Wow, I can't believe I already have reviewers! This feels pretty good, and it inspired me to keep working. Talk about high on life…


Chapter Two: Granger's Gracefulness

I spent the remainder of my patrol in the Tower, waiting for any unsuspecting people to come up so I could shoo them back down. Well, at least that's what I told myself. I really just wasn't in the mood to run into that mudblood again. And I was able to do a bit more examining of the insides of my eyelids without the fear that she would return.

Finally I was able to head back to the common room. Talk about a bloody long walk. I think I might have tripped down a few of the steps, but I'm not one to bring up my more ungraceful moments, so we'll leave that notion unsaid. I mean, I made it to the common room alright and in one piece in the end, and that's all that's important. I entered into the darkened common room, the fire having burned itself down to the coals at least an hour ago. I made my way towards my dormitory, but as I descended the steps, I could hear some loud raucous noises.

Of course, they were coming from my own dormitory. Typical, people in there behaving like heathens in the middle of the night. I opened the door to see Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle all seated in the middle of the room, playing a very loud game of some cross between gobstones and…well, I wasn't really sure, but it definitely wasn't just gobstones. The three of them all jumped up in surprise when I threw open the door.

"You'd best not have been using my things for betting again," I said automatically, giving the group of them a glare. They looked ridiculous, shocked expressions on all of their faces, Crabbe half standing with a guilty look spread across his face. I rolled my eyes, kicking my open trunk shut with my foot, ignoring the rummaged contents. I couldn't really expect any less, I suppose. "Just, put them back," I snapped at them. "You're lucky I'm too tired to actually be upset with you."

Zabini actually glared back at me, the only one out of the group. I hated defiance from anyone, but like I stated aloud, I was far too tired to argue with them. Not that I wouldn't win, but I always like to show my best side, especially in something as competitive as an argument. I just shook my head, shrugging off my robe and laying it over my trunk, then throwing myself heavily onto my bed. "And go to sleep, really," I muttered to them, but even the mutter was obeyed, though with some mumbling on Zabini's part. Now that I think about that, I still haven't shown him the proper way to listen to my order. That gives me something to do later, that's for sure.

Anyway, when those buffoons finally went to sleep themselves, I myself fell asleep to the steady sound of Goyle's snores. The sound greatly resembled a pig, but after six years, I was used to it. Of course, I never snore. Well, I know I can't hear myself or anything, but really. Do I come over as the snoring type? Not hardly. Wow, I really can get off track. Its becoming easier and easier with that…mudblood constantly invading my personal thoughts. Wait, I finally was talking about something else, and it went back to her. This is definitely getting frustrating.

Morning did come, all too soon. I'm not much of a morning person at all, but I've developed a system to cover it up, so I went through my usual morning rituals. I was still feeling very tired, but I didn't look it. As a secret from me to you, that was more luck than talent. Anyway, I headed into the Common Room with every intent to continue on straight to the Great Hall when I heard that familiar, gyrating, squealing voice behind me.

"Where are you going, Draco?" Pansy was soon at my side as though she was attached at the hip. I stopped walking and she moved in front of me.

"To breakfast, like most normal people do in the morning," I replied shortly. She gave me a disappointed look, but quickly laughed it off. I usually wasn't this terse with her of all people, but I just didn't feel like putting up with her this morning. I mean, she had been my girlfriend on and off, and had been there when I needed her, but sometimes she could just get…irritating. I think most of that just gave from her squealing voice. She was, well, convenient. And that's what I used her as. I didn't need that at the moment, though, and I didn't feel like playing stupid with her.

"You know, your sarcasm really bothers some people," she chided playfully. I rolled my eyes. "It's not very nice."

"I'm not a nice person, Pansy, you of all people know that," I snapped back at her, perhaps colder than I should have, and louder, because all eyes in the Common Room looked towards us on that. Several second year girls giggled, but were quickly silenced with a glare in their direction. Ah, that power just feels wonderful.

I skirted around Pansy, who was a bit red in the face from my outburst, and continued out of the Common Room and into the dungeons. As I walked towards the Great Hall, I pondered about the night before with a clearer mind than I had at the time. I allowed myself to replay the scene in the Tower with Granger, changing things a bit to my liking as they happened. I must have developed a malicious grin at some point, because as I passed a few Ravenclaws, they gave me a glace somewhere between amusement and pure terror. I quickly shook my head to clear it of any odd expressions, thinking then about my final statement. No, that definitely hadn't been smart, but Granger was probably far too embarrassed to spread anything about that around. For that I was thankful for her annoying 'golden goodness,' because that was one mark I really didn't need on my reputation. To think I would even think about SAYING something like that to a Mudblood. I still can't even believe myself. This would be a situation I would have to deal with with Granger alone. Perhaps that was for the better, but something inside of me was telling me it was not.

I entered the Great Hall and made my way over to my usual seat. There were very few people in the Hall this early in the morning, and for that I was grateful to be free of all the excess noise and attention. I really didn't feel like myself at all. I do love being the center of attention, but I just wanted to be invisible for a few hours. Of course, that was impossible, or stronger magic than I knew, I suppose—some of us aren't as 'blessed' as Potter and his invisibility cloak—and I felt several peering sets of eyes on me, mostly from younger students in other houses. It was kind of scary, but I ignored it as best I could.

I grabbed a scone, taking a bite, and then scanned the Hall myself. My eyes fell on a bushy head, bent over a spell book vigorously writing on a piece of parchment. I smirked, taking another bite and watching her curiously. She suddenly tensed, and then looked up into my stare. I didn't look away, holding her gaze. Her eyes went from surprise, to what looked almost like fear, and then to disgust. Well, that proved she hadn't forgotten anything, which was disappointing, and yet somehow not. She closed her book, gathering up her parchment in her arms in a huff, and rose from her chair, her nose in the air. Such pride…unexpected, yet—stop it, I'm doing it again. Madness.

But to my surprise, she actually walked in my very direction. I put a cool, collected look on my face, casually taking another bite of the scone and ignoring her. She stopped directly behind me, but I didn't turn to her.

"Professor McGonagall found me after I left the Astronomy Tower last night and told me to tell you you are back on your regular patrol tonight," she said quickly. I noticed the slight pause before the words 'Astronomy Tower' and smirked with satisfaction. She couldn't see my face from behind anyway. But then the rest of what she had said sunk in. I had completely forgotten that I was on regular patrol tonight with who knows who. Two nights in a row of no sleep, and probably coming back to having the other half of my possessions stolen from me in some twisted gambling game. Yet again…madness. But not of the same sort.

Granger left me in a hurry, quickly moving to shuffle away, but she tripped, rather ungracefully I must add. Her spell book and parchment went flying, and she slipped backwards. She reached out to stop herself, grabbing the back of my robes. I must admit, I had not been expecting anything like this, and my mind was sorting angrily through ways to dismember McGonagall at that point. I was pulled—much more gracefully than Granger's fall, I'm sure—from my seat, falling onto the ground. Luckily, Granger 'caught' me, so I didn't hit the hard stone too hard.

There was a silence that fell over the Hall then, everyone holding their breath. I was shocked, unmoving for a moment, when Granger roughly attempted to push me from her. I was about a fourth of a meter taller than her, and she struggled more than actually accomplished anything. It made the entire situation look much more awkward than it really was. "Granger, calm down for a moment, you're making this worse," I spat at her, pulling myself up with some help from the table. I straightened my robes, collecting myself and running a hand through my hair, fixing it.

Granger didn't move for a moment, and I felt kind of on the spot with all the eyes in the Hall on me, so I reached down to try to pull her up. She jumped up right at that moment though, her head colliding hard with mine. I fell back a bit, bumping the table hard, feeling pain shoot through my forehead. She had a very hard head, even with all that hair to cushion it.

Granger herself looked a mess. Her hair was even more unruly than usual, and her face was bright red. "I don't need your charity," she snapped at me, and I saw her eyes glisten, and then she ran from the hall, leaving her things still scattered about.

"It was your fault anyway!" I yelled after her, glaring coldly at the person nearest me in frustration from their look. They quickly returned to their plate, as did everyone else in the Hall. I rubbed my forehead where it still hurt, than absently gathered up her things, tucking them under my arm and leaving the Great Hall myself. What a fiasco…I could only imagine what was going to happen now. My top guess was I was now number one on Granger's hit list, and somehow, the prospect seemed exciting.


Well, it's a bit harder to keep writing a story when you're used to writing one-shots in your spare time. I can't believe how many hits I've already had; everyone is just amazing. I have no idea where this story is headed, and if you feel like offering something you'd like to see, I want this story to be something everyone likes, without letting Draco get OOC, which is a personal pet peeve I have in D/Hr stores. Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed it! Be patient with me on updates, school is time consuming. xD