Chapter 4-
The two sat quietly next to the fire Draco had built and Hermione had ignited. The fish floated in the air magically over the fire, cooking deliciously as Draco used Hermione's wand to turn it over so as to
cook evenly.
"This is so much easier than doing it the muggle way." Draco said, now in his spotless suit. He had managed to use Hermione's wand to clean himself and his clothes since she had been nice enough to allow him to borrow it. She didn't understand why she had decided to be nice to him but she figured that if she were in his position she would appreciate any kindness someone would show her. But that was the difference between the two of them. She would never have been on that end. She
would never...She paused as she looked at Draco again. She was on that end. She had been pursued by the enemy and for all intent and purposes, Draco had shown her and companions kindness when he hadn't let out Harry's identity. She looked down at her hands.
"Do you want the head or the tail?" He asked, his gray eyes breaking into her thoughts.
"Doesn't matter to me." She answered as she allowed the aroma of the cooked fish to invade her nostrils.
"So I'm not that surprised that you kept following me after I told you not to." He added as he magically placed the cooked fish on a few fresh leaves.
"Did you actually think I was going to listen to you? You're a death eater..."
"And you're a mud..." Draco began to snarl but cut himself off. Hermione was taken aback by the outburst but really shouldn't have been all that shocked.
"I'm sorry." Draco hung his head and then placed her wand down on the ground in front of her. Now Hermione was really shocked.
"You're sorry?" She said her eyebrows arched inquisitively.
"Yes." He mumbled and shifted his foot, allowing it to brush some loose stones.
"I'm confused." She replied and shifted her weight. Why was he apologizing to her? It was a very uncharacteristic thing for him to be doing. Draco never apologized to anyone except maybe his father. Had something shifted in him? Hermione eyed him suspiciously.
"Quite frankly, so am I." He answered and continued to look down at the ground.
"So...head or tail?" He added trying to change the subject. That seemed to be his M.O. Whenever something got uncomfortable he would change the topic so as to keep anymore inquisitions at bay. Hermione sucked in a breath and sighed.
"Head." She answered and waited for him to place her requested piece on an available leaf.
"Brave. Most girls would avoid the eyeballs but I guess you aren't most girls are you?"
Hermione was feeling ridiculous that she hadn't brought Ron and Harry with her. They were a team and if it had been the three of them, Draco would definitely been apprehended. She didn't know why she was hesitating. Maybe she figured that if she were in his shoes she would want a few last moments of freedom. She could give him that and maybe in the process he would divulge some information. She told herself she would give it another day and then she would finally pull the trigger. He would either come with her voluntarily or by force.
The two walked for a few miles, Hermione staying a few yards behind him the whole time. She didn't want to walk with him lest he believe that she was sympathetic to him. If she followed then he couldn't
assume anything except that she was eventually going to bring him in.
"You are annoying me." He mumbled as he looked over his shoulder his platinum hair slightly over his eyes.
"You have annoyed me every day that I've known you. What's your point?" Hermione ground out.
"You are creeping me out by walking behind me. It's like you are stalking me or something." Draco had stopped moving and was turned around.
"We aren't friends, why would I walk with you." Hermione said matter of fact and but her hands on her hips. Her brown curls were coming undone from her ponytail cascading slightly around her face. Draco
just stared at her and bit his lip.
"Now you are creeping me out. Stop staring at me." Hermione pursed her lips together and narrowed her amber eyes at him dangerously. Draco just continued his stare. Hermione could feel her anger building.
"You know I was going to wait to do this! I was going to give you a chance but I've changed my mind!" Hermione yelled and pulled her wand out quickly, shooting it forward and practically digging it into his
black clad chest. Draco's face seemed passive. His features never changed, his eyes only narrowed more.
"Do it!" His teeth flashed as he snarled at her. Hermione was shocked by his outburst. The last time she had pointed her wand at him he sniveled and cried like a child. Now he seemed bold and unwavering. He locked his gray stare onto her harder. Hermione blinked rapidly but tightened her grip on her wand until her knuckles turned white. Draco pushed his chest into her wand so hard it was going to leave a dent in his skin.
"I said do it you stupid little mud..." He cut himself off and bit his lip. His hand suddenly shot out and he grabbed her wrist, her wand still grasped in her fingers. Hermione winced as his strong fingers
dug into the inside of her forearm. He pushed her hand forward, her wand digging into his chest.
Hot tears began to form in her eyes. Before she knew what she was doing, her other hand had come up and slapped him across the face, the crack echoing through the woods as his head shot to the side. His
blonde hair splayed over his face like an ocean wave. He let go of her wrist but didn't make to put his hand up to his cheek. Hermione sucked in a shaky breath. She couldn't believe that she had just slapped him.
She had punched him when they were younger but this time seemed so different. He was more dangerous now. She bit her lip as she tried to keep her tears at bay. Slowly Draco turned his head back to her. His expression was strange. Not angry, not full of malice, more depressed.
He looked away from her and with one swift movement, turned on his heel and began walking away. Hermione was shaking. She lowered her wand hand and stood there speechless. She just watched his form recede. What was she going to do? Was she going to stupefy him? Was
she going to use an unforgivable? She didn't know anymore.
She had to come up with a plan. She didn't want to take Draco by force but if she could possibly influence him enough to give himself up. Maybe if she said that she would act as his advocate so that he
wouldn't be given so much time in Azkaban.
Hermione found Draco resting against a tree. His eyes were shut and his arms were folded over his chest protectively. Hermione wasn't sure if he was asleep or not. She listened carefully to see if he was snoring.
"If you don't like to be stared at then don't do it to other people." He said quietly, his eyes still shut.
"Listen, I think we should talk."
"I think you should leave me alone." Draco mumbled. He still made no attempt to open his eyes.
"You can't run forever. You are stuck here in the woods with no wand. I'm the only person out here that can help you." Hermione replied as she stood over him. For some reason her jean jacket felt itchy against her skin.
"Help me? Ha! That's hilarious Granger." Draco chuckled and slowly opened his eyes.
"I'm serious Malfoy. If you turn yourself in I can act as your advocate so that they could possibly reduce your sentence." Hermione sat down on the dirt next to his outstretched feet.
"And why would I do that? I don't need help from a mu...muggleborn." He quickly altered his choice of name. He eyed her carefully.
"That's your choice Malfoy but they will catch you eventually. Like you said, the snatchers caught us. It only took me a few hours to find you. I could always tell them where you are..." Hermione tucked a stray
curl behind her ear and curled her feet under herself. She picked up a stray pine cone and studied it while Draco considered what she had said.
"Go ahead. What's the worst they are going to do to me?" He was trying to call her bluff. Hermione dropped the pinecone with a thud.
"They could keep you in Azkaban forever if the wizengamot thought you were a threat. Is that how you want to spend the rest of your life?"
Hermione watched for a reaction. Draco just continued his unreceptive stare.
"It is what it is. I'm going to live in freedom as long as I can. They catch me, they catch me. I'm certainly not going to turn myself in for a reduced sentence. It isn't worth it to me." He answered her and made
to get up from his seat.
"So you want to run like a common criminal. You could die out here and no one would know." Hermione was getting angry. Why couldn't she get through to him?
"You would know." He looked down at her, his gray eyes gentle. It was a startling look on the blonde. Hermione sucked in a breath. She didn't have a reply for him.