Intertwined destinies - Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy?

Chapter 2: The Challenge

"Thank you very much for all your comments. I hope you enjoy the next part! Happy Reading to all"

Chapter 2: The Challenge

Hermione decided to do her best to avoid running into Draco all morning, and started by missing breakfast in the Great Hall, something she hated to do. But this dodge was, as she well knew, impossible given that her first class was Potions with the Slytherins. A sudden urge to miss class seized her.

Hermione tapped herself on the head with her wand. Miss a class? What the hell, you'd have to be completely mad to do that...So she got dressed, put on a little make-up and left her hair wavy; she didn't have time to cast the eight spells needed to straighten it.Hermione went down to the dungeons alone, she was sure to be late. What if they'd all gone home already? Her heart sank as her worst nightmare became reality.

She put her ear to the door and, to her great relief, did not hear Professor Snape's sweet voice. The young woman then heard footsteps and chatter coming from the stairs. A few seconds later, the Slytherins had arrived. The good news was that she was now sure that the class had not started. The bad news was that Draco was there and she was alone.Obviously, the young man was the centre of discussions, and always walked in the middle of the group.Hermione quickly looked away when she felt Draco's gaze on her. The young woman took a sudden interest in a small speck of dust that had slipped into a hole in the wall...She felt him coming closer and her heart began to beat faster and faster.- Alone, Granger?" he said in a falsely friendly voice.- Leave me alone, Malfoy," she replied.
She felt her courage returning; this fool wouldn't try anything in front of his friends... "Are you sure?" said a voice in her head. Draco seemed surprised by this sudden burst of courage, but as usual, he quickly pulled himself together:- I see your temper's back. But I'm not complaining, I like you better this way than yesterday. You were so weak," he laughed.Hermione glared at him. Her grey eyes made his blood run cold at once, but she did her best not to show that her whole body was paralysed.- Are you that lonely to come and talk to me?Instead of fading as she had expected, Draco's smile widened a little, revealing perfectly aligned white teeth.- If there's one of us who should feel lonely here, it's you... I just came to inform you that today the Slytherins have a class with the Slytherins. So, what are you doing here?
Hermione looked up at him with her eyes bulging and her mouth wide open.- Come to your senses, Granger, you're putting me through a pretty bad show.- What day is it?" she asked, looking up at him.- It's Tuesday.Hermione let out an exclamatory cry before grabbing her things and stomping off up the stairs to the laughter of the green and silver.She had been running at breakneck speed for several minutes already. How could she have got the wrong day? This never happened to her!She was now standing in front of the metamorphosis class. Luckily she knew her timetable by heart! After thinking of a draft apology, she knocked on the door.It opened and Professor Mc Gonagall raised an eyebrow:- Miss Granger?- I'm sorry I'm late, Professor!- But... I don't have a Gryffindor class today...- What?" she gasped.
She glanced inside and saw a class of Serdaigles, including the one who haunted her nights... He was looking at her, his eyebrows furrowed.- But that's impossible, I've got class from 8 to 10 with you on Tuesdays," she said in despair.- But come on, it's Monday! Are you sure everything's all right, Miss Granger?The teacher looked at her with worried eyes, as if she had gone mad. Hermione turned on her heels without trying to find out any more, and for the second time that day, turned her back to mocking laughter. Red with shame or anger, she couldn't tell. "That idiot Malfoy is going to pay for this! Oh, he's made a fool of me, that snake! Hermione stood in front of the dungeon door again, out of her wits, and knocked harder than she would have liked.- Come in," Snape said dryly.She took a deep breath and then complied.- There you are, Miss Granger... Did you just bang on the door? Ten points off for that attitude. You're late, ten points off too.- Excuse me, Professor," she mumbled.- Do you think you're too intelligent to miss the beginning of class?Hermione closed her eyes to control her hatred, then looked him in the face and said impatiently:
- No, Professor. Can I go and sit down?Snape nodded slightly, apparently disappointed at his pupil's lack of reaction, which would have given him the joy of deducting more points.Hermione went and sat down next to Harry, who was giving her a look of total incomprehension, but understood that he would have explanations later. The young woman glanced furtively at Draco. He was pressing his lips together to stop himself from bursting out laughing. When he met her murderous gaze, he simply smiled.

***

The bell rang for the end of class and Hermione was the first out the door. She didn't wait for Harry or Ron and ran straight into the Prefects' Common Room. She collapsed on the sofa, her head in a cushion. It was by far the biggest embarrassment of her life, and in front of the Serdaigle no less! She would never dare come downstairs again.- Come on, Granger, you're killing yourself for nothing! You know, sometimes you miss a lesson, no one ever dies.She hadn't heard Malfoy come in. He was the last person she really wanted to see...- Did you really have nothing better to do than ruin my day, Malfoy?- I'd like to apologise sincerely, but it's rather difficult because I have absolutely no regrets!Hermione sat up to face him. Her eyes were blue this time. They no longer had that terrifying side, but rather that of the old Malfoy.- That really wasn't funny, and I thought you'd matured..." she said, rolling her eyes. What do you want now, don't you have class?- I don't feel like it this morning. You've got class too, if I'm not mistaken.- I'm not going. I'm not going anymore! Never again!Hermione felt nauseous just thinking about it...
Draco sat down opposite her and gazed at her for a long moment, like a detective trying to solve a riddle.- I'll never understand you..." he said at last.Hermione glowered at him.- Your black humour really only makes you laugh.- At least it's humour, which apparently miss know-it-all doesn't know. You see, lessons are important to me too. Only I don't order books for Christmas!- How do you know that...- Oh, because it's true as well? This is getting serious, Granger. Don't take this as a compliment, but you really are an extraordinary girl.- In that case, that makes two of us..." she said absently.- I'm unusual, I'll grant you that, but something tells me you're not referring to the same reasons I am?The young woman raised her head. Hermione was thinking in particular of the girls he was always flirting with. But she didn't dare tell him. What if he turned as cold as the day before?- Nothing, forget it," she finally said.- Not a chance.
Behind this statement, Hermione had detected something worrying in his voice. He didn't really seem to be leaving her any choice...- About the girls you keep bringing back to your room at night..." she ventured.- He said with a smile, you'll understand when you're older.- Don't take me for a fool, Malfoy! It's just...why are they all different? I mean, have you ever had a girlfriend? A proper girlfriend?- Do you really want to have a romantic conversation with me?Hermione realised the ridiculousness of the situation. She and Malfoy talking about hearts! The events of this morning must have really upset her.- You're right, it's stupid," she replied, massaging her head.There was an awkward silence. Draco turned his head towards the window and Hermione took the opportunity to look at him in detail. It was the first time she had had the opportunity to do so without receiving the usual scornful look that he reserved only for her. The young Gryffindor looked first at his hair, one of the things she found least detestable about him: golden blonde, with a few stray strands falling over his forehead. Then his eyes, so cruel at times, so bewitching at others... His hollow cheeks that fluttered when he was angry. And finally his body. A body, unfortunately... close to perfection.

Hermione had also matured, and no longer hid the truth from herself: Draco was a handsome man, a very handsome man... At the time, she pretended otherwise out of pure hypocrisy towards him, and pretended not to understand his reputation as the sexiest man at Hogwarts.But he was still Draco Malfoy, arrogant and pretentious. She would never love a man with such a loathsome character, which is why she would have swapped her place as prefect with any other pretender in the school.- No, she wouldn't.Draco had just broken the silence. He was still staring out of the window.- No what?" she asked, guessing the answer.- No, I've never had a girlfriend.- And..." Hermione hesitated, "don't you sometimes feel the need to?- No," he answered simply.
Hermione was silent. She was thinking. Was it possible that he had never fallen in love? That he'd only had sexual relations up to that point? The answer seemed clear to her, but whatever it looked like, Draco was still a human being, and one day his heart would beat for a woman, Hermione was sure of it.- But," she continued, eager to know more, "why?She couldn't think of a better question and expected him to end the conversation. But to her great surprise, he answered calmly:- Why? Because I don't want a serious relationship, that's all.- But you've never tried!" she retorted, losing control of herself.- And I won't try! he said, frowning. A relationship is just headaches all the time, with no freedom.- Don't you think there are advantages too?- I can't think of a single one.- Love, for example...Draco chuckled, raising his head to the sky.- Love? Are you serious?- Do you even know what it is?Draco fell silent, and a new silence filled the room.- Of course," he said in a cold voice.- Then tell me.
- It's...love is...it's simple, it's when... It's when you become weak and dependent on an emotion, and...The words choked in his throat. Her cheeks hollowed, which Hermione dreaded. Normally she would have laughed at him, but this was different. And then she realised that she felt more pity than anything else.- What's with these stupid questions anyway?" he said suddenly. Honestly, Granger, why bother staying with the same girl? It gets terribly boring afterwards, you can't even look elsewhere! Can you imagine the ordeal?- My definition of love is far too complicated for you to understand. But in simple terms, the day you're ready to give your life for the person in question, that's the day you'll be in love.Draco laughed again:- I wouldn't give my life for anything in the world, Granger...Much too precious.- I hope one day you'll fall in love so you'll understand the difference...- I won't. I can't, it's in my blood, in my veins, love is a horrible thing, I never want to know it.- You won't have a choice, she assured him. It'll fall into your lap before you know it.Draco shook his head frantically, amused by such a naive girl still dreaming of Prince Charming.- Anyone can fall in love, Malfoy..." she said.- Anyone but me, Granger...- Give me ten days, and I'll prove to you that even you are capable of love......
Hermione had spoken too quickly. In her eagerness to prove it to him, she had announced it without thinking and was now biting her fingers. Draco looked at her, incredulous and at the same time unsure of what he had heard.- Forget it, okay? It just came out, as usual...- All right," he said suddenly.- All right?" she repeated.- I accept. You've got ten days, and not one more.Hermione stared at him, her eyebrows furrowed. She searched his face for the slightest hint of irony, but he seemed strangely sincere.- In return, if you lose, which seems obvious to me, I'll try to convince you that there are much more important things in life than books... I'll teach you to enjoy yourself. I'll make an exception for this word, you can look it up in a book.Hermione ignored his last remark and hesitated for a moment before asking him:- What's in it for you?- Everything! It's genetically impossible for me to fall in love, it'll never happen, but you don't want to understand that. Either way, you lose, but I gain by not having to put up with your annoying remarks about lessons. And, at least, you won't be hogging the common room until noon to work.- You're forgetting that you'll never take away my passion for knowledge...- Maybe so, but I might at least be able to loosen you up?- I'm-not-crazy!" she replied through gritted teeth. We seem to have set ourselves an impossible challenge...- Have you already conceded defeat? No way, it's going to be fun, I can feel it. See you soon Granger. For the first time in my life, I can't wait to see you again...