The Resistance (Dramione)

Chapter 6: The Night.

Draco opened his eyes. He saw a face over his own. He jumped.

"What..." he looked closer "Granger? What... are you watching me while I sleep? That's creepy." He covered himself with the sheet, he was shirtless.

"No, no, no, no I was just... just... checking, you know, that..." she mumbled.

Draco couldn't decide if he was bothered or amused, he could have sworn that she was blushing.

"Checking what?" he said. "How terribly handsome I am while I sleep?"

"NO!" Okay, there wasn't much light, but now she was blushing. "I just wanted to know if you're alright. Tonks said you saved me, so I was trying to be nice. But that's impossible around you." She seemed pissed, now.

"Oh, come on, Granger. I am the one who should be pissed. I wake up and I find you staring at me. If it was the other way around, you would have punched me."

She smiled. Okay, that's better. Draco sat down on the couch, rubbing his eyes, his neck hurt, and he felt the wound on his arm tight. Granger sat down at the end of the couch. She's trying to stay away from me. Well, I don't blame her. Draco felt very uncomfortable with that silence. Should he say something? Hey, I'm sorry I bullied you for six years, I was a jerk, I'm nicer now. What am I thinking? Am I crazy? She hates me, she probably wants me to leave and...

"Thank you" she said.

Wait, what? Thank you?

"What?" he said.

"For helping us. Not just today, but these past few months. Tonks said... she said you were not okay, but you were helping us." Draco felt a knot in his throat. "And thank you for saving me, I owe you one."

Draco smiled. Okay, this isn't that bad. He still felt weird talking to her. This was probably the longest conversation they ever had. Man, I was such a jerk. He messed up his hair trying to think what to say now. It was his turn now, right? To say something. To apologise. But how? He tried to look at her without her knowing, she looked more relaxed now. But still pretty tense. She looked at him. Damn, she caught me. Say something!

"I was quite a hero, you know." he said. She looked at him. What are you saying? "I saved you from being tortured and then protected you during the fight." He rested his back on the couch, slightly turning towards her. "And not just that, I picked you up, despite the terrible wound on my arm, and jumped over the window. I real hero, I tell you." He was smiling at her, she looked at him. And she started laughing. Draco relaxed a bit. That wasn't bad, now apologise.

"Besides." He said, messing his hair again, avoiding looking at her. "You owe me nothing. I... you know... at Hogwarts, I was... you know... kind of... not nice." Not nice? Is this your apology?

"It's okay. People change. You changed. I understand." She said, to Draco's surprise. "I still want to punch you a bit, though."

"Hey, I'm injured. You wouldn't punch a wounded man, would you? That's not what heroes do, young lady."

She was laughing again. He looked at her. Was she always this pretty? Her hair was still a messy kind of wavy, dark brown, longer than he remembered. He couldn't see his face much, but her eyes were bright. She looked tired, but her smile was pretty. Wait, what? What is wrong with you? This is Granger, behave yourself. Besides, the last thing you know is that she had a thing with stupid Ronald. Not that it interests you or anything, right?

They felt silent again. Draco couldn't stay still, he kept playing with his hair, trying to keep his hands busy. She seemed uncomfortable too, looking around, playing with her nails. Why doesn't she leave then?

"So..." he said, she looked at him. So what? "So you live here, uh?" Wow, that's such a great question, Draco, well done.

"Yeah" she said. "Most of us leave here. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley live with Percy, Charlie and Bill. Tonks and Lupin live with Tonks family. The rest... we live here."

He nodded.

"You... you could come here, if you want to." she said.

"I... I don't know. I mean, honestly. I don't get along with anyone here. Only with Tonks. Besides, me and stupid Ronald under the same roof? Nah, the house would explode after an hour. I can deal with the rest, I mean I don't mind the other Weasleys, but Harry probably hates me as much as Voldemort. And you do too, don't try to deny it, I mean...

"What? No! I'm a bit uncomfortable still, but you're... kind of, you know, being... nice to me. And we are talking now, and it feels, you know... nice."

"Nice? Okay, you think I'm nice, I understand. You've just seen me shirtless and sleeping like a princess, you fell for me, it's understandable. I'm beautiful." Draco smiled as Hermione laughed again. Ah, she's really pretty. "But I doubt that the others would fall for me too."

"Yeah, Ronald would never fall for you, I'm afraid." she said laughing.

"Oh, don't underestimate me, darling. I could make stupid Ronald fall for me, if I wanted to. But you know, I won't do that. I won't take him away from you, that would be very rude."

"What? What do you mean?"

"What?"

"What do you mean by taking him away from me?"

"Uhm, well, you know" Draco was panicking now. "I thought that you... and him... that, you know, that you were... a thing."

"We are not." She wasn't laughing anymore. "We were for a while, but not anymore."

"Ah, I didn't know" he said. "Well, that's for the best, that way, when both of you fall for me. I will see you fight for my love. It will be fun."

She was laughing again. Good.

"That will be quite a sight." She smiled, but she looked sad.

"Come on, Granger. Don't put that face."

"What face?"

"That face you're making. Like if you just lost Prince Charming, you deserve more than him. Come on, you are pretty Granger and he's stupid Ronald. Nah, no way."

She laughed again, like before. Draco smiled at her.

"I don't know what surprises me more, that you're trying to make me feel better or that you just called me pretty."

Dammit. I called her pretty, play it cool, Draco.

"Yeah, well. I'm no longer jerk Draco, I'm nice Draco. So I'm trying to make you feel better. And yes, I think you are pretty. I never thought that before, as you may have guessed, but I do now. So, yeah."

"Thank you, Draco. I'm still not sure if you are playing with me or not."

"Of course I'm playing with you. I don't know if you have heard." he said getting closer to her. "But I'm quite a flirty man, so you know, I tend to leave a trail of broken hearts behind me. Don't blame yourself for falling for me, Granger, I'll be easy on you."

She was laughing again. Draco found himself laughing too. It's been a while since the last time he laughed that much.

They were quiet again, but Draco was no longer uncomfortable. She didn't look uncomfortable too. He was pleased. She was resting on the couch, she looked tired, she was playing now with the light coming out of her wand. She was going to fall asleep at any time.

"Okay, Granger. You're falling asleep. You should rest." He said.

"Yeah, you should rest too." She said standing up. "I'll go upstairs then." She was rubbing her eyes now. Why does she look so pretty? Stupid Ronald.

"Goodnight, Malfoy."

"Goodnight, Granger." he said. "Try not to dream about me too much." He said as he lay on the couch. She laughed again and disappeared upstairs.