Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (challenges & assignments)
Astronomy - Task #1: Write about someone whose moods go from hot to cold quickly.
Auction: Day 14, Auction 1 - (song) Unholy Confessions by Avenged Sevenfold
Summary: What if two enemies share a moment once a week where they can drop their guards and just be?
W/C: 1,605
When sin's deep in my blood
Hermione looked behind her, the corridor empty and quiet, and pushed on into the prefects' bathroom, her toiletry bag and towel tucked under one arm. It was still damp and steamy from someone having a bath recently. She paused when she saw Draco sat on the windowsill of the stained glassed bay window. He had one leg up in front of him on the ledge, the other one dangling, not quite reaching the floor, with his forehead leaning against a blue pane of glass. His hair was wet from the bath he'd already had but he was dressed back in his clothes, black shirt and trousers, rather than pyjamas.
"You're taking a chance coming here," he said quietly, not moving. Always the same greeting.
Hermione sighed heavily, shutting the door behind her as she stepped fully into the bathroom. She made quick work of locking the door before tucking her wand into the sleeve of her jumper. She put her stuff down on a wooden bench by the door and watched Draco for a moment, still in the same position. He was starting to look fragile lately.
When she reached him, Hermione tapped his shoe and he willingly moved his foot so that she could sit on the windowsill too. They didn't say a word for a few minutes as they listened to storm raging outside, lightning flashing through the window every so often before loud thunder cracked, making the window vibrate a little.
"Does Potter know you like to sneak off and try to talk me into being a good person yet?" She looked up from staring at the tiled floor to find him grinning at her. "What about Weasley?"
"That's not what I'm doing," she said. She tucked her hands under her thighs and returned to staring at the tiles. "I promised you that I would listen and that's what I'm doing. Not everything has a debt attached to it, Draco."
"Don't use my name," he said quickly, the smirk gone from his voice.
"Why not? Am I tainting it?" She couldn't help the anger in her voice.
Hermione had stumbled on him crying in the prefects' bathroom two months ago. He'd screamed at her to leave, even pointed his wand at her with a shaking hand. Hermione stood her ground and pocketed her own wand. If Draco had learned anything from his brief stint as a ferret, it was that he would never attack an unarmed person again and Hermione had noticed that in him since the two years that had passed from the incident.
Draco had slowly lowered his wand. He didn't move. Hermione turned to leave, but when she reached the door, she locked it rather than leave. "No one should be alone when they're struggling," she'd told him.
He resisted her, of course he did, but then the tears came back and he had no more words. Draco sat down at the edge of the empty bath that was built into the floor of the room. Hermione joined him. She didn't touch him and she didn't say a word.
An agreement came into place that for one hour a week, they would meet in the prefects' bathroom and anything they said to each other never left the room. It was the only time they had trusted each other enough in the years they'd known each other, but in these dark days they would take anything.
"If you use my name, it'll make it harder to draw the line when the time comes," Draco finally answered her, regret laced in his voice.
"Who says that has to be your only choice?" Hermione asked, shifting a little to face him. Draco wouldn't look at her. He sank back against the window and stared up at the towering ceiling. "We're all scared of what's coming."
"You don't understand," he said quietly, letting out a small sigh.
She watched as he rocked his head from side to side, like he was shaking it. His hands were tightly clasped together on his lap, his knuckles turning bone-white. "I know all your reasons."
Draco lifted his head up, giving her a sharp look with a sneer of a smile. "Is that so?" he asked spitefully.
"Yes," she replied defiantly.
"For everything?"
"Yes," she said firmly, "for everything."
"Including this?" Draco sat up, unbuttoned his cuff and pulled the sleeve of his shirt up past his elbow.
"Oh, Draco," she said before she could stop herself. He tried to yank the sleeve back down but she grabbed his arm quickly, holding his wrist tightly with one hand while the other gently moved over the very permanent tattoo on his arm.
So that's what it looked like up close. It was more… menacing than Hermione thought. The skull's empty sockets looked like they watched you no matter where you moved. It covered Draco's entire forearm, his pale skin was still red around the edges.
"You don't get to be disappointed in me, Granger," he muttered.
With a heavy sigh, Hermione gently pulled his sleeve back down and fastened the button. The moment she was done, Draco snatched his arm back, rubbing roughly at the material covering the Dark Mark. She looked at his face, he looked so crestfallen and defeated by life. He suddenly met her gaze, his grey eyes took on an odd silver-blue shade in the bright lights of the bathroom.
He grabbed at her hand, squeezing it painfully. "You can't tell, Potter. You can't tell anyone," he whispered frantically, his eyes filling with tears.
She put her free hand over his. "We had an agreement. I promised I wouldn't break it."
"Right." Draco nodded with a sniff. He took his hand back and wiped a stray tear away with the back of it. "We're not friends and we're not enemies in here."
"We can still be friends," Hermione offered softly.
Draco laughed through a breath and gave her a watery smile. "Why do you do this?"
"Because it's what I'm good at," she shot back with her own smile.
"Unlike controlling your hair." He reached over to tug at a strand of it. "How do you get it so… bushy?"
She slapped his hand away, laughing. "No need to be so rude." She quickly tied it back with a hair tie from her wrist. "Besides, it's where I keep all my knowledge."
They shared a smile, laughing a little at their silly words, and for a moment they forgot how complicated their lives had gotten and were the carefree teenagers they should be. Then Draco's smile dropped a little, and Hermione's followed.
"If you could change the past, would you?" Hermione asked. It had been a question on her mind since the first time she stayed in the bathroom with him. Draco seemed so full of remorse for his actions, and regret, but once they left the safety of that room… he carried on like it never happened.
"Do you mean would I change how I behaved towards you? Knowing what I know now?" His grin was twisted and bitter.
"Not just our history… you're so unhappy and void of life—"
"What would you know about that!" he snapped, not asking a question.
Hermione gave him a sad smile. There was no talking to him when he was defensive. She got up from the windowsill, but he put a hand on her bicep to stop her walking away.
"I would take it all back if I could, but I can't, alright!" he said loudly, his words echoing in the tiled room for a few seconds. Draco dropped his hand to his lap and stared at it. "I'm not a good person. I never have been and everything around me crumbles when people care about me."
"You don't let anyone care, there's a difference." Draco shrugged at her words. "I should probably go back."
She'd taken a couple of steps when he called, "Hermione."
She turned back to look at him, not able to hold back the surprise she'd felt at him saying her name. Draco couldn't seem to look at her and he'd started fidgeting, rubbing the heels of his palms roughly along his trouser-covered thighs.
"When the time comes – and it's coming sooner than you think – don't hesitate."
"What do you—"
"You're not stupid. You know exactly what I mean." He held her gaze this time, his eyes were filled with fear. "Whether it's me or someone else – do not hesitate. Understand?"
Hermione wavered on whether she should go or wait a little bit for him to say more. She'd understood perfectly what he was saying. If she hesitated, it would cost her her life. And something in his words made her feel like this would be their last time doing this.
So just in case…
Hermione walked back to him quickly and Draco instinctively knew what she was about to do. He didn't fight or resist her, instead he jumped down from the windowsill and returned her hug, holding onto her tightly. He rested his forehead on her shoulder, his aftershave lingered on the shirt he was wearing.
"You can be a good person, Draco. If you'll be brave enough," she whispered into his ear. He tightened his hold for a second before pulling back, his hands holding onto her forearms. "Whatever happens… I forgive you."
Draco swallowed hard and nodded, his gaze drifting to the side of her face a little.
"I'm sorry," he whispered before letting go of her. He left the bathroom without looking back.
Three days later, Albus Dumbledore died at the hand of Severus Snape.
Other prompts used:
Summer Seasonal
- Days of the Year & Religious Events - 19th July - Write about being forgiven
- Self Improvement Month - Draco Malfoy
- Indoor Plant Week - 2. (word) Fragile
- Body Piercing - 21. (word) debt
- Beer Day - 8. (era) Trio
- Flowers - 7. (dialogue) 'I would take it all back if I could, but I can't, alright!'
- Tarot - 6. Write about someone who is at war with them-self in some way.
Gobstones
- Silver Stone - Optimism
- Accuracy - 9. (word) Complicated
- Power - 5. (genre) Friendship
- Technique - 11. (dialogue) 'No need to be so rude.'
Fortnightlies
- Summer Bucket List - 1. Write a fic inspired by a song
Writing Club
- Bromance to Romance - 8. (word) Sneak
- Written in the Stars - 19. (dialogue) 'Why do you do this?'/'Because it's what I'm good at.'
- Showtime - 18. (word) Permanent
- Film Festival - 22. 'You're taking a chance coming here.'
- Lizzy's Loft - 9. 'I know all your reasons.'
- Elizabeth's Empire - 5. (emotion) Remorse
- Angel's Archive - 15. silver-blue
- Amber's Anime Adventure - 3. (action) smiling
- Artist Appreciation - 10. Write about someone dropping their mask in safe company
- Buttons - (word) Crestfallen, (action) Crying, (emotion) sadness
Yearly
- Fantastic Beasts - 91. Hippocampus - (location) Prefect's Bathroom
- 365 - 114. (dialogue) 'If you could change the past, would you?'
- Scavenger Hunt - 14. Write a fic set in the Trio era.