventually turn into rust brown. I walked in swiftly and ran to the closest sink. I didn't even bother to notice her. She wasn't exactly important right now. I laid my left hand in the white porcelain, I suddenly noticed that my skin on my arm was the same shade of white. I turned on the tap to warm and yelped. I bit my tongue as the searing pain invaded my senses. After about five minutes, I used my right hand to slide the mirror away as to get at one of the medicine cabinets.
"Malfoy! Goddamnit, answer me!"
"Sorry, Granger. Can't. I'm sort of in a predicament."
I could hear sloshing water and then she was beside me.
"Okay. Holy hell, what did you do?"
"It usually doesn't bleed this much," I managed to say. I was trying had not to black out.
"Okay. It's a little obvious that this sink isn't going to help. Okay, strip down and get into the tub."
I did what I was told. She was speaking in her 'defy me and die' voice. Once I was clad in only boxers I ran to the bath. I slipped in and asked her what to do next.
"Okay, lemme see… Right hold your arm so that your fist is pointing to the ceiling. Do it underwater! Okay. Now hold tight, Draco…"
I was on the verge of falling from lack of blood. I leaned against the wall of the bath and closed my eyes. I felt the sting of flesh against flesh and my eyes zinged open.
"What was that for?" I managed to sputter out weakly.
"You close your eyes one more time, Draco, I swear, I will leave you to be dead man floating. Got me?" I nodded. She kept poking and prodding at me with her fingers and wand . I contemplated what I had done.
"Well, to make sure you stay alive, talk to me. What did you do, Draco?" Her tone was soft, almost forgiving. Almost. But I spilled anyways.
"I do it all the time. When I do something I feel guilty about or just when I want to… I don't know… When I feel like I want to go away… I sorta will… Y'know? It looks like… Waterfalls. Waterfalls always used to calm me down when I was a kid. Gashing myself seems fun. The blood looks like a waterfall… And waterfalls wash away all the bad things…" I started fading and I got another sharp slap.
"Okay. Chill, Draco. I mended you up a little. It'll only stay on for so long. I got to get you to the hospital wing."
She guided me up the water-shallowed steps then through her room and out. As we walked out, I felt a something warm cover me. I looked down and realized it was a robe.
I stumbled most of the way down the stairs and tripped halfway through the doors. We must've been really long in our rooms because not many people were littering the hallways. But the people who did see us scattered. Probably to the Great Hall to go spread gossip.
"Jesus, Draco, you're getting heavier by the step. You sure you're still in this phyisical plane? C'mon, Draco, say something… please…. If not for me, for your friends… The people that look up to you… You're family… C'mon, Draco… I know you can tell me something. Anything… We're almost there… I won't let you into that infirmary unless you say something…"
She managed to kick open the door to the small Infirmary and yelled. Madame Pomfrey started screaming and everything. The two of them helped me into the closest bed.
"Hey, Granger," I managed to say weakly.
"No, Draco, quiet. You don't have to talk anymore. Shhh."
"I love you."
Hermione's POV
My eyes bugged. Was it just me or…? No, it couldn't be.
I sat beside Draco until Mme Pomfrey was done tending to him. Then she turned on me.
"Get into a bed. You're next."
"What? No, Madame Pomfrey, I'm fine!"
"I won't detain you very long, Miss Granger. I just have to give you a warming potion. It really isn't advisable to walk around the school in a soaking wet bathrobe."
I climbed into the closest bed without any more qualms. After I had been given some Pepper-Up Potion and a new bathrobe, the nurse took me into her office and asked me what happened.
"I was taking a bath when Dra… He just barged into the bathroom. I was yelling at him about privacy and how I was in there, but I don't think he heard a word of what I said. I saw him run straight for one of the sinks and… And when I finally got up to yell at him more, I saw blood and water draining down the sink. He was looking pale, well, paler than usual. So I made him go to the tub and let it cleanse out while I put cloth bindings tightly to help stem the flow a bit. And I managed to drag him here."
I was well aware that I never really said his name. I didn't know which to use: Draco or Malfoy? I was confused, more so than before. And it scared me. I usually knew what to do, what was going to happen.
"Miss Granger, I thank you. You saved his life."
"What?" My head shot up, looking closely at Mme Pomfrey for any signs of ridicule.
"You knew exactly what to do. It bled so much because he sliced through at lease three or four veins. If you hadn't helped him he would probably be lying on the bathroom floor, dead from loss of blood. Where did you learn all of these medical techniques?"
"I took St. Philip's Wizarding and Muggle First Aid Training course when I was in the United States over the summer."
"I see. I am--"
"Hermione, are you okay?"
Ron and Harry barged into the small office, breathless.
"How'd you know where to find me?" I asked as I ran and smashed myself into Ron's torso. I felt his arms go around me and then we were slowly rocking on the spot.
"I heard some fourth years run into the hall and start gossiping with their friends. Shhh, don't worry, it's okay, 'Mione…"
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my Boo
You know I'm crazy over you
I wasn't even aware that I was crying; it just started happening. Now that I was in Ron's arms, I thought about Draco's last words to me before he passed out even more. I felt guilty. Don't ask me why, but I did. Maybe it was for loving Ron and not… him, or maybe it was for loving him and not Ron.
"Mr. Weasley, if you could please escort your girlfriend back to her room and then down to the Great Hall, that would be greatly appreciated. I need to talk to Mr. Potter."
"C'mon, 'Mione. Let's go. You must be freezing and hungry."
We walked back to my dorm and he let me change into some comfortable clothes. Then we headed down to the Great Hall to eat.
After dinner, much to Ron's disapproval, I dragged myself back to the Hospital wing. I wanted to see how he was fairing and I wanted to finish my talk with Mme Pomfrey.
"Madame Pomfrey?" I called tentatively, sticking my head through the doorway. I could hear her shuffling around near the back so I proceeded into the infirmary.
"Ah, Miss Granger. Just the person I wanted to see. I presume that you wanted to talk to the Madame running the infirmary?" It was the headmaster.
"Uh, yes, Professor Dumbledore. I also wanted to check up on…" I paused, trying to figure out what to call him. "Mr… Malfoy…"
"Right, of course. We can do that while we wait for Poppy." Albus Dumbledore led me through to the farthest corner of the room, where Draco was lying. His platinum hair was tousled and fallen everywhere over his face. His skin was a deathly white, almost matching the cot covers on top of him. I gave a small gasp and Professor Dumbledore put his hand on my shoulder. We stood there for five minutes in total silence until someone said something. It was so quiet that I almost didn't hear it.
"You know, both of you could do something better than staring."
"You know, you could be a little less impertinent, Mister Malfoy."
"Yeah, well, I try, Professor." The corner of his mouth twitched. He still hadn't opened his eyes.
"Hey, Malfoy," I managed to sputter out quietly. "How are you?"
"Okay…" There was an awkward silence as he opened his eyes and slowly regarded us. "Er, thanks… you know… For earlier…"
"No problem. It was the least I could do…"
"I think I'll leave you two to talk. I must go find Madame Pomfrey for… Things…" The headmaster walked off and left us alone, a small, bemused grin playing the corners of his mouth.
"Look, Malfoy--"
"Granger, I--"
"You go first," we both said in unison, again
I giggled and relaxed.
"Okay… I'll go first," I offered. He tilted his head in a small nod. I sat down in the closest chair, pulled it forwards and went on. "Look, um, Draco… I just want to say that I couldn't leave you there to die, okay? But one thing… Why? Why, Draco? Please…"
He turned his head away when I said this.
"Draco, look at me. Tell me why… I'm not asking for anything else except for an explanation. You owe me nothing, no life debts or anything of the sort. But all I'm asking you is for the reason. I don't want to see you hurt…"
As we both took in what I had said, my devilish side started dancing around my head with little maracas.
(Yahoo!!! La cucuracha, la cucuracha…)
Shut up, will you? I'm trying to have a decent conversation.
"Hermione… I did it because of you." I looked at the back of his blonde head with my mouth agape. "No, not like that, it wasn't anything you actually did…"
"Draco, look at me, please?" He slowly turned his head and I found myself lost in the silvery depths of his eyes.
"Hermione, look. I have to thank you."
"There isn't any need for it…"
(You've gone back to not referring to his name, darling.)
"Yes there is. If you didn't do… What you did, then I wouldn't be here, talking to you, thanking you…"
"But, as I asked before and I now ask again," I quieted my voice into a whisper. "Why?"
"Because…" He turned away again but somehow my hand managed to guide his face back. "Oh, damnit, Hermione, it's the 'take one step forward, take two steps back'! I mean, every time I try to be nice to you, I manage to screw up frightfully and I end up kicking my own arse! I just can't help it! It doesn't help the fact that Potter and His Merry Band of Misfits has to always tromp into the picture somehow!"
It was an understatement to say I was taken aback. I was totally astonished.
"Wh-wh-what?" I managed to sputter.
"Damnit, Granger! Open your ears, for Merlin's sakes! I'm not going to repeat it twice!"
It took me another thirty seconds to myself to realize what he had said. He was now cursing himself.
"See? This is what I mean… I just spilled everything to you and right away I act like the pompous, blithering little idiot I really am…"
"Look… Draco… I'm sorry. This is… Hard… Just a lot to take in."
"I understand… But besides saying thank you, I have to say I'm sorry. It took me forever to really realize that I am who I want to be, not my father's puppet. All those years of torment… Pain, I'm so sorry. I wouldn't blame you if you left right now," he added bitterly. He shut his eyes resolutely and it was after what seemed like an eternity, I spoke.
"It's late. We should both be getting some rest…"
"Come see me again, ma chérie?"
(French? Malfoy? Can someone sound the sexy alert!!!)
{Oh, shove it, you pompous little brat. This is important.}
"Of course," I said, hesitantly. "You have my word."
Harry's POV
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my Boo
You know I'm crazy over youI had heard every word, seen every movement. I felt ashamed of myself. I had just witnessed one of life's finer moments between two people and it felt horrible. I wasn't supposed to see that.
Gods! What have I done?
I ran out of the Hospital Wing feeling sick. What about Ron?
I was running so fast, so blindly, that I didn't see myself run right into someone's back. First came the sickening smash of flesh and bone against stone, then a soft thud immediately followed by another gut-lurching crunch.
"Holy hell… Sorry…" I suddenly saw a small pool of red bloom on the cold, hard floor. I turned the person over and saw that it was Hermione, her nose slightly mashed in and her lip and somewhere inside her mouth bleeding.
"Hey, Harry…" she managed to say. "You're heavy, you know?"
"Yeah, I'm a growing boy, 'Mione," I said, trying to lighten the mood even though I now felt even worse off than before. "C'mon, up you get. You've got a date with the Hospital Wing."
She just nodded and took my outstretched hand. She collapsed as soon as she managed to stand, so I helped her limp the few yards back from our first destination.
"You know," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose gingerly, "Ron won't be happy with what you've done to my face."
"Yeah. After that bloke's done with me once he finds out, our faces might just match."
She laughed as we walked into the wing, spurting more blood on the floor. She groaned and shut her eyes. I left her at the closest bed and ran to Madame Pomfrey's office. To find not her, but Professor Snape.
"Er, Professor? Where's Madame Pomfrey?"
"Obviously not here, Potter. Or are you just oblivious?"
I bit my lip before I accidentally let some remark slip.
"Professor, could you, er, help us? I accidentally ran into Hermione in the halls and… Well, I'll just say that there's a lot of blood."
"Yes, yes, Potter," he said, rolling his eyes. "Show me to her, then."
As I led the way to Hermione, I realized that not once since I had smashed into her had she yelled or cried or anything. I automatically knew something was wrong. She must've been thinking about her conversation with Malfoy…
"Dear Lord, Potter! What did you do to this girl?" Snape exclaimed when we reached Hermione, sitting up on the nearest divan.
"It was an accident, Professor! I wasn't looking where I was going and I… Er, well, I sort of fell on top of her," I finished lamely.
"Potter, you're going to be the death of us all," I heard him mutter and Hermione laughed out another cascade of blood. "Miss Granger, if you want to heal and live, I suggest you stop laughing and spurting blood all over myself."
That comment just made her laugh harder and I couldn't help but casually look her over. Something was bothering her. She usually wasn't like this, like… So not in touch with herself. In a situation like this, she would probably would've shut up and did what the old bat said, but… No, I have to ask her. I have to come clean about hearing her conversation and I have to talk to her. Stupid conscience.
After fifteen minutes, Snape left with stern instructions to lay still.
"Hey, Hermione, are you okay?" I asked cautiously, sitting down on the nearest chair and bringing it up to the bed. She sat up against the pillows, rolling her eyes and muttering something that sounded vaguely like 'like I'd listen to that overgrown pompous greasy bat'.
"Harry, except for the fact that I have cotton wads stuck up my nose and a curious sensation of knitting needles clacking in my left ankle, I'm fine. You really are heavy, you know that?"
"Yea… Hermione, is something bothering you?"
She looked sharply at me before sighing and continuing. "No, Harry, trust me, I'm totally emotionally fine. I'm on my way on the physical plane."
"'Mione, don't get mad," she looked sharply again, "but I sort of overheard your conversation… With Malfoy."
"How much did you hear?" she asked slowly. I could tell it just wasn't preoccupation that bothered and changed her at the moment. Something new, something developed, was coming through. It was something I wasn't used to seeing in her. I just couldn't point my finger at it.
"Everything. When you came in with Dumbledore and when you left after his whole explanation."
Her eyes suddenly turned from a warm gold to an orange deadly fire.
"How dare you."
"'Mione, it's not what you think. I didn't--"
"It's not what I think?" she replied, cutting me off, her voice still the deadly whisper, matching her eyes. "It's not what I think? I think differently. I think that you were eavesdropping on a private conversation. I think I know what I think, I think I know what I am capable of and I think that you're soon going to be out of my life."
"Hermione! Look,--"
"At what, Harry? At a lying boy whom I can't trust? At a boy who I've trusted to give me my space, my peace and my privacy? A boy that I can no longer trust?"
"Fine!" I finally yelled, screaming at the top of my lungs, venting out all my pent up frustrations. "Fine, be a self-centered, self-consumed wench! But don't come running back to me when this stupid spider web of you life gets knocked with a broom, Hermione Granger!"
I see a lot in your look and I never say a word
I know how niggas thought i can' trippin' , and hate up all the girls
And there's no way-hey-hey Nelly gon' fight ova no thang
as you could see
But I like your steeze, your style, your whole demeanor
The way you come through and holler, and swoop me in his two-seater
Now that's gangsta and I got special ways to thank ya,
don't you forget it
But uh it ain't that easy for you to pack up and leave him
But uh you and dirty got ties for different reasons
I respect that and right before I turned to leave
She said, "You don't know what you mean to me," come on
I stomped out the door, slamming it hard. I seethed all the way to my dorm. It was late and only a handful of people were in the common room. I walked right past them and into the 7th year dorms. I slammed the door there and pushed my way to the window by Neville's bed.
"Blimely, Harry. What's got you steaming out the arse?" Dean asked, poking his head around the hangings of his bed. Two other pairs of sleepy eyes peered around theirs along with his.
"Sod off for a while," I replied quietly. They didn't hear me and disappeared behind their curtains once more.
"Oi, Harry, what's up mate?" Ron asked, coming into the room much quieter than I had. I just stared out the window, ignoring him.
"Harry? Mate, are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just a little…" I searched for the right word or phrase.
"Pissed? Ticked off? Hacked?"
"All three and more. Did you noticed how much Hermione's changed over the summer Ron?"
I mentally smacked myself. This was Hermione's boyfriend I was talking to.
"Sort of, mate. It's sexy."
"Hell no, Ron. You're blind. She's changed: for the worse. She suddenly all secretive, sly, cunning in a bad way and… Well, just not like her at all. It's like she's become evil or something."
"She seemed fine to me at dinner," Ron said slowly. I knew he was trying very hard to not let his temper flare at me. "After she got over that thing that stupid git pulled, she seemed fine."
"Yeah, well go talk to her. She might have something to tell you about 'that stupid git,'" I replied bitterly, not bothering to care if I told Ron or not about the Malfoy-Hermione conversation.
"Huh? Care to enlighten me, Harry?" he said, his tone rising.
"Oh, I don't have to. Hermione can do that for you. You can find her hole up in the Hospital wing with him."
Narrative
Ron practically flew down the halls in search of his girlfriend. He got to the Hospital wing to find Hermione seated in a chair beside Malfoy, deep in conversation.
"'Mione! What are you doing with him?" he panted when he saw the sight.
"Talking, Ron. It's an innocent interaction between two people."
"But talking with him isn't! You should know that! I meant, I, it's Malfoy, for Christ's sake! Merlin would turn in his grave!"
"Oh, grow up, Weasel," Malfoy replied, sneering at him. "You don't control the girl. I'm actually pretty sure she controls you."
"Shove it up your arse, Malfoy!" And to Hermione was "How could you?"
"How could I what, Ron? Have a decent conversation with someone who's interested in more things than Quidditch, girls and snogging?"
"Hermione what happened to you? Harry was right… You really have changed…"
"Oh, great. This is just one big conspiracy against me, isn't it? Well, I'll lay it out on the table for you, Ronald Philip Weasley! You do not run my life! Harry James Potter doesn't run my life! HERMIONE BETHANY-ANNE GRANGER DOES!"
The two of them were standing face to face, toe to toe.
"If that's the way it'll be, Hermione, then I won't stand in your way." Ron turned away and walked out the door.
"Oh, dear, Granger. It seems that the red-Weasel has you all riled up. You do look quite good with that pink flush in your cheeks." She sat herself down on the chair again.
"Stuff it, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood."
"Quite a show you put on there. He was right. You have changed, I like it." He waggled his eyebrows. Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"Everyone's been saying I'm changed lately. I'm sick of it. I just grew up a lot over two months."
"Oh, what tangled webs we weave/When we first practice to deceive. What are you hiding from them Granger?"
"You read Agatha Christie? Whodathunkit."
"Pardon me?"
"Whodathunkit! You know! It means 'who would've thought'. Who-da-thunk-it! It's an American thing, don't ask."
"Ah! Now I see!"
Hermione gave him an inquisitive look.
"They say you've changed. You were in America over the past summer. Only a Neanderthal like Scarface or Weasel wouldn't put it together."
Hermione didn't defend them. She just grinned at her conversational partner and poked him in the forehead.
"Oi! What was that for?"
"I dunno." She giggled. "'You're semi-evil. You're quasi-evil. You're the margarine of evil. You're the diet coke of evil. Just one calorie-- not evil enough.'"
"Huh?"
"It's from a muggle movie, Austin Powers."
"Then I won't even ask."
They were quiet for a minute or two, lost in their own thoughts.
"Malfoy," she asked, breaking the comfortable silence. "Why me?"
He gave her a questioning glance. It wasn't every day that someone shoots off random questions.
"I mean, why me? Why do you like me? What about me appeals to you? And a Gryffindor 'Mudblood' at that."
He had the decency to blush slightly.
"Well, you want the truth? You're probably the only one who ever gave me a real, true challenge. I was always given everything I ever wanted, I never had to work for it. Then I met you. You changed everything. You worked hard for all you wanted and you got it all. I wanted that feeling of… I dunno, having actually earned something. Your grades always beat mine, too. I realized that my life was fake. My father had told me that money was the key to everything. But not happiness, not true happiness. That's what changed my mind a long time ago."
Hermione's POV
I was shocked. I sat there, thinking for awhile. I wanted to leave the complications of my life. I wanted to flee, go far away, alone with my two ego-companions and live on an island that had no problems.
"Well, are you going to say something?"
I stared at a small space in the wall before I cocked an eyebrow and smirked.
"Technically all mudbloods aren't mudbloods, you know. The wizarding world originated from Adam and Lilith."
"Who? What are you talking about?" he looked confused. Immensely. My smirk just stayed as he tried to figure it out.
"Lilith. Adam's first wife, before Eve. Lilith was a Jinn, magical blood. It was Lilith that came first, then Adam then Eve. But God 'smote'," quotation marks appeared on either side of my head with a flick of my wand, "her because she was stronger than Adam. Rumor is that to get even with God, Lilith took on the form of the snake and made Eve and Adam eat the apple."
He just smirked. "Know-it-all."
I grinned and thought about C. S. Lewis writing barely about that in one of his Muggle books. I absently scratched my nose where my nose piercing should've been. I swore. He looked at me blankly and I explained that I got a small stud in my nose while I was in New York. "Really nice new trend, you know."
"Oi! Hermione Granger? A nose ring?"
"It wasn't a nose ring, it was a small emerald stud. Now shut up. You don't want to know what else I did in America!"
I got up and stretched. I checked my left wrist and saw that the day had passed rather quickly.
"I think I better be going."
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow, then, Hermione."
(He called you by your first name!) My heart and my devilette did cartwheels.
"Okay. Bye… Draco," I said slowly, actually feeling his name on my tongue.
"Yeah. Maybe tomorrow you could entertain me with how you figured out that Adam love triangle thingy. And how you plan to deal with Pothead and Weasel. And your… Adventures," he wiggled his eyebrows, "from America."
I just grinned and waved. I headed out the door and made my way to my common room. I had a slight skip in my walk and I reflected on the day.
I realized that in the span of an three hours I had managed to go from depressed to happy to suspicious to angry to 'normal' to angry and to totally elated.
(Talk about mood swings.)
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my Boo
You know I'm crazy over you
Now I was boyfriend-less, interested in another guy and… Ugh. I hate my life. It's so confusing.
I stepped into the common room after dreamily muttering the password and headed towards the little. She was playing with the little boy from Malfoy's portrait. I suddenly noticed that my little girl looked suspiciously like Draco. Platinum blonde hair feathered around her face, sharp features, aristocratic nose and matching platinum eyes. And I then noticed that the little boy had curly, cinnamon hair, a small stubbed nose and honeyed eyes surrounded by a heart shaped face.
I grinned. They're just like out mini-opposites.
(Or your kids… Ever thought, darls?)
{Yes, they look so adorable! They do just look like him and you!}
"Um, Charisse?" I asked, pushing out my annoying egos. I saw the girl look up at me. "Charisse, could I ask you if I can change my password, sweetheart?"
"Oh, okay! Hold on, though," her cherubic features broke from a smile to a solemn face, somewhat as six-year old did when they're entrusted with important things, as she turned to her companion. "Ian, you hafta leave."
He whined. "Why?"
"Buh-cuz iz important!"
"But I can keep a secret!"
"Fine." Charisse turned to look at me. "Do you mind? Please? Ian can keep a secret!"
I was too happy to care.
"Sure, Ian can stay. I just wanted to change my something else. But it's going to be long, so you think you can remember it?"
"Yup! Don't worry!"
"Okay. Here it is: 'Somewhere, there's someone who dreams of your smile and finds in your presence that life is worthwhile. So when you're lonely, remember it's true: Someone, somewhere, is think of you'. Got that?"
Charisse repeated back to me and swung open on her hinges to let me in my room. I walked in and headed for my dresser. I was going to sleep, and no one was going to stop me. Tomorrow was Saturday, so I could probably get away with sleeping in without being accosted. Probably.
I pointed my wand to my stereo (that I had used earlier) an I thought of Keshia Chanté's song 'Unpredictable'. It started playing and I grabbed some sleepwear from a drawer and headed for the bathroom. I stopped short at the door and remembered the scene from a few hours ago. It seemed that a whole lifetime had passed by from the moment Malfoy rushed into the bathroom and now. I pushed in the door and saw that the house elves had changed the décor.
The tub was still in the same place, but now everything was in silver and gold, almost like a new bathroom. The floor tiles were in while porcelain dotted here and there with sapphire and emerald tiles. The sinks, shower stalls and toilets were done in beige porcelain. The flat benches, towel rods and the like were in all gold or silver with the opposing colour lining or detailing it.
"Snazzy," I said to no one in particular. I walked over to the sink I had claimed as mine earlier in the year and brushed my teeth. I was suddenly reminded of the newest Obie Trice song, 'Gotta Have Teeth'. I giggled and changed into my girl-boxers and camisole set.
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I'm with my Boo
You know I'm crazy over you{Dear, I suggest that you do something about your friends soon.}
(Oh, do shut up. It was her right to snap at them. Lately they've been stuffing us.)
Yeah. It'll do them some good to stew for awhile. I mean, I was just having a civil conversation, after all. And I was fulfilling my duties as Head Girl: look after any injured students. So there.
I walked into my room, flopped on my bed and fell asleep with no further qualms.
Sing it for me, Kelly
I love you and I need you
Nelly, I love you, I do
And it's more than you'll ever know
Boy, it's for sure
You can always count on my love
Forever more, yeah, yeah
East coast, I know you're shakin' right
Down south, I know you're bouncin' right
West coast, I know you're walkin' right
('Cos you don't know what you mean to me)
Midwest, I see you swingin' right