Magnets// Dramione

Close Quarters

Hermione had never seen Draco look disheveled before so seeing him sitting in front of the roaring fire of their shared common room, his hair hanging in his face surprised her. She had only ever really seen it gelled back neat and tight. And although recently they had gotten a bit more comfortable around each other, and Draco often came out of the shower with his hair freshly washed and askew, he never had it so far forward in front of his eyes. He almost looked like he was brooding with this look. Draco didn't glance up as she walked in. "Morning." Draco said nothing. "Are you alright?" Hermione said, voice full of concern. The two of them were quiet for a very long time. Neither of them moving and neither of them opening their mouths.

Letting out a small sigh, Draco finally looked up at her. His eyes were bloodshot, cheeks hollow. He didn't look well. He looked sick in fact. Were those bruises on his arms? A scratch on his neck? Hadn't he gone to visit Hagrid last night? Hagrid wouldn't hurt him so something must have attacked him. But what? "Feeling sick?" She asked and then felt stupid for acting motherly. "I didn't hear you come in last night."

"I'm alright. I came back in around four and then couldn't get any sleep." Draco paused. "Nightmares and all." Hermione nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So what did you go see Hagrid about?"

"Hagrid?" Draco murmured. But it was the wrong thing to say. He was caught in his lie. He hadn't gone to see Hagrid. Not last night anyways and Hermione stiffened, knowing that if he hadn't told her the truth last night, he wouldn't tell her now. "It was nothing important."

"It's important enough to lie about apparently." Draco didn't have some snarky comeback this time though. He was too tired to argue.

"Not now Granger. I have a massive headache." Hermione huffed.

"I know we're not friends Draco but I covered for you last night. I lied for you. So you owe me an answer as to why." Draco didn't look up. The fire reflected in his grey eyes seemed dull and lifeless, much like Draco himself. "Is something wrong? Are you in trouble?"

"No more than usual."

"Draco this is serious."

"It is serious and it's also, frankly, none of your business Hermione." Draco finally snapped at her. There were those angry eyes Hermione recognized so well. "I appreciate the concern and I appreciate you covering for me. I promise it won't happen again. You have my word. Now please, could you leave me alone." Hermione wanted to call him a git or a prat or a bastard but she simply walked back to her room, slammed the door and began changing clothes.

Why had she even bothered talking to Draco? He wasn't going to open up to her. She's Granger. She's a Mudblood. She's impure. She's a Gryffindor. She was everything Draco had grown up hating. Everything Draco would still hate if he hadn't had a change of heart. She shouldn't care about him. She should want nothing to do with him.

And yet...

The mere thought of hating him again made her feel like she couldn't breathe. He had been so nice lately. So apologetic. So... Hermione halted her train of thought. This was Draco Malfoy she was thinking about. A Slytherin. A pure blood. She shouldn't feel a damn thing for him. Pulling her knit gray sweater over her shirt, Hermione crosses her arms and stared at her reflection in the mirror with a frown.

It was Saturday and she could do whatever the hell she wanted. She should, logically, stay and finish her homework still had set out on her desk from last night before Draco appeared and asked her to cover for him but Hermione didn't even want to be in the same tower as him at the moment. Picking up her wand, she pushed all her hair back over her shoulders before she pulled a beanie down on top of her head and wrenched open the door to her room. Behind her, Crookshanks meowed. She had forgotten to feed him.