Tutoring A Malfoy - Dramione

Chapter Nine - 'Saving him...'

The atmosphere in that one closed dormitory was something that Hermione wished she never felt as long as she lived. The whole concept of Draco standing there with the dark mark and the meaning behind it made her want to be physically sick. She couldn't bear to move, speak, or drag her eyes up so that she was looking at Draco.

Hermione was extremely pale now, making her look like she was ill. A million thoughts seemed to bombard her head as she stood completely still, watching the arm that belonged to the boy she liked. Draco, on the other hand, didn't know what to do or what to say. Anything he did would make the matter so much worse, he didn't think it could get any better.

Hermione stared at the offending dark mark that had been permanently etched onto Draco’s arm, with a hand over her mouth. This meant so much for their relationship – whatever relationship they had – and for the times they had spent together. Everything seemed to be gone between them for Hermione but Draco wasn’t giving up so easily on her, his face showed that. The wind seemed to be blowing harder against the windows and the black lake could be heard since the lake was near the Slytherin’s common room. The lake helped the students sleep in the Slytherin dormitories, lulling them like a soothing lullaby. Now it seemed to be crashing in waves and Draco wished the wind and lake would die down.

A couple of minutes passed but Hermione felt like half of her life was passing right before her. Draco, realising that either Hermione or himself had to speak or else they would be standing here by the time morning rolled on, bit his lips. He coughed slightly and willed himself to cover his arm but he couldn't bring himself to do that. Instead he spoke to Hermione.

‘Granger,’ Draco whispered, taking a step forwards to where Hermione was frozen in the state of shock. He wanted to plead for her to understand, begging with his eyes and his whole soul, but he couldn't say anything else. Draco wished Hermione would just look at him but she didn't look up at all. Hermione shut her eyes as though in pain.

‘Don’t...’ Hermione shook her head, stepping away from him.

Hermione trailed off at that word, unable to carry on. She couldn't believe that Draco... Draco was a death eater. After every fight she had with Harry who tried to convince her that Draco was not who he said he was, after Dumbledore asked her to spy on Draco to see what he was up to... they all knew he was a death eater! All of them knew! Hermione was the blind one, the naive one, that thought that Draco couldn't be that far gone in his evil ways. She truly believed that Draco wasn’t that stupid but she was wrong and now... it hurt her to know that they probably wouldn’t talk like they did over the holidays. Everything was ruined!

‘There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin. Ron said that to Harry in our first year here, I overheard them talking about it later,’ Hermione explained but it sounded as though she was talking to herself, ‘at that time I thought... I thought that statement was very narrow minded. How did he know that everyone in Slytherin would become evil? But now I understand... I get that sometimes there has to be a clear division in society for reasons like this! People aren’t who they seem to be and...’

‘This doesn’t mean anything,’ Draco tried to implore to her. The expression on his face was truly one that no one had ever seen on a Malfoy before, especially not towards a muggle born. Draco was begging with his grey eyes for Hermione to understand who he was inside rather then what she saw outside. Draco took a step towards her but Hermione took a step backwards, shaking her head at the ground and tightening her jaw, ‘I won’t hurt you.’

‘I can’t believe I was about to spend the night here... with you,’ Hermione whispered, disgusted at herself at the mere thought.

That hurt Draco deep down, hoping to keep his facade strong but to no avail, he showed it in his expression. His heart seemed to break in two pieces when he saw just how disgusted the thought made her. Sure, he had only invited her here so that he could see the letter she had received but that wasn’t the only reason. Plus, he didn't even read the letter so he didn't invade her privacy. Draco liked Hermione, it wasn’t particularly obvious to her but now it was. The hurt was evident on his face but Hermione still wasn’t looking at him.