Hey all! This is a new chapter I've finally finished writing on. I saw the comments last night and cannot describe to y'all how infinitely touched I am to read them. Thank you so much for being so supportive! A new chapter will be coming up soon (i hope)!
"The second floor by the broom closet!"
"Peeves again?!"
People were yelling — in excitement. Ever since Fred and George Weasley left the school, the poltergeist seemed to have lost part of its spirit in creating chaos. However, today, the entire second floor corridor was raining dung-bombs. Students were seen running frantically for cover and soon the corridor was deserted except for a cackling Peeves, a few stragglers and Draco Malfoy.
"Someone get the head prefects!" A final loud voice yelled as the owner exited the corridor. It was Blaise Zabini, who winked over. From around the corner, hiding within a side classroom, Draco nodded gratefully.
Ever since the encounter Draco had with the Slytherin gang, Blaise had been following him around, apologizing profusely. As if Blaise's apology was the last straw that finally killed the camel, Draco had broken down, his head in his hands and spilled everything to his best friend.
Draco had never felt so lost and confused and never hated himself so much for everything that happened. He felt like a sailor, drowning out at sea, swimming down to the depths of the ocean looking for a treasure that he did not even know about. However, after a long night of awkward comforting from Blaise, they devised a plan of action and Draco felt he could breathe again.
"What in the name of Merlin, is happening over here?!"
Draco sucked in a cold breath. Hermione was here. Sparks blasted out of her outstretched wand as she waved it frantically, shooting spells here and there, wishing one would hit the nimble poltergeist. However, Peeves danced out of her reach, continuing his way up the corridor to wreak havoc.
"Peeves!" Hermione's voice, albeit a little out of breath, was ice cold. "You get down here and behave yourself, or I'll tell Malfoy to get the Bloody Baron."
Draco let out a surprised chuckle. After more than a week of ignoring his existence, she could still blurt out his name in defense of herself?
"Oooooooh!" Peeves said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Granger thinks that will stop this? What fun!"
At that, Hermione's face morphed into one of confusion. Normally, a mention of The Bloody Baron would have got him quaking in the corner. Just then, another noise caught her attention.
"Is anyone there?" A small, hoarse voice came out from the broom cupboard at the end of the hall, "Please let me out…" It was a first year student Hermione knew.
"Evann?" Hermione called, "Is that you?"
"Hermione!" The relief was evident from the loud sigh the boy gave.
"Peeves!" Hermione turned on the floating poltergeist, her eyes burning holes through his translucent apparel, "Get him out right now. I mean it."
"Say 'please'."
'Don't mess about, Peeves, how do I open this?'
'Shan't say nothing if you don't say please,' said Peeves in his annoying sing-song voice.
'All right – please.'
'NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!'
Hermione's face was a red-hot tomato and Draco brushed down his robes. Before Hermione could scream curses at Peeves, he walked out of the shadows he had been squatting, very much undignified, in.
"Peeves," he drawled, "You heard her. If you don't let this boy out, I'll personally make sure The Bloody Baron rips you to pieces."
Peeves shot a malevolent grin in his direction, then floated over to the cupboard, snapping his fingers at the door. Immediately, it flew open, and a boy of eleven, his face splotchy from crying, waded out from all the buckets and mops.
"Quick," Hermione bent down and pressed a hand to his back reassuringly, "Get to the showers and patch yourself up. We'll take care of things from now."
The boy nodded meekly, and after thanking them profusely, rushed up the spiral staircase that led to the bathrooms.
"Thank —" Hermione turned to the blonde Slytherin, preparing to thank him grudgingly. But before she could finish her sentence, they both felt a strong push planted on their backs, plunging their bodies into the original cupboard. The door slammed shut behind and they could hear the disappearing sounds of Peeves' cackle.
"PEEVES!" Hermione shrieked, banging against the newly locked door, "I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE SOMEDAY. YOU MARK MY WORDS."
Then, she fell backward to sit on something that seemed like an upturned bucket. For a few seconds, Hermione's eyes were dazed from the sudden darkness but soon, she could make out faint silhouettes of the brooms and mops… and one Slytherin reclining silently with his shoulders pressed against the wall. His head was leaned back to seemingly stare at the ceiling, but Hermione could tell even with his long lashes that the grey eyes were slanted down to look at her.
They stayed like that for a long, albeit awkward, moment.
"You planned this didn't you." Hermione broke the silence. It seemed more like a statement than a question. By the guilty look that scrawled itself over his face, Hermione confirmed her beliefs.
"It was the only way to get you alone with me," Draco looked down.
"What do you want? Why are you doing this?" Hermione's voice wobbled as she stood up, taking a step back, "I should have known… you disgusting… manipulative… Slytherin…"
The last words were muttered under her breath, and her face colored with an unintended bright flush. Frantically, like a deer caught in the headlights, she clapped both hands to her face.
"No look, Hermione," Draco opened his mouth to speak, his eyes searching to make contact with hers. But before he could utter out the script he had practiced over and over again, Hermione let out a small cry. She had slipped on a leakage of cleaning detergent. A look of horror registered on Draco's face as he rushed forward to grab her arms in his strong grip.
"Are you alright?" His whisper was urgent and searching. His breath was like a cool breeze that fluttered her eyelashes. Her chest pressed against his as he drew her close. His hands had wandered up from her shoulders to clasp gently on the sides of her face. A long slender finger reached up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
Hermione opened her mouth to respond but couldn't remember what he had asked. She could feel her face grow hotter than before. They were so close… so close…
"What are you doing?" She finally found her voice and her question was like a sharp icicle, cutting through the hazy fog surrounding them.
"I'm sorry." He let go of her and Hermione's body screamed in protest.
"I'm sorry," he hung his head, his eyes downcast, his body shutting itself from her, "I'm a coward and a liar and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the years I've bullied and done all sorts of horrible things… And I'm sorry about everything I said when when you heard me talking with the Slytherins… I was scared. I was scared of my true feelings — my feelings for you." Hermione felt as if her heart was stuck in her throat, the frantic beatings resonating in her ear.
"I was scared of what my family would do if they found out. But to hell with all that, the Blood Hierarchy should have been long gone." He raised his face up, his voice set and gaze resolute. As his grey chips met amber and brown, Hermione could not help but notice how disheveled his hair was and how it was sticking up at the wrong places. She fought the urge to reach up and run her hands through the silkiness. As if mustering all his courage, he took a deep breath and plowed on.
"I don't know what we are right now, and if you really accept my apology, but I really want it to be something more. Hermione" — the way he spoke her name with such care and tenderness in every uttered syllable nearly broke her heart — "would you- would you be my girlfriend? No pretending, no acting…"
"Just us." She could see the glint of tears in his pale grey gaze and she reached up to brush them away. No longer the icy Slytherin Prince he was to everyone, she could only see a small, broken, fragile, vulnerable soul. A soul full of dark histories and cracked secrets, but also a bare and open one, with love hidden deep inside. So much love.
Her fingers trailed down his face, to land on the green and silver tie which had loosened from all the commotion. With a sharp tug on the silken tie, she brought his lips down to hers. For a shocked moment, Draco could only stand paralyzed. But soon, Hermione could feel his lips moving softly against hers, and his long arms reaching up to encircle her in his warmth.
"So… that's a yes?" His voice was hoarse and timid after they broke apart.
"Oh Merlin," Hermione rolled her eyes, "Do I have to date a dense git now?"
Upon hearing it, Draco's face broke into a wide grin and he pulled the petite brunette into a rib-cracking hug.
"I— can't — breathe!" Was all Hermione could choke out.
After being hugged and kissed like a toy puppet for god knows how much time, Hermione suggested wearily that they should get out.
"Peeves should be here by now," Draco winked, "I've got it all planned."
Right on time, the door swung open, accompanied by Peeves' high pitched laughter.
"Ha haa!" He cried, "Got an ickle surprise! Ha haaa!"
And they saw. It seemed like almost all the student body, and even some teachers, were there. They should have known Peeves would not have let them off the hook so easily. Some were crying, and some were still in shock. Draco spotted a group of sour-looking Slytherins and he smirked.
At the appearance of the people they were eavesdropping on, people shamelessly rushed forward, talking a mile a minute. Hermione immediately got accosted by a squealing Ginny and a grinning Harry. Ron trailed behind, still munching on a snack he most definitely snagged from the kitchens.
"Oh…Merlin." Hermione clapped a hand to her forehead, though her smile still hasn't slipped a single notch. It was going to be a long day.