Chapter 4

Love Drunk

Hermione went down to the Dining Hall, supposedly to grab up dinner, but when she saw the food prepared, there wee too much… and just by looking at it, she felt like she was full.

She did not notice, but Draco looked at her intently… wondering why she did not even care to sit down and eat something.

"Why?" He whispered to himself.

"Why what, Draco?" Pansy asked as she tried to see where Draco was looking.

"Uhm… nothing, sorry," Hermione vanished out of sight.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine." He paused. "Pansy?"

"Yes?"

"I have to go ahead. I have to fix something. I'll catch you later. In front of your common room."

"Alright Draco. I'll see you later."

Draco got a plate, got some rice, chicken and salad…

"Draco, wait… what's that for?" Pansy wondered.

"For me… Uhm… midnight snack for later."

"But-"

"I love you, Pansy!" he exclaimed before he ran away.

"That was sweet," Pansy's friend stated.

"Yeah, it was." She replied as she gave off a smile.

He headed to the Head's Dorm, then to Hermione's room. He knocked.

"Enter, Malfoy."

He did.

She turned around after smelling the food.

"I got you your meal."

"My meal?? Wow, you have been a great spy Malfoy," Hermione stated as she gave a grin.

"A spy?" he asked innocently as he placed the plate on the desk. Afterwards, he sat on the closest couch.

"Well then, yes. A great spy. This morning, you were the one who told Neville that I was in the Library."

"I did not!" He denied, and then he started laughing.

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Come on, Malfoy, you were caught red handed… there's no denying in here." She teased, giggling.

"Alright, alright. I give up. Yes, I told him that you were there."

They both ended up laughing. They sounded like two mischievous kids arguing over a simple matter… fighting… then being friends again.

"Now you come here, bringing me food. How did you-?"

"How did I know that you did not take dinner?"

"Yeah…"

He sat down beside the window. Hermione followed him with her stare.

"Well then," Draco said, "I saw you stop by the Dining Hall… then you left… without even grabbing anything. So I thought maybe I could give you something to eat."

"Thanks. It was thoughtful of you to do so." She paused, "Care for some wine?"

"A head girl… is breaking rules…" He smiled.

"Do you, or do you not?"

"Alright, alright… I do. Where is it?"

"Dobby!" Hermione called.

CRACK!

"What can dobby do- oh, Hermione is with the youngest Malfoy…"

"Dobby-"

"Are you two-?"

"Dobby!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Dobby is very sorry for mingling with Hermione's life." He got the lamp then started hitting himself with it. "Bad, Bad, Bad!"

Draco chuckled.

"Dobby, no!" Hermione got a grasp of the lamp, and then took it away from him.

"But Dobby is bad!" Dobby protested.

"Never mind that, I want a bottle of wine and two shot glasses." She commanded.

"Dobby will get what Hermione wants. I am very sorry again."

CRACK! He vanished almost instantly.

Dobby vanished.

"Funny elf," Draco stated, "he's nothing like Kreacher."

"Yes, they're total opposites."

"Kreacher is an old, worthless-"

"Don't speak so harshly about them, Malfoy."

"I'm sorry Granger-"

CRACK! He reappeared.

"Dobby has it, Hermione."

"That was fast. Thank you, Dobby. You may go now."

"Youngest Malfoy, don't you dare-"

"Yes, Dobby. I won't hurt your master." He looked at Hermione and gave her a smile.

"Call me, Hermione, if you need Dobby." Dobby suggested.

"I will, Dobby. Thank you." Hermione said pleasantly.

CRACK! He was gone again.

Hermione placed the shot glass on the table and filled it up with the red wine.

"Cheers for the spy!" Hermione lifted the shot glass into thin air, "A toast."

They brought the glasses to their lips.

"Cheers… for the start of everything." He said…

He stayed there in the room for about an hour, and then headed to the Slytherin's Common Room to bid Pansy a goodnight. She came out of the room 30 minutes after.

"Hey Pansy. What took you so-?"

"The food was for the Mudblood, wasn't it?" Pansy interrupted.

"Pansy I-"

"Don't say anything. Listen to what I would want to say." She paused, "I'm starting to become really suspicious about you and that mud-"

"Don't call her that." He said in a low voice.

"There you are again- defending her! What is wrong with you?" She exclaimed. She was starting to get pissed with him…

"If being friends with another person is bad, then I guess that is what's wrong! I'm sick of all these arguments… I'm tired! I feel strangled, Pansy! Loosen up a bit!"

She looked at him sharply, and then walked away… tears filming her eyes.

He sat on one of the bases of the stone statues. He covered his face with his bare hands.

"Shit! What wrong have I done?" He thought to himself. "Is it wrong to be at peace with Granger?"

He went back to the Heads' Dorm. Hermione was lying down on her bed, eyes closed…

"Are you asleep, Granger?"

Her eyes opened. "Trying… are you okay?" She obviously saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah… why do you ask?"

"You seemed to be… disturbed by something… I dunno."

"She noticed," He thought. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just had another argument with Pansy."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anyway that I can help?"

"You can't… you got me into this…" He thought. "It's okay… it's just a foolish fight."

"If you say so… Goodnight, then." She faced the wall and slept.

He stayed in the balcony, drinking fire whiskey and smoking. He never felt this confused before. How could their friendship be so wrong? How could Pansy not understand? He's just trying to

make up for all his shortcomings… towards Granger.

Two gigantic mugs down… he's got himself six.

He never drank this much before… and he never smoked much. It was weird… Granger is not as important as Pansy, but why is he giving her so much importance?

"No… I'm not." He denied to himself. "She's not important in anyway."

He drank some more. He started becoming really dizzy, but he did not give up. He drank 'til the last drop fell down from the sixth mug.

He rested his head on the glass table that lay before him. His heart was throbbing really fast; he could feel the blood rushing to his face… and he was feeling hot, despite the cold weather. He

felt like sweat was covering his whole body.

He shut his eyes tightly. He was having a hard time breathing… He strived to stand up then get to the living room, but darkness began to cover everything that he could see… until he lost his

consciousness.

1:15 am

Hermione woke up and realized Draco's absence. She went down to check on him in the living room, but found it empty.

"Balcony," she gasped.

Truly enough, he was there…lying on the floor.

"Oh, good heavens, Draco!!" she was starting to panic. She held him by the arm and pulled him to the couch in the living room.

She got a face towel, dipped it in warm water, and then started to wipe Draco's face with it.

"Draco, wake up now…" She placed his head on her lap and continued wiping his face with the towel. She looked at him intently; he seemed to be in a deep slumber. She did now want to

wake him up at all. She brushed her fingers through his hair as she hummed a familiar melody.

After sometime, Hermione had to change the water…

"I hope when I get back there, he's awake… that's the only time that I'll feel relieved." She prayed.

When she got back to the living room, he was still lying there. It was seemingly hopeless to wish that he'd wake up on that hour…

She sat on the couch again as she placed his head on her lap. While she was wiping his head, his hand held onto hers.

'Granger…" He said faintly.

"Malfoy, you're awake! Oh thank God!" A smile was painted across her face.

He still felt like his world was spinning. "Stay here… I feel safer…"

She smiled. "I will… are you feeling better now?"

"Well, then… yeah… thanks…" He then let go of her hand.

"What happened to you?"

"Six mugs."

"No wonder… I smelled smoke… did you-?"

"Yeah… I did… just for this time."

"Promise me you'll never do this again."

He did not say anyhting.

"Malfoy!"

"Okay, okay... i promise."

"That's good. By the way, could you walk going to the bedroom?"

"Wish on it Granger… I can't," he replied.

"Stay here. I'll go get you some pillows and your comforter."

"Sorry if I'm being such a pain in the ass."

"You're not, don't fret." She gave him an assuring smile.

She got his stuff… and then gave it to him.

"Would you manage here on your own?" She asked him.

"If I say no, would you stay here?"

"Yes."

He smirked, "Yes, I can manage."

"Alright then, I will have to go back."

He nodded.

Before she got the 7th step, he called her.

"Yes?" She turned to him.

"Granger… goodnight," he stated.

"Goodnight to you as well."

"And Granger…"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you… I have never in my whole life felt that someone cared."

"No big deal. You're welcome."

Afterwards she entered her room, and then slept.

The next morning, he could hardly get up. Now it was her turn to give him the dinner… and lunch.

The week passed by the way it should be. Draco and Hermione were at least at ease with each other.

Everything was going fine. Draco and Hermione were getting along with each other, and yet, despite the friendship that was being formed, a heart remains cold. Pansy just watches from the

corner as Draco and Hermione laugh and enjoy every minute. Yes, she was jealous. He spent more time with Hermione than with her… and she could clearly see that he was happy her.

"He got to know her just now, and yet he never gave me that same smile that he is giving her…" Pansy thought