Lost Image | dramione

9 | the sudden change of heart

She was still there in the morning. Even knowing about the potion, he assumed she wouldn't want to wake up next to him and would instead slink out of the room after their activities were over. Then again, it was likely no one had showed her where the guests rooms were... he wasn't even sure where his mother planned on housing his new wife, though he hoped it would be on the other side of the Manor. He would have to speak to her about it today.

She seemed to be sleeping very deeply when he woke up, and thankfully this time she was not snoring. Her hair had come partly out of her braided wedding hairdo, and some of the frizziness had managed to stubbornly return to her brown locks. No, not brown... as the sunlight filtered in through his window, he noticed something he had seen last night- there were different levels of color in her hair, some strands catching the light in lighter, shiny latte-colored streaks.

He shook his head, sitting up. He wasn't going to just sit there and watch her sleep... he assumed there must still be some last dredges of the potion in his system, to make him notice such trivial things. He stood up, sliding out of bed quietly so as not to wake her. He'd rather be far away and dressed before she woke up, so he wouldn't have to deal with the awkward shivering female he had seen in her last night. It was too weird, seeing brutish, smarty-pants Hermione Granger acting like she was afraid of him. There was a time, given different circumstances, when he might have appreciated the idea. But not now, and not under these circumstances. It had been... very unsettling.

He walked quickly to his wardrobe, digging around for something to wear. He threw on some pants, and was just reaching for a robe set when he heard a groan from the bed.

He closed his eyes, cursing silently.

"Draco?" she asked, and he turned around slowly. She was holding the comforter around herself guardedly, but she didn't look scared or upset. She just looked tired, and as if to demonstrate this fact, she yawned loudly, holding one hand to her face and allowing part of the blanket to slip just a little lower.

Yes, there definitely had to be some part of the potion still at play.

"You can sleep as long as you'd like. Today you'll be shown to your own room. When you are ready for breakfast, just say so out loud." He hurriedly grabbed at some black robes, throwing on the shirt and the top robe as quickly as possible.

"Oh. Okay," she said quietly, and once again he looked over. Now she looked uncomfortable. "I, uh... I don't have anything to wear." She was eyeing her crumpled wedding dress on the ground warily, and Draco was certain she didn't want to wear that ever again.

He sighed. "I'm sure my mother has already sent for your things at Hogwarts. They should be in your room- I'll have someone fetch something for you." He was trying to be as polite as the situation called for, while still making his escape as quickly as possible.

She nodded. "Can you hand me my wand?" she asked, and after a moment's hesitation Draco nodded. He dug in the hidden pocket in her wedding gown, producing her delicate vine-wood instrument. It was, he reflected, the same color as her hair when the sunlight hit it.

"Thanks," she muttered, and before he could turn away she pointed it down at her blanket-clad form.

He jumped, feeling suddenly shocked, and without thinking grabbed her wand-hand with his own.

"What are you doing?" he hissed, feeling enormously frustrated. Must they talk through ever little detail that ought to be obvious? He didn't want to have a complicated conversation with her this morning- he just wanted to send her on her way to a far-away wing and not have to look at her.

"I should think that would be obvious," she answered, her tone suddenly icy.

"Yes, it is obvious- and what point can there possibly be to it?"