Lust, War, and... Love?

Chapter 22: Farce and Agony

  Warning: This chapter deals with a suicide attempt, although there is no graphic description of the act.

Monday rolled around, dark and overcast. The freshly cut Christmas trees filled the air with the festive scent of spruce needles. Bright green and red holiday wreaths punctuated the long hallways. Aromas of cinnamon, mulled cider and baked goods lingered in the passages closest to the kitchens. Girls darted under mistletoe bunches hung in the corridors whenever a cute boy passed by. Hermione was very much amused at the effort Harry took to avoid mistletoe-decorated routes as she walked with him to the Great Hall for lunch.

At the Gryffindor table, Harry sat down next to Ron, and Hermione took a seat at the far end, deliberately avoiding a look at the tall redhead. Her place made a good vantage point for observing both the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables. She could see the blond head very well, but she knew it wasn't her Draco. The Polyjuiced Nott could fool anyone, except her, who knew Draco so intimately.

Yesterday she intruded on Theo and Padma snogging in an abandoned classroom, and requested their help in warding off Parkinson.

To Hermione's surprise and delight, Nott was so enthusiastic about "teaching Pansy some manners" that he immediately fetched Draco from the dungeons. Even more, Theo volunteered to Polyjuice himself into Draco. Hermione found his zeal a little worrisome, but at least she didn't have to persuade Nott. Padma, however, was very reluctant about the Polyjuice plan from the start.

Draco, naturally, put on his most obnoxious Pure-blood act, short only of calling Hermione the "M" word. She found it hard not to chuckle as he strutted around the classroom and bashed the "stupid birds". Nott eventually snapped at him to shut up and be a gentleman, if Draco wanted any help fixing his own fiancée problem.

Finally, they agreed that Polyjuiced Nott would openly approach Padma in the Great Hall. Then Hermione and Draco, transformed into Theo, would lure Parkinson to follow Nott-Malfoy and Padma to the dungeons and to witness their passionate snogging.

At the end of the negotiations, Nott made Hermione promise not to let Malfoy, Polyjuiced into Nott, out of her sight at all times, and they would both come downstairs, presumably in case Parkinson assaulted the snogging couple.

Now, in the Great Hall, Hermione watched Padma turn her head and glance at the Slytherin table. Nott-Malfoy flashed a toothy grin at her.

Draco, in Nott's disguise, poked with the fork at his omelet. He didn't care much for Theo's favourite lunch choice, but he had to play the part. Pansy sat across from him, looking forlorn.

"Guess, Malfoy's after Padma Patil," Zabini said loudly, who was next to Draco-Nott. Pansy quickly turned her head in "Malfoy's" direction. Draco-Nott did the same.

Nott-Malfoy folded a crane and sent it gliding over to the Ravenclaw table, where it landed near Padma. She quickly unfolded it and showcased her wide smile to the Slytherin table. Draco threw a quick glance at Pansy. Seeing her savage expression, he was truly glad that it was the Polyjuiced Nott courting Padma, and not him.

Zabini watched Nott-Malfoy with a great interest, and Draco nearly elbowed him in his side to make him divert his gaze. Zabini was too immodest for his own good. On second thought, Draco wondered if Theo had enlisted Blaise in spite of his promise not to involve anyone else.

"I thought you made up with Padma, Nott," Blaise said offhandedly. "Wonder if Malfoy would drag her off for a snog?"

"If he does, I'll hex the guts out of him!" grunted Draco, trying to imitate an angry Nott.

"You're rather moody, Theo," the obnoxious Zabini continued. Pansy pushed her barely touched plate aside, apparently having lost her appetite completely.

Soon, Padma rose from her seat and headed to the exit. Nott-Malfoy jumped to his feet instantly and hurried around the table to the entrance door. Pansy, her expression stiff, followed him with her eyes.

"A good snog's in order," announced Blaise and helped himself to a sandwich. "Wonder whom Malfoy would hit on next. A Hufflepuff?"

"Shut up, Zabini!" Draco hissed.

The Greengrass sisters giggled loudly, and Pansy's face twitched. Her fork clattered on the table as she bolted for the exit.

Draco glanced at the Gryffindor table and saw Granger walking to the doors. He rose to follow her out of the Great Hall.

"Where did they go?" he asked, as he came up to Hermione in the Entrance Hall.

"Down to the dungeons, of course," she answered in a low voice. "I'm a bit worried – you should've seen Parkinson's face when she rushed downstairs!"

They jogged down the winding passage, and nearly bumped into Pansy, slouching against the stone wall. Draco peered ahead. Merlin's cursed pants, he should have known better than to agree to Nott's plan!

"Damned idiot!" He attempted to pull his wand out, but Hermione clutched his forearm to prevent him from firing a hex at Nott.

In a trance-like stupor, Parkinson stood as still as statue. Stealthily, the two of them pushed past her in the narrow corridor. However, she showed no sign of noticing them.

"I can't believe it – right in front of Snape's office," Draco muttered, as Hermione held on to his sleeve. "Do you remember if Snape was still in the Great Hall when we left?"

Nott-Malfoy had shoved Padma against the wall across from the office door, and was snogging her roughly. Padma whimpered, unable to escape from his embrace. Worse even, Nott's hand was buried in the bosom of her robes, and he was very obviously pawing his girlfriend's body under her clothes.

Peeking past her boyfriend's ear, Padma emitted an embarrassed giggle at the sight of Draco-Nott and Hermione. Oblivious to everyone, Nott-Malfoy trailed kisses down her neck.

"Yo-ho-ho! The golden Malfoy boy's got a new bride! Snogging her hard, loving her hard! Out the window goes the old bride!" Peeves yodeled, hovering over their heads.

"I'm going to kill him!" Draco jerked forward but Hermione hung onto the back of his robes. "Stop that, No – Malfoy!"

Hermione glanced over her shoulder; Pansy seemed to be still there, but she couldn't be sure. Then she looked at the infuriated Draco-Nott, and could not help but burst out in laughter. Draco was simply fabulous in the role of a jealous Nott.

"Out the window goes the Parkinson cow! Out the window goes the Parkinson cow!" Peeves carried on, and suddenly several girls' voices joined in, chanting boisterously, "Out the window goes the Parkinson cow! Out the window goes the Parkinson cow!"

Hermione whipped around. A group of Fifth Year Slytherin girls came near them, Thornton and Growley singing the loudest. Growley laughed harshly, and the rest of the girls giggled behind her.

Then Hermione thought she heard a muffled cry, and peered into the dark corridor. She couldn't see if Pansy was still there, pressed against the wall behind the other's backs.

In meantime, Nott-Malfoy held Padma plastered against the wall. Oblivious to the commotion, he kept devouring her mouth, his hand already hiking up the hem of her robes.

"Mr. Malfoy – detention for the whole week!" a cold voice resonated in the passage.

The Fifth Year girls vanished as Snape came forth and stood in front of the couple. Mortified, Padma pushed Nott-Malfoy away with all of her force, and he nearly tumbled backwards. He flailed his arms, almost hitting Snape on his shoulder, but managed to regain his balance.

"Miss Patil, please come to my office after the classes," a stern voice called out. McGonagall was standing behind Hermione and Draco-Nott. Her tone made Hermione want to disappear on the spot.

"Starting today, please report to my office for your detention at seven after dinner every day until the end of week," Snape commanded in an icy tone. "I expected better manners from you, Mr. Malfoy."

"My apologies, Professor Snape. I will do the detention tonight. My apologies, Professor McGonagall," Nott-Malfoy said quickly, but not too unhappily.

"I'm s-so sorry, Professors," Padma mumbled, her head low. Her hands trembled as she buttoned up her robes.

McGonagall issued a laconic nod of dismissal as she followed Snape into his office. Padma, her face a deep shade of red, instantly darted down the passage towards the stairs.

"You, imbecile!" screamed Draco-Nott, and lunged at Nott-Malfoy, but Theo stopped him with a prompt Stunning Spell.

"Now, we are even, Malfoy," Nott-Malfoy said slowly and clearly, as he surveyed Draco in a heap on the floor. "Enjoy the detention!" He turned and disappeared down the dark corridor.

Hermione realised that everyone was gone, except the two of them. She lifted the Stunning Spell from Draco. He jumped to his feet, hissing obscenities, but Hermione didn't let him linger for long. Still alive in her mind, the vision of the blond boy brazenly groping Padma had set her libido on fire.

Hermione grabbed Draco by his robes and pulled him into the nearest dungeon, unceremoniously.

Once in the chamber, Draco, his features already reverting to his normal looks, kicked a chair with all his force.

"A detention every night till the end of the week, and Zabini's fucking Potions homework too!" he yelled, firing a hex and splitting a chair. "Damn, damn it!"

Hermione cast locking charms on the door and stood silently, waiting for the stream of expletives to dry out, as Draco, like an angry beast, paced back and forth, firing random spells. Sparks flew when a couple of hexes hit the stone walls.

The sight of him, tall, disheveled and furious, ignited Hermione even more. She tensed, trying to control the throbbing in her abdomen, and gripped her wand.

After two desks and several chairs shattered into pieces, he halted and took a deep breath.

"Well, you earned it," Hermione said quietly, trying to keep her turbulent emotions in check. "After the tricks you pulled on both of them. It's no surprise they wanted to get back at you."

Draco swore again and sunk into a chair. He looked at Hermione, and felt like tearing her into pieces right away. The way she hung on him during the episode in the corridor set him ablaze with desire.

"Bloody Merlin, how did Aurors think of interrogating Zabini?" he asked, his darkened stare drilling into Hermione's face.

"Well, they talked to the students who were at the Three Broomsticks around the time of the Katie Bell incident." Hermione shrugged and pulled a chair up. She would rather have shut him up with a long, hungry kiss.

"So, you told them about Zabini accosting you outside the loo?"

"Of course. I was one of the first to be questioned," Hermione fibbed. The Aurors never interrogated her, but it was not possible to explain it to Draco. "Together with Harry and Ron."

Draco swore again. Hermione held his angry stare, resignedly.

"Why didn't they didn't summon me?" he asked, suddenly overcome by worry.

"I don't know." Hermione did her best to keep cool. "When I learned it was you, not Zabini, I figured you didn't want me to enter the loo. Am I right?"

"You're bloody correct, as always, Granger!" Draco snarled.

"What goes around, comes around, Draco," Hermione said softly.

Draco stared into her now deep black eyes. Although she was sitting still, he could see her bosom heaving. He didn't like the fact that he was left out of the interrogations. Was he being watched?

Then his glance slid down her torso and lingered on the roundness of her hips under her clothes.

"C'mon, Granger," he blurted, his hand unbuckling his belt.

"Not now, Draco – we're running late for Arithmancy," Hermione tried to reason. "Better after the classes."

"Ditch Arithmancy, okay?" he growled. "After you hanging on me, I'm horny as hell!"

Hermione had to agree with him. There was no way he could attend the class in a state like this.

"I only wonder if Padma is all right." She rose gracefully from her chair, tossed her knickers aside and, in one swift motion, straddled his lap. He emitted a short groan as she pressed against him. In her overheated state, she muttered, "I'm afraid Nott overdid it."

"I'll Crucio him tonight in bed. Under a Silencing Charm," Draco said gloomily and ripped Hermione's robes open. "Hope Pansy leaves us alone now."

"I guess she was in shock." Hermione shivered briefly when the cold air touched her heated bosom. She slid her hand under his shirt. With her palm on his bare skin, she could feel his heart beating rapidly. "I really hope she gave up on you. You played the part brilliantly!"

A sharp jolt shook Hermione's body, as his fingernails dug into her skin. Pushing her chest against his face and weaving her fingers in his blond hair, she pressed onto him with fervour.

Draco inhaled the warm, milky scent of her skin, while tasting it at the same time. In that instant, they sank into each other.

After catching her breath, Hermione slid off his lap. He zipped up his trousers, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Quietly, Hermione put her clothes in order and sat down on another chair. She pulled out her day planner, and discovered that she had nearly forgotten about the Prefects' meeting in McGonagall's office before the dinner. She'd be able to see Padma then and make sure everything was all right, she thought.

The day planner back in her school bag, Hermione glanced at the still motionless Draco, and a pang of pity tugged at her heart. She understood how screwed he was, even if it was his own fault.

Hermione walked up to Draco, and stroked his blond hair gently. His eyes flipped open, and she leaned to kiss him on his mouth. He answered her lips weakly.

"We've got about twenty minutes before the next class," Hermione said. "What would you like to do now?"

"Nothing," he muttered, and pulled her onto his lap. "Let's just sit like this. I'm tired like hell."

Hermione hugged Draco, as he buried his face in her bosom.