Chapter 10

"Morning Hermione." Cho smiled at a very surprised head girl. What is Cho doing coming to sit with me? "How are you?" she waited until she was absolutely sure Chi was talking and about to sit with her, then said.

"I'm fine thanks." She looked to her timetable and pushed her empty plate away from her. Thursday meant double free period, double history of magic and then single charms. So she had a few hours to kill. She planned to go to the library and use Harry's books, (that she swiped from him this morning to copy up) and catch up with the rest of the year. It would take her 20 minutes tops from the looks of what she had to do. She knew all the spells and topics here already. But still, better to make the notes just encase.

"Good. I just heard you were in the infirmary for a while."

"Yeah I was. it appears falling out a window is not the healthiest of hobbies."

"I heard Peeves is responsible."

"You would be right."

"I heard that Draco went right after you."

"…yes he did."

"I heard…that he took you into his room." her head snapped up at that with wide eyes. "Lavender saw him carrying you. You were the envy of the school when we all saw him."

She gulped. They all saw them?

"Heh, heh, he just wanted to make sure I was ok."

"By taking you out of the infirmary?" Cho smirked and raised a brow.

"Well, yes I suppose." She looked down at her lap, fiddling with her satchel strap.

"So. How close exactly are you?" that's it! I may be inwardly drawn when it comes to Draco, but I will not stand for this!

"I will have you know that we are friends and nothing more."

"Sure didn't look like it." she sang. "Oh I envy you. As do all the rest of the females in our year. And some other years too. Did you hear about the 7th year who tried t ask him to go to Hogsmeade this weekend? He supposedly roared in her face and set her robes on fire, without a wand!"

"He did?" she felt slightly happy about this, as her lips quirked up into a smile. Then she felt awful. How could she be glad that he had scared that poor girl?

"Yeah, he did. It was as if he thought the idea disgusting."

"Oh." She simply said, quite interested now.

"Anyway I was wondering…" Hermione turned to her.

"What do you want?" she almost chuckled. She knew there was more of a reason for Cho to come and sit with her.

"Well…could you ask Draco if he would come with me to Hogsmeade? I mean, you said you are friends so you could ask him, and since you are only friends…you wouldn't mind him going with me…right?" Hermione seemed to find her smile more forced than usual. But she managed it.

"Sure, I'll ask him."

"Excellent. Tell me at the end of charms, ok?"

"Alright." And just as she thought she would, Cho got up and left her straight away. That was the only reason Cho had come to sit with her. She just used the 'How are you?' to open the conversation. But she had to chuckle.

How would Draco react to being asked out on a date? And how was she going to ask him for Cho? She didn't have long to think, as mister mystery himself stalked down the hall and bee lined for her.

"Hermione." He said briefly before sitting down next to her. But he almost slipped off the chair when she beamed a smile at him. he found himself staring at her for a moment, before pulling his bag onto the table. "We have a free period first." He stated.

"I have two."

"As do I."

"And good morning by the way." She chuckled and placed her timetable in her bag. She then used her wand to clear her plate. One less job for the house elves.

"Yes…good morning." He said more softly than before, and looked forward again. he slowly shuffled closer to her, and she glanced to the side, seeing this. "What do you wish to do for the first two periods?"

"Well, I have some catching up to do for the day of school I missed. I am just glad it was one. If Madam Pomfrey had caught me this morning then…" she snapped her mouth shut. "I mean." She heard Draco laugh good heartedly, and found herself leaning closer to him, to listen to him better. It as like a low, but soft melodic tune. To hypnotic…

"So Little miss perfect escaped the barricades of the infirmary? Why you rebel." He laughed again, and looked down at her face. she seemed to be in a daze, and he tilted his head to one side. "Are you alright?"

"Oh?" she snapped out of it, and blushed. "Oh, yes I am. I was just…thinking."

"What about?" he moved even closer to her, so there were only inches between them.

"Well…" quick think of something…erm…ah! Perfect. "Just about the weekend." She started to shuffle in her seat, and fiddled with her hands on her lap. "Well, at the start of term, Dumbledore made it so 6th and 7th years can go to Hogsmeade every weekend if they wanted." Draco smiled widely under his mask. He thought he would beat her to it, just to see her blush.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" he said softly into her ear. Hermione gasped. She supposed to be asking him for Cho! He made the wrong conclusion. But then she beamed when she remembered.

"Well I can't this weekend. I promised Hagrid I would help out with the Unicorns this weekend…but thank you anyway…" she blushed madly anyway…and he saw that he might be able to mauve this another way. That was until. "But Cho is free and she was wondering if you would-"

"No." he snapped. He wanted to go with Hermione, not that popular pimple! He gripped at his own knee and tried to get his temper under control. "But." He breathed. "I would very much like to help you with the unicorns this weekend." Her head snapped up. That was not a good idea!

"Well…I'm not the only one Hagrid asked to help him…"

"Potter and Weasley." He folded his arms. "I could still help too." He pouted and looked away. Hermione looked to him, and smiled. He flinched when she placed a hand on his arm. He then looked to her, and became lost in her smile and dazzling eyes.

"You can help if you want. It would endear you to Hagrid a little better, and say sorry for how you literally threw him around." She chuckled. But he seemed to like the idea.

"Then I will do it." he stated.

"Alright. Now I just have to find a nice way to tell Cho…" she mumbled to herself, but Draco heard her clearly.

"Did she ask you to enquire about this weekend?" he was furious! How dare they try to use Hermione to get to him!

"Well…yes she did but that is how girls ask people if they can't find a way to ask themselves. I mean, you are never in a situation for her to ask you."

"And I never will be." He said very low, and very close to her. His black mask was inches from her face. "Never."

She frowned. He said he never had a friend…so he will certainly never had a girlfriend either. Maybe I should help him."

"You will never get girls to like you if you act like that." she chuckled, and he blinked at her.

"I don't want girls to like me. I just." He stopped. I just want you to like me. "I don't need girls to live like the pimple necked punks in our year. You know them, the ones who can't keep in their own robes." He sneered, and pulled a piece of parchment from his side, and a quill. She watched the feather. It was a long, black slender feather hat seemed to shine many different colours in the light. He started to write with it, and she just watched as the ink appeared on the paper.

Dear sir or madam.

I will be cancelling my prescription to your one sided, bias, up our own ass paper as I am regularly on a day to day basis disgusted at the content of the Daily Profit, and will never lower myself to read such filth again. The way people are treated in your articles is despicable and slanderous. I don't know how you hold your head high with such a lack of honour and respect for your fellow witches and wizards. This paper is a retched thing and cruel at more than one time.

I am ashamed of every one of you spineless bastards.

From

He signed it but didn't let her see. He then folded it, snapped his fingers, and it turned into a large black envelope with the letter inside. He waved his hand over the back, and the same double dragon head in a large flame that was on his diary, appeared there.

"I haven't seen that kind of envelope before. It looks almost like a howler…but they are red."

"It is a howler." He smirked and looked over her head. "With a few personal modifications." Then a screeching caught the entire hall's attention as a large creature flew in. it looked like an over grown Eagle Owl, as black as night with brilliant yellow eyes. It landed before Draco and bowed its head. "Now Night wing. Take this to the headquarters of the Daily Profit immediately." He tied the envelope to the mighty bird's leg, and it took off with one powerful beat of its wings. It vanished almost as quickly as it came.

"You're cancelling your prescription to the daily profit? Why?"

"It is cruel. And retched." He simply said and stood up. Then it clicked. Hermione had said it was retched under her breath, and he had cancelled it, because she didn't like it! He cancelled it, for her!

"You know, I didn't mean to-"

"To the library I think." he cut her off curtly again. He acted to strange to say he was so devoted to her. She sighed and picked up her bag.

"Sure, this way." She led him through the school. She saw Cho and was about to speak with her. she already had eye contact with her and smiled to her, just about to say something when.

"And by the way." He stepped in front of her and looked down at Cho, making her whimper against the wall.

"Draco wait!"

"I will never go anywhere with such a weak creature as yourself. So never, ever ask again."

"Draco!" she jumped in front of him. "You can't just say that!"

"I just did." he said defiantly and folded his arms. Why was she bothered anyway?

"But that is how you scare people and hurt their feelings. It would have been nicer if you pulled her aside and said, I am sorry but I can't come this weekend or something like that."

"But that would be lying. I simply don't want to go with her." they were having this pointless argument, as Draco wasn't about to give any, in the middle of the hall. They had forgotten that Cho and her friends were even there. "Is it not more honourable to simple tell her the truth, and not let her build up false hopes?"

"But you might want to go out with her in the future. And if not Cho, then a friend of hers. But they might be afraid of asking you if you act like this all the time."

"I find nothing wrong with the way I act." He tapped his foot, getting frustrated quickly. Hermione sighed and stepped up to him. oh yes, here was the Gryffindor she truly was.

"But you should at least consider how she would feel if you say that."

"I don't care."

"Well you should!"

"Why?" he stepped closer to her, but she didn't budge. She wouldn't on this one.

"Because you will never learn if you don't try!"

"But I don't want to try anything towards her."

"That isn't the point!"

"And what is the point?" he leaned against the wall, folding his arms. Ron and Harry were just walking past when they saw this argument.

"The point is that you shouldn't treat her, or anyone else for that matter, with that kind of attitude unless they really deserve it."

"And I would care why?"

"I don't know! But you should!" she had her fists at her sides and he seemed to be enjoying this! Calm down Hermione, calm down.

"I see no need to continue this futile attempt to change my perspective on this. I didn't want to go with her, so I told her I didn't. End of story." He pulled away from the wall, and reached to take her arm. But she scowled at him, freezing him to the spot. She was scowling…at him!

"No, not end of story! You can't just end conversations like this and brush it off. You can't just brush me off like this! If you really want me to be your friend, you have to learn respect."

"How did my rejection of Cho, turn into this!"

"That's girls for you mate." Ron chuckled, and froze as Hermione looked squarely at him. She stepped towards him, but Draco got there first. His hand was wrapped around his throat quicker than he could blink.

"You will hold our tongue wench. And apologise to her first."

"I…am…sorry." he choked between words, and was starting to turn a deep shade of blue before Draco dropped him. But when he turned to see Hermione, she was even more livid than before.

"Oh, you cad!" she said through struggled breaths, trying to control her anger. "See! This is exactly what I mean. You don't care about how you treat people! You don't care at all." She closed her eyes and turned her back to him. "You just don't care. I was trying to give you some friendly advice." She pulled her strap over her shoulder and started to walk away. "When you can learn how to care, I will be waiting. Until then, I want to be alone." She started to get out of the crowd until Draco grabbed her arm.

"You will not just dismiss me like that."

"Why not? You did me." she kept her eyes closed and her face turned away from him.

"You heard her Draco. She doesn't want you to go near her, so back off." Harry stepped up with his wand at the ready. "I mean it Draco."

"And I mean it when I say, stay out of it." he raised a hand, and Harry started to levitate.

"Even now! Even now you still act like, like," she couldn't say it and ran out of his hands. "Like a monster!" she cried and ran down the hall. Harry met with the floor with a thump, as Draco's arm went limp at his side.

Hermione just called him a monster.

Hermione.

His Hermione…

"Hermione…" he hung his head and turned to the crowd. "You want to look away, or will I have to rip some eyes out?" everyone soon dissipated quickly, that was all but Harry. Draco saw this and folded his arms, not in the mood for this. "What do you want Potter?"

"That hurt, didn't it." he said, but not spitefully like he would have thought. It was almost as if he cared. "For her to call you that, it hurt. You wouldn't have cared if it was anyone else. But it was her, so it hurt, right?"

"Fuck off Potter." He tried to walk past him, But Harry didn't move.

"Does it hurt? Answer me."

"Why should I?" he was ready to take this punks head off with his bare hands at this point. And he was so tempted.

"Because I can't help you if you don't." he simply stared at him. Did he hear him correctly. "So…did that hurt?" Harry dared to get closer to him, and Draco snarled.

"Why the hell should I answer you? After the way you treated her? You are no better than I am."

"Really? So if I was to ask her to Hogsmeade, do you think she would say no?"

"Don't you dare!"

"Why not? Unless…you have a problem with that?" Damn him! "Because if you did Draco…perhaps I could help you. As long as you promise not to be an arsehole again."

"I should tear your head from your shoulders right now."

"But you won't." Draco chuckled and folded his arms, stalking towards him.

"And what makes you so sure of that, Potter." He chuckled so evilly, that Harry stepped back.

"Because it would hurt Hermione." And he froze. Harry couldn't help but think gotcha.

"What do you want Potter."

"I think as m friends Fred and George would say, what do you want Draco?" Harry chuckled, seeing he had won.

"I want Hermione." He thought on that and added. "To stop being upset with me."

"Yeah, nice save there by the way." He chuckled. "And I could help you with that. all you would need to do is get her alone, surprise her and apologise." Draco growled.

"I will not apologise."

"Then get used to her being like this with you. Because she is head strong and will not waver on this until you do first." He chuckled and started to walk away. "Come and see me when you want to apologise. Because from what I see, you will soon."

"Pah, stupid Potter and his babbling nonsense." Draco decided to just walk straight up to her and demand she speak with him. It would be that hard, right?

Hermione was sat on her own, with her parchment and quill. She had finished writing up what she had missed and didn't know what to do now. Why had she blown off at Draco like that? She felt awful for that now. Now she thought about it, maybe he didn't know any better. He didn't seem to be the kind of guy who socialised very much. So what if he just thought that was how you were supposed to act? And she had been quick to disown him.

A tear fell from her cheek, and onto the parchment. Then she had an idea.

His name…Draco means Dragon…Draig Means Dragon…Damnatio? And what about Draconian? She found a modern Latin book and scrolled through it with her want. But found nothing. She then quirked a brow. could it be from ancient Latin? One way to find out. She found an ancient Latin book, dusty from lack of use, and looked for Damnatio first.

"Damnatio: Condemnation, to be condemned." She shuddered at that. she looked down. "Draconian: to be cruel or harsh in nature." She looked up from the books and frowned. What kind of mother would name their chilled Dragon, Dragon, condemned, cruel and harsh? What kind of a family did he come from? Hermione closed the book and recorded this down on a piece of parchment, before slipping it into her pocket.

Then her eyes met with two red lenses. Speak of the devil. Alright Hermione, stand your ground. Don't back down. He has to learn, now more than ever.

"Hermione." Oh boy he is pissed. But she didn't speak with him; she just blinked like no one was there, and looked down at her books again. She had cleverly covered the Latin ones with Rune studies. He growled and shoved the books from her lap. She yelped and looked to his eyes, afraid once more. "Hermione." He growled. After staring at her, he hung his head and sighed. If this is the only way Hermione…then… "I…I'm…s." but then Malfoy walked in with Crab and Goyal.

"Why if it isn't No face. I can't wait. My father has come into school and is looking for you." Malfoy looked ecstatic.

"Is he really." Luscious Malfoy. Oh I can't wait. He chuckled evilly, his hands still at either side of Hermione. He then pulled away in a slow, fluid motion and stood over Malfoy, making him yelp. He moved very much like a smooth Dementor, ready to deliver the kiss of death at any moment. "Show me the way."

"He, he will be, here, soon."

"Good. And for the record Malfoy, I can't wait either." He chuckled. Hermione sighed. She really thought he was going to apologise then. Obviously not…

"Well you will not have to wait long." A aristocrat voice of Luscious Malfoy came from behind, and Hermione held her head in her hands. Great. Fire will fly. Oh how right she was. she just didn't realise how right she was. she climbed up the ladder, to try and get another book and get away from the intoxicating levels of male testosterone building up. "So you are the one who has dared to touch my son."

"I would have done a lot more if I wasn't in such a good mood at the time. I even let him get away with his last mistake only the other day." He proved to be taller than Luscious, and this made him uncomfortable.

"Well, I will have to insist we have a word about that." Luscious looked around, and couldn't see anyone. And his two goonish friends had cleared the library. "Right now." He pulled out his wand from his walking stick, and aimed at him. Hermione gasped in horror as she saw the all too familiar green light leave his wand.

"CRUCIO!" the jet of green light shot out and hit Draco smack bang in the centre of his chest. Over his heart… his head hung forward, his fists clenched and he seemed frozen to the spot. Hermione whimpered at the sight, and wished she hadn't left her wand in her bag at the bottom of the ladder.

Luscious smirked and his son chuckled…until he realised that wasn't his son. Draco lifted his head and laughed his head off maliciously, and crossed his arms in front of his chest, before ripping his arms apart, and dissipating the red light that held him.

"My hide is quite thick Malfoy. Not even an unforgivable curse can penetrate it. Tickles really." He chuckled and his eyes glowed a deep red. It looked like blood was evaporating from his eyes in crimson wisps of smoke from his eyes, and he lowered his body into a fighting stance. His shoulders hunched up and he started growling like a beast. "Send my regards to your master, you bastard." He seemed to throw his head back, before stomping one foot forward and snarling. His arms were open at his sides…and Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. From his mouth, an inferno of flames spiralled out and only seemed to get stronger as it burnt away that part of his mask, and like a tornado of vengeance, jetted out towards Malfoy senior. Little Malfoy and his friends hid under a table, and Luscious cried out as he was engulfed by the flames. The same flames reflected in her eyes as she watched, stunned. Then one thought went over her mind over and over again.

He isn't human.

When the fire finally stopped, and Draco stood there, smoke coming from his mouth. "I hope you like your meat well done Malfoy." He chuckled and pulled something from his robes. It was a large back veil that he wrapped around his mouth and lower mask. If she wasn't so high up, she wouldn't have been able to see what seemed to root little Malfoy and his flunkies to the spot. "What? I brushed this morning didn't I?" her almost cackled and walked past them. "I need to find Hermione." He thought aloud, and she had to stifle a yelp. She thought she had gotten over her fear of him, but it just came back ten fold. Her original question had changed.

She no longer wanted to know who this guy was. now she wanted to know what this guy was.

Draco? What are you?