A/N: I know. I know. It's been ages since I last updated and I also left it at a weird sort of beginning to something new.
RECAP FOR OLD READERS:
-Pansy, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Draco and most professors know that Draco and Hermione are mates.
-Hermione has three weeks or so to convince herself and Draco or she will die.
-Her senses are heightened where Draco is concerned.
-Hermione feels better around her mate.
-McGonagall has asked Draco to do their h.w together each night in Hermione's common room and spend Quidditch practice together on weekends.
Okay I think those were the main points to remember.
This chapter hasn't been Beta-ed.
Chapter 10: Opportunity and Undoing.
Hermione woke up with a blaring headache. She dragged herself to the Great Hall, her bag felt heavier than ever before. As soon as she stepped into the Hall, every nerve tingled onto her Slytherin mate.
She could hear his breathing, steady and calm. He was always so irritatingly calm, unlike her. His plate was empty and he swirled his pumpkin juice in his goblet absentmindedly. Somehow she knew he hadn't eaten and that made her eyebrows narrow.
Was this getting under his skin?
As she walked to her table she mulled over what she would feel in his place. Although he hated her –she knew that as well as she knew her own name- the question was that could he let someone die? Given his history with Dumbledore, she knew he wasn't like that. But why would he, being a Malfoy, risk his name, status and bloodline to save her life? And why would he, being Draco, agree to stay by her side for his whole life, of someone he loathed?
These thoughts lay heavy on her as she sat down next to the two concerned boys.
"So what do we do now, Hermione?" Ron asked in greeting.
"My God, you tactless man, let her breathe." Ginny snapped at her brother from across the table.
As Ron opened his mouth to snap back, from the far side of the hall Draco observed the bushy haired witch at the Gryffindor table.
His eyes trailed over the mass of brown explosion on her head and he finally admitted to himself that he was actually scared of the crazy curls. They could engulf and suffocate him to death, choking him with their wild nature.
As she scolded Weaselboy, he also deemed her over passionate attitude a nonsense trait to possess. Doing so made her such an easy and appealing target for annoying; she laid all her cards bare. And yet… she had won as much as he had in their arguments over the years (Draco had kept count, mind you).
He pushed his plate away and stood up abruptly. Pansy saw him leaving and got up to follow. Blaise Zabini, noticing the pair took his leave from the charming and very easy Sadie Baldock with a swift kiss on her blushing cheek. He threw her a wink as he fell in step next to Draco.
"So how are you planning to move forward?" He asked in an offhanded tone.
"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" Pansy replied as casually as the question had been posed.
"Not obvious for me, Pans." Blaise replied looking at Pansy from across Draco.
"Well it's obvious that he can't be emotionally bullied into spending his whole life with the Veela bitch just because Miss Goody Two Shoes needs him. Her being a Veela doesn't change the fact that she's an annoying Gryffindor and would probably make his life Hell." Pansy spoke losing all previous casualness.
"She's right" Draco agreed, glad to hear something that wouldn't attach him to the Head Girl, for life.
"Have you guys never heard of Veelas? She's apparently perfect for you, mate. Why would you give that up?" Blaise said shaking his head. "My mother married seven times, and your parents weren't ideal support systems either, if you remember. So why give up a shot at a guaranteed perfect person?"
Weirdly enough, that hit Draco hard –not that he could have a perfect family in the future, but the one to complete that notion would be Hermione Granger.
"How in the name of bloody Merlin is that Mudblood my mate?" He said as he turned back to give the girl of topic a last look before leaving. Her head had turned to look at him as if she had heard, and he swore he could even see hurt pooling into her eyes. How could she…
"Dammit!" He suddenly swore and walked out quickly. Pansy and Blaise shared a look and hurried behind him.
"Hey wait up! What happened?" Blaise yelled. Draco slowed down, scowling in annoyance.
"She can hear me. For fucks sake I forgot about the Veela senses! I can't even have a decent conversation now without her eavesdropping, damn to Merlin." Draco said exasperated.
"What do you mean?" Pansy said confused.
Draco proceeded to fill her in as they made their way to the Transfiguration classroom.
"That's pure shite. She's invading your privacy now too? It's bad enough you have to spend evenings and weekends with her." Pansy said as they entered the classroom.
"At least it's just for a few weeks." Blaise spoke quietly. "Then she will be gone for good."
There was an odd silence after that as the three thought about a world without the overzealous, everyone's favorite Hermione Granger.
Blaise slipped into the seat next to Draco as Pansy took the table next to them. Draco somehow sensed when Hermione entered the class and his eyes unwittingly shifted to meet her gaze. She seemed to take him in before slipping into her own seat. Her eyes turned towards Professor McGonagall entering and didn't return to him as class began, while his did the same.
Despite that, she could sense him. His soft breathing somehow calmed her and she began to enjoy the class despite the situation at hand.
On the other hand, Draco couldn't stop thinking about something she had said to him the day before. 'There is nothing you or any other pureblood can do, that I, or some other muggleborn, can't do better or at least similar.' He racked his brains for something, desperately grasping for any possible lead.
He scribbled something on a piece of paper and cast a spell on it. The tiny airplane flew into the air and hit Hermione in the head. He almost giggled at the sight of the small paper plane smashed in her huge hair –almost; Malfoys didn't giggle.
Hermione felt her hair for the paper plane and tugged it. Pushing the curls back out of her face with the back of hand, she turned around to see who had passed her the note. To her disbelief, Malfoy's cool grey eyes stared back at him.
She turned back to the note and opened it, frowning softly.
'Literature; Purebloods are clearly better at that. The best classics are written by purebloods.' Draco's perfect handwriting read. She scoffed at the words though, but immediately took this as an opportunity. She quickly wrote back in her clean script and let the plane catch the wind. Most of the class noticed the exchange but dismissed it at the regular arguments between the two.
Draco caught the plane and opened it. 'Muggle literature is far superior.' Draco huffed at that. 'Don't dismiss something you've never tried.' The note continued, and Draco frowned deeply at that. He threw back a reply.
'As if it could compare.' Hermione read. She wrote her reply smirking.
Draco received the reply as class was ended and the students began to shuffle out of their seats, 'What have you got to lose then? If it's not good enough, then at least you'll get to rub it in my face. Or are you too much of a coward to even try?' He crumpled the paper in his fist and threw it into his bag.
Hermione grinned as she saw that knowing full well that she had struck a nerve of his.
"What was that about?" Ron asked as they walked out of the classroom, referring to the exchange of notes.
"An opportunity at showing the ferret that he isn't better than anyone just because of his blood." Hermione said smiling.
The rest of the classes went uneventful, but since the last three classes were with Hufflepuffs, Hermione was feeling severely tired by lunchtime. She almost wanted to join the Slytherins for lunch, but her pride kept her in check. She had lunch with the two boys who felt helpless as they watch Hermione's pale face frowning as she played with her food.
She smiled softly though when she heard Draco's stomach grumbling as he entered the Great Hall, remembering that he had skipped breakfast. It made him so human, something which she had never really thought of. It was weird to perceive the Malfoy as a human who had needs, wants and necessities like everyone else. Somehow his bigoted, evil personality made it hard for her to let him share the title of human. She resumed her frowning at these thoughts.
"Hello, Miss Granger." A sudden voice spoke out of nowhere. She turned her head to find Blaise Zabini's face inches away from her. A scream escaped her lips and she backed away in shock. Blaise smiled at her and spoke again, "I believe we haven't formally met. Even though I'm sure you have noticed someone as obviously handsome as me." He winked mischievously. "I am Blaise Zabini."
"I… Uh…" Hermione tried.
"I am just here to tell you that I hope you don't die." Blaise said quietly and seriously. He then turned and walked away to the Slytherin table, whistling a tune. Hermione turned back the table, blinking in surprise.
"What was that about?" Ginny asked watching Blaise walk away.
"No idea." Hermione spoke.
"He was right though." Ginny said smirking a little. Hermione turned to her with confusion. "You know, about him being handsome." She winked wickedly, and Hermione began to laugh loudly at the redhead's comments.
The sound travelled through the room, and Draco looked up at her as she laughed. Her hair practically jiggled as she shook. Her eyes were half closed and the smile lines were apparent. He huffed and poked at his pasta with vehemence.
He was still furious about her comments and vowed to prove her wrong.
Little did he know that would be the start to his undoing.
A/N: There's that. That was the longest chapter I've ever written!
Tell me what you guys think (esp about the end part). Please review, it helps motivate me to write more.
Ciao for now, Alex.