Partners

Part 18: Happy Christmas!

He couldn't sleep the rest of the night.

His mind repeated all her letters in circles.

She wanted to be his friend a long time ago. She thought he was cute back then and over time she turned to loathing him. She lost hope in his abilities to be a better person.

He too wonders if she would have sent the first letter- if he would have been nicer or at least indifferent. He couldn't say for sure seeing how he was an arrogant, pompous little shit who listened and idolized his father.

The last letter though...it explains a bit. It explains why she continuously went out of her way to be nice to him in classes and try to be his partner.

She just wanted to try one last time.

Probably to see if she would succeed or not.

Because Hermione Granger has to succeed in everything.

He's just one more assignment she needs to complete to have made her schooling successful.

What happens after school is finished?

Will she be done with him and move on with her life?

He hopes not.

"Draco..." A soft whisper comes from the slightly cracked door- and he looks towards it. He finds across the dark room from him- Hermione stands holding herself up with the door frame in a long sleeve silky night shirt and matching silky shorts- both a deep burgundy that just barely stands out in the glow of the moon that creeps through the cracks of the blinds. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, Granger." She slips into the room and pads across the floor- trying hard not to make the wood creak. Getting to his bed, she slips under the covers and forces him to move over- though the twin size bed is barely big enough for them both- despite being skinny little beasts. "What are you doing?"

His body tenses and he can't help it. She's way to close for comfort and he finds it hard to not think about all the times girls at Hogwarts climbed into his bed because they were hot and ready for him.

"It's freezing in here. Why didn't you open the vent?" She quietly complains and forces herself to stay in her own space and not wrap herself around his warm radiating body.

"I like it cold...what are you doing in my bed?"

"It's cold in here."

"No- why are you in my bedroom at four in the morning?" The dark room fills with silence and for a while, he wonders if she fell asleep again.

"I wanted to come check on you. I hadn't seen you all day. How are you feeling?" As the both lay on their backs looking at the ceiling, neither of them realize the gap between them getting smaller and small as they both scoot in to avoid falling off the bed.

"I'm alright. You?"

"Oh...I'm okay..."

"Did you talk to Weasley?" He asks- trying to keep his quiet tone sounding hopeful instead of disapproving.

"Yes..."

"And how'd it go?"

"Well... we discussed everything and came to the mutual feeling to...to try again." He hopes she can't hear the breaking of his heart. He was hoping, by her climbing into his bed in the dead of night- that she and Ron were done, but that isn't the case apparently.

"Good...that's good." He painfully lies and stares towards the right corner of the white ceiling.  "Hopefully, he can get his shit together and make you happy."