manacled by senlinyu

Chapter 31 : Flashback 6

April 2002

The following Tuesday, Malfoy behaved much in the way he had the week before.

He taught her occlumency, letting her practice the forms and techniques. He didn't make it hurt. He barely spoke a word to her. He only touched her once, to tilt her head further back in order to make eye contact. And then—while he was in her mind—she could feel his hand still resting on her neck, his thumb against her throat.

He didn't need to touch her. She knew. He could easily perform legilimency on her from several feet away.

He didn't pry. Didn't poke his head into memories that she overtly did not want him in. He just let her use his presence as a sort of practice dummy for learning evasive mental manoeuvring.

When he withdrew, she stared up at him curiously.

"Where did you learn that? I'm assuming your aunt didn't use the technique."

"She did not." His teeth bared slightly as he said it. "I read about it in a book. Malfoy Manor has a large library. It wouldn't work with most people, only other natural occlumens. Even though anyone can potentially learn occlumency or legilimency to some degree, it's always either painful or so subtle they can barely even feel it happening."

He looked at her and added with a smirk "You could say I'm experimenting on you."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Did the book require physical contact too?" she said in a sweet voice, eyeing his hand pointedly.

She immediately regretted saying it.

His hand tensed slightly, just enough to shift from resting to holding. His eyes darkened as his irises expanded incrementally.

"No.That—is just because I can."

He smirked as he pulled her forwards and dipped his head to kiss her.

It was a cold kiss. His lips pressed against hers weren't wanting or passionate.

It was simply a reminder.

That he could.

That he was being restrained. That, if he wanted to, he could demand anything he desired from her and she had already consented to give it to him.

Hermione didn't respond to the kiss. She just let his cold lips meet hers without resisting until he pulled away again.

"Do you have any information this week?" she asked as his hand slid off of her and he stepped back.

He drew a scroll from his robes and handed it to her.

"Spell analysis and countercurse information for new curses from the Dark Lord's curse development division," he said. "There's a new set being taught currently."

Hermione slid the scroll open and glanced over the information listed. Severus had already given the Order all the details about the curses, but Malfoy couldn't know that. That it had occurred to him was a sign of how useful and proactive he was able to be. If they lost Severus, Malfoy was able to provide both types of intelligence.

An excellent spy.

"This is invaluable information," she said, packing it carefully into her satchel.

He shrugged.

"No, really. This will save lives. I didn't even think to ask for this. That you did—I don't know how to thank you enough."

Malfoy looked vaguely uncomfortable with the gratitude.