A/N: Sorry for the late update. Please review if you have something to say, it will help me while I write the story. Hope you like it!
Chapter XX
After finishing all my classes that day, I walked to the Heads common room. Everything seemed normal, like all the times I headed back there after a full day of classes and essays, and library night excursions. The Heads got the seventh floor, and every time I had to get there, I walked by the place and I could see Barnabas the Barmy, that crazy bloke that tried to teach ballet to trolls.
The memories came back like fire – fast and consuming. All the time with the Vanishing Cabinet, the place full of books, brooms and forbidden objects from students desperate for somewhere to hide their secretes. I remember the Death Eaters coming that night, Bellatrix and her crazy wild eyes, the ones that were so much more frightening that day.
And I remember with almost vivid feeling the unbearable heat when Crabbe conjured Fiendfyre. I seriously didn't expect him to be capable of something like that. Well he and Goyle actually enjoyed the Carrows lessons way too much. In the end he proved to still be as idiotic as ever, and conjured something he didn't even know how to stop. And we almost burned to death that time, what makes me remember that Potter saved my life.
Getting a little earlier that year, when he actually almost managed to kill me, I think we could say that I don't own him anything. Almost anything to be fair with the bloke. What a year with a Griffindor doesn't do with you? I'm actually trying to be reasonable.
-Draco! Oh dear, what a delightful surprise!
-Good evening Bertha.
-How are you boy?
-Fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. How're things with Blaise?
-Oh, he is a sweet boy.
That is something I would never expect to hear about Zabini. I think the old woman is more foolish than I thought.
-I think you're too good on him. Now I need to see Hermione, if you don't mind.
-Not at all dear.
-Thank you. The password is Unity.
Everything was the same as ever. My armchair, the couch, Hermione's books on the ground and the orange ball she calls a cat. It was lazily lying on the couch, and the moment I came through the portrait hole it lifted its head. For a second his eyes were fixed on me, and I started to feel aware of the fact that he could attack at any moment. The last time I had scars for a month, and it's not something I particularly want to remember again, ever.
It seemed to remember me, because he hopped off the couch and walked to me slowly, before starting nuzzling his head on my ankles. A sigh of relief escaped me, and I went down to pick it up. He was oddly content with it.
-You're too much affectionate for my taste. What happened here, Blaise shut you out at night?
He ignored me and purred when I petted his head.
-Yeah, you're definitely not right.
I headed to my door and opened it. Blaise was sitting in bed reading a book and writing on a parchment. But when he turned and saw me he got so startled that his ink pot shed all over his essay.
-What in the name of Merlin are you doing here Draco?! Bloody hell, you made me ruin all my work. And don't even think of getting anywhere in my room with that beast.
Well that explains why the cat is so emotional.
-What, Crookshanks? But he's so cozy right now.
-I'm serious Draco, get him out.
I slowly walked to the armchair next to the small desk, near his bed. Blaise frowned deeply, but didn't object much aside for some swear in undertone.
-What are you doing here?
-Came to see how you're coping.
-Bloody not. She's taking a bath, it takes forever. If the smell wasn't so good, I'd've already made a time limit.
I smirked at him, that's something I can relate.
-How they managed to get her here all afternoon?
He grinned when some ink got at his sleeve, before vanishing all the mess. Then Blaise turned to me and got off his bed. I could hear a hiss from my lap. Don't think he managed to get on the good side of the monster.
-She tried to go, but the professors didn't let her in. So after some time she came back here, and when I got back she was on the floor with all the books. I heard her complaining for half an hour before I locked myself here. She's the only person I know sufficiently crazy to complain about an afternoon off.
-We're talking about Granger here, what did you expect?
He smirked maliciously and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another voice.
-Choose your words wisely Zabini, remember I can call the Chosen One whenever I want. Not that I would need him, but it's always good to have my back covered.
Blaise almost jumped this time, and I couldn't help the smile that came to me after seeing her there, healthy and bossing on people's business as ever. Although after a moment I realized that yes, she looked fine, but her cheeks didn't had that familiar rose color.
-For Salazar's sake, what is the problem with the both of you? Ever hear of knocking? You know, the big piece of wood hanging there isn't a useless decorative device.
She smiled and shook her head while walking to the place I was sitting. It's been just a week since the last time I saw her, and the feeling of actually hearing her voice was so warm that it couldn't be right. She was using one of the short dresses muggles wear to sleep, or I presume they do. This time it was a deep red, and as much as this pains me to admit, looked perfectly fine with her. And with the still wet hair it got even better, I had to refrain from liking my lips.
-I didn't know you were going to come here Draco. And how did you get the password?
-Well, it seems that McGonagall likes me more than I thought.
We exchanged looks for a moment too long, and I unexpectedly heard Ginny's voice in my head. Really Draco, you're getting way too far there. The ginger ball jumped from my lap, and I glimpsed from the corner of my eye Blaise's hilarious face of fear. It made me chuckle a little, and the next time I glanced back at Hermione, she had that smile. And as it always do, I got that annoying feeling in my stomach.
-It's good to see you anyway. Something happened, about your father I mean?
-Not at all. He didn't contact me yet, nor did he go to the Manor. The latter worries me more.
-Why?
-His father cared for Mrs. Malfoy, I would even say that he loved her. If Lucius managed to get out of Azkaban, by this time he would have tried to talk with her.
I looked at Blaise, and it was good to know that someone knows about me so much. I should feel exposed and uncomfortable, but by the look on Zabini's face it seemed unnecessary to think about that. I saw understanding, and that was more than I deserved after all we got together.
-Precisely what I thought Blaise.
-I know you mate.
-Not as much as you claim to do.
Hermione moved and walked until she got at the right side of the armchair I was sitting, and then she sat on its arm and looked down at me with a concerned frown.
-Harry thinks he's not alone. There's still some Death Eaters that they are searching, and your father could have managed to gather them. Blaise's mother saw him using Polyjuice potion, the others could be under its effect too.
-It's probable Draco.
-Yeah, I know.
But something still didn't seem right.
-You should write to him. Tell him something important about us, say you can help to get the three of us. After the N.E.W.T.s we're all going to Mrs. Weasley's house, she's doing a feast to celebrate. We can trick him, say it will be the perfect time. No one's going to expect it, and our guard will be let down.
-We have to plan it well. If you think my father managed to get a bunch of Death Eaters, we can't expect something clean. Do you think there's a way that Potter could talk with all of us together?
-Floo network. I can tell him the time, and you can come here.
-Good, do that.
The three of us became silent for a few minutes. Blaise looked stern at first, but his features softened after, then he started glancing at me, raising his eyebrow and inclining his face at Hermione's direction. I tried to ignore him, but it was starting to become infuriating.
-Draco, it's almost curfew. Shouldn't you be heading to the dungeons by now?
I almost forgot that I had to get back to the Slyterin common room. That place really relaxed me, and it was as if we were always there. And speaking of the dungeons, that made me remember something.
-Yeah, just one more thing. Blaise, when I moved there I received a really unpleasant surprise.
-What are you talking about?
I stared at him with the most displeased face I could muster at that time, didn't take too much to get my point done. He signed and started to walk in the room, it seemed like he was searching for something.
-Don't be an ass Malfoy, I did you a favor.
-A favor?
Hermione was looking back and forth at us with an amused expression.
-Yes, pretty much. When you're alone for too much time it gets on you, and we can almost see a black curtain hanging there. Besides the fact that you became unbearable; silent and moody all the time.
-Like you're any better.
-I can assure you I am. But seriously Draco, what's the problem with Theo? I thought it would be better to put someone that you already knew, and he asked me.
-I prefer to be alone. You're a pain that I have to cope trough the day , but I thought that the room would be all mine.
Hermione snorted at this, and we looked back at her. She stood and started to walk out off the room.
-As expected of the rich spoiled prat. You can't have a room all to yourself Malfoy. I don't even know why I try.
After she was out I looked at Zabini, puzzled.
-What's her problem?
He shrugged and grabbed a book from his trunk, before walking back to the bed and sitting.
-Dunno, but something tells me there's a Weasel finger on it. She complains a lot about him.
-You may be right. Ginger told me they had a row the last time we met in Hogsmeade.
His smirk wasn't even as infuriating as the way he wiggled his eyebrows.
-Don't say anything Zabini.
Miraculously he stopped, and then began to frown at me.
-I'm starting to get worried Drake. We all know you fancy her, I think even she knows but don't admit because she likes you too and is feeling bad because of the Weasel. You're not the kind of bloke that would wait to make a move. So what's wrong?
I glanced at him and thought. If the situation was as easy as Blaise thought, my life would be a little better. How do you explain it to someone? No, I'm not waiting because of the Weasel, I don't care for him sufficiently for this. The problem is Hermione. Well, not the problem at all.
All my life when I wanted something, my parents promptly gave it to me. It was simple and easy. But the moment I got it, the interest disappeared. So I would move to another thing, and they would give me it again. I bragged about the things to make it better, to try and get that feeling I had before getting it.
I never did. The first time I had trouble getting what I wanted was last year, with the Vanishing Cabinet. But after managing to fix it, what I felt was relief not excitement. I knew He wouldn't kill me because of that. I was an idiot.
With Hermione is different. She's something good, way too much for me. She's witty, and the most brilliant person I know, and infuriating but in a way that makes you want to piss her more and more, because it's fun. She's easy to talk, kind and trust peoples too much sometimes for her own good.
She became something too good. And I realized that I'm worried that if something happens, this feeling will be gone, like all the other times. If I want her? Yes, too much for my sanity sometimes. But I like this wild feeling, the excitement, uneasy and what she does the times she gives me that smile.
-Have you ever liked a feeling so much, that the fear of losing it became as strong as your need for it Blaise?
He didn't move at first, but I saw him smiling. It annoyed me, as if he was thinking I had gone mad, but his face wasn't snarky. It struck me when I realized it was understanding.
-Just recently mate.