Project 137.43.M.D.

XXVI. | DOLUS MALUS

XXVI.
DOLUS MALUS
(bad intentions)

How could she have been so stupid?

Hermione was leaning against the small sink in the club's women's restroom, shaking. She was angry. Not with Malfoy for once, but actually with herself. What had gotten into her to act so jealously after avoiding him all week?

Aside from the fact that, as she now knew from the file, Malfoy had probably saved her life in the night of the Battle of Hogwarts, she had also gotten him to sleep with her. She had been the one who had just taken advantage of the fact that he hadn't the faintest idea what was driving her to throw her concerns overboard for no apparent reason. And now this pathetic conversation. She really was an incredibly horrible Mentor. A lousy guardian, as Malfoy would put it.

The restroom door opened and she spun around. Of course, how could it be otherwise? There he was, looking so damn smug that Hermione wanted to scream. Instead, she stared at him impassively as the door slowly clicked shut behind him. Malfoy raised his wand and by the movement she could tell that he was performing a non-verbal Homenum Revelio that told him all the cabins were empty. Only then did he open his mouth.

"Why are you behaving so strange, Granger? What's your problem?" he asked, approaching her slowly. The way he did it was quite predatory and the look he gave her sent a shiver down her spine.

Hermione backed away.

"I'm certainly not going to talk to you about my inner life," she hissed, to which Malfoy raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"You should have thought about that before you seduced me," he snorted.

"I didn't seduce you. You were more than-"

"-ready for you? Obviously, Granger. I was in St Mungo's for eight years. What did you expect?"

He made fun of her. A mocking smile played around Malfoy's lips and he was so close to her now that Hermione could smell his aftershave. She unconsciously breathed in and out deeply as she tried to meet his piercing gaze. But even if she had wanted to, she probably wouldn't have been able to break the eye contact. His silvery grey eyes held hers mercilessly captive.

Malfoy leaned forward and placed one hand on the wall next to her head. Then he slowly let his gaze wander up and down Hermione's body. She wasn't sure if it was appreciation or just more mockery that made him raise his eyebrows slightly.

"Well, if you can't bring yourself to tell me what the hell is wrong with you, I'll be happy to help out."

He cocked his head in feigned thoughtfulness, then took another step so that only a few inches separated their bodies.

Hermione's breathing quickened. She had the feeling her heart would soon jump out of her chest, and was afraid he would notice.

"You're in a really bad position, Granger. You loathed me all your school days and then suddenly I come back into your life and you're responsible for me. Unfortunately, you're attracted to me. You think I'm handsome and you're desperate for a good shag. But that's not a real possibility, is it? After all, you are my guardian, and while it would be promising, it would also be totally unprofessional to sleep with me of all people."

As he conveyed his own understanding of things, Malfoy's lips curled into a smirk that revealed a set of flawless white teeth. Basically he had no idea, although the essence was of course the same. She should just push him away because he was obviously trying to provoke her by ridiculing the whole thing. But oddly enough, Hermione felt paralyzed.

She wanted to listen to him. She wanted to know what he thought of her.

So she kept her mouth shut and continued to stare at him breathlessly.