Chapter 8: Don't Walk Home Alone

"In the evening, I've got to roam
Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome"

-Out Tonight, RENT

The warm night enveloped her once again, but to Hermione, it felt like a cold winter's day. She bit her lip, trying her hardest not to cry. All that searching and all in all, she was told "ta pis." But she wasn't going to give up so easily. Perhaps she would just try making the potion herself. The worst that could possibly happen was that the potion wouldn't work. What were her other options?

Hermione was so absorbed in holding back tears, she didn't even notice when she ran into Malfoy. He was walking a bit shakily, with his arms flopped around two girls around their age. Both looked a bit pug faced, like Pansy in Hermione's opinion, but maybe that was a turn on for Draco. She tried to avoid the blonde, but his dilated pupils still focused in on her.

Shit. How was she going to explain herself? Remembering that she was still in disguise she calmed down. Luckily, she was Kaia still.

"Oy, Kai…," it was painfully clear Draco was drunk. He murmured something to the two girls and they immediately began whimpering in the most disgusting way. He bent his pale blond head down low to give each a sloppy kiss before sending them on their separate ways. Rid of his groupies, he ambled on up to Hermione.

"Hey Kaiiiiii," he strung out the shortened version of her name. "Mind if I call you Kai?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Watchya doin' out here? Wassrong?"

"Nothing," Hermione almost managed to keep her voice even. "I'm fine."

"Oh, don't cry. Draco can make it better," and he tried to kiss her but Hermione quickly ducked. Ignoring her obvious distaste, Draco threw an arm around her frail shoulders. Hermione shuddered at the thought of where his arms may've been. "How old are you anyway? Must be at least 29 or so to be hanging about with Sev. But I like older women," Draco raised an eyebrow lasciviously.

What was it about propositioning a woman that made Draco seem almost…sober? "What a coincidence,' she shrugged out of his embrace. "I like older men," Hermione said, not caring to explore how that sentiment may've come off to Draco until it was out of her mouth. Great. Now he though she and Professor Snape were…involved.

"Oh, I get it," He immediately clammed up. "You've got the hots for Sev. Okay. But you don't know what you're missing." His eyes swept over Hermione's body once again. "If you decide to find out, my room isn't far from his," a suggestive smirk graced his features.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Hermione lied

"Hey," he said slowly, as if he'd just realized who he was talking to. "Why are you here all alone? Why aren't you with Sev? I'd better get you back. He'll have a cow if he finds out you were walking around here alone at night."

Hermione tried her best to protest, but Draco pretended not to hear.

"Uh-uh, he shook his head. "I'll not have Sev disparaging me as well." Even inebriated, he had a formidable vocabulary.

Hermione gave in. What else could she do? It wasn't as if she would be able to shake the irrational and strong Malfoy. And the Professor had said that she could stay the night. And with Malfoy…Draco around, it would be harder for the Professor to be so…callous…

SHSHSHSHSH

It had taken some time, but Severus had just banished his guilt about what would happen to Hermione. Unfortunately, Draco returned, bringing the guilt back with a raging vengeance.

"Hey Sev, look what I've found," Draco yelled, his words a bit slurred.

Sighing and rolling his eyes to heaven, Snape answered him. "You better not have brought another girl here Draco, I've told you time and time again how dange-"

Hermione followed Severus' voice. "Miss me?" She asked, her eyebrows raised tauntingly.

Severus couldn't speak for a moment, he felt like he was seeing a ghost. "Wha-" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "What are you doing here?"

"You're lying, cheating, murdering, but beloved Draco wouldn't hear of me leaving. He brought me back. Who'd of thought?"

What was it about facing death that had made Hermione so damn confident? Drawing himself up to his full height, he stared her down. "I thought I told you get out," he said with more gusto than he'd thought possible.

Hermione screwed her face up in mock contemplation. "Was that before or after you said I could stay?" She asked innocently.

Snape was at an utter loss. It seemed that introducing Hermione, or whatever the hell her assumed name was, had been a fatal mistake. How could he get rid of her now, with Draco watching her every move. Stealing a glance at Hermione's new form, Snape shuddered. He had no doubt Draco was watching her every move

"I'll stay in your room," Hermione informed him. "And by the way Draco thinks we're sleeping together. Just thought you ought to know," she skipped off in the direction of Severus' room.

He sighed. He could feel a headache coming on.