Chapter 21: Misconception

Hermione was relieved that Harry had only seen her when they were about to leave. She cannot handle a confrontation with him right now. Other matters were occupying her mind, mainly the one sitting beside her.

Draco faced the window, staring at the shrinking landscape of the town they just visited. He had been quiet since they left the manor, focusing all his attention in packing and leaving as discreetly as possible. The truth was, he was trying to prolong the inevitable conversation he had to have with her. Much has changed since the day he first blackmailed her into his service. He had grown familiar of her presence, no matter how irritating and unnecessary he found it. He smirked at the memory of her being disgusted by seeing him make out with a prefect.

Hermione carefully studied his features, his lips was twisted into a smirk. Hermione was curious about what could bring him such great amusement. Before she would be sure that it's some form of torture that he's concocting for her, but now under the circumstances she's not anymore. Her mind wandered again, this time to the inevitable. Sooner or later they would have to talk about what will happen when they get back. Will she still be in debt to him? What about the time they spent here? The dance they shared? There were just too many questions going through her mind.

He turned and faced her, "What?" He asked in a toneless voice.

"Nothing," she replied.

"Then stop staring at me. You're creeping me out."

"I'm starting to grow on you, aren't I?" she asked in a playful tone.

"Yes, much like household mold."

"Just walked right into that one," they both ended up laughing which was followed by an eerie silence. The carriage suddenly felt stuffy and it seemed like there wasn't enough air going around. Hermione opened one of the windows, "Shut the window!" Draco shouted. Hermione was taken aback, she had not heard him shout at her for so long.

"What's your problem? You've been acting strangely since we left the manor," she asked.

"You are! You and your irritating stupidity! People might see us."

"Me? I'm the problem? I'm stupid?" Hermione's temper was starting to rise and so was his. "Who was dumb enough to almost die?! Who needed MY help to visit their mother?!"

"I never asked for your help! You just love sticking your nose into other people's business!" He replied.

"Me? Who blackmailed me into working for him?! You're the one sticking your nose into other people's business!" Their argument was turning into a screaming contest, whoever could scream the loudest and right now Hermione's winning.

"Well, it doesn't matter then because when we get back you'll still be working for me and you're going to suffer for your insolence!"

"It figures! Only you can be that ungrateful! Here, take it back!" she shoved the diary and the necklace at him. "I can't keep it. It's making me sick."

"What am I going to do with it?" He shoves it back to her.

"I don't want it." She gives it back to him.

"Fine. If you don't want it and I'm damned sure I don't either. Let's just get rid of it," he replied irritably. He tossed the diary and the necklace out of Hermione's open window.

"What did you do?!" Hermione would have jumped off the carriage if she could instead she rapped violently at the driver's seat. "Stop the carriage! Stop it!"

"Yes ma'am," replied the driver slowing down the carriage. Hermione leapt out and started looking for the diary and the necklace.

She didn't care about it really. She just didn't want Mrs. Malfoy to think that she had no regard for what she gave her. She'll just mail it to her if she has to. The dust that their speeding carriage had sent floating in the air was hindering her from finding it quickly.

Draco was unnerved by the argument. This wasn't the way he expected the conversation to go. He needed to be far away from her. She just makes him so damned emotional. "Driver, go!"

"But sir the lady's still out there."

"I said go!" Draco ordered. The driver closed the door and whipped the horse into a run leaving Hermione behind.

Hermione turned when she heard the carriage moving. That asshole, she thought. She found the diary somewhere by the bushes still intact and the necklace was on the road. She started walking back towards the town so she can floo herself back into Hogwarts.

When Hermione arrived in her room she was surprised and was apprehensive upon seeing Harry on the couch staring, rather glaring at her. Ron was inside his room sleeping peacefully.

"Harry, I need to explain…" she trailed off.

"Yes, Hermione. Explain. Tell me what you were doing with Malfoy? Why you left without a word and made us worried sick about you?" His temper was rising and so was his voice.

"I left a note. It was just a short trip. I just needed to do something," she explained nervously. Harry looked dead serious something she had only seen in a few circumstances most of which involves Voldemort.

Harry rose from his seat, "Short trip? You just needed to do something? I was worried sick! I thought something happened to you! I thought I lost you!"

Hermione backed away from him, "Harry, I just went out for a while. You're over reacting."

Harry was in rage, "Over reacting?! I went to find you and see you cozying up to Malfoy and I'm over reacting?! I think I'm even under reacting!"

Hermione was tired, she walked into the town for thirty minutes before she was able to floo back. Harry's grilling wasn't helping. "Harry, I think you're forgetting one little detail," she said calmly. "I'm not your girlfriend."

Harry was silent.

"Wherever I go, whatever I do and whom with is none of your business. I think we've made that clear when I saw you with Cho and you saw me with Ron." Hermione was pleased that she was able to at least shut him up. She was still angry about what Harry had done and now he attacks her acting all high and mighty about what she does when he is worse. She still saw the anger in his eyes but now it was stained by a hint of regret. "I'm tired. I need to rest." She said as she walked towards her room.

She was startled when she felt Harry pull her towards him. He wrapped her in an embrace and apologized. She felt her resolve weaken. She truly wanted to stay in his arms and forget all that had happened but she couldn't because they all did. She looked away and pushed Harry back. "I can't do this," she replied walking back towards her room.