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Linked by Philyra912
 Books » Harry Potter Rated: T, English, Romance, Draco M., Hermione G., Words: 61k+, Favs: 4k+, Follows: 920, Published: Jun 18, 2005 Updated: Jan 5, 2006
 2,542 Chapter 7: Headaches and Revelations
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all his lovely companions are the property of J.K. Rowling. I am not J.K. Rowling. Hence, Harry Potter and all his lovely companions do not belong to me. (All that rambling was really just an excuse to use the word 'hence,' which I think is just a fun word to say.)
A/N: Has anyone ever seen or read The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde? Do you know the part at the end where, through a comically implausible coincidence, the main character, Jack, whose eternal happiness is in jeopardy because his name is not Ernest, finds out that he was adopted and that his real name is, in fact, Ernest? I fear that I have unintentionally created a similar coincidence in this chapter; it is too neat, too fortuitous, and too perfectly symmetrical. You'll see what I mean when you read it. I might decide that it's just too easy, and throw a wrench into the works later on. Tell me what you think.
On to the chapter!
Chapter 6: Headaches and Revelations
Malfoy awoke the next morning at dawn, as was his custom, with painful waves emanating out from the slightly bruised knot in the center of his forehead. He winced as he sat up, and groaned loudly when he pulled back the green velvet curtain around his four-poster and light washed over him. He rubbed his eyes and levered himself out of bed, wondering if it was worth it to drag himself down to the infirmary for a dose of Hollingworth's Headache Relief Draught or if living with his throbbing head would be preferable to hearing Madam Pomfrey's "the evils of drink" lecture one more time.
His decision was made for him when a small tawny owl flew in through the open window and landed on the trunk at the foot of his bed. It stared at him inquisitively and held out its leg, to which was attached a small band bearing the Hogwarts crest and a letter. Malfoy took the letter, perplexed by who in the Hogwarts castle would feel the need to owl him. He scowled at the letter as soon as he recognized the painfully neat handwriting marching in careful lines across its surface.
Malfoy:
Come down to breakfast. I need to talk to you.
H.G.
Who did she think she was, ordering him around? He was a Malfoy, a pure-blood, a Slytherin, captain of his Quidditch team, and Head Boy to boot. She had no business telling him what to do. He fumed with silent and indignant fury, and briefly considered ignoring the summons and allowing her to sit and wait for him all morning. He spent a pleasant moment imagining the exact shade of purple Granger would turn when she realized that he wasn't coming, and then went to get dressed. He didn't want his late-night efforts to have been in vain, and the thought of the look on one intolerably good-hearted Gryffindor's face when she realized she'd been bested was making his pounding head feel slightly better.
Fifteen minutes later, Malfoy was walking briskly into the Great Hall, wincing as early morning sunlight streamed down from the enchanted ceiling and into his eyes. He squinted at the practically deserted room, quickly taking note of the fact that, with the exception of the Arithmancy professor, who looked annoyingly wide-awake, and a sixth-year Ravenclaw with his nose buried in a book, he and Granger were alone. Speaking of Granger, she didn't seem to be enjoying the light very much either. She was shielding her eyes with one hand, and waves of bad temper and impatience were rolling off of her.
She looked up at him as he entered the room, and waited with an unmoved expression and a relieved heart as he sauntered over to her. As he neared, he saw her glance at his forehead, and felt understanding and irritation flash through her simultaneously.
