Gleaming Knife: Chapter Two - Enemies? Friends? More Than Friends?

Malfoy shoved something in his cloak. He turned to me.

You couldn't help but notice that Malfoy was sexy. Over the years he had changed and it was all for the better. With his lurid blonde hair, his pale skin that looked soft to the touch, his silvery grey eyes that shone in the soft light…

I shook myself mentally. Draco Malfoy was a prejudiced Slytherin with no heart; I couldn't look at him like this.

"Granger, what the hell are you doing here?" He asked me

"I'll go, I'm sorry." I replied and made my way to the door. Just as I put my hand to the cool door handle Malfoy spoke again.

"Wait, don't go." He said, "Will you stay and keep me company?"

"Sure," I replied walking over to where he sat.

He shifted along the table so I could sit next to him. I sat there, wondering why Malfoy was being so nice. Had a miracle been preformed? Was I imagining things? Was he even in this room at all? I mean I have been quite stressed lately with NEWT's and all; perhaps he was just a figment of my imagination. I suddenly felt the urge to touch him just to see if he was real.

I resisted the urge to touch him and I decided to break the silence.

"So how are you going on that potions essay Snape set on dreaming potions?"

I had no idea what to say after all this was the first civilised conversation I had ever had with Malfoy.

Malfoy looked at me and started to laugh.

"Yeah that essay's going good." He said obviously unable to control his fits of laughter.

"I don't see what's so funny." I said beginning to get agitated.

"It's just funny, ok."

"Well I don't appreciate being laughed at."

"Ok, ok, I won't laugh at you again if you don't bring up the subject of school work again. It seems that when you can't think of anything to say you talk about essays and charts."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

"So why aren't you at home for the Christmas holidays?"

"I didn't want to go back."

"Go back where?"

"Malfoy Manner."

"Oh, why is that?"

"I would prefer not to talk about it." He said obviously avoiding eye contact with me. I wondered why he didn't want to talk about it but then it hit me, of course he didn't want to talk to me about it, I was like a complete stranger to him.

"Why aren't you at home?" He asked breaking the intense silence

"I usually stay at Hogwarts to keep Harry company."

He looked up at Harry's name but for once in his life he didn't say a word about him.

We kept on talking like this for what seemed like an age. We talked about everything from Quidditch to the up coming Hogsmeade trip.

"Have you got a date for the Christmas dance?" He asked me.

"Nobody's asked me but I guess I'll go with Ron."

"Ok, he's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

"Yeah."

"I thought so. Are you happy with him?" He asked.

Now this was odd. I never expected him to ask me something like that. I wondered why he was asking. Perhaps I didn't seem happy. I am unhappy but I never thought that it was because of Ron. Maybe I wasn't happy with Ron. No I was happy, he made me happy. But then again I had been in such a bad mood lately, maybe…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hello? Earth to Granger?" I said trying to get her attention. She looked up coming out of her reverie.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking."

"That's ok. So are you happy with him?"

"I guess so."

"You guess?"

"Yeah I guess. I haven't been all that happy lately but I don't know if it's because of Ron or if it's just me."

To me it sounded as if she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing in going out with him. She seemed unhappy. The usual sparkle in her toffee coloured eyes was gone and they seemed so hollow, so empty. She looked as if she was troubled deeply.

"If you want to talk about it you can." I said trying to offer my help in the only way I could.

"Thanks" She said looking up at me.

I looked at her. You could say she was beautiful. No beautiful wasn't the right word, gorgeous, she was gorgeous. With her chocolate coloured hair that cascaded down her back in soft curls, her tanned skin that looked softer than velvet and her deep, never ending toffee coloured eyes.

So I thought she was hot, I'm sure I'm not the only one. She was close, very close. I could smell her sweet aroma. I felt my skin crawl. I felt a sudden need to kiss her.

I wanted her and by the look in her eyes she wanted me. I lent down and closed my eyes only to feel my lips connect with her hair as she turned her head away.

"Oh my god, look at the time." She said looking down at her watch. "I really need to get going I have to get up early tomorrow."

"We don't have any classes tomorrow." I said pleading with her. "You can sleep in as long as you like."

"But I have to um…wash my hair tomorrow and that takes a while." She said getting up and walking towards the door.

"Bye Granger." I said realising that I could not change her mind. "Thanks for staying and talking to me."

She smiled and left me alone.