Hermione tried to scream and fight back but couldn't. The hand was too strong and she couldn't wriggle free of his grasp. She knew it was a man by the size and stench, and the calloused hands gripping tight across her mouth.
'Shhh' his voice said crossly, gripping her tighter. She slowed in her efforts to get free, realising it was futile. She was going to need to calm down, think. She dragged up her inner Gryffindor and stopped struggling.
'That's better' the voice snarled, loosening his grip slightly. She felt sick but tried to let her instincts kick in through the alcohol haze, noticing everything she could to try and clear her mind. She wouldn't get her wand she knew but was fairly good at wandless magic now. She concentrated hard, yelling 'stupefy' in her mind.
'Nice try' the voice said, laughing slightly. Damn, she wasn't concentrating enough and been able to read her reactions. She concentrated hard and closed herself off, not wanting to risk him intruding into her mind.
'Now now, don't shut me out' he smiled behind her, pushing her forwards further into the room.
'Now shh' he said, gently releasing the hand over her mouth. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and his hand clamped back down again. They both froze in fear, Hermione's heart pounding. She would have thought it might actually jump out her throat of such a thing was possible. They both turned to stare at the door, as if they could see through it.
'Housekeeping' a voice sang out as the person outside obviously knocked again.
They both stayed silent although Hermione was still trying to wriggle from his grasp, praying the witch would come in. She took the opportunity to try and turn and look at him and get out of his grasp but he caught her.
'Oh no you don't missy' he whispered roughly, grabbing her tighter. It seemed housekeeping gave up and moved away, as Hermione could hear the trolley squeaking down the hall and the same sing song voice calling out at the next room.
'What do you want?' She spluttered as he released her slightly again obviously realising the same thing.
'You' he said simply. 'You're mine, not that scum's'
He was gently loosening his grip on her as he spat out his words and she tried staying calm outwardly although inwardly was quaking, reaching up to her pocket slowly but stopped as he span her around and grabbed both wrists, noticing where her hand was heading. 'I've waited so long, too long to have you so now you're mine'
He pushed her backwards into the bed, her wrists gripped tight. Her robes had fallen apart slightly and he let go of one side to run his hand up her leg, almost like a spider. She tried not to shiver but she was utterly repulsed, she could feel his hot breath on her face and his small gasps of lust. It took all her effort not to fight straightaway but to be patient and let him climb on top of her slightly. She waited until he was just above her, almost lying her flat before bringing her knee sharply upwards and connecting it with his groin, hard. He yelped and she took advantage, shoving him off her hard into the floor, with immense strength. She glanced at his face as she did so but it was covered in a hood. She went for her wand but he was quicker.
'You bitch' he spat, creased up in pain. 'I'll make you pay'.
He locked the door and disarmed her quickly. Catching her wand as he sat on the floor. Hermione watched it sail through the air and realised running was pointless. She curses the alcohol she'd had for slowing her reactions slightly although mentally she'd snapped back into focus physically she was slower and more cumbersome than usual.
He stood and she could imagine his expression under that hood, one of rage. His whole body was contorted with it. 'Now now, be a good girl or this won't be any fun for you' he said, whispering 'crucio' as she fell to the floor. He only held it for a second but Hermione felt the pain rip through her. She gasped, struggling to catch her breath.
'This your idea of fun? Terrifying and torturing your dates?' She mocked from the floor ignoring the shocks that ripples through her body.
'Some of us know how to treat a lady who behaves. I'd let you choose your own food for a start' he snickered, getting up and moving closer. 'Now, don't make me freeze you' he said warningly, moving his head up and down like he was eyeing her up. She took a step back but noticed he was still holding her wand as he came closer.
'Petrificus totalus' she shouted, watching as he fell backwards, obviously not expecting it. She grabbed her wand, shaking, and bound him, then sprinted out the room and upstairs without thinking.
She sprinted up the stairs to Malfoy's room and hammered on the door, heart pounding. 'What the fuck Granger' he said as she barged past him and sat shaking on his bed. Quickly he took in her shaken appearance and rushed over sitting next to her, changing his attitude straightaway.
'Th, there was someone in my room' she said shaking violently and allowing emotion to overcome her. 'He,he attacked me and to think would have raped me. I froze him and got away' she said, breaking into noisy sobs.
He pulled her into his arms tight. 'Shhh' he soothed, stroking her hair gently. After a couple of seconds he pulled away. 'Stay here, wand out' he commanded, grabbing his wand. Hermione looked up st him woefully, not wanting to be left alone but knowing she was safe here. 'What room' he asked at the door. She told him and he disappeared. She felt pathetic, she'd done some auror training but was here shaking like a leaf so she took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. She was a Gryffinfor and War heroine for Godric's sake. She sat rigid on the bed, wand pointing at the door until it opened slowly and Malfoy called out before letting himself in. She slowly lowered her wand.
'Empty' He said simply, crossing the room and pulling her into a one armed hug again, dropping a friendly kiss on her head. She'd thought as much, her body bind curse hadn't been strong really as she'd done it wandlessly and she'd run too quick to really check. She kicked herself for being such a wimp and running away.
'What happened Mi?' He asked gently when he sensed her breathing regulate a bit. She sat up and looked at him before turning away and explaining quickly, staring straight ahead and talking in a monotone. When she got to him climbing on top of her Malfoy took her hand gently.
'It happened too quick. I didn't recognise him, but he knew me, he'd watched us earlier'.
She finished and lay her head on his shoulder, taking comfort from him. 'Well, I patronused Lucazetti. He'll talk to us in the morning, but sent his team over to your room. There's nothing there but they might find a trace. They'll want your memory'. She took the opportunity to glance up at him, realising she hadn't properly looked at him. She noticed he was only wearing pyjama trousers and up close he was covered in scars. Despite sleeping together she'd never noticed them before. She stared at his chest trying to work them out, noticing lots of funny small marks including a word she couldn't decipher over his pec. He caught her looking and shrugged.
'I covered them before. You weren't the only one Aunt Bella liked to draw on' he said dryly. She moved closer to him and traced the scar she could see on his pec with her fingertip.
'Traitor' she breathed, drawing over the word softly again and again.
'That was after you escaped. She knew I knew it was Harry and hadn't let on. Mother guessed straightaway and feigned ignorance, but Aunt Bella was so angry that you'd been in her vault and worried that at the time she didn't see it. Once she worked it out and you escaped she took it out on me for not confirming it sooner. This one' he grabbed her hand and led her to the inside of his upper left arm 'was the summer after I failed to kill Dumbledore. She wanted it between the mark and my heart. I took a fair few cruciatus curses for that too, from her, father, Voldemort. Snape saved me from anything worse. I hated him for it at the time, believing I deserved the punishment but he was in his own way trying to help me'.
She traced the word coward inscribed in the skin. That one was red and raised but not visible mostly as between arm and body. 'You're anything but Draco' she said as he looked away from her
almost shamefully.
'I don't know' he shrugged, 'there's plenty I'm ashamed of but not discussing. I hid them from everyone, you're the first person to see them. It's a reminder of an unpleasant and not proud time in my life but doesn't mean I want them on show'
'Don't hide who you are. You are not those things' she whispered. She let his arm drop and shuddered again. She'd been stupid, she usually entered strange places with her wand out but hadn't tonight, she blamed the wine and the heady feeling she'd had from somewhere.
'What now?' She whispered, suddenly embarrassed that she'd tipped up in his room and at how close she was to him, she could feel his breath on her face as he pulled away from her slightly.
'Well you're staying here tonight'.
She just nodded, she hadn't fancied going back to her room but wasn't sure what she was going to do. He seemed to read her mind and walked across the room, pulling a drawer open and throwing her a slytherin quidditch jersey. 'Here, wear this. I draw the line at you using my toothbrush yet though so you'll have to make do' he smirked.
'Yet?' She asked, rolling her eyes weakly at his choice of shirt. He just grinned and headed into the bathroom. He came out again a few minutes later and Hermione was still stood there, not having moved since he'd left.
'Couldn't give two hoots about you naked Granger, seen it all before' he sighed, turning away and putting some things away in his dresser. Hermione quickly got out of her robes and put on his jersey. It was so soft and warm and smelt of him but she wasn't sure what exactly. Parchment and coffee and chocolate she thought, along with an expensive cologne she didn't know but knew was his. She sat on the bed and looked around.
'Your room is twice the size and much better than mine' she said.
'Really?' He looked surprised. 'We'll talk more in the morning and see Lucazetti ' he said, yawning and getting into bed. 'It's been a long day and I want to sleep. No jumping me though.'
She snorted 'not bloody likely', causing him to grin wickedly.
'Oh, but we've been there already'
He turned out the light and lay down, facing away from her. She shook her head and tentatively lay down next to him, wriggling her shirt down and keeping her wand firmly in reach. 'You don't need to sleep on the edge you know, I don't bite' he said sleepily, reaching over and pulling her back into him and wrapping his arms around her. She stiffened in his arms.
'We never did this though' she whispered.
He nuzzled her neck, whispering 'no, we didn't. Perhaps a mistake. Night'.
He fell asleep as Hermione relaxed back into in his warmth, pondering over what he'd just said but sleep quickly grabbed her and she drifted off.
She woke up suddenly, something had disturbed her that wasn't a nightmare for once as it was still dark outside. She suddenly realised she wasn't in bed alone, until there was a blood curdling scream from the body next to her. Grabbing her wand she gently lit the room. Malfoy was next to her thrashing around, screaming 'no, no, no, I'm not doing it anymore, you can't make me'. She watched him, recoiling automatically as he sat bolt upright, eyes wide open in fear then lay back down twitching like he'd been under the cruciatus curse. Eventually he was still and she took it as the ideal time to wake him up.
'Wh,What' He shouted. She snuggled right into his chest, it felt the most natural thing to her to do.
'Nightmare' she said sleepily, wrapping an arm around him and falling back asleep quickly. He lay awake for ages just listening to Hermione breathing on his chest but really liking her snuggled into him; despite his nightmare he felt peaceful. She was warm and cosy and comforting. He must have dozed off again because next thing he knew the sun was streaming in and he could feel her asleep still wrapped round him. He tried to sneak out from under her arm but failed.
'Morning' she mumbled sleepily, then seemed to notice where she was. 'Erm' she drew her arm back embarrassed.
'It was just sleep Granger, i'm sure you've shared a bed before'. She looked away.
'Yes but not in a long time and I've never slept that well' she admitted.
'I'll just be going now though once I get some clothes on'. She said, moving away shyly.
'No you won't. Where are you going to go? No awkwardness allowed. Give me ten minutes to shower and I'm coming down to your room to get your stuff. I know you can look after yourself, believe me' he added as he saw she was about to protest 'and no, I'm not rescuing a damsel in distress either. But two wands are better than one yes?' He said, disappearing into the bathroom.
'I think I preferred it when you were mean to me' she shouted, just hearing him laugh.
'I think I can guess why your room is better than mine' Hermione said angrily, noticing the evil stares from the receptionist as they crossed the lobby that evening. They'd been to her room that morning, it had been left neat and tidy and an owl dropped a letter from Lucazetti saying they'd found nothing, no sign or trace of anyone who had been in there and to see him first thing the next morning.
'This is tiny' Malfoy had remarked whilst she quickly showered and dressed, him loitering outside her bathroom, leaning on the wall. He hadn't noticed the night before, he'd quickly searched and left after talking to the auror first to arrive. The room had been searched and determined clean for her to re-enter and left in tact. 'Think they forgot to put these back' he joked, picking up a pair of her knickers with his wand from the floor and flicking them into the open drawer. She went red and glared at him as he walked towards her. 'Rather see them on you' he whispered, dropping a kiss on her head and walking out. She'd blushed and followed him silently out to the Ministry. They'd had a busy day but think they'd managed to make some headway with soothing the ruffled Italians. No one had been able to catch any of the wizards responsible but the graffiti was undeniably English and quite rude. She'd been in a bad mood all day, it was tiring not speaking the language and the Italians were making big demands.
'Don't be ridiculous. Come on. Dinner' he snapped back. He couldn't understand her. They'd laughed and joked all morning after going through statements from the night before but her mood had steadily got worse through the day. They walked in silence to the little restaurant.
'What's eating you?' He snapped, annoyed. She said nothing but glared at the menu, then sighed heavily slamming it down. Suddenly he laughed as an epiphany struck. 'You hate you can't speak Italian'.
In answer she just glared at him again.
'Oh this is priceless'. He couldn't stop laughing.
'Enough' she shouted which made him laugh even more and her shoot daggers at him.
'Here' he relented, waving his wand over the menu and English words flew over the Italian.
'Why couldn't you have done that last time?' She muttered.
'I don't give away all my secrets so easily' he replied, 'plus anything for an easy life'.
'You know, I think I preferred it when we hated each other, life was simpler' she said, 'although I can easily go back to that'.
'Come on Granger, I never hated you because of you. I was conditioned to automatically hate everyone of your birth status at the beginning of Hogwarts, and I can't deny you made it easy to dislike you by beating me in every test. That and that annoying know it all attitude. And yes, I was an arrogant arse back then'.
'Still are' she muttered.
'Ok, still am. I'll concede that one, but I didn't hate you always. You know that. I hated Potter and Weasel, and you came in the pack. Actually I don't really hate any of you anymore. I can't say we'd all get along swimmingly but I don't hate you all. Then, then lately I just can't get you out of my head. You're the only person who's really spoken to me in years because they want to not out of necessity. And still do despite everything I've done to you'.
Without thinking she reached up and stroked his face. He caught her hand and pulled it down. 'Don't, Hermione. Just don't'. She knew he was struggling with something so just watched him.
'What do you want Malfoy?' She asked. To be honest she was confused herself at the attraction she felt for him. They were just too different and too much history but she felt a pull to him, an undeniable pull of attraction and lust and desire. It felt so wrong yet so right but she wasn't going to push him tonight. He shook his head but held eye contact with her until the moment was broken by the arrival of their food.