Heart in Agony

Chapter 6

"Well, what is it?"

"Are you wearing Potter's invisibility cloak? Take it off Granger. I'd like to be able to see you while I'm talking to you."

"First of all, how do you know about Harry's invisibility cloak? And secondly...you have no right to tell me what to do. You used me like some cheap whore. You told me you loved me because you knew how I felt about you and how it would make me feel. You took advantage of my feelings to win a bet."

While Hermione was talking Draco had been working out exactly where she was standing. Just as she finished he sprung forward and pulled the cloak off her. He could now see her quite clearly. She was standing in front of him wearing jeans and a t-shirt and her hair was messed up. As he stared at her all he could think was that she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen.

Hermione noticed that he was staring at her. That look in his eyes, could it be love? He confused her so much. If it really was love then why was he so cruel to her. As she remembered the way he had humiliated her earlier on that day rage built up inside her. She hated him.

"Why the hell are you doing this Malfoy? What did I ever do to you to make you think that you can treat me this way?"

"You don't understand...I..."

"You what? Did Daddy not approve of you sleeping with a mudblood? Are you too much of a coward to act like a real man and at least tell me that you didn't care about me? That you used me."

"You don't know what you're talking about. And my father wouldn't approve if you must know. As a matter of fact, he'd kill me if he found out that I even liked you. I hated you up until a few weeks ago. I can't love you. I feel like I do, but I must just be confused. People's feelings don't just switch so quickly. I'm not going to risk my life for lust."

"Look at yourself. You're such a coward you can't even admit that you lied to me! If you even had so much as a doubt in your mind that you loved me you wouldn't have even considered cashing in the bet!"

"You are so stupid sometimes Granger. What do you think I was trying to tell you up in the Astronomy tower on Christmas Eve. I didn't just start talking to you for no reason. I told them we slept together months ago. I was going to try and persuade you to go along with it for half of the money. But something prevented me from talking. And, I'm not a coward."

"You mean you didn't tell them about what happened that night?"

"No, I didn't for the same reason I denied we slept together to Pansy, I assume you were in the room at that point. I don't want everyone knowing and she would tell everyone. Don't look at me like that, you don't want Potty to find out do you? The way I told the guys it was meaningless, I don't want them thinking any different."

"Wait, that reminds me, you were going out with Pansy when we slept together. Why didn't you mention it?"

"Well I just assumed everyone knew and also, that would have somewhat ruined the mood wouldn't it! Did you honestly not know we were going out?"

"No, I just heard two girls talking about it in your common room and that was the first time I'd heard it mentioned since the Yule ball."

"Two girls were talking about me and Pansy?"

"Well, about the break-up."

"But, we just broke up there. That's why I called her into my room. Who were the two girls?"

"It was just two girls gossiping. One of them had seen pansy crying and she probably just assumed...wait, one was called Sarah. They both looked vaguely familiar and I think they're probably one or two years below us."

"Sarah? Was the other called Kirsty?"

"Yeah! Do you know them?"

"Jesus Christ, everybody knows them! Look, I want you to promise me something. Never talk to them. And, if you see them again, don't go anywhere near them. They're not normal."

Hermione stared at him, trying to work out if he was being serious or not. Everything about him told her that he was but it made no sense. They had seemed perfectly normal to her. Well apart from the salami but that didn't seem like a reason to avoid them.

"So, they're a little strange. I'll watch out for them."

"No. Listen to me, they are not just a little strange, they are psychopaths, both of them. They seem a little eccentric if you talk to them, but there is something seriously wrong with them. Sarah for example, she tried to kill one of the Hufflepuff first years last year."

Hermione didn't know what to do but laugh. Did Draco honestly believe what he was saying?

"I find it very hard to believe that she would almost kill someone then be allowed to stay on in school. Also, even if she somehow managed to avoid expulsion, it would be around the whole school in no time."

"Slytherins protect each other. I was one of the ones who found her standing over the little girl preparing to strike. We gave the girl a memory potion and basically covered it all up for Sarah. We just assumed that the girl had done something to Sarah and she was retaliating, that was before we realised that she wasn't right in the head."

"You're being serious? Well, wait a minute, why was she trying to kill the girl then?"

"I don't know for sure, but she was saying something about the girl having a dirty soul. She kept saying that the only way to truly cleanse her was through death."

"And Kirsty, what's wrong with her?"

"She's pretty much a less extreme version, although she does everything Sarah tells her too. Also, apparently she sneaks out in the middle of the night to see Snape of all people but I don't know if that's true. All you need to know is that she's dangerous as well."

They talked for about an hour, discovering lots of things about each other. They realised that they had a lot in common, both of them were fed up with their friends and family. Both longed to just leave but knew that they couldn't. Draco told her about the nightmares he'd had since he had first seen his father murdering a muggle. He had been nine years old and ever since almost all of his dreams had been filled with the girl's screams, and the vision of her lying on the ground in a heap, so weak from the beatings that she couldn't even cry any more.

He had had to pretend to his father that he enjoyed the sight but deep in his heart he had been crying. He had learned at a young age that it was useless to cry. It change the past. Nothing could. Hermione was shocked at what she heard. Draco had been through so much in his life and his way of coping was to try and block out the feelings. All of these years she had assumed he didn't care about hurting people, and had even made fun of him for it, but in fact it had taken over his life. She listened to all he had to say and told him a few of her stories about growing up, although nothing compared.

"You know what Granger," he said after they had both run out of stories, "I like having you around!"

"Well, that was almost a compliment! But, I like having you around too."

"And, in case you have forgotten, I'm not going out with Pansy any more so I am therefore available. And lots of other young ladies will be trying to seduce me now! So..."

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend Mr Malfoy?"

"I might be! But it would have to be in secret. Midnight rendezvous and all that! If the other members of your little group found out they would accuse me of rape then kill me. It wouldn't be very pleasant!"

"Also your Slytherin comrades wouldn't take too kindly to me stealing away their leader. Alright then, let's have a secret relationship!"

There was a twinkle in her eye as she moved in front of him and offered him her hand to shake.

"Honestly Granger, I had something else in mind!"

He was grinning as he pulled her down on top of him on his bed. They kissed each other like the world was about to end. As they pulled each other's clothes off neither could wait for what was about to come. Neither one could think of anything but being with each other.

Pretty soon Draco was inside her. He went slowly at first so as not to hurt her but his body was aching for more and the look in her eyes told him that hers was too. When he came it was like an explosion inside her and at that moment both were in ecstasy.

They lay beside each other, it was almost midnight and it had been a long day. They were both tired and on the verge of falling asleep. Draco reached over and stroked Hermione's face and she turned to look at him. He kissed her on the end of her nose and whispered, "I'm not confused any more. I love you and I know that I will forever."

"Forever is an awfully long time."

"It's not long enough!"

"Ha! Yeah, well, I love you too!"

And as Hermione fell asleep in his arms for the second time, Draco swore to himself that he would never let it be any other way.