The lights sparkled into the night; the music and noises of such a place flew through the air. A sense of warmth filled Hermione as she took in the atmosphere. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy surrounded her. She always did love carnivals ever since she was a small child. Her father had first taken her when she was eight years old and she can still remember her first ride on the ferris wheel.
"I want you to stick together. Draco I am counting on you to look after Hermione. I don't want her getting lost"
"Dad, I'm not a child and I don't need him protecting me" Hermione threw her hands up in the air.
"That's what you said that one time and we couldn't find you for three hours"
"I was eight!" she huffed and glared at Malfoy behind her.
"That is besides the point. Draco here looks perfectly capable of looking out for you…and don't look at me that way. I'll call you when we are ready to go home"
"Dad, I think I will come home later myself. Malfoy Is here so he can protect me from the big bad world" she rolled her eyes and walked off with Malfoy reluctantly trailing behind her.
Hermione was lost in awe of the carnival, she didn't even hear her name until Malfoy jabbed her in the ribs.
"Ow! That hurt you git" Malfoy only smirked.
"Hermione!" Hermione spun around and saw Iana making her way towards her. She ran up and hugged her "What are you doing here? Cameron said that you cancelled on him for the date. Why did you do that?" Iana was a very pretty girl in every males opinion. Well, who wouldn't with her long dark hair and striking blue eyes?
Hermione simply pointed over at Malfoy who was looking around at all the people. His expression was blank as he came back to look at Hermione. The night was walm, with a light breeze; Hermione shuddered slightly and crossed her arms.
"Ohhhh" Iana took in the sight of Malfoy and locked eyes with him. He Immediately flashed his most dashing smile before looking at a man with an oversized toy bear. "Is THAT the family friend? What's his name?" she asked as she twirled a piece of her hair in her fingers. For some reason this angered Hermione slightly.
"That's Draco Malfoy. He's a real git and I hate him" Hermione sighed and looked over at him. He was now walking towards them and stood next to Hermione.
"I really love how you introduce me Granger...Hello there, I'm Draco" he took Iana's hand and kissed it gently. Iana blushed and bit her lip.
"I'm Iana. Hermione never told me she had such a charming friend" Hermione coughed at that.
"Friend? Hardly. His parents are friends with mine. I have nothing to do with him" Hermione shot Malfoy a glare and then looked back at Iana who was looking him up and down.
"How long will you be staying Draco?" she was basically mind raping him. Draco glanced over at Hermione from the corner of his eye and noted that her lips were pursed and her eyes where ablaze.
"Oh, I'm not sure actually. Might be a while" Iana seemed to glow at this.
"That's really good. I would love to show you around abit if you would like. This is a small town and you can tell you're a big city boy. I'll be happy to show you" Iana flicked her hair and set her dazzling eyes on him. Malfoy felt Hermione stiffen slightly beside him and he grinned.
"I'd like that. God knows Granger is never going to"
"No, I would rather you stayed locked in your room where I don't have to look at your face" Hermione shot and stalked off into the crowd.
"Hey Granger!" Malfoy called but she didn't stop. He sighed heavily and turned back the girl that was clearly eyeing his crotch. He rolled his eyes and coughed.
"Hmm?" Iana looked back up at him and smiled.
"I got to find Granger, don't want her getting eaten by something now" He began to walk off when Iana grabbed his arm.
"Don't worry about her. I said I would show you around"
"Maybe another time. I think her parents would kick me out if she got hurt or something" He pulled himself away and set off through the busy carnival. Why was he even looking for her?
"Where the hell have you been? I was under strict orders to protect you"
"Please. Don't give me that crap. You wouldn't willingly want to protect me even if your life depended on it" Hermione pushed past him with her cotton candy in hand; heading towards the ferris wheel.
"Look, I don't want to be here dealing with you right now and you are sure as hell making my life worse. It's bad enough that I have to bloody see you every day"
"How the hell do you think I feel!?" Hermione spun around, causing Malfoy to take a step back. "You just had to join the order and had to come into my home! Why not someone else's? I hate you more than anything and I am sure you feel the exact same way. I have to wake up every morning to see you in my kitchen and for the first time I never actually want to be home. You have ruined everything! So don't give me this shit that just because my parents have told you to look after me you can follow me around just so you can annoy the hell out of me. I know that you are trying to get on their good side. Oh yea, don't give me that innocent look. I'm not stupid. So leave me the hell alone" she turned around fiercely and came to the ferris wheel.
"Ticket darlin', only a ticket" Hermione handed the man a ticket and climbed on. She was furious. Maybe this would calm her down a little bit. Her dad, every year since she was six years old took her on the ferris wheel; it brought her some familiarity and peace. She was startled out of her musing and snapped her head to the left when Malfoy sat roughly into the seat next to her. He glared at her long and hard while pulling the bar roughly against them.
"Malfoy, what the hell are you doing? Get off!"
"You need to listen to me now you filthy mudblood" Hermione's mouth dropped. She pushed against the bar, but Malfoy held it tight against him.
"Malfoy so help me, I will push you off when we are at the top" she pushed against the bar again, but Malfoy pulled it back roughly.
"I'd like to see you try" He was glaring at her furiously. The ride began to move and Hermione scooted as far away from him as possible. The hair whipping around her face, from the nights air warm. The ride stopped again to let more passengers in; Hermione would not look at Malfoy, she refused to.
"Lets get one thing straight here Granger"
"Do not talk to me" she said. This only aggravated him more.
"You think that I enjoy being in your company? Frankly I would rather be boiled alive. You are the most annoying person with the most annoying habits I have ever met. I did want to join the order believe it or not. I don't want to be with you any longer and if I had a say in where I could go it would most certainly not be here with you. Merlin you drive me crazy! Have you even sat down and properly looked at yourself? You would see what I do…a nosy, annoying mudblood" Hermione was so angry by now she was ready to throw him over.
"How dare you! How dare you insult me like that! You are no angel Malfoy. People are blinded by your blond hair and blue eyes. You wanna know what my parents said to me the first night you came? 'oh, he seems so sweet and innocent…wouldn't hurt a fly…' innocent my arse, If I had told them half the stuff you have done to me, they would have sent you packing"
"Then why didn't you? If you didn't want me in your house? Why not kick me out? Huh!?"
"Because Dumbledore asked! I wasn't going to let him down no matter how much I loath you. You think you are so high and mighty, well let me burst you ego-driven bubble. You are nothing but a coward!"
"COWARD! If I was a coward I would have stayed with my father! How dare you! You don't know me so don't act like you do"
"You don't know me either! You make assumptions on what you have only seen; calling me a mudblood and whatnot. You know nothing! So don't you dare sit here and tell me that I act like I know you. I don't want to know you! It's a sin to know you! I cant even look at you without feeling dirty. I hate you more than words can express" Malfoy was so angry right now and strangely, slightly hurt at her last words. He couldn't even think at the moment, couldn't even speak; the anger he felt beyond anything he ever felt before.
The ride came down until Hermione and Malfoy were back on the ground the man operating the ferris wheel didn't even get the chance to reach them, as Malfoy had pushed the bar away violently and stormed off through the crowd. Hermione sat there watching him go.
An hour or so later Hermione really wanted to get home. She was tired of walking alone around the carnival, her head kept going back to the fight on one of her favourite rides. Well that was tainted now. She was beginning to become frustrated. Malfoy was supposed to be with her so they could get home.
"Malfoy!" Hermione called. She struggled getting through the crowd, looking everywhere she could. Another hour passed and Hermione's frustration turned to worry. She began to sweat slightly looking around frantically. This is not happening, this is not happening She told herself. She reached the outskirts of the carnival looking out into the dark. The nearest thing there was the beach. She could hear the sounds of the waves crashing down onto the shore. Hermione sighed and headed down towards the beach. She came to the edge where the grass met the sand and stood for a moment looking around to see if he was actually there. The only thing she could see was the outline of trees and the dark blue of the water infront.
"Hey there pretty little thing" Hermione jumped at the sound of a deep, rough voice. Her heart beat pounding tenfold as she turned quickly to face the voice "what's a fine little thing like you doing alone out here?"
"Ummm, I, leave me alone please" she said pathetically. She stood firm with her legs apart ready for attack if needed but she was shaking uncontrollably.
"What's wrong baby? Did I frighten you" the unknown male grinned at her and stepped slightly forward.
"P-please leave me alone. I-I will scream!" he chuckled and took another step.
"Baby, scream all you like. No one will hear, they are all the way over there" he made a move to touch her but Hermione recoiled and fell onto the ground. He chuckled again and bent down. "Common, don't be frightened" he grinned evilly.
"Don't you bloody move an inch you fucking piece of trash" Hermione sighed in relief. Even after their heated argument, she was never more happy than to hear his voice. Her heart beat slowed a bit. The man above her stood to full height and turned to face Malfoy.
"And what are going to do nancy boy? Kill me with beauty tips?" he laughed at his own joke. Malfoy suddenly laughed too, a mocking laugh before his fist came up, hard under the mans jaw. Hermione scrambled away as the man fell backwards in a heap. Malfoy then came over to the man, swung his leg back and kicked him in the ribs. The mans grunt was painful and Malfoy did it again.
"She is fucking seventeen you sick fuck!" Malfoy kicked the man one more time and then stopped. The man seemed to be passed out. Malfoy stood up to full height and glared at Hermione, who now stood and stared at him. She didn't know what to think.
Malfoy took one more look at the man and shoved past Hermione.
"Don't say a word" he warned as she trailed behind him.
"Malfoy," she said after a while. She followed him back into the carnival. "Malfoy, I want to go home" he suddenly rounded on her.
"Do you have any idea what could have happened if I didn't come along? Do you!?" there were now standing where the entrance was. Malfoy seemed to have completely lost it.
"You where the one that left me!" she counted. She poked him in the chest.
"Don't fucking touch me! I just saved your worthless life! And I have no fucking idea why! So don't you bloody talk to me mudblood! Be glad I got there when I did because Merlin knows what could have happened to you!" he turned again and headed off down the path and into a quiet street.
"You didn't have to save me! I'm not a child! I could have handled it myself! I don't need y-" he spun around fast, his body coming close to her as he spoke. Hermione gasped at the sudden movement.
"Handled yourself! That bastard was going to rape you! And you say you could have handled it yourself? What the hell is wrong with you? Too much fucking Gryffindor pride has misjudged your brain. I could have done nothing, I could have just walked away. But I didn't! for once in you're miserable existence, be glad that I was there" he turned around again and headed down the street. Hermione was losing it, coming to grips with what happened, what nearly did happen and her anger towards Malfoy was getting to her. Warm tears began to pour down her face.
"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP! I DON'T NEED YOU EVER! SO DON'T FOR ONE MINUTE THINK THAT YOU CAN INTERFERE IN MY LIFE! I DON'T CARE WHAT THE HELL YOU THINK! I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!" he hadn't even turned around, this annoyed her immensely. She stalked up to him and pushed him hard in the back, sending him stumbling forward a few steps. He whipped around, only to be pushed again. "I.DON'T.NEED.YOUR.HELP!-" She pushed him again. He fell back against a fence. Seething was not even what he could describe as his anger. "EVER! I HATE YOU! I WANT YOU OUT OF MY HOUSE! OUT OF MY LIFE! I DON'T EVEN WANT TO KNOW YOUR NAME! I HATE YOU!" she pushed him again and again. Why he was letting her do this was beyond him. Her tears heavy as she hit him hard. Malfoy snapped. He grabbed her by the shoulders.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU! I DO ONE THING AND YOU GO MENTAL! WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF I LET IT HAPPEN? TELL ME!"
"Why didn't you huh? Little miss mudblood finally getting what she deserves" she put her arms through his and pushed him back again. "You hate me! You're Draco Malfoy! Cold bastard Extraordinaire! you would never help a mudblood!" he came forward again to grab her shoulders but she pushed him back. "Don't touch me! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" she repeated over and over, crying harder. Malfoy was at a loss. He came forward again and tried to grab her by the shoulders, she tried pushing away again but he wouldn't let her. "Let go! Let go! Don't touch me!" but he wouldn't have it. He grabbed her face and pushed the hair away from her face. She kept struggling, her tears soaking her cheeks. Her lips red and swollen, eyes slightly puffy. She tried to keep a cry in but it struggled to escape.
He looked straight into her eyes. And she stopped. The tight hold he had on her now would not let her look anywhere else. It hit him then, she was petrified about what could have happened. Her words from earlier of course made him believe that he had doe the wrong thing. She was petrified because what could have happened…and she was petrified of something else.
He held her face in his hands, her hands griping tightly at his wrists. He loathed this girl, but he couldn't look away form her crying face.
"What are you doing?" she asked softly. It was a question regarding his actions as of recent. He swallowed hard before opening his mouth.
"I don't know" he whispered. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath, feeling the warmth radiate from him. She replayed their fights and the incident at the beach. He hated her, so why would he help her? Why would he go out of his way to annoy her so much? Why would she be annoyed that Iana was hitting on him? It was confusing and sickening. She felt sick, something was off and she didn't like it.
She sniffed slightly and looked back up at him. He still held her to him, he ran his hand up and pushed her hair back again. This action shocked her back and she jerked back from his touch. He let go of her and brought his hands down to his sides.
"I want to go home" she sniffed. She turned without a second word and crossed her arms across herself, feeling the chill run through her.
"Hermione! Draco, you had us both so worried! Do you know how late it is?"
"It's alright mum, just having a good time you know" Hermione looked back to see Malfoy walk past her silently and walk up the stairs.
"Darling, you look a fright? What happened" Her mother tried reaching for her face like Malfoy had, but she found herself recoiling from her touch. She didn't want anothers hands on her face. She could still feel the warmth of his hands.
"Nothing, just fell down and hurt myself. I'm really tired. I'm going to bed" without another word she ascended the stairs.
Malfoy lay in bed, his hands covering his eyes. Three words came to his head What The Hell?
Something is a happeneing. i figured i would put something in the chappie to get it moving along a bit more. gives you somthing to think about. well, hope you like it. not as funny as other chapters, but gives more base. this is where they are starting to realise some sort of attraction is there.
if anyone is confused as to why she is freaking out, it is because when he saved her, she felt something strong within her. and its confusing her. she is frustrated with herself and Malfoy helping...did not help really. so Hermione being who she is...she FREAKS!
hope you like...ok...off to write next chappie!