Desperate Love (1)

"Excellent! Mr. Malfoy has succeeded in performing a nonverbal Shield Charm. Ten points to Slytherin."

On hearing Snape's words Hermione, who did just the same thing five minutes ago shot him a dark look, to which Draco returned with a glance in contempt and provocation. Scarlet with rage, the girl turned to cope with Longbottom; Potter glared even more venomously at Snape, as if trying to burn through his sallow face.

The first four weeks of the new semester witnessed this kind of scenarios occur in every class: Potter somehow made a rising star in Potions, even excelling Hermione who used to be way ahead while DADA became a total nightmare for those Gryffindors under Snape's intimidation.

Draco had never studied so hard before, training himself crazily every day, in an effort to improve his strength as quickly as possible. It was at this time that he found being a Malfoy meant not only appearance and wealth; his magic and brain did not fail him at all. Rising grades, overbearing attitude plus scoff that can always touch a sore spot had made him "the secondly most abominable pain in the ass besides Snape", quoting Harry Potter, who obviously did not take the effort to hide this knowledge from him.

Draco gritted his teeth, forcefully throwing forward a Stunning Spell.

"Ouch! Why have you been so tense lately?" Failing to cast a nonverbal spell, Blaise had to whisper a shield to protect himself; however, he still found his hand a little shaking and his arm numb with the force.

"Because you look more annoying than ever."

"Can't believe my charisma should make Malfoy fall in love with the library."

"Who was the one to have escaped several detentions out of my homework?"

Blaise was rendered speechless. After weighing, he decided to adopt a circuitous strike. "I owe you a lot, dear Draco, but why does your tone sounds somewhat familiar ... Ah, I've got it. It sounds like Granger lecturing her two boyfriends!"

Wham! Whoosh! Two loud bangs startled the whole class and all the other students looked in this direction. Blaise was knocked over by Hermione's nonverbal Stunning Spell, while at the same time the Disarming Spell cast by Draco hit Hermione instead of Blaise, her wand swirling into his hand.

"Return the wand to her, Malfoy!" Both Potter and Weasley jumped to their feet, pointing their wands at Draco and shouting.

"Stop!" Snape dashed over, waved his wand to wake up Blaise and exclaimed angrily. "Practice only in pairs! Gryffindors attacked other students, ten points from Gryffindor!"

"Malfoy snatched Hermione's wand!" Potter bellowed.

"It was the filthy mudblood who assaulted me first!" Blaise was beating the dust off his robes, apparently annoyed at being stunned by Hermione.

"How dare you! You bad-mouthed first –" The two boys pounced upon Blaise in fury, yet they were interfered by Snape with a trip jinx.

"Enough. It's a calamity to have you three in the same classroom. Surely you are all confident enough in nonverbal spells to disrupt the class, so Potter, do you care to give us a demonstration together with Mr. Malfoy?" Snape commented sarcastically in a cool, silky voice. Hearing that Harry flushed – he had not succeeded in nonverbal spells yet, and to his chagrin Malfoy indeed beat him at it. Snape scoffed, waving his hand to indicate the class to continue.

"I'd like to make a demonstration!" Suddenly Hermione raised her hand.

She had always been an excellent witch, and so angry was she to be disarmed by a good for nothing git that she blurted out those words on an impulse. Harry and Ron excitedly made a "well done!" gesture to her. Snape's dark eyes swept the room and a faint sneer hanged on his lips.

"Well, before you start, Mr. Malfoy, please return Miss. Granger's wand."

The other Slytherins burst into laughter. Hermione tossed back her brunette hair, standing before Draco, her dark eyelashes veiling her amber eyes. Draco's heart fluttered uncontrollably. He could not even refrain himself from staring at her reddening face dyed by rage.

"My wand, Malfoy." She prompted stiffly. Draco found himself handing over her wand dutifully, which was snatched away fiercely. Before he even realized, a curse had flown in his direction. He cast the Shield Charm in a haste, and was forced to stagger backwards. Students outside the Slytherin House cheered.

"Draco! Don't you lose to a woman!" Blaise thrusted on his back. Draco returned to his initial position, his face reddening a little. Hermione raised her chin and her beautiful eyes were fixed on him, yet they were filled with blatant contempt and disgust.

Draco went pale, his heart turning cold. He knew all the way that they were enemies by nature, spending the whole schooldays figuring how to make each other suffer. He was forever the good-for-nothing bully – a knowledge well established and accepted – yet at this instant he could not bare the look on her face anymore.

They stood on the opposite side, wands pointing in the angle most efficient for attacking each other. However, Draco could not even utter a word – He was so severely and apparently affected by her, a fact she blessedly ignorant of. He was struggling for her, making every effort to deny himself; he was agonizing over her, for fear that he might bring devastation to his family; he was standing before her defenselessly, when he should have mustered all his power to face the life choices that were deriding him. Yet she ignorantly dismissed it all.

Hermione froze. The boy opposite her suddenly had a chilling air, making her hair stand on end. A spoiled child as Malfoy had been, his pretty look and frivolous behavior only epitomized weakness. In fact, in the last five years he was merely an average student, doing nothing but finding fault with them. However, at this moment her palms sweated as a sudden menace erupted from him. In his grey eyes smoldered a frozen fire that seemed to burn her alive, as if she was the biggest obstacle in his life, a stain that must be wiped out.

Students surrounding them began to sense something was wrong. Snape frowned, ready to separate them when Malfoy's wand made a sudden move – at that instant Hermione felt he was to throw her an Avada Kedavra – yet nothing happened. The bell rang. Malfoy put his wand away and left the classroom without a second glance.

Soon there were only three students left in the classroom.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Looking at Hermione ghostly pale face, Harry and Ron asked worriedly.

She managed to compose herself with all her might.

"He wanted to kill me." replied her quietly.

Author Notes:

Again I claim that a beta reader is needed. Anyone interested is encouraged to contact me.