A/N: Oh my God. When I logged in and saw how many more people had started following this story I knew I had to get another chapter out tonight. Thank you everyone who has been reading all along and welcome anyone new! Thank you thank you thank you! The third section of this chapter is the first thing that I wrote for this fic. It's what started it all. I hope you like this chapter; I feel like this was a long time coming!
Previously on The Affair- Draco and Hermione's families meet at Diagon Alley and they start their second year together. Their tempers flare, and Draco is left waiting in the astronomy tower, again.
Chapter Seven
Weeks passed and Draco did not make any attempts to see Hermione. It was as if they didn't exist to each other. A few times he had caught her staring; she would either look away quickly or Draco was glare at her until she dropped his gaze. She had tried to approach him a couple times in the hall, but Draco kept his Slytherin followers close. Pansy was exceedly talented at snipping at Hermione until she gave up.
It was early one Saturday morning when Marcus Flint sat down next to Draco at breakfast and dropped a parcel in front of him.
"Flint, you shouldn't have." Draco cooed sarcastically. "It's not even my birthday."
Flint ignored his comment. "Get dressed, we have practice." His voice was low and gruff.
Draco looked over at him. "Excuse me?" They hadn't even had tryouts yet.
"Your Father sent in the new brooms. You still want to be Seeker, don't you?"
Draco tried to keep his face emotionless as he nodded. He was ecstatic, this was exactly what he needed. Once Hermione saw him on the Quidditch Pitch she would feel like a fool for standing him up.
"Good. Be out there in twenty minutes. Don't be late." Flint growled and left Draco at the table alone again.
He quickly changed in the locker room and did his best not to run out onto the field. He caught up with the rest of the team quickly, but the field was not empty. The Gryffindor team were just landing their broom and making their way over. Draco's eye was drawn to Hermione and Weasley who jumped up and joined their fellow Gryffindors.
Draco felt his chest tighten at the sight of her. He wanted to prove himself over her. Hermione's brown eyes caught his own and he was hesitation in them. Maybe you should have talked to her. A small voice sounded inside his head. Draco ignored it and sneered back at her.
Flint was bragging over their new brooms to Wood, the Gryffindor Captain. Draco was quite proud of his broom. It was the best that money could buy and it flew like a dream. Draco had soared through the sky like it was silk. He had never felt anything like it. He was smirking at Potter, his Nimbus Two Thousand and One would leave Potter in the dust.
"At least no one had to buy their way in, they got in on pure talent." Hermione quipped. Draco turned his hard gaze on her, but she was already fuming.
Draco faltered for a moment. Is that what she really thought of him now? A rich, pampered boy? He was Draco Malfoy and no one would talk to him like that. And he would not like anyone insult him in front of his new team. He couldn't be made a fool of in front of the other Slytherins.
"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat out at her with all his venom. Draco felt his throat tighten as soon as he had spoken the word. Hermione's face flashed confusion then hurt. She doesn't even know what it is, the thought dawned on Draco. He felt a pang of guilt deep in his stomach for calling her that and pulling her out of her naivety.
Flint grabbed the Weasley twins as they tried to claw their way at him. Flint threw them on the ground, his bulky frame between Draco and his assailants. The Gryffindors cried out at his use of the word as the Slytherins hissed back at them. Draco felt a sense of pride in his team and housemates, they were more like him than Hermione would ever be.
Weasley pulled out his wand and pointed it at Draco. He was sure he was about to be cursed before it backfired and threw Weasley back a good ten feet. Draco and the rest of the Slytherin team burst out laughing. That's what he get for trying to curse me. Draco thought savagely.
Hermione jumped after her fallen friend. She quickly knelt by his side and placed her hand on his chest. As much as he wanted to hate Hermione, he still felt jealous that she was comforting that poor ginger excuse for a wizard. And at that moment, Ron began to vomit up slugs. Draco lost himself in laughter. His sides hurt from the force and he quickly forgot his jealousy, lost in euphoria.
As Potter and Hermione escorted Weasley off to Hagrid's hut, Draco clung onto his broom trying to keep himself up. Wood led the Gryffindor team off the field and Flint finally called for order.
As Draco lifted off on his broom, he could just make out the figures of the trio trying to get Weasley inside Hagrid's hut. He thought he saw Hermione turn and look back onto the field, but he was up too high to tell.
Hermione closed her book and walked up to her dormitory. Placing the book on her nightstand, she ran her hand over her eyes. They were sore and a little puffy from crying. What Draco had called her… a Mudblood… had done more than hurt her feelings- it had crushed her. Of course they weren't on the best of terms right now, but she never thought he would call her something like that. She held herself together as best as she could in Hagrid's cabin, but when they reached the castle, Harry and Ron went to detention. When she was finally alone, Hermione broke apart.
They had been friends, for goodness sake, even more than that! Why would he do that to her? They fought, but they always made up. Draco had been so nice to her last year, what changed? Hermione needed to talk to him; to find out what was going on. Pushing her pride aside and plucking up her courage, she walked downstairs and out of the portrait hole in search of him.
She detoured by the Great Hall in case he had stayed long at dinner, but it was just Crabbe and Goyle easting the last of the pudding. Next she swung by the library a place they both frequented. Sometimes, she thought he was only in there to spy on her. She almost found it cute. But if he liked me then why would he have called me a Mudblood?
Frustrated, Hermione left the library. She could walk down through the dungeons, but she couldn't get in the Slytherin common room to check if he was there. No Slytherin walking in or out would help her find him, that was for sure. They were more likely to call her a Mudblood and she wasn't sure if she could handle that again.
What if he had never really cared for her? What if it was all a game? He had plenty of friends in his own house, he might have hung out with her and then went back and laughed behind her back with all of them. No, Draco wouldn't do that. Think of everything he has said; of course he cares about you! Hermione argued with herself. At least… he cared about you.
There was one last place she thought she might find him. Hermione climbed the narrow stairs up to the astronomy tower as the sky began to darken. She was running out of time, soon she would have to get back to the common room before curfew. Gryffindor didn't need to look any worse than it already did this year thanks to Ron and Harry using a flying car to get to school.
She felt her stomach tighten nervously as she wound up the stairs, climbing higher. Once she got to the top she breathed a sigh of relief; there was a familiar tall form leaning on the raining in front of her. She was nervous, but Draco was always kinder when it was just the two of them.
"I was hoping I would find you here." She said carefully. As much as she wanted to find out what was going on between Draco and her, she did not want to end up in tears again.
Draco turned around to see her, his eyes quickly hitting the floor by her feet. "Why?" He said glumly. He could tell that she had been crying and guilt wrapped a cold hand around his stomach. It was his fault she was crying.
"Draco, I know we fought," Hermione searched for the right words, "but are we still friends?" She took a couple steps towards him. The stars were starting to glisten in the navy sky. Draco seemed beaten down. Even though Hermione felt like she was the one that needed comforting, she couldn't help but want to make him feel better too. She felt like she was betraying herself by still caring for him, but deep down in her heart she knew despite what he did today she did still care about him; and her feelings were growing.
He turned and faced her, which was much harder than he made it seem. Draco felt guilty about what happened this morning on the Quidditch pitch. He had actually never called someone a Mudblood before and he felt dirty having used the word. When he thought of who he directed it to, Draco felt all the worse. She had never had the prejudice of being a Mudblood directed at her before. And he just had to be the one to do it.
"Are we?" He asked, uncertain himself. "Hermione, we only talk when no one else is around. We barely spoke over the summer." He swallowed thinking of how many letters she wrote to Harry in comparison to the two measly letters he received. "You went off on me on the train about what my Father did at Flourish and Blotts. That wasn't even my fault!"
"He insulted my parents and the Weasley's who have been nothing but kind to me!" Hermione countered back. "You were happy to keep your mouth shut in front of your Father and pretend that you didn't even know me!"
"That's how you treat me every day in front of Potter and Weasley!" Draco raised his voice. His jealous was starting to pour out.
"You do too, Draco. Don't act like I am the only one." Hermione was angry and hurt, a dangerous combination for a powerful witch.
He knew this was true but didn't want to admit that she was right. Hermione hoped that this fight was just like the others; that they would make up and be friends again. But maybe too much had changed between them.
They stood in silence facing in each other for a few moments. "Why did you call me… that today?" She finally said in a small voice. She couldn't bring herself to say the word Mudblood.
"I dont know. It just sort of came out." Draco dropped her gaze. He couldn't stand the hurt in her brown eyes. Pain he caused. Yes, she had hurt him too, but this was different. He had gone too far and they both knew it. Draco didn't think apologizing would do any good, it's not like he could just take it back.
Hermione's eyes began to well up as her voice cracked. "That is not an excuse." She waited for him to fire back, but he just stood there looking out over the grounds. A chill wind blew past them both and Hermione knew she needed to head back soon. "I guess we aren't friends. How could a Pureblood be friends with a Mudblood?"
She wanted him to feel the same pain she was. Hermione turned to leave when she felt his hand wrap around her arm pulling her back. "No." His grey eyes finally met hers. He pulled her back in front of him. Hermione hadn't realized how much taller he had gotten over the summer. "We aren't friends." Draco's blonde hair stood out in bright contrast to the ever darkening sky.
Suddenly his lips were on hers. Hermione stood in shock as he pressed them firmly against her own and moved them some to envelope more of her soft ones. His hand loosened its grip and trailed down to her hand grasping it lightly.
Hermione stood almost completely still in shock of what was happening. Draco Malfoy was kissing her? Draco Malfoy was kissing her! She felt butterflies in her stomach and stopped breathing. Everything stopped in the moment that his lips were on her own. For a split second, everything felt like it would be alright between them. He had never called her Mudblood, she had never chosen her friends over him.
Finally he pulled back and looked deeply into her eyes once more. "We will never be friends" he spat.
Hermione yanked her hand out of his. His grey eyes were hard, but she could see pain on his face. Hermione felt like she was about to burst into tears. Before she could, she ran down the stairs. She didn't stop until she was at the portrait of the Fat Lady. "You're cutting it close." She said.
"Wattlebird." Hermione said breathlessly. "Now let me in!"
"Bossy, miss!" The Fat Lady grumbled as she swung open.
Hermione went straight to bed. Her heart still pounding from the kiss. She lay in astonishment for quite some time before she lightly touched her lips. Her first kiss… something she would never forget. It had to be with him! Hermione half hated and half loved that Draco was her first kiss. She was developing real and deep feelings for him, but at the same time he had called her the most horrible thing today. What were they to each other? Her lips tingled where he kissed her, but her stomach churned.
"We will never be friends." Draco's words echoed in her head until she turned on her side and allowed herself to think no more of anything that happened today.
Any feelings of guilt and shame evaporated as Draco walked into the Slytherin common room. Theo ran up to him and clasped him on the back.
"Way to go, putting that Mudblood in her place this morning. Everyone is talking about it." His face was full of glee. Draco scanned the rest of the common room; people were nodding and smiling at him. He moved to sit down on a long, black leather couch.
Pansy was quick to join him on it. "Oh Draco, I wish I could have been there. I wish I could have seen her ugly face!" Pansy scrunched up her own face which made her look like a pig. Draco gave her a half smile and turned back to Theo.
"Yeah," he boasted, "it was quite satisfying, finally being able to call those goody Gryffindors out." He put venom in his voice. Flint nodded approvingly at him from across the room and other people came up to give him their support. "It's what she deserved." Draco added snarkily.
He had just put everything on the line with her tonight. Fucking Hell, he had kissed her! Draco's lips still tasted sweet and he lightly licked them again, thinking of her. And what had she done? Run away again. Maybe my Father is right about Mudbloods, they can't be trusted.
Pansy scooted closer to him and looked up at him suggestively. It was obvious that she had a crush on him, but he had always chose to ignore it. Pansy was childish and although she was not unattractive, her personality took away from the looks she did have. He found her annoying at best, but tonight Pansy seemed to offer something new- admiration.
The look in her eyes made Draco feel like a god. He was everything she wanted and she was throwing herself at him. She was everything Hermione was not, and something inside of him liked that. Draco stretched out his arm and placed it around her shoulders. Pansy seemed to swoon and fall into him.
He retold the story for his audience and they all laughed and booed at the appropriate times. Even the Slytherin Quidditch team joined in on his retelling. They loved when he got to the part where he called Hermione a Mudblood. Everyone seemed to agree that she was aggravating and less than worthy.
He found solace in these people that seemed to hate those he hated, including Hermione at the moment. Draco tried everything with her to no avail. She was less than him. He came from a proud bloodline that stretched back centuries. Most of the people in this room where distantly related to him. Hermione was a Mudblood, a passing fancy. Just a schoolboy crush. He told himself.
The fire burned low and people made their way up to the dormitories. Draco stretched out on the couch and watched the embers spark their last.
"Draco?" Cooed a soft voice. He sat up and saw Pansy standing there. Her dark hair was cropped short to frame her face and her eyes were as black as obsidian.
Pansy sat back down next to him. "I really admire what you did today. Not just insulting those filth," Pansy searched his grey eyes eagerly, "You made us proud today. You stood up for everyone who is a Pureblood today. You solidified our status."
Draco hadn't thought of it that way, but now looking into Pansy eyes, he couldn't help but see her point of view. Pansy moved closer to him and opened her mouth a little. Draco saw the invitation. She wanted to be kissed by him, she acknowledged and understood who and what he was. Draco found himself leaning in closer to her.
Pansy blinked slowly and pushed her hair behind her ears. She was wearing black diamond earrings. Pansy came from a similar background as he did and Draco could not help but admit that this fact was appealing. He would never have to hold back with her, never have to watch what he said. It would be so easy with Pansy. He could practically feel her breath on his lips.
But she's not Hermione. The thought popped unwillingly into his head. All of a sudden her eyes were too black, they weren't rich and brown. Her hair was too short and lay flat on her head instead of wild and unmanageable. She smelled rich and musky, but not sweet and calming like Hermione did. Pansy would never be her.
Draco sat back. "Go to bed, Pansy." He growled.
Pansy stared at him in disbelief before huffing and storming off down the girls' dormitory. The fire finally went out and the smell of smoke filled the common room. Draco sighed heavily wishing he would have never met Hermione Granger.
Next Time on The Affair- Due to the attacks in the school, Hermione does some research. She finds a book listing the Pureblood families and Draco explains the prejudice and himself to her.
A/N: So there we go! This is the chapter that I was most excited about so far. Full of drama and angst! Let me know what you think!