Chapter three
Draco was once again lurking around corridors, trying to get close enough to talk to Hermione. It deeply insulted his sense of honour to be skulking like some kind of desperate tramp, when there were normal, 'nice' girls falling at his feet every time he walked into the dining hall.
He ran his hands through his hair, the silvery-blond strands falling back onto his cheekbones. Would Granger ever come out of her room? He could have sworn that she was just sitting in there to avoid him.
Of course, you and I know that that was exactly what Hermione was doing. She had absolutely no intention of leaving her room when she knew that Malfoy was out there. Did he really think that she would be so easily trapped again? A simple spell and she knew when he was standing in the corridor outside her bedroom, and she had no intention of coming out until he was gone. She settled back into her window seat with her book. The rain pounded against the windows and the fire flickered in the grate. Hermione smiled. She could outwait him, any day.
Hermione was beginning to get impatient. Did that boy not have any bodily functions? She had been doing the spell every ten minutes and he was still hovering. He didn't even look like he was moving, just sitting on the floor opposite her bedroom. He was probably too busy smirking to move, Hermione thought, thinking that he had her trapped. Although, if she thought about it, she was really trapped. She frowned and rubbed her forehead. She was just sitting here, waiting for him to go. That's definitely a version of being trapped she told herself.
If Hermione was honest with herself though, one of the main reasons why she didn't want to go out there was because of 'that' evening. Every girl who's ever kissed a guy that she shouldn't have will be able to empathise easily. There's the most stomach wrenching sense of nausea, and adrenalin begins pumping as you get the urge to run away. And then Hermione couldn't deny the fact that she had wanted to be kissing him. When he wasn't talking, just kissing, he was spectacularly attractive. And his hair, and his skin and his smell…Hermione slapped a hand to forehead to try and stop her thought process. That kind of thinking had ended up with her entwined with one of her worst enemies, and it couldn't be repeated. It wouldn't be repeated, she told herself sternly.
Bearing her new resolution in mind, Hermione walked over to her door, wrenched it open and then affected surprise when she saw Draco lounging on the floor. If he had been an animal, he would have been a panther lazing in a tree, just waiting for the right moment to attack.
''Oh. Malfoy. Lurking outside my room again?'' Hermione's voice could have frozen water at fifty paces.
''I'm making a habit of it, aren't I?'' He rose effortlessly to his feet, and all the superiority that Hermione had had whilst standing above him was instantly lost. He towered over her, six foot three to her five foot six. The fact that he hadn't shot her down with a well placed jibe also unsettled her.
''Any reason why?'' Hermione moved straight past him so that he couldn't trap her against the wall again, and began walking along the corridor.
''Maybe because I want to talk to you and you just run away when I see you.'' Draco was pacing alongside her without any discernible effort, even though Hermione was taking strides as long as she could without seeming ridiculous.
''Don't be stupid.''
''So you aren't trying to run away from me now?''
''No. I'm going to dinner.''
''Granger you've been hiding so long you've lost track of time. It's nine o'clock – dinner's over.''
Hermione ground to a halt and checked her watch. He was telling the truth and she looked back along the corridor that suddenly seemed very dark, and very deserted, and very narrow. Draco looked at her and saw the panic clear in her eyes.
''I told you last night Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you.''
''And I'm not even going to give you the chance. I'm going back to my room. Please don't hover outside my door.''
Draco pulled out his wand and began to move it, intending to immobilise her, but Hermione was way ahead of him. ''Expelliarmus!''
Draco looked at his wand, lying on the floor behind Hermione.
''Did you honestly think I wouldn't have my wand this time?'' Hermione's chin was raised determinedly, but Draco could see her hand shaking slightly.
He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. ''You really are scared of me, aren't you?''
''No!'' The shout sounded just a little bit too desperate and Hermione knew it. ''I'm going now.''
''Hermione…''
''No!'' The sob caught in her throat and she stopped until she had control of herself again. ''Don't try and be nice to me because I know that you're up to something, and I don't want any part in it!''
Draco stepped forward, genuinely puzzled at how adamant she was. His bet and wounded pride were forgotten temporarily, as were his Pureblood principles. ''Hermione…''
''No!'' Hermione began to cast the full body-binding curse on him, but Draco immediately ran forward, dodging the flash of light.
Hermione turned and ran as fast as she could down the corridor, forgetting the fact that Draco was unarmed and she wasn't. Smoothly, Draco ran up behind her, and with a flying tackle, sent her crashing to the floor. He wrenched her wand out of her hand and threw it to one side.
She was squirming around underneath him and eventually they ended up face to face, Hermione staring up into Draco's impassive face.
''That was not a friendly thing to do Granger.'' Draco had remembered everything now, and was entirely in control. His voice had lost the few warm tones that it had had when the entire encounter had started.
''Get off me scum!'' Hermione wriggled again and Draco's brain blanked out involuntarily, as he truly appreciated how lush and warm she was. Then, he quickly zoned back in as Hermione managed to get a hand free and hit him around the back of the head.
Quickly, he scrabbled around until he found both her wrists, grabbed them and forced them above her head. Hermione would have kept wriggling, but at this point Draco was kneeling above her, in very close proximity to a certain area. And she hardly wanted to draw attention to that.
Draco looked down at her, her face tipped to the side but a scowl clearly visible on it. She seemed to be frozen, and he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, remembering his bet.
''Piss off Malfoy.''
''Call me Draco.'' His voice had taken on the same silky, seductive tone that it had had the previous night, and Hermione wished that she could clap her hands over her ears and drown it out. It was his siren song.
''No. Let me get up, or I'll report you.''
''If I don't let you up, you won't be able to report me.'' Draco's fingers caressed the back of her hand.
''Fine! Draco! There, are you happy? Now let me get up!'' Hermione was dangerously close to bursting into tears.
''Come on, don't be like that.'' Draco's voice was so soothing that Hermione could feel her heart rate slowing slightly.
''Please…''
''Please what?''
''Please just let me get up. Please.''
I wonder if this would count as getting her begging? Draco wondered idly, and decided that it probably wasn't what Blaise meant. ''And what's my name?''
''Please Draco. Please just let me get up.'' A tear rolled off Hermione's cheek and splashed onto the floor.
Draco let her wrists go but stayed over her. ''And I think you owe me an apology.''
''You owe me one too!'' Hermione was already trying to wriggle out from underneath him.
''Hermione!'' His voice had a note in it that brought back all of Hermione's fear.
''I'm sorry!'' The words weren't sobbed this time though. Draco was slightly amazed at how quickly she could get herself back under control. Most girls began crying and didn't stop for ages.
''Then I am too. Come on.'' And he stood up and offered a hand to her. Hermione thought about pushing it away but the look on his face told her that it probably was for the best if she took it. He pulled her up, fully intending to leave their interaction at that, not wanting to push his luck, but as she stood, Hermione's foot twisted awkwardly.
She immediately doubled over, whimpering slightly.
''What did you do?''
''Bent my foot back the wrong way.'' Hermione was digging her nails hard into her hand as she limped over to the wall and leant against it. Her foot was throbbing, and hurting even when she didn't put any weight on it.
''Madam Pomfrey will probably be asleep now. Do you want to wake her?'' Draco looked at her, holding her wand out to her, having retrieved his first.
''No, it'll be fine in the morning.'' Hermione gritted her teeth and began to walk.
Draco began to walk beside her, slightly irritated at how slowly they were going until he saw a bead of blood glistening on Hermione's lip from where she had bitten her lip hard. ''Come on.''
''Come on what?'' Hermione didn't look at him, focusing on where her feet were going.
''I'll carry you.'' Of course, this wasn't any philanthropic gesture on Draco's part, simply a strategy to win his bet. Girls were a sucker for being carried, and Hermione would definitely soften when she saw how nice he could be.
But it wasn't to be. Hermione looked scornfully at him and carried on walking.
''Granger. Hermione. Come on.''
''No.''
''Why not?''
''Because you trapped me against a wall last night and you've pinned me against the floor tonight. Do you honestly think I'm going to jump into your arms?''
''I'm not asking you to jump.'' Draco dropped back a step and then came forward again, hooking one arm under her arms and another under her knees so that she was cradled in his arms.
''Let go of me!'' she hissed.
''No. You're hurt.''
''Chivalry does not suit you Malfoy! Put me down!'' Draco ignored her and began walking along the corridor, careful not to jolt her too much. Hermione shut up after a minute, sensing how futile it was to carry on complaining. After what seemed like a lifetime, they arrived back at their shared common room, and Hermione looked towards her bedroom door longingly. ''Thank you, I suppose.''
''Not very enthusiastic Hermione.'' Draco reproached her and began walking towards her bedroom door.
''No! Put me down now!'' But Draco had already pushed the door open and marched inside. The fire was down to ashes now, that were glowing softly, casting a dim light over the room.
Draco placed her gently on her neatly-made bed and smiled down at her. ''See, I didn't kill you.''
''I wasn't worried that you would.'' Hermione raised her chin so that she could look at him properly and nearly fainted at how gorgeous he looked in the firelight.
''Then why are you so scared of me?''
''Because you've been horrible to me for so long and…'' Hermione could have kicked herself. Not only did she sound about ten years old, she had nearly said that he was so manly that it scared her.
Draco raised an eyebrow inquiringly but didn't push it when she didn't finish her sentence. Instead, he pulled together all of his resources and looked at her. Sitting down on the bed, he smiled. ''How's the ankle?''
''Fine. It'll be fine.'' Hermione smiled weakly and turned her head. Draco admired the way that the light caused a thousand different colours to appear in her glossy hair.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something and immediately choked on her words as Draco's lips landed on hers. She began to pull back but his hand slid around the back of her head, twining his fingers into her curls. ''Stop thinking about it. When you don't think about it, you enjoy it, I know you do.'' He whispered against her mouth and felt her press almost imperceptibly against him. And it isn't too bad for me, he thought.
Hermione forgot who she was kissing, where she was, who she was, that her ankle hurt, everything. All she was aware of was soft lips moving against hers, a tongue exploring her mouth, fingers stroking her hair, soft breath and kisses against her neck, small bites on her ear lobes. A strong back underneath her hands, stubble appearing on the previously velvety cheeks, a citrus cologne enveloping her. Just as she thought that she might actually melt in ecstasy, Draco pressed one final kiss against her mouth, got up and left in silence.
Hermione blinked several times, returning to herself. She flopped down against her pillows and sighed. ''What the hell am I doing?'' she whispered, but there was no answer.
Draco wandered back to his room, the taste of Hermione still in his mouth. He grinned slightly. Maybe Blaise hadn't been entirely mistaken when he said that Granger was gorgeous, worth looking at properly. This bet might not have an entirely unpleasant outcome – at least, for him.