Hello, lovelies. Shorter chapter, but I’ll update again tomorrow. I’m glad you’re all still sticking with the story. It makes me happy. I know it’s not fantastic, but I’m trying to do the best I can with what I started. I hope it’s not too sappy or anything. To be honest, I’ve never been very good at writing romance. I get uncomfortable even writing kissing scenes. xD So, I must apologize if it’s not believable or awkwardly written. If I’m doing something wrong, please tell me. I’ll take all the criticism and help I can get. Also – some of you may be wondering about the way I’m writing Ron. I’m not trying to bash him by any means. I’m not trying to paint him to be a hero or anything, either. I just need you guys to understand that the reason I’m writing him this way is because he obviously cares for Hermione (if you hadn’t been able to tell) and he’s upset at how she’s treating Draco so civilly. I’m not at all trying to make him the bad guy. I’m doing the same with Harry in a way, so don’t take it the wrong way.
WARNING – There is a bit of bad language in this chapter.
Hermione’s eyelids fluttered, awakening from a rather deep, peaceful sleep. She squinted at the bright sunlight flooding in through her window. Immediately aware of her surroundings, she sat bolt upright, quickly glancing from side to side. Her feet were encased in a heavy blanket, and a pillow lay carelessly about on the floor. Strange – she hadn’t remembered retrieving either of those things. She smiled goofily to herself, thinking about how sweet it was of Draco to do it His name was a trigger word for a completely new stream of sudden thoughts to burst into Hermione’s mind. What if he was still there? He would see her before her generous application of hair potion, smell her morning breath and the rheum in the ducts of her eyes.
She took a surveying, cautious look around the room and felt a mixture of relief and sadness that Draco wasn’t there. She waited a moment longer before standing up, just to make sure. When she heard no sign of human life around, she stood up, stretching her somewhat sore limbs as a result of sleeping on her lumpy couch. The television hummed a few feet away from her, frozen on the home screen of the movie Hermione and Draco had watched. She snickered, realizing that he probably didn’t know how to turn it off. Remembering his pronunciation of the word ‘television’ made her smile even wider.
She lumbered sleepily to the kitchen, the thought of a nice cup of tea on her mind. Just as she reached to the cupboard, she noticed a bit of white paper clumsily taped to it. She frowned, not recalling if she’d written something to herself. She hardly ever wrote reminders, so it looked out of place. A slight tear formed when she attempted to separate the note from the cupboard, but it the words were still clearly legible when she opened it up.
Granger,
You fell asleep while we were watching that rubbish Muggle invention. I took the liberty of making you more comfortable. Don’t worry, I didn’t touch you. I couldn’t work out how to turn off that blasted device – all the knobs confused me. I was going to stay over to make sure you were okay, but I didn’t deem it prudent concerning my safety for you to find me sleeping a mere few feet away.(Like I’ve said – you throw a hell of a punch) I’ll be waiting outside the Ministry at nine o’ clock. I’d forgotten we didn’t have to get to work until later. I’d like it if you could meet me.
I love you,
Draco.
She smiled down at the letter, aware that she probably looked pretty stupid while doing so. Even the little things made her feel special. She was brought back from her brief moment of bliss when she glanced at the clock and read that it was 8:37. She yelped, dropped the letter, and raced to her bathroom to ready herself.
~
Fifteen minutes later, she was completely dressed with her hair in a messy, albeit comfortable ponytail. She had to commend herself on the ability to beat time. It was becoming easier as she frequently woke up at an undesirable time. With all thoughts but Draco pushed completely from her mind, she disapparated to the Ministry without any bad feelings. Like always, she felt the familiar sickening stomach pain and the darkness enveloped her. Much to her surprise, she stuck the landing. She grinned and without thinking, punched her fist into the air, relishing this tiny successful moment.
The sound of clapping came from behind her, slow and loud. She turned her head to see Malfoy standing there, smirking as he brought the palms of his hands together.
She shot him a dirty look, which didn’t have the effect she wanted, as she began to blush.
“Bravo, Granger. I must say I’d give that a ten out of ten. Merlin himself would be jealous of your abilities.”
This made her flush even more, only causing Draco’s smirk to grow. He closed the small distance between them and pressed his lips to her forehead. She jumped away as if being signed by a white hot wire
He was taken aback. He realized where they were and what he was doing, but he couldn’t quite mask the slight hurt of her pulling away quickly enough. She grimaced, ashamed of herself for treating him like that.
“I’m sor -”
“I understand.” He said simply, holding up a hand to silence her.
She didn’t press it, but swayed awkwardly on the spot, waiting for him to say or do something.
“Let’s go inside. We probably have work to do.”
Just as they were about to walk inside, Draco caught her arm. He turned her around to face him again, and he sighed.
“You know, I love you.”
“I believe I remember you saying something like that.” She teased lightly.
He ignored that. She couldn’t blame him.
“I just don’t want to have to pretend I loathe you every time someone we know is around. Can we at least be friendly?”
She bit her lip, pondering it. They’d had to act like the latter was the very bane of their existence in many situations. It would strike someone as suspicious if they were suddenly cordial to one another. Even with all that in mind, she couldn’t deny that it would be nice to not have to pretend. He looked at her hopefully, thinking it was foolish to even ask.
She sighed, then gazed at him thoughtfully.
“Deal.”
He grinned.
“But –”
There was a ‘but’…
“No kissing. No caressing. No romantic touching of any kind unless we are away from the Ministry.”
He almost looked as if he would object, but resigned and nodded his head.
“Great. Now, let’s get in there before we’re both fired. I daresay Kendrina would overlook a tardy merely because I’m her favorite employee.” She joked.
Just as they were about to walk in, an angry voice called from a few feet away.
“Well, don’t you two look cozy?” It was jeering and cold, like shards of ice.
“Problem, Weasley?” Draco sneered, challenging him to say anything else.
Ron wasn’t looking at Draco. His eyes were fixed in a stare at Hermione, who avoided looking at him as much as she could.
“My problem is you.” He said, his voice unfaltering, his face staying its normal color instead of the deep red it usually became.
Draco laughed and took a few steps closer to him.
“And what, pray tell, did I do for you to have a problem with me?” He challenged, unfazed by the angry red head.
Ron kept his eyes locked on Hermione, never once glancing elsewhere.
“Perhaps you’re worried that your girlfriend fancies me?” Draco said, not bothering to keep any contempt from his voice. “I can’t help it that Granger’s my partner. Nor can she. Your jealousy is misguided.”
This seemed to trigger something in Ron.
“I would never be jealous of YOU.” Ron said, matching his tone with Draco’s. “Who’d be jealous of a filthy ferret who didn’t have friends unless his daddy bought them?” He smirked. “How is daddy, by thee way? Still locked up nice and tight?”
Draco’s hand twitched to his pocket where his wand rested. Hermione sensed it quickly and threw herself between the two.
“Stop it – both of you. Do you want us to get fired?!”
Passerby sensed what was about to happen and had stopped to look, and a buzz of excitement grew amongst them. It took so little to get them all stirred up. Ron raised his wand sharply, almost escaping Hermione’s sight. She reacted quickly, knocking it from his hand, where it rolled out of his reach.
“I don’t even need a wand!” He snarled, a menacing look on his face.
“Ron, stop it!” Hermione yelled, throwing her weight at him in an effort to hinder him from getting to Draco.
He pulled back quickly, nearly sending her to the ground.
“Oh, defend HIM! You’re on HIS side now?” He demanded, practically spitting with rage.
“This isn’t about sides – this about being CIVIL!” Hermione yelled back.
Ron threw her a cruel smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“You keep telling me that over and over, but every time you’re with him, it goes WAY past just ‘civil’. He disgusts me – and I don’t know why you’re like this around him!”
Draco scoffed.
“Just because she doesn’t spend half her time trailing after you like you do her doesn’t mean she’s acting any differently than normal.”
Hermione felt this was a low blow, but couldn’t deny the truth behind it.
Ron ‘s face finally began to flood with a bright red color, and he didn’t even bother hiding it.
“Fuck you.” Was all that they heard before he’d disappeared, leaving the two in the middle of a small crowd of people.