Fiercely Stubborn Hearts

Chapter 7

Hermione remembered bits and pieces of the conversation. Enough to remember that they had been able to be friendly to one another for a time. When she had awoken the second time, this time frozen stiff from her nightmares, she and Malfoy had ignored one another. They acted as they usually did when they got out of the hospital wing. Hermione went immediately and apologized for the damage done to the actual infirmary. Draco went in secret after to do the same. He wasn't rude, after all.

It had been three days since the two of them had recovered enough to return to classes. Malfoy was still taking headache potions. Hermione had to admit that she had hit him pretty hard in the temple. On that third day, Hermione was beginning to go out of her mind. It wasn't like her to forget something. And for whatever reason, that conversation felt as though it had been important. And she could only remember portions of it, one of the lines being something to the effect that if one of them ended up remembering, they would just go back to normal and act like nothing happened. She didn't understand why it was driving her up the wall. She had more control than this, she was sure of it.

Malfoy had seemed bothered as well over the course of the past few days, she had seen. Not, of course, that she spent time looking at him, but because she noticed for whatever cursed reason. Why, she didn't know. She understood what that look meant when it came onto his face. It was contemplative, confused, curious. She put it off to having known him for seven, no eight years now, and even despite not liking him, she had retained information on what his facial expressions meant.

Hesitantly, she had continued coming out to the Common Room the day after they got out of the hospital wing, determined to catch up on all the homework she had missed while she had been unconscious. He had been doing the same. They hadn't talked.

Still, her curiosity was driving her mad. She tried her hardest to remember what had happened, then, when she couldn't, tried to reign in that curiosity. Tried to remember that her curiosity and determination to learn all things had nearly killed her multiple times. That control evaded her. 

And now, on her first day back in class, she found herself unable to concentrate in the slightest. She let her vision drift around the classroom until it settled on the blonde who sat in the corner of the classroom, alone. Pansy sat next to her, paying attention to the in-depth description Professor Flitwick was giving them on a particular charm she already knew how to use.

Hermione was distracted, staring as, when he thought no one was watching, Malfoy let his face slacken into a bored look. This look would then turn into frustration as thoughts continued to flash before his eyes. Hermione wondered if he was unable to recall the conversation.

"Ms. Granger!" Professor Flitwick squeaked loudly from his stack of books that he stood upon.

Hermione snapped her head around, and looked at him, barely catching the smirk on Malfoy's face as she began to panic.

"I asked you a question! Would you please give me an answer?"

She opened her mouth as Pansy quietly whispered the question in her ear, "Oh! The Aqua Eructo spell is difficult to cast because it relies on the strength of the witch or wizard to be able to keep in a certain formation. If the witch or wizard holds the spell for too long, it will take a physical toll on them and can cause permanent damage."

"Thank you, Ms. Granger. Please, next time, pay attention so that Ms. Parkinson does not have to help you out."

Hermione hung her head and did her best to remain concentrated for the rest of the period.

When the bell rang, Professor Flitwick's voice rang over the students, "Ms. Granger, would you remain here for a moment?"

She sat, gaping, for a moment, before stuttering, "S-sure, P-professor."