4. Feeling Ill

Hermione was livid as she walked back into the pub. How dare he treat her like that? The thought of his hands on her body made her gag reflexes kick in… and why was he coming onto her in the first place? Ew, Hermione thought as she plastered on a smile and slid back into the booth across from the Wealseys.

"Sorry about that," Hermione muttered and lifted the menu to hide her flushed face.

"Erm, Hermione?" Ron cleared his throat.

Hermione sighed. "Yes, Ron?"

"Uh, where's Malfoy?"

Hermione lowered her menu and intertwined her hands as she eyed both the red heads. "He's retired for the day, I believe."

Ginny smirked and shook her head, returning to her menu. Ron furrowed his eyebrows. "Why's that?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. "Because he's an annoying ferret and was ruining my day."

Ron gave Hermione a look that told her she was about to be scolded. "Hermione, he's lonely."

Hermione snorted at this. "Ha! Ron, it doesn't matter! He's still tryiong to push my buttons and I'm not having it!"

Ron was still giving her that look. "You know, 'Mione, he hasn't got any friend or family to lean on. His father is dead… his mother is in hiding… all his former friends are either in Azkaban or won't speak to him because he turned his father over to the Aurors… and anyone who wasn't in support of You-Know-Who…"

"Voldemort," Hermione interjected.

Ron winced. "Right… anyone who wasn't in support of Voldemort, won't talk to him because he's a former Death Eater himself. I had to spend the summer with him, remember? When we were hunting down the remaining Death Eaters… he's not the enemy. He just doesn't know how else to act."

Hermione's jaw dropped slightly. Never in a million years would she have guessed that she would have sat there and listened to a Weasley… not to mention Ronald Weasley defend Draco Malfoy. She didn't really know what to say. He was right. She knew he was… but it was still unbelievable to think that Ron was defending him. Then, Hermione thought about how lonely it really must be to not have a Ginny or a Ron in your life. She frowned slightly at the thought of Malfoy sitting around in his dormitory with nothing to look forward to except teaching Potions for the rest of his life… and the only social interaction he gets is through the staff and students at Hogwarts. "Oh dear…" Hermione breathed.

Ginny was the first to speak. "Codswallop, Ron! He's still as big a git as ever… tell him, Hermione. He shoved her against a wall!"

"What?" Ron's eyes widened.

Hermione shook her head. "No… it was my fault. I was taunting him about only getting his job out of pity."

"Why would you do that?" Ron asked, a little shocked.

Hermione looked down at the table. "Just to push his buttons really…"

Ron took her hand from across the table. "Go easy on him, ok? Promise me you will?"

Hermione looked at him. He was serious. Ron Weasley was seriously making her promise to go easy on Malfoy. The guy who has made her lock herself in her room many a nights and cry. But still, she felt a tugging on conscience. She knew Ron was right in the end. "I promise," Hermione finally muttered.

"But," Ron began, smiling slightly. "The next time he shoves you up against the wall, he won't live to see the next day."

Hermione's thoughts flashed to about a half an hour ago when he had shoved her against the wall and opened her blouse. Her fingers thumbed the fabric where her button used to be. Better not mention that one, Hermione thought. She looked up and gave a weak smile to Ron. "My hero…" she breathed and batted her eyes at him to make him blush. It worked.

Ginny cleared her throat. "Can we order now?"

Hermione giggled. "Yes, I'm famished."

"Me too," Ron agreed.

---

The weekend had finally come to a close as Hermione said her goodbyes to Ginny as she apparated home from Hogsmeade. She frowned a bit when she realized that she was once again alone. She did enjoy some alone time but she also rather enjoyed having Ginny around. Ron had left the day he came because he couldn't just take off work and spend the whole weekend away and Hermione had understood that. Ginny, however, had become partners with George after Fred had died and she was her own boss now since she half owned the joke shop. Hermione smiled to herself as she thought about it. What a perfect fit for Ginny…

"Hey, Granger."

Hermione froze in her tracks when she heard that voice behind her, shaking her out of her thoughts. Hermione wheeled around to face Malfoy.

"Hello," she replied as politely as one could through gritted teeth.

He walked up to her. "Can I accompany you back to the school?" He looked sincere in his request… almost vulnerable.

Hermione thought about it. It was a Sunday afternoon. What on earth was he doing in Hogsmeade on a Sunday afternoon?

"If you tell me what you were doing in town…"

"I was picking up my wand." He pulled it out of his cloak. "I broke it on Saturday when I was… well, knocked to the ground. I had to get it repaired."

Hermione blushed. She assumed it was from when she had slugged him. "Oh, right… Well, you may join me if you really want to…"

"Good," Malfoy replied and fell in step with Hermione. "How was the Weas…" Hermione cast him a look. "Ginny's visit."

Hermione laughed. "Did that feel like poison coming out of your mouth?"

Draco smiled a little. She was joking with her. It was a start. "Not at all, I just need to get used to it."

Hermione's lips curled a bit. "Well, her visit was lovely."

"Why did you and… er, Ron break up in t he first place?"

Hermione paused for a moment, fidgeting with the strings on her scarf. "Well, it's complicated, really…"

"I've got all afternoon to figure it out. I'm sure I can keep up." Malfoy smiled, willing himself to not vomit at how kind he was acting. Actually, it wasn't that hard today. She was actually being nice to her which only meant that Ron must have stood up for him, since Malfoy did save his life… But he was certain that Weasley would never admit that to Granger. He was too prideful to come to terms with it.

Hermione sighed. "We aren't that good of friends, Malfoy."

"So we're friends… Hermione?" Malfoy choked out her name.

Hermione stopped to look at him. "That is the first time I have ever heard my name roll off your tongue."

"Me too," Malfoy grimaced slightly, but not enough for her to notice. "How was it?"

Hermione shrugged. "It wasn't horrible… I just don't think we're there yet. Last name basis works for me."

"Agreed," Malfoy replied as they began walking back to the castle. "So, why are you being so charming today, then?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"Ron." Called it, Malfoy thought.

"Oh yea? What did he say?"

"Just that you aren't evil and you deserve a fair chance. He seems to like you now, Malfoy. He spent a good half hour defending your name against Ginny and I."

Malfoy smiled a genuine smile. "Is that so…"

"Is that a real smile is see?" Hermione grabbed his arm to make him look at her.

If Malfoys blushed, he would be blushing. "No."

"I think it was," Hermione stated. Malfoy remained silent but began walking again. Hermione sighed. "It was nice…" She called out after him. He stopped and turned to face her.

"I wouldn't get use to it."

She caught up with him. "Why's that?"

"I don't really have much to smile about, lately."

Hermione nodded. "I see."

"We're here," Malfoy breathed as they came up to the big oak doors.

Hermione nodded again. "Yes we are." Malfoy opened his mouth to ask her if she would like to grab a cup of hot chocolate from the Great Hall, but Hermione began speaking before him. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast. Have a good evening, Malfoy." And then she shoved open the door and scurried away before Malfoy could process what had just happened… did he just almost make the mistake of putting himself out on a limb and getting shot down?

"Fuck," Malfoy breathed and walked into the castle. What is she doing to me? He thought as he too made his way back to his dormitory.

---

The week was going by rather slowly and Malfoy found himself becoming more and more anxious for the weekend just so he could 'casually' bump into Granger somewhere, seeing as Potions was in the dungeons and Transfigurations was on the third floor. It would be weird of him to be up there trying to bump into her. To be quite frank, she was the first person he has had a real conversation with since… well, Weasley and he isn't really one for small talk like girls are… like she is. Occasionally he would steal quick glances in her direction during breakfast, lunch and dinner and occasionally… occasionally he would find her stealing one too. It wasn't like him to become too engrossed in one person… but it also wasn't like him to turn in his father, be disowned by most of his friends and family and save the life of a Weasley. He really wasn't the same person anymore.

"Malfoy?"

He turned around quickly, seeing the girl he had been constantly thinking about. "Granger… what are you doing here?"

"This is the third floor… I teach on this floor. What are you doing here?"

Shit, I'm busted, he thought. Somehow he had wandered all the way up to the third floor while he was lost in his thoughts. "Oh, I was just…uh, on my way to the Hospital Wing. I don't feel well."

"Oh?" Hermione stepped forward to place her hand on his forehead. That was something he did not expect. When her hand touched his skin, he shivered. "You don't feel warm… But I have had a few student out this week with a cold."

"Er, right. I bet that's all it is," he agreed and began walking away.

"Uhm, Malfoy?" Hermione called after him. "You're going the wrong way."

Malfoy stopped, closed his eyes, and tried to breathe calmly. "Oh, right." He turned around to go the other way. "I must be more ill than I thought." He quickly walked away.

"Right…" Hermione murmured as she watched him go. That was odd, she thought. I've never seen him that flustered. Ever.

---

Malfoy laid in his bed that night, trying to get control over where his thoughts may wander. He heard a soft knock coming from the living room. He got up out of bed, not bothering to put on a shirt and opened the portrait door… and there she was.

"Granger? What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"Shh." She pressed her finger up against his lips. "Don't speak." She invited herself in and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bedroom with her. She shoved him on the bed, once inside and jumped on top of him, straddling his hips. "I've seen the way you look at me." She purred and nibbled on his ear. "You want me."

"Granger, I…"

"Don't deny it." Her hand wandered down his chest as she dipped her hand under the waistband of his pants. She began stroking him. He moaned which made Hermione continue her ministrations at a faster speed.

"Oh god, Granger…"

"Same my name."

"Hermione."

She was pumping her hand faster. "Louder."

"Hermione!"

Again, she got faster. "Louder," she hissed in his ear.

"HERMIONE!"

Malfoy sat up in bed, sweating and breathing heavily. Oh dear god, Malfoy thought. I just had a dream about Hermione Granger. He looked under his covers to find his obvious erection. Correction, Malfoy thought. I just had a wet dream about Hermione Granger.

He looked back down at how hard he was just from a simple dream about a hand job. He sighed. He knew it was because of the person giving the hand job and not the hand job itself. He sighed again and swung his legs over his bed, making his way to the bathroom to finish off what the dream hadn't.

"Fuck you, Granger," he grunted as he felt himself come in the shower. He leaned his head against the shower wall and groaned. How had his payback come to this in so short of time?