Hey guys thanks for those that reviewed! Here's the next chapter!!
Chapter 8
Hermione and Malfoy made there way up to the Astronomy tower from the potions classroom. Hermione was walking side by side by Malfoy. He was walking very fast, and she was struggling to keep up. As if he read her thoughts Malfoy noticed her trying to keep up beside him. His face softened and slowed his pace for her. Hermione was thankful as they continued. She could feel his eyes on her and it made her stomach lurch, honestly Hermione he's only looking at you and you get butterflies? She asked herself. But none the less she was. It made her nervous when he watched her. She finally turned her head slightly to look into the gray frosted eyes that made her knee's give in. The sight was perfect. The way his skin glowed from the sun beams hitting his face from the windows that signaled the sun going down. The way his eye's seemed to be made just to look into hers. And somehow…Hermione could tell that he could feel it too.
Malfoy was thinking along the same lines. Hermione was so beautiful the light seemed to make her come alive. He loved how she did not even acknowledge the fact that she was more beautiful than everyone else. She had a beautiful face of course but somehow…it went deeper than that, her whole existence was just enough to make you fall in love with her….
Hermione finally looked away blushing as the neared the steps to the Astronomy tower. They headed up the steps as Malfoy carried both his and Hermione's bags in his arms; Hermione knew what bag was hers. The one that was bulging with books, but Malfoy never complained about the fact.
They were almost to the top when Hermione's foot caught on a step and started to fall when a pair of strong arms caught her before she could fall any further. Hermione clung to the arms tightly to regain balance, as felt a hot breath on her face. Hermione quickly realized how close they were and stood up again.
"Do you always trip Granger?" He asked with a huge smile almost laughing, almost. Hermione found that she loved this smile instantly.
Hermione blushed at her clumsiness around him, "N-no, not all the time,"
His smile widened.
"You remind me of my mum," He said.
Hermione almost tripped again, did he just say that?
"She trips all the time back at home… it always got her to smile when dad caught her," He said but his smile was fading at the mention of his father, but Hermione wanted it back.
"It seems to make you smile too…I should do it more often," She said teasingly, finding herself smiling too.
His smile widened again, "Don't do it too often or else I might accidently let you fall,"
Hermione laughed at this as they entered the Astronomy tower. She looked around at the somewhat familiar room. She remembered the Astronomy tower differently than what it looked like now, it was cleaner and they had taken out the enormous ceiling and but a clear glass so you could see the sky. It also had a door that lead to the balcony with a telescope facing up toward the night sky.
"Let's get to work," Malfoy said placing there things on the table.
They set up there work station on the floor as they said only a few words to each other but Hermione's mind was on the boy beside her. She loved how he seemed to care so much about his mother and even his horrible father, Hermione never would have thought that he could care about someone. He was defiantly more complicated than she thought. And how come he's not afraid to be alone with me? I would if I was him…Hermione wondered what he was thinking about as she decided to still a glance at him, but he had already been watching her as she was pouring ingredients into the cauldron.
"How do you do that?" He asked her still looking intently at her.
"Do what?" Hermione asked curious.
"Do everything so delicately?" He asked, "When you put in ingredient's it's like you've done it a hundred times,"
They will learn twice as fast…the books words haunted her mind.
Hermione shrugged as she continued on with the potion, she could still fill his eyes on her and it made her nervous. She couldn't work with him looking over her shoulder like this! And as if on cue she spilt some of the Bolak juice on her hands.
Hermione glared at Malfoy, "You just had to say something,"
But Malfoy mouth grew to a smile, "I didn't make you spill,"
"If you would stop watching me then I would be able to concentrate," She snapped. But he only continued to smile.
Hermione picked one of her hands up and flicked some of the juice that was on her hands onto his face. Now it was Hermione's turn to smile.
He glared at her but he could not surprise a smile. Why was it so easy to smile around her? I hardly ever smile unless I'm at home…
"Here Granger let me help you with that potion," He said putting his hand in the juice then flicking on Hermione's face, and with that Malfoy's smile grew.
Hermione glared then put what they needed of the juice in the potion and turned back to Malfoy.
"Since were done with this you can have the rest," she said pouring the rest of the blue juice over his head as it dripped down his face. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at his wet figure.
But to her surprise his smile remained.
"And since you love potion ingredients so much Granger you should try this," He said getting a bottle of green goo and drew closer to Hermione. But Hermione could sense his action.
"Malfoy if you even think of-" but she was too late, a large amount of green goo was running down her hair and down the sides of her eyes before she could finish.
Malfoy grinned triumphantly.
And before he could even blink he felt a warm feeling on his arm and it was pink! He looked up to see Hermione smiling mischievously.
"Now how on earth did that get there?" She asked.
Malfoy picked up another ingredient as Hermione did the same they fought and laughed as they decorated each other. They didn't stop until a short while after they knocked a bottle over and smashed the glass into pieces. This seemed to stop the madness as they paused.
Hermione laughed as she fixed it with her wand, "Come on let's clean this mess up,"
Hermione jumped as she heard Malfoy laugh. Malfoy was now laughing actually laughing. Hermione almost forgot how mad she was to hear the sound of it. She loved it, it sounded so carefree and harmless, like he actually enjoyed life.
Malfoy was even surprised at himself. How long has it been since I have laughed? Was it since... but either way it felt good to laugh again.
"You look… so colorful," He said between laughs.
Hermione looked down at her figure, he was right there were all sorts of colors on her. She looked at him and he was in the same condition.
"Well if you think it's so funny look at yourself," She said laughing at him.
He looked down as his mouth dropped.
"How many times did you get me?" He asked surprised.
But Hermione only rolled her eyes and laughed and started to clean up. Hermione felt Malfoy grin and start to help her clean. Hermione couldn't quite understand what happened but something made her feel more connected with Malfoy now.
Hermione was exhausted as she laid her back on the floor still covered in goop as Malfoy continued cleaning. It was night time now; the stars were out in the sky as she looked up to the clear ceiling.
She started to name the star constellations to herself, there was Gemini, Acquires, Cassiopeia, and Draco…A jolt came through her mind as she felt her heart skip. I wonder if that's how Malfoy got his name.
Hermione finally voiced her question. "Malfoy did you get your name after the star Draco?"
Malfoy looked up at her curiously then up to the ceiling.
"Oh, ya I did my mother loved star constellations," He said laying down next to her. She felt him sigh as he looked up at the stars.
"You and your mom were close weren't you?" She asked.
He paused for a moment, "Yes we were, to tell you the truth all of us were once,"
Hermione pondered this for a moment; she couldn't imagine all of them being close.
"Once?" She asked.
Malfoy seemed to be debating on something, he face looked a little confused but finally he spoke.
"I don't want to talk about it," He said.
Hermione did not mean to make him mad. Hermione you're always sticking your nose into someone else's business.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said finally, "I didn't mean to-"
"No it's not your fault," He said at once cutting her off, "It's just I haven't told anyone about it,"
Hermione paused looking at his goop covered face; he still looked good with it on, "You don't have to tell me, I was just curious…"
Malfoy didn't say anything; Hermione took this as her signal to leave. She was about to get up when he asked,
"Do you know the constellation Acquires?" He asked softly.
Hermione looked at him strangely but nodded none the less.
He took a deep breath, "I wasn't always a only child you know…I had an older brother, Acquires, we grew up together side by side…my dad seemed so much happier then.." he said trailing off.
He had an older brother?! Hermione tried not to let the shock on her face show. She could tell that this was taking a lot to tell her this, but she was eager to hear what happened to him.
"What happened to him?" Hermione asked in a whisper, looking deeply at Malfoy.
"He died a long time ago…He like my father served the Dark Lord… he failed to accomplish an assignment," He said slowly.
Hermione felt horrible; although she was an only child she could imagine the pain of losing someone that close.
"What kind of assignment?" She asked, "If you don't mind me asking," she added quickly.
Malfoy closed his eyes as he answered, she could tell he was trying not to let the pain seep through, "The Dark Lord told him he would have to kill a man that was a threat to the Death Eaters, but he wouldn't take someone's life…even if it cost him his own"
Hermione's heart dropped. She couldn't believe that this had happened to him. This was Malfoy for heavens sake, mean, self absorbed Malfoy; he wasn't able to love someone …Was he?
"He sounds like a good guy," She said looking at him again but his eyes were staring up at the sky. Hermione felt a tear go down her face as she looked at him, she quickly wiped it away. Stupid emotions she said to herself.
"Why on earth am I telling you this," He said finally as he got up grabbing his things.
Hermione didn't say anything she knew it was mostly a rhetorical question, saying something would only make it worse.
"Come on, let's get going," He said. She got up as well and gathered her books and supplies as they headed to the door.
"Ummm Malfoy not to be rude… but were still covered in goop," she said.
Malfoy looked down at his clothes and smiled slightly, "Oh right," he said. He pulled out his wand and muttered, "Scruffy," as the goop disappeared.
They stayed silent as they went through the corridors. Hermione never knew that Malfoy had such a difficult past. No wonder why his mother was so careful to watch over him during 6th year, she didn't want to lose another son…
They came to a fork one which led to the separate common rooms.
"Well Night Granger," Malfoy said and without another word turned to leave.
"Malfoy?" Hermione called as he was half way down the corridor.
He turned to face her.
"Thanks for trusting me," She said and turned to leave as well.