Ok so I know that Malfoy has been out of the picture for e bit. And yes, there is a reason why he is so nice to Hermione when he does come into the picture. Like I have said before, everything will be answered. And yea…so Zabini is now in the story too, I promise the reason for his role in the story will be cleared too, but come on people, don't you like a bit of suspense?? Lol. Anyways, lets just get back to the story shall we.
Hope you like this chapter!!
Chapter 8 "Truthfulness?"
"So…" Blaise said.
"So what?"
"So what, may I ask, are you doing here, Granger?
'Oops.' Hermione thought.
"Well…" Hermione was trying desperately to come up with an answer to his question.
She was sure that she couldn't tell anyone what Draco had told her, although she didn't really believe it herself, but still, why risk it.
"Yes?" Zabini encouraged.
"We met at the airport." Malfoy said weakly.
Both Hermione and Blaise turned to see him standing at the door to the bedroom, leaning slightly against the door frame.
Hermione arched and eyebrow, which Zabini couldn't see since he was standing behind her, in a silent a question.
Draco looked at her blankly, but she got the message. Let him speak and stick to his story. And Hermione would do just that.
"At the airport?" Zabini asked unconvinced.
"Yeah. Hermione's boyfriend, the great Potter, put her on a plane to scape the war, so nice of him, I know. So we ended up in the same place. And you already know the reason for why I'm here," Draco said.
Hermione was about to protest when she heard that Harry was her boyfriend, but then she remembered the whole stick to his story thing. So she kept quiet, although she did glare at Malfoy, who just gave her a small weak smirk, but his smirk, nonetheless.
"Oh." Was all that Zabini said.
Malfoy tried to walk toward the sofa, but staggered a bit, so Hermione went to his side to help him. He gave her a sort of dirty look and pushed her gently away. She got the message to that one too.
Although he was ill, and truly weak, his Malfoy pride still didn't allow anyone's help.
He sat heavily on one of the sofas, wincing with the effort and the pain.
"But why are you in the same hotel? And in the same room?" Zabini asked suddenly, and a bit triumphant, as if he had found the flaw in their plan.
"When I saw Granger, I asked her what hotel she was going to, and when she didn't answer I figured she didn't know. But it turned out that she didn't have enough money for a hotel, and well I guess me being the wonderfully good guy that I am, I asked her to stay with me." He said smirking again at Hermione.
He knew he was irritating her with his stories, and he liked it, especially because she
couldn't say anything back at the moment.
"Besides," he continued. "She can be useful at times," he said in a certain tone that implied another thing then what he was truly saying.
Hermione jumped at that one.
"Alright Malfoy, that's enough."
Zabini laughed at that one. "Same old Malfoy." He said looking at Draco.
"Have to keep your humor, don't you think? Even in you worst state." Draco said closing his eyes.
"You have a sense of humor?" Hermione gasped in fake amazement. "How come I have never seen it?"
"Oh shut up Granger." Malfoy growled when he heard Zabini laugh.
Hermione laughed. "Keep your humor, Malfoy." Hermione mimicked.
Draco looked at her and gave her a dirty look. Hermione did her best to not stick her tongue out at him. She settled for rolling her eyes instead.
She walked over to him. "How are you feeling?" she asked, olacing a hand on his forehead.
He pushed it away. "I'm great." He answered.
Hermione just stared at him. He could see the hurt clear on her face. He then felt something deep inside him. Guilt? No it couldn't be. Malfoys didn't feel guilt, much less for a mudblood like Granger right.
'It was irritation,' he tried to convince himself. 'Yeah it had to be that. Irritation at how weak and emotional she was.' But still, some part of him didn't quite believe it.
Hermione was about to turn away but Draco grabbed her hand, stopping her.
"Zabini, will you excuse us." Draco said as he got up, pushing Hermione towards the bedroom.
Zabini arched an eyebrow at him, but nodded just once.
"What do you want?" Hermione said, pushing his arm away as soon as they stepped into the room.
"Keep your voice down." He said as he sat down on the bed.
"Fine. What do you want?" she said in a loud whisper, sarcastically.
He gave her a dirty looked.
"So," she said standing in front of him. "My boyfriend sent me here?"
He rolled his eyes. "What did you want me to tell him?" he asked
"Anything other than that." She almost yelled.
He gave her another look, so she calmed down.
"It's the first thing that came to mind. Besides, you should be thanking me. Nothing came to your mind!"
"Fine, fine." She said sitting next to him. "But still, don't you find it a bit weird that Zabini is here?"
Draco looked away. "I'm not sure what to think of it."
Hermione didn't like the way he said that.
"I don't believe what he said." Hermione muttered.
"Yeah, well. I don't really care. As long as he doesn't find out what we are truly doing here." He said
"You mean that I'm a witch and that you are my babysitter?" she asked sarcastically.
He snorted. "Yeah, like if you would ever let yourself be taken care of by anybody."
"True that, true that." Hermione half smiled.
"But what if he asks more questions?" Hermione asked.
"I'll talk to him and just make up another story." He said shrugging.
"I still don't trust him."
"Just don't stay alone with him for too long. And I'll also try to find out his real motive to be here, if he even has one." He said giving her another blank look.
Hermione jus nodded.
"Ok I'm going to take a shower," she said glancing down at her still wet clothes.
"Good. Meanwhile I'll talk to him." Draco said getting up.
"You know, you should really get some rest." Hermione said, noting his wince.
He gave her another look. "You are not my babysitter, Granger."
"Fine, Malfoy. Die if you want." She said walking towards the dresser.
"Don't exaggerate. It doesn't suit you." He told her.
She looked at him and gave him a hard look.
"You don't know me." She said closing the bathroom door.
He stood there staring at the closed door. She was right. He didn't know her. Not one bit. But what surprised him was that it was as if he wanted to know about her. 'What am I thinking?' he scolded himself. 'Granger is as interesting as a dirty old sock' he thought smiling at his own little joke. It was stupid, he knew. But it did make him feel better, even if the happiness faded away instantly.
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Hermione stepped out of the shower feeling fresh. She dressed in her most comfortable jeans, and a white blouse. She didn't give much thought to what she was wearing. Although she couldn't help feeling a bit self-conscious. There were two boys just outside the room after all.
Then she remembered that her two best friends were boys. 'Boys' she thought. That was exactly what made the difference. The two guys at the other side of the door were Men,
And not the boys Hermione was used to.
She walked into the bedroom, and she heard the muffled voices coming from the other room.
She tip-toed to the door, curious about what they were talking. She inched the door open.
"Damn it, Draco." She heard Zabini's low voice. "You are running out of time. You know what will happen if you don't get it over with fast."
"Shut up. I know what I'm doing okay. I'll finish what I started, so don't worry."
Hermione didn't know what they were talking about, and she wanted to find out. She leaned into the gap a bit farther, as if that way she could know the meaning to their words.
But as she did that, she managed to somehow make the painting hanging from the wall fall with a big thump. Hermione cringed at the noise.
"What was that?" Zabini asked.
"Don't know." Draco said as he started to walk towards the bedroom. Hermione quickly picked up the painting and hung it back up. Then she ran back to the dresser and quietly put her make-up bag on the floor, and scattered some of the contents around. She got on her knees and made as if she was picking things up.
Draco opened the door, a bit rushed, Hermione thought.
"Are you ok?" he asked
"What happened?" Zabini asked from behind Malfoy.
"I dropped my bag," Hermione said picking up the last of the little lotion tubes and stood up.
"Oh." The guys said at the same time.
The three stood there in complete silence, feeling awkward.
"Ok, so since you seem fine…" Draco said as he pushed Zabini out the door.
"Yeah, thanks." Hermione said slowly.
Draco shut the door behind him. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. 'Stupid, stupid' she thought, slapping her hand on her forehead.
Ok so this one was a bit rushed and didn't say much. But I think every piece is crucial. Haha. So I know I took some time to update, and I apologize for that. But I just got some wonderful ideas of what should happen next. Its has been three times that I sort of change my plt already, thinking of which one will be better. So just hold up a asec ok.
Anyways…
Review. Review. Review.
Yours,
leilygurl