saving granger; a theomione

Chapter 12

"Malfoy!" Theodore called as he burst into the Slytherin Common Room.

The Slytherin Common Room was very quiet that Friday night. Many of the students were off around the castle with their friends, catching up and hanging around before curfew. A handful of Slytherins were littered throughout the dim common room, many studying or speaking in hushed tones with their classmates. Draco Malfoy sat in his favourite leather chair in front of the fire, using the light radiating from the hearth to flip casually through a book his mother had sent him at breakfast. He wasn't doing much reading, rather, his eyes skimmed over the pages slowly as he wondered silently whether or not Hermione Granger was currently dead in a ditch somewhere. He attempted to curve these thoughts by reminding himself if that were the case then Harry Potter would surely be on a rampage through the castle by now, but a part of him couldn't help but worry anxiously about her safety. A part of him that was larger than he would ever care to admit. An open box of his favourite chocolates was sat on the table next to him, and idly, he popped one into his mouth. 

Theodore bursting loudly into the room stirred him out of his quiet brooding. The light in his friend's eyes told him that he was certainly up to no good. "What is it this time, Nott?" he sighed, keeping his eyes on the pages of the book he had been doing his best to read.

Uninvited, Theodore banished the fifth years reclining on the sofa next to him and settled into their spot. "Remember the other day, when I found out that Granger kissed you, and I vowed to even out the playing fields?"

"What are you getting at mate?" Draco asked, the annoyance clear in his tone.

A mischievous grin pulled at the corners of his lips, and the blond wondered for a moment if Granger was dead in a ditch. When Theo leaned in conspiratorially, he was on the edge of going into full panic mode.  

"I kissed Granger."

The tense set of his shoulders gave way, and he sighed again as he leaned back into his arm chair. This was what he was so hyped up about? He considered for a moment how he had gotten Hermione to agree to such a thing, and the concerns about her safety, and her sanity for that matter, began to spin through his mind once more. 

"You were serious?"

Suddenly, a note of fear and concern picked up in his dark haired friend's expression, and Draco was sure he was about to tell him she was laying on her death bed. 

"No, you didn't let me finish. I felt something when I kissed her," he exclaimed, throwing himself dramatically across the sofa. 

Now this was a new development. For as long as he'd known him, he wasn't sure he'd ever seen Theodore speak this way about any of the women in his long line of conquests. It was one thing for Theo to have feelings, it was entirely another for him to admit them. Especially to him or Blaise. Wanting desperately for him to continue, he encouraged him to elaborate. "By something you meant you felt like taking her clothes off, right?"

"Don't act obtuse, Draco. You certainly know what I meant. This is not a mere rush of lust I am referring to."

Draco's eyes narrowed as he watched Theodore pull a chocolate from his box and down his freshly poured tumbler of firewhiskey. He bit back his objections, for the sake of hearing Theodore continue the story of his encounter with Granger. 

"You have other emotions?"

"I don't think you're hearing me Draco! This is no laughing matter, I feel something for her. Mudblood Granger."

His shoulders tensed once more at his casual use of the slur. Silently he was amused by his own aversion to the term. What kind of man had he become? "Mudblood Granger, isn't half bad. What did whatever you felt feel like?"