Traitor [ON HOLD]

Chapter 13

When he next woke up - fully aware of his surroundings, unlike before - there was a stranger in the chair next to him, her head of straight blonde hair resting on her arms which rested upon the bed.

Draco resisted the urge to poke her. Who on earth was this girl? He could see her robes were Slytherin, but he couldn't place a Slytherin blonde that had ever said two words to him - besides himself.

As if she could tell he'd woken, she suddenly sprang up, her eyes wide with an unmistakable fear. And then, when he looked closer into her eyes, he recognised her.

"Honestly, mudblood, you looked better before."

Hermione smiled, seeming to relax. "Well, I had help from Nott, so you can understand why I look like Hippogriff dung."

Draco smirked. He tried to sit up, but Hermione was faster and held him down firmly. "No, I was hiding here when Madam Pomfery was with you. She said she'll remind you when you wake that you're not to move much for a few more hours."

She glanced around. "But I'm not Hermione Granger, and I don't follow the rules. Still, you can't get up by yourself."

Draco rolled his eyes as Hermione helped him to sit. "So, who've you Polyjuiced into?"

Hermione shook her head. "No one. Blaise and Nott helped me change my features, but it won't last more than two or three hours at a time." Hermione glanced at the Slytherin robe over her uniform, and the loose tie around her neck, fitting with the shirt that had the top two buttons undone. "The robe and tie is yours, though."

They were silent for some time, until Hermione's eyes landed on the tray on the bedside table. She smiled. "I brought you breakfast, considering your incapability to leave this wing."

"Where's Potter?"

Hermione shrugged. "Detention while Gryffindor plays Ravenclaw out on the Quidditch pitch."

Hermione smirked. "Are you worried about how your boyfriend is dealing with the first fight?"

Draco glared at her and had a comeback on the tip of his tongue, when he realised he didn't like her. Her smirk didn't sit nicely with these features. Her playful teasing didn't sound right coming from those thin lips. Her sparkling brown eyes didn't look right surrounded by that pale skin. Her voice didn't seem to go with her appearance. And her touch didn't feel right. At some point, he'd unconsciously shifted away from those extremely pale hands and the silky blonde waterfall. He didn't like her like this. Not in the slightest.

"How long have you been here?"

Hermione, who was in the middle of setting the tray of food in front of Draco, paused. "I'm not sure, really. Maybe an hour, hour and a half. Possibly two. I didn't really check the time when 'Veronica' barged in."

Draco nodded. "Oh. Veronica suits this appearance, but not you."

Hermione sat down again. "Harry is in detention, and Ron is playing today, so I can stay as long as I like. They both think I'm in the stands. I just have to keep replacing that charm before it wears off completely."

Draco nodded. "I'm sorry," he found himself saying.

Hermione raised her eyebrows, her borrowed features portraying pure surprise. "For what?"

Draco winced. Now that it had slipped out, he had to continue. "Uh, well, I almost used the Cruciatus Curse on your idiot friend and I know you'd have been furious so . . . yeah."

Hermione smiled and leaned back in her chair. "You're forgiven. Besides, I think a near death experience should be good enough punishment."

Draco rolled his eyes again, but allowed a small grin to grace his face, not because of her comment, but because he could see her appearance slowly going back to normal. He'd just have to hope she didn't notice.