Abyss

Abyss

Fear immediately clouded his mind; his thoughts were filled with images of her death, in his hands, by his own wand. "Damn it," Draco said as he pressed the back of his palm to her mouth. Truly enough, frighteningly enough, his suspicion was confirmed when he felt that no amount of air were coming from it. He grabbed her hand and felt for the vein on her wrist; there he found a very faint but a relatively stable pulse. Draco wasted not any more time; he quickly covered her mouth with his own and breathed into it, his intention was to give her air to fill her lungs. He watched as her chest rose and fell, but it never did this on its own, without his assistance. He breathed into her again, and this Draco repeated for at least five more times. When, after all he did, Granger still refused to wake, he lifted his hand and slapped her hard; all his frustration, anxiety and guilt merged into that one, brutal act. "Wake the hell UP!"

Only after that did Granger open her eyes and started gulping in large amounts of air. Her mouth was opening and closing like that of a fish; like she was trying to eat air instead of breathing it. She struggled to sit, and breathed deeper, louder; already her cheeks were starting to color again.

The relief Draco felt on seeing her alive, breathing, was immense. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and turned her to face him. "Granger," he said. "Are you--"

His words were halted when she removed his hand from her shoulder quite quickly and slapped him. Not enough to leave a mark, but enough to stun. "What--"

He was stopped again when she slapped him a second time, this time on the other cheek. And this time, that second slap stung, almost a reminiscent of the one he gave her earlier. "How dare--"

"Those aren't enough." Her voice sounded almost rusty to his ears. Granger looked at him, and despite the fierceness of her eyes he noticed that there were tears in them. "You tricked me. Again. You said there were no risks, and once again I proved to be too gullible for my own safety by trusting you!"

"I didn't trick you," Draco claimed. "It was an accident!"

"One that very nearly ended my life!" Granger stood, and he can't help but notice that she was trembling terribly. Her voice still had that distinct roughness in it, as though she had been choked. "If you haven't noticed, then let me tell you: I wasn't breathing for who knows how long--"

"Oh, I've noticed all right. Who do you think revived you?"

"And then you had the nerve to SLAP me! I knew you were a git, but I never knew you were that type of--"

"It was the only thing I could think of! What would you rather me to do, throw a glass of water at you?" When she glared down at him, Draco sighed and decided to stand up. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I never meant for the spell to end up that way--"

"You've never transfigured a person before, haven't you?"

There was an accusing tone in her voice that he simply cannot dismiss. But Draco thought it wise to admit the truth than tell her otherwise. "No. I've only practiced on things. Never on people." He really didn't think telling her that he also practiced on house elves would help. Draco peered closer at her; she still had that paleness that he found a bit worrisome. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She breathed deeply before she answered, "Aside from the fact that I nearly died for the second time in two days, I'm fine."

"Would you like to lie down for a while?" he suggested.

His voice had a noticeably subdued tone to it, and that was probably the reason why she was looking at him oddly. Granger nodded, before she made her way towards the sofa.

"No... no." When she glanced at him, Draco gestured to the furniture beside the sofa. "Take the bed." At the surprised expression on her face, he continued, "Go on. It's, um... it's more comfortable than the sofa."

"I'd be the judge of that." Granger moved towards the bed and tentatively sat on the corner. She threw a brief look at him, as though she was telling him that this was his idea, before she finally lifted her feet off of the carpet and laid on the center of the bed.

"Do you want anything? Some tea, or pumpkin juice, or--"

"Stop it. Your hospitality is making me feel uncomfortable. I'm not used to it."

"Well," Draco muttered as he walked to stand beside his bed, "the least you can get from me after having a near-fatal accident is my hospitality."

"Now I'm pretty sure that's just your guilt talking," she scoffed.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I do know how to be kind, you know. It usually manifests itself--"

"After you very nearly kill someone?" Granger smirked at him. "Maybe I should get almost killed more often to force you to be kinder to me."

"I can guarantee that I'll kill you myself first before another one like that happens."

This time, a small smile appeared on her face. "Whatever happened to the one who was trying to make me comfortable only moments ago? You seem to be back to your usual, nasty self."

Draco shrugged carelessly, but this time a smile was also evident on his face. "He got over his guilt."

"Huh," Granger muttered. "Figures that you'll make him disappear before I even got the chance to exploit his... kindness."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Is this a hallucination, or are we actually having a civil conversation?"

She shook her head. "There's really nothing quite like a near-death experience to make people bond."

"So we're... bonding?"

"No. It was a figure of speech."

"Hmm."

"Hmm." With her hand, Granger touched the mahogany quilt that covered the bed. "You're right."

"About...?"

"Your bed being more comfortable than the sofa." She raised her eyes at him. "But I guess you won't know that, since I assume you've never slept on the sofa before."

"You assume correctly." Draco then walked away from the bed. "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

Granger shook her head again.

"Then you should rest. I'd just be down at the library."

He was opening the door when she spoke, "Malfoy?" He turned towards her, one hand poised over the doorknob.

She looked almost hesitant to speak, but she did as she fidgeted with the blanket that now covered half her body. "Thank you... for saving me. Again. Though of course, this time it was your fault why I was in danger in the first place--"

"This is your way of thanking me?" Draco muttered in disdain. "I thought you know how to properly express your gratitude? I seem to remember you telling me so last night."

"Fine, then." Granger disappeared under his blankets. "Thank you. Now get the hell out."

Draco did a mock half-bow. "As you wish, Milady."

*

When Hermione awoke later that afternoon, she found out that Malfoy was busy reading through some of the materials that she assumed he'd taken from his trip to the library. "What time is it?"

"A little past two in the afternoon."

"How long was I asleep?"

He glanced at her before he returned to his books. "Three hours. Maybe four. I wasn't keeping count."

Hermione lifted the blankets off her body and dragged her feet to the side. She stood up, and walked towards his place. She saw that, beside him, was a platter filled with bread, cheese, and fruits. Before she spoke, he beat her to it. "I've brought you your lunch."

"Thank you." She on the chair opposite his and grabbed the bread similar to the one she ate the night before. After she swallowed, she said, "Have you eaten already?"

He nodded.

"Oh, yes, I forgot. You eat downstairs."

"Actually," Malfoy licked a finger and used it to turn a page, "I ate here. Only you were still asleep. Soundly, I might add. I've already asked Becky to clean up after me."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "You ate here? But what about your parents? Surely it would've roused suspicion--"

"They're not here."

"Where are they?"

"On a trip."

"To where?"

Malfoy shrugged. "Who knows? My mother just said that they'd be gone for a week, and that usually means they'll be gone for a month or so." He paused, as though he read something interesting, before he continued. "It was my mother who came in here earlier, and that was the reason why I turned you to a book." He looked at her. "Do you want to know what type of book you turned into?"

"Do tell."

He smirked. "You were a first edition of Hogwarts, A History, which isn't surprising at all since I've heard that you practically had the book memorized."

"Well, you've heard wrong. I didn't memorize the book, it's just that I happen to remember all the important details." Hermione lifted her chin and squared her shoulders proudly.

"When you say all the important details, do you mean all the words on all the pages?" Malfoy grinned at her, which she found to be a pretty annoying sight.

"Oh, shut it." She pointed at the book he was reading. "What's that?"

"I've been reading through the transfiguration spells again," he answered. "And I still haven't found out why the spell didn't--"

"It wouldn't matter much, anyway."

Malfoy stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"You won't be using it on me anymore, since we both know what happened the last time." A chill ran through her body as she recalled, but she dismissed it quickly.

He looked away. "I really don't understand how it couldn't have worked," Malfoy admitted. "I mean, dark arts or not transfiguration spells aren't that difficult to perform--"

"Maybe it failed because you weren't supposed to transfigure a person to a book," she suggested. "Maybe you were supposed to transfigure me to living, breathing thing instead of a non-living one."

"But how about McGonagall?" Malfoy reasoned. "She's been teaching us to transfigure animals to slippers and teacups... how come the animals return to their original state unharmed?"

"I suppose humans are different," Hermione told him. "Think about it. When Professor McGonagall transforms herself, she does so into the form of a cat. Rita Skeeter transforms herself to a beetle. Even Sirius Black, he becomes a dog!"

Malfoy looked unconvinced. "But those are animagis!"

"And?" she asked. "Aren't they transfiguring themselves in the process of becoming their animal selves?"

Hermione found out just how stubborn Draco Malfoy was when he set that mouth of his to a determined line. "No," he insisted. "That's not it. There's got to be another explanation for all these." He furiously browsed through his book.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

A few more minutes passed without a word spoken between them. Hermione had already finished eating, and when Malfoy noticed that, he summoned Becky and the house elf came to clear the dishes away. She did so in a hurry, and with a snap she'd disappeared. Hermione was about to reach for one of Malfoy's books when he looked at her. "What?" she asked, as she'd noticed that his eyes were intent.

"You're going to transfigure me."

She blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said," Malfoy thrust the book at her, "you're going to transfigure me."

Hermione looked down on the open book on her lap; there she found a complicated-looking transfiguration spell that called for one thing, whatever it was, to be transfigured into a plant. "I'm going to turn you into a... a plant?"

"It's a safety measure," he said, "to make sure that if I do the same to you, you'd be safe, and you won't end up half-dead again."

"I thought I told you that you won't be--"

"Would you rather that I send you off to an unfamiliar place to hide? Or, perhaps you have another of your ingenious suggestions on how I should keep you hidden here. Care to share it with me, then?"

Hermione tried again, for she surely didn't want to use a dark spell on him! "I thought you don't believe in my theory?"

"As of now, anything, even stupid theories are worth a try."

She threw a venomous look at him. "And what if you end up half-dead this time? Won't I be in a bigger trouble, then?"

Malfoy shrugged. "You'd be able to escape, so as long as you have my wand."

"I can't believe you're serious over this," she said. "I mean--"

"You can do this." He stood up and took his wand out of his robe. He handed it to her.

"H-how?" she stammered, as she took the wand. Hermione read at the pages of the book she clutched frantically. "I mean, I need at least a few hours to practice--"

"What do you reckon I'm here for? Of course I'd teach you. I wouldn't want to endanger myself." Malfoy gestured at her. "Stand up."

She did as she was told, but not without a few protests.

"Now." He walked behind her, and gripped her hand with his. "Make a sign almost similar to the number fourteen on the air, like this." Malfoy moved her hand precisely as he said. "Then say the words Iva Halman. Say it with me. Iva Halman."

"Iva Halman."

"Good," Malfoy said. He stepped away from her. "Now, be the exemplary student that you always are and turn that chair into a plant."
Hermione looked at him in surprise. "You can't possibly expect me to be able to do it on the first try!"

"'Try' being the operative word?" He pointed at the chair. "Do it."

She exhaled, and then pointed at the chair. Hermione began waving the wand a few times before she lowered it. "I can't do it."

"Sure you could, I mean, you're not McGonagall's pet for nothing."

Hermione glared at him, and then turned to the chair. "Iva Halman!"

A blue strip of light emanated from her wand and struck the chair. Within moments, the chair was engulfed in a blue light and they both saw that it was shrinking until it resembled a small patch of grass on the floor.

After the blue light had gone, and they saw what became of the chair, Hermione let out a shriek of glee. When she looked at Malfoy, she could see that he was smiling, too.

"Impressive," he said. "Now, turn me."

The smile on her face vanished in an instant. "Why don't we try on... on another chair, or something else?"

Malfoy shook his head. "No. Better try the spell on me now while you still have a firm grip on it."

Hermione clutched at her wand. "How am I going to turn you back?"

"Finite Incantatem would do."

She was very hesitant as she pointed her wand at him, but she could clearly see that he was just as resolved to be the recipient of the spell this time. Hermione carefully did the number fourteen on the air before she said, "Iva Halman!"

A blue strip of light emanated from her wand again, and when it struck Malfoy he let out a howl of pain before he doubled over, and fell to his knees on the floor. Hermione was about to rush towards him when she saw that the blue light had him completely covered, and Malfoy shrank and changed color until she could no longer recognize what part was his skin and what part were his clothes. Another couple of seconds passed before she saw what had become of him.

Malfoy turned out to be a plant, all right. He turned out to be a thin, long vine that had sharp thorns protruding out of its dark green skin.

Hermione did not waste any more time. "Finite Incantatem!"

In seconds, the spell was reversed, and Malfoy returned to his original self. This time, when she rushed at him there was no blue light to stop her. She knelt by his side. "Malfoy," she called as she shook him, "Wake up."

When he didn't wake, Hermione lifted her hand to slap him, but before her hand made any contact with his skin, he was able to stop it. "No slaps necessary," he drawled. "I'm awake."

She looked at his hand that was clamped on her wrist to his opened eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Malfoy sat up. "No near-death experiences for me, thank you very much."

Hermione grinned. "It works!" she said triumphantly. "I did it!"

"Impressive," Malfoy muttered again, as he stood up. "Well at least we now know what I'd be turning you into the next time I perform the transfiguration spell on you."

"Yes, we do." Hermione stood up as well. She looked at him. "You know, I think the things we turn into somehow reflects our personality. I mean, I turned into a Hogwarts, a History book for no apparent reason except--"

"Granger," Malfoy said in a bored tone, "are you going anywhere with that?"

"Yes, actually, I am." She cocked her head to one side. "Do you want to know what type of plant you turned into?"

He looked at her, the expression on his face anything but interested. "Do tell."

There was no small amount of glee on her face when she said, "You were a thorny vine."