Hermione didn't say anything for a moment. Her expression was momentarily frozen, as if she didn't understand.
"What did you say to me?"
He sneered, planting his hands on either side of the door.
"Keep dreaming, Granger. You just with you would see me-"
Her palm made solid contact with his cheek and his words died on his lips. Her cheeks were colored and she looked ready to hex him. He looked back to her slowly.
"Don't you dare speak to me that way!" she snapped. She pulled back to smack him again.
He grabbed her wrist before she could hit him again and pulled her into the compartment.
"You know, I almost let you get away with the first one, but seconds? You're quite greedy, Granger. And you're going to regret that," he growled. She swung her other hand at him, but he grabbed that arm too. She tried to wriggle free, but he turned and pushed her into the window.
"Malfoy, let go of me. Right now!" She jerked her knee up to kick him, but he stepped back.
"Not a chance, Granger."
She tried to kick him again and he dropped one of her arms to catch her knee.
She punched him as hard as she could.
He grabbed his jaw and she went to run past him, but he blocked her path with his shoulder.
"Little bitch," he muttered, grabbing her shoulder and pressing her back into the window.
"Don't touch me." She moved to push past him, but he gripped her shoulder tighter. "Malfoy, you're hurting me, let go."
"You're a fucking piece of work, Granger. You walk around like you're the greatest fucking thing ever; like we should all be thankful you deign to look at us. You're nothing. You're nothing but a stuck up bookworm with absolutely no common sense and no respect for anyone." He leaned down, his face inches from hers. "You're nothing anyone would miss." He smirked. "And just think, if it wasn't for you insulting my honor, you would have lived your life not knowing that."
Her eyes were wide and her lips slightly parted. He thought about taking what he wanted right there, in fact he even inched a little closer, but she pressed her lips tightly together and shook her head.
"Good to know what you think of me, Malfoy, considering we'll be working together this year. Now let go of me."
He laughed, moving back a little, but not taking his hand from her shoulder.
"Oh yes, we'll be 'working' together, Granger. Good to clear the air since we'll see each other every day, every night. Every moment. Nice thought to keep in mind, don't you-"
"Mr. Malfoy, what is going on here?"
He turned, face to face with the forbidding scowl of Minerva McGonagall.
"I would appreciate it if you would release Miss Granger, as I'm sure she would too."
He obeyed reluctantly and Hermione brushed past him haughtily and all but ran down the aisle.
"Really, Mr. Malfoy, I would hope that the top two students of your class would be able to show some house unity," she said disapprovingly. She gave him one last look over her glasses before striding away.
Draco was left alone, then. His fists clenched and he flopped back into his seat again. A bit of his white blond hair flopped into his eyes but he hastily pushed it away. His jaw clenched and unclenched rhythmically. How dare she insult him like that. No woman would make a fool of him. He ground his teeth. His desire to make her his had grown, but now also to dominate her. To put her exactly where she belonged.
He closed his eyes for a second. The vision of her face came to his mind's eye, terror fleeting through her eyes when he pinned her to the window, the dramatic rise and fall of her chest, the close proximity of their bodies. How easy it would have been to ravage her right then. To mark every inch of that soft flesh as his own. He could almost see himself ripping her shirt off, running his hands over her bra—probably plain, white—and making her beg for more. A little groan escaped him and he rubbed his eyes before opening them. But his conjured image of her would not fade, burned into his eyes. He grumbled under his breath and glanced down at his lap. He swore and scrambled to his feet, reaching for his bag. He threw on his loose robes haphazardly. At least they covered his hard on. Damn that bookworm.
