A/N: Thank you so much to all the reviews, they are all lovely! Please, just keep them coming!

Bane of My Existence

Chapter 4: The Locked Down

By: Dizixete

The next day, Hermione woke up irritated. It's only six 'o clock in the morning and plus today's Saturday, but she could hear some noise downstairs like some various things are being thrown at the wall. She gets up from her four-poster bed, put on a robe over her night dress and then proceeds to walk out of the room.

As she steps out of the room, there revealed a very aggravated Malfoy staring at the door, the door which is the exit to the Head's dorm.

"It won't open", he said simply as he plopped down on the sofa.

Hermione walks towards the direction he is in, and stare at him in utmost incredulity, "What do you mean it won't open?"

"It. Won't. Open" he said slowly as if talking to a one year-old.

"But the lock of the portraits are supposed to be lifted five in the morning!" then, she walked towards the door and tried to open it. It won't budge.

Due for some security reasons, it has been approved by the school governors that at exactly eleven 'o clock in the evening and up to five 'o clock in the morning , the portraits of each student's quarter shall be locked. At that time, as expected, all Prefects' patrol shall be over. Which lead Hermione and Draco to their current predicament, why won't the door open?

"Do you think they can hear us outside?" she said, as she frantically thump the door with her hand.

"Hell if I know" he replied.

He only receives a glare in response.

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Minutes later, Hermione is still thumping on the door helplessly.

"Granger, would you stop it!" Draco yelled from where he is sitting position. He's been there the whole time staring at the ceiling.

"No, I can't be stuck here especially with you" Hermione muttered more to herself than to Malfoy.

Now it's her turn to receive a glare.

"Fine! I'll just go to my room and do something than around here", Draco said as he stood up and go to his room.

"Might as well do some reading", she muttered to herself as she walks towards her room.

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Minutes later, Hermione decided to read at the common room.

"I need some warmth of the fire", again she muttered to herself.

She plopped down on the sofa in front of the fire place, and then began to read.

Hermione was only in her first page when Malfoy decided to come out of his room.

He offered no explanation as he simply sat down near the fire and then also decided to read.

Then, they began read, Hermione was only in her fifth page when she someone staring at her. She decided ignore it. After five more pages, she can't ignore it anymore.

"You know, it's rude to stare", she said not looking up from her book.

"I'm just looking for something", he replied.

"And is that particular thing in my face?" she said looking up, fairly intrigued.

"Yes"

She raises an eyebrow, "and what is that?"

"Freckles."

She glared.

"What? I'm just really bored." He said raising his hands as if in surrender.

Hermione went back to her book. She tucks her hair in her ear. Several pages later she could still feel him staring.

"I don't have a freckle you know, but you can always look at Ron, he has many." She said again not looking up from her book.

"Yes you have", he said, at this, she look up.

"And where's that?" she questioned.

Draco leaned in, his face mere inches from hers, His hot breath against her cheek. For a while, Hermione thought he was going to kiss her. But then, he inclined his head and point near her earlobe instead.

"There", he whispered.

"Oh", that's the only answer she can think of.

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"I'm bored", he again voiced.

"Tough luck, we can't do anything inside here", Hermione said closing her book. No point continuing reading if her companion keeps on distracting her concentration.

"We can always do something inside the bedroom", Malfoy suggested.

She shoots him a death glare.

"I heard some news down in the Slytherin Common Room, is it really true that Madam Pince and Filch have a secret romance?" Malfoy asked.

"Well, I heard far worst rumors... Professor Sprout and Snape in the Greenhouse Three".

That got them both into fits of laughter.

After a while when both of them got back into their senses, Hermione asked, "Why can't anyone just get along? Why do they have to create wars and terminate each other?"

"Because we all have different opinions, and just imagine what life would be like when people like me and my father don't exist", Malfoy said staring at the fire.

"Life would be peaceful" Hermione said.

"And?"

"Boring".

"See, life without as will be dull. But that's the past, right? Why ask? The war is over lives are lost, still we survived, didn't we?" Malfoy said and finally look into her eyes.

"I just don't get it, why did you join his side by the way?"

"Like I said before, Granger, people have different opinions whether it is wrong or not it is still their opinions. And my father? My father sided only to who he thinks is the strongest. That's why he switched side, and that's why up until now he's still working on gaining back the ministry's trust on him".

For a while, he just stared into her eyes. And yet, Hermione can't think of a response on his little speech. Suddenly, he got up and tried to open the door again. Miraculously, it did open. And he went out without a noise.

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Hermione spent her whole afternoon trying not to think about her conversation with Malfoy. She went out on a picnic with Ron and Harry that afternoon but still can't get her mind off Malfoy.

Hermione readied herself for bed but decided to get the book she has been reading that morning; she left it at the sofa.

She went straight to the sofa and get her book, when she was about to get inside her room, she notice Malfoy staring out the window, with his back facing her. She observed him for a while, his hair's gleaming under the moon's light.

"You know, it's rude to stare", Malfoy said without even looking at her.

She only smile in reply and went inside her room.

"Goodnight Granger", he muttered, fortunately she didn't hear him. Because at the precise moment he spoke, Hermione closed her door.

A/N: So, what do you think? Please let me know what you think. I'm waiting for at least 15 reviews before I pdate again. Well, that's it!

Adios Fellas!