The Astronomy Tower < #wattys2016 >

Unanswered Questions

Saturday, January 26th, 1996

Hermione walked up to the astronomy tower with a pit in her stomach. Something about these meetings didn't seem so innocent anymore. As her and Draco grew closer, and closer, she couldn't help but feel a strange pull towards him. They were opposites, but they were magnets, he was the north pole, and she the south, and whenever they were near each other, they felt a strange pull.

She couldn't deny... she wanted things to happen as much as she thought that he did, but was it the right time? Who was she kidding? It would never be the right time, and there was their friends to take into consideration... Hermione didn't dread Draco's friends nearly as much as she dreaded hers. Ron hated Draco, with a passion, and Harry didn't trust the Slytherin as far as he could throw him.

All of her doubts flew out the window when she saw Draco waiting for her up in the tower. All of her doubts shattered when they were with each other. For two people that had spent six years of their lives hating each other, they sure got along well, better than well in fact.

Draco turned around when the door clicked shut. He smiled when he saw her.

He walked over to her, took her hand gently, and lead her over to where they usually sat. They sat in silence for a while until Draco turned on her.

"I don't want to talk about our troubles tonight... I want to talk about the other stuff... Our passions, our fears... I want to know what makes Hermione Granger tick." He said this very shyly, and Hermione felt herself give under the innocence in his eyes. It was startling, because innocent was just not a word used to describe Draco Malfoy.

She appreciated what he was doing though, and it was for her, she just knew it. He probably sensed her hesitation at their growing relationship, and wanted to comfort her with telling her a bit more about himself. 

She allowed a small smile. "Alright... What do you want to know first?"

"Hermione Granger... What is the thing that angers you the most in this world?"

She considered it for a moment, then spoke. "Let me tell you a thing or two about the mistreatment of house elves..."

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For hours they tossed questions back, and forth. Until one question came about that Draco didn't want to Answer. It's not that he didn't want to answer exactly, because deep down he knew that he did. It was more of that fact that he couldn't answer it. If Hermione knew of the plan, and someone found out that she did, she would be killed. And Draco didn't know if he could live with himself if that happened.

"What's your biggest fear?" She asked, not realizing exactly what she was coaxing Draco to reveal. He couldn't, not now when there was too much that could go wrong, and part of him just didn't want to loose Hermione.

Not killing Dumbledore in time, and having Lord Voldemort kill everyone that I love... He wanted to say.

But instead he replied. "I'm not afraid of anything."

Hermione was not satisfied, he could see the frustration contort her always speaking features. "C'mon" she urged, shoving her shoulder against his playfully. "Everyone's afraid of something."

"I don't want to talk about it." he said shortly. He turned away from her, trying to block out her presence. He couldn't- not now. He just couldn't. He shut his eyes, and tried to block out Hermione's persistent hand on his shoulder, squeezing it, asking for information that Draco didn't want to give her.

"Draco-" She began softly

"Don't push it Hermione!" he snapped, turning sharply towards her, making her hand fall from his shoulder.