Clandestine Whispers

>>>>>6 Warped Relationship

Slow, heaving sobs.

Liquid sorrow, gliding down smooth pale cheeks.

Bitter crying, echoing throughout the hallway, the power of emotion causing them to halt in mid-step.

Slowly, Ron and Harry turned to the source of the sound: it came from their left. Frightened, anxious, curious, they peered ever-so-stealthily into the corridor. Down on his knees, fists touching the wall, his head bent down. Their eyes, wide with shock, blinked not once.

Then, with a sharp, shuddering, intake of breath, and a miserable little wail, he slowly lifted up his head, long lashes still covering his sight. With a cry of fury, the tortured soul beat his fists upon the wall. Finally, minutes after, the figure collapsed to the floor in a heap of trembling, sorrowful disarray.

Ashamed of their act of spying, Harry and Ron disappeared down their previous path, as quiet as they had come.

~~*~~

"Do you think it was alright to have left him there, Ron?"

"Oh, forget the little prat. He deserves to have some misery sometimes, instead of always giving it to us. Right?"

"I don't know about that, Ron. I mean, sure, he irritated us, he hates us back, but he never made us feel that bad. What do you think has him in such bad condition?"

Hermione walked up to them, ordinary pile of six or so books in her arms. "Who's in what bad condition? What are you two talking about, Harry?"

"It's Ma-"

"It's nothing, Hermione. Nothing interesting. Just...go back to your homework."

"Ron, I just got back from doing my homework. I'm done! Now spit it out, boys, who is in bad condition?"

"Go down the hallway and see for yourself. We're not going to go meddling in his feelings. Who knew he had any in the first place?"

Giving Ron a don't-say-anymore look, Harry nudged the redheaded boy and they walked past Hermione.

~~*~~

She found him, just pulling his light hooded cloak back around his shoulders, and standing up. His face was seemingly neutral, but this was not a look of indifference. His eyes still spoke of sorrow, and his face was slightly red from tears.

"Malfoy?"

"What do you want, Granger?"

"I..."

Hermione suddenly didn't know what do say anymore. Harry and Ron had seen him, apparently crying? His face was reddish. What was wrong with him?

"You what, Granger? Come to pity me some more?"

"No. I was wondering...how is...how have your injuries been doing? Is your scrape better?"

He sneered. "Didn't think a smart person like you would lie, Granger. You don't call that pity? The scrape is fine. All traces gone. No need for you to feel a twinge of guilt anymore."

Draco turned away.

"Wait! What do you mean, twinge? I felt extremely guilty after that! You saved my life! And I was foolish! I didn't even properly thank you for it, and it was all my fault you got hurt. I...can't say how bad I've felt about all the extra pain I've inflicted upon you. I know sorry isn't enough, and you have no reason to forgive me, but I'd be willing to do anything to make up for what I did, running away like that from you when you needed me most. I was a coward. Please...forgive me, Draco..."

He turned back towards her slightly.

"So? What's it like being head prefect?"

Hermione stood there for a moment, shocked at his abrupt change in subject.

"Well, first of all, you're a prefect, too, Malfoy. We all work together."

"You take charge most of the time though. So just tell me. What's it like?"

"Busy. I have to be very responsible, and authoritative sometimes. And I have a lot more duties than just doing homework and checking up on you prefects. There's a lot more to be done around Hogwarts than people would think. But that's one reason I love it. There's never a dull moment, with so many things to do."

"Hmm. Do you view everything like that? As a duty? A responsibility? As long as it occupies you and isn't a waste of time, you'd do it, no matter what?"

Hermione looked up at him, questioningly. There was something different about him just then, a strange unrecognizable look in his eyes. "Well...if you put it like that...sort of. I mean, most likely, yes. But sometimes...no."

Draco glanced at her, his eyes piercing her, as if trying to read her mind. "When? When no?"

"...Well, when it's something dishonest. When it's something I know I would really never enjoy."

"What if it's something you know you'd enjoy, but it's dishonest?" Hermione glanced up at him again, attempting to read his thoughts through his gaze, but failing. "Well...I-"

"Why, look. It's the know-it-all Gryffindor and spoiled Slytherin. What are you two doing?"

Hermione frowned at the voice, and glanced over towards the source, by Malfoy. He was being mercilessly teased and circled by Peeves, who was repeatedly interrogating the "spoiled Slytherin" about his making "the know-it-all Gryffindor" give him homework answers.

She had to admit, that conversation had livened her spirit up a bit. Draco had actually talked to her, actually sounded interested, and hadn't made too many snide comments. Their relationship -- if it could even be called one -- was still warped, but it was something.

Finally, with a furious yell, Malfoy dodged past Peeves, only to bump into Nearly Headless Nick. Or rather, he went through Nearly Headless Nick. The thing that surprised Hermione was that he walked through the ghost as if Nick was nothing more than a doorway. He didn't even show a hint of a shudder at the fierce iciness Hermione knew walking through a ghost would give a person.

She wondered if his skin was already that cold.

~~*~~

"He has not begun to search for it yet, Master. Not yet. But that only gives us more time to take it, and for you to work your powers upon it. The Death Eater does not yet know about it, Master. He has trained the boy up properly. All he has left to do now is one more part. We will have no problems. Just a few more days, and the boy will search for it. "

A hissing, raspy voice echoed through the empty marble halls.

"And he will find it, Wormtail. He will find it in even better, specialized condition than before."