Evaluate This!

Chapter 19

The Ups and the Downs of a forced Relationship


"Don't even think it." Hermione hissed as Blaise and Ginny finally stepped back, admiring their work.

Draco tried to roll his stiff shoulders. "Wouldn't think of it."

Ginny giggled. "Aww." She put a few finishing touches on the room and the spells. "This should definitely help you two out a bit."

"Unquestionably." Blaise agreed.

Hermione rolled her eyes, her voice dripping in sarcasm. "Yippidi-do-da." She tried to distance herself from Draco…but Ginny and Blaise hadn't left much room for…maneuvering.

"Now Hermione, just relax and enjoy!" Ginny gave her friend a final pat on the head.

"Yeah, Draco don't look so tense. We've got everything synchronized, and every half hour a new spell will take affect."

"Mind telling me what those spells are, Blaise?"

Blaise opened his mouth but Ginny stopped him.

"Don't spoil the fun Blaise, they can find out what they are…" Ginny grinned. "Every half hour."

Hermione groaned and rested her head—on Draco's shoulder.

Blaise leaned over to Ginny. "I think it's already working." He whispered—but not softly enough.

Hermione jerked her head up, managing to unbalance the two of them and they both rolled to their sides.

"Thanks a lot." Draco sighed as he stared at the wall. "The view hasn't exactly improved though. Why don't you try it again, maybe then I can look at the ceiling, or possibly the floor."

"Oh shut up!" Hermione cried and jammed her elbow into his back.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"This is your fault!"

Draco tried to turn to face Hermione. "How the hell can you justify any of this to where it is my fault? You're the one who let them in!"

Hermione groaned. "Well, you should have stopped me."

Draco laughed, a cold and bitter laugh. "I can't make you do anything you don't want to do."

Ginny and Blaise grinned and slipped silently from the bedroom—they had other people to torture and they were sure that the Heads would be too busy—with other activities—to bother reporting their behavior. And who knew, maybe their next target would be Dumbledore himself…bubblegum in the beard perhaps?

Neither Draco nor Hermione noticed their absence.

"What do you mean you can't force me?"

Draco brushed his hair from his eyes. "It's not complicated Granger, it means exactly that. I can't make you do anything, you're much too stubborn."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Like you've tried!" she screamed.

Draco's mouth gaped open. The entire situation was ludicrous. They were—at the moment—bound together at the waist, facing away from each other…but Draco was positive this was only the beginning.

"How would you know if I've tried or not—you're much too dense to notice!"

Hermione tried to sit up, but Draco stubbornly remained on his side. "I…" she huffed. "Am not dense!"

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes. You are."

"No. I'm not."

"You are too."

"I'm not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Draco felt her reach for his shoulder and pinch him. "Oh! Cheap shot. That was a Slytherin move there if I ever saw one!"

"No." Hermione said firmly. "I have nothing in common with Slytherins." Hermione tried to pinch him again.

"You happen to be bound to one right now, and I promise you that if you had no Slytherin qualities before this, you will after." He slapped blindly at her hand. "Don't try that again. I was a gentleman about it the first time but—" He didn't finish as Hermione pinched him again.

"That's it." He reached behind him and found her hair.

"No! Stop." Hermione screeched as he gave a good yank.

"Then stop pinching me." Draco said calmly.

"Fine. And I'm not dense." She pushed her arm against the bed, glad that this time, Draco also helped and they fought their way back up to a seated position. Hermione crossed her arms. Her neck was strained, so she rolled it tiredly.

Draco leaned back trying to stretch his spine. It was hard being bound to a person shorter than yourself. "You are book smart, but Hermione, you are one of the slowest girls I've met."

Hermione huffed. "Like you've met any with brains who fall instantly in love with your good lucks and just have to fuck you."

"Well…"

"Oh my god!" Hermione gaped. "No way."

"Okay, so I will admit that a majority of the lady friends aren't the brightest bunch around."

"You can say that again."

"Hey!" Draco rubbed his eyes. "Don't interrupt, I don't criticize your choices." Though he knew that was a lie. "But though most of them aren't smart, the ones who do have brains at least know and acknowledge the fact that they like me and then do something about it."

"Is this supposed to have a point?"

"Yes. The point is that you like me and you're too dense to realize it."

Hermione remained silent.

"Or maybe you aren't too dense to realize it but…you don't want to be one of those girls who fall at my feet hoping that I'll show some interest."

Hermione laughed haughtily. "Or maybe I find you repulsive, always have and always will."

"I don't believe you."

"Well you'd better believe it, it's the truth."

Draco shook his head, leaning his head back to where his rested against hers. "You're lying."

Hermione closed her eyes. "I'm not."

"Hermione." Draco groaned. "I know you are. You can't lie to me…I know when you are."

"Oh really, care to test that theory?"

Draco wanted anything to prove anything to her. "Have at it."

Hermione thought for a second. What was she trying to prove here? She had been living in the same dormitory for almost half a year already with Malfoy…he knew her habits, her stupid little quirks—he knew more than she liked to admit. Added he was still an asshole, but he seemed to like her. And that was where it ended. There was no way that the evil, sadistic, pureblood Draco Malfoy could actually like her, Hermione Granger. It was against everything.

"My favorite color is red."

Draco laughed, his eyes closing briefly. "No, though it is part of the Gryffindor colors, you like it just fine—but your favorite color is green." The color of Potter's eyes, Draco thought bitterly even though he knew that neither Granger nor Potter had any romantic inklings when it came to each other. That wasn't what pissed him off. It was the time they spent together.

"Okay, so yeah. Well, anyone can know that."

"True." Draco nodded.

They sat in silence, the room growing dark as the sun set outside—casting pools of glowing light onto the floor.

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "Why—I admit, I don't understand it…why do you have this, this fixation on me?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably. Truth be known, he didn't know why he did either. He wouldn't say he liked mudbloods; he wouldn't say he liked Gryffindors; he wouldn't say he'd reformed his ways. What he would say was that he liked a certain mudblood, who just happened to be a Gryffindor who he would didn't mind so much. Then there was the fact that Hermione happened to be the exact opposite of Pansy. And the fact that he knew Hermione's secret, he knew why Charlotte was here, and he knew why there was a pendent that hung hidden underneath Hermione's robes—close to her heart.

"Truthfully…"

"Yes?"

"I don't know. I really don't know."

Hermione watched the last dying ray of light as it slithered out of the room, casting them in the dim light of dusk.

They both heard the chiming as the hour struck, and felt as the bond binding them together fell away.

Hermione rolled sideways, no longer supported by Draco. "Oh my." She stretched out the aches that had developed. "Remind me to kill Ginny later, okay?"

Draco had stood and now watched Hermione as she stretched. He wasn't all too sorry that they were in this situation. "Yeah, I'll hold her down, you curse."

Hermione laughed and tried to sit up. "Ouch." She rubbed her lower back. "I don't think we're made to sit like that for so long."

"Here, I'll help you up." Draco grabbed her hand—even as Hermione insisted she could do it on her own, trying to push him away. "Okay, okay. Sorry." Draco released her hand.

"Umm…" Hermione shook her hand. "Malfoy let go."

"I did!" Draco looked down at their hands. "Oh crap."

Hermione moaned, "Not this again!" she wrenched hard on Draco's hand and he lost his balance sending him toppling onto her.

Hermione tried to move, but it was too late. She shifted slightly and turned her head away from Draco's. "I am going to murder them both." She mumbled.

Draco was in complete and utter shock. "Uh, just so you know. This wasn't my fault. And uh…"

Hermione gritted her teeth against the smile that threatened to erupt. "I know, you can't move."

Draco grinned. "It's only half an hour."

Hermione grimaced. "Only half an hour…well, let me tell you something. You weigh a ton; I'm going to be completely numb or paralyzed in half an hour."

Draco smiled apologetically. "Yeah. Well, we could always try rolling."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not sure if that would help, or make things worse."

Draco smirked. "Or maybe you're just enjoying this?"

Hermione gaped at him in disbelief. "You don't seriously think that."

He reached his unattached hand up and stroked her face. "Why don't you tell me?"

"I think you are not at all upset with this current—predicament."

Draco laughed. "Right on, ten points to Gryffindor."

"Don't be a smart ass."

"It's in my job description."

Hermione groaned. She was not at all comfortable underneath Draco Malfoy…but she had to admit it felt kind of—she would have smacked herself it were possible—good. She closed her eyes, breathing deep…well as deep as she could under the circumstances, and exhaling slowly before opening her eyes.

Draco was staring at her, an odd expression on his face. There was no telling what was going on behind those silver orbs. Hermione shuddered.

"You cold?"

Hermione cursed herself. "No."

Draco scrutinized her. "Are you sure?" The room was almost completely dark now, but he could sense when she closed her eyes…he could feel her shudder and he could feel her breathing. It was all rather new for him, just feeling these things without sight or prior activities getting in the way.

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure." She swallowed self-consciously.

Draco tilted his head from side to side. His one hand was still clasped with Hermione's the other wasn't helping him much…he needed to rest his head. "Er, Hermione…."

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind terribly if I rest my head?"

Hermione didn't say anything.

"Granger, you awake?"

Hermione coughed. "Like I could sleep?"

"Please?"

Hermione nodded even though he couldn't see. "Go ahead. We've got a lot of time to just sit here, you might as well get comfortable."

"Lay here."

"What?"

"We're laying here, not sitting."

Hermione laughed. "Thanks for the reminder." Even though she knew she didn't need any more of a reminder than the fact that Draco freaking Malfoy's cheek was pressed against hers and his body covered hers as well. If any one of her friends were to walk in…oh she would never live down the embarrassment.

The sudden rush of mixed feelings made Hermione nauseous. If someone did find them, they'd be able to help—if the finding party was up to helping them that is…but also, if someone found them it would all end. It would all end.

End…Hermione bit her bottom lip…

Draco shifted, again, trying hard not to let his body rest too closely on Hermione's. He could feel her soft skin against his and it was driving him crazy.

"Why don't we see if we can figure out what we can and can not do?" Hermione said finally, breaking the silence.

Draco nodded, shifting again. "Sounds good."

Hermione tentatively moved her hand that was clasped in Draco's. She could move it, she found, but…

"It's like a magnet." Draco said softly. "We can pull apart a ways, but we're going to be pulled back together eventually."

Hermione laughed. "Well, I guess I have to give it to them—they sure know their spells."

Draco moved his hand up her arm. "That better?"

Hermione flexed her fingers. "Yeah. Thanks."

Draco shook his head, laughter playing over his face. "Oh, no problem."

Hermione sighed and faintly felt her hand as it moved to Draco's waist. "This is rather…um, yeah." She coughed.

"Yeah, um, well, at least we're clothed, right?"

Hermione burst out laughing. "Yeah!" then she sudden felt dread fill her. "You don't think they'd do anything…like…like that?"

Draco didn't know. He was too preoccupied with the fact that Hermione's hand was moving across his back and side in a way that he knew it was her nerves, the need to move—yet it was making him severely rethink all the decisions and thoughts and feelings he'd ever had.

"Granger?" Draco sighed, "Could you stop…please stop." He gritted his teeth. He'd wanted nothing more than to be this close to her for ages…but…

Hermione stopped her hand and blushed with embarrassment. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I didn't realize."

"I know." Draco said stiffly.

"Sorry." Hermione apologized again.

Draco wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole. There was no way he could do this any longer without…seriously regretting his actions.

Hermione felt as Draco tried to distance himself from her—a hard task.

"You don't have to do that." She whispered.

"What?"

"You don't have to move."

"Yes, I do."

Hermione ran her hand up his back until she found his face. Tracing the line of his jaw she felt him still. "Just…don't move."

Draco allowed himself to relax by degrees, in case she changed her mind. "I really wish you knew what was going through my head."

Hermione laughed. "I'm not that dense." She ran her fingers over his lips and to her surprise they were trembling.

Draco leaned his forehead against hers.

He didn't know what happened next as his brain froze…Hermione lifting her lips to his, running her tongue against his lower lip—experimenting. She ran her hand through his hair and pulled away.

He couldn't hear what she mumbled but he knew it ended with 'sorry'. And then the clock chimed.

You've got me tethered and chained
I hear your name
And I'm falling over
I'm not like all the other girls
I can't take it like the other girls
I won't share it like the other girls
That you used to know
You're taking me over
Over and over
I'm falling over
Over and over
You're taking me over
Drown in me one more time
Hide inside me tonight
Do what you want to do
Just pretend happy end
Let me know let it show
Ending with letting go
Let's pretend, happy end


Ginny peeked her head into the room—it was dark. Damn, she thought, that can't be very interesting. She placed the tray containing two mugs of hot chocolate on the floor and with a flick of her wand, sent it to the table in the corner, another flick and the lights turned on, she caught a glimpse of Hermione and Draco and smiled, leaving as quietly as she'd come.

Blaise was outside the Heads dorm, waiting, keeping guard. Ginny came out and he smiled. "How's it going in there?"

Ginny grinned. "I left them their refreshments…laced with?"

Blaise held up the two vials he'd taken from Snape's private stores.

"Let me see, I put this one in the one cup. Veritasirum. And the second one…" he grinned evilly. "A very potent and highly entertaining dose of liar."

Ginny clapped her hands together. "You are the best."

Blaise looked dreamily at the ceiling. "Oh, Draco is never going to forgive me."

Shaking her head, Ginny took his hand. "He'll be begging you to help him after tonight. Those two are going to be so conjoined…"

"Are you sure you put it together right?"

"Positive."


"Ron!" Charlotte moved slowly through the wing. She had no idea where she was; all she knew was that she saw the veiled red head come this way. "Shit. Come on Ron! Where are you?"

"I'm in a wedding dress!" Ron screamed from ahead of her.

Stupid idiot. Charlotte lighted the torches as she walked. "Well, I'm in a tux, big deal. Just stop running."

Ron groaned. "I can't take it off!" he moaned.

"Well, maybe if you held still long enough…"

"I'm going to kill Ginny!"

Charlotte turned the corner and was glad that Ron had sat. "Finally." She leaned against the wall, catching her breath. "Kill your sister I don't care, just for the sake of Ra, don't take off again."

Ron nodded. "I can't run anymore." He tugged on the zipper to the dress. "I can't get out." He cried out in defeat, looking up at Charlotte. "Well, come on, insult me."

Charlotte smiled…an actual, full blown, not kidding, smile.

"Wow." Ron whispered.

"What?"

"You smiled."

Charlotte shrugged. "It comes and goes." She held out her hand. "Come on. Hermione can help us.

Ron took her hand and grinned. "You know, you don't look half bad in a tux."

Charlotte punched him in the shoulder.

"Ouch."

"Too bad."

"It was a compliment."

"Yeah, a compliment that was actually a cover up for an insult."

Ron shrugged. "Yep."

Charlotte grinned. "Come on, let's go."

"And if we run into Ginny and Blaise?"

Charlotte paused and a sickly sweet look crossed her features. "Then we'll give them a taste of their own medicine."

Ron chuckled. "Awesome."


Miriam coughed, sputtering as she stood. Harry was beside her, curled up in a ball—purring.

"PURRING!" Miriam shook her head. Hell no, this was not happening. "Wake up!" she shoved at the sleeping cat, err, human, whatever.

Harry stopped purring and stretched, his tail flicking. "Meow?"

Miriam sat back. "Oh no. Oh no."

Confusion echoed in Harry's eyes. "Merow?" He licked his paw as he eyed Miriam with his bright green eyes, rubbing his paw over his ear. "Meow, meow, merow?"

Miriam grimaced. "Uh…Harry?"

The cat looked up at her with an expression that clearly said 'what the hell do you want, I'm busy you stupid human'.

Miriam bit her lip. "I think, I think I'll go find…someone." And she took off.

The cat continued to wash behind his ear, glad that the human had finally taken the hint and gone, he curled back up and fell asleep.


Draco felt the magnetic force loosen and he rolled off Hermione who sighed. "What's next, do you think?"

"We'll probably end up hanging from the rafters."

Hermione suddenly felt parched. "Oh god, if I don't drink something I'm going to die."

Draco tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry. "I need some hot chocolate." He could smell it now and turned his eyes to the corner. "Look, drinks."

Hermione looked at them curiously, her brain trying to tell her something, but her thirst overpowered her. "Hand me one would you?"

Draco picked up the cups of hot chocolate, handing one to Hermione. He took a very long drink of the hot liquid.

Hermione sipped hers, unsure if it would parch her thirst. "Wow. This is pretty good."

"What are you talking about?" Draco dropped the cup. "It tastes like dirt!"

Draco shook his head, feeling woozy.

Hermione suddenly dissolved into giggles. "Oh my god." She cried as she fell to her knees, tears forming in her eyes.

"What?" Draco glanced around the room. "Do I have something on me?" He turned a tight circle.

"You have a spider the size of a galleon on your shoulder." Hermione said, her giggles subsiding.

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Draco shouted, running frantically around the room.

Hermione laughed hard, as she watched the freaking out Slytherin.

Draco couldn't see the spider and he stopped running. "There is no spider."

"Yes, there is!" Hermione insisted. "Its big and black and as ugly as you." she stated seriously.

Draco backed against the wall. "I am not ugly."

"Yes, you most definitely are." Hermione nodded.

Draco's mouth dropped open. "Why would you say that?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's the truth."

"No. I know that I'm not ugly."

"You are."

Draco shook his head. He looked down at the cup, then his mind did a fast circle. "Shit." He murmured, running his hand through his hair. "They put something in the drinks." And that was why it had tasted so bad…but Hermione had said it was good. Draco studied her for a second—it didn't seem as though she'd caught onto the fact that she'd drank some sort of potion. Dense indeed, the thought made him smile.

"The hot chocolate was the worst I've ever had." Draco watched as Hermione turned, facing him.

"No. It was the best I've ever tasted."

"You're favorite color is green."

"No, it's not. My favorite color is blue."

Draco smirked—her hot chocolate had been laced with a potion for compulsive lying. But what had his been laced with. His mind ran over the things he knew. Blaise had a severe addiction to certain things…the truth being one of them.

"Ask me if a question."

Hermione crossed her arms. "And if I don't want to?"

"You do want to."

Hermione shook her head, smiling smugly. "No I don't."

Draco hung his head, resigned. "No, you don't." he said and was happy with the results.

"Yes I do." Hermione said. "You can't tell me what I do and do not want, who do you think you are. I want to ask you questions and I sure as hell am going to."

Draco didn't say anything as Hermione sat down on the bed.

"What's your favorite color?" Hermione finally asked, looking rather proud of herself.

Draco tried to think red, red, that's what he would say. "Black." Damn, Draco thought. Vertiasirum, thanks a lot Blaise.


Ginny and Blaise were crouched low, hidden in the shadows.

"What do you think Malfoy and Hermione are doing right now?" Ginny asked as she waited patiently for their next victim.

Blaise shrugged. "Probably cursing our very existence."

Ginny grinned. "Yeah. What time is it?"

Glancing at his watch, Blaise said. "A little after eight thirty."

Hunkering down further in the shadows Ginny smirked. "Well, if they're pissed now, they've got a surprise coming at nine o'clock that will have them ready to commit murder."

Blaise nodded but ducked down again. "I think I hear someone coming." He whispered. They both pulled out their wands.

And waited.

Miriam ran past and they shot out of their hiding spots.

"Ahh!" Miriam stopped. "You scared me, you stupid idiots." She huffed.

Ginny lowered her wand. "Well, sorry, we thought someone was coming around who we could actually curse."

"Disappointed?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course."

"By the way, I think that Harry is—well, he's turned into more of a cat than you, uh, predicted."

Ginny looked up. "What do you mean?"

Miriam spelled it out for the slow Gryffindor. "Harry Potter is a very big, black, cat who doesn't know he was a human."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"Where is he?"

"Where you two left him."

Blaise looked over to Ginny. "Okay, we'll take the spell off him."

"Thanks."

They parted ways, Ginny and Blaise off to return Harry to his human form and Miriam—to who knows where.


Ron and Charlotte sneaked a peak around the now empty hallway.

"Guess where we're going?" Charlotte murmured.

Ron smiled…this was going to be fun.

They turned and slowly ran after Blaise and Ginny—an odd scene. A girl dressed in a tux with long blond hair and a boy with a shot of red hair in a puffy wedding gown.

And then they were gone.


The clock chimed nine and Hermione finally could take control of her head again.

Draco was face down on her bed, apparently asleep. Hermione didn't know how long it had been since they had decided that the best thing to do was not talk at all, but it was finally over.

"Wake up Malfoy." Hermione pulled the pillow out from beneath his head.

"Thanks a lot."

"No problem."

Draco sat up and yawned. "Why did you wake me?"

Hermione shrugged. "Well, it's the start of a new dose of torture, I thought you should be…be…"

Draco watched as Hermione swayed sideways, but remained standing—her eyes unfocused.

"Are you okay?" He got up and reached out to steady her.

His hand touched the skin of her arm and abruptly, the world spun out of control.

Hermione opened her eyes. "AHHHHHH!"

Draco shook his head and looked up. "AHHHHHH!"

They both looked at each other…at themselves.

"No way." Draco whispered in Hermione's voice.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Hermione muttered.

"They did a body switch on us." Draco ran his hand through his hair…through Hermione's hair. "Um, yeah, Hermione, did you ever think about using a softener on your hair?"

Hermione glared back and for the first time, Draco was on the receiving end of one of his icy stares…and that scared him.

"Please don't do that." He turned away from himself.

Hermione smirked. "What? Don't like a little taste of your own medicine?

Draco opened his mouth to retort, but closed it. Two could play this game.


Pansy woke cold on the ground, her whole body ached, and her mind seethed. "Drakie!" she cried out. There was no way that her fiancé was going to do anything with that mudblood. She stormed up the stairs, glad now that she had the password to the Heads dorm room.

The windows were open; the moonlight came streaming in. Too bright, Pansy shielded her eyes.

The common room was empty Pansy observed, and no sound was coming from either room. She went to Draco's peeking her head in. His bed was empty. Anger seethed through her.

She entered Hermione's room. And it was not empty.


A/N: Yay! i have finally finished editing...whew...now i can actually write a new chapter!