Aftershock

Ⅴ

The next week remained the same as the last save for one detail, Malfoy missed all of their shared classes. She always expected him to skip muggle studies, but he was absent from potions and divination as well. Now he's avoiding me, Hermione thought to herself as she sat down for dinner in the Great Hall. She was sitting next to Ginny, who could tell something was off by the way Hermione kept glancing towards the Slytherin table. "Is everything okay 'mione?" Hermione's attention snapped back towards Ginny. "Oh erm, yeah. I've just been a bit distracted lately. Have loads of homework." Ginny knew that was a lie. "Right then, out with it" Hermione knew she couldn't hide anything from her, she had tried to do that all summer, but she didn't have to tell her the whole truth.

"Er, um, I have to be a mentor to someone in my therapy program. Not looking forward to it is all" There, not exactly a lie, but not exactly the truth either. Ginny looked somewhat satisfied with the answer. "Hermione, this could be a good thing! When do you have to meet them?" Hermione looked at the clock, almost 5:00 pm. "Oh um right now actually. See you later Gin." With that, Hermione rushed to the courtyards to meet her prison mate. Once she arrived at the courtyards she immediately froze.

Seated on the bench where she was supposed to meet the other student was none other than the arrogant sod who had now been avoiding her for the last week. "Malfoy?" she asked incredulously. He looked up from the book he was reading and rolled his eyes, "Fucking Merlin." Why me? Why me? she screamed internally as she began her slow walk to the benches. It was silent for a few moments before she finally spoke, "You're my mentor buddy?" Another eye roll. "Don't fucking call it that. Sounds bloody ridiculous." She scoffed, "I'm not fond of it either but what would you rather me call this little arrangement?" He looked at her with a blank stare before listing, "hell, prison, punishment, did I already mention absolute hell?"

Hermione crossed her arms, "twice actually. Listen Malfoy, I hate this just as much as you but if we don't want to have this conversation with the Wizengamot I suggest you shut up and tell me all about your bloody problems." Malfoy stared at her with a blank expression before standing up. "Where do you think you are going?" Hermione asked. He didn't respond as he continued to walk away. Hermione stood in the courtyard with a confused look on her face. He can't neglect these sessions or it will be Azkaban for the both of us. Her thoughts were interrupted by an annoyed Malfoy saying, "If you're waiting for an invitation you will be standing out here all night." She took his statement as such and followed him. They were both silent as they wandered through the quiet halls as all the students were in the Great Hall for dinner. Hermione didn't say anything, she did not want to miss the opportunity to finally see inside the cryptic mind of Draco Malfoy.

They stopped walking when they reached the stairs that led to the Astronomy Tower. "Why are we coming here?" she asked. He just shrugged and opened the door while saying, "It helps me think." Once they reached the top, Malfoy sat against the flagstone pillar. Hermione cautiously sat across from him, scratching mindlessly at her arm. The air was silent between them for a while as they took in the peaceful surroundings, the sound of the metal railings creaking in the wind. The silence was broken as Malfoy scoffed. "Why are they making us do this anyway? I thought I was rather convincing about my recovery." Hermione stifled a laugh. "Maybe you should take notes Malfoy. The healer was so impressed with my lies that she thought I could do you some good." This caused Malfoy to actually laugh. "Right, as if spending an hour talking to you will make me want to open up about my 'trauma'." 

Hermione was relieved to learn that Malfoy felt the same as she did. She watched him as he took out a potion vile and downed its contents. It was the same as the one she saw him carrying in the Hospital wing. "Why do you drink that? What is it for?" He put the empty vile in his bag as he replied, "It's a remedy for my headaches. Healer Mason prescribed it to me. They have been getting worse and I'm not sure this shit is doing any good." Maybe if she told the truth for once, she could get a potion to numb the pain of her arm, among other things. Just then, Malfoy looked to her arm where she continued her furious itching. "Why are you always clawing at your arm? You look like a raving lunatic." She stopped the scratching long enough to stare at him with surprise. No one had ever called her out on her nervous tic. They always just left it alone, not wanting to unravel her any more than she already was. "Just an old cut. Didn't heal right." He seemed to believe her half-lie for now as he went back to picking at his fingernails.

The next few sessions went on like this one, them sitting in the Astronomy Tower, sometimes in silence, other times complaining about having to be there. It was odd, being in the same room as him for longer than a minute and not wanting to hex him. They never did discuss what transpired in the library, which had Hermione's head spinning. So during their next session, she mustered up the courage to ask. 

As they were lounging about the tower, Malfoy conjuring origami birds while she leaned against the railing farthest away, she finally burst out, "Are we going to ignore what happened in the library?" Malfoy stopped, letting his birds fall to the floor. " What are you talking about," he asked in a low tone. Hermione spoke again, "Are we just going to ignore the fact that you almost kissed me in the library?" This made him stand up. He furiously stalked over to her, wrapping his hand around her throat, pinning her to the pillar behind them. "Never. Say. That. Again." His words were low and staccato. Hermione slowly turned her head so she was looking him in the eyes. "Say what," she choked out, "that you wanted to kiss me?" He growled at her response before leaning closer, "Why the fuck would I want to kiss you, you filthy mudblood."

Malfoy's grip around her throat tightened as he shoved her harder against the pillar. He leaned in closer. "If you ever say anything like that again, I will curse you. I won't even blink." She didn't hesitate to draw her wand, shoving it into his throat below his chin as she replied, "What, just like your aunt? Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all." Hermione thought she saw something flash in Malfoy's eyes as he lifted his head away from her wand, his grip on her neck faltering only for a moment. His stone-cold features returned as he pulled his lips up in a snarl. "Don't you dare pretend to know anything about my family." She pushed her wand a bit harder into his throat as she spoke, "You forget Malfoy, I'm the one with the upper hand here. I'll hex you without even blinking an eye." 

He looked as though he were about to return with another insult until all of a sudden he pulled away, grabbing at his head in agony, groaning in immense pain like he had that first night in the Tower. She immediately dropped her wand, forgetting her disdain towards him. "Malfoy what's wrong?" she frantically asked. He didn't answer. He stumbled back as he reached for the railing beside her, white knuckles seeming to hold on for dear life as he tried to hide his discomfort. She moved to stand next to him. She could see his chest rapidly rising and falling as he tried to catch his breath. His skin was slick with the visible sheen of sweat. Before she could ask again if he was alright, he furiously pushed off the railing, shoving past her as he grabbed his bag and fled down the stairs without another word. What in the bloody fuck just happened? Hermione sat on the floor against the pillar trying to make sense of what just transpired between them