If I Can't Have You
Chapter six—Why Does This Feel Like a (EW!)…Date
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. Also I would like to address something a reviewer brought up—this story might be similar to a story I may have read ( or that you have read) and I might have accidentally mixed up their ideas and confused them as my own. So if I did—I am really extremely sorry and no credit goes to me. If you are looking for a disclaimer, it's on my profile (the middle of the page—I think). This is going in a totally unexpected direction…(at least I hope you weren't thinking that there would be a mission, a trip to Europe, or Hermione [& possibly Draco] becoming the main hero[s]). Alright, sorry—long author note I know—on with the story.
"We'll do it," Malfoy replied in a dignified manner redeeming them from their pitiful pathetic state a moment ago.
McGonagall leaned forward, "good."
Hermione chewed her lip unconsciously, her eyes glazed over not actually reading the words that normally that would jump off the page and be stuck in her memory. She was blank and vacant like whenever she was in pensive thought. She held the think leather binder on her lap filled with all sorts of paper work. There was no way they were going to get all of this done. They could barely hold a decent conversation for most of the time mind sake plan two weeks for the heads of the schools, and arrange sleeping arrangements for an additional 300 students. It was… oh she hated the word… but it was nearly impossible. Nothing was impossible was usually something she went by, lived by, a favorite motto. But more recently a lot more things seemed impossible. You can't change the wind you say, it just won't matter anyway, can't rise above this place, can't reach that far… with Malfoy a lot of things seemed… well—Impossible.
The door slammed shut, and the even pace of his footsteps reached her ears. Drawing her from her thoughts as his Quidditch robes swished billowing out behind him as he walked rapidly past her and upstairs. She snapped out of her trance and yanked her head in his direction.
"Malfoy, we need to talk," she called after him.
"About," he prompted not even bothering to turn around.
She rose to her feet, "about the project, I can't do this on my own."
"Wow, Granger admitting you can't do everything," he said bored.
"Malfoy," she warned.
"Alright fine, I'll talk about it—tomorrow it's a Hogsmead trip, right?"
"Yes," she replied reaching the stair case where he had stopped on.
"Six then," He said leaning on the rail of the staircase leaning forward towards her face.
"Fine," She returned, unsure why she felt a faint tinge of red creeping unwantedly to her cheeks.
"The three broomsticks, my corner, my table," he ordered, turning and continuing upstairs.
Hermione nodded, she knew the spot.
He reached the top and went to open his door but he turned to face her instead, "Oh and Granger," Draco called.
She grasped the end of the railing looking up at him, "Yes, Malfoy."
"Don't be late," he said with his charismatic air.
~*~
The trip to Hogsmead was the perfect break that everyone including a slightly reluctant Hermione had to admit, re-acclimating to school was tiresome and everyone was in high spirits to visit the village. The hopes of some were dashed as the sun rose the next morning accompanied by clouds heavy clouds and pouring rain. Yet everyone still climbed aboard the carriages nonetheless after being jabbed a few times by a moody Flitch. Hermione ran into Honeydukes with Harry, Ron, and Ginny to get out of the rain. Of course it was crowded and everyone was pushing and shoving because clearly everyone had-had the same brilliant idea which in fact due to the fact everyone had-had the same idea wasn't so brilliant anymore.
"What do you mean you can't come to Zonko's? You're blowing us off for Malfoy!" Ron exclaimed.
Suddenly Hermione was really grateful she had waited till now to tell them in the very crowded shop that she had to meet Malfoy, "It's a project, Head's business, it's not like I want to."
"Where?" Ginny inquired.
"Three Broomsticks," Hermione replied paying for a box of chocolates and a package of sugar quills.
"His corner?" she queried.
"Where else," Hermione replied sarcastically.
"Sounds like a date to me," Harry said rubbing the back of his head.
"It's not, Harry," Hermione replied drawing her hood over her head and pulling her robes tight.
"Dunno if meeting Malfoy's such a great idea, but I trust you, Hermione," Harry sighed.
"Thank you," Hermione replied and left heading across the street to Three Broomsticks. She ignored the pointed stares of the students as she seated herself at his empty table. A blond waitress came over within seconds.
"Yeah, uh—I don't know if you know but uh this is like Draco Malfoy's table—he has it booked for the afternoon," she said.
"I know," Hermione said clearly, aware that everyone was waiting and listening to her response, "He asked me to meet him here on head's business."
The blond shrugged, "fine, but if that's not true—it's your funeral," she replied and walked away-not even bothering to ask if she wanted anything. She glanced at the clock hanging over the bar, he should be here any minute. Any minute now, she thought glancing at the clock which now read 6:05. He's probably just a little late, she allowed glancing at he clock 6:15. It was now 6:30, as she frowned at the clock. Five more minutes or I am gone, she vowed to her self. 6:35 came and went and yet she still sat there. She didn't know why she was still sitting there, why the heck was she waiting for him of all people. And why, why, why did she feel a wave of was that disappointment at the prospect that he might have forgotten? At Precisely 6:45 the door opened and his familiar footsteps sounded the bar.
He slid in the table his hair still wet and still looking like he could shoot a hair gel commercial for "Perfect" hair.
"You're Late," she said icily.
"I know," he replied calmly, as if he had just said hello.
"You know," she continued a bit fiercely.
"Uh-Yeah," he replied, "Why does that matter to you?"
That was a good question; she thought but answered differently, "Because I unlike you, Malfoy actually have something better to do with forty-five minutes."
He sighed and leaned back on the leather padded booth and stared at her for a minute. He leaned forward; his hands clasped together, his elbows on the table. "If I apologize will you just drop it and we can get on with it," he said softly so the bystanders could not hear.
"I thought it was against the Malfoy religion to apologize," Hermione said after a minute, leaning forward.
He leaned closer, and smirked, "Usually, it is but for right now I'll make an exception, I also have better things to do and we have a lot of work ahead of us, so will you accept my offer or not?"
"It depends on if you mean it," she replied leaning back, and crossing her arms in a very Malfoy-like manner, smiling at him amused.
"I am sorry," he said quickly after making sure no-one was in hearing range, "alright now can we get on to business?"
She sighed and shook her head in mock disapproval, "I guess that's the most I could expect from a Malfoy, so I guess that means yes."
He shook his hand and rolled his eyes and gestured for her to hand over the paperwork. She handed it over reluctantly and the waitress from before came back. She tossed her head and smiled flirtatiously at Malfoy as she took her white notebook and pen out.
"Mr. Malfoy," she greeted, "always a pleasure, I am sorry this one," she continued using a distasteful tone as she nodded in Hermione's direction, "insisted on staying something about heads business."
"As you, Shelly, oh don't distress yourself over her, I asked Miss Granger to meet me here," Malfoy replied smoothly, but uninterested as he flipped through the menu.
Shelly looked surprised and shot a glare at Hermione when she thought Malfoy wasn't looking, not yet willing to give up she tried again, "Is there anything I can get you Mr. Malfoy?"
If Hermione was not mistaken there was a double meaning to those words. She choked back the urge to puke. Who would ever want Malfoy that way? I mean pl-ea-se.
Malfoy looked up, "Yes a butterbeer please."
With a fake smile that matched her long fake manicured nails she jotted it down and went to turn away. Hermione stared at the girl in distaste, how rude!
"Oh and Shelly a …" he began.
Shelly turned around hopefully and was disappointed when Malfoy turned to Hermione with an arched eyebrow.
Surprised but thankful nonetheless she muttered a butterbeer, and with a scowl Shelly pranced off looking like a fake and angry model on the runway.
"Thanks," Hermione mumbled looking at the map of the new section of Hogwarts.
Malfoy looked at her for a moment before returning a quiet and soft: you're welcome.
"If we do some expanding charms in all the dormitories we can fit everyone, but McGonagall recommends we have all our people in one or two houses and then pair the others in the remainders," She said getting to business.
"I remember her mentioning that in the meeting, continue," he returned accepting the butterbeer from Shelly without even looking at Shelly his eyes still fixated on Hermione. Shelly was now looking angry as ever as he took a sip, she placed the butterbeer in front of Hermione and all but stomped off.
"As I was saying, we should at least pair two houses with each other and the other two houses with each other depending on how much room we have, for example Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff…" Hermione got no further.
"You mean to put the Slytherins with the Gryffindors together! Are You Insane! Do you SERIOUSLY want to start World War Three?!?" Malfoy said on the verge of yelling, because of course Malfoy's don't yell.
"McGonagall suggested it, weren't you paying attention? She wants "House Unity" for the time they're here," Hermione returned.
"House Unity," Draco all but snorted, because once again that's on the list of Malfoy Don'ts, "the only thing putting those two houses will create is mischief until they learn to tolerate each other."
Somehow Hermione sensed he wasn't quite talking eternally on the subject of putting the Gryffindors and Slytherins together. "But if they learn to tolerate each other it would be…" she countered and searched for the right word.
"Ideal," Malfoy finished for her.
"Exactly, if they learn to get along they could be great," she continued.
"As if they were already great," Malfoy interjected causally.
"They could be greater," she corrected herself.
"But it would never work," Malfoy said leaning back causally crossing his arms more as a fashion statement than as if he was angry.
She didn't know why that statement hurt her so much; "If you say it will never work then it never will work…" she began.
"A self-defeating mission, I know," He cut in, "Honestly Granger, you don't have to dumb yourself down and explain everything, I might look like I would be a person who has no idea what you are talking about because I am as smart as Crabbe and Goyle, but I am actually as intelligent as you, who else did you think get the second highest grades in this school-Potter?"
She bit her lip, "okay I am sorry, but take back that comment about Harry—that was totally unnecessary."
He rolled his eyes, "I take it back, and before you go explain, you're not to actually having intelligent conversations with peers so you forget ect-ect. Can we move on now?"
She opened her mouth and shut it, and finally straightened her papers and jumped back to her point, "as I was saying we need to organize sleeping arrangements, and after I would like to get started on the menus so we can order the food, but anyway we could pair Drumstrang and Stella students together…"
"Put Drumstrang and Baxabatones together, Stella has more students," Malfoy corrected her.
She marked it down on her page of notes in her elegant script, and they continued on.
A/N: Thank you for all your support! Thanks to all my lovely reviewers and if you put me on fav/or alerts thank you! I would have posted sooner but my internet crashed, anyway--Please review!
~Bella