Fire Melts Ice

Chapter 4--This Means War

Once Hermione collected herself and remembered that it was Friday and she had Herbology, she resolved herself to go to class and somehow ignore the words of Harry and Ron's. As she passed through the doors to leave, she caught sight of Parvati and Lavender, who she attached herself to. They were, unfortunately, discussing Draco.

"If only he were a little nicer, he really wouldn't be that bad at all," pointed out Lavender. "He's got a very nice body."

"Ooh! I know. Last week, when Slytherin was playing Hufflepuff and his robes came off when he caught the snitch and rolled off his broom..."

"I wouldn't have minded being the one to help him up. I'm so glad he wasn't hurt. It was only a couple of meters. I wouldn't have minded bringing him his Potions homework if he was in the hospital wing either."

You've got to be kidding me, moaned Hermione to herself. Of all the guys in the school they could be talking about, it has to be Draco. Why him? As if I don't think about him enough. And that kiss.

"What do you think about him, 'Mione?" asked Parvati.

"Me?" Hermione's thoughts raced. That's he's a very sexy, inexplicable bastard who I wish would vanish off the face of the earth!! "He's...not as good-looking as Leo." Please, please let them talk about Leo now. Or anyone but Draco.

"Leo? He's that Ravenclaw sixth-year, isn't he?" pegged Lavender. "Yeah, I saw him. He is awfully cute. Do you have a crush on him, Hermione?"

"No, not in the least. I just think he's got very nice eyes."

Luckily for Hermione, the two other girls then proceeded to discuss Leo and other guys besides Draco for the duration of Herbology. Unluckily, Harry looked away immediately whenever she caught his gaze, and Ron made no move to talk to her.

She tried focusing on what Professor Sprout was saying for awhile, but she had already read the chapter and knew everything, so it wasn't as interesting as it could have been. Plus the memory of that kiss wouldn't leave her alone. She had already been through Draco's possible mentalities when kissing her, and not one of them made sense. There was just no plausible explanation for Draco's actions.

By the end of the day, Hermione was starving, and if she wanted food she knew she'd have to go to dinner with everyone else, because she had to do the rounds herself. It was not something she was looking forward to. She stayed in her dorm until she knew the meal had already begun, then hurried over to where Ginny was seated with Colin and Neville. Saying only brief hellos and refusing their offers of a seat, she took two rolls and left immediately.

On her way out, however, someone grabbed her arm. She spun around, half expecting it to be Draco, and saw Ron. "What?" she asked coldly, assuming he'd taken Harry's side and had only stopped her to affirm that, "Spit it out."

Ron indignantly raised his eyebrows at her. "Excuse me for trying to be nice to you."

"Sorry," she said, softening a little.

"Harry's not really going to apologize for what he said earlier, but he really is sorry. 'Mione, that wasn't the best way to tell him. What did you expect to happen?"

"It wasn't my fault! He just burst in on me and it just wasn't right. I can't see him that way, I'll never be able to. I thought I would be able to... I would have told him a different time, more gradually, but he didn't give me a choice."

"Hey, I'm not accusing you, it's too late now, anyway. I'm just trying to get you to see it his way. Listen, you can't never talk to each other again."

"Well, I can't very well go up to him and just apologize. He doesn't want me anywhere near him. I'd be standing there like a stupid git, waiting for him to accept. He'll be sitting there quietly glaring at something and pretending I'm not there."

"It wouldn't be like that."

"Oh really? I quite think it would."

"Just... come down to the pitch tomorrow when we're practicing. It's Saturday and you can do your homework some other time. It would mean a lot to him, show him that you still want to be friends."

"On one condition. Let me go now." Hermione removed his hand from her arm and fled the Great Hall.

******************************************************************************************

Draco was very pleased with his plan. As far as he could tell, it was working wonderfully. Even better than he had hoped, really. He looked up from his dinner to see Hermione come in late and walk quickly over to the Gryffindor table, but not to Weasel or Potty. A few seconds later, she had turned to leave again, but before she slipped out, Weasel caught her.

"Look," sneered Draco. "Is Potty having some girl difficulties? She won't talk to him so he had to send the Weasel to bring her back? Imagine having to force girls to like you. I didn't think Potty was inclined to stoop that low..."

Blaise snickered. "Yeah, I heard she dumped him when he showed up in her room. Isn't that hilarious? The boy who thinks he's perfect gets ditched by a stupid little muggle-born."

Draco raised his eyebrows and laughed, but inside his heart twinged. Hermione was crying in the library this morning... I remember tasting her tears: salty and sweet... What did Potty do that made her break up with him and spend breakfast crying in the library? Scumbag... He'll never deserve her. Argh!! Draco stabbed himself in the hand with his fork. Stop thinking about her that way! For God's sake, pull yourself together!

"Malfoy, are you okay?" asked Blaise. As far as he could tell, Draco had just purposely stabbed himself with an eating utensil. Draco sometimes does odd things, but they aren't usually to himself.

"I'm fine," snapped Draco. "Have you ever known me to be otherwise?" I am not fine. Why am I still thinking about her? She's supposed to be the one having dreams and pesky little thoughts! Bloody hell... "I'm going to the library. Don't bother joining me," he announced abruptly, and left a very confused Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle behind.

Somewhere deep in his subconscious, Draco sincerely hoped that the library was where Hermione was headed. Of course, he would never admit that to himself. No, he was busy convincing himself that he was going to the library because that's the last place Pansy or any of the other Slytherins would go to look for him. When he got there and proceeded straight to the back corner where he had followed Hermione to the previous time, he had a harder time explaining to himself the heavy weight that settled in his stomach. There was no small, huddled, weak figure sitting with her back to the wall and trying to retain her last bit of composed dignity. Draco sunk down dejectedly to the floor and stared absentmindedly at the wall for awhile. He wasn't sure how long he had been there before he looked around and saw the book that she had angrily thrown at him still lying on the floor. So she hadn't put it away. I really did get to her. He rose then stooped and swept it from the floor in one fluid movement, and tucked it under his arm. The Ancient Study of Wand Residues. He didn't think that he'd ever actually be interested by a book like that, but, regardless, he checked it out and took it with him back to his dorm.

He had just set it down on the table beside his bed when Apricot walked in. She was Pansy's sister who was a year younger and a bit sexier than her older sister. She had a supermodel body and a reputation for being less of a whore than a certain relation of hers. However, Draco had his doubts considering the way she was attired when she greeted him. Her robes were a thin silky material and barely hung onto the edges of her shoulders. And her smile certainly wasn't naïve.

"Hello, Dray. I heard that you hadn't had such a great day. I was hoping maybe I could give you a message if you would help me with a bit of my potions homework. I heard you were an expert on the matter. I'm not too bad myself, but it's so much more fun with another person to help..." she purred.

Screw it. Screw self-control, screw ethics, screw school rules, screw Hermione. I need something else to think about. What better distraction? Blaise couldn't even get her, and here she is offering... "I'd be more than happy to help you," he whispered softly.

"Not here. If Pansy were to walk in... I do not like sharing."

Draco frowned. Pansy was always a complication. The thing pursued him like a leech. "There are many options. I can think of the perfect classroom in which to conduct our... brewing. Shall I lead you there?"

"I'd be very grateful. And then, of course, I'd have to find some way to make it up to you."

"Oh, that won't be a problem, I can think of several ways. Leave now and I'll meet you out in the hall in five minutes. And, if Pansy's in the common room, get rid of her somehow so she won't pounce on me when I come through. That would be most inconvenient."

"Oooh." Apricot reached out and let one graceful finger run down Draco chest. Then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I love men who know what they want." One graceful spin later, she had left his room.

******************************************************************************************

Terry wasn't even in the room when Hermione walked in. I can't really blame him. It was really irresponsible for me not to show up like that. At least I'm making it up to him now. I'll have every other night off, because he's not going to agree to accompany me now that I didn't show up that one night. But I don't have anything to worry about anymore, really, because Draco doesn't seem inclined to physically hurt me. Just mentally. And I'm stronger than him in that department. If I refuse to play his mind games, then they're over...Or I could play, too.

This new idea appealed to Hermione very much. He thinks he can just mess with me all day, does he? Well, he's going to get another thought very soon. This means war, and Hermione Granger does not lose when it's a mental war. Even against Malfoy and all his evil little plots that his mind is constantly coming up with. I need to learn to think like him... That's my weakness. He's got a head start. So far, his family's devoted their lives to figuring out how people like me react to different things and how we can be manipulated. Ooh, a polyjuice potion would be so useful right now... But there are other ways to figure out what makes him tick. Draco Malfoy had better watch his back.

But right now I have other things to worry about. Now I have to do my rounds. Tomorrow I can think about how to drive Malfoy insane. Oh... I promised Ron I'd go to their quidditch practice. And then they have a match against Slytherin Sunday. Well, that still gives me most of Saturday and if I take my homework to the match, I'll hopefully have some extra time to learn to think like a Slytherin. She glanced at the clock. Actually, I have a bit of time right now to do something. A banner for the match. Yes, maybe that will help prove to Harry that I still care. She set about summoning scraps of material and magicking them together at once.

******************************************************************************************

Draco stripped off his robe, jumped onto his bed, and grabbed his cologne, which he then applied liberally to his chest. No girl would ever be able to say Draco Malfoy didn't smell and look heavenly. After the cologne came oil. He rubbed it carefully into his abs and torso. Viewing himself in the mirror finally, he nodded, satisfied, to his reflection and pulled his robes back over his very sexy body.

The common room was crowded, because it was after curfew, but Pansy wasn't one of the many girls who stared up longingly at him as he passed through purposefully. Some of them may have guessed what he was leaving for, but he knew that none of them would bother to tell Pansy. Blaise caught his eye and winked with a smirk to rival Draco's famous one. Draco didn't acknowledge he had received the sign of approval at all and continued to the wall and out into the school.

As soon as the stone slabs thudded shut behind Draco, Apricot sauntered forward to slip her arms seductively around him. He, however, took her two wrists in one of his large hands and pulled her forward. "Patience, patience, Apricot. The classroom isn't too far."

He released her hands and strode quietly away from the Slytherin dungeon, knowing that she would follow him. And she did. He led her to the end of the corridor they were in, then up another one that rose gently in elevation. Once he had to press her behind a suit of armor to avoid Mrs. Norris. Her back was to the wall and his body was right against it. The unwanted memory of his kiss with Hermione in the library popped into his head, and he pushed his body harder against Apricot to distract himself. She responded with a sigh and grabbed to fistfuls of his blonde hair.

"Don't make me scream yet," she hissed into his ear. "Patience, patience, Draco."

As soon as the mangy cat had padded away suspiciously, Draco pulled Apricot out from the alcove in the wall and walked on. Less than a minute later, he reached a door with a dragon etched below the knob. He turned to Apricot. "Welcome to a shard of heaven burning with the sin of hell." The door, recognizing its password, clicked and swung open.

"Impressive." Apricot glanced inside and saw a small room with a sofa. Everything was clean and without dust. "Did you create this place?"

"I... modified it. The walls are soundproof."

Apricot stepped forward and slipped her arms into his black robes. This time Draco didn't protest. Instead, he lowered his head to her neck and drove her into the room, kicking the door shut behind him.

******************************************************************************************

Hermione stood up and looked down at her handiwork. The Gold glistened beautifully in the griffin and it rippled gently on its own. She had bewitched little round scraps that looked like the quaffle, bludgers, and snitch to zip around the shimmering red material to which the griffin was attached.

She glanced at the clock again. "Oh!" It was past curfew, and she was already supposed to be on patrol. It wasn't as if her and Terry's job was that awfully important. The teachers, Filch, and Mrs. Norris were always wandering around, too, but the idea was that the Heads, as students, would have a batter idea of where their peers would be if they weren't in their common room. What the teachers hadn't considered was that the Heads were usually the best students in the school, and therefore not involved in any of the cliques that wandered around after curfew.

Just the same, whenever it was her turn, Hermione would patrol the hallways dutifully and listen sharply for any sounds. That night, her feet took her down in the direction of the Slytherin dungeon. She knew that there wasn't really a chance that she would see Draco, and that that was probably a good thing, but she went anyway.

As she was walking down a dark ramp that descended to the Slytherin hallway, she heard a muffled sound. Hermione froze and listened harder. Something that sounded vaguely like a moan reached her ears and she crept forward timidly. Hermione had a fairly accurate guess as to what she was hearing, but she sincerely hoped that she was mistaken. The disturbing sounds seemed to be coming from a slightly ajar door, which Hermione slowly and hesitantly approached.

She reached for the knob and saw a picture of a dragon carved into the wood on the door. At the exact same moment, she heard a female voice gasp, "Draco!" and moan.