Once again, a big thank you to my beta Missy J Anne85 for telling me when I'm an idiot and when I'm not. I am so incredibly thankful to her for coming along and elevating this little fic. You can find her under the link and read some of her amazing work.
This chapter is dedicated to the gorgeous Amalia who made my day! You can find her artwork on Insta the_no_peace/
Find the spotify playlist playlist/7BTCmw28i4216Vjia9lstP?si=PUQ7DkA-Sw2o8z-PD6litg Missy and I strongly recommend you listen to the chapter songs before, during or after reading the chapter. The song list can be found in the end notes.
By the time Hermione returned to the dormitory, Malfoy had long since disappeared. Whether he was in his bedroom or out stalking the halls as he often did, she wasn't sure. And nor do I care, she told herself, stubbornly. She stomped her way up his staircase, not caring if she was waking him, incanted 'Flagrate' and hastily inscribed the message from McGonagall on his door. She enchanted the spell to show through on both sides, so he would have no excuse for not receiving the message, stomped her way back down the stairs and took herself to bed.
Early the next morning, she woke to a loud banging on her door, punctuated by an angry-sounding "Granger!" With a groan, Hermione rolled over and trudged towards her door. Best to just get this over with, she thought as she threw the door open. Malfoy just about fell into her from the momentum but righted himself quickly enough. "Granger, what the actual fuck?" Malfoy started, but his next words caught in his throat as he took in her nightclothes and dishevelled appearance.
The lavender silk and lace clung to her body in all of the right places and Draco could feel his words muddling themselves in his brain before they even had a chance to break out of his mouth. Her curls were wild and stuck out in all different ways. She looks sex-mussed, he thought. Trying valiantly to divert his eyes from her lace-covered breasts, he garbled a few words before eventually spitting out. "I'll come back later," and turning his back on her.
Hermione stood there watching him struggle for what felt like at least thirty seconds. She considered putting him out of his misery and fetching a bathrobe but decided that this was far more fun. It was nice to see Malfoy at a loss for words, and if she was being honest, she didn't hate the way his eyes were skating over her body. As she watched him retreat further down the staircase, she gathered a blanket off of her nearby study stool and called out to him. "Malfoy, wait."
Wait he did not. Instead, he seemed hell-bent on not waiting. "Malfoy," she called again. This time he did stop in his tracks, but he didn't turn to face her. "It's alright, Malfoy. I'm all covered up," she taunted him in the same manner as he had that first day in the prefect's bathroom.
When he turned around, she was relieved to see his signature smirk in place. He was wearing his Quidditch uniform, she noticed. She also noticed just how tightly it seemed to fit him these days. He quirked an eyebrow at her as he watched her watching him. Clearing her throat, she started again. "What is it I can help you with, Malfoy? It was you who was pounding on my door not thirty seconds ago, was it not?"
Draco cleared his mind as best as possible. The use of the word 'pounding' along with her current state of undress was not helping him concentrate on remaining indignantly cross with her. "Yes," he drawled. "Did you actually go and tell McGonagall on me?"
"I told you I would," she replied with a sniff. "If I am going to do this job on my own, then I would prefer to have everyone know about it. Or, potentially have a new Head Boy elected."
His eyes darkened as he watched her. "Do you have any idea what you have done?" He snarled at her, reminding himself not to be distracted by her legs.
"Oh come off it, Malfoy! McGonagall wasn't even pissed. She just wants to have a friendly chat. Honestly, you should be more worried about me," she told him, with her eyebrows raised.
"You ?" He scoffed. "What would I need to be afraid of you for? What could you possibly do?"
"This seems to be pretty effective in getting you to shut up," she said, dropping the blanket from around her shoulders. Naturally, his eyes followed the blanket's fall and then lifted back to Hermione's face, somewhat slower. For a moment, he just stood there gaping at her. "Right, then. Now that that is established, I'm going back to bed. Do tell me how your meeting with McGonagall goes, won't you?" She bent very slowly to pick up her blanket, turned and sashayed back to her bedroom, making sure to add a little extra swing to her hips as she went.
Draco watched her go, hardly daring to believe his eyes, yet feeling a delightful little twitch in his pants. Just what does Granger think she's up to? Oh shit, she knows. She definitely knows. I'll just have to turn this whole thing around. He fled to his bedroom before she could turn and see the effect she was having on him. It would be hard enough to get her to believe he hated her as it was. He'd need to think of something and quickly, but not before he found a spare sock.
Back in her bedroom, Hermione allowed herself a small giggle. She slapped a hand across her mouth to stop the sound from travelling. Sliding back under the still warm covers of her bed, she tossed and turned for a few minutes, unable to find rest or to wipe the ridiculous grin off of her face. Draco Malfoy might not like her right now, but he certainly liked the way she looked.
Before she could even think of it, her right hand had slipped beneath the lining of her panties. Biting her lip, she tried not to think of the person behind her sudden turn-on, but rather to focus on the sensations as her fingers slipped in and out of her folds and over her clit.
No matter how hard she tried, the incredulous look on his face wouldn't leave her and before long her other hand had joined the first. Dragging two fingers from her left hand in and out while the fingers on her right hand were busy creating friction over the precious bundle of nerves just above.
She came with a low keen and the image of Draco Malfoy pumping himself dry in the room just next door in her mind. When the stars in her vision cleared, she relaxed back against her pillows. Shit, she thought. Do I have a thing for Malfoy?
Hermione was sitting in the prefect's office, going over the notes made by the prefects last night when he found her again. The door slammed open as he made his appearance, stalking to his desk, dropping into his chair, and beginning to look through the small pile of paperwork she had left for him in case he ever deigned to get back to work.
She tried to hide the small smile forming on her face as he shuffled through the papers, scanning them like they were the dirt under his nails. While she might be able to hide her smile from him, she couldn't hide the sudden kaleidoscope of butterflies in her stomach from herself. This morning's orgasm had been an epiphany on why she had been so invested in seeing him become someone good. She wondered when it had begun for her, but couldn't put her finger on it, no matter how hard she tried.
"Enjoying this are you, Granger? Don't think you can hide that little smirk from me. I am the crowned fucking prince of smirks. Do you know what your little conversation with McGonagall has accomplished? I am on probation," he snarled. 'Probation for fuck's sake! And do you know what that entails? Do you? " He asked, leaning towards her, hands clasped in his lap.
"Enlighten me," she smiled suggestively.
His heart nearly stopped, but he continued in his condescending tone. "We. You and I," he waved his hand through the air between them. "Have to work together. On everything," he hissed. Trying to hate her or even to convince her that he hated her was going to be so much harder now. He'd have to be on his guard all-the-fucking-time.
"I - what?" She stuttered, completely taken aback.
"That's right," he nodded. Watching the realisation dawn on her face, he forced a smug look on to his. "Your little conversation with the Headmistress has resulted in all our patrols becoming a joint effort. All of our reports need to be submitted together. You need to tutor me in all of our joint classes, which - need I remind you, are many! The only relief we will have from each other is when I am being tutored by someone else in the other classes. Oh and thank Merlin for Quidditch. I'll be requesting that we get more practices from now on, don't you worry about that. So tell me, Granger. Are you happy that you ratted me out? Because you can say goodbye to all of your free time because of it."
Hermione swallowed, absorbing the news. So this is what McGonagall had meant. She'd be spending a lot more time with Malfoy now and like she had said, she hoped Hermione would be a good influence on him and show him that there is a possibility of a bright future. Well shit, it would have been hard before but now that I know I have a little crush... This could go very, very bad and end up backfiring.
"Ok, Malfoy. I admit it. This was most definitely not my plan and it's probably not going to be easy for either of us but - there could be a light at the end of the tunnel."
"Right," he scoffed. "And what would that be?"
"If we do this right, it could turn your life around. You might actually end up happy - one day."
Draco Malfoy sat back in his chair and he laughed. He laughed and laughed until it became a cackle and Hermione was crimson from her head to her toes. When he looked back at her, he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "Good one, Granger."
"Just what is so funny?" She hissed.
"You say happiness exists and you think I might get close to it. One day?" He was snickering again. "You always were a dreamer, Granger."
"You're keeping me in the dark on purpose, Malfoy but it won't be for long," she said.
Another chuckle and he replied "So you say I won't like it - but I've just gotta hold on. Maybe one day this will be worth it?" He hissed, shoving the contents off of his desk. Hermione watched the parchment and quills flutter down and the inkpots smash on the ground. The butterflies in her stomach erupted into chaos.
She stood quickly, waving her wand to vanish the mess when he hissed, "Leave it." He stalked the few steps over to her and stood with his face mere inches from hers. Hermione held her breath and her ground. The butterflies ceased all movement. She would not be backing down from Draco Malfoy, not today and not ever. "Happiness is not in my future, Granger. No matter what you do," he whispered harshly, covering her with goosebumps all over again. "I'm done with all this bullshit, the Russian roulette of chances. Don't you see that I'm all but lifeless?" He gripped her arms in a way that she was sure would leave bruises.
"You are far from lifeless, Malfoy," she seethed, heart racing. She kept her eyes locked on his and did not attempt to release his grip on her body. She would show him no weaknesses. "What are you trying to prove?"
"Don't you get it?"
"No!" She snapped, frustrated.
"I need you to hate me, Granger, in the worst way! I need you to hate me, say it to my face and I'll let go!"
Adrenalin was pumping through her veins, her instincts screaming for fight or flight.
"What? Why should I hate you? You - you saved me- us. How could I hate you?
"Saved you?" He spat, releasing her like she had burned him.
"Yes, you saved us all," she said, failing to resist the urge to rub her arms where he had held her.
Staring down at her with his chest heaving, she could see the confusion etched all over his face. "You-" He licked his lips nervously. "You think I saved you? I fucking damn near condemned you! The number of things I could have said and done - should have said and done - and I stood there and did nothing but stammer! Fucking stammer! Merlin, it haunts me every day!"
Hermione debated whether to step forward or to step backwards. Backwards, she decided, perching on her desk as she observed his episode. She gripped the table to hide the fact that her hands were shaking. When his rant was over, she watched the rise and fall of his chest for a moment before responding calmly. "Malfoy. Did you not hear the testimony all three of us gave in your trial?"
"That was on behalf of my mother, she was the only one who saved Potter," he scoffed.
"No, we gave Narcissa her own testimony at her own trial," she said. "We meant what we said about you. If you had identified Harry, we'd never have even had a chance. You could have named Harry, you knew it was him. Could clearly identify Ron and I and yet, you did nothing."
"Exactly," he seethed. "I did nothing!"
"And nothing was the perfect thing to do at the time. Anything more or less and we'd all have died."
"No Granger. This is not how things work. I need you to hate me!"
"Why?" She slid off of the desk and moved towards him - slowly as if she was stalking her prey. Predictably, he backed up as he observed her progress until he had bumped into the wall containing the schedules.
"Be-because," he stammered.
"Because why?" She asked again, lowering her lashes, she had nearly reached him now, but he moved swiftly and put his desk between them.
"Because it's easier that way. That's our normal. You and I hating each other. It's been successful for seven years, why ruin a good thing?
Giving up for now, Hermione returned to her desk, smoothing her skirt as she sat. "If you think that we can work and live this closely together, continuing to hate one another as we have in the past, and consider that to be a good thing; then we have more serious problems than I had initially thought. Like it or not, Malfoy, my days of hating you are done."
Draco stared at her for a few minutes, contemplating his options. He considered returning to his old favourite insult, but couldn't bring himself to say the words. Instead, he opted for leaving the room and slamming the door shut behind him. Hermione felt no need to hide her smile this time, feeling more than victorious regardless of the fight they'd had and the bruises on her arms. A moment later the door crashed back open as Malfoy stormed back inside the room, collected the papers he'd been sorting through off of his desk and hurled the door shut again on his way out. As the door connected with its frame, Hermione allowed herself a small laugh. This could be fun, she thought.
Hermione had kept her promise. She had succeeded in not hating him, no matter how hard he tried to make her. He alternated from snide to snarky, from dismissive to just plain old rude. Yet, she continued to chat at him and engage him as best she could in lessons and prefect meetings. Was she a little discouraged? Yes. Was she ready to give up on him? No. Had her crush subsided? Definitely not. On the contrary, his desire to make him hate her had only made her want him more.
One night while they were on patrol, Hermione was going on and on and on about the new Transfiguration professor. How she really ought to tell McGonagall how hopeless he was, but couldn't bring herself to do it because every time he bored her to death, she got lost in those super dreamy eyes.
"For fucking Merlin's sake, Granger. Please shut up about bloody Michaels before I make you!" Draco spat, keeping up their brisk pace. Hermione, however, had come to a dead stop and it took Draco several steps before he realised. He spun to face her, sizing her up from head to toe. "What? Don't tell me I've finally done it? Managed to piss you off enough to be done with me?"
She lifted her chin defiantly and met his heated gaze. "How?"
"How what?"
"How would you make me shut up?" She clarified, eyes sparkling.
Truly off his guard at this point, yet not willing to show it, he sauntered over to her, placed a hand on the wall next to her head and leaned in closer. Using his height and breadth in an act of intimidation.
Hermione stood her ground and stared up at him, daring him to do something, anything. "Well?" She prompted.
"Oh, Granger," he drawled. "There are several ways I could shut you up," he added his signature smirk.
"Name one," Hermione countered.
Draco hesitated for a moment too long, giving Hermione the opening she needed. He was already attempting to invade her personal space, so she used his proximity to her advantage. She lithely wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down further, capturing his lips with hers. It was short, it was chaste and it wasn't nearly as sexy as she had hoped. Especially when he pushed her away, staggering several steps back.
"What the fuck, Granger?" he cursed, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. His eyes darted from her shocked face to his hand and back again.
"I - I'm sorry. I thought you might've wanted me to, but - but I see I was wrong. I'm sorry," she spun on her heel and set a brisk pace in the opposite direction.
He slapped his hands against the wall in frustration. I am going to regret this, he thought, feeling his body move before his brain could condone it. His long legs made far quicker strides than hers did and he was on her within a matter of moments.
Catching her shoulders, he spun her, grabbed her waist, lifted her and pushed her against the wall, crashing his lips on top of hers. He swallowed her surprise and held her harder against the wall as she dropped her wand to tangle her hands in his hair. Their teeth clashed together as they fought their way through desire. Hermione wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing him in closer. When her tongue traced the line of his lips, he opened his mouth for her, greedily inviting her in. When their tongues collided, Hermione felt electricity dance through every one of her nerves, her fingernails scraped over his skull in response. He hissed into her mouth and tangled his fingers in her jumper, clawing to find an inch of bare skin.
Hermione, ever the stickler for dress code, had her shirt securely tucked into her pants and never had she been more frustrated with herself. She wanted him to rip her clothes to shreds, wanted to rip his clothes to shreds and yet she could feel him retreating. For a moment, she considered not letting him go, already missing the heat his touch sent zinging through her body.
His lips disengaged, but he held her fast against the wall, resting his forehead on hers.
"This is a bad idea, Granger," he said with a slight shake.
"Probably," she admitted. "But why are you trying so hard to fight it?"
He set her down and released his hold on her waist, the loss of contact hurt her more than she cared to admit.
"You've got a hold on me, Granger. It's like I'm one hundred feet tall, but I fall when I'm around you. You don't know it yet, but you've just opened a door that's begging you to slam it shut again."
"You can't know that," she whispered, reaching for him. "We have no idea where this can go."
"Merlin, Granger. This - I - we - can't happen. "
She shook her head violently, refusing to believe the words coming from his mouth. It was as if he'd lived their whole relationship in his head already and decided it would never, could never work.
"I just want to be near you, Malfoy." She took his reluctant hand in hers. "Look, I've got my heart open and I'm telling you that I think this could work. Tell me I'm not crazy," she looked at him, eyes pleading.
"For fuck's sake," he used his free hand to rake through his hair. "All I have left is my pride and even then, it's only hanging on by a thread."
"I'm not asking for a lot," she said. "Just be honest with me."
He dropped her hand and was pacing back and forth. Hermione felt her hopes soar. She knew he was attracted to her, but what he was saying went far further than attraction.
"Fuck. Sorry," he looked at her, turned and walked away, muttering something about puppets and strings.
If you have gotten this far and you like what you've read, please leave a comment - I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts!
I Need You to Hate Me - JC Stewart
Mercy - Shawn Mendes
