Abyss

Abyss

It was an uneventful trudge towards the door to Diagon Alley. Neither of them spoke a word or uttered a sound, which was very taxing and very uncomfortable to say the least. Hermione tried hard not to glance behind her, but it proved to be a difficult task to continue ignoring his presence. At several points in their short journey, she thought she heard him mumble something, but it was too low to be understood, and she'd know he was too far. At several points in their journey, the hair on her nape would rise and goosebumps would run across her skin, and she'd know he was too close. She wanted to say something, but she didn't, for what could she say that would make the situation less awkward than it already was?

Fortunately she didn't have to say something, because at the end of their walk he spoke first. "Now what?" he asked, as they stood in front of a brick wall.

Hermione looked left and right, and learned that the brick wall extended in both directions, beyond what her eyes could see. "Well," she said, biting her lip, "Harry told me to move a brick...somewhere around here."

"I don't think I have to point out how many bricks there are in this section of the wall only, let alone the entire length of it!"

She turned sharply towards him. "All right! No need to yell. I'm going to figure it out," she said. With Malfoy watching intently beside her, Hermione placed a hand on a lone brick, and pushed.

Nothing happened.

"Well, that was really exciting. I'm still reeling from it. Why don't you try again?"

She rolled her eyes. "Why don't you try with me?"

"Why should I? You're the one who said you know how this works."

"And you're the one who said if I told you how this works you would have known what to do in case something like this happened."

Malfoy frowned. "I didn't say that."

She wrung her hands out in frustration. "I don't care, okay? Just help me do this, and maybe we could argue later, when we actually have accomplished something." Hermione laid out both palms on the wall, and started pressing. She let out a breath of relief when she saw Malfoy do the same thing.

Moments later, she came across a brick with a corner stuck out. She pushed this corner in, and when she did the whole wall shook. Hermione took a step back, as did Malfoy, as the entire ground quavered with formidable intensity. He moved an arm in front of her, and instinctively she grasped at it, her fingers burying themselves deep on his skin. And then suddenly, spectacularly, the bricks in front of them separated, moving in circles in their respective places before moving away from the center. A small pathway emerged, and through it she could see a familiar street in Diagon Alley. The shaking stopped, and when it did she released Malfoy's arm. Their eyes met for a second, and then she looked away, pretending nothing out of sorts happened. Hermione then stepped through the pathway. He followed shortly, and after him the bricks moved again, closing this time.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley," she heard him say.

They walked, stepping out of a dark, dingy alley and coming to the dark, dingy streets. Hermione shivered as the obvious difference in ambiance and mood of the place confronted her. This shouldn't have surprised her, but it still did. The whole street was so eerily silent and creepily tranquil that an intake of breath would have created a stir. She looked beside her, and noticed that Malfoy was now walking next to her instead of behind her. She drew great comfort from that, because now it didn't feel like she was alone.

It was depressing. The quiet land was pulling her spirits down, and suddenly she felt very low and spent. It didn't really help that it was starting to drizzle a bit. She needed company, someone to talk to, someone to distract her. Naturally, Hermione turned to Malfoy. "You're awfully quiet," she observed, hoping against hope he wouldn't ignore her. "No insult to hurl on me today? Or, perhaps, you're saving them all for more special occasions?"

It took him several moments to reply. "I was just thinking. But since you're practically begging me to insult you, then I would gladly oblige. Will stuck-up Head Girl do?"

She shook her head. "Not very creative, I see."

"I told you," he said, "I was busy thinking."

Her heart thudded in her chest, and she prayed he wasn't thinking what she hoped he wasn't thinking. "About what?"

Malfoy gingerly touched his robe, and wrinkled his nose. "Do you realize that we've been wearing the same set of clothes for four days straight already?"

Hermione could feel the anxiety ebbing from her. She let out a breath she wasn't aware she held back. "So?" she inquired, grateful that her voice didn't betray her inner turmoil. "What have you got against it? We've been cleaning these, anyway."

"It's not the same. Cleaning's most definitely not enough. I could still feel the grime and the dirt..." he trailed off, disgust apparent on his expression. "I want... I need a new set of clothes. And you do, too."

At that time, they were passing through the part of Diagon Alley where the shop of Madam Malkin stood barely open. "Do you want to go inside?" she said, stopping and pointing at the store. "Because you could just easily buy one, if your need is so dire."

He looked very frustrated as he stared at the displays on the window. "That's just it," he said through clenched teeth. "This is the only time I could and would say this, but I don't have any money with me. It shames me to admit that I'm almost as dirt-poor as the Weas--Potters."

Hermione appreciated his tact. "Oh. Well, if that's the case, then don't buy a new one," she said. "You could just borrow from Harry, like I did, or from the other students. Or, if you don't want to do that, then you can settle for a hand-me-down. I imagine that a second-hand robe will suit you just fine."

Malfoy snorted. "Don't mock me, Granger," he said. "I'd have you know I'm more willing to have both my arms cut off than to let anyone make me wear a suit already worn and thrown out by somebody else." He walked away from her. "Come on, we better get moving before this rain pours down on us. I don't want my only robe to get wet."

They started walking again, the wand shop coming closer and closer to sight. "Then you have got a problem. You just have to learn to be contented in wearing those every single day from now on."

He looked morose as she said that, but before she could point out his pathetic vanity the look disappeared, replaced by grim determination. "No," he said. "There's another way."

"And that would be?"

Malfoy fixed her a very serious look. "I'd apparate back to the manor."

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. "What?" she demanded severely.

He looked very content at his own ingenuity. "Think about it. It's the best way to solve this," Malfoy stated. "I could--"

"You can't do that!" she exclaimed. "Are you out of your mind? Do you really have a death wish or something? Because, if you do--"

"It's not like I'm going to let something happen to me or allow myself to be caught! Five minutes, that's all I need to get everything I need - money, food, clothing--"

"You're insane," she spat, infuriated beyond belief. "INSANE, I say! Are you really willing to risk your life just so you could get yourself some money and... and clothes?"

Malfoy looked very shrewd as he said, "I'd get you your nightgown, if you want."

"No! I knew you were vain, but not this... this..." Hermione grabbed him again by the arm. "Don't be stupid, Malfoy! Have you ever thought of the consequences of your actions? Most likely the odds are against you. What if your entire house is charmed? Mrs. Parkinson--"

"Only Malfoys can place a spell on the house," he said, prying her fingers from his arm. "And, in case my parents did, I could easily break--"

"What if there are Death Eaters in your room, huh? Ever thought of that?"

"I could defend myself well. And it's not like--"

"What if... what if..." Hermione racked her skull for something brilliant to say, but damn it, she found nothing else. Panic rose unbidden within her, making all rational thoughts hard to grasp. "You can't do this, Malfoy," she repeated. "You shouldn't do this! I'll... I'll... I'll break your wand before you even try it!"

"Don't make empty threats, Granger," he spoke low. "You know I won't allow you to do that."

"And you know I won't allow you to do it, either," she spoke with deep and true conviction.

The sky heaved, and rain poured. Malfoy looked up, and then at her. Grabbing her hand he said, "Come on."

They ran a short distance, water drenching and sneaking through their clothes and into their skin. By the time they've gone inside an alley they were both dripping wet. The air biting and cold, Hermione rubbed her arms with her hands furiously, searching for warmth she couldn't locate. He had grown quiet and pensive, standing a good distance away from her. Of course, she couldn't put the issue to rest. "Promise me," she said through chattering teeth, "p-promise me you won't go b-back."

Malfoy turned towards her, his face lightly obscured and hidden in the shadows, making it more unreadable. "Why does this bother you so much?" he asked, in a low tone.

She now only had his voice as basis to know his mood. "Would it really affect you if something were to happen to me?"

She didn't have enough energy to play with words with him. Honesty was much simpler and less tiring than lies. "You know it would."

"Why?" he asked again, like a petulant child wanting to hear why he was cherished. "Why does this bother you so much?"

"Because--" she stopped, words and courage failing her at this point. Damn it, she was freezing, and his question... "Because it b-bothers me to have you risk yourself over some worthless junk. It's pointless, it's p-pathetic, and--"

"Why?" he asked again, stepping closer to her, his face now unseen.

"Because it b-bothers me to think that you'd... you would..."

"Die?"

"Or worse." She shook her head. "I don't want you to die," she whispered, and wondered if he heard her. Her voice was small, nothing compared to the loud pit pattering of the water on the ground. Hermione averted her gaze, focusing instead on his shoes. "I don't want you to die."

A few seconds waltzed by, slowly, leisurely, without them saying a word. Then, softly, tenderly, he said, "You're shaking."

"I'm fi--"

But before she could finish, he'd already engulfed her in his arms.

Hermione stood there, her whole body rigid with shock. Malfoy was holding her, his hands resting on her lower back, his robe cloaking her entire form. His clothes were wet, but he was warm enough to comfort her. Her hands, her freezing, shaking hands, began to feel a tingling sensation as incredible heat flowed from his body towards hers.

"Just relax," he said. "This will be over soon."

There was something enigmatic and hypnotizing about his voice, as well as the way his hands began to rub her arms and her back in an attempt to quell the shivering. Before she knew it, her whole body was leaning heavily on him, and her head was already resting on his chest. He received her weight easily, and she knew that if he'd suddenly release her she would fall. At that thought she wrapped her arms around him, just to ensure that he wouldn't dare make her fall. Hermione closed her eyes, as she could feel the pale beating of his heart, and his light breathing. She inhaled, knowing his scent, recognizing it.

"Granger?"

She felt his whole chest rumble as he spoke her name. "Hmm?"

"Are you warm?"

"I'm..." The answer froze on her lips as she slowly, leisurely, opened her eyes. Her eyelids were heavy, so very heavy, as though his holding her made her feel drugged all of a sudden. Hermione couldn't believe that, here they were, standing still and close to each other with nothing between them. She knew she should feel embarrassed, or awkward even, at having him this... intimate against her. No one, not even Harry or Ron, had ever held her this way! She tried to remind herself that this was Draco Malfoy, but that was useless. She still felt safe, protected, though she knew to whom the arms that encircled her belonged to. Why? Why did it feel as though this was expected... desired, even? And, was she the only one thinking this, the only one assuming that there was something to be interpreted differently about this, when in fact this was nothing at all? At that point her eyes widened in alarm, and she looked up. "Malfoy--"

She was effectively silenced when his lips descended upon hers, halting the words meant to bubble from her mouth.

If the fact that he was holding her before shocked her, halting everything within her, then this, this sent her nerves haywire, making everything spin out of control. Her eyes drifted shut again, and she lifted her limp arms and brought it around his neck in an attempt to pull him nearer, closer to her still. This was absurdity, she knew. This was madness, she knew. But the knowledge had not abated her, did not make this less delirious, addicting.

She was cold. He was warm. She was trembling. He was soothing.

It was logical.

It felt right.

He pulled her to him, crushing her chest to his, with a force strong enough to make her moan. The slight pain she felt brought her back to realization, to what she was doing. Her hands fought their way between them, and pushed him away.

"What--" Malfoy mumbled, half-stumbling at the strength she had exerted.

Her cheeks were hot and burning, a sharp and painful contrast to the ice forming in her stomach. "I'm sorry," she muttered, rubbing her arms again. Without him to hold her she felt alone, and cold. "I'm... I'm..."

"Hermione--"

And then, with speed she never knew she had she ran out of the alley and into the streets, into the deafening rain. Each drop soaked and drowned her senses until she felt numb. Hermione heard him calling out to her, calling after her, but she ignored it, just like she ignored the pain in her side, the throbbing of her legs as she ran.

What was she doing? Was she running away from the feeling? Or from the man who caused it?

She was confused. More than that she was scared, of what she was feeling, at the sheer intensity of it.

Escape. That was what she wanted. That was what she was in dire need of...

"Granger!" she heard him yell. He seemed far, too far to reach her...

And just as a pair of hands grabbed her, she fainted.