Title: Dare You To Move
Author: Mjade
Summary: My third Draco/Mione fic. Hermione Granger is feeling left out by the people she once called friends . . . but her dreams are all about to come true.
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter but the idea of this story, the two Slytherins: Mason Deimos and Don Gears, and the Gryffindor: Lucinda Lucent, are mine.
Rating: PG-13/Romance
Author's Note: Chapter Four is here! Draco and Hermione finally have one of their interesting conversations. And of course thank you to RedWitch1-Hope you like this chapter!
Woe to the man whose heart has not
learned while young to hope, to love -
and to put its trust in life. . .
~ Joseph Conrad ~
Draco stepped in slowly careful not to make a single sound.
He succeeded.
Madam Pince, the strict, overly-obsessed with silence (a/n: LOL!! Hahahahaha! What? It's funny.) librarian, finally appeared at the desk. She and Hermione hadn't heard him. Draco halted when he found himself fourteen inches behind the bookworm. He knew he was a little "too close" but he wanted to see what she was doing, and she didn't even notice him. She had two books in her other arm but her fingers were still trailing along the line of books. She was humming something---must be a Muggle song. Her song stopped as her hand paused at a large maroon book and pulled it off the shelf. Hermione flipped through the pages, she frowned, sighed, and then put it back between the books---exactly where it had been before. Draco moved nearer to her as she turned around. They're faces were pretty close to each other and Hermione let out gasp sending her books to the ground. Draco stepped back to give her space to pick up what she had dropped.
"I thought it was Longbottom's job to be clumsy, but that's the second time today," Draco said smirking, as she retrieved her books and stood in front of him.
"Well, Draco Malfoy, this is a surprise. I haven't seen you in the library since sixth year," Hermione said.
"Oh, you've been looking at me, Granger?" Draco said, expecting her to blush but she didn't.
"No, I don't really fancy Slytherins," she said plainly. There was an awkward silence between them and they both realized they had never really spoken to each other apart from class. And when class was over Ron and Harry were usually with her when he "talked" to them, and she being the pacifist, dragged her friends away before they were provoked enough to hex him.
"Yes, Malfoy?" Hermione said, breaking the silence.
"What were you looking for, in those books of yours?" Draco said, he didn't really want to bring up the question of tutoring just yet.
Hermione was startled by his question, "Um . . .it's for the Potions essay."
They had a Potions essay? Draco knew Snape normally gave homework but he didn't remember him mentioning it. "Potions essay?"
"Professor Snape assigned it only today. I wanted to check out these books before anyone else did," Hermione answered. "This Avaritia potion sounds fascinating!"
"Granger, everything to you sounds fascinating. However, I guess naïveté is a Gryffindor trait, " Draco drawled.
Hermione glared at him. "I am not naïve. I just thought a potion that reveals your innermost desires is interesting. I'm glad I can get started on it now, since I'm finished with that Arithmancy homework due on Wednesday . . ."
'Arithmancy homework? When did Professor Vector assign that?' Draco thought as Hermione rambled on about her homework. * Man, this girl talks too much, how can Potty and Weasel stand her? *
"Granger, do you mind shutting up? I'm trying to ask you something," Draco said.
Hermione stopped abruptly. "Fine, ask away."
Draco took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak when the library doors were no longer closed. A few Ravenclaw girls entered followed by several Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. It was three o'clock in the afternoon, the time when the library was declared a busy place. As more students kept filing in, Draco spotted Crabbe, Goyle (a/n: Why those two are in the library? Who knows?), Don, Mason, and Blaise.*Crap. . .*
He started panicking: Crabbe and Goyle would certainly be looking for him, Mason and Blaise would ruin his reputation if they saw him with Granger, and Don-well, Draco didn't think he was that big of a threat since Don wasn't one to jump into conclusions, but either way it would destroy him if they caught him having a normal conversation with a Mudblood, much less asking for her help.
He stared at Hermione's impatient expression, gritted his teeth, grabbed her roughly on the wrist and pulled her to the very end of the library.
"Malfoy, what do you think-" Hermione started a bit too loudly, but her voice was muffled by Draco's hand. She struggled to get out of his grasp but Draco kept his hold on her until they were completely away from the crowded part of the library. He released his hand from over her mouth.
"Let go of me!" She said pulling her wrist away from his grip. "Care to tell me why you acted like you were kidnapping me? For all I know, I can take points away from Slytherin and report you."
"Oh yes, I can see the Daily Prophet right now. 'Hot, Good-looking, Charming, Drop-dead Gorgeous Slytherin Kidnaps Hogwarts' Head Girl!" He smirked. "Oh come on, Mudblood, don't you think I would pick much more attractive women who are actually willing to be kidnapped by me?"
Hermione's eyes shot daggers at him at his use of the word Mudblood. "You know what? I don't think we are allowed to be in this part of the library."
"Oh, are you afraid of a bit of darkness?" Draco said teasingly. The place where they both stood was dim and dusty. Aside from tattered books, spider webs were on the corners of the few bookshelves. The only light came from the small window high above.
"Afraid? No. I just happen to comprehend that if Madame Pince finds us here, she'll assign us both detentions. After all, this is a restricted area. So if you don't mind, I'll be going now," Hermione said, starting to walk away. Draco grabbed her by her arm again to face him.
"Hey-"
"Look, just shut up for a second, will you?" Draco said.
"What do you want?" Hermione snapped.
Draco took a deep breath. * I have to be firm on this! Direct! * What? Was he actually nervous? Well, sure, he knew this ordeal of asking would surely damage his pride and his reputation.
"Listen, I want you to know this was not my idea but I'm going to be needinghelponsomesubjects."
"Pardon? I didn't catch the last part," Hermione said, looking puzzled.
"I said: I'm going to needhelponsomesubjects."
"Malfoy, I'm sorry but I don't understand Death Eater language."
"I'M GOING TO NEED A BLOODY TUTOR FOR POTIONS, ARITHMANCY, AND TRANSFIGURATION! DID YOU GET THAT OR AM I GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT CLEARER TO YOU?" Draco yelled.
"Shhh, okay Malfoy, calm down. Honestly, you didn't have to yell," Hermione said, feeling blessed that they were away from Madame Pince's sharp hearing, but then Draco's words came back to her. "Hang on a minute, did you say you needed a tutor in Potions?"
"You heard me. And Arithmancy and Transfiguration too," Draco said.
"But you were the top in Potions class. You usually got good grades and Snape always gives you A's."
"I know. But not anymore."
"And in Arithmancy, Professor Vector let us work together on extra credit because we both were scoring high marks."
"I know. But it's not like that anymore."
"Transfiguration? Malfoy, last year, you were practically bragging to everybody for two weeks how you beat me at the Transfiguration test by turning your desk into an ostrich."
"I know, god dammit! I just said it's not like that anymore. I have been staying up after midnight and because of that I only get a few hours of sleep and come to class thirty minutes late. I've been slacking off and getting lower than usual on tests and quizzes. I haven't been paying attention in class, because frankly it doesn't interest me anymore, I've been turning in incomplete homework and haven't been reading the textbooks. And just today I had a lecture from a teacher about my grades and how I'm failing. And all I'm trying to ask from you is your help. I need a tutor for these three subjects so I don't have to stay here another damn year with Crabbe and Goyle. I'm asking you to help me pass my classes so I'll be able to graduate this year. No more, no less. There! Are you happy? So are you going to help me or not?" Draco said, practically gasping for breath after saying that whole 'speech' through.
Draco expected her to laugh at his face and tell her friends about this, say no, considering what he had done to her through the years, and walk off without another word, but what she did say took him completely off guard.
"All right," she answered. "When do I start?"
From the Journal of Draco Malfoy:
11/25
I just sent the letter to my parents stating that I'll be staying over Christmas break---because I have a holiday project to do for extra credit. It was a lame lie, I must admit, but I couldn't think of a brilliant reason. Well, you can't expect me to write, "Hello Father, I'm staying over because I have to attend tutoring with a Mudblood." It was a small relief being away from the place where my blasted father eats and sleeps. At least I didn't have to dress formally every now and then and eat dinner with father's so-called friends and colleagues. I didn't have to be a goddamn co-host for Christmas parties at the mansion and have to dance with Pansy about ten times before I could choose another girl. A girl . . .it's lucky I charmed this book so that only I can read it. It's humiliating to admit I've been thinking about Granger. No, it's not like that. Don't get me wrong, I loathe her the way I loathe Potter---it's just that somehow she made me feel dumbfounded. A Malfoy? Dumbfounded? I can't believe I'm writing those words in the same sentence. Anyway, she agreed to help me, I think I'm more annoyed than grateful. She told me to meet her on Thursday to "discuss" something---so she says. This is just another one of her ways to display to the world what a know-it-all she is. Like I said before, she hasn't changed a bit.
Draco chose this free time to lie down on his bed and relax. It's been a frustrating day---well not exactly, but he was so frustrated with something he couldn't exactly put his finger on.
The common room was entertaining the traffic that night. It was crowded more than usual. Hermione left the quiet, vacant, Head Boy and Girl's common room to come here? She sat on the couch by the fire waiting for Ron, while catching a few words of Parvati and Lavender's discussion.
"Okay, I'm going to give you some names, you're going to tell me what you think," Lavender said.
"We've done this already," Parvati replied.
"It's a new batch of guys," Lavender said. Parvati nodded. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Okay, first one: Dean."
Parvati looked at him on the table with Seamus and the other Gryffindor guys. "Attractive, but not exactly my type."
"Fine. Second, Terry Boot."
"Very good-looking, plays Quidditch too. Too bad he's going out with Mandy Brocklehurst," Parvati sighed.
"Lucky girl. All right, Justin Finch-Fletchley."
"I can't answer that!" Parvati said, looking scandalized.
"Why not?"
"Padma fancies him," Parvati answered.
"Oh, that's right, I forgot," Lavender said. "Well, anyway, if you didn't have your sister, what would you think of him?"
"I must confess that he is cute and he has nice teeth. Oh, and he's got the greatest smile. However, he seems more of the nice guy among his friends, not the cool one."
"True. Okay, a Slytherin. Draco Malfoy?"
Parvati started giggling. "Do you need me to answer that? Well where do I start? Look up hot in the thesaurus, his name has got to be there. He has the nicest eyebrows and fabulous eyes. He-"
Hermione cleared her throat, trying to concentrate on reading instead of listening to Lavender and Parvati drooling over a Slytherin. Come on, a *Slytherin*!
"I can't disagree with that, why can't Gryffindor guys be more good-looking? How about Ron?" Lavender asked. Hermione straightened up when she heard this. Ron had told her, well, not directly, that he 'sort-of' liked Parvati in a 'way'.
"Ron Weasley, he is so adorable! He's funny too even without meaning to be, a great guy to have around when you're depressed," Parvati said. She looked at her friend and saw Lavender staring behind her with a silly grin on her face.
"Oh, hi Ron," Lavender said. Parvati completely froze before gathering enough courage to turn around. Ron had just come in to meet Hermione, but now he seemed petrified. His face was bright red---enough to discredit his hair color.
"Honestly, Ron! You look like a tomato," Hermione said, trying to snap him out of his ridiculous state. Lavender was able to drag Parvati away, and both of them starting giggling once again as they headed up to the dormitories.
"Does she like me?" Ron asked Hermione, as he sat down beside her.
"How should I know? Parvati likes every guy she ever laid eyes on," Hermione said, returning to her book.
"I guess I asked the wrong person," Ron muttered.
A/N: Okay, it's a short chapter and I know the ending is pretty lame but did you enjoy it anyway? So I paired Ron with Parvati because the whole "Lavender-Ron" thing is too cliché and there are no other available Gryffindor girls I'm too familiar with. Well, that leaves Harry! 'Till next time! Please Read and Review!
~ Mjade