Well, once again I'm back with chapter three of Say I. But since no one reviewed…
Anyway, I have discovered why my story has not been reviewed or even looked at…there's too many damn good authors out there who update everyday and my story gets sent to like page three right after I update it!
I also realized that I lied when I said this story wouldn't follow the events of the books. Some of the events MIGHT be, such as certain deaths etc, but I won't know until I write it.
Here's chapter three!
Ch.3
Confused expression clearly evident on his face, and blonde locks, completely devoid of any type of gel and/or oil, was how the small streams of bright sunlight found and roused the sleeping form of one Draco Malfoy.
Despite his best efforts to remain unconscious and stay in the world of sleep as well as to avoid the obvious pain that was sure to have carried over from his dream, he was forced to open his eyes at the sound of shuffling feet.
Blinking at the light Draco half thought he was in the dream again. Apparently, waking up and seeing pure white bed sheets and pillows and curtains and…well, let's just say it took him a while to get his gray eyes to focus and realize that he actually had more than just white as a surrounding now.
He saw that the source of the shuffling and the accursed light was none other than Madam Pomfery, the kindly old medi witch who ran the Hospital Wing. Looking around, Draco deduced that she had only just gotten up, seeing as the antidote cabinet that was always open for the students' benefit was closed and that the candles that were usually lit were long since burnt out.
Draco sighed in relief as there was no pain bestowed upon him. He had made his choice, he remembered, and then the pain had taken him, crippling, violent pain.
He shivered at the thought. He would have to befriend Potter and that was going to be hell in itself. They would think he was just trying to spy for Voldemort. He couldn't think of any way to convince them that he was genuine in his turn.
The only way he could ever think of getting them to have a civil conversation with him would be to stop doing all the teasing and taunting. And he wasn't even sure that would work anymore.
'Damndamndamndamndamndamndamndamn!' he shouted at himself in frustration, slapping himself repeatedly over the head viciously.
"Mr. Malfoy!" shrieked the appalled voice of Madam Pomfery as she strode over and seized his hand, "That will be enough of that! I daresay your head has had enough of a beating already and it doesn't need you senselessly mauling it!"
Draco raised an eyebrow. Did she know about the dream? Then he remembered. That night after his vision, when he had been wondering the halls in a daze, before the Golden Trio had found him nearly unconscious, he had fallen to the floor and hadn't been able to summon enough strength to try and stop himself.
Draco raised a tentative hand and touched it to his forehead, and flinched. Apparently he'd hit the floor very hard.
"Yes, it hurts doesn't it?" Madam Pomfery said at seeing him flinch. She turned to the antidote cupboard and pulled out a goblet full of what appeared to be a liquid but was clearly sparking…violently.
"Drink this Mr. Malfoy." Seeing his wary expression she continued, "I assure you it only looks volatile, once you drink it you'll feel right as rain."
Still suspicious of the foul smelling substance, Draco grudgingly downed the stinging liquid wincing as it burned all the way down his throat.
Almost instantly his body went rigid, straightening out like a board causing his head to slam into the metal bars that were the head board.
"You're determined to give yourself another concussion aren't you?"
Draco ignored her, his face suddenly flashing a brilliant smile. Madam Pomfery turned from Draco, muttering something about Snape and Pick-Me-Up potions.
'So that's what that old bat gave me! Merlin I bloody hate this feeling! I feel all springy and…and…merry!' Draco tried his best to glare daggers at the witch's back but he couldn't even move his facial muscles. 'Bloody hell! I can't move my face!' he screamed at himself, 'I can't move my face! It's stuck, it's stuck! Grrrr…if I wasn't trying to go good I'd hex Pomfery into next bloody week!'
Finally giving up on his futile attempts to move his face, Draco ran a frustrated hand through his blond locks, for once in his life feeling it clear of anything. It certainly felt different…maybe he'd try it out for a couple of weeks.
He managed a sigh; all he needed was for Snape to see him with this idiotic grin on his face….
Seemingly on cue, Severus Snape, resident Potions Master of Hogwarts, Head of Slytherin House, and double-agent against the Dark Lord, strode into the Hospital Wing, as always ever intimidating in every way except for stature and physique.
Yes he was tall but as he was almost always slouching, his height seemed halved at the least. As for physique, well…the poor man was skin and bloody bones. He probably hadn't had a decent meal in years, or maybe it was the little fact of the ever present chance that he would be discovered by the most feared villain in all of history and then be tortured and killed that kept him from gaining any much needed weight.
Even with the black billowing robes he wore he was gaunt and pale. Snape's eyes began to scan the wing in search of something. When they landed on him, Draco assumed Snape had been looking for him, as he was advancing on his position in the hospital bed.
"Good morning Professor!" Draco greeted enthusiastically, manic smile still firmly in place.
Snape raised an eyebrow in mild amusement, "She gave you a Pick-Me-Up potion didn't she?" Draco nodded his head repetitively. "I pity you Draco, that is one of the most vile concoctions that Madam Pomfery has ever had me brew for the infirmary."
Snape stopped as a humorous smirk crept to his face, "It makes the drinker idiotically…happy for half an hour…" Seeing Draco's relieved face, Snape continued, "Well at least that's what I intended the time to be, give or take a couple of minutes. However, I have no idea how many things Madam Pomfery has spiked it with."
Draco visibly paled, but his face remained in a betraying smile. All in all, it was enough to make Snape chuckle.
"Poor you. Well, I've not come here to dawdle; I came here to give you your schedule and to fill you in on what you've missed."
Draco now noticed the parchment that his professor clung to. He gave it to Draco and continued,
"Mr. Malfoy, so far you've missed just under two weeks of term." Draco would've dropped his jaw had it not been cemented in place. "You were out for a while. Now since you were unable to attend classes you are behind everyone, even Weasley, by a considerable margin. Therefore, you will be given a tutor, a student tutor, to help you catch up."
Draco groaned, and it felt rather awkward. "You and said tutor will be excused from classes until the tutor believes you're caught up. That is all Mr. Malfoy good day!"
As Snape started to leave he could not resist, "Oh, and wipe that ridiculous smirk off your face! Your tutor should be here within the hour."
It was lucky for Snape that Madam Pomfery saw Draco stand up in his bed and was able to restrain him or for the first time in a long time, the vacancy in the faculty would not have been for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
About thirty minutes and one calming draught later, Draco was just digesting his head of houses' words.
'I'm getting a tutor? That's just great! How am I supposed to even start trying to befriend Potter if I'm not even going to be in bloody class!'
He inwardly fumed for a few minutes as Madam Pomfery continued bustling about back and forth through the infirmary, "Well," Draco whispered to himself dejectedly, although it came out in a cheery, bright way, "At least Granger will never see me like this."
"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, I forgot to tell you," the medi witch said from across the room, "Your tutor is Ms. Granger.
Draco's eye twitched in annoyance. Apparently the potion was wearing off, but he was too distracted to care.
"What?" Draco politely yelled, "Why Granger?" Madame Pomfery stopped and turned towards him.
"Well, let me think, could it be because she's the smartest student in the school? Or that she has the best marks?" she asked, sarcasm evident in her tone. She shook her head and started to replace the burnt out candles.
'Women…one of these days…." Draco was still seething when he caught sight of the figure that entered the infirmary next.
'Granger.' Draco thought, as his jaw now hung open in awe at the figure of perfection in front of him.
The once bushy brown hair that had resided on her head was now straight and wavy. Her lightly tanned skin and perfect curves and soft but intense brown eyes enthralled him still further.
Draco could only think of one sentence to describe her. Hermione Granger was beautiful. Draco continued to stare at her as she, like Snape scanned the room. After not getting an immediate response or argument from his common sense, Draco became worried.
'Uhh..hello? Anyone there? Hello…aren't you even going to put up a fight. You know, say something along the lines of, "She's not beautiful! She's just a Mudblood! You can't love her!" or something?'
Finally his mind responded, 'Nope. You're completely smitten mate.'
Draco sighed, 'I was afraid of that.'
His sigh caught Hermione's attention as she spotted him and made her way over.
'Great, how am I supposed to talk to one of my archenemies, who I am now infatuated with, and be civil? Especially with my face stuck the way it is!' To put it simply, Draco was in a panic.
"Good morning Malfoy." Hermione said as she sat down in the chair at his bedside in a somewhat reserved voice.
Draco bit his tongue, as it was already going to reply with, 'Good morning yourself you filthy Mudblood.' He had to remind himself again that that was not the way you got a girl to be your girlfriend. Draco mentally slapped himself. What he had meant to think was, was that was not the way to get anybody to trust him.
So, after a few seconds of hesitation he replied, "Good morning Granger." 'There, now that wasn't so hard now was it Draco?'
For the second time that day, there was a raised eyebrow and smirk at Draco's expense.
"You know, Madam Pomfery originally had Professor Snape brew the Pick-Me-Up potion especially for Harry, because he was here so often and was usually out for a week or more. But seeing its effects on you, however much they've already worn off, is simply hilarious! Oh I wish I had a camera!"
Draco again had to mentally stop himself from courteously insulting every one of her relatives all the way down to their bloody family roots.
Instead he opted for a calm, cool and collected, "Stow it Granger. Pomfery told me you're my tutor. Just tell me when and for how long and I'll be there to "learn", albeit reluctantly."
Hermione could do little else but blink in shock. He hadn't even insulted her, which was very unusual for Draco.
'He must really be out of it. But Merlin does he look cute like that! That hair looks so…wow!' Hermione stopped at this, yelling at herself desperately, 'Argue with myself, argue with myself, argue with myself, argue with myself, argue with myself!'
Nothing.
'No…I…I've f-fallen for the enemy! It c-can't be! No! ….But he is incredibly hot!'
Her mind finally woke, but only to encourage her, 'Damn straight!' Hermione giggled…out loud.
"Granger?" Hearing his voice seemed to snap Hermione back to reality.
"What?" she replied hastily, trying to cover up her temporary spacing out.
"Well you were going to tell me where we were going to have the lessons but then you got this faraway look in your eyes…and then you giggled. Bit scary really."
"Oh, shut up!" said Hermione scowling, "Well, I don't see why we have to go anywhere. I mean we could just have your lessons here. I'm sure Madam Pomfery would provide you with plenty of Pick-Me-Up potion if you started falling asleep while I was teaching."
She sighed, almost relishing the thought but said, "But I doubt even Voldemort is THAT cruel."
Draco stared at her. She had said The Dark Lord's name, and she had joked about him. Maybe Potter and his friends were braver than he gave them credit for…or they were just ignorant to what kinds of hell he could create.
He knew that Potter was one of the few who knew exactly what kinds of hell Voldemort could cause, just like him. The rest of the wizarding world was completely oblivious to it.
'But then,' Draco thought, 'Ignorance is bliss.'
"Malfoy?"
"Hmm..What?" Draco asked shaking his head.
"Now who's the one spacing out and giggling?" Hermione said accusingly.
"I did not giggle Granger." Draco retaliated.
"Sure. Anyway, I said we are just going to have the lessons in the Head's dormitory."
Draco nodded, "Right…Where are they?"
Hermione sighed, "That's right; you never made it to our dorms."
Draco huffed, "Well it wasn't like I didn't try. I got…what…a third of the way there before I just collapsed? And that wasn't half bad considering my condition."
Hermione shook her head, "Just wait here for another minute." With that, she left the bedside and walked into Madam Pomfery's now occupied office.
This left Draco with time to think and remember what had happened before he'd passed out.
'Let's see, she said "our dorms" so I take it that means I'm Head Boy. Oh yeah….that's why I went to find Granger on the train. But everything's blurry after that…the voice in my dream said that I made a prophecy…I'm gonna have to ask Granger about it.'
Hermione came back at this point, "Madam Pomfery says you're free to go as soon as you're ready."
"Thank Merlin!" Draco shouted, his face now completely free of the Pick-Me-Up effects, "I thought I was going to be subjected to more tor…" he saw Madam Pomfery exiting her office, "Er…I mean more kind and caring mother like love!"
"Now Mr. Malfoy, one last check before you go." She ran her wand slowly over the length of his body. "Well, I can see nothing visibly wrong and my wand says there's nothing internal, so once you're changed you can leave."
Five minutes and a bit of stumbling later found Draco and Hermione walking the currently deserted hallways of Hogwarts that would lead them to their quarters.
"So what's the entrance?" Draco asked, looking around as they came to a stop.
"Over here." Said Hermione, walking over to a rather large portrait, moving of course, which depicted a ballroom filled with hundreds of people in the back round all dancing and attending, what appeared to be a masquerade ball.
What caught his eye though, was the couple in the middle, who were undoubtedly the focus of the painting. They were elaborately decorated, from their intricately detailed masks all the way down to their seemingly gleaming, polished shoes.
The woman turned her head from her partner and asked, in a soft but full voice, "Password?"
Draco looked at Hermione, "Vertumnus."
The painting swung away from the wall, like a door, and admitted them. What Draco saw stunned him into momentary silence. This common room was even better than anything at Malfoy Manor, and that was saying something since his mother had been obsessed with having the best of everything.
He had just woken up and the couch already looked inviting, its fluffy pillows and cushions almost beckoning him to go and lie down. There were two different tables in the corner of the room, where they would be able to sit and do homework. 'Or other things..' suggested his mind.
Draco sighed. He was going to have to get used to his mind making suggestive comments like that…not that he minded but really, a guy shouldn't be thinking like that all the time. 'Just most of the time.' 'SHUT UP!'
The fireplace was set into the wall next to the couches and comfortable looking chairs as it had been in the Slytherin common room. There was infinitely Draco could describe, but he was fine with just going over to the extremely overstuffed couch and collapse on it.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, watching him fall onto the couch.
"Catching up on some much needed sleep."
"You've been asleep for two bloody weeks and you're telling me that you need to catch up on your beauty rest! You are never going to catch up in class if you slack off like this!"
"First off," Draco retorted, "There is a slight difference between being asleep and being in a bloody coma Granger! Second, I know all that I need to know for classes. There's not much that I don't already know that I haven't learned from my family's library! So you don't need to worry! I don't know why Snape bothered giving me a tutor; he should know that I don't need one! Especially a M…."
Draco stopped himself, 'Think you prat! If you keep insulting her, there is no way you can ever get her to love you…er…I mean…befriend her and Potter.'
Hermione was glaring at Malfoy now, anger coursing through her, waiting for Malfoy to finish his rant.
"I-I…Granger…I'm…I'm sorry."
Hermione stared in shock and disbelief. Draco Malfoy, the bane of her existence, the arrogant git of Slytherin house, her secret crush, had just apologized…to HER!
"What?" she asked, hardly daring to believe it.
"I'm s-sorry." Draco muttered again, trying desperately to keep his eyes on the floor. He didn't know if he wanted to look at Granger right now or not.
"Fine. Apology accepted Malfoy."
Draco sighed in relief and asked, "What time is it Granger?"
Hermione checked her watch, "It's just after nine. Why?"
"Because I'm bloody hungry and I could smell the remaining auras from breakfast coming up here!" He looked at her, "Please let's go get something to eat!"
Hermione, despite her slightly agitated mood couldn't help but laugh a little at the spectacle Draco was making of himself. She shook her head,
"Fine, we'll go down to the kitchens and get something, I think they have cleared the Great Hall by now. C'mon." With that she turned on her heel and made for the portrait hole.
"Wait!" shouted Draco, who got up from his place on the couch and ran to catch up to Hermione, "How do you know where the kitchens are? I thought only the Headmaster knew things like that."
Hermione snorted, "When you have friends like Harry and Ron, you tend to find these things out unintentionally, especially when you add Ginny into the mix! Then its just catastrophe!"
Draco smirked at this, "You know, I've been wondering…does Potter fancy Weasel's sister? Or is it just her who fancies him?"
This question brought on an immediate change in Hermione's demeanor. Her eyes blazed as she rounded on him, hissing, "Why do want to know that? Just so you can go crawling back to you master hoping for a reward!"
Draco was stunned.
"I knew you weren't sorry about anything, now I have to go through Merlin knows how many weeks with you, you little ferret faced liar! I can't believe I actually thought you were sincere! Just get away from me!"
She made to leave, but Draco came out of his stupor in time to catch her arm.
"Wait! You stupid…I mean.." Draco slapped himself, "Just hear me out!"
Hermione wrenched her arm from his grasp, "I don't want to hear you out you greasy little git! You're just going to give me some idiotic story about how your life has been so affected by Voldemort and how you want to get revenge on him for what he's done to you and that you want to join Harry and help him in the war!"
Draco blinked, "Well…you pretty much hit the nail on the head Granger."
"You see! You're just an arrogant little….what?" Hermione had stopped mid sentence.
"You're right. I do want revenge on Voldemort for what he's done to me, for killing my mother, for influencing my father, and for making my life hell even before I was born!"
It was Hermione's turn to blink.
"That's right…my life's been like Potter's since birth, although his is slightly…different." Draco said.
"His life is worse than yours ever was or will be Malfoy!" Hermione shouted.
"Is it? Did his parents ever neglect him? Did his parents ever abuse him over and over again? Did his parents ever say, right to his face, that they hated him because he was weak, because he had been bested by a Muggle born? Did his father ever curse him for the fun of it?"
Hermione was silent, looking down at her feet ashamed.
"No they didn't. So what if he's got the most feared dark wizard in history breathing down his bloody back! So what if he's constantly in danger because of something he couldn't control! So what!" Draco shouted.
Hermione looked up at him, "You're a selfish heartless bastard you know that?"
"You know why I'm like that? Always making fun of you? Of the Weasleys and of Potter? Do you know why I'm selfish? Do you!"
Hermione shook her head.
"Because all of you have something that I never had ever! You love and are loved by every one! You've got a family that loves you, you've always had a family that loved you! And if that wasn't enough, you befriend Weasley and gain his family's love as well!"
Hermione, for the first time in her life, had no response.
"You have people that have always and will always be there for you no matter what happens, no matter what you do, no matter how you act! Even Potter had his parents' love! He still remembers it even though he never really knew his parents, because of that scar he is reminded that even though he is hunted by the Dark Lord, that his mother loved him! That she would die for him!
"That's something that I never had! My mother wouldn't have died for me! And my father? He would've been the one to kill!"
Tears were now streaming down Draco's face as he continued to shout.
"So I'm gonna ask you again! Is it so wrong that I want love? Is it so wrong to wish for it? For something that I've never experienced? Why the hell can't someone love me for who I am! Why the hell can't I love someone? The only person I've ever felt love for was my mother, but of course, she didn't give a damn about me and is dead now!"
Draco fell to his knees and was banging his fists on the floor.
"Why Hermione? Why? Please tell me….you know everything…so why can't someone, anyone, love me?"
Hermione could do little else but fall to her knees and start berating herself. 'Look what you did you stupid idiot! You broke him! You made him lose it! You reminded him how miserable you already knew he was!'
She looked at the trembling, racking body of Draco Malfoy as he continued to beat his fist into the floor softly asking why.
For the first time in her life, she, Hermione Granger, was feeling pity for Draco Malfoy. The one who had harassed her for six long years. But, what he said was true, everything he had thrown at her, over all those years, she had gotten over because of her friends' love for her.
How they had always wanted to help her. How they had always wanted to beat the crap out of Malfoy for her. And how they had always, always loved her.
That was what she wanted to do for Draco right now. To love him. To be there for him when he needed her. All she wanted to do was comfort him, seeing him like this was extremely unnerving.
She moved next to him and wrapped her arms slowly around him bringing him closer to her.
He responded hesitantly. Why was she doing this for him? Was she just trying to get him to stop bawling his eyes out? Or was she just trying to hurt him more?
Then suddenly he didn't care anymore, his arms wrapped around Hermione's waist, holding on for dear life as if afraid she was going to leave him too. He started to cry into her shoulder even harder.
Hermione could not believe it. Draco Malfoy was in so many ways, worse off then Harry ever was and she was only now realizing it. She felt him grip her tighter as he put his head on her shoulder. She didn't mind all she could do was whisper to him,
"Shh. It's okay Draco. Shh...it's alright. I'm here…nothing's going to happen." She rubbed his back soothingly, hoping to quiet his sobs and ease his pain. "Oh Draco! I'm so sorry. I…I…" she couldn't think of what to say next.
And then, it hit her. She thought it over before she said it, but she knew she needed to do this, for herself, and for…Draco.
"Draco? Listen to me. Listen to me, I promise, no matter what happens, no matter what you do, and no matter what anyone says, I'll love you." There she had said it. She felt his sobs soften. "I'll be there for you when you need me. I'll love you for who you are…I'll love you Draco Malfoy."
His sobs that had once racked his body and hurt him so, stopped and were replaced by sniffles.
Quietly, so that nobody but Hermione could hear Draco whispered, "Thank you Hermione. For giving me a chance, that's all I need. Thank you."
And finally, all the strength left his body as he fell asleep in Hermione's arms.
A/N: Well, what'd you think? A little too soon for Draco to admit everything like that? If that's what you think, then I sort of have to agree with you. Originally this wasn't how I planned to end this chapter but…well…
Anyway, I'm happy with the way it turned out and that's all I can say in my defense! Please drop a review! I need any kind of feedback that I can get!
'Til next time! HakushoRurouni signing off!