Chapter 5 Run With Me
Whipping around so fast she almost lost her balance, Hermione looked for the source of the scream. The hall was empty. A shiver ran through her and she moved forward cautiously, hair on the back of her neck standing up.
"Miss. Granger." She jumped and squeaked at the low voice. Snape cast an amused smirk her way and crossed his arms. "Out in the halls after class has begun, I do believe that merits a detention."
"P-professor," she stammered out, "I would have been in class but I heard something." One black brow arched in question and she continued. "A scream, someone screamed my name sir."
"Is that so?" His grin became wider and he looked thoroughly pleased. "Well I have been watching you dally in the hall since class began and I assure you there was no scream. Would you care to speak with Madame Pomfrey?" The last was spoken not out of concern but instead as a jab at her, and one that hit home.
She bristled with anger and pulled her books tighter to her chest. "No Professor, I will be fine, now I must be getting to Charms, you have held me up and I do believe you are not supposed to leave your own class alone." Turning sharply on her heel, she marched away, head held high but body shivering in fear.
There she was, gliding across the lawn, a smile plastered to her pretty face. What was she thinking? Her very existence ruined everything.
She turned away with a frown, tearing her eyes from the Head Girl's walk across the grounds. She had been watched from the forest for what seemed like hours now, of course it had not been more than one. He had yet to show up, she glanced at her watch, half past nine, he was late.
The bushes rustled and she scowled at him climbing through. "Where have you been?" she snapped harshly, not that she ever spoke in another manner anyway.
"I was checking up on a few things, we almost slipped up last time," his eyes narrowed, "no reason for that to happen again."
"That was all your fault and you very well know that, he is a liability that has unexpectedly come on the way."
She watched his gaze flicker over the brunette now disappearing into the castle. "What do we do about that?"
Her lips curled up in a malicious smile. "Leave him to me."
Her hands shook and she took a deep breath. Darting into the room, she slammed the door behind her and leant back against it, allowing the hard wood to hold her up. Footsteps came from came from the hall and she started, from Draco's room, she didn't want him to see her like this. On unsteady legs she stumbled from the room and managed to fall onto her bed.
The footsteps had paused and she sighed, but they then turned up towards her room. Scrambling frantically she wrapped up under the covers and closed her eyes, giving the pretense of sleep. Her door creaked open.
"Hermione?" he called quietly to her in bed. She felt the mattress dip as he sat and a warm hand ran through her hair. In her mind she commanded herself to stay still and keep her breathing even, hoping he would leave soon.
Suddenly he stilled, grasped her arm and lifted her up. Her eyes shot open and looked straight into his.
"What's wrong?" he had been about to leave when he noticed she was ghost white and she wore day clothes.
She began to stammer out 'nothing' but lost her mental control and everything came tumbling out. "I was just finishing patrolling and on my way back. I saw someone and I thought it was a student so I called out. I figured they would run to avoid getting in trouble so I walked fast. They were in the shadows, but near a window, I stopped when I saw." Her words trailed off and she looked down.
Draco gripped her shoulders tight and she winced slightly from the pain. "What Hermione?"
Taking a deep, shaking breath, she said quietly, "the moonlight, glinting off of a bade, they had pulled a knife. At that point I didn't wait to see who it was, just ran."
"What about your wand, why didn't you use it?"
She turned fuming eyes on him and snapped, "I was scared and panicked, besides, I wasn't going to wait around and see who came up! They could have had a wand in their other hand and gotten me before I could find mine, I don't know and it wasn't a risk I was going to take. Draco, its rash decisions like that that get you in trouble."
"Rash!" he said disbelieving, "are you serious, would you rather me stand around and watch someone kill you or accidentally get hexed trying to save you?"
She stopped and stared, eyes widening. "Neither. I'd want you to run with me."
He stood abruptly and his hands dropped away from her. "No, not to take a hex in the back; I would go down fighting, not running."
"Typical Pureblood attitude, thinking you have the ability to do and win anything."
Turning to her, he fixed her with a cold stare that chilled her to the bone. "You're wrong, most purebloods are sniveling cowards, and they think they can win whereas, I don't, but I do know I have the courage to stand up to something that is threatening me or someone I care for." He stalked to her, taking up her hand in his. "You think you know me." His hand tightened painfully. "But you don't." She tried to pull back but he jerked her forward, the movement pulling her out of the bed and she stumbled against him. "You think you can read my actions, judge me by my blood."
"Like you did to me," she growled but he paid her no heed.
"But you can't." His other hand caught her free one and pulled their hands between them. "I saved your life, I've treated you civilly, I even fell for you." Leaning closer he whispered in her ear. "The least you could do would be to insult my blood and actions, especially when it is all focused towards your well being." Giving her wrists one last painful squeeze he shoved her back so she landed on her bed and stalked from the room. She sat for a moment in stunned silence, not realizing her words had hit so deep.
Pacing back and forth, she rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying desperately to ward off the chill invading her body. She needed to talk to someone, talk about Draco. Her mind reeled at the thought, who could she talk to? The only person that knew was Dumbledore and she could hardly go to him. Harry and Ron would freak out and Ginny would never understand. With a deep sigh she sat heavily on the steps and buried her face in her hands.
"Is something wrong?" a warm voice asked. Hermione looked up into Luna's pale eyes peering down at her. She suddenly realized she had the answer to her problems; Luna wouldn't criticize her or become angry about Draco.
"Actually yes, are you willing to talk?"
"Always," Luna said, flashing her a smile. She played with a radish earring and tilted her head to listen.
Hermione bit her lip and tried to figure out where to begin. "I've been in this- um relationship I guess, with Malfoy." She almost cringed, still half expecting an outburst but none came, Luna gazed at her as if she'd said she just got a new dress. "It's just that there are some, problems."
Luna nodded and smiled slightly. "Good for you Hermione. It's finally happened."
"What?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Oh, you and Draco, I knew it would happen eventually, you fit togeather, like puzzle pieces." Luna nodded looking please with herself. "But you have some jagged edges; it will all be fine though."
Hermione frowned at the strange information but was oddly comforted by it. "So you don't think it's a bad idea?"
Luna looked at her quizzically. "Why would I? You like him and he likes you, how could I look down on that?"
"My other friends would?" she muttered.
"Then let that be on their conscience that they don't want their friend to be happy and in love. Let everything run its course Hermione, in the end you will be happy." With a warm smile Luna stood to leave.
"Thanks." Hermione waved then ran inside, hoping to patch up things with Draco.
She came to a fast stop as she rounded the corner, frozen by the sight of Draco crumpled on the floor. Rushing to him, she only just caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. Immediately pulling her wand, she pointed it at the dark robed figure.
Draco moaned and turned onto his back, looking from Hermione to the figure. Without thinking, Hermione cast a hex at the figure, rendering them immobile. They struggled violently and she could tell they would free themselves in just a second. Grabbing Draco's hand, she yanked him to his feet and held down his wand hand.
"I fought," she said. "Now run with me." His nod was all she needed to take off, the warmth of his hand in hers making her feel safer. The sounds of struggle behind them suddenly stopped and she cried out as a nasty curse grazed her thigh.