A/N: Hi! I got such lovely reviews off the last story I'm sooooooo happy! There was this one review by a guest I couldn't really reply to so I want to take a chance to reply to it here.
The review was: The chapter was too short. Found the conversation bet. GW and HG to be a stretch. And that scene at MM's office felt like it was added just to lengthen the chapter even though it didn't do much in terms of moving the story along.
My answer: So I know a lot of you have been saying that the chapters are too short, I do try, but seriously I get to a point where I'm just like if I continue it would be blasphemous cause this is such a good end to the chapter xD I'm sorry…
The conversation between GW and HG had to be there so Hermione is shaken back into her old self, slightly, not completely, but just enough. You'll see why below between Draco's and Hermione's conversation.
And lastly, the conversation with between HG and MM had to be there to show MM's support. Because even the teacher knows that her favourite student might just about die.
And if you were talking about the conversation between MM and Dumbledore then I just want to say that I wanted to attract attention to a major theme Harry Potter as a book has: love.
On wards to the chapter (Oh and a lovely thank you to my Beta, Stephanie Soprano. Guurrrlll you da bomb okaybye)
Chapter nine: Dependence
Hermione stepped out of the Headmistresses office just as Draco Malfoy raised his fist to knock. Hermione's eyes immediately darted across his face taking in the slightly flushed cheeks, the soft rise and fall of his chest.
"Been running?" She asked cocking her head. Draco looked at her with an eyebrow raised, composed. No Malfoy could ever been seen ruffled. Hermione noticed him taking a deep breath and leaning against the wall.
"No, I was not running." He replied sharply.
"It seems like you got late." Hermione said grinning softly.
"Malfoys don't get late, everyone else is merely early." He replied putting his nose slightly in the air.
"Did you just make a reference to Princess Diaries?" Hermione said looking bewildered.
"To whose diaries?" Draco said confused.
"The movie! Oh, no wait, you're a pureblood you couldn't have seen it." Hermione said nodding. "That means you actually meant that comment." She said as she started chuckling softly. How arrogant were these Malfoys?
Draco narrowed his eyebrows, "So what if I did?"
"It's just the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Hermione giggled. Draco huffed.
"Are you laughing at me, Bookworm?" He said irritated. There was a soft undertone of danger to his comment, which made Hermione look at him with narrowed eyes.
"You know, Bookworm really isn't an insult." She replied in a clipped manner, changing the subject fast.
"Ah! The Know-It-All is at it again. Do you ever stop trying to correct people?" He said turning towards her and away from the wall.
"Are you admitting you were wrong?" She replied, cheekily grinning. Her whole body felt well rested and the colour had returned to her cheeks. As Draco stepped closer, Hermione could smell the husky tones of his cologne.
"Malfoys are never wrong." He replied almost lazily. She looked at him then with a determined look on her face.
"You were wrong." She said suddenly serious. "Not about everything, but you were wrong."
Draco sensed this was about their previous argument. He stiffened very slightly. He opened his mouth to say a few choice words when Hermione cut him off.
"I was wrong to imply that you would leave me dead without batting an eye, and to assume that everything is black and white." She said quickly.
Draco blinked. Did Granger just admit she was wrong?
"But, you've never given me a reason to think that you're anything but completely black. Even after the war we fought for, you still call me that… word." She spoke the last word with venom. Her face had started going a little flushed and there was a gleam in her eyes.
Draco knew that look very well. He may have, on occasion, riled her up to get that exact expression. She would start gesturing with her hands wildly, while her voice would shift to a clipped, matter-of-fact tone. She looked simply… Ruffled, and that caused his serotonin to rise. He smirked at her. She took no notice as she continued to give her speech.
"There may have been good people entrapped on your side, but that doesn't mean you're one of them. Neither does that justify you being an extremely bigoted, little ferret to me." Hermione took a deep breath and glared at Draco. He was smirking: his grey eyes, practically sliver, dusted with blue flecks. "Why on earth are you smirking Malfoy?"
He leaned back into the wall and shrugged, "I don't need to justify anything to you and I'm not a ferret."
Hermione let out a huff.
"If you actually think you're superior to me, you're dead wrong." She spoke.
"Do I detect arrogance?" Draco merely replied.
"Think about it. There is nothing you or any other pureblood can do, that I, or some other muggleborn, can't do better or at least similar." She said vehemently.
Draco was about to reply back with when the door of the Headmistresses' office swung open and a voice called them inside. They both stepped inside and sat down when the Headmistress waved them take their seats.
"Now Mr Malfoy, I'm sure Ms Granger, same as I, is not planning on forcing any decision from you." Miss McGonagall spoke, looking at Hermione who gave a soft nod. Her eyes moved back to Draco, who looked a little relieved. "However, I must impose upon you to spend-" She paused for a moment as if thinking carefully about the her next words and then continued firmly, "To spend some time making Hermione's life, for the time being, as comfortable as you can."
Hermione twitched slightly and Draco opened his mouth to say something before he was cut off.
"All I ask is that every evening you can do your homework by Ms Granger's side in her common room so she can…" Miss McGonagall searched for a word then said, "Rejuvenate."
Hermione played with her hands. It frustrated her that she had to depend on Draco Malfoy to feel better. She was always an incredibly independent person: only relying on Harry and Ron sometimes in life or life risky situations. This was perhaps the only life or death condition she had been in where her two best friends weren't remotely helpful. However much like other situations, they were completely clueless.
"Since the returning seven years were less in number you two already share all your classes together, so there is thankfully no need to shift any classes. However, if need be will you join Ms Granger on her patrols at night Mr Malfoy?" The Headmistress continued.
Draco paused and looked slightly alarmed at having been forced to spend so much time with the Gryffindor. His lip curled back in a slight sneer at the thought. He therefore diplomatically answered, "If need be." The words 'No way' hung in the air.
Hermione's eyes skimmed over him. He was tapping his left foot in agitation. Her witty, scathing comebacks for him had always been a cause of the action. Hermione had on several occasions looked out for the tell-tale sign to achieve the satisfaction of having pissed Malfoy off. Hermione didn't know what he was angry about; after all she was the one facing imminent death. She exhaled a sigh after that thought.
"Does anyone have any questions?" The Headmistress asked.
Predictably Hermione asked one immediately, "What about weekends? Don't the Slytherins have Quidditch practice in the evenings?"
Draco looked at her disdainfully. So now it's come to this: The Muggle Extraordinaire is searching for ways to spend some time with a Malfoy.
"That's a good question. Since you won't even have classes to share, Miss Granger, you will already be feeling…" She paused to look for a word again, "Weary." She turned to Draco and spoke, "Miss Granger can accompany you during practice." Draco looked slightly alarmed when Miss McGonagall added, "Obviously, Miss Granger will not share any tactics of the Slytherin team or else Gryffindor will have to forfeit the match. And I'm sure someone as responsible as her would not do so." These words were met by silence, since even Draco knew Hermione wouldn't do anything of the sort.
'Such a Goody Two Shoes she is.' He thought irritated.
"Now that it's all settled, you two can go. I urge you to do as I've asked by tomorrow." Headmistress McGonagall spoke reaching out to pick up some parchment lying on her table and taking up a quill to write.
Both students took that as a dismissal, getting up and leaving. Hermione said a heartfelt thank you before softly closing the door. As soon as they left, the Headmistress gave a soft sigh and put her quill down.
"Are you sure it will work out, Albus?" She spoke.
"As sure as I am about liking lemon drops." He spoke with a soft twinkle in his eye.
A/N: And that's that.
That was the longest chapter yet. I added about 500 more words than my normal chapters. Tell me what you think.
Ciao for now, Alexia.