Forbidden Attraction
Chapter 5 – Demoted
Disclaimer – This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary – H/D. An attraction that is so totally forbidden slowly begins to arise. Lies, deceit, and a stolen kiss shared between the Head Boy and Girl. How far will this forbidden game of attraction go?
Last Chapter - "Miss Granger, the Headmaster requests your presence in his office," McGonagall said to Hermione, before turning to Draco. "You might want to come too, Mister Malfoy." For the third time in the last two minutes, Draco and Hermione exchanged perplexed glances. They then followed McGonagall out of the portrait hole, towards Dumbledore's office, the sense of foreboding Hermione felt wash over her earlier becoming a tidal wave for the both of them.
As Hermione Granger walked along side Draco Malfoy following Professor McGonagall down the dark, chilly corridors, she felt herself shiver. Not just from the cold, but from this whole situation. She felt something - something bad. Something horrible had happened. And somehow she knew she was right.
But what on Earth would the Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress want with Malfoy and I?
She stole a glance at Draco whose eyes were set straight ahead. He looked deep in thought and by the way his eyes were clouded over, they were not happy thoughts.
It was a silent walk; a long, silent walk. Monotonously long. Hermione didn't once complain though. The atmosphere was way to tense for that. They passed no one as they walked - everyone was outside on such a lovely afternoon. Of course, it was a weekend, meaning there were no classes. For once, Hermione was happy about this.
It was sunny outside but still their breaths rose in a mist before them in the cold, stone hallway. Finally they reached the pair of stone gargoyles guarding Dumbledore's office.
"Peace," McGonagall said, causing the gargoyles to spring to life immediately. Slowly the spiral staircase began to move. McGonagall ushered them on and then followed them onto the moving stairs. Because of McGonagall's impatience, Hermione and Draco were stuck very close together. Uncomfortably but unwilling to protest in front of the Transfiguration teacher, the Heads had to both deal with it.
Finally the staircase ceased its spiraling and they were met with a large wooden door. The brass knocker beckoned them to reach out for it. Draco raised an arm out towards the handle but McGonagall pushed his hand away from behind him. Reaching from in between Draco and Hermione, McGonagall grasped the brass knocker.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
There was quite an uncomfortable silence as the three of them waited awkwardly. McGonagall had moved her arm out from between them, finally granting them some much needed space. They waited silently for almost half a minute with no answer.
Hermione's eyes flicked up and met Draco's. Both were utterly confused; equally perplexed. Suddenly, McGonagall pushed past Draco, forcing him straight into Hermione. His hands flew out to stop himself crashing into her and abruptly found themselves on the wall either side of the Head Girl. Hermione had flinched, now blinking in surprise at Draco, whose face was mere centimeters from hers.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
The noise sounded far away, yet Hermione knew McGonagall was only a step away from them. Draco's eyes searched Hermione's face. He expected anger or fear in her eyes - even distaste - but he was only met with surprise.
Draco was so close to her. Under usual circumstances, she most probably would have slapped or screamed at him. Neither action seemed appropriate, however, in front of the Deputy Headmistress, especially as it was she who had forced them into such an awkward position.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
McGonagall appeared to have grown impatient. Neither the Head Boy nor Head Girl acknowledged this. Draco had the sudden and desperate carnal desire to kiss Hermione; to crash his own lips upon hers as he had done only the other night. Hermione could see this in his eyes and was not sure if she would resist if he did so.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
"Albus?" McGonagall called, bringing Hermione and Draco out of their daze. Draco immediately removed his hands from the wall and turned away from Hermione just as McGonagall span around.
"I trust you can behave yourselves for a few minutes alone?" McGonagall said in a dangerously low tone, telling both Hermione and Draco that consequences would be dire if they even thought about fighting. Both of them nodded; neither had any intention of fighting.
Acknowledging their nods with a curt one of her own, McGonagall turned the knob and slipped through the doorway, closing the door tightly behind her. Silence washed over the pair of them. Hermione played with the sleeve of her robe in a half-hearted attempt to distract herself. Draco gazed up at the walls, observing the cobwebs and dust gathering there.
"So..." Draco tried initiating conversation. "Any idea why we're here?"
Hermione looked up at Draco with a raised eyebrow.
"If I knew that, do you really think I'd be here right now? I don't know if you know this, Malfoy, but I don't willingly choose to be in your presence," Hermione commented coldly.
Ouch.
That comment stung.
"You don't have to lie, Granger," Draco suggested with a smirk. "Denial will get you no-where."
"Neither will arrogance," Hermione retorted.
"It's gotten me this far."
"And exactly how far have you gone, Malfoy? Further into the depths of your own Pureblooded, male-dominating dream world? Get a grip Malfoy, it's the 21st century."
"I've gone much further than I thought I would and plan on going further," Draco hissed, eyeing Hermione intently.
"Don't even think of it, Malfoy. I'm off the market," Hermione claimed, not meeting his eyes. Draco stared at her in bewilderment.
"Oh don't even try to tell me for one moment that you are still committed to that two-timing son of a-"
"He's my boyfriend, what did you expect?" Hermione defended. Draco's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"You're kidding, right? Granger, he tried to rape you," Draco said forcing much seriousness into his voice.
"Don't be ridiculous. You don't know what you saw, Malfoy," Hermione muttered, looking away from him.
"Don't know what I saw? Granger, the picture was fairly clear to me. Potter straddling you atop your own bed, you crying and screaming in terror as he reached down for the waistband of your pants-"
"Stop!" Hermione ordered angrily. Draco however, took no notice.
"You squirming crying out in pain as he hits you repeatedly across the face-"
"Stop it now, Malfoy!" Hermione's eyes were brimming with tears now that shone in the dim light of the stairwell.
"His frustration as he fumbles with your pants, unable to pull them off with one hand in his disorientated state. Deciding he must remove one hand from your mouth, you scream-"
"I told you to stop!" Hermione screamed and lunged at him. Draco dodged the attack and Hermione went flying past him. She suddenly found herself losing her balance and she began to fall. The gargoyles at the bottom of the high staircase welcomed her as she began her descent.
Hermione let out a strangled cry.
Draco's hand flew out and grasped her wrist tightly. Hermione body came to an abrupt stop. She stared wide-eyed and shocked at Draco, who smirked at her.
"And just as I saved you from Potter, I am again here to save you from yourself."
Draco, with a sharp jerk of Hermione's wrist, he pulled the Head Girl against his chest. Hermione gasped at the sudden action, out of breath from the fall she had almost taken.
"What, not even a thank you?" Draco whispered in her ear. Hermione was not afraid or intimidated, but felt somehow that she should be. Still, she did not speak to him.
"Well I guess I'll just have to take my prize myself," Draco smirked, and, without warning, pressed his lips against hers. Hermione almost gasped in shock. Of all the things she had expected, this was definitely not one of them.
Draco began skillfully moving his lips along hers, not stopping because Hermione had not reacted. Hermione tried to pull away, but Draco was more powerful than her, holding them together with his strong arms. Hermione took several steps backwards and her back hit the stone wall. Hermione opened her mouth in surprise and a small noise escaped her lips. Draco took this to his advantage, using her shocked state to deepen the kiss.
The moment Draco's tongue passed thought her lips, Hermione had to hold back a moan. Her arms suddenly found their way around Draco's neck, his own already snaked around her waist. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed as she stopped resisting him at once.
The fact that he was a Slytherin flew out of her head. As did the facts that he was an arrogant bastard and hated her guts. She forgot completely that he was Draco Malfoy and not for one second did she realise that they were still outside the Headmaster's office.
Suddenly, the noise of someone fumbling with the door knob on the other side broke them instantly apart. Both their heads immediately shot towards the door, pretending - with flushed cheeks and heavy breath - that nothing what-so-ever out of the ordinary just happened.
McGonagall's face appeared in the doorway. She looked no happier than she had before, yet thankfully, for their sake, did not pick up on the scene she had just walked in on.
"Professor Dumbledore will see you now," McGonagall said, opening the door for them. Hermione didn't even look at Draco as she passed into the Headmasters office and walked towards his desk. Draco silently followed her.
"I'll wait for them outside, Albus," McGonagall said, closing them in the room. The Headmaster, who was seated behind his desk, did not even nod in acknowledgement. He gazed down at his desk, his eyes clouded in deep thought. They held no twinkle today. He was tired and troubled. The dark bags under his eyes showed his students that. As Hermione and Draco slowly sat down opposite him in their own chairs, Draco could keep the silence no longer.
"You wanted to see us, sir?" Draco asked, more politely than Hermione expected. Finally Dumbledore looked up.
"Ah yes, you are just the two I was looking for," Dumbledore said, forcing a grim smile on his ageing face. "I'm afraid the news I am about to bring is neither happy nor good."
Hermione allowed herself a quick glance at Draco who was already looking at her in perplexity.
"Do you remember the rules I gave you at the beginning of the year?" Dumbledore asked. "Rules concerning the new Common Room?"
"How could we forget?" Draco murmured under his breath. Dumbledore continued as though he had not heard him.
"A few of these rules have been breached."
Hermione deliberately did not look at Draco.
"Breached, sir?" She said unsurely.
"Yes, Miss Granger, breached. And some of them are quite serious ones," Dumbledore told them.
"Like what?" Draco spat, his manners gone instantly.
"Like having other students in your Common Room, Mister Malfoy," Dumbledore turned to Hermione. "Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter."
Hermione's mind reeled, desperately wondering what else he knew.
"Having another student in your bedroom out of the rostered time," Dumbledore continued, still looking at Hermione, who flushed a deep shade of red. "Or having the Head Boy in the Head Girl's dormitory." Dumbledore glanced at Draco now.
"Sir, it was necessary," Draco began defending. "She was in troub-"
"I do not need excuses, Mister Malfoy. This rule has been enforced upon you since your first year. By your seventh I would have thought you to be more responsible than that," Dumbledore said coldly.
"Sorry sir. We won't do it again, we swear it," Hermione apologized quickly.
"I know you won't. As of tomorrow you will both be stripped of your Head Duties. I want all your belongings to be packed up and gone to your respective House dormitories by noon. And not a minute later."
Hermione's eyes were wide in shock. Everything she had wished for since her first year had just been mercilessly taken away from her. She had blown everything in a day for her boyfriend, her friend and an arrogant prat.
"Stripped of our Head Duties," Hermione repeated numbly, staring at Dumbledore as though he were a mad man.
"That is correct, Miss Granger."
Even Draco was quiet.
"Surely this is a little extreme, Professor-"
"Miss Granger, you and Mister Malfoy have breached some of the most serious rules I enforced upon you earlier this year. What is extreme is your sudden desire to not abide by them," Dumbledore's face softened in disappointment.
"I'm ashamed of you, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, causing Hermione to immediately look down in shame. "And you, Mister Malfoy. I thought you had become more responsible in recent years. Apparently I was mistaken."
Draco had half a mind to mention his father, but decided it possibly wasn't the best idea in the world.
"Anything else, Professor?" Draco shot at him, trying to contain his anger.
"Yes," Dumbledore said.
Of course! Draco thought, resisting the temptation to roll his eyes.
"Although you have breached my rules, I am not going to rid you of duty completely. After a very long chat, Professors McGonagall, Snape and I have decided to change some of the rules this year."
Hermione suddenly perked up.
"We still value you both highly as students and are willing to offer you the positions of Vice Head Boy and Vice Head Girl."
Hermione and Draco sat there stunned. In their minds they were both unsure.
Do I really want this position? Hermione wondered.
Do I want to be second to someone else! Draco thought angrily.
"Actually, it wasn't an offer, it was an order. From tomorrow, if asked, you are both Vice Heads. Do you understand?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione nodded slowly but Draco did nothing.
"Who will be replacing us?" Draco asked harshly. Hermione was immediately interested. She hadn't even thought of their replacements.
"I'm glad you asked me that. As Professors Snape and McGonagall fell it would be unfair to strip Slytherin and Gryffindor of its Head's status, we've decided on another two from your houses."
Hermione immediately sorted through her fellow Housemates in her mind.
Lavender, Parvarti...
Draco, too, took the time to think of his replacement.
If they pick Crabbe or Goyle-
"Harry Potter and Pansy Parkinson."
Hermione and Draco's jaws dropped.
"What!" Hermione gasped.
"This is insane!" Draco exclaimed.
"You can not be serious!" Hermione said incredulously.
"Oh I am being quite serious, Miss Granger," Dumbledore stated. "Mister Potter and Miss Parkinson were next in line after the both of you from the start."
Hermione and Draco stared open-mouthed at the Headmaster.
"You want me to be second to Potter!" Draco shouted. "Are you out of your mind!"
"Mister Malfoy, I would appreciate it if you kept your voice down in my office." Draco was seething.
"Is there anything else, Headmaster?" Draco said in a quieter voice between gritted teeth.
"No, that is all." With that, Dumbledore began shuffling through papers on his desk, ignoring the pair completely. Neither of them moved immediately. Too shocked at what had just happened, they sat there in silence.
Draco was the first to move. He roughly pulled the chair out from underneath himself, pushing it childishly into the desk. It clattered noisily against it, causing Hermione to flinch. Dumbledore, however, seemed to not even realise they were still in his office. Hermione slowly stood up from her chair and pushed it in in a much more mature fashion. She followed the angry now-Vice Head Boy as he raged towards the door. He opened it with much more force than what was necessary, scaring a tired-looking McGonagall on the other side.
"Good Heavens, Mister Malfoy!" McGonagall gasped. Draco stopped in his tracks, forgetting that the old woman had been waiting outside for them.
"Sorry Professor," Draco lied and made a move to slide past her. McGonagall, however, had other plans.
"Oh no, Mister Malfoy. Miss Granger and yourself must stay here a while longer."
Hermione had made it to the doorway now, looking over Draco's shoulder in interest.
"We must discuss a few vital topics to do with your new positions. However, this must wait for a few minutes whilst I discuss something with Professor Dumbledore." McGonagall pushed passed them into the Headmasters office then ushered them out the door.
Begrudgingly, Draco obeyed, stalking into the stairwell with an exaggerated sigh. McGonagall raised an eyebrow which Hermione caught. As the Vice Head Girl followed him, she smiled apologetically for Draco's manners or lack there-of. McGonagall closed the door behind her. Hermione turned on Draco at once.
"Why did you have to be such a prat?" Hermione exclaimed angrily.
"Granger, he just demoted us, placing us second to Potter and Parkinson, for Merlin's sake! Can you honestly tell me you're not angry!" Draco yelled.
"I can honestly tell you that it's completely your fault for getting us into this mess," Hermione threw at him.
"My fault! Potty and Weasel are your friends, Granger, notmine," Draco retorted.
"Yes and on both accounts it was you who let them into our Common Room," Hermione spat in defense.
"Potter forced his way through, Granger," Draco began, trying not to get too angry.
"He was inebriated, Malfoy. The least you could have done was shut the portrait in his face."
"Oh, so now it's my fault your boyfriend tried to rape you!" Draco exclaimed incredulously.
"I didn't let him in," Hermione murmured stubbornly.
"And I suppose you're going to blame me for letting Weasley in as well?"
Hermione looked at Draco as though challenging him to ask her why she shouldn't.
"Okay Granger. Next time you pass out in a corridor and your over-protective friend wants to help you, I'll just tell him to get lost!" Draco yelled.
"Fine!" Hermione shouted back.
"Fine," Draco added. He knew this argument they were having was incredibly childish but he was not about to lose it to a Mudblood. Hermione slumped down the wall on the second step, leaning against cold stone. Draco still stood with his back casually against the wall. He looked down on Hermione, still above her though he was a few steps below.
"Tired, Mudblood?" Draco teased.
"Of your voice," Hermione retorted nastily, staring at the stone wall opposite her.
"You're on fire today, Granger," Draco laughed.
"Don't test my patience, Malfoy," Hermione warned.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Draco said fakely, smiling sweetly at her. Hermione shot him her own sarcastic smile before rolling her eyes and continuing to gaze at the wall. It was a few moments before either of them spoke again.
"How did Dumbledore even find out about that anyway?" Draco asked suddenly.
Hermione frowned, wondering the exact same thing.
A/N – YAY! Finally I can submit this chapter! I've been working heavily on this for a few days and have finally found a computer that I can type it up on! Very happy about that! Sorry this took so long, I dropped this story a while ago and I got a new idea the other week. Hopefully you like it! I can actually say now that it has a very interesting and original plot line! Stay turned, I'll submit more hopefully within a week! It's winter break so I've got plenty of time on my hands!
And for those of you who read my story Corruptive, another chapter of that should be up soon! (Sorry for the delay!)
Please review. I'm open for all constructive criticism, comments and suggestions.
Marauders Gal