Author's note: So sorry everyone! unfortunately, I have been completely busy for the last year or so and have not been able to see to my fic properly, can you ever fogive me?
Chapter VI - The Situation Gets Worse
Hermione woke up in the hoispital wing for the second time in as many days.
A few beds over, Madam pomfrey, the nurse, was tending to Jusitn Flinch fletchley's nose. apparently he had tripped and fallen somewhere and his nose started to bleed.
She ignored the quuestion in her mind that asked if Malfoy with his feline grace would ever trip and bloody his nose.
Must she compare every single guy to that infernal ferret? Luckily, he was busy and there for the connection their minds had could not be used for him to listen in onto what she was thinking.
Stop! Stop it now! She thought. Focus on something else.
Bed...? I wonder what kind of bed Malfoy likes to sleep in-no!
Uhm, Harry! yes Harry... nothing to do with Malfoy. Nothing at all.
Hmm,I wonder if this is what its like to be Harry. She thought. Next to her bed lay her homework, no doubt Ron had brought it. Next to it was a box of chocolate frogs a a bowl of Bertie Botts every flavor beans, but Ron had picked out only Hermione's favorite flavors.
Iwonder what Malfoy's favorite flavors are.
No! No think of Ron! Think of how sweet he was to DO that for you. You know, RON your BOYFRIEND...
How sweet. She forced herself to think.I love having a boy friend. Now if only my boyfriend were blonde... stop it! Ron is perfect! He is the sweetest, most adorable, considerate thoughtful...
Aw, grangerI think i just might puke.
Malfoy.
She had not been in the hospital long enough to remember why she was there. For a while she was in a blissful state of not remembering but now it hit her like a knight bus.
What misguided attempt at romance did that sorry excuse for a wizard come up with this time?
Hermione mentally scowled at him.
That's none of your business, Malfoy.
He smirked.
Draco was in a secluded corner of the library reading up on the Biandrinum Potion and its effects. unfortunately what he had come up with so far was not comforting.
What are you doing, Malfoy?
Draco thought about making it difficult for Hermione but at remembering that she would find out anyway due to her hearing his thoughts, he decided not to.
Ifound out what happened.
"WHAT?"
Hermione blurted that word out so loud that madam pomfrey nearly cut of justin flinch fletchley's nose.
Nice move, Granger.
Shut up, Malfoy. Hermione called back angrily. What happened? How did you find out what's going on?
Afew dolts decided it would be funny to see the Slytherin prefect and Gryffindor prefect stuck together with the Biandrinum potion. he explained. I'm in the library reading up about it.
Hermione felt her temper rising.
Who thought this predicament would be amusing? she demanded. BecauseI swear to God i'll -
Who knew the goody-goody Gryffindor would have such a fiery temper?
Shut up.
No way, Granger, this is just too amusing. What are you going do to the poor souls who have angered you?
Get out of my head, malfoy!
Oh if only, Granger if only. Unfortunately I'm stuck here.
What?
I'm stuck here.
What?
Honestly, Granger,I have repeated it twice. I. Am. Stuck. Here. In your head, as you are in mine. Are you so incompetent you can't even understand that? Malfoy told her rolling his eyes. She mentally scolwed at him. He just smirked You see, I have yet to find a cure for this... predicament. So far its only happened, and in the seventeeth century no less.
What?
It gets worse. Malfoy went on.
There's worse? Hermione demanded. How in the world could this situation possibly get any worse than it already is? It can not possible. This IS the worst, Malfoy, I can hear ypou thoughts! You can hear mine!I can FEEL you! How can there be anything worse?THERE CAN BE NO WORSE!
This is the only documented version of it being utilized between two humans.
Itake it back
Thought you might.
Mafoy, what book are you reading?
Cura Magica. Malfoy replied. Get down here, you have to see this.
Hermione nodded. It would be minimally difficult convincing Madam Pomfrey that she was quite fine and was only tired and needed more rest. Luckily, the school nurse was too absorbed in healing Justin Finch-fletchley's nose that she did not give Hermione a hard time.
Ten minutes later she was entering the library.
I'm in the back.
She had no trouble finding him, disturbing as it may have been (and it was), she instinctively knew where he was sitting. He was off in a far corner his head bent over a book. Had the mental connection not been in place, Hermione would have a difficult time finding him because he was surrounded by a quite a few other volumes and a lot of rolls of parchment.
He sensed her rather than heard her.
Ifinished off all my homework first.He told her not bothering to try and clean up the mess.
Hermione nodded.
Wow, would you look at this, Malfoy actually does his own homework instead of paying someone else to do it for him. She snarked, hoping to get a rise out of him. she crossed her arms. Really, Malfoy, I'm impressed, Does this mean you are actually earning the mediocre grades you do now?
Malfoy raised a eyebrow, physically, though Hermione barely notcied the distinction anymore.
Honestly, granger if you wanted to get a rise out of me you are going to have to try a lot harder than that. he mocked. After all, we both know that is completely inaccurate, He paused mentally shaking his head. Well,I do suppose/i have been giving you too much credit. Someone of your... heritage can't really be expected to do better in this highly intellectual banter.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, her temper flared. Malfoy smirked as he watch the crimson fury spread across her cheeks.
Sod off, ferret boy.
My my, Malfoy tutted. Such language.
He rose from his seat and walked over to her. She stared at him guardedly, wondering what his angle was this time.
She was to be surprised.
"That was a violation of our agreement, granger." He whispered silkily into her ear. "I did not once use the word 'mudblood'."
He knew he could have mentally relayed the messages he wanted her to hear in her head but he relished in saying them. Smirking at her gasp of surprise and her discomfort at being in such close proximity to him.
I said to sod off, Malfoy. Hermione thgought-said tersely.
If you must resort to cursing to win a war of wit and word, Miss Granger, Malfoy said lofitly resuming his seat. The desired effect of his comment having been accomplished, he saw no reason to let her get used to that tactic. He could very well use it again later. Then you have already lost it.
Hermione rolled her eyes and took the seat across from him.It failed to come to her attention that when they were speaking mind to mind or otherwise, the annoying thoughts she kept getting of him ceased in her head.
She took the book he was reading and pulled it to her so that she could gat a closer look. Before she had even read the first line However, she could sense his silver eyes upon her.
What? she demanded.
He was smirking, and he sure as hell knew that there was nothing in the world she would rather to do right now than reach out and smack that smirk of his face. Infact, he relished in it.
Cherry flavored beans are my favorite too.
Hermione shook her head, not understanding what he had said until she read the text on the book.
And then it hit her. He had been listening to her earlier.
That prat.
Ooooh! Malfoy, I swear I'm going to-
"read it all out loud, granger." Malfoy said out loud, his voice was serious, all of a sudden.
She glared at him but looked back down at the book.
"Depletion of concentration, prolonged exposure to this advances the mind link, mind-link?" She turned to him looking unsure and He just shot her a look. She shrugged. "Other symptoms show up gradually. If not succumbed to, these mounting symptoms will drive the victim to hysteria, dementia and scitsophrenia."
Malfoy nodded.
And it says nothing of anyone who had been cured.He told her not realizing that, yet again, he had switched to mind-speak. Or isf anyone else had been greeted with these symptoms. apparently, all of this is only speculation. Taken from other potions of similar kinds, based on documented cases of those who ingested less potent potions.
Hermione felt her blood run cold. She could have sworn thet her heart had stopped.
Don't faint on me, Granger, because if you do,I do not care how pathetic you look,I will not carry you back to the Gryffindor comoon room. Do you understand me?
Hermione swallowed nervously, then nodded. The only listings of previous victims of the potions where people who had tried not to forget certain things and events. Some had ended up being driven mad by their own paranoia that they would forget about the object, others were locked in padded cells were they rocked back and forth and muttered incoherently, unable to let go of certain dates and things.
But Hermione chose not dwell on that.
What do they mean about advancing the mental link? Hermione asked instead.I mean we can already hear each other's thoughts, and hit each other mentally, or whatever that is supposed to be termed as.
He shrugged mentally
I'm surprised you don't already know, Granger. He taunted. Isn't that what you're famous for? Knowing everything?
Hermione scowled at him.
You were listening in on my thought a while ago, weren't you? She asked, changing the subject.
Iwasn't listening in,I just heard. Malfoy replied, thoroughly enjoying her unease. And don't change the subject.
She felt the color rush back to her cheeks.
I'm not, Malfoy, and THAT, Hermione retorted, mightI add, is an invasion of privacy!
Arrest me, granger. Malfoy said rolling his eyes.
The look on Hermione's face made in extremely clear what she wanted to do at that very moment. (Rip of his arm and beat him over the head with it.)
My, my, Granger, Malfoy added sounding non-plussed and rather amused. Aren't we the little sadist,I never thought the noble virginal Granger would be capable of such violent, horrid thoughts, even about her enemy. How very Slytherin of her!
Hermione gritted her teeth and did her very best to keep from blowing her top.
Why, Granger,I am quite impressed with your self control. Malfoy continued to mock.
Forcibly Hermione got to her feet, nearly knocking over the chair behind her. (Madam pince sent her a warning look.)
"I will see you later, Malfoy." She snapped.
Draco got to his feet as well.
Hermione saw the playful bastard she was currently fighting with drain away leaving a seriously scary bastard.
"Have you not been paying attention?" He demanded, suddenly all-business. "If we ignore this, the symtoms get stronger."
Hermion sat back down weakly, she felt dizzy and fatigued all of a sudden. a wave of nausea washed over her.
"My- my concentration is off." She admitted.
Draco's face did not soften, he did not sit down.
"And it will continue to be so if we do not do something." He informed her. "Its all here in the books."
Hermione looked at him weakly.
What are we going to do?
Draco's eyes narrowed.
There is no 'we', Granger. He snapped.
Malfoy-
Idon't know, alright?I don't know.
AN: More soon I promise!