Chapter Fifteen: Taciturnity
Draco sprawled on a couch, arm artlessly thrown behind his head, sprawled out without a care in the world. His eyes were half closed, and he was watching Hermione with an expression resembling a satisfied cat.
He really did enjoy the look on her face as she devoured book after book, reveling in the written word.
…
It had become a habit, spending time with Hermione in his library. When they weren't working, it was a place of peace, without any pressure.
Plus, Draco was rapidly gaining this obsession with the minute expressions that blossomed on Hermione's face every time she turned a page.
…
His mother had hit it off so well with her sister that it was as if they had never been parted. True, there were some rough patches, but mostly they went ignored. Narcissa was at Andromeda's house so often that Draco wasn't sure she lived in the Manor anymore.
Not that he minded.
His mother did have this bad habit of wiggling her eyebrows at Draco every time Hermione was over.
…
It was idyllic, and it was peaceful, and it almost resembled normal.
…
Of course, every time he thought that, the guilt came crashing back down.
…
"Draco?"
"Mmmmhmm?"
"…Are we friends?"
…
Draco lifted his head, trying to keep his cool.
"Of course we are," he said firmly. Then laid his head back down. "I don't know how I would put up with you otherwise."
He winked.
…
Of course, the wink wasn't enough to stop the book that was chucked at his head a moment later.
…
Rubbing his ear ruefully, Draco protested, "You know I mean it."
She grinned. "Of course I do."
He did his best to look carefully unaffected as he relaxed back into the cushions. His absolute best. His supremely perfect poker face was definitely-
"Because," she said slyly, "you obviously wouldn't know what to do without me, so I can't leave your pathetic arse alone now could I?"
…
Draco sat up, poker-stiff.
"You take that back, witch!" He mock-growled, stalking forward to where she was sitting on the carpet. She smirked up at him, worthy of a Slytherin, as he loomed over her.
"Or what?" She raised an eyebrow as a challenge.
"Or this!" Draco hollered, and promptly started to tickle her.
…
Ten minutes later, they were splayed across the plush carpet, breathing heavily.
Hermione rolled over, hair flying every which way, cheeks flushed and panting, to look at him with a half-smile curling up her face.
Narcissa walked in, did a double take at the sight of them haphazardly flung across the floor, and wiggled her eyebrows at Draco. He groaned and threw a pillow at her, which she caught with a grin.
…
Ten more minutes later, Narcissa was declared the victor of the pillow fight.
…
Draco's days fell into a pattern. There was work, where he felt fulfilled and useful, with no time to think. There was family, where he was very pleased that everyone was knitting together so well. There were Gryffindors, who continually wanted to spend time with him, and Draco wouldn't admit to himself how he felt about that.
And then there was Hermione, who showed up in his library or when he was going to get coffee, and filled in some of the missing pieces in his life.
…
Draco decided that he didn't like Fridays. On Fridays, every witch and wizard in the entirety of England, it seemed, got relaxed and apparently decided it was a good idea to do stupid things and get themselves injured.
He was rather tired of the I-slept-with-someone-else-and-my-girlfriend-hexed-me stories, and the I-drank-an-unidentified-potion stories, and the it-was-a-bet-to-see-if-I-would-eat-frog-spleens stories. He was readying himself for another one when he looked up to see Potter and Weasley- er, Harry and Ron- standing in front of him, pale and wide-eyed, supporting an unconscious Hermione.
They didn't have to say anything. She was being looked after in seconds.
…
Apparently Hermione had caught an Unspeakable who had been smuggling prophecies out of the Department of Mysteries. When she confronted the Unspeakable- alone, without any backup – he panicked and attacked her. Hermione, resourceful as ever, had paralyzed him before she lost conciousness.
Draco heard all this while intently examining Hermione for any damage. He barely looked up when the Unspeakable was brought in to be examined, and he didn't blink when Harry and Ron clapped him on the shoulder and left to notify the Minister.
He was far too busy making sure that Hermione was going to be okay.
…
Three potions and an enterprising incantation later, Draco was certain she would be.
Just in case- and that's all he was doing, he told himself, just following up on a serious injury- he owled Narcissa and settled down in the chair next to her bed for the night.
…
Draco was woken by a gentle hand on his shoulder. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, trying to remember where he was.
Hermione was sitting up in the bed, looking normal, albeit pale, with a strange expression on her face.
"Were you here all night?"
Draco caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. Mussed hair, with a wrinkle from his sleeve pressed into his face, and circles under his eyes. He tried to discreetly flatten his hair.
"Well…."
Just then, Ron and Harry tumbled in, followed in by a bunch of Weasleys.
"Blimey," Ron said, "you really did stay all night!"
…
Amidst all the kerfuffle that followed, Hermione's hand caught his, and he was pulled back to his seat before he could leave.
"Thank you," she said, and suddenly he felt uncomfortable.
"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Draco said, and her hand in his tightened a little.
…
"C'mere," she said, pulling him closer. He followed her hand, hesitantly stepping closer to the bed.
She pulled him down and kissed his cheek.
…
Redheads surrounded her, then, and the hand that tethered Draco to the earth pulled back.
He didn't really mind. He was floating, set adrift, but for once in his life, it was alright.
Draco quietly slipped out of the room, softly smiling, unaware of the deep brown eyes that watched him go.
…
There was still work to do before he left, regardless of his having stayed the whole night. He methodically cleaned and put away cauldrons and vials, sorting potion ingredients with the ease of practice. His mind was both on his work and not, drifting on random patterns of thought.
Finally, it was done, and he could leave.
Of course, before he could, Harry got in his way.
Why did he have this sinking feeling that he was going to have another heart-to-heart with Saint Potter?
…
Harry didn't say anything, though, just held out his hand to shake.
Draco, unsuspecting, took it, and was pulled into a hug. He clapped Harry on the back, awkwardly, not sure what to do. When Harry let go of him, Draco was surprised to see that he was almost crying.
"Thank you," Harry said. "Thank you for my best friend."
Harry turned away, then, and Draco made his escape.
…
Back at the Manor, he tugged off his outer robes, pulled off his tie and threw them both on a chair. Facing himself in the mirror in the library- this house, he thought, had too many mirrors- still wearing yesterday's clothes, he asked himself a question.
"What is going on?"
The Draco in the mirror shaped the question with his lips, but had no answer.
…
A/N:
Hello again, all!
I have lots of you to thank this time around:
Mother Midnight: I didn't even realize it was a Beauty and the Beast moment until I read this! But it is indeed. Thank you!
Lady in Red: Thank you very much. Here's another chapter! :)
KodeV: Thanks! I liked writing it, too. I think it should work out well for those two.
ThatMalf0yGirl: Thank you! And you need wait no longer.
The Talking Head: The banter between the characters is one of my favorite things to write. They're just so much fun! Thank you so much!
Rainbow Smiles: And the angsty confused romance goes on. :)
StarDrop5: 1) Thanks for reviewing my other story! 2) Look, another chapter. Reviewers need sob no more. Thank you too, and pffefferneuse right back at you.
Fulgance: Wow, four reviews in one! I feel like it's Christmas already. Thank you so much for continuing to review every chapter, late or not. I really appreciate your support and how you pick something about each chapter you like! Draco is continuing to grow well as a character, isn't he? Thank you again!
I don't, unfortunately, own Harry Potter. How sad.
-Isefyr
