Memo: Sorry, I uploaded one but it was the wrong chapter so I had to 'BETA' read this one. And knowing me I take my time ; Anyway enjoy these next two chapters.
Hermione sat there, nervously tapping her foot. Why was she doing this? Why was she being so stupid? She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. She sat on the Common room couch nervously, not wanting to seem anxious but not wanting him to think she didn't care.
Why was everything so confusing? Did what Dumbledore say get to her?
Of course it didn't; she was doing this because she wanted to, because she needed support!
Was she weak? Dumbledore said it made her strong. Did she believe him?
Questions were running endlessly through her mind when he stepped out of the bathroom. Her eyes flickered up to him and she turned a bright red and turned away quickly.
"Oh please, Granger. Stop with the morals," Malfoy said as he stopped drying his hair with the fluffy white towel and wrapped it around his waist.
"Are you decent?" she asked nervously. He sighed loudly.
"No, but I'm as decent as I'm going to get," he said. Hermione turned around slowly and her eyes flickered over the damp Malfoy. She was much more comfortable now that his... manhood... was not exposed.
"Didn't you take a shower this morning?" she asked him as he walked around and plopped lazily on the couch next to her. He did look really very handsome with his usually greasy hair damp and clean. He nodded and shrugged.
"Yea, but I felt I needed a cold shower," he said.
"Oh? Why?" she asked innocently. He looked at her for a moment; in disbelief she had no idea what he meant.
"Are you serious?" she furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "This is brilliant. Know-it-all Granger doesn't know about guys," he laughed. He looked at her, his eyes bearing into her in a dazzling way. She was entranced.
"Please tell me," she asked. He smiled at her. He took her hand in his and began to explain.
"Well, when a man has sexual needs that cannot be satisfied and he doesn't wish to relieve them in... certain ways... he takes a cold shower or bath to... calm himself and get out all of his... tension," he said. Hermione turned a dark red and stared straight ahead, slipping her hand quickly out of his.
"Oh," she whispered quietly and awkwardly. He laughed.
"Don't worry. Not a lot of people know about it. Even boys," he shrugged. "But I find it much more... satisfying than other ways," he winked at her.
"I feel really uncomfortable talking about this with you," she said, her voice high pitched and nervous. Malfoy just laughed at her.
"I know, that's why I'm talking about it," he said and patted her shoulder. Hermione glared at him and then rolled her eyes.
"You know what? Forget it. I can't believe I was going to be so stupid..." she mumbled to herself as she began to walk away from him. Malfoy jumped up and over the back of the couch, cutting her off from the most direct path to her bedroom.
"Forget what?" he asked, squinting curiously. Hermione waved her hand.
"I was just going to ask you a favour. Nevermind. It was silly," she said and attempted to walk around him. He stepped in her way again.
"Then tell me what you were going to ask," he demanded. Hermione shook her head, frustration beginning to rise.
"No!" she snapped at him and tried to walk around him again. He stepped in her way once more.
Hermione clenched her hands into fists repeatedly, trying to ease the frustration and anger he was bringing out.
"Are you not telling me because I said you were a bad kisser?"
"No!"
"Cause you know you have potential," he said with a shrug. Hermione turned a beat red… Well she would of if her face wasn't crimson already.
"Get out of my way you snivelling prat!" she snapped at him and shoved her way by.
"Granger!" he snapped and grabbed her by the shoulder, spinning her around. "You have some serious anger problems!"
"Yes, well you're an arrogant prick but I'm not holding that against you," she hissed at him.
He rolled his eyes.
"You just did," he pointed out. "I'm not going to let you go anywhere until you tell me EXACTLY what this favour is... I mean was," he said with a clever glimmer in his eyes. She stood there, staring at him. Her eyes flickered slowly over him. Why did he have to be so handsome? Why did he have to be so charming? He was such a foul, loathsome creature and yet she wanted nothing more than his arms wrapped around her.
"It doesn't matter," she said quietly as she adverted her eyes. He noted all the tension had gone from her frail figure. Her eyes were misting over and she just looked so reserved. What hurt him was the fact that what she was holding inside was pain.
"It matters to me, Granger. We both know that I can be stubborn when I want to," he whispered, a challenge in his tone. She didn't have the strength to challenge him as she usually would; She just wanted to rest, She needed to close her eyes. She needed a nice, long hot bath.
"I wanted to ask you if you would accompany to my... appointment at St. Mungo's tomorrow. I can see now that I was being foolish and you are no where near mature or civil enough to do so," she said quietly. He sighed, shaking his head.
"Granger I'm going to take you to St. Mungo's tomorrow, whether you like it or not. I'm stronger than you. Obviously you're not up for putting up a fight about this either," he said. Hermione looked up into his dazzling eyes.
"Malfoy, McGonagall told us to be civil to one another. You're being more than civil. You're being... friendly," she said quietly. Her eyes bore into his eyes. He looked at the floor, just the shadow of a blush creeping onto his cheeks.
"I don't know... I suppose you're growing on me or something. Anyways, I may be evil but when you actually put up with my... you know... umm... the side effects of the painkiller I guess you got on my soft side. Thanks again for kicking me... there... or we might have done something that we would have regretted," he said. All of this was in a mumble and Hermione couldn't help but let a small smile play across her lips.
"You're welcome... though we both know that there was no chance I would have let anything happen," she said with that familiar pride. He rolled his eyes.
"You've made it quite clear you can't resist me, Granger," he sneered. Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off. "Now it's my turn to ask you something. Why ask me to go with you to St. Mungo's? Why not ask a Weasel or Wonder-Boy?" he asked. Hermione grimaced at the names that Malfoy called Ron, Ginny, and Harry but did not feel like arguing about her friends that evening.
"Because you're the only one who knows... sort of... she said and plopped down on the couch. Malfoy sat down next to her, forgetting he was still only wearing a towel. Hermione surely hadn't forgotten.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice softening and losing all hints of sarcasm. He seemed to genuinely care. Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat and then looked away from him.
"That day that Harry, Ron, and Ginny came over, Ginny went through my medication. They had some sort of strange intervention."
"She actually had the nerve to go through your personal belongings?" Draco asked in almost a hiss, acting as if the thought made him angry.
"It wasn't her fault. I left the medication out on the counter... I just completely... forgot..." she said, a wistful look in her eyes. Draco smiled at her and took her hand in his own.
"Forgetting seems to mean a lot to you," he said quietly. She nodded sadly. She looked up at Draco slowly. His eyes were silver and beautiful, his lips soft and appealing. He looked so safe, so adoring, so handsome.
She wanted nothing more than to run her hands along his smooth, damp chest and wet hair and kiss him deeply...
"Well... I'm... I'm really tired, Malfoy. I'm off to bed," she said and stood, walking towards her bedroom. He remained on the couch. She turned and looked at him sadly one last time, hating the fact that he was her enemy and loving the fact that for some reason she didn't seem to care anymore. "Draco?"
"Yes?" he asked, not turning around to look at her.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being real."