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"Hermione," Harry asked as soon as they settled down in Hermione's new room, "How are you dealing?"
"I'm okay," She answered. To be truthful, she wasn't sure how she felt. She just knew that she wasn't dead yet. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
She was surprised. Whilst in her enslavement, all she had wanted was Harry and Ron. Now, she wished for more. She wished for her freedom. She felt somewhat awkward in her best friends' company.
"I think you've been really brave," Harry said sincerely.
She couldn't help but smile at Harry. Again, she found herself examining him. His clean cut features, his strongly defined jaw, his lazy bland smile, and those shiny emerald eyes.
He was so different to Malfoy.
Hermione turned to look at Ron. He had been worrying about the chess game. She could tell. He was much paler than usual and his cheekbones had a sunken look about them. A small crease in his face told her he was frowning.
"Ron," She said softly, "Please stop. Please be happy. We need to make use of this time while we have it."
Both Ron and Harry's head shot up. "What do you mean by that? Hermione, we are going to win this game! Don't you know that?"
Hermione found herself avoiding both forest green and clear blue eyes. She just couldn't look at them right now. She found a nice spot and the wall and began memorising off the pattern of the wall.
"Hermione," Harry said, "Don't give up."
"I'm not giving up, Harry," She breathed, "I'm just being realistic."
"You think I'm going to lose?" Asked Ron almost desperately.
She couldn't lie to her friend. Without uttering a word, she nodded.
"So, let's just enjoy our time together, guys. Before its too late. Malfoy has given us this time for some unknown reason so let's not leave it go to waste," Hermione spoke in a almost wistful tone. She looked at them both serenely yet almost wishing they'd contradict her.
They didn't though. Because denial could only take a person so far.
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"I was so mad at you," Hermione laughed recalling Ron's insult in first year. They had been recalling some of their more humorous events at Hogwarts and Hermione's sides were hurting from laughter.
"Well, what I said was unjust but I think I proved myself by standing up to that troll," Ron said.
"With help from me!" Harry cried.
"Of course," Ron said, waving a hand at Harry, "We mustn't forget, er, the little boy with that scar, er, what's his name? The fellow who thinks he's a celebrity?"
"Oi, you!" Harry yelped, "Watch yourself, red head, or I might get nasty."
"Oh yeah, Potter, and how would you manage to do that?" Ron said in a mock threatening voice.
Hermione was in fits of laughter as she watched the two boys pretend to square up each other.
"Go on, Hermione, tell us who would win between the two of us!"
"Oh, my bet is on Ron. You know what they say about those fiery red heads."
"Oh, sorry, four eyes, the girl's on my side."
"Only out of sympathy, Freckles."
"Guess the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-My-Ass isn't so big now, eh?"
"Oh, I wouldn't count on it, Ronald."
"Why," Hermione said pleasantly, "Don't you both burst your inflated egos and come down to earth with the rest of us. I mean, I could take the two of you with my eyes closed."
Harry and Ron exchanged wicked grins and slowly turned to face her.
Hermione eyes grew to the place of saucers, "Now, guys, I was only messing. There's no need to get violent," They started closing in on her, "No! No! Now, guys, you aren't really going to gang up on a little girl like me? Guys! Guys?" The exchanged another identical grin than jumped on her, sending her tumbling onto the couch.
She didn't stay down for long. She flashed them her own grin, her eyes twinkling, and said, "This is war!"
And so the war began, and Hermione remembered how it was to laugh, and be with her friends.
****
Draco gave them time. He felt it was only right. If he was to lose this game, he would wish for time with Hermione alone. Of course he wasn't going to lose this game, so he gave Potter and Weasley time to say a proper goodbye.
I think I'm getting noble, Draco mused.
He sat down on his plush leather couch, in front of the fireplace. He gently turned the page to Hogwarts a History. Draco found it interesting to see all the little secrets his old school beheld.
Draco was feeling relaxed. All his worry over Hermione was slowly draining away. He stretched lazily. Yes, she would belong to him and then things would fall into place. Hermione would see soon enough how brilliant he was, all girls did eventually. He knew he couldn't push her, that had been his one fatal mistake. Hermione was stubborn.
He couldn't help but smile to himself. He could do whatever he wanted now. Together with his girl, they would travel the world. Nobody could hold him back now. Not Dumbledore. Not his father. All those years, wasting time with Crabbe and Goyle.
Draco lazily turned another page. The roaring fire place in front of him set a warm glaze around the room.
Tomorrow would be a fun day, Draco decided. He couldn't wait to see Potter's face when he realised Hermione belonged to him. He laughed out loud, thoroughly delighted with himself.
****
Hermione awoke. Her feet were on top of Harry and her head was resting on Ron's stomach. Oh, had they really stayed up all night talking?
She groaned, and took a glance around. Suddenly very thing came back to her. Today was the day that would seal her fate as Malfoy's little belonging. Hermione felt like her world had suddenly come crashing down. She groaned again.
Ron stirred underneath her head and she lifted her head off him carefully. He looked as bad as she felt. Bright orange hair stuck in all directions and black bags drooped under his eyes.
"Hi," He said in a small voice.
"Hi," She returned shortly. "Hey, Harry, get up!" She kicked him with his feet.
He shot up in one frenzied motion and looked around wildly. Seeing their startled faces, he offered them a small sheepish grin and said, "Sorry. Got a fright."
"Today's the day," Ron said weakly.
"Yup."
"What are we going to do?"
"It's too early in the morning," Hermione said, settling back down, "Ask me later."
"You okay?" Harry said in a concerned voice.
Her answer was a loud yawn.
"Miss Granger!" A house elf cried in an annoyingly loud voice. Hermione restrained herself from throwing it out the nearby window. "Miss Granger!"
"Yes?"
"Master Malfoy requires your presence down stairs, miss."
"That's great," Hermione said, not stirring herself.
"He said now, miss!" The elf replied in the same shrill voice.
"It's too early," Ron said, "Tell Malfoy to give us a couple of hours."
"It's after midday, sir!"
"Is it?" Harry said, also not moving, "That's interesting."
"Sir! Master Malfoy shall not be pleased, sir!"
"And somehow, we just don't care," Ron said sleepily.
Hermione knew this wasn't just about getting a couple of more hours sleep. They all wanted to put off the inevitable.
She gently rose herself. Her muscles felt like screeching breaks and her body seemed to cry out in complaint.
"Okay, I'll be there in a couple of minutes," She told the elf. The elf hurried off and Hermione made her way to the bathroom slowly. Harry and Ron also began moving. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror drowsily. She saw her frizzy unbrushed hair and ugly bags under her eyes and did not care. She whipped the sleep out of her eyes and brushed her teeth.
She was still wearing the same clothes she had wore the day before. She tried pulling a brush through her hair, more out of habit then real effort and when her hair remained frizzy and knotty, she felt no trace of surprise.
Her mood was somewhat bad and she did not speak to Harry and Ron. Ron seemed to be muttering to Harry and Harry didn't seem to be listening. They were also wearing the same clothes they had fell asleep in late last night.
"I'll be back soon, guys," She said determinedly, before heading off to Malfoy's
***
Malfoy's room wasn't far away and as she stepped into his room, she felt her usual twinge of fear.
He was sitting, glaring moodily at the fire. Hermione could see how good looking he was, but it didn't ease her fear. He looked up as she entered and said, "I am going to win."
She nodded.
"I'm very good at chess. Weasley doesn't stand a chance.
"Ron's good," She said weakly. She wasn't convincing anybody.
Don't you think you're being selfish?" He asked. He wasn't smiling. He seemed completely serious.
"What?"
"You know I'm going to win. Aren't you worried what I'm going to do to your two best friends when they're defenceless?"
"Harry won yesterday. Ron will win today."
"You aren't fooling anybody."
"I'm not the one being selfish!" She shrieked, sounding alarmingly like Pansy Parkinson, "That's you! You're the one keeping me here, against my will."
He stood up to face her, and almost like he was a magnetic force, she stepped closer to him. His voice was as soft as dead leaves falling as he spoke. "You don't want anybody to know the truth. That's why you won't end this little game. You don't want your friends to know the truth. You'll lose the game and you know it. You know you're putting your friends in danger but you think it's okay as long as they don't know the truth."
"What are you talking about?" Her voice sounded foreign to her ears.
"You don't want anybody to know the truth, but I know, Hermione. I know that part of you wants to stay with me."
He pulled her towards him. She knew there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Her eyes grew wide, and her heart seemed to be dancing in her chest to a mad wild beat. He bent his head and kissed her with a frenzy full of passion and electricity, sucking out her soul and leaving something that scared Hermione.
"You may try fool everybody else," He whispered. She felt his breath on her lips, "But not me."
***
Draco knew Weasley wouldn't win. Draco wouldn't let him win.
***
The pressure, oh the pressure. Ron looked at himself in the mirror. He licked his dry lips. He couldn't leave Malfoy win. It wouldn't be right. Ron knew he'd live in guilt for the rest of his life if something happened to Hermione.
He took a deep breath, braced himself, gave Harry a small smile and walked down to meet Malfoy. Hermione was standing beside him, looking flushed and a chessboard was sprawled in front of him, glinting in the light.
Deep breath, Ron, Deep breath.
***
They both sat down at opposite sides of the chessboard. Hermione watched with growing terror. Her nails were bitten past the tips of her fingers by now. She couldn't remember feeling so nervous. Perhaps when harry had disappeared at the end of fourth year.
Ron kept wiping his sweaty palms of his pants. His face was shining and his hair was patted. Such pressure was not helping him.
Harry sat down beside Hermione. They didn't talk. The atmosphere in the room was very tense. Malfoy looked calm, but he wasn't offering any snide comments, which showed maybe pressure was even getting to him.
The game began.
Ron felt swallowing and Malfoy's face was creased with concentration.
Hermione kept getting lost in thought. Se just couldn't concentrate. Malfoy's chessboard was beautifully sculptured and decorated in the Slytherin colours. She knew it had cost a lot.
"Who's winning?" Hermione asked.
"Ron, I think," Harry said, "But I don't really know."
Hermione was getting almost bored as time passed. She used the time to memorise of Ron's face, just in case she did have to stay. But, as more time, passed. She moved on to Harry's, memorising off his shape and structure of his face. She started at his scar too and briefly wondered what was happening with Voldemort. She knew Harry had been training hard because he was the only one that could bring Voldemort's downfall.
Eventually she heard that one word that meant everything, "Checkmate."
She looked up sharply and saw a triumphant -
* * * * * * *
A/n - Hahahahaha! I am cruel! Hahahahaha! Yet its so fun! I am aware that I haven't updated in ages! Firstly, I was grounded! Not allowed use the net! Then, I was allowed use the net but I couldn't find my story! I think someone deleted it! Luckily, I had this part written in a copy, but then I wasn't happy with it so I rewrote it! I have the next part wrote, so now I just got to type it all out and make a couple of little changes! I figure since this is a mean cliffie, I'll update tomorrow!
Anyone wants me to email them when I update be sure to tell me in a review (Hint hint)
Oh, interesting little fact I found out, though most probably know this. I was reading about the stars and there's a star named Draco and a star named Sirius. Maybe that's where J K R got her names from. Next there'll be a star named Dumbledore, you'll see? Hehe!
Grrr. I'm back to school properly today! Yet this will actually be good because then I will be angry with teachers and school and I write best when I'm angry! I'm trying to get a job which might get in the way, but I'll try to keep updating!
Oh, yes, I just want to say here's a shout out to my two best mates who will never read this, who don't even know this exists yet I just feel the need to say: Jes and Taz - I love you guys!
To all my enemies, and Aoife who thought was a friend but apparently isn't, screw you all!
And Aoife- Get something done with the curls!
Hee hee, that felt good! Anyway, thanks to all my lovely reviewers! You guys are so great! Reviewers Rock!
American Angel1 - Here's a bit of Ron/Harry/ Hermione-ness for you! To be honest, I sort of have a problem with writing stuff like that! I don't want to make it sound soppy, ya know! I do appreciate advice, so any handy tips you have are greatly needed and wanted! American Wings is a majorly cool name!
Hotaru420 - Here's some more for you! Sorry it took so god damn wrong!
Halosangel - Hey Christine! Thanks for the lovely review! You the best!
DazedPanda - yep, since I haven't updated in so long my fingers haven't got their usual workout and look like sausages stuck to my hands! Don't mind me, I'm weird! Thanks for the review!
PinkTribeChick - I know. I don't know who I want to win either! Thanks for the sweet review!
Someone - Thanks so much! Sorry it took me a million zillion years to update!
Culf - I know how many Hermione/Ron fans there is out there! I know there's much more of a possibility of them getting together in the books but I just really like Harry so I thought I'd write him in. Especially 'cause Draco seems to have a major problem with Harry while he just dislikes our favourite red head! I'm going to write a Ron/Hermione/Draco story soon though, whenever I get around to it! Draco is crazy, but so am I! Thanks for the review!
Shadow Violet212 - Ron said "Oh no" at the end, because he hates when pressure is on him! Yeah, I'd probably stay with Draco cuz of the bathroom, and well, he has more money than Harry. Oh, and Draco is like more sexier! But then Harry's so sweet and heroic and brave and cute! Swoon - Lucky Hermione! Thanks so much for the review!
DreamingOne - Thanks for the review! You're not a Harry fan? You can't really help loving Harry. He's so loveable! Yet I can definitely see why you love Draco. He's so yummy. *Grins cheekily than remembers that these are fictional characters and stops smiling* Anyway, thanks for the review!
Malfoyelf - Oh no, I love Internal mental battles! Makes life so much interesting, ya know! Hehe, only messing! Hmm, I'm still trying to wonder which side is my good side - Taintless or Amy (Yes, that's me name) I really think I'm all evil. But you love me anyway, right? * Looks around* Nobody? *Silence* Okay, far enough. Anyway, going back on topic (I really should do that more often) Thanks for the review! I love your stories!
Kuky - Thanks for the review! It really does mean a lot to me!
Draco-Malfoy-Severus-Luva - Yeah, I don't know how I'm going to end it! I think I'm just going to keep writing, and when I eventually get bored, I'll just write whatever ending I feel like at the time! I wrote in Snape cuz even though I don't like him in the books, I quite like him in fanfics (Kinda like Malfoy, really) because there's so many unique things you can do with Snape! He's so mysterious and complex and I quite liked him in the fifth book!
LittleSpeedy225 - Thanks very much for the review! It's greatly appreciated!
Mara - Thanks so much! I got you hooked? Hehe, you wouldn't believe how happy that makes me! I love when readers actually like my stuff!
Harmonic Sakke - Ohayo Miss Harmonic Sakke! Yeah, Malfoy's very confused at the moment! Poor Malfoy! Got to feel pity for the poor boy! He has love, lust, Hormones, and his plain evilness all mixed up! Hehe, yeah, Hermione got it bad! Then again she has two very cute boys loving her at the mo so it aint all bad! Silver lining and all that, ya know. Hehe, thanks for the review!
Lady Tskuya - I tried to make it as interesting as I could! Thanks for the review! ;-)
Couch Potato01 - Thanks for the review! Hope this part was okay, as well. Well, apart from the cliffie!
Ali - Yeah, The Forbidden game is a great book! There's three, just in case you didn't know. I'm reading the second one at the moment! It's driving me mad 'cos I haven't read the third book in ages! I have written fanfics on that before but now I'm more into Harry otter! Julian is so sexy, aint he? It's a great book though, aint it? I'm really glad you're enjoying it! All of L J Smith's books are great, but The Forbidden game is my favourite!
Soccergirl2044 - Thanks for the review! You're great!
Ardent Entity - God, you're so selfish! I gave you wrinkly old Dumbledore or wrinkly old scary looking Voldemort! You're so ungrateful! I'm sorry, but you just can't have Draco! He's mine, I tell you, mine! All mine!
Oh, I would turn Draco gay! Very easily! He is very sexy, so he won't have a problem getting male dates! Actually it'd be very simple to turn him gay! That could be why he brought Pansy to the Yule ball! Cos she's so man-ish! And what about Crabbe and Goyle? Hmm, you don't think they don't fancy Draco? Okay, I have thought about this way too much! If you have chapter ten, why don't you UPDATE, you silly woman??? I said I wouldn't update till you did but you took WAY TOO LONG and I'm just not that cruel to my lovely reviewers! Ha! Shame on you! * Points finger at you* Meanie!
I know, don't our replies to our reviews, and our reviews, go on and on and on. This is longer than my chapter! Hehehehe! That was initially my original idea but then I sort of got put off by the idea, (Basically cos I read a story with the same idea) It might still be done, I'm not a hundred percent sure where I'm going with it yet! Plus, I'm not sure I'd actually be able to write a plot like that! It's sort of a slow gradual movement of Hermione's feelings and I'm not totally sure I'd be able to pull it off! Like I said, it could still happen! Keep the ideas and thoughts (Since you're full of em) coming! I love hearing from you! Man, this was long! Thanks for your constant funny reviews! I really look forward to them!
Someone - Hmm, You're a perky person! I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do with the ending, but I'm nearly 100% sure that it won't end in "And they all become friends". Hehehe, sorry!
I give it all to Mr Black - Yeah, I love Sirius! I think it was just wrong to kill him off! He had so much potential to be in a really big storyline or have some major part in the war or something! And now we know Harry won't have a home of his own now! I mean, he might live at the Burrow or whatever, but he's still not gonna be with his family! Sirius was his last family! Not far! Yeah, Harry is actually a better Quidditch player. He always wins! It would have been unrealistic if Draco had won cos he never has in the books! Well, you said I might want to make a cliff-hanger so here it is! Hehe! Yep, three possibilities and I'm not sure what I'm going to do! I know who I'm going to make win but from there I just have to see! Thanks for the review! Oh yeah, I love your name. Is Black Ice taken? You know, Black for Sirius and then Ice. That'd be sort of kool. Dark Ice is very cool. Could you just add numbers at the end or something? Like DarkIce987. That'd be cool. Dunno if they'd let you though!
Hermione C. Potter - Yeah, H/Hr and D/Hr are great! I normally read H/Hr but I've read some great H/Hr so I've really come to admire it! You can't help but not love Harry. Draco's good to work with on fanfics. Hope you got my email!
Demon Of Fear - Thanks for the review! Encouragement is so great!
Courtney83 - yep, Poor Ron! Gotta feel sympathy for the poor boy, don't ya? Yep, it was all down to him! Hehe, I'm too cruel, don't you think? Thanks for your constant support!
"Hermione," Harry asked as soon as they settled down in Hermione's new room, "How are you dealing?"
"I'm okay," She answered. To be truthful, she wasn't sure how she felt. She just knew that she wasn't dead yet. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
She was surprised. Whilst in her enslavement, all she had wanted was Harry and Ron. Now, she wished for more. She wished for her freedom. She felt somewhat awkward in her best friends' company.
"I think you've been really brave," Harry said sincerely.
She couldn't help but smile at Harry. Again, she found herself examining him. His clean cut features, his strongly defined jaw, his lazy bland smile, and those shiny emerald eyes.
He was so different to Malfoy.
Hermione turned to look at Ron. He had been worrying about the chess game. She could tell. He was much paler than usual and his cheekbones had a sunken look about them. A small crease in his face told her he was frowning.
"Ron," She said softly, "Please stop. Please be happy. We need to make use of this time while we have it."
Both Ron and Harry's head shot up. "What do you mean by that? Hermione, we are going to win this game! Don't you know that?"
Hermione found herself avoiding both forest green and clear blue eyes. She just couldn't look at them right now. She found a nice spot and the wall and began memorising off the pattern of the wall.
"Hermione," Harry said, "Don't give up."
"I'm not giving up, Harry," She breathed, "I'm just being realistic."
"You think I'm going to lose?" Asked Ron almost desperately.
She couldn't lie to her friend. Without uttering a word, she nodded.
"So, let's just enjoy our time together, guys. Before its too late. Malfoy has given us this time for some unknown reason so let's not leave it go to waste," Hermione spoke in a almost wistful tone. She looked at them both serenely yet almost wishing they'd contradict her.
They didn't though. Because denial could only take a person so far.
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"I was so mad at you," Hermione laughed recalling Ron's insult in first year. They had been recalling some of their more humorous events at Hogwarts and Hermione's sides were hurting from laughter.
"Well, what I said was unjust but I think I proved myself by standing up to that troll," Ron said.
"With help from me!" Harry cried.
"Of course," Ron said, waving a hand at Harry, "We mustn't forget, er, the little boy with that scar, er, what's his name? The fellow who thinks he's a celebrity?"
"Oi, you!" Harry yelped, "Watch yourself, red head, or I might get nasty."
"Oh yeah, Potter, and how would you manage to do that?" Ron said in a mock threatening voice.
Hermione was in fits of laughter as she watched the two boys pretend to square up each other.
"Go on, Hermione, tell us who would win between the two of us!"
"Oh, my bet is on Ron. You know what they say about those fiery red heads."
"Oh, sorry, four eyes, the girl's on my side."
"Only out of sympathy, Freckles."
"Guess the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-My-Ass isn't so big now, eh?"
"Oh, I wouldn't count on it, Ronald."
"Why," Hermione said pleasantly, "Don't you both burst your inflated egos and come down to earth with the rest of us. I mean, I could take the two of you with my eyes closed."
Harry and Ron exchanged wicked grins and slowly turned to face her.
Hermione eyes grew to the place of saucers, "Now, guys, I was only messing. There's no need to get violent," They started closing in on her, "No! No! Now, guys, you aren't really going to gang up on a little girl like me? Guys! Guys?" The exchanged another identical grin than jumped on her, sending her tumbling onto the couch.
She didn't stay down for long. She flashed them her own grin, her eyes twinkling, and said, "This is war!"
And so the war began, and Hermione remembered how it was to laugh, and be with her friends.
****
Draco gave them time. He felt it was only right. If he was to lose this game, he would wish for time with Hermione alone. Of course he wasn't going to lose this game, so he gave Potter and Weasley time to say a proper goodbye.
I think I'm getting noble, Draco mused.
He sat down on his plush leather couch, in front of the fireplace. He gently turned the page to Hogwarts a History. Draco found it interesting to see all the little secrets his old school beheld.
Draco was feeling relaxed. All his worry over Hermione was slowly draining away. He stretched lazily. Yes, she would belong to him and then things would fall into place. Hermione would see soon enough how brilliant he was, all girls did eventually. He knew he couldn't push her, that had been his one fatal mistake. Hermione was stubborn.
He couldn't help but smile to himself. He could do whatever he wanted now. Together with his girl, they would travel the world. Nobody could hold him back now. Not Dumbledore. Not his father. All those years, wasting time with Crabbe and Goyle.
Draco lazily turned another page. The roaring fire place in front of him set a warm glaze around the room.
Tomorrow would be a fun day, Draco decided. He couldn't wait to see Potter's face when he realised Hermione belonged to him. He laughed out loud, thoroughly delighted with himself.
****
Hermione awoke. Her feet were on top of Harry and her head was resting on Ron's stomach. Oh, had they really stayed up all night talking?
She groaned, and took a glance around. Suddenly very thing came back to her. Today was the day that would seal her fate as Malfoy's little belonging. Hermione felt like her world had suddenly come crashing down. She groaned again.
Ron stirred underneath her head and she lifted her head off him carefully. He looked as bad as she felt. Bright orange hair stuck in all directions and black bags drooped under his eyes.
"Hi," He said in a small voice.
"Hi," She returned shortly. "Hey, Harry, get up!" She kicked him with his feet.
He shot up in one frenzied motion and looked around wildly. Seeing their startled faces, he offered them a small sheepish grin and said, "Sorry. Got a fright."
"Today's the day," Ron said weakly.
"Yup."
"What are we going to do?"
"It's too early in the morning," Hermione said, settling back down, "Ask me later."
"You okay?" Harry said in a concerned voice.
Her answer was a loud yawn.
"Miss Granger!" A house elf cried in an annoyingly loud voice. Hermione restrained herself from throwing it out the nearby window. "Miss Granger!"
"Yes?"
"Master Malfoy requires your presence down stairs, miss."
"That's great," Hermione said, not stirring herself.
"He said now, miss!" The elf replied in the same shrill voice.
"It's too early," Ron said, "Tell Malfoy to give us a couple of hours."
"It's after midday, sir!"
"Is it?" Harry said, also not moving, "That's interesting."
"Sir! Master Malfoy shall not be pleased, sir!"
"And somehow, we just don't care," Ron said sleepily.
Hermione knew this wasn't just about getting a couple of more hours sleep. They all wanted to put off the inevitable.
She gently rose herself. Her muscles felt like screeching breaks and her body seemed to cry out in complaint.
"Okay, I'll be there in a couple of minutes," She told the elf. The elf hurried off and Hermione made her way to the bathroom slowly. Harry and Ron also began moving. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror drowsily. She saw her frizzy unbrushed hair and ugly bags under her eyes and did not care. She whipped the sleep out of her eyes and brushed her teeth.
She was still wearing the same clothes she had wore the day before. She tried pulling a brush through her hair, more out of habit then real effort and when her hair remained frizzy and knotty, she felt no trace of surprise.
Her mood was somewhat bad and she did not speak to Harry and Ron. Ron seemed to be muttering to Harry and Harry didn't seem to be listening. They were also wearing the same clothes they had fell asleep in late last night.
"I'll be back soon, guys," She said determinedly, before heading off to Malfoy's
***
Malfoy's room wasn't far away and as she stepped into his room, she felt her usual twinge of fear.
He was sitting, glaring moodily at the fire. Hermione could see how good looking he was, but it didn't ease her fear. He looked up as she entered and said, "I am going to win."
She nodded.
"I'm very good at chess. Weasley doesn't stand a chance.
"Ron's good," She said weakly. She wasn't convincing anybody.
Don't you think you're being selfish?" He asked. He wasn't smiling. He seemed completely serious.
"What?"
"You know I'm going to win. Aren't you worried what I'm going to do to your two best friends when they're defenceless?"
"Harry won yesterday. Ron will win today."
"You aren't fooling anybody."
"I'm not the one being selfish!" She shrieked, sounding alarmingly like Pansy Parkinson, "That's you! You're the one keeping me here, against my will."
He stood up to face her, and almost like he was a magnetic force, she stepped closer to him. His voice was as soft as dead leaves falling as he spoke. "You don't want anybody to know the truth. That's why you won't end this little game. You don't want your friends to know the truth. You'll lose the game and you know it. You know you're putting your friends in danger but you think it's okay as long as they don't know the truth."
"What are you talking about?" Her voice sounded foreign to her ears.
"You don't want anybody to know the truth, but I know, Hermione. I know that part of you wants to stay with me."
He pulled her towards him. She knew there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Her eyes grew wide, and her heart seemed to be dancing in her chest to a mad wild beat. He bent his head and kissed her with a frenzy full of passion and electricity, sucking out her soul and leaving something that scared Hermione.
"You may try fool everybody else," He whispered. She felt his breath on her lips, "But not me."
***
Draco knew Weasley wouldn't win. Draco wouldn't let him win.
***
The pressure, oh the pressure. Ron looked at himself in the mirror. He licked his dry lips. He couldn't leave Malfoy win. It wouldn't be right. Ron knew he'd live in guilt for the rest of his life if something happened to Hermione.
He took a deep breath, braced himself, gave Harry a small smile and walked down to meet Malfoy. Hermione was standing beside him, looking flushed and a chessboard was sprawled in front of him, glinting in the light.
Deep breath, Ron, Deep breath.
***
They both sat down at opposite sides of the chessboard. Hermione watched with growing terror. Her nails were bitten past the tips of her fingers by now. She couldn't remember feeling so nervous. Perhaps when harry had disappeared at the end of fourth year.
Ron kept wiping his sweaty palms of his pants. His face was shining and his hair was patted. Such pressure was not helping him.
Harry sat down beside Hermione. They didn't talk. The atmosphere in the room was very tense. Malfoy looked calm, but he wasn't offering any snide comments, which showed maybe pressure was even getting to him.
The game began.
Ron felt swallowing and Malfoy's face was creased with concentration.
Hermione kept getting lost in thought. Se just couldn't concentrate. Malfoy's chessboard was beautifully sculptured and decorated in the Slytherin colours. She knew it had cost a lot.
"Who's winning?" Hermione asked.
"Ron, I think," Harry said, "But I don't really know."
Hermione was getting almost bored as time passed. She used the time to memorise of Ron's face, just in case she did have to stay. But, as more time, passed. She moved on to Harry's, memorising off his shape and structure of his face. She started at his scar too and briefly wondered what was happening with Voldemort. She knew Harry had been training hard because he was the only one that could bring Voldemort's downfall.
Eventually she heard that one word that meant everything, "Checkmate."
She looked up sharply and saw a triumphant -
* * * * * * *
A/n - Hahahahaha! I am cruel! Hahahahaha! Yet its so fun! I am aware that I haven't updated in ages! Firstly, I was grounded! Not allowed use the net! Then, I was allowed use the net but I couldn't find my story! I think someone deleted it! Luckily, I had this part written in a copy, but then I wasn't happy with it so I rewrote it! I have the next part wrote, so now I just got to type it all out and make a couple of little changes! I figure since this is a mean cliffie, I'll update tomorrow!
Anyone wants me to email them when I update be sure to tell me in a review (Hint hint)
Oh, interesting little fact I found out, though most probably know this. I was reading about the stars and there's a star named Draco and a star named Sirius. Maybe that's where J K R got her names from. Next there'll be a star named Dumbledore, you'll see? Hehe!
Grrr. I'm back to school properly today! Yet this will actually be good because then I will be angry with teachers and school and I write best when I'm angry! I'm trying to get a job which might get in the way, but I'll try to keep updating!
Oh, yes, I just want to say here's a shout out to my two best mates who will never read this, who don't even know this exists yet I just feel the need to say: Jes and Taz - I love you guys!
To all my enemies, and Aoife who thought was a friend but apparently isn't, screw you all!
And Aoife- Get something done with the curls!
Hee hee, that felt good! Anyway, thanks to all my lovely reviewers! You guys are so great! Reviewers Rock!
American Angel1 - Here's a bit of Ron/Harry/ Hermione-ness for you! To be honest, I sort of have a problem with writing stuff like that! I don't want to make it sound soppy, ya know! I do appreciate advice, so any handy tips you have are greatly needed and wanted! American Wings is a majorly cool name!
Hotaru420 - Here's some more for you! Sorry it took so god damn wrong!
Halosangel - Hey Christine! Thanks for the lovely review! You the best!
DazedPanda - yep, since I haven't updated in so long my fingers haven't got their usual workout and look like sausages stuck to my hands! Don't mind me, I'm weird! Thanks for the review!
PinkTribeChick - I know. I don't know who I want to win either! Thanks for the sweet review!
Someone - Thanks so much! Sorry it took me a million zillion years to update!
Culf - I know how many Hermione/Ron fans there is out there! I know there's much more of a possibility of them getting together in the books but I just really like Harry so I thought I'd write him in. Especially 'cause Draco seems to have a major problem with Harry while he just dislikes our favourite red head! I'm going to write a Ron/Hermione/Draco story soon though, whenever I get around to it! Draco is crazy, but so am I! Thanks for the review!
Shadow Violet212 - Ron said "Oh no" at the end, because he hates when pressure is on him! Yeah, I'd probably stay with Draco cuz of the bathroom, and well, he has more money than Harry. Oh, and Draco is like more sexier! But then Harry's so sweet and heroic and brave and cute! Swoon - Lucky Hermione! Thanks so much for the review!
DreamingOne - Thanks for the review! You're not a Harry fan? You can't really help loving Harry. He's so loveable! Yet I can definitely see why you love Draco. He's so yummy. *Grins cheekily than remembers that these are fictional characters and stops smiling* Anyway, thanks for the review!
Malfoyelf - Oh no, I love Internal mental battles! Makes life so much interesting, ya know! Hehe, only messing! Hmm, I'm still trying to wonder which side is my good side - Taintless or Amy (Yes, that's me name) I really think I'm all evil. But you love me anyway, right? * Looks around* Nobody? *Silence* Okay, far enough. Anyway, going back on topic (I really should do that more often) Thanks for the review! I love your stories!
Kuky - Thanks for the review! It really does mean a lot to me!
Draco-Malfoy-Severus-Luva - Yeah, I don't know how I'm going to end it! I think I'm just going to keep writing, and when I eventually get bored, I'll just write whatever ending I feel like at the time! I wrote in Snape cuz even though I don't like him in the books, I quite like him in fanfics (Kinda like Malfoy, really) because there's so many unique things you can do with Snape! He's so mysterious and complex and I quite liked him in the fifth book!
LittleSpeedy225 - Thanks very much for the review! It's greatly appreciated!
Mara - Thanks so much! I got you hooked? Hehe, you wouldn't believe how happy that makes me! I love when readers actually like my stuff!
Harmonic Sakke - Ohayo Miss Harmonic Sakke! Yeah, Malfoy's very confused at the moment! Poor Malfoy! Got to feel pity for the poor boy! He has love, lust, Hormones, and his plain evilness all mixed up! Hehe, yeah, Hermione got it bad! Then again she has two very cute boys loving her at the mo so it aint all bad! Silver lining and all that, ya know. Hehe, thanks for the review!
Lady Tskuya - I tried to make it as interesting as I could! Thanks for the review! ;-)
Couch Potato01 - Thanks for the review! Hope this part was okay, as well. Well, apart from the cliffie!
Ali - Yeah, The Forbidden game is a great book! There's three, just in case you didn't know. I'm reading the second one at the moment! It's driving me mad 'cos I haven't read the third book in ages! I have written fanfics on that before but now I'm more into Harry otter! Julian is so sexy, aint he? It's a great book though, aint it? I'm really glad you're enjoying it! All of L J Smith's books are great, but The Forbidden game is my favourite!
Soccergirl2044 - Thanks for the review! You're great!
Ardent Entity - God, you're so selfish! I gave you wrinkly old Dumbledore or wrinkly old scary looking Voldemort! You're so ungrateful! I'm sorry, but you just can't have Draco! He's mine, I tell you, mine! All mine!
Oh, I would turn Draco gay! Very easily! He is very sexy, so he won't have a problem getting male dates! Actually it'd be very simple to turn him gay! That could be why he brought Pansy to the Yule ball! Cos she's so man-ish! And what about Crabbe and Goyle? Hmm, you don't think they don't fancy Draco? Okay, I have thought about this way too much! If you have chapter ten, why don't you UPDATE, you silly woman??? I said I wouldn't update till you did but you took WAY TOO LONG and I'm just not that cruel to my lovely reviewers! Ha! Shame on you! * Points finger at you* Meanie!
I know, don't our replies to our reviews, and our reviews, go on and on and on. This is longer than my chapter! Hehehehe! That was initially my original idea but then I sort of got put off by the idea, (Basically cos I read a story with the same idea) It might still be done, I'm not a hundred percent sure where I'm going with it yet! Plus, I'm not sure I'd actually be able to write a plot like that! It's sort of a slow gradual movement of Hermione's feelings and I'm not totally sure I'd be able to pull it off! Like I said, it could still happen! Keep the ideas and thoughts (Since you're full of em) coming! I love hearing from you! Man, this was long! Thanks for your constant funny reviews! I really look forward to them!
Someone - Hmm, You're a perky person! I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do with the ending, but I'm nearly 100% sure that it won't end in "And they all become friends". Hehehe, sorry!
I give it all to Mr Black - Yeah, I love Sirius! I think it was just wrong to kill him off! He had so much potential to be in a really big storyline or have some major part in the war or something! And now we know Harry won't have a home of his own now! I mean, he might live at the Burrow or whatever, but he's still not gonna be with his family! Sirius was his last family! Not far! Yeah, Harry is actually a better Quidditch player. He always wins! It would have been unrealistic if Draco had won cos he never has in the books! Well, you said I might want to make a cliff-hanger so here it is! Hehe! Yep, three possibilities and I'm not sure what I'm going to do! I know who I'm going to make win but from there I just have to see! Thanks for the review! Oh yeah, I love your name. Is Black Ice taken? You know, Black for Sirius and then Ice. That'd be sort of kool. Dark Ice is very cool. Could you just add numbers at the end or something? Like DarkIce987. That'd be cool. Dunno if they'd let you though!
Hermione C. Potter - Yeah, H/Hr and D/Hr are great! I normally read H/Hr but I've read some great H/Hr so I've really come to admire it! You can't help but not love Harry. Draco's good to work with on fanfics. Hope you got my email!
Demon Of Fear - Thanks for the review! Encouragement is so great!
Courtney83 - yep, Poor Ron! Gotta feel sympathy for the poor boy, don't ya? Yep, it was all down to him! Hehe, I'm too cruel, don't you think? Thanks for your constant support!