Disclaimer: Yep, you guessed right. I don't own it.
A/N: Well another chapter gone and another one to write. You may call this chapter remotely uneventful seeing as it is focused more on their feelings toward each other and the development of their relationship. DHr fluffiness yay! Enjoy! Hopefully. Oh and big thanks for the reviews! They made my day, no my week. So keep them coming!
Chapter 7– Affections
It was the morning of the match that had officially opened the Quidditch season, and as always, it was Slytherin Versus Gryffindor. Draco woke with a start that morning – Goyle had produced a remarkably loud snore causing Draco to suddenly wake thinking there was a wild beast in the room. After all, he couldn't sleep very well anyway, (surprisingly the snoring had nothing to do with it) all the excitement and anticipation kept him awake all night. Stepping into the showers, he ran a hand through his platinum hair. I will not let Potter grab the snitch, it's my last chance, and he won't win this time.
On the other side of the school high up in the Gryffindor tower, Hermione was getting dressed with a rather savage battle raging in her mind. Who would she cheer for? The obvious choice of course would be Gryffindor… but Draco deserved a win too, especially over Harry… It was a few moments and a string of pointless arguments until – "Oh whatever!" she exasperated and exited her dorm down to breakfast.
It was usually oddly coincidental the way they both walked into the Great Hall at the same time. They were one of the first students down there as well, unless you counted some other students – most whom of which were locked at the lips trying to catch a little 'together' time before the Professors had arrived. However, for Hermione it was a time to enjoy a book in peace and for Draco it was time either to brood or catch up on much needed sleep. Hermione sipped her steaming coffee and reread for the umpteenth time her Ancient Runes essay due the following Monday. After having read it at least twice more her eyes trailed to a certain Slytherin who gulped his coffee fervently. Unbeknownst to her, her lips had already curved into a smile. That had been happening quite a lot recently. She watched him then place his mug on the table and transfigure it into a miniature version of a firebolt, he then charmed it to zoom around the hall and his miniature version had imitated the movements of the life-sized artefact perfectly. She couldn't help but admire his spellwork, if only such evidence could be witnessed in the classroom.
Finally, whether it was on purpose or not, his miniature firebolt had bumped a Ravenclaw boy hard on the back of the head disturbing the kissing Ravenclaw couple. They surfaced looking very annoyed. All the while Hermione watched and giggled.
"They needed to come up for air anyway." She laughed. Draco, who had felt her gaze finally looked up at her and grinned. "Good luck." She mouthed, and in receiving the message, he smirked back. She feel her cheeks suddenly flush and she tore her gaze away as the delicious breakfast finally appeared before them. Harry and Ron appeared minutes later smiling brightly.
"Ready for the match?" She asked them.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Answered Ron happily as he took his place beside her.
"As always." Said Harry flashing his widest grin and sat next to Ron.
"Good skies today." announced Ron. "Perfect weather for the perfect match."
"Perfect for whom I wonder?" asked Hermione, slicing up her pancakes. "You never know, you might be a little too confident." Ron looked at her as if she were saying that blast-ended-skrewts were cute and cuddly.
"What do you mean 'a little too confident?'" asked Ron. "Of course Gryffindor's going to win, Malfoy's never won against us."
"But you never know, Malfoy's been training a lot harder lately, I've seen him." Said Hermione, trying to give her study companion the credit he deserved. She was right, every night when they weren't in session he was out there, whether with his team or not, training. Sometimes he would even arrive at eight o'clock still wearing his Quidditch robes, fresh from training. Such determination should be admired and rewarded, thought Hermione. Malfoy deserved a win over Harry and even with Harry as her best friend Malfoy deserved it.
"Yeah but Harry's got pure talent." Said Ron slapping Harry on the back genially. Hermione was about to snap at Ron saying that Malfoy did too have talent but instead shut her mouth thinking otherwise.
"But Malfoy does have talent." She mumbled under her breath, making sure they didn't hear. She didn't have any intention of arousing any manner of suspicion between the boys, it would seem as if she liked Malfoy or something. "I don't." she muttered even more quietly, trying to convince herself of it, but she knew she was beginning to grow very fond of the blonde boy. But Malfoy did have talent or else he wouldn't have stayed on the team for so long, besides, she had seen him fly. He flew smoothly and in control, Harry's style was more reckless and daring that's probably why he always caught the snitch, because he dared to.
She chanced another longing glance at the Slytherin, but was interrupted when a loud distraction came in the form of Luna Lovegood. "Oh, hello Luna." She greeted warmly.
"Hello there Hermione, Ron, Harry. Just come to wish you luck for the upcoming match." She said dazedly, her corkscrew necklace dangling about her robes.
"Hey Luna."
"Thanks Luna."
Luna smiled and tapped her roaring lion hat with her wand so that it once again resounded through the large hall. "Well must be off, my father said he'd owl me today. He told me he caught sight of a few crumple-horned snorkacks! Isn't it exciting?"
"Uh…sure." Said Harry reluctantly. "See you Luna." And with that the girl odd girl swept off and out of the scene.
"Ha, mental that one, but still, fun to be around." Said Ron, shovelling his breakfast in his mouth using his spoon.
"She's not mental Ron…just because she's a little different…" Said Hermione sternly, "Don't let Ginny hear you talking about Luna like that." In ten minutes Harry and Ron had to head off to the change rooms. Evidently, to her reluctant disappointment and dismay, this meant a certain Slytherin was leaving his table as well. She was left at the Gryffindor table alone, she sighed and absent-mindedly began to stir her already cold coffee. Not a moment later, a familiar face bounded to her. "Morning Ginny, why aren't you playing this morning?"
"I would love to be out there on the pitch, but I was struck with a really bad case of the flu." She sniffled, her nose looking almost the shade of her vivid hair. "Real bad luck, eh? Harry's not too happy about it but in any case, mind coming down to the pitch with me?"
"Sure, I was about to head down anyway." A distinct and startling roar caused Hermione jump. "Hello again Luna."
"Luna!" cried Ginny, through a load of tissues, "Want to come down with us as well?"
It was not five minutes later when the three of them (along with the majority of the school) were traipsing across the school grounds and across To the Quidditch Pitch. It was a long time before they were actually seated in the stands where they chose seats right on the edge and closest to the action. However, by this time, the game was minutes from starting.
"Who do you think will win?" wagered Hermione as the fourteen players stepped on this pitch (she kept an extra close watch especially over a certain blonde one.)
"Gryffindor naturally." Said Ginny seconds before she sneezed, "but I hear from Dean that Slytherin's been training really hard this year, so the outcome could be anything."
She turned to Luna. "What about you Luna?" asked Hermione.
"… Those clouds are really funny shapes…" said the dreamy girl, "…oh look it's starting." Immediately Hermione shifted her gaze towards the ground, the captains shook hands. She grew tense. In a matter of seconds all players were in the air. Harry and Draco flying the highest as to search for the snitch better.
Often there were times when either Harry or Draco caught sight the snitch and started zooming towards it (Hermione was ashen white whenever this happened) but in an instant the gold fluttering ball disappeared again. She along with others had recognised that Malfoy had noticeably improved. She was paying no attention to the score, honestly she didn't care she was too preoccupied closely watching the two seekers battle it out.
Twenty minutes into the game and Hermione's heartbeat was erratic. Harry and Draco were both diving at immeasurable speed. On the other side of the pitch one of the Slytherin beaters had powerfully knocked a bludger towards the ground. The deadly bludger was speeding towards both Draco and Harry. Harry who sensed this and with the advantage of a much faster broom, sped forward and avoided the deadly bludger. Unfortunately, the glittering golden ball the two had been chasing had vanished.
Hermione gripped the railing tightly, the bludger was coming and Draco wasn't moving. Why wasn't he moving? He and that bludger were set to a collision course!
Draco knew the bludger was coming, he flew back upwards to avoid it – it only followed. With the deadly black ball closing in, he had only one choice left…
Hermione gripped the railing even tighter, so tight in fact that her knuckles were growing white. She was on the edge of her seat. The bludger was growing closer and closer...
With the ball only inches away from giving him extensive brain damage, Draco hastily hoisted one leg over his broom and allowed himself to fall. The bludger flew on and merely grazed his right ear. With one hand, he now hung from his broom hundreds of feet in the air.
… The bludger was about to hit him. Hermione leapt from her seat. "NOOO!" she yelled, in fear for his life. But instead of the bludger colliding with him, he narrowly missed it by sliding off his broom. Once the bludger had zoomed off he hoisted himself back up. Hermione, shaking from tension, collapsed back into her chair and emitted a huge sigh of relief.
"What's the matter with you Hermione?" asked Ginny sceptically. "You were really getting nervous back there. Come on he's just Malfoy."
But he wasn't 'just Malfoy' he wasn't just the stuck up annoying Malfoy, well – he was the stuck up annoying Malfoy who grew on her and he was the Malfoy she grew fond of. She didn't know why but she knew she wouldn't be able to bear it if he ever got severely hurt.
"That Draco Malfoy has been quite… subdued this year." Commented Luna. "He's still not very kind though."
"Well even if he's not as big a prat as he used to be. Once a prat, always a prat." Said Ginny promptly. Hermione held a guilty silence and was determined not to take part in any of the conversation. "Look! Harry found the snitch!" cried Ginny. Luna tapped her hat once more so the lion atop it roared encouragingly. Hermione's hands found the railing and gripped it harder than before, growing as tense as ever.
Draco was right on Harry's tail. This is it, he thought, it's now or never. He sped up to be level with Harry. Harry's hand was already outstretched to grab the glittering ball. Draco's was also, desperately he groped, determined not to let his adversary win.
I won't let him win… I won't let him win…
He new this was his last chance, his only chance. Many times, Draco remembered, he had tried and failed. Year after year Potter won and year after year Slytherin was at a defeat. Potter had always snatched the snitch before him and Draco had nearly been thrown off the team because of it. If his father had not intervened and wrote an arduous letter to the school, Draco would not be here. He didn't know what exactly his father stated in that letter but it had done the trick and now he would not let that second chance go to waste. He didn't care if neither of them won but he would not let Harry Potter once again steal his long-awaited victory.
Draco sensed something from behind, it seems like that bludger had come for seconds. Aware of the danger, the two seekers ploughed on for that tiny snitch. The bludger head for Harry, he swerved and missed it. With Draco now in the lead he stayed right on the snitch's tail and extended his arm out further, just a little more… The bludger had come back for him. With only a second to spare, he grabbed it and he knew no more…
"Tied with Slytherin!" Harry grumbled miserably and sat back into one of the squishy chairs.
"I know mate." Said Ron, taking a place beside him. "I couldn't believe it either, blimey, I still can't believe it!"
Hermione remained silent with a smile of satisfaction. This was an outcome she could handle. She could only hope Draco would be content with the outcome as well. She really did hope he was all right she was very worried about him. Which reminded her… "Hey guys, I'll be in the Library for a bit." She stood and rushed down towards the hospital wing.
Upon reaching her intended destination, she cautiously stepped inside and looked about for any indication of student or teacher. When she discerned neither was present, she crept inside and searched for a certain bed. The darkness of night had already befallen upon them and she only had a few lit wall candles to aid her in her search. A glisten of silver was spotted only a few beds away. Immediately knowing it was him she rushed to his bedside and could only hope that he was all right.
She sat down on a small stool beside him. She had been so worried. Draco's head was now encircled with bandages. No one had received any word concerning his condition. A bludger to the head was a very serious injury. Hermione surveyed him carefully with the burdens of worry filling her mind. He was unconscious and that was the extent of her limited knowledge. The brightness of the candlelight illuminated his features perfectly only bringing her further to the brink of tears as she wrung her wrists nervously.
"Please be alright," she whispered, "Please be alright…" She reached for one of his hands and gripped it tightly. His hand was still warm meaning he was still alive. She choked on a dry sob. "Malfoy…" Several prolonged and uneventful moments passed. Although he was unconscious, but by some universal force his hand gently squeezed hers back. Her eyes widened and she stared at their joined hands in astonishment. "Malfoy?"
A pained groan came in reply. Slowly he opened his eyes and blinked. He sat up. She gasped in surprise, "Malfoy!" and hugged him with full force, allowing her tears to finally fall.
"Granger…?"
"You're all right! You're all right!" She cried into his shoulder.
"Granger? What are you…?" He asked weakly before being swamped with a mane of thick brown curls.
"Damn you! Damn you Malfoy! You had me so worried!"
He blinked, completely overcome with shock. "I… uh…" he mumbled as his hands lay awkwardly at his sides. Deciding to say no words, he slowly placed his arms around her crying figure as she sobbed into him. Her eyes flew open in shock. Draco had no real experience in consoling anyone, what was he to do? But finally he simply closed his eyes and realised this was enough and her crying had slowly disintegrated. They sat there for a moment in a strange yet comfortable embrace. He let his arms fall. "You can release me now, I'm quite fine." He told her.
Reluctantly, she let go. "I'm glad you're feeling well." She sighed, drying her tears.
"But why? Why did you come to see me?" He asked in mild amazement. No one had ever come to visit him before. Unless you count the occasion way back in third year when his arm had been injured by that Hippogriff. Pansy had come to deliver a box of 'Bertie Bott's every flavour Beans' which had unfortunately comprised mainly of vomit flavoured ones. She hadn't come since, Crabbe and Goyle never came either. Draco supposed those two dunderheads lacked the mental capacity to even realise where the hospital wing was, and Blaise. Blaise was another story to be left explained at a further date.
She hesitated. "Because…" Hermione's answer died away. In the long hours of nerve-wrecking anticipation after the match, she had found time to discover why she was so tense during the match and why she knew she wouldn't be able to bear it if he ever got hurt. It was several moments before she delivered her answer. "Because…I care about you."
For the second time that night, Draco was shocked. Albeit, he recovered momentarily and granted her a sort of half smile. "Well I didn't sustain any life threatening injuries did I?" he chuckled examining his body.
"A bludger to the head is a life threatening injury." Said Hermione, "For a moment there I thought I had lost you." And once again she had unknowingly expressed her tender feelings for him through her words.
"I wouldn't have sustained this injury if I didn't have another vision." Said Draco darkly.
"You had another vision?"
"Yeah, but it -"
"Malfoy this is dangerous," said Hermione warningly, "Quidditch is a dangerous sport! You can't just go out there and play when we have you collapsing at any inopportune moment."
"Granger, listen…this time my vision was different from before."
"What do you mean 'different'?" she asked quizzically.
"It wasn't a hidden memory from my childhood, I was in a jungle somewhere near some ruins…" He said trying to regain his memory. Hermione pondered this for a moment.
"It is possible." She concluded, "It's a good chance that now you're being shown where the ritual would actually take place… a jungle you said? Well I doubt it's anywhere in this country."
He nodded thoughtfully, "By the way Granger…about the match… Slytherin lost, didn't we?" He asked with a forlorn expression flitting across his features. She smiled radiantly.
"No, tied game." She said proudly, "Although I think it was Slytherin's win though, even though I am contradicting my own house. It's the truth. When you passed out the match was stopped. It was clear that you got the snitch, but when that bludger hit you, you kind of dropped it so it wasn't clear who won. They declared it a tied game."
Draco laid back into his bed with a sigh of relief, his insides filling with overwhelming happiness. He had finally done it. It didn't matter if neither won he didn't care. Potter did not grab that snitch and quite frankly Draco couldn't be happier.
Hermione checked her watch. Harry and Ron would probably be wondering where she was by now. "Get well soon Malfoy, as for me, I need to take off before anyone sees me."
"Right."
She hopped off her stool, gave him one last smile and turned to leave. She was already nearing the door when -
"Granger?"
She turned around.
"Thank you." He said in much more subdued voice, as if deciding whether this was the right thing or not. "For your concern."
She was touched, really. With a reassuring smile she turned around and ran back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Draco settled back into his bed and sighed. I cannot believe I just did that.
A week and a half later Draco stumbled haphazardly out of the Hospital Wing in a desperate fear, he took a quick glance over his shoulder and ran down the corridor as fast as his legs could carry him, while a very flustered and distraught Madame Pomfrey chased him on his heels.
"Mr. Malfoy! MR MALFOY! I have not released you yet! Come back here this instant! You still need care!" She yelled into the distance, but Draco had already disappeared. "That boy." She muttered darkly. "Mark my words, I'll put him in detention one day."
Draco breathlessly skidded down a dark and lamp-lit corridor, only to knock violently into a girl carrying a stack of heavy books. And by the outraged "Hey" that came from the girl, he recognised her immediately.
"Granger?"
"Malfoy?" She asked, stepping into the dim lamplight to capture a better view of him. "What, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital wing?" She straightened out her dishevelled hair.
"As a matter of fact, that's where I had just escaped from." He replied, his breathing returning back to normal.
"Escaped? Malfoy, you know you shouldn't be doing that! For all we know you could still be having concussions or something." She complained sounding annoyed.
"Not to worry, I'm quite fine I assure you." He said losing his patience.
"The last time you told me you were fine, you were lying in a hospital bed with a bandage wrapped around your head." Hermione pointed out.
"Shouldn't you be picking up all those books you dropped?" He asked, directing the conversation away from the patch of a potential argument. She looked down at the mass of fallen books in her close vicinity.
"Oh, right…Actually, I was one my way to bring these to you." Said Hermione. Since Draco's accident at the Quidditch Pitch, Hermione had not been deterred and she continued to see him in the hospital wing. Only on these occasions she brought a stack of books and study materials with her. She bent down on her hands and knees and started to gather them all. Draco, with an overly exaggerated roll of his eyes bent down and helped her. When at last they had reached the last book, it lay in front of the both of them. Simultaneously they reached for it, while doing so their hands brushed each other. Hermione looked down, turning red. In seeing this, Draco handed it to her. She muttered a quick thanks and stood.
"Granger, Since the decathlon is only a couple of weeks away I think we should increase, for intellectually beneficial purposes only, the amount of study sessions." Said Draco as he stood. Hermione seemed to ponder this for a moment.
"I see what you mean, so we can achieve a thorough and in depth knowledge of our topics, yes it would bring an advantage seeing as the other schools already have the advantage of more participants than us. And if an accident like your injury happens once again… I see what you mean." Said Hermione thoughtfully.
"It doesn't have to be every night. You have your Head Girl duties and what-not and I have Quidditch Practices and the such." Said Draco quickly, trying to imply a platonic air between them.
"Well, okay." Said Hermione. "So do you want to skip tonight's session and resume tomorrow night instead?" She asked.
"Hermione Granger passing up the opportunity to study? That's something worth noting down" He mocked.
"Oh shut up." She said half-heartedly as she began to walk away. "And that's five points from Slytherin." She added as she was reaching the end of the corridor.
"For what?" he asked, sounding flabbergasted. "Hey you're abusing your power!"
Hermione turned and smiled mischievously. "Nope. That's five points for running away from the hospital wing and I think Madame Pomfrey would agree with me." And with that she disappeared into the shadows. Draco was left in the lamplight, red in the face and speechless. He opened his mouth to protest but closed it although he hated to admit it, she was right.
The next night the two met at the customary eight o'clock in the Library. Hermione was very upset with very Professor Snape about a previous incident that day involving Neville Longbottom, a spilt potion and a hole eaten through the dungeon floor. All the while through Hermione's accusations Draco tried helplessly to defend his Slytherin honour.
"Snape… the nerve of that man…fifty points… fifty." Hermione muttered viciously, looking flustered.
"Longbottom deserved it Granger. In case you didn't notice he burned a hole in the dungeon floor." Said Draco defensively.
"That horrid, horrid old man." Hissed Hermione, she had crossed a 't' so ferociously that the nib of her quill tore straight through several pages of her parchment.
"Be reasonable Granger, the said 'old man' happens to be a very competent educator." Reasoned Draco serenely, flicking through a page.
"I don't care if he's the best teacher that has ever walked the earth! He's a biased and unjust old git who needs to educate himself on the manner of proper hygiene!" Said Hermione even more furiously before, creasing pages as she turned them. Draco finally looked up to her looking on the verge of laughter.
"Yes the man does desperately need to use a good hair care product but nonetheless he has always treated me with kind regard." He chuckled good-naturedly. It was one of the first times she had ever witnessed him in such a kindly mood.
She gave him an exaggerated look. "Favouritism."
"Don't blame Snape for recognising talent when he sees it." Said Draco proudly. Hermione scoffed and gave him another look.
"Yeah that's if you call sucking up a talent. That teacher is an overgrown bat." She argued. "He's completely blind, Parkinson can't even light a fire underneath her cauldron without fussing about her newly acquired manicure."
"Professor Snape is not an overgrown bat. I'll tell you who's a bat, Trelawney. The old woman is completely mad." Said Draco. In an instant, Hermione sprung to the idea of abusing the Divination teacher where the both of them pursued a delightful conversation – one which included many laughs – where they abused and complained about certain members of the Hogwarts faculty. But eventually the flow of conversation had finally arrived to none other than: Dolores Umbridge.
"She was hilarious! A comic genius!" Laughed Draco in reminiscence.
"She was a sick, twisted evil old toad!" Hermione cried in a furious passion. "That wretched hag and her Inquisitorial Squad, practically lording over the school -"
"Hey! I was a part of that Squad! It was position that commanded pride and respect." Said Draco resentfully, although not with as much flair as the girl sitting opposite him when it came to their former Defence instructor.
"It completely undermined the prefect system!" She yelled flailing her arms up in the air, all rational thought of studying forgotten. He raised an eyebrow and watched her in amusement. She was really cute when she was angry…
"The school needed extra law enforcement." Reasoned Draco.
"Wait… now I remember!" She cried, retrieving her memory. "You! Yes you!" She started pointing a dangerous finger towards him. "Deducting points from me and my company simply because you disliked us!"
He chuckled at the memory. "Well what can I say Granger?" He said smiling, he found it so fun seeing her worked up like this. "I'm an opportunist."
"And I happen to be Head Girl!" She said, rising from her chair with an air of indignant bravado. "I have the authority!" she claimed jabbing herself proudly in the chest. "Let's see that wicked old toad now!" She shook a nasty finger in the air, "…Carried off by herd of centaurs! Stupid, stupid woman! - "
"Uh, Granger?" asked meekly, interrupting and cutting short her passionate rant.
"What?"
"Calm down – breathe - calm down." He advised patiently, making breathing noises as if to remind her of the forever unchanging and automated human action. Even though he knew he would miss the fun of watching her rave, he couldn't help but realise that the tone of her voice was rising to such a dangerous and threatening crescendo to the point that he was becoming a little fearful. Any lesser of a man would have been cowering by now. Honestly, she was giving off the impression that she was reciting an impressive warcry. Like a stern General giving an intensely inspirational speech before sending the first battalion of troops straight into the heart of a war.
She suddenly snapped out of her fiery disposition and surveyed her surroundings. Finally falling back to earth, she sat back looking sheepish. "Heh, guess I got a little bit carried away…"
"A little bit?" He asked sceptically. Hermione calmed her rattled nerves and resumed her mode for studying. After the ruckus of Hermione's very articulated and aggressive opinion silence ensued for the moment, until they finally caught each other's eye and erupted in spontaneous laughter. It was a funny night…
That night, Draco returned to his dorm amused and with a rare smile gracing his naturally handsome features. He sat on his bed and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't believe what he was feeling that night. Amongst the laughter between them, he surely didn't know why but several times that night… he felt a very strong urge to actually kiss her. And at times he often imagined them doing so. When that thought came across his mind, against all his willpower he found himself liking it. He took several moments to compose himself and kept reminding himself of his heritage.
"I do not like her." He muttered firmly to himself. "I do not like her, I don't, I won't and I can't"
Hermione returned to the dorm that night with the feeling as if she were in a dream. She had never felt this way about anyone before, maybe in fourth year with Viktor Krum, but never this strong. The furious blushing, the furtive glances, the annoying butterflies, oh yes she knew what this was. Not to mention her ever growing and strong attraction towards him. She was attracted to him and she had come to terms with that ever since she first hugged him. The way she felt that moment he hugged her back… It was one of the happiest moments she had felt for a long time. At one crazy moment she even imagined having her partner as a boyfriend and found herself muttering, "That would be nice" Immediately she snapped out of it.
"I do not like him." She said in her most persuasive tones. Although as much as she wanted to convince herself as much as that tone of voice could convince Ron or Harry, it did not work on herself. Where was their relationship leading?
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