Only You

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

"You're sure you don't want to come to my house for the break?" Leanne asked, her trunk in hand as she and Silas stood looking with concern at Draco. "You know my parents wouldn't mind you crashing." She waited only a moment before adding in exasperation, "Or at least go to the Greene's." Silas nodded in silent agreement.

Draco laughed, his heart lightened by the genuine care his friends had for him. "Thank you both, but if my parents heard I joined another family for the holidays after telling them I wouldn't be coming home, they would never forgive me. I'll be fine on my own. Honestly."

Smiling encouragingly, he grabbed the handle of Leanne's trunk and began to haul it down the stairs of the castle. Silas followed silently behind him. Putting it carefully into a carriage, he helped both of them up before giving his final goodbyes.

Sighing deeply, Draco watched as the last of the carriages rolled away. At last he was alone. In the past week, the idea of solitude had given him a surge of excitement. Perhaps he could use the time to explore the castle; learn all the peculiarities that he had missed in the last six years. It had not occurred to him, until his time rebuilding the castle, how many secrets that Hogwarts had stowed away.

His adventures would have to wait for the morning though. For now, he settled his mind on the delicious, and possibly awkward, meal he was to have this evening. He expected himself to be alone at the Slytherin table while Headmistress McGonagall, Professor Hagrid and any other professor who had decided to stay behind would be sitting together at their own table.

However, as Draco entered the Great Hall, he was surprised to see a single round table heavy laden with food in the middle of the room. Stranger than this were the three current occupants at this table. As he had thought, Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Hagrid sat chatting with each other, occasionally glancing nervously at the third occupant.

There, staring blankly at the table, sat Hermione Granger. Her eyes were puffy and red as if she had just finished crying. Her fork played mindlessly with her food, and she did not seem to register anything going on around her. It wasn't until Draco had noisily pulled out the chair from beside her that she even seemed to notice his arrival. Even then, she didn't say anything, but fresh tears seemed to brew in her eyes.

"Granger." Draco started cordially, "How are you this evening?" This only added a deep frown to her face as she turned her stare back to the table.

"Erm- well-" he searched for something, or really anything, to say. "Anything good to eat?" No answer. "This chicken looks good. I suppose I should start with that?" He glanced at her, but her disposition remained the same. He watched as she pushed a lone pea mindlessly around her plate. What was wrong with her? Draco could not remember seeing her behave in such a way in his life. Something must have gone terribly wrong to leave such a mindless expression on her usually thoughtful face. Could it be something to do with her parents or-

Headmistress McGonagall cleared her throat, interrupting his thoughts and effectively catching Draco's attention.

"Since everyone is here now, I suppose I should relay the holiday rules to you both." McGonagall's face was forced into her very best stern teacher expression. However, her darting eyes betrayed her distraction. They continued to look at Hermione with concern.

"You might have noticed that most of your peers have decided to go home for the holiday. Let me make myself perfectly clear in saying that any lack of formality you may find this holiday season does not constitute unorderly behavior. I expect you both to adhere to the curfew as well as the boundaries set in place for your safety. That being said, as you are both adults, Professor Hagrid and I think you are perfectly capable of behaving yourselves as we visit our own families for a short period of time during Christmas."

At this Draco couldn't help but to whip his face towards the Headmistress and the towering man beside her in utter disbelief. Hagrid only nodded his head in what seemed to be an attempt at solemn agreement. They were leaving them unsupervised?

"Don't look at me that way Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall replied sternly. "The war is over and any prevailing enemies will find it extremely difficult to get through the extra security we have placed around the castle. I worry more about what may go on within these walls than without." McGonagall glanced again nervously at Hermione.

"I think too-" she added hesitantly, "that it might be for the best for Mr. Malfoy temporarily make use of the empty boy's dormitory in Gryffindor tower-"

At this, Hermione jolted from her comatose state and she, alongside Hagrid, began to object loudly. Draco alone sat, mouth-opened, in silent shock.

"Listen here," McGonagall continued, equally flustered and frustrated, "The Slytherin dormitories are in desperate need of repair, and there has not been a better opportunity until now. I assure you that I will take every precaution to ensure this is a temporary solution that will not affect the rest of the school year."

Again, Hermione tried to interject while Hagrid angrily insisted that Malfoy could use any other space during the renovation.

"I have made up my mind." The Headmistress' voice now openly conveyed her frustration. "This not only solves a problem I have been anxious about for weeks, but I also think it will aid in building some inter-house relationships. While the other houses get along fairly well, we must make more of an effort to integrate the Slytherine house. They too are a part of Hogwarts. Mr. Malfoy- Your things have already been moved into the uppermost bedroom of the Gryffindor tower. The temporary password is Fortuna Major. This arrangement will only be for two weeks and I will not tolerate any bickering or complaining. My decision is final. Now it is time for both of you to head to bed. Please, if you will." And with that she led them resolutely from the Great Hall

***

Draco flattened his white hair over the pink tinge of his ears. His eyes were dutifully lowered to the steps ahead of him, but he couldn't stop the evil thought from circling his mind. He was following Hermione Granger to bed. He shook the sentence from his head. No, he thought, You are following her to the Gryffindor Common Room where you will go your separate ways and, in all likelihood, not see each other at all in the next two weeks, except perhaps at meal times. The thought made him cringe.

He couldn't help but glance at the girl beneath the waterfall of curls that bounced above him with each step. In contrast to the looseness of her hair, Hermione's shoulders were held tight against her body, and her legs moved stiffly. She was uncomfortable. Of course she was. They would have two weeks together, virtually alone, in which he was violating her personal space. And all of it after she had intentionally ignored him for weeks.

Still, Draco had to push down the familiar bubble of feelings erupting from his chest. Two weeks almost alone with Hermione Granger. Almost. He felt more joy, more hope, than he had since a dark night many months before. So what if Hermione had been ignoring him? So what if she was still mad at him for their almost-kiss? So what if she was still dating that red-headed, wanna-be, prick? He, Draco Malfoy, had her all to himself for two whole weeks, and he would not squander this opportunity.

As Hermione quickly relayed the new password to a portrait of a finely dressed, and rather large, lady, Draco tried to force down the smile that had been building during their walk. He had made a plan. It was still too early to go to bed. Maybe if he-

Stepping through the hole where the portrait had been, Draco ran his fingers through his hair, hoping that it looked casual and carefree.

"Well Granger. The night is young. How would you like a game of-" His words hung dead in the air. Already, he had lost sight of the swishing skirt as she ran up the stairs to her own dormitory. What was her problem tonight? Draco had, of course, been concerned after seeing her unexpectedly at dinner; and his anxiety had only increased at her unusual behavior throughout the night. But to go to bed so early? He could still see the sun hanging stubbornly in the sky.

Slouching into a nearby armchair, Draco pouted. Was this the treatment he should expect for the next two weeks? His lower lip pulled deeper into a frown. He could almost see his hopes and dreams flying out the window at that very thought. No, he thought sitting straighter, he would not allow this golden opportunity pass him by. What was the point of being a Slytherin if one could not trick and scheme their way into getting what they want? No. Draco Malfoy would not be put to the side so easily. If Hermione Granger was resolute on rejecting him, she would have to go through every possible trial to do so.