For Every Action

Chapter 8

Author's Note: THIS IS A FLASHBACK!!

A 6^TH YEAR ONE!!

Fluffy, white flakes drifted past the window as I leant back in my chair, stretching out my tense arms, shoulders and back after sitting at a table in the Gryffindor Common Room writing a Transfiguration Essay for the past forty-five minutes. After deciding that it was of the appropriate length (2 feet, 8 inches longer than required) and that I had included the very detailed, very involved process of verti-human transformation. Why anyone would want to become someone else, I had no idea, let alone transform into someone else through a very difficult process.

I sauntered over to the fire to warm my stiff hands after writing. I was alone in the Common Room (or as alone as you can feel when you're the only 16 year old and the only other inhabitants of the room are 11 year olds playing Gobstones). The Hogsmeade trip was this weekend, and I had been planning to go with Harry and Ron. They had disappeared several minutes ago, lord knows where to, and the main reason I quit writing was the odd silence.

The fire crackled sporadically, and the gentle flames radiated heat throughout the Common Room. Without warning, a large ember erupted from its glowing home and lit the hem of my robes and the carpet beneath my feet ablaze.

With a girlish shriek, I jumped off the carpet and cast a water charm (why I didn't cast an extinguishing charm, I've yet to figure out).

"Hydrosena!" I screamed, quite literally hysterical by now. Unfortunately I was a little too vigorous with my charm, and instantly I was sopping wet, water dripping off my now ruined robes and into the puddle of water on the floor as my hair hung in a limp mass down my back.

"What the hell!"

"Hermione, what's going on?!" called Harry as he tumbled down the stairs, Ron in tow. I turned to face them, wet, annoyed and highly un-impressed with their disappearing act.

"Bloody hell, Hermione! What've you been doing?" exclaimed Ron as he collapsed onto the couch with a packet of Conklin's Colourful Crisps, a branch of Fred and George's company, completely ignoring the fact that the rug was wet through.

"Ron, I've just started on fire, and now I've overdone the water charm, so I'm entirely soaked! Could you just quit with the constant picking at me! You are so frustrating!" I shouted, smacking his knee to get his attention, which was currently focused on a slender 5th year that had just entered the Common Room, dressed as if to go clubbing in a clingy pink mini-dress and not much else.

"Wha- what, Hermione? I'm sorry if I said anything about how awful you look today. You know I really didn't mean it, right? Oh, and those decorations you put up for Christmas, they're sodding awful. Really, really bad job."

My jaw nearly dropped to the floor, as I stared, my eyes widening at Ron's comments. I really hadn't taken in what he had said; I was rather pre-occupied with the fact that he said it at all, let alone with such brashness. As though to speak something, I changed my mind, leaving my mouth half open. Ron was crunching chips absent-mindedly, his tongue altering colours with each one. I tore my eyes away from Ron to find Harry's view on the situation. His face was of a rather grayish tone, and his hands were caught up in his hair as though he was trying to rip it out. Harry's eyes were dull and held very little emotion. A shade of disappointment slid across his face; it was only just that I caught it, for less than a second after that he had his emotions under tight rein, and his face was masked with surprise.

Harry returned my gaze, and turned slightly green, as though he was nervous. He merely shrugged towards Ron and shoved his hands in his pockets. By now, I had regained enough sense to close my mouth, but my eyes still kindled a shocked flame, now rapidly being exchanged for fervor of anger. This wasn't the anger I was used to: it was far stronger. Usually, I only ever became annoyed with Ron, but this time it was different. It was quite plain that Harry wasn't going to do anything, so I decided it was my turn to.

"What was that about?" I shouted heatedly, shaking my arms upward, flinging water droplets everywhere.

"Oy! Watch it 'Mione, you're doing the shaggy dog dance!" grumbled Ron through a mouthful of chips.

Breathe, Hermione, breathe. Don't snap totally. Just, let him know that that was definitely not appreciated.

"Ron," I said in a strained voice, trying to be patient, "I think we need to talk." I sat down beside him, but he showed no sign that I was even in the vicinity.

"Harry," Ron practically shouted at me, "let's go down to the kitchens, I feel like something sweet. After all, those House Elves haven't been cooking the same ever since Hermione went all psycho and tried to liberate them." That was all I could handle. In fact, I was surprised I lasted that long.

"What are you on!" I screamed, my fury evident to most if not all of Gryffindor Tower. "You have the guts to just waltz down here and pretend that I'm trying to draw attention to myself, then you insult almost everything I've done! You need to see either a psychiatrist or, or something!" And with that I turned on my heel, trying desperately not to slip on the soaked rug, and exited the Common Room with all possible grace I could muster. Ron made some shady comment from behind me, and Harry shouted something at him before coming after me.

"Hermione, Hermione wait up!" he called as I fled down a staircase leading to the girl's Prefect bathroom. I picked up my pace, but he reached me, catching my arm and spinning me around.

"What did Ron do? Was he on drugs or something? 'Cause that's what my cousin is like all the time. And why didn't you stand up for me? How could you just let him insult me like that without saying so much as a word!?" I was about to continue my tirade, but Harry covered my mouth with his hand, and held my back to prevent my escape.

"Okay, Hermione, take a deep breath. Don't ask me why, but he saw fit to try a disillusionment charm. I don't know which one he cast, or why, but just know that that wasn't Ron, and he probably won't remember anything that's happened," explained Harry. I nodded, and rested my head on his chest, wetting his sweater through. He didn't say a word.

"You're shivering," he said, rubbing my arms and pulling me closer. "Maybe you should go have a nice, long bath. You know, relax a bit. I think it would do you some good."

"Okay Harry. I'll see you in a bit."

"Take your time," Harry called as he ascended the stairs once again.

I didn't reply, I just kept on walking towards the bathroom door, whispered the password and slipped in. I didn't pay enough attention to notice, however, the figure shadowing me, as it skimmed the stairs and leant against the wall in an alcove showcasing a stone gargoyle, sitting, waiting.

~*~

I inhaled deeply as the smell of clean, warm towels surrounded me. It was an hour and a half later, and I was out past curfew. Unintentionally, of course. It wasn't as though Harry and I had snuck off to snog somewhere.

After having dried my robes with a charm, I wrapped myself in them and towel-dried my hair. Baths weren't one of my favorite things; usually, it took so long for me to schedule time in that I had a hard time to commit myself to sitting in a bathtub (or swimming pool, whatever you like) while doing nothing. But now, for no reason, I quite liked it.

Emerging from the bathroom, I flipped my hair over my shoulder and turned left to take the back way to the Gryffindor Common Room. A chill wind ran through the corridor, and I shivered, bringing my robes closer to me. Just as a cup of hot, hot tea was sounding entirely too perfect to my mind, I sensed someone behind me, as though I had eyes in the back of my head. I halted in mid-stride, and took a deep breath before turning to confront my assailant. I found myself speechless as none other than Draco Malfoy was leaning non-chalantly against a stone pillar by the corner I had just turned.

"M- Malfoy," I stuttered, incapable of fast thought process. "What, What're you doing here? It's after curfew, and I've never seen you in this part of the castle before."

Even through the dim shadows, I could see him smirk. He somehow gained a superiority when he smirked. Why, I've no idea, but all of a sudden he seemed not only irresistible but reserved. And not reserved in a bad way, just, apart from the general student body; more mature, you could say. By irresistible, I don't mean shirtless six pack or freshly wet hair; he was much more subtle than that. Malfoy's tie was loosened, and the top button of his shirt was undone while his hands were buried in the pockets of his black trousers.

"Haven't seen you in a while," he remarked, straightening up and walking towards me. I didn't move. " 'Course, the last time we were alone it wasn't exactly like this. I believe you were slightly more active." I blushed at the reference to our kiss. "I thought that we had something there," Draco said quietly, glancing at his feet as he stepped within arm's length of me. "You thought so too, didn't you?" he stated, rather than asked, running a finger down my cheek. I came to my senses, and took several steps backward, all of which he made up.

"No, no I didn't," I replied heatedly, angry with myself that he could make me melt with so little effort. "Besides, that was over a year ago-" But my argument, from his point, was finished.

"As a matter of fact," he interrupted, taking my hands in his, "it's just a year. To the day." I still had my mouth open, and all I could do was nod dumbly. "Let's sit, shall we?" he whispered in my ear, pulling me closer to him and draping his arm around my shoulder, steering me towards the pillars even without my consent. Draco sat me down gently on a particularly wide ledge.

"Hermione, I know I'm not always the best kind of person, or the nicest," Draco began in a composed voice, holding my hand in his. "I just want you to know that I'm not all evil, or corrupt, you know?" As he was relaying the latter sentence to me, I began to laugh. I'm not sure why, nor will I ever be, but when he called himself 'evil' and 'corrupt', I couldn't hold myself anymore.

When Draco first encountered me, I thought he was going to kiss me, and then we were going to go someplace quiet and snog without disturbing anyone. But, then I remembered, I have a boyfriend! It was so easy to forget when Draco walked into a room, any room in fact, that Harry and I were together. When I saw him, I felt like running over to him and kissing him senseless. And then just before I would be about to make my way across the classroom, I remembered just how close to Harry I was sitting, and how he held my hand in his, running his thumb over the bridge of skin between my thumb and forefinger, smiling at me. Then I would slide closer to Harry, somehow feeling protected from the demonic, self-righteous Slytherin.

Several minutes earlier, when Draco had approached me, several instinctive voices kicked in and began shouting various commands. "GO, RUN, NOW!!!" one said, while others were all for mouthing him off and others yet were screaming for me to slap him for simply being there. Needless to say, I ignored them all. Now, I was laughing, and as my fit of giggles wore off, I looked straight into Draco's eyes. They were intense. A deep, intense grey, drawing me in to their strange light.

"I'm sorry," I said finally, speaking slowly as I dropped his gaze. "I just thought it was funny how you described yourself. Evil and corrupt. That's exactly what Harry thinks of you, you know." I added almost wistfully, thinking of Harry up there in the Gryffindor Common Room, waiting for me. Harry! Waiting for me!

"I...I have to go now," I said, pulling away from where we were sitting comfortably together. "Harry... Harry'll be waiting for me." I adjusted my robes as I walked away, but was caught unexpectedly on the arm. Draco pulled on my wrist and sent me flailing into him, and as I hit his chest he kissed me with such a rage of passion I felt dizzy and disoriented when we were through.

"Who gives a damn about Potter," he growled, kissing my collar bone and making his way up my neck, one hand entrenched in my damp hair.

"I do!" I cried out, breaking away from him, my emotions tightly woven. "Harry and I've been dating for over a year and a half! Don't you think I owe my loyalty to him, seeing as we didn't even spend time together until after I was with Harry?"

Malfoy was silent. His eyes hardened over, and he closed his soul to me. They were now portents of a locked, steely grey.

"You know, I never should have kissed you. Or told you anything. I figured you would do this; stand by Potter and forget what you felt for me then; what you still feel for me now."

I was about to retort strongly by saying that I never felt anything, but the words froze in my mouth.

"You're... you're right. Perfectly right," I admitted freely, removing my hands from where they stalled in the air as I was waving them. My eyes downcast, I turned away, trying to decipher the reason I was crying. I think it was mostly because I knew one day I'd have to choose. Pick my favorite and stick with it, no mess ups allowed.

When he realized I was crying, Draco crossed the floor to stand by me and tilted my head towards him and kissed me once again. Not demanding, urgent or rough this time. Just, gently. Reassuringly, as if to say, 'I'll be here no matter what.' And I believed him. I kissed him back fiercely, matching the passion of his previous kiss with my own in this one.

"Hermione, where are you? Hermione, are you still in the bathroom? Hermione?" At the sound of Harry's voice echoing down the corridors, I broke away from Draco and he looked stunned.

"Go!" I hissed, waving my arm up the stairs. He looked puzzled, and then Harry called my name again.

"Hermione?" With that, Draco bounded up the stairs, fleeing from a confrontation with Harry, and I turned the corner, nearly running into him.

"There you are, Mione. I was worried." Harry's eyes were full of concern as he wrapped his arm around my waist, kissing me lightly on the cheek.

"Don't worry about me, I was just finished. Lovely bath," I replied, steering him back the way he came.

Away from our spot.

Away from us.