Memo: Here you are! The next chapter for you to read. Flames are welcome.
When Hermione's eyes opened she realized that she was lying on the couch. A cool cloth was draped over her forehead, she groaned and sat up. A panging in her forehead caused her to lie back down. Her mouth was dry. She saw a cup of water on the table next to her and reached out for it, sipping it gently, it cooled her mouth and throat and made her tongue feel less like sand paper.
She looked around and continued to rest her head. Her eyes throbbed angrily. She had been having such a good day too until MALFOY got her upset.
"Hello?" she called out hoarsely into the apparently empty Common room. "Is anybody there?" she tried again. She was met by silence. "Malfoy?" she called out. She groaned and brought her hands to her temples, rubbing them firmly. It did not ease the pain, just distracted her.
"Granger?" a voice asked.
"Malfoy!" Hermione called back out. The door to his room opened and he came outside and kneeled by her side. He was shirtless, once again. "Are you ever fully dressed?" she groaned grumpily and swatted his hands away, which were fumbling with the cloth on her head.
"No. You should be thankful. Usually I walk around naked," he said with a sneer. "Although I know it's a site you wish to see, with your current condition it might give you a seizure or something." Hermione glared at him icily.
"I'm perfectly healthy!" she snapped at him. Draco nodded.
"Yes, of course you are. You just pass out for fun," he said sarcastically. "Hold still!" he snapped and snatched the cloth from her forehead. She groaned. She would fight back if she had the strength, but she was just too tired.
He tapped it with his wand and it was instantly cool and moist again. He set it on her forehead and it soothed her throbbing mind. She watched him angrily. This wasn't fair, she knew he was just getting pleasure from taking control like this.
"Why do you care, Malfoy?" she asked, trying to sound cold but couldn't help the teaspoon of warmth. He looked at her.
"As much of a bastard you think I am, I'm only like that to healthy people. I don't exactly get off on hurting people already in pain," he mumbled and pressed the cloth against her head tightly. "I'm trying to get you back to full health as soon as possible so I can continue torturing you... subtly of course. Just to tell you now I'm not going to be the one to lose us our privileges," he said stubbornly. Hermione glared at him but couldn't help but be a little relieved. She was frightened that no one would help her if she became hurt, knowing that Malfoy cared even the SLIGHTEST bit comforted her.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm healthy?" she grumbled. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Of course you are Hermione, and your parents wrote you a letter about medication and hospitals as some sort of joke?" Hermione went pale and shot up, ignoring the throbbing headache and dizziness achieved by doing this.
"YOU READ MY MAIL?" she screamed. Draco furrowed his eyebrows.
"Well EXCUSE ME for trying to figure out if you NEEDED TO GO THE HOSPITAL! Next time you get sick I'LL JUST LEAVE YOU THERE TO ROT!" he shouted and snatched the cloth angrily from her forehead and threw it down on the ground.
"YOU READ MY MAIL!" she screamed again, this time not a question. Draco stomped his foot.
"WE already got PAST that little bit of information GRANGER!" Draco shouted angrily. Hermione was flustered, looking from Draco back to the letters on the table and then Draco again.
"But you read my mail," she said lightly and fell backwards. She remembered the letters, thinking about every word. He knew that she was sick, but he didn't know what was wrong with her, that was a break. He sat back down on the table, a bit flustered, but picked up the cloth and re-cooled it before placing it on her forehead. She closed her eyes.
"Yes, I did read your mail but could you get it through your thick head I did it with the best intentions?" he asked. She nodded, exhausted and weak. "Granger."
"Hmm?" she asked, squinting her eyes that made it through her eyelids.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked and there seemed to be genuine concern in his voice.
"I don't want to tell you," she said stubbornly. He was silent for a moment and she felt him press his hand against the cloth of her forehead, the coolness of the rag sending pleasant tingles into her head.
"Is it serious?" he asked. She was quiet again. She then nodded sadly. He didn't ask any more questions. He just sat there, every few minutes re-cooling the cloth. She lay there, letting him take care of her. It was nice. She hated to admit it but Draco apparently was deeper than a puddle after a light spring shower. She would give him credit for the depth of a puddle after a really heavy rainstorm.
"Thank you," she said calmly.
"So you do have manners," Draco said, raising his eyebrows and a cool sneer playing across his face.
"Oh sod off."
"Ouch, you hurt my feelings Granger!" Hermione groaned and rolled her eyes. She focused on Draco. He was staring at her, his full-moon-on-the-water eyes deep and concerned. They stared at each other, no hate between them; they were not awkward though his hand was firmly pressed against her head.
What was this? This must be some sort of joke. Maybe it was a side effect to the medication. She remembered one of the warnings had said 'sexual side effects'.
They should have been more elaborate and written 'may be a chance of becoming attracted to slithering manipulative ferrets'.
She closed her eyes and broke her staring contest with Malfoy. Had she just considered herself attracted to Malfoy? If she had a choice she would flush all of her medication down the toilet right now if it made her feel this way.
Somehow she had a sneaking suspicion that the medicine had nothing to do with it.
"Eh Granger, you have an appointment at St. Mungo's next weekend, don't you?" he asked and tried to sound casual. She nodded, still not wanting to look at him, it was the medication combined with the fact that he didn't look too bad shirtless that made her think she was attracted to him. The idea was simply preposterous!
"Yes, why?" she asked rather coldly.
"I was wondering if you'd enjoy some company". Hermione looked at him curiously.
"What? What do you mean?" she asked him.
"Well, I'm not sure if I can get any more straight forward than I just was. Would... you... like... me to... come... with... you... to...St. Mungo's? For such an insufferable know-it-all you sure can be stupid," he snickered.
"I take offence to that," Hermione glared at Malfoy. He shrugged.
"Well it's the worst I can call you without being stripped of my Head Boy title," he sighed. Hermione sighed and shook her head.
"Whatever made you think that I'd want you to come with me?" she spat at him. He instantly withdrew and became cold.
"You're a brat, Granger. Did you know that? I understand you're sick but that doesn't give you an excuse to be such a god awful bitch," Draco snapped sourly. He stood and turned around, stalking out of the Common Room.
Hermione moaned in regret but did not call after him. This was for the best.
She stood and on trembling legs made her way back to her bedroom where once again she lay down to sleep in her clothes, not having the strength to change into something more comfortable.