Untouched

Chapter 4: A Matter Of Choice

I shall not let him intimidate me, Hermione thought. She cleared her throat before walking forward, holding the book close to her chest like a protective shield.

"You're blocking my way, Malfoy" she said sternly.

"I love you, Granger." he countered, catching her off guard.

Hermione's eyes widened, he sounded like the real Malfoy...except that was something the real Malfoy would never say, and the thought made absolutely no sense. This mission had done enough damage to her brain already and it was her most valuable asset!

"I believe I have made my opinion clear concerning that matter." she replied huskily.

"But I don't think you understand." he shook his head, looking down.

"If you explain, maybe I would."

"It's actually a lot more complicated than you make it sound."

"You're incorrigible." Hermione said exasperatedly. Brushing against him, she reached for the door knob and started turning it when his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back.

"Don't leave" he pleaded in a barely audible voice. Clutching the book as if her life depended on it, she turned around to face him "Give me a reason to stay." she urged.

"I would, but that book is getting in the way." the corner of his mouth twisted mischievously

"That's not what I meant" Hermione contradicted. Or was it? She thought.

"What would convince you to stay then?" he asked, his smile fading as he looked down at her with his brows furrowed

"The truth, tell me what you insist so much on hiding." she said

He looked at her deeply, his silence and his frown said that he was contemplating his options, considering whether or not he should tell her, and Hermione thought she was finally getting there. But then he pulled away from her.

"I can't." he mumbled.

Hermione stormed out of the room in fury, when she finally made it to her room, slamming the door behind her, tears were running down her face.
This was wrong on every possible level, she couldn't remember the last time she failed at doing anything. She did great in all of her tests, she was the one her friends turned to when they needed help, when they needed advice. And finally, she was the one the order turned to when they needed such an important mission done and she failed them!
But most of all, she was so tempted to go back and strangle Malfoy...kiss him...then strangle him. Maybe Mad-Eye Moody was right, he should interrogate Malfoy himself, he'd definitely do a better job than her! Even under the effect of a love potion, Malfoy couldn't love her enough..how utterly pathetic was that?

By the next morning, Hermione had shadows under her eyes, she had had very little sleep and her last night was disastrous, she kept thinking of all things she could have said or done that would have made him react differently. What if she didn't let the book stand in the way?

Unable to find her appetite, Hermione stayed at her room skipping breakfast, she didn't want to see him, wasn't ready for it yet. She spent so much time thinking what her next move should be, thinking of all the things she could say to fix things but she finally gave up when the sun came down. Fetching a parchment and some ink, she started writing a letter to Tonks, updating her on how the mission had went...leaving out most of the details.

The least she could do is be quick in informing the order that she couldn't do it, this way they would have more time to think of a plan B. She kept procrastinating, hoping he would finally give in and tell her. She even rushed out of the shower when she thought she heard a knock at the door, but nobody was there.