Draco woke to unfamiliar surroundings, and his confused eyes blinked wearily as his right hand fumbled around his bedside table trying to find the clock that was beeping incessantly at him. As sleep drifted away he remembered where he was and why he was here. To teach. Or rather, he was under the pretence of teaching, whilst his real objective lay low hidden under the surface until the right moment.
Draco yawned and walked to the shower, throwing his pyjamas onto the floor whilst the water warmed up and then stepping into the hot blaze of water. Draco liked the hot water, whilst his skin looked cold as ice and his nature as a person wasn't that different from cold, harsh snow, he despised the cold and demanded the water of his showers to an almost burning temperature.
As he ran his hands through his thick hair, he let his mind wander to the days ahead. His timetable consisted only of the students in the Seventh Year, the Number one pupils who were relying on him to help guide them through their Final Performance. Draco snorted, it was getting almost ridiculous, the things he would put himself through to please his father, and teaching here was one of them. It had required a great deal of superb acting on his part to convince Head of the school, Dumbledore, that teaching here was what he really wanted to do, and that the thought of spending time with young, hormonal performing students didn't make him feel sick.
However, the talent wasn't as bad as it could have been, and Draco could see potential in students, especially when Dumbledore had revealed what their Performance would be about. He got out of the shower and walked back into his room, using a towel to dry away the droplets of water on his body. He glanced down at the table, where the students photographs were laid about, each face smiling up at him. He and Ollivander had been looking at them late into the night, deciding the parts each student would play. Ollivander was a good choice to help decide the parts, he took it seriously and had watched every performance, picking apart every gesture and look the students made, he was good but tiring. He had argued every single one of Draco's ideas, not out of disagreement but purely because he wanted to make sure they had seen every possibility for each character choice. And Draco had gone along with it, arguing his case fiercely and almost proudly each time. He had only been here a couple of weeks but already he was sinking too far into the role as a teacher. He needed to remain as impersonal as possible, but with the curly haired, glaring girl in his class it was difficult to do.
He sighed at the thought of Granger, and tried to push the image his mind produced of the girl, flushed with her curls piled on top of head, in a skimpy vest top and shorts as she twirled around his classroom, flying into Zabini's arms with a grace that couldn't be taught. She had a much bigger affect on him then Draco would ever admit.
He reached down and picked up one of the photographs of a girl in his class and narrowed his eyes at it, he couldn't decide about this one. She was enigma, and not in a good way, not like Granger was. In a very worrying way, as if his mind and gut were warning him away from her already.
A knock at the door pulled Draco out of his thoughts and he frowned at his door, nobody ever came to his room, particularly not at this hour. Wrapping the towel around his waist he strolled over to the door and pulled it open.
And then stared.
Because Granger was stood right there. Granger was right fucking there. Staring at him.
"Umm," she murmured, looking down at the floor a pretty blush staining he cheeks. Wait no, not pretty, not pretty. Draco rolled his eyes at his own thoughts and cocked one eyebrow at the image of the girl stood there, a letter clutched in her hand.
"Granger?"
"Yes?" She said, looking up at him, her eyes wide.
"What the hell are you doing?" Draco asked, watching her as she shuffled awkwardly from side to side, her eyes flickering around the room behind him. Jesus she was close, close to his room.
"I've been told to give you this,"
"Why you?"
"I'm Head Girl, all teachers post gets sent to me."
"Why not just sent it to the teachers?"
"Its tradition,"
"That's the most foolish tradition I've ever heard,"
She glanced up at him her eyes blazing with fire. There we go, Draco smirked, insult her school and watch her anger levels boil.
"It's a tradition, Head's of the school deliver the teachers mail as a sign of the responsibility given to them. It's considered an honour," But Draco could tell from the look on her face as she watched him that an honour was not what she considered this to be, he smiled in amusement, not bothering to try and change his expression.
"Now take the letter so I can go," she demanded, thrusting her hand towards him impatiently. He reached out to grab it when he realised he was still holding the picture of the girl in his hand. He looked up at Granger to find her staring at the picture, her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head, he watched the smooth skin of her neck pull for a minute before silently cursing himself and chucking the photo of the girl back in his room.
"That was Pansy," Hermione pointed out rather obviously, looking at him in surprise and that infuriating curiosity that seemed to live inside of her.
"Yes, clever observation Granger," he replied, reaching to take the letter but she held it just a little out of his reach.
"You were holding a picture of Pansy?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows at him, her eyes questioning him and he quickly dropped on his cool mask of indifference.
"Yes,"
"May I ask why?"
"No,"
"You do realise Pansy is in my year, and one of your own students?" She asked, the assumption of romance between the two of them becoming obvious and he glared down at her.
"Don't be so childish." He said coldly, snatching the letter from her grasp and she blinked before her mouth dropped open.
"No, Malfoy, I didn't mean… Oh God, it was just like my mouth, shit…" She trailed off and Draco watched her curiously as she looked at him almost pleadingly, her hands playing with her fingernails as she watched him, her face looking genuinely apologetic.
He narrowed his eyes at her, and stepped back "I should hope not Granger, how dare you even insinuate something like that?"
"I'm sorry sir,"
"Sir?"
She glanced up at him in confusion and a small smile stretched across his features. " You must be sorry if you're calling me by the proper name,"
She smiled gently, her eyes still watching him with curiosity, but in a softer more inviting way and he started in surprise as his chest warmed at the sight. Shit, she's getting to close, cut her out, cut her out. He hardened his features and looked at her coldly.
"In future however, don't deliver me mail, have the Head Boy do it instead,"
He watched as he face fell slightly, watched as the subtle slight against her hit and she quickly dropped a mask across her face, just as he had done before, nodding at him. "Of course sir," she replied, spitting out the word sir as if it were poison and he swallowed, allowing no feelings to push their way into his head.
He shut the door and walked over to his bed, dropping down on it and wishing he could fall back asleep.
XXXXXXXXX
Shit, Hermione thought as she leaned against the wall, pressing her head into her hands and wishing for one of the first times that she wasn't here at this school, anywhere but here, anywhere away from Malfoy. Shit.
She had just insulted him, and not like a cheeky little schoolgirl insult to the teacher they have a crush on, she had just implied one of the biggest taboo's in modern day society. Shit, shit, shit. A romance between him and Pansy? How could she be so stupid? But then, she saw the way Pansy watched their teacher, her eyes following him the same way a predator would hunt its prey.
She sighed and rolled her eyes, it wouldn't be the first time Pansy had tried it on with a teacher, thinking briefly back to Professor Lockhart, and the relationship Pansy had tried to start, before they were caught and he was thrown out. Hermione swallowed, clearing her mind of the anger- and was that jealously? No not jealousy, just rage- at the thought of Pansy and Malfoy together. In that way.
"Urghh," she moaned to herself. Why had she insisted to Harry that she would deliver his mail? Oh yes, so she could prove to herself that did have the ability to be civil to him. Obviously not. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she groaned, turning away from the wall and trudging back down the steps.
And she would have to face him again this afternoon to find out her part.
"What if he takes my part away? Gives me a much smaller part as punishment, Oh Hermione you stupid girl. What are you playing at?"
Hermione stopped on the middle of the stairs and pushed her hair back from her face, releasing a small murmur of annoyance at herself until she dropped her hands and her curls sprang back to life.
She obviously, for whatever bizarre, Godforsaken reason, didn't have complete control over her thinking and actions where Malfoy was concerned, and the only way to keep herself from completely getting thrown off the project would be just stay out of his way as much as she could. Civil but distant, never stay to long in his presence and make sure whatever conversation is always always always about the Final Performance.
Hermione sighed, ignoring the unhappy feeling in her gut, and continued her walk down the stairs. She always felt better about things if she had a plan for them. If she understood what she was doing and why and how. She began to walk along the corridor when Luna skipped past her, waving as she went. Hermione frowned and turned round.
"Luna?"
"Hello Hermione,"
"Hello," Hermione smiled, then walked forwards a little towards the eccentric blonde. Where are you going? We have a free period now?"
"Oh yes, oh, you were not at breakfast this morning," Luna replied solemnly and Hermione shook her head, raising her eyebrows.
"No, I had to deliver post, why what happened at breakfast?"
"Aside from the large amount of bad auras floating around, putting everyone in a bad mood, we received a message that all performers in the Number one show had to go to Professor Flitwicks office during first period."
"Why's that?"
"Hmm, I can't really remember. Let's go and see," Luna smiled dreamily at her and Hermione huffed a laugh, walking to catch up with her and then carrying on down the stairs to Flitwicks office.
The walk didn't take long and Hermione was content to walk in silence, listening to Luna's humming of some old folk song that she always would sing under her breath. When they reached the classroom, Hermione smiled to Luna who went to sit by herself whilst she walked over to Ron and Harry who had saved a space for her between them.
"Thought you wouldn't have come up here, no way of knowing since you weren't at breakfast. Blimey Hermione, how long did it take to deliver some post? Harry was done in ten minutes!" Ron asked quietly, and Hermione felt that old prickle of an argument stir at Ron's word.
"That is because Ronald, Harry didn't have to walk all the way up to the top floor to deliver his mail, whilst I did," Hermione answered and Ron watched her, his face slightly amused as if he had expected her to say those exact words.
"Class!" Flitwick clapped his small hands together, and despite his size, demanded the attention of the entire room. Hermione gaze drifted to the blonde, extremely beautiful woman, stood to the right of him, her hands clasped together and her blue summer dress floating down to the floor.
"Who is that?" Harry murmured, mirroring Hermione's exact thoughts and she shook her head in reply, tilting her neck softly towards Harry, so she didn't have to speak as loud.
"New assistant teacher perhaps?"
"Students, this is Professor Greengrass, she has been assigned to this class by Professor Dumbledore himself, and will be helping Professor Malfoy with your Final Performance,"
Hermione's eyes flickered around the room to see the boys nudging each other and smirking at the thought of working with this, as they would call it 'fit' new teacher, whilst most of the girls stared at her with a sort of suspicious dislike, as they would do with any new attractive female arrival. Hermione rolled her eyes at the predictable sight, she didn't care for any of that, as long as this teacher knew what she was doing.
Flitwick gestured for the blonde to come forward and she smiled gratefully, stepping into the space he had shuffled out of and staring at the class.
"Make or break time," Ron muttered and Hermione grinned in amusement. The trio had a sense about new teachers, after having gone through a lot of them over the years, and the first few words spoken directly to them always seemed to determine the opinion.
"Well hello, my name is Astoria Greengrass, and Professor Flitwick is correct I have been sent here to help with your Final Performance. I can't tell you exactly what my help to you will be yet as that will give too much information away about what your performance will be. However I would like to just quickly go over a few rules.
I will call you by your first names. And in return I feel comfortable allowing you to do the same. Astoria, or Tori is fine, whichever you prefer, or if this feels odd to you then of course Professor Greengrass is also acceptable," She paused and grinned at them, and Hermione turned to see her friends slowly slipping into the blonde teachers grasp, and bit her lip in annoyance. For some reason, she had so wanted their opinion of this new teacher to be low.
"However, I demand the same respect you give to any other teacher, understand that I am still in an superior position to you, and whilst I want a degree of informality with you, to help with your drama, I do also need a certain degree of professionalism from all of you."
The door banged open and every single person in the class turned to see Malfoy stood in the door, Hermione blushed but kept looking at him, it was unlike her nature to back away from something that made her scared.
"Urmmm…"
Draco stared at Astoria for a while, confusion written on his face as some of the students, mainly girls, giggled at his ignorance to the situation. Hermione leaned forward in her chair slightly, to watch Draco's face and felt Ron tense beside her. Frowning, she resisted the urge to turn around and ask what was wrong, instead wanting to see the exchange between the two teachers.
"You are?" Draco asked, his voice an unusual tone of politeness, and Hermione almost gasped to see a small smile on his lips.
"Astoria Greengrass," she replied, grinning as Draco continued to stare.
"You have no idea who I am do you?"
Draco looked momentarily shocked before sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, a movement that had Hermione swallowing.
"Get a grip girl," she muttered to herself angrily, looking up to see Malfoy's eyes flicker to hers momentarily and the mornings massive mishap came flooding back to her.
"I'm your new help. I'm basically done with the students, so do you want to stay and I'll explain why I've interfered in your teaching?" Astoria smiled happily at Draco, pushing some of her ridiculously long blonde hair over her shoulder, and most of the girls in the class glanced at each other knowingly, whilst the boys just stared in awe of the beautiful woman.
"That would be great actually," Draco replied smiling and Hermione gaped in shock at his expression. He looked so relaxed, and at ease and just beautiful. Hermione shook herself and turned to see Ron staring at her worriedly, she smiled reassuringly and shook her head and he settled down a little, smiling softly at her.
"Class dismissed," Astoria said and then giggled happily as Draco walked across the room to her. Always wanted to say that,"
"It feels good doesn't it?"
"Yes actually, it does," Astoria giggled and Hermione pulled a face, knowing that particular noise was going to grate on her nerves before too long.
"-most beautiful children, imagine the hair!"
"Oh Lord, please tell me you two aren't already planning the marriage?" Hermione asked Parvati and Lavender as they walked ahead of her and the two girls turned around and smiled.
"Of course we are! Did you miss that little interaction there?" Parvati asked incredulously and Hermione shook her head.
"No, of course not. But there was nothing there to suggest-"
Oh Hermione don't be so naïve, of course there was!" Lavender snapped, although she was mainly fine with Hermione, her previous relationship with Ron did make the two of them a little snappy around each other. "They were practically eye undressing each other the entire time they were in there! The sexual tension was on full heat!"
"Don't be absurd," Hermione scoffed "There was nothing at all like that going on,"
"Is someone a little jealous?" Parvati asked, giggling as she and Lavender walked off in step together, hair swinging simultaneously.
Hermione gritted her teeth and stormed off in the direction of the library. The comfort of books was needed.
XXXXXXXXX
"So, it's primarily a love story," Draco started looking around his class to watch the reactions of his students. This revelation didn't surprise any of them, and the girl Lavender even giggled a little in happiness.
"About a boy and girl, and another girl and another boy," most of the students chuckled softly at his explanation but Granger rolled her eyes as she shifted on her seat and Weasley watched her curiously from his seat next to her.
"The story follows the love/hate relationship that a couple have, Max and Leah, Max is a soldier heading to war and Leah is in university. They fall deeply in love in the space of an incredibly short amount of time. They can only survive together, they fight and swear and bleed and love together, all mixed up, the lines of their emotions are so blurred but all they know is they need each other to survive. When Max enlists in the army, desperate to get back to the culture of war, without telling her, Leah is obviously devastated and the only way Max can face the separation is by convincing himself that Leah wants him to go. And for this reason, he begs her to tell him she hates him, and his only contact with her are the times he rings to hear her talk before once again begging her to hang up, but not before admitting her hate. Alone and with her heart slowly breaking, Leah finds comfort in the arms of Ryan who in turn falls in love with her, despite being engaged to his fiancée Kirsty. This performance follows their story. And that my students, is the blurb I have for you all. Now there are four main characters, but of course the other characters are needed as well or the show would completely fall apart. They are the backbone that keep the show together, and so without waiting around I shall tell you the main parts now,"
He shifted on his desk and looked around his group, aware that this was the beginning of the rest of their lives for them, and the small still humane part of him, really truly wished he was in this situation to fully help them thrive.
"Kirsty, Ryan's loveable and kind fiancé," Draco read off from the sheet of Performance information he was holding, Will be played by Pansy Parkinson,"
The group clapped, as Parkinson smiled and blinked slowly at him, her lips forming a subtle pout, as she glanced at Draco. The rest of the room exchanged subtle glances as the thought of Pansy ever being lovable and kind.
"Ryan, a lawyer who falls for Leah and wishes to give her the entire universe, will be played by.. Ronald Weasley. Well done Weasley, your solitary audition was very good,"
Granger grinned and bumped shoulders with Ron, his hands clutching hers in excitement, causing Draco to clench her jaw to resist smacking the ginger haired boy. What the actual fuck was happening? Draco thought as he watched Granger's smiles grow even wider as Weasley leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"Max, the possessive but totally devoted boyfriend, will be played by Blaise Zabini. Potter it was a close call between you and Zabini, but I didn't want to overwork as I know you're in that new film about wizards or something," Potter nodded and smiled, whilst Zabini stood up on his chair and started rotating his hips around in celebration, grinning and winking at the girls who whooped and laughed.
"Zabini get off the chair," Draco said rolling his eyes.
"Sorry boss," Zabini grinned and winked at Granger as he sat down, before Pansy leaned over, tilted the boys chin so he was facing her and basically started eating his face.
"Jesus, break it up you two, save it for your rooms, Christ," Draco ordered, his eyes half closed in disgust.
"And Leah the beautiful but heartbroken student, will be played by Granger," he lifted his eyes to meet hers and for the briefest of moments the two of them were locked together, kept held tightly by one another eyes, hers flickering with confusion, before Weasley pulled her off her seat and dragged her into a hug. She pulled her eyes away from his and closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Weasley's neck as he spun her round, whilst Potter clapped and cheered beside him
Granger grinned and squealed, actually squealed, a little as she was congratulated.
"Alright, so Blaise and Granger, could the two of you follow Astoria into the classroom next door, whilst the rest of you stay here and I'll let you know the rest of your parts and the game plan for the next few months," Draco quickly instructed, his eyes following Granger as she headed out of the door, whipping her head around to let her eyes catch his for a few more seconds, invoking in him that quick drop of his stomach before the door shut and his attention was drawn back to the pupils around him.
XXXXXXXXX
"Well it can be quite awkward for some people Blaise,"
Hermione watched as Blaise questioned the blonde about her involvement in how the romance between their two characters should be portrayed and her feet dangled off the edge of the desk she was perched on.
She tried to focus her mind on her new role, on how she needed to spend her free time rehearsing, but instead she was surrounded by thoughts of grey eyes, and bare chests, and the teacher she could never ever allow herself to think about.
"So why isn't Professor Malfoy directing our 'love scenes' as you put it?"
"Draco will have direct contact with you for your performances in every scene, he is directing the show after all, but we felt it may simply be easier for you to deal with if you had a female influence instead of Professor Malfoy's, just to help you feel comfortable with being so intimate with someone who is not a romantic interest,"
"Oh I don't know, Hermione's been pretty interested in me for quite some time now," Blaise winked over at her and she smiled fondly.
"Oh hush Blaise," she chuckled, hopping off the seat.
"What do we do about our timetables? Because we'll be in different places for our rehearsals?"
"Yes, that's right. Tomorrow, they'll be distributed at breakfast along with students mail. For now though, you return to normal lessons, but then tomorrow your preparation will start. I just want to check you're both fine with my involvement in this piece?" Astoria asked looking between the two of them, Blaise grinned.
"Sure," he replied, "We can always use some extra help,"
Hermione smiled softly in agreement, not wanting to make her growing dislike for the beautiful blonde too apparent. She grabbed her bag from the floor and turned to walk out the door, pulling it open with one hand, whilst the other, scrambled through her bag, looking for her mobile phone to call her parents.
She kept her eyes on the bag as she continued to walk out of the door, not seeing the person she had collided with until she was almost on the floor.
As strong arms pulled her back up to standing position, her brain started crying at the sight of Malfoy's blank face as his arms kept hold of her waist, while she got her balance back.
Why? Actually why God? This cannot be coincidence.
Malfoy stared down at her, his fingers pressing lightly into her skin on her waist, the heat from his hand burning her skin. He watched her calmly for a second, before his eyes flickered over her shoulder and he slowly removed his hands from her body.
And she remembered how to breathe again.
She swallowed deeply as Blaise reached her shoulder, and gently pushed her past Malfoy and out of the door.
And she swears to Merlin, she felt his fingers brush against her hand as she passed him. As her and Blaise walk to their next lesson, the little trains of fire on her hand, made by the ice cold touch of him, don't for one minute stop burning.
XXXXXXXXX
Helllooooo my lovelies…
Thanks for reading, makes my day. My laptop decided that the numbers up the top of my keyboard, weren't going to work anymore, making things such a typing speech marks, which are quite important features of stories, incredibly difficult. So all speech marks, and exclamation marks have been copied and pasted… making it very long to edit and make perfect but here you are. So please excuse any of those mistakes, thank you.