Chapter 10: AH!

"Bye," Blaise called after Draco.

Blaise turned his attention to the Professor up front and took a deep breathe. He knew it would take every bit of scheming Slytherin skill he still had left to get Draco an application and an option to write an essay but regardless, he would do it. He had to. Draco isn't going to make me spend a whole year with Pansy alone, and besides he doesn't deserve what ever fate awaits him with his father, Blaise thought bravely slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking to the front of the class.

"Professor Gibbs?"

The Professor looked up at him, "ah yes, Mr. Zabini. What can I do for you?"

"Well Professor, it's about the trip,"

"Would you like to go? I warn you, the chances of an applicant getting in this late are-,"

"No, it's for Draco," Blaise said.

"Mr. Malfoy?" The Professor laughed, "I admit he has changed his spots a little bit, but he never puts an effort into this class! I highly doubt he would make it on top of the other applicants. You on the other hand...,"

"Well I'm busy this summer," Blaise lied and the Professor frowned, "Look, Draco really needs this,"

"Needs this? What ever for? His family is so rich he could practically buy his way onto the trip but that's not what we're about. Mr. Malfoy just does not have the literal academic achievement to make it,"

"Like I said Professor, he needs this. He's always liked this class; just never put an effort into it,"

"I'm sorry Zabini, I don't think it's possible," The Professor sighed looking back down at the applicant's essays.

"What if I help him Professor?" Blaise suggested, not giving up, "What if his essay tops at least 5 in your pile and he gets over a 85 average on the exam?"

"If he could top the third best essay in this pile and got higher then a 75 on his final exam, I would drag him to Rome myself for the trip," The Professor explained, " but its just not possible,"

"I think it is, and in fact, if its not I will make it possible. May I just please have an applicant form so he can write an essay?" Blaise asked kindly, forcing a smile.

The Professor looked up at Blaise and shook his head, "Very well," He gave him a long piece of parchment, "These are the requirements that Malfoy will not just have to require, but counter against all of the other students," He pointed to the pile of essays underneath him on the desk, "but I warn you once more, it's impossible. I can only bring 4 kids on this trip, and I have to choose from the top 5 essays already."

Really? You're the Professor; you're supposed to be saying nothing is impossible. Blaise sighed at the thought, "Thank you Professor," He said turning out of the class. At least I got him the application; I knew he wouldn't be up to it. But he must go, he has to go. It's the only way, until he figures things out.

Blaise read the applicant sheet about what was needed in the essay and shook his head. Draco, this will take every skill you have. And allowing you to come to my house for a reason I won't be able to explain to my parents for three weeks will take every skill I have. Blaise considered just telling his parents the trouble Draco was having, but then reconsidered. That would make matters worse.

Blaise went a head to the owlery to write the letter to his mum and began thinking of ideas on how Draco could fill in his essay. Meanwhile Draco was off collecting all of Granger's work. Each teacher was smiling and complementing him. Flitwick even said it was overwhelming to know a Slytherin saved a life, and is now doing the same person a personal favor.

Draco brought the whole days, and most of the rest of the weeks planned out work to Hermione in the Hospital Wing. He set it on her night table and watched her sleep. He turned to leave, but then she stirred in her sleep. He checked his watch and he still had about 45 minutes before Care of Magical Creatures. He looked around and Madam Pomfrey was busying herself with Neville Longbottom across the room so he sat down on the bed across from hers and watched her. He didn't really know why, but he felt like he enjoyed watching her peaceful resting body. Finally a form of her that wasn't sending hate his way.

He noticed one of her arms hanging down on the side of the bed and gently took her hand and laid her arm back out on the side of the bed. Just as he went to take his hand back, he felt a tug on it, making his knees crash to the floor to look up and noticed Hermione had in her sleep yanked Draco by his hand. Draco was taken aback by this and her strength in it, what's she doing?

"Granger," He said quietly.

She turned around in the hospital bed to lie on her stomach. She put his hand under her head and held it there. She smiled in her sleep and Draco was confused, yet he did not protest, it's just because I'm in shock he protested to himself because he could never admit that he found her silky caramel hair memorizing and infatuating to touch. It's just soft…he sighed, trying to convince himself her hair that was once ghastly looking did not felt that great. But he was failing miserably. She began to squeeze his hand and he noticed her brows furrowed and she looked worried. She was now gripping his hand so hard as if she was holding onto it for dear life. Draco stared at her, is she having a nightmare?

"No," she moaned quiet and kept repeating the word, answering his question. She was indeed having a nightmare because not only did she sound frightened with the quiet murmur she was gripping farther up his arm.

"Uh Granger...," Draco got a bit nervous, she was holding on even more harder then she did when he caught her yesterday. Then again she was fainted.

"AH!" She screamed turning around and sitting up in her bed; at the same time throwing her hands in her lap, and in the process flinging Draco to be half on her bed. She looked around confused and then down at Draco, who was still being held onto by herself and she screamed again, "AH!" letting go of his hand, "Malfoy! What do you think you are doing?"

Draco search for an excuse, "I was, I mean YOU were actually dr-,"

"I don't know what you're doing here, I don't even know what I'm doing here Malfoy," her words were getting louder by the syllable, "but the last thing I need, obviously, is you! Trying to feel m-,"

"I wasn't trying to feel you!" He said raising his voice over hers.

"Then why are you in my bed!"

"You pulled me on here!"

"Whatever! Now I'm pushing you off," She said shoving him off the bed, "There, now can you leave Malfoy? I have to figure out what's going on and your skeptical remarks are the last thing I need!"

Draco went to argue back and defend why he was on her bed but looked at his watch and saw it was 5 minutes to Care of Magical Creatures. He pointed to the work he had gotten for her from all her classes for all week, "here's your work," he said simply and quietly then left, leaving Granger in a state of confusion, but his state wasn't far away from it. I saved her life! I knew she was just an ungrateful mudblood. He thought, but defended it with the thought of: she doesn't even know why she's there, let alone why her archenemy was in a bed with her. Stop defending her ungrateful dealings! He argued with himself in his mind till he got to Care of Magical Creatures and forced the whole dilemma out of his thoughts once class started, only for it to pop back in again when Hagrid started talking.