Love Thy Enemy (Finished)

Let the Games Begin

I curl up against him and rest my cheek against his bare shoulder. I miss the beach house already. I miss the sound of the waves lapping at the shore and the openness of the rooms. Here, surrounded by stone and by other people, it is much more confining.

The next day we are back to class. Ginny is still talking about the wedding and I half listen to her while trying to listen to the professors. At lunch I catch sight of Draco seated with a few of his friends. Then I see Nicola. She is a few seats away from them, but she is staring straight at me. She has the same sneering smile on her face, like she has just won some sort of battle of wills with me. I look down at my food and try and ignore her, but I can feel her glare burning into me all through lunch. 

I have Potions after lunch and it is one of the classes I have with Draco. We bend over hte same cauldron, stirring in ingredients and reading over the book. I still have a weird feeling in my stomach from lunch. Something is going on with Nicola, I can feel it in my gut. She has something panned and I don't think it is just going to be a love potion this time. I don't get the chance to tell Draco about my suspicions until after dinner when we are in our common room working on the potions homework.

"Draco, have you noticed Nicola acting strangely since we have been back?" I ask.

"I haven't noticed anything about her," he says and I can hear the irritation in his voice at the mention of her.

"I think she is planning something, something bad," I tell him.

"I don't think so. She is too scared. She won't dare do anything. She doesn't want to be expelled," he says.

"I don't think so Draco. I know she has something panned. You should see the way she watches us," I tell him.

"She is just angry. She isn't going to do anything Hermione, relax," he sighs and grabs my hand.

"I don't think we should just brush this off Draco. I think she could be dangerous," I insist.

"Hermione, you're just overreacting. Nicola is harmless. Stop worrying about it," he tells me.

"She wasn't so harmless when she slipped you a love potion and erased your memory of our entire relationship," I remind him, getting angry.

"We got it back didn't we? She is nothing Hermione," he sighs and rolls his eyes.

 "Why won't you take this seriously?" I ask, pulling my hand out of his and putting some space between us.

"Because you're acting insane and jumping at shadows Hermione. There is nothing to take seriously. No let's get this done," he says.

"Ugh, why won't you listen to me. Something is going on with her and you don't even care! She could be planning to kill one or both of us and you don't give a damn!" I snap in frustration.

"Hermione, sit down, your acting ridiculous! Maybe you should go get some sleep or something," he snaps back.

"Fine, don't believe me. But when something does happen and one of us ends up hurt, remember this moment. We could have stopped it and you couldn't even be bothered to listen, to take me seriously," I say quietly. For a minute he just stares at me. Then he stands and comes over to wrap his arms around me.

"Baby, you just need some sleep or something. Nothing is going to happen. You're just emotional or something. Let's go to bed," he says. I shove him away and step out of his hold. 

"You go to bed, I have stuff to do," I say and head for the door.

"Where are you going?" he asks, grabbing my hand to stop me.