Silver and Gold (A Dramione Fanfic)

Chapter 3

"Do it, Draco. " A high, cold voice told him. "Show him our displeasure, or face my wrath yourself!"

Draco shot upright as the voice of Voldemort sounded through his head. A nightmare, just like the many others he had experienced since the war. This particular one was right after summer break, when Potter and his friends had escaped Thorfin and Rowle and he had been forced to torture them. He sighed, knowing there was no way he would be able to sleep after that. He checked the clock: it was scarcely two in the morning.

What to do for five long, dark hours? He decided to get a shower. He walked into his and Granger's shared bathroom, he couldn't help but wonder if she was asleep. Of course she would be, he thought, Miss Perfect would never have nightmares, because she was just that. Perfect.

Surprised and a little unsettled by his own thoughts, he stripped down and stood under the the hot water. He took overly long, hoping in vain that the water would wash away the bad memories and nightmares, but of course it wouldn't; they would be with him always. He knew as much.

He stepped out, dried, and dressed. Then he checked the clock again. Still way too early to go to the Great Hall. Then an idea struck him. Granger.

If he couldn't sleep, why should he let her? She could lose a few hours of rest. It wouldn't matter. He just wanted to occupy himself, and messing with Granger was the perfect way. He went back to the bathroom and tried her door. Locked. He could've unlocked it with his wand, but that would make noise and possibly wake her. He left the bathroom.

If her bathroom door was locked, it was pretty safe to assume that her bedroom door would be, too, but he figured he should give it a shot. He left his room and stood in front of her door, carefully trying the handle; it turned. In her haste to escape the common room, she must have forgotten to lock it. He turned the knob the rest of the way and slipped in.

She lay so peacefully on her bed that he almost did not want to wake her, but his boredom overrode his sympathy. He tiptoed around the bed so he could look at her face. To his alarm, she looked scared, though her eyes were closed and her breathing even; she must have been having a nightmare. He drew his wand hastily, trying to decide which spell to use on her.

Without warning, her arm shot out from under the blankets, pointing a wand at him. "Petrificus Totalus!" She cried, and he felt his limbs snap to his body and stiffen. He fell backwards and his head hit the floor painfully. "Nice try, Malfoy. " She said.

He stared up at her with a mixture of frustration and envy. How was she always one step ahead of him? She crouched beside him, her wand pointed at his chest. "I'm going to let you up now. If you try anything, I'll hex you. " She said with surprising fierceness. With a wave of her wand, he found himself able to move again.

"What was that for?" He immediately demanded.

"What do you think it was for? You just snuck into my room and tried to hex me!" She growled.

"Fair point. " He admitted. "But how did you know I was there? And why were you holding your wand?"

"Force of habit, I guess. I've been doing that since the war. " She said. Then she glanced at the clock. "Malfoy, why are you up at this hour?"

"I woke up. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be off to bed. Unless you'd rather me stay here. " He said suggestively with his old Malfoy smirk back in place.

He enjoyed watching her sputter and blush at that particular comment.

"Get out, Malfoy. " She said, pointing her wand at him threateningly. He didn't need telling twice. He jumped up from the floor, grabbed his wand, and fled. That went well, he thought sarcastically.

He passed the rest of the time finishing up his Potions essay, as he knew Granger would dog him if he missed it. He thought he heard her moving around from time to time, and on those occasions he paused his writing and listened intently. It was an odd instinct of his, wanting to map out where she was at all times, but he didn't stop himself.

After what seemed like ages, it was finally late enough to go down to the Great Hall. He threw his essay carelessly into his bag and left his room, passing Granger in the common room. She was poring over an old, dog-eared book. He ignored her and continued on his way, meeting up with Nott and Goyle in the corridor. They chattered endlessly, and at times he heard Granger's name, but despite their countless attempts to engage him in conversation, he wasn't paying them any attention. Only when he sat down at the Slytherin table next to Blaise did he utter a word, and even then, it was just a short, gruff "good morning. "

After a measly breakfast, he dodged Pansy's attempts at kissing him and ran toward his next lesson, Potions. He knew it was going to be a long day.