A/N: Here is the LONG awaited chapter five- I'm so sorry, everything got so busy!
JKR owns everything you see and recognize. :)
Chapter Five- World War Redeux
After the silent breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and bacon, Hermione made her way into her bathroom, leaning over the sink as the shower ran, steam beginning to fill the small room. Flipping on the overhead fan absently, she began to undo her braid, her mind on a certain blonde Slytherin currently on the other side of the apartment.
His words had hurt her, she could easily admit that. His cruelty had always had an effect on her; if she was being completely honest with herself, he had always had an effect on her.
When he walked into a classroom she would always catch herself holding her breath, her eyes following him to his seat. She tried to tell herself it was a defensive move, even as she studies the way he walks, notices how the light catches his hair, making it shine white.
She cannot deny the warmth that suddenly rushed into her belly as she looked at his wounds, her hands gently caressing his ribcage and his hand. It was simply a reaction, she had told herself. You have never been that close to him before, and it was a shock.
Even as she thought those words, she knew it was a lie.
There had always been something about Draco Malfoy that caused her breath to catch, her heart to begin to race, and her face to flush.
Blinking, Hermione came back to the present, noticing the steam completely filling the bathroom. She quickly finishes up her shower, wondering how long she had been lost in thought.
Toweling off, she slipped out the door and headed quickly to her bedroom, noticing the spare room (currently housing her gorgeous houseguest) was ajar. Narrowing her eyes, she was wondering where he could be when suddenly she ran smack into a warm, hard chest.
Losing her balance, she fell sideways, struggling to keep her towel tight around her thin form. As she sprawled ungracefully on the carpet, Draco stood over her and chuckled. Ignoring the strange warmth expanding his chest, he smirked down at Hermione, who was struggling to sit up and attempting to push her wet curls out of her face. She looked sheepishly up at him, a blush staining her porcelain cheeks.
Her eyes widened in surprise as a slim hand was held out to her; she took it and was gently helped to her feet, brown meeting gray.
"Are you alright?" His voice was surprisingly soft, his eyes showing no outward emotion. Hermione nodded, mesmerized by the blonde man that stood before her, still holding hands.
Her skin was tingling. Was this really happening? Was Draco Malfoy being friendly with her? She must be dreaming. "I'm sorry I ran into you." Her voice was almost a whisper, never taking her gaze from his. The blush on her cheeks became more pronounced.
Distantly Hermione heard a door opening, only ripping her gaze from Draco's when she heard two very angry voices.
"Get away from her!"
"What the bloody hell?"
Suddenly Hermione remembered why she had hopped in the shower: Harry and Ron were coming over to take her to Diagon Alley to run some errands. She quickly dropped the pale hand that was still in hers, and, shooting Draco an apologetic look, she hitched her towel up, tightening her hold, and rounded on her two best friends.
"Boys! What gives you the right to come in here and act as if you own the place?" She narrowed her eyes as a pair of green eyes looked down sheepishly, a hint of a smile appearing; blue eyes met her defiantly, mouth set in a sneer, red tingeing his freckled cheeks.
"Well, what the hell should we think when that bloody prat is in your house, touching you, and you are in a towel?" Ron snapped, unable to keep his eyes from wandering.
Hermione glared. "I can take care of myself, as I have spent the past seven years of my life proving to you, Ronald Weasley!" She stamped her foot, one hand on her hip, the other gripping her towel fiercely.
"For your information, I was heading from the shower to my bedroom to change to meet you two prats, when I fell and Draco helped me up. Now, if it is okay with you, I am going to get dressed. Excuse me." She huffed, and turned on her heel, slamming her bedroom door behind her.
The three boys stood there awkwardly, Draco with a blank expression, Harry with a slight smile, and Ron, who glared at Draco.
Harry broke the silence. "How are you feeling, Malfoy?" Green met gray before Draco cleared his throat, looking away.
"I feel better." He paused. "Thank you for killing that scum." Harry watched him curiously.
"Well, isn't that sweet. The Death Eater trying to cover his tracks." Ron's voice was harsh, filling the room with tension. Harry turned to give his friend a warning glare, which he promptly ignored. "What your father did to you wasn't enough. Hermione never should have saved you, she should have left you to rot in that house."
His words struck Draco in the chest; the need to sit down became a necessity as his knees collapsed and the soft armchair broke his fall.
"Ron." Harry's voice, signaling he had gone too far. Ron, his arms crossed, his expression one you would see on a petulant child. "It's the truth, Harry! The world would be so much better without Malfoys infesting it. They cause pain, nothing else." He spat the last, his eyes hard as ice.
" Ronald, get the hell out of my house." Her voice was steel, her eyes just as hard.
The man in question started, his eyes widening, finding the slim brunette.
She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple green cardigan, arms crossed over her chest. "Hermione, I-"
"Save it." Her tone was finality; Harry noticed the anger in the depths of her eyes, glancing nervously at Ron before taking a seat next to Draco. "Don't say a word." He whispered the advice to his Slytherin classmate, who glanced at the Boy Who Lived, nodding swiftly.
Ron was doomed.
"How dare you come into my house and boss my guest around! How dare you say horrible things to a boy who has seen more horrors than you have ever heard about? Ronald Bilius Weasley, I don't know who you think you are, but you have no authority here, no say in what I do, and no right to belittle and hurt someone else just because of his last name, and his past!"
Ron was red, his eyes blazing. "Hermione, he is a Death Eater! He had his hands all over you, and what am I supposed to do about that?"
Hermione let out a screech. "NOTHING RON! You do nothing; I do not belong to you, we are not, nor will we ever date! Now GET OUT!"
Ron glared at her and spun around, marching to the door and slamming it behind him. Hermione warded the door, mumbling the spell under her breath.
Harry cleared his throat, making Hermione jump. "Uh, maybe we should postpone this trip for another day…"
She snorted, shaking her head as a laugh escaped her throat. She shook and nearly fell over in the process, her thin body trembling. Her eyes were bright with tears and a smile was on her face as she looked back over to the boys seated on the couch, watching her as if she was crazy.
"Ahh," she wiped at her eyes as she seated herself between Harry and Draco, "there's no need to postpone the trip over silly Ron. There's a book I need to get, and I desperately need some more parchment."
She smiled at Harry. "If you don't want to go, I understand. Draco and I can go by ourselves."
Harry shook his head. "No Mione, we can go. I would subject Malfoy to wandering around Flourish and Blotts for hours with you." He smiled at her, and she returned the smile.
Hermione turned to Draco thoughtfully. "We also need to get you some clothes."
Harry grinned. "Luckily I thought ahead and brought some clothes he can borrow." He held up a bag and shrugged. "You may have to alter them a bit, he is taller than me."