Ok, my computer is being really pissy and not working right so I'm going to post another chapter before it goes on the blitz again. Let's hope it works. Wish me luck!

Chapter 15

Accommodations

Hermione's POV

After Harry and Ron left, I went back to my laptop. There was nothing else to do. At 10:30 I was totally bored, so I got up and hobbled down the hall.  I knocked on the door and heard a grunted 'Enter' I opened the door to see Malfoy sitting at his desk, writing. He spoke without turning around, the annoyance obvious in his voice.

"Can I help you?"

"Actually, I'm not sure." When I spoke, he turned around; surprise showing on his face for a split-second then it went blank. He looked at me for a moment, then waved me to his bed. I sat down, smiling when I felt the soft fleece comforter. It was dark hunter green, like the walls. His silk sheets were black, along with all the trim in the room and the bed hangings. Various ornaments, mostly serpents, but a few dragons, completed the room. There were also clothes lying all over the place, which surprised me. He seemed to be a fairly neat person. After completing my inspection of the room, I looked up to see him watching me, and I blushed.

"What do you want, Granger?"

"Company." He gave me an odd look.

"Why didn't you go visit the Wonder Twins?" I gave him a look.

"I'm not supposed to be up walking around."

"Then what are you doing in my room?"

"I'm not sure." He looked at me like I was crazy. "Alright, I'll hobble back to my room." I moved to stand up.

"No, it's ok. You can stay." I looked over at him. "I have nothing else to do." He turned his chair around to face me. "An intelligent conversation would be nice." He gave me a small smirk.

"What?" I acted confused. "I thought Crabbe and Goyle were excellent conversationalists."

"True, but their topics are limited to food; when they're going to eat next, what they will have, and dessert. You'd be amazed at how many different ones they know of. Oh, I almost forgot. They're entire vocabulary consists of different grunts." I laughed and he smiled. I suddenly knew why every girl at Hogwarts swooned over him. Well, almost every girl. You sure as hell didn't see me swooning, but then, I was sitting down.

"Harry and Ron talk about Quidditch constantly. They practically worship it. I swear, they've picked apart some moved called the Wranski Faint eighty times at least."

"It's the Wronski Faint and I couldn't blame them. It's one of the greatest seeker moves of all time. You start by-"

"Not again!"

"What?"

"I know that move inside out and backwards and from every angle. I'm sick of Quidditch. I swear, if I never hear about it again I could live a happy life." Malfoy looked shocked.

"Sick of Quidditch? That's not possible! It's the greatest game ever!"

"Have you ever played baseball?" he looked at me, confused.

"What's that?"

"A muggle sport. What about basketball?" he shook his head. "Tennis? Track?" two more headshakes. "Football? American football?"

"Never heard of them." I gave him a look.

"You obviously don't pay much attention in muggle studies, do you?"

"Enough to pass. And it's not easy when you have Pansy yabbering away in your ear. Merlin, she's enough to drive anyone insane. Now she wants me to take her to the ball," His face darkened. "And I might have to because of my father." He spat the last word out like it was bitter. "Which twin are you going with? Four-Eyes or the Weasel?" I glared at him.

"I'll probably go alone. It's more fun that way. I also don't want anyone to know who I am."

"Makes sense. I'll use that excuse." He mumbled to himself.

"Besides, when you go alone, you're not tied down. That's what I like about going to muggle clubs with-" I dropped off. I had just screwed up royally.

*~*~*

Draco's POV

"… Muggle clubs with-" she dropped off, an 'Oh-shit' look on her face. I smiled devilishly.

"What? Perfect Granger in a nightclub?" she blushed and wouldn't look me in the face. "Wow. Not something I'd expect. At least, not from you." She glared at me.

"What? Am I supposed to live my life in a book? Never having fun of experiencing life?" she stood up, furious. "I'm not just a know-it-all, Malfoy, but it seems no one here understands that." A single tear dripped onto her cheek. She turned and left. Without thinking, I stood and followed her. "What do you want? Another study session with the know-it-all so you can pass? The homework? Is that all I'm good for?" she didn't look at me, just opened her door.

"No." she turned to look at me, eyes blazing, but full of pain and tears.

"Then what?"

"Something I can't have." I turned before she could respond and walked back to my own room. Her door shut and loud music hit my ears. I shut my door and went back to my homework. It was going to be a long night.

*~*~*

Hermione's POV

After I left Malfoy's room, I wrote my potions essay, followed by a long letter to my cousin Gwen in the states, trying to ignore the echo of Malfoy's words in my head. I limped to bed around one and fell into a troubled sleep.

**~**~** (Dream Sequence)

I was trying to run down a long dark hall, limping painfully. Something was following me, and I was terrified. I turned a corner and ran into someone. He tried to grab my arms, but I pulled away and ran past him. He followed me, laughing evilly. I turned down another hall, trying to go faster. Something grabbed me from behind and I screamed.

**~**~**

I sat up, breathing heavily. The darkness of my room seemed to be pressing in on me. Dark shadows filled the corners. I groped on the bedside table for my wand. The door handle moved and slid silently open. It was a tall, dark figure. I yelled the first spell that came to mind.

"Petrificus Totalus!" the figure fell face forward onto my floor with a grunt. I lit my wand and moved carefully towards the door. A head of tangled white-blond hair and a pale torso told me who it was. "Shit! I'm sorry, Malfoy. Finite Incantatum." He stood up, rubbing his forehead.

"So that's the thanks I get for coming to see why you screamed?"

"I-I screamed?"

"Yes. I'm surprised you didn't wake the whole bloody school!" he rubbed his forehead again. "That nightmare must have been pretty bad. Either that or whoever you're sleeping with is horrible." He gave me a devilish smirk.

"My bed was occupied by me and a teddy bear, thank you very much. As for the nightmare," I shivered. "It was bad." He looked down at me, concern on his face.

"Are you alright?" I nodded. "Sure?"

"Yeah." He turned to leave.

"If you get scared, I-I'm just down the hall." He left quickly, closing my door behind him. I stood there, shocked for a minute, then limped back to bed. I was suddenly exhausted. Sleep would be nice. I tumbled into bed, praying for a dreamless sleep.

*~*~*

Draco's POV

After I left Granger, I couldn't sleep. Half of me was hoping she would scream again, the other was beating the first half. She had looked so vulnerable and scared. I had wanted to take her in my arms and hold her forever and a day. I shook my head. Not likely. I laid down and attempted to sleep, but my mind was whirling.

I woke up at dawn. Three hours. Not bad. I headed for the bathroom and took a quick shower, then headed back upstairs. I listened at Granger's door, and was surprised to hear soft music coming from the other side. I headed into my room and pulled on a black shirt, black linen pants and my school robes, then grabbed my bag. I tapped on Granger's door and heard a surprised 'Come in.' she was sitting in bed, surrounded by books, parchments and had a quill in her hand.

"Morning Malfoy. Sorry about waking you up."

"You didn't. Anyway, any class you want really good notes on? I'm sure I can get some Ravenclaw to take them for me." I smirked a little and she rolled her eyes.

"Transfiguration, and Arithmancy, of course. Oh, and History of Magic." She gave me a devilish smile.

"You can't be serious." She nodded. "Not Binns! He rambles on all through class; I fall asleep half the time. The class remains in a dazed stupor."

"I know, that's why you can have this." She tossed me a jar. "It's a blend of sage and juniper leaves with a dash of orange. (A/N: I don't know if this works. Don't try it) It's an excellent pick-me-up."

"But I have this." I pulled my wakefulness potion out of my bag.

"That stuff doesn't work for me anymore."

"I'm up to a quarter cup."

"I was almost to a full cup when Pomfrey found out. She recommended this."

"Oh."

"Give it a try, you'll be surprised."

"Alright, I'll give it a shot." I turned to go.

"And I was kidding about Binns' notes. I have pages of doodles from his class." I laughed, surprising both of us, then turned and headed out the door.

~*~*~*~*~

Yay! Another chapter! 5 pages long! Go me! Here's my thanks. Sorry they're overdue.

Moween (he's a guy, guys always stink) Writer Girl 03(x3 wow, I feel special. I get a cookie! Yay! I'll update again soon!) Elvencherry07 (x2 read and find out) Spikes-little-Dragon (thank you, thank you) hP fAn Fo LyFe (x2 and I'm getting there. A PB and fluff sandwich would be yummy, and it's coming) Dark-Dragon (Glad ya like it!) KosetsunoTenshi (O-tay! And I know.) Athena Knox (x2 I did! =) Krysty Wroth (yeah, and I'm getting there. But remember they did 'kiss' for a split second when Mione twisted her ankle.) Belle the Philosopher's Cookie (Pimp… Ok! And that Sims trick sounds amusing. I'll have to tell my cuz.) Fantasymei-aqua (x2) Twilight Goddess (Please don't hunt me down. Linwe has already sicced some rubber chickens on me) and last but not least LooFloo (coming right up!)

Thank you, you all made my day! *Hugz!! *

~K~