Love Potion

Chapter 5: Little Chat

It had been three weeks since the incident. He had succumbed to his dark wishes a total of nine times in those three weeks. His recent dosage had been a close call when Granger had almost caught him. That had been last night.

He stifled a yawn as he lent his head against his desk and watched Granger scribble down notes furiously. He wasn't sure how she could be so alert; she had just as much sleep as he had, maybe less judging by the dark circles under her eyes. He didn't want to notice the stiff look Blaise gave him, but he did. He rolled his eyes and pointed to the board mouthing 'your turn' hopefully urging his friend to take the notes so that he could take a peaceful mid-class nap. Zabini growled under his breath but dutifully shot his eyes to the board and started to take notes. Draco knew he was being obvious with staring at her, but at the moment he was just too tired to care. He was trying to figure out what was so different about her that drew him in, and he was failing miserably. Was it simply the potion? But why was it on days that he hadn't fallen weak and submerged himself in the potion's embrace that he had spent some time with Granger earlier in the day? Most notably were on the days he went to the library. He never had the urge to be 'in love' with her on those days. He scrunched up his brow as the Gryffindor boy sitting next to Granger gave him a withering glare. He was sorely tempted to stick his tongue out in response. He managed to refrain and lazily let his eyes slide shut.

He woke up a second later, at least if felt like a second later, (it was one of those feelings where one feels like they have been asleep for a short amount of time but in the reality it is much longer) to Granger towering over him with a small frown.

"Slughorn says you have detention," she said easily.

He sat up with a grunt, noticing that the room was empty and the air was strangely cold. He shivered as he awkwardly scooped over to collect his things and glare at the offending witch who had woken him up from his nap.

"Why should I believe you?" he snapped.

"You are supposed to speak with him now, but he went to the Great Hall. He told me to tell you that we are to wait for his return," she said evenly. She took several steps back so that she was at the adjacent desk and plopped down gracefully. Her bag fell unto the desk where she carefully rested her chin, folding her arms protectively in front of her as she looked at him cautiously.

"Why should I bloody wait while he stuffs his face?" he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. Granger went from studying him to studying the board.

She shrugged to answer his question and let the room lap into silence.

"Why are you waiting?" he asked after several moments of awkward silence.

He could tell she was clearly uncomfortable as she kept fidgeting and tugging at her sleeves.

"I have an appointment with him," she said crossly.

"Obviously, but why wait here… with me? Why not follow him to the Great Hall—"

Her scoff cut him off midsentence, "the world does not REVOLVE round you Draco Malfoy. I don't have to answer your questions to satisfy your curiosity."

He felt his cheeks flush as he stood up, his hand was in his pocket gripping his wand tightly in defense. Granger, however, looked bored now. Her arms still crossed and her body relaxed despite her proper posture as she looked towards the rows of crowded shelves.

"Why would I possibly be curious about you?" he spat. He didn't know why his temper flared, her bored indifference seemed to irk him though. He vaguely wondered if that was why he got under Weasley's skin so quickly (despite for obvious reasons).

At his question her hand slipped into her bag and pulled out a tiny, alarming familiar, pink bottle. His throat went dry.

"Why keep taking a potion such as this?" she quipped, ignoring his question and firing one of her own as she placed the vial in plain sight on the desk between them. Her eyebrows rose slightly in a challenge.

"That's not mine," he said easily, quickly. It wasn't really a lie, he had stolen it anyways. Really that was besides the fact. He knew but the slight smirk that rose on her lips that he had figuratively 'shot himself in the foot' as a muggle would say.

"Yet you left it behind last night after our little… chat," her pause and slight tinge that rose on her cheeks made his heart do a weird little thrum of excitement.

Act normal, his mind chirped. That thought felt like the first clear thought he had had since before his little addition had begun.

"It's dangerous," she said when he couldn't find the words to say. "For you and me," she added darkly.

"I've got it under control," he stated icily.

"Pft, yes because summoning and making me kiss you is totally under control," she growled.

"I didn't make you do anything," he snapped, "if I remember correctly YOU kissed ME."

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He had found a new way that didn't involve a pesky ghost to go fetch Granger for him. He simply wrote a letter and would give it to an owl to deliver to her room. It was perfect… and if she chose to ignore the pesky owl persistently on her window than all the better. He really shouldn't be doing this anyways.

Meet me near the fourth floor prefect's bathroom

DM

When she came bounding down the stairs a few minutes later, a piece of parchment tucked tightly in one hand with her wand illuminated in the other, he was sure she was going to hex him. She even looked like she was about to yell or go fetch a teacher. He had to act quickly. He had to tell her. She needed to know how beautiful she looked right that second, her cheeks glowing with healthy rage and her hair frizzed to perfection.

"Mischief managed," she told the paper with a little tap before folding it quickly and stuffing it in her pocket.

"Oh I don't think the mischief has quite begun yet, Granger," he muttered.

Her cheeks instantly flared with rage and embarrassment.

"I wasn't… never mind," she growled interrupting herself. "What do you want Draco?"

'You,' he wanted to say. He simply stared at her. He really hadn't thought about what he was going to do once she got here. He was just so happy that she came.

"Are you up for a little chat?"

"What could possibly be so urgent that you had to pull me out of bed?" she grumbled.

"I never said it was urgent, just asked you to meet me… and you did."

He held out his arm, in the way that expected her to loop arms with him and walk down the hall for an evening stroll at a very high social gathering. He was surprised when she gave him a stern look and then tentatively looped her arm through his. It left little room between them as they started to walk. Despite the potion he tried hard not to grin like an idiot but he knew he couldn't help it.

"What exactly are you up to?"

"Enjoying the company of a beautiful girl on a beautiful night… care to take this outside?"

"I don't understand what you are playing at Draco but—"

"I could use the company," he said stiffly cutting her off.

She didn't pepper him with any more questions for several minutes as their quiet footsteps echoed through the halls. Maybe she understood that he felt lonely even among his friends? Maybe she realized that he was acting strange and not being himself. Surely with how quickly she had caught him the first time he had taken the potion she would be able to spot this? The effects were stronger, but his thoughts were unusually clear.

"You've been too nice to me lately. What are you doing?" she asked once they quietly slipped out the front doors and were a safe distance from the school and closer to the lake.

"You've been nice to me too. I've grown rather fond of our little chats," he said quickly. Gods was she just wearing a tank top and shorts under that robe? Was it the moonlight that was making her eyes brighter, that made her seem more alive, or was it the potion?

She laughed heartily at his close to snide comment.

"Do you think we're going to be friends?"

"I think we already are close," he told her, surprised at the emotion and truthfulness in his voice. She did too as she seemed to do a double take. The cold air had her pressed against him unconsciously for warmth, he was kind of glad that they both had forgot to cast warming charms, but at his comment she started to pull away. "And I didn't mean physically," he added with a smirk as she went to move away and tightened his arm to discourage her.

"We aren't close—"

"No I meant we're close to being friends, maybe we won't ever be… but lately I've been enjoying the now."

She hummed interested.

"War changes people," she agreed quietly after a moment of silence. Their feet crunch pleasantly under them, but the snow had yet to fall nor the lake freeze yet. The moon danced over the waves created by the giant squid that was angrily waving about in the middle of it.

"So what are you doing summoning me in the middle night?" she asked almost haughtily as they continued strolling around the lake.

"I should think it obvious," he told her with a sly grin.

"If you think for a second that I—"

"Calm Granger, you're a bit jumpy tonight and rather defensive," he interrupted.

"And you're an interrupting jerk," she muttered.

"I figure it best to cut you off, last time I let you finish hurling insults at me you slapped me."

They both burst into a fit of laughter.

"That was 3rd year," she said once they finally calmed down.

"And I can still feel it," he chuckled rubbing his cheek for show.

This time the silence was comfortable as they started unanimously trekking back to the castle, but lightly chatting about things here and there. Granger was obviously comfortable as she teased him about various things and he did back. They talked about quidditch, about how she hated flying, how he hadn't talked to his father since the war, how she was still trying to find her parents, how their friends were dealing with life, about his paper to McGongall, about what they wanted to do with their lives now, how they both weren't really that different after all, and how they were both pleasantly surprised how this stroll and little chat was going. Draco knew the potion had worn off hours ago, but he wasn't feeling the desperate need to take another swig to numb everything. He felt strangely content as they wound their way back up the stairs, and he felt a weird sensation as they came to a stop next to the prefect's bathroom. This was actually enjoyable… like really enjoyable. He hadn't had such a fun time with anyone… ever. He couldn't think of a time where he had just walked around and talked to someone so calmly. Granger looked like she was hesitating with something, unsure of how far he should walk her he stopped.

"We can't do this again," she said quietly.

"Why?" he asked sucking in a breath. Honestly that was the last thing he had expected.

She shook her head sadly and turned to face him as she withdrew her arm from his. He felt strangely cold. "It was a lot of fun," she said with a small smile before leaning up and gracing her lips against his.

He was surprised. He hadn't been expecting that. He hadn't been expecting tonight to be so much fun, to be so peaceful. What had he done wrong? Why was she kissing him? Why were her lips so soft? Why wasn't he kissing her back?! Before he could kiss her back she had already pulled away.

"Goodnight," she said softly before turning and dashing out of the hall way.

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"You took it from me," Draco spat. "It was in my pocket all night, when you kissed me… you…"

"The details of how I got it shouldn't really matter, merely that I found it last night and that you've been taking it… more than twice," she was glowering now. "You think this is a game do you?"

"I said I had it under control," he snapped leaping forward to snatch the bottle and shove it roughly into his pocket.

"I emptied it," she said evenly.

"WHY?!"

"Why the hell do you get to prance around like a love sick idiot and try to drag me into it? Like I said… you think this is a game, don't you?"

"NO!" he roared.

"Then what? What are you doing?" she snapped rising from her seat to face him.

The door slammed open as Slughorn gushed in.

"Why what is all the ruckus?" the old man chuckled as his favorite student stood inches from his least favorite student, both short of breath and red in the face.

"I was just leaving professor," Granger said stiffly.

Draco sneered nastily at her as she slammed the dungeon door behind her as he faced his puzzled professor.

"She said she was waiting for you and that I have detention," Draco said smoothly running a hand through his hair.

"Ah yes… well we can forget about that for now. Try not to sleep in class again okay? Then I'll have to give you an actual detention," Slughorn said easily. He shuffled awkwardly to the door and put a hand firmly on Draco's arm to guide him out. The door clicked shut abruptly behind him.

Draco supposed it was lucky that Slughorn had walked in when he did. He was about to say something stupid like 'Falling in love with you', which he knew she'd never believe after she had put that potion on the counter. Gods, he was an idiot.

A/N: To anyone who is still following this story! I'm could sit here and apologize profusely or I can get to cracking on that next chapter... PM if you really must know the details for my absence, but content yourselves to knowing that all is well and I'm back to writing. Hope to hear from you all soon!