My Enemy, Friend, Husband, Death Eater, Lover, Git
Chapter 10: Visiting different beds
Thank you for all the reviews! Sorry for the slow updates, very busy lately.
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Hermione stormed down the stairs to the libary. She had just woken up with a slight hangover and clear memories of the day before and yes, there was hell to pay.
Draco wasn't in their apartment, so she had been storming her way through the school looking for him. She had been to the Great Hall and to the hospital wing and was now going to the library. She considered finding Harry so she could check the marauders map but couldn't be bothered to stop her tirade.
She was going through her currently popular lists of How to Inflict Pain Upon Draco Malfoy and How to Kill Draco Malfoy, How to Arrange Draco Malfoy's Death and How to get Draco Malfoy Kicked Out of School quite frantically. She reached the library just as Draco was leaving. He looked up surprised at her grunt/yell and smiled warmly at her.
Hermione stopped, the smile confused her. Then she remembered the rant which had only just 5 seconds ago raged through her head and stomped forwards.
Draco's smiled faded, "Hermione, what?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't play dumb with me, you know what."
Draco stared at her, "Oh, that."
Hermione slapped him across the cheek. Draco blinked, quite annoyed with the situation. Hermione was seething and drew back her arm for the final punch and it was just shooting forward when Draco stopped it, clasping her fist in both his hands. He flicked her arm aside and walked past her.
Hermione turned around and followed him, "Don't walk away from me you coward!" she screamed at him. When Draco ignored her and only walked faster Hermione broke into a jog, "Stop right now and talk to me like a real man!" she commanded.
Draco stopped and Hermione couldn't help but smile triumphantly to herself. Draco turned at her and looked at her with disgust, "Not until you behave rationally you stupid girl, you have no reason for hitting me."
"No reason for hitting you? You kissed me! When I was drunk!" Hermione screeched.
Draco shook his head, "You kissed me back, drunk or not. You remember don't you? So you can't pull the whole drunken thing on me. You had a relatively clear head; now deal with the consequences of you actions."
"My actions? You started it."
- "I had my reasons."
"What reasons could you have except using me expecting to get away with it!"
-"You don't understand. Don't bother."
Hermione couldn't reply to the soft, almost pleading reply. She stepped forward, Draco stepped back, looking at her purposely. "Draco," Hermione said doubtfully, "Tell me why."
Draco shook his head and walked away, "Figure it out Granger." This time Hermione didn't follow, but Draco left her feeling like she did something wrong. Confused she returned to the library to seek comfort in her books.
Hermione sat down at her usual table. Draco only referred to her as Granger now if he was really angry or annoyed so Hermione couldn't help but feel like she cross this line which shouldn't have been crossed. Getting up she headed back to their apartment. Draco was draped in an armchair with a book looking moody. Hermione stood next to him, "Why did you kiss me Draco. We don't have feelings for each other, so why?'
Draco closed his book and spoke, without looking at her, "I wanted to make it easier. After buying the rings I realised this was going to be…..for a very, very long time………….we're going to be married, Hermione……..and I needed to…"
Hermione nodded and sat down on the chair across from him, "I guess I needed it too. Marriage, you know, it's so permanent…and demanding. Yesterday was so much fun, we got along like friends. But we're not friends are we? We're more then that but we're not boyfriend or girlfriend, or your average engaged couple. We're in the generation of enforced love. First its hatred, then acceptance, acceptance will grow into appreciation, and appreciation might grow into love or caring. What stage do you think we are?"
Draco smiled at her, "I think we're an alliance. It's us against the world. We need to play our cards right in order for us to win. We need to think of strategies and battle plans and ways to make this, us….work."
Hermione got up and made tea, when she got back Draco looked thoughtful.
"Penny for your thoughts." She said. "I want to sleep with you tonight." I was the unexpected reply. Hermione put the tray down a bit more forcefully then she intended, "I'll keep the penny, I don't need the thought." She decided with a forced smile to him.
Draco leaned forward, "No seriously. We'll be married in two days. We're going to have to eventually. Let's just make it easier."
Hermione got up and moved away from him, "Steady on, we only had our first kiss like five seconds ago." Her voice was shaky, her hands were trembling. She flexed her hand to make the trembling stop, it didn't.
Draco got up as well and took her shaky hands into his own, "I don't mean having sex Hermione."
"Oh," Hermione said in a high voice, taking her hands away from him and turning around, her eyes scanning for an escape.
Draco spoke to her back instead, "No, just sleep in the same bed. Get uhm, accustomed to it."
Hermione bit her lip. She nodded vaguely and fled the room. Draco sighed and sat down, feeling a headache coming.
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Draco got into a bed, alone. Hermione hadn't come back and it was one in the morning, he had been waiting up for her. He supposed she had gone back to the Gryffindor common room. He tried to make a step forward and found himself two steps behind, and was rather frustrated with it.
He rolled over and grunted. Closing his eyes he put his frustration and disapointment aside and forced himself to sleep.
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Hermione opened the door quietly. It was ridiculously late she knew that. She had gone back to the Gryffindor common room and had crawled into bed with Harry and asked him what to do. Harry hadn't been particular helpful, as he wasn't at all keen on the idea of her sleeping with Malfoy but at two he kicked her out as she wouldn't stop tossing and turning with guilt and regret.
Hermione saw Draco's sleeping form. She could make the outlines of his face and almost giggled as she saw that he was frowning in his sleep. She got up at the side where the bed stand was empty and got in carefully. Draco snorted and rolled over so his face was towards her. Hermione sunk down under the covers, and almost jolted back out as she touched his feat. Draco's eyes shot open at her cold feet and looked at her with surprise, "Hermione."
Hermione settled into the cushions and looked at him, "You're right. Pretending it isn't happening when it's right at our doorstep doesn't make any sense." She whispered.
She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Draco turned a couple of times, eventually he settled and Hermione felt herself getting drowsy. She snuggled into his warmth, he pretended to be asleep.