Dance With A Serpent

Look At Me

"Yeah, that's easy when you grab me without a warning like some rag and scream at me from an inch away."

He made an irritated sound and waved her away. "Go, Granger. Just go."

"You spend more time with Snape than you do with us," Harry pointed out as they walked to dinner.

"Yeah! What's up? You marrying the fool?" Ron asked. He had the letter for Tara the flying redheaded wonder in his hand.

"Yes, how did you know." Hermione muttered. "No, the man's plaguing me that's all."

"The ball?" Harry asked and put a hand on her shoulder.

She gave him a vague gesture that might just have been yes.

They stopped by the stupid mailbox and Ron posted his invitation. Hermione felt a slight sting. He was her ex after all. As they turned to leave she noticed Harry trying to discreetly post a note himself. He really failed, but she and Ron said nothing.

The rest of the day was bad. Hermione felt her mind wandering to the evil bastard in the dungeons. It was very inconvenient. When she had harboured romantic feelings before ... not that she was romantic about her professor (scorn the thought) but, well... before she had been able to work and be social without fading out.

The boys tried to wiggle it out of her but she excused herself and blamed stress. She was sure they didn't believe her.

Harry had even asked if it had to do with Ron mailing Glennen and she told Harry that she was only happy for Ron to have some new girl to fuss over. He seemed to believe her, and it really wasn't the Glennen girl. It was Snape.

It was a relief to finally reach the head's rooms and throw herself down on the couch. "This whole ball thing can go to hell," she said in to a green pillow.

"I agree," Malfoy answered and put his history homework aside.

Hermione lifted herself out of the pillow and looked up at the blond. He didn't look half bad staring in to the fire.

"I tried making McGonagall cancel it yesterday. She only went hippie on me and said no."

"Hippie, ay?"

"Yeah, saying stuff about my soul having a crush, and not destiny, but astral love and stuff."

Draco turned to her and raced an amused eyebrow. Why couldn't he teach Snape to show what kind of emotion he was feeling.

"Astral love? Merlin's briefs she's losing her marbles faster than Dumbledore's cooling in his grave."

"That's not a very nice likeness."

"I'm not a very nice person."

"Yes, you are." She threw the pillow at him, and he smiled as he caught it.

"Now you're just teasing me, Granger." He stood up and walked over to the fire. His entire body language changed. "Last I looked I was still an ex-death eater who spent years bullying you and all other muggleborns I could find. I nearly killed one of you with that damn necklace."

He seemed sincerely troubled. How did this happen? They were just joking around.

"Katie is fine. No one actually died by your hand...right?"

"Not directly, but I'll have to wear the mark all my life." He shook himself and turned to smile at her. "Forget that now. The past is over and there is no time like the present."

She gave him a nervous glance. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine."

"Well if it's any solace, you have improved. You're not insulting muggleborns anymore and you can be quite civil when you want." She nudged him.

To her great shock he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards him.

What?! Had all Slytherins gone mad?

"Only around you, Granger" he smirked. He wasn't as tall as Ron or Professor Snape, but she was still short next to him. The firelight made his silver eyes dance.

"Malfoy, what the hell?!" He let her go, still sporting that taunting smirk. She was blushing from the close encounter. He'd be quite stunning if he do something about that slimy hair, she noted.

"I wanted to ask you something Granger."

She said nothing. Was he coming on to her? But he hated her? Well clearly not, but... Malfoy and.. .her? That's just wrong!

"Since my date won't come to the ball and you clearly despise yours, we should go together."

She blinked at him.

"We are Head Boy and Girl, so it's expected." He continued looking very triumphant indeed.

"Malfoy...," Hermione started. "You're not actually hitting on me, are you? You can't really fancy me. And I'm not the person in your mirror because you're not in mine."

His smile faded and he sat down.

"No Granger, I don't fancy you. I was, however, trying to hit on you."

Hermione was horror-struck. Malfoy was... what? "Why?" She asked meekly. How could he do this to her? Snape was becoming attractive and Malfoy was trying to come on to her. She was losing it.

He sighed and looked down at his hands, "I knew all along who'd I see in the mirror, and I was right. Sadly they don't return my feelings and," he paused and sighed, "never will." He turned to her, "You remind me of...that person."

"I do?!" What the hell? Malfoy baring his heart to her? And what was up with him not using specific pronouns?

He turned to stare in to the flames "Yes. Honourable, stubborn, loyal, all that Gryffindor stuff. So I've been toying with the thought of you instead of... well, that other person, but I couldn't move my feelings on to you, so it didn't work. In the end, you're not my type."

"Oh...," she stared at him. He was more complex than he let on. Who was he hiding in his heart? Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad trying to move her weird attraction of Snape on to Malfoy. At least he was handsome. Here a small and very annoying voice contributed with "But you think Snape's handsome too..."

"So what's your type then, Malfoy?" she asked. He looked at her and smiled secretly.

"I'll tell if you'll tell." He stood up and took his history homework with him.

Hermione sat on the couch, thinking. Then she shouted at Malfoy's retreating back. "What's up with the weird pronouns?"

He stopped in mid-step. He didn't turn. "What do you mean?" He knew what she meant.

"Why do you never call the person in the mirror she or her?"

"Or for that matter he..."she thought.

It took the boy several seconds to answer.

"Either I don't know what gender my mysterious lover has, or I am trying to ease the pain with alienation." That was the only answer she got because he then disappeared into his room.

Hermione shrugged and went to bed. She didn't want to tell anyone who she saw either. It was bad enough Snape knew.

She snuck into bed and closed her eyes. He was standing there half naked again, but this time he wasn't scowling. She didn't even try to fight her soul's heart. It was only a harmless fantasy.