Bloodlust

Chapter IX

Hermione paced back and forth in her bedroom. She'd been doing that since morning, and it was already near noon. She needed to talk to Narcissa, but she wasn't there to pay a visit in the morning. Kreacher was sent to bring her breakfast instead of Narcissa. It'd be helpful if Kreacher knew where Narcissa is, but he just ignored Hermione's queries about her whereabouts. She wondered if Narcissa remembered her request on getting a copy of the daily prophet. She really needed information from outside, desperately needing information. She wondered if Narcissa was just in the next room to hers but she can't dare to walk out her door and risk an encounter with Draco. He could pop out anywhere at any time.

She glanced at her wall clock. She can't wait for lunch to see Narcissa. Last night, she heard a loud explosion not far from her. It woke her up from her slumber, and it sounded detrimental, coiling her heart in fear. The ground under her shook as well right after she heard the explosion. She kept thinking all night about what caused the explosion and where it happened. It disrupted her record of peaceful nights.

Her heart was racing as she paced in her bedroom, her mind almost hurting as she rummaged it. The fact that there was an explosion last night and she haven't heard from Narcissa, she hardly convinced herself that nothing was going on. Hermione paused from pacing and bit the base of her thumb as she listened to the footsteps sounding near her. The footsteps were heavy, and it sounded familiar but, she was certain it wasn't Narcissa's.

As the footsteps sounded nearer, Hermione unconsciously took a step backwards.

It was Draco's footsteps outside her bedroom. Not a second passed when his knocks followed. Hermione breath drew backwards as she stood there, not knowing what to do with herself while he stood there outside. The knocking continued to grow impatiently on her door.

"Granger, open up," commanded Draco from outside, it was calm. His usual tone when he speaks. But no matter how calm his voice was, he will always sound like a threat to Hermione's ears as for the fear he planted on her.

Hermione kept her focus on her laboured breaths as she pierced her sight on her bedroom door.

"Granger, open up!" Draco called again, "Granger!"

Before Hermione could process how his voice raised upon his call for her, the door swung open, and he entered. His eyes looked dark and intimidating as he searched the room for her.

"What the fuck took you to open that damn door!?" He snarled at her. His eyebrows furrowed as his face displayed how furious he was.

Hermione was taken aback by his tone and the look on his face.

"You're not asleep, as I see. Why aren't you answering?"

"I- I was just in the bathroom when y-you," Hermione lied as she tried her best to sound normal and hide her shaking fear, threatening to show itself against her will.

Draco did not respond, but the way he raked his eyes on her conveyed that he wasn't convinced with her excuse at all. A thick, awkward sense of the air filled the room as silence coiled the place.

Hermione stood with weakness growing from her heels up to her knees. Her chest felt tight as she absorbed the fact that it was the closest and the longest interaction she had with him since that accident. Though, something was off.

"What are you looking at?" Draco asked as a food tray entered the bedroom, levitating in the air. Draco pointed his wand on Hermione's bedside table, directing the food tray towards it.

Hermione was tempted to follow the direction of the food tray that levitated under Draco's levitation charm, but her fear kept her eyes pinned and alert on Draco in front of her.