Memories - Dramione story

Chapter 7

Draco's POV

My mood got way better when I opened the pen Blaise had given me. The next clue was hidden in the library, and I had a good idea about where it was hidden. Even though I noticed I had some holes in my memory when I thought about the time I spent in the library during the past years, I still knew what table I used to sit at. For some reason, I was always sitting at that particular table, though I didn't remember why. 

I sat at my last class of the day, listening to our new potion's teacher explaining the proper way to brew different kinds of advanced healing potions. This teacher was quite different from Snape; she also was a student at Hogwarts before, but she was a Hufflepuff. She was about 40 years old, of medium height, and a little weird, laughing and joking around one day and being unusually calm and dreamy the other day. For some reason, I often felt like Snape was way better. 

I spent my last 5 minutes in class glaring at the clock. As soon as the end of classes was announced by the bell, I bolted up, came out of the classroom, and went straight to the common room to prepare myself to go to supper. As soon as I was ready, I went to the Great Hall and ate as fast as I could once I was there. I was so curious to know what the clue would say. Blaise watched as I engulfed my food in a very unMalfoy-ish way. I finished and stood up, heading towards the library, leaving Blaise at the Great Hall without saying a word. 

I was utterly surprised when I saw none other than Hermione Granger sitting at the table in which I thought the clue was hidden. The table was situated in the least frequented spot of the entire library. There were plenty of free tables in the library. But for some reason, Granger had to choose this table. Nevertheless, I was so curious about the clue that I decided not to give up. I got to the table in three big steps and stopped, looking at her as she raised her eyes to look at me with a surprised expression.

«This is my spot», I said as seriously as I could. She just glared at me, also bearing a serious expression.

«Firstly, you didn't sit here for at least a year. Secondly, this spot belongs to absolutely no one. Thirdly, I was here first. Finally, there are plenty of other tables in the library you can sit at», she stated, clearly determined to stay here.

Lying would probably not help me, she would know: I knew very well that she was quite intelligent. Also, there was probably a good reason why she chose this table instead of one of the many other tables in the library, which meant that she would probably come back here every day, and because she was Hermione Granger, she would spend all of her time here, at the library. Skipping breakfast, dinner, or supper, wouldn't be the best idea, because if I would start asking for clues and she would come into the library as I do so and see me as I ask for clues, she would get suspicious about something. I had no choice, the best option would be to convince her to go away somehow...

«Fine», I said, sitting on the chair across from her before taking a book from the pile of books leaning on the table.

«Oh, right, help yourself», she said sarcastically, looking at me with disbelief.

Ignoring her comment, I opened the book and started reading. I would wait for her to leave, even if it meant that I would need to wait until curfew, which was in about 3 hours. Hermione stared at me. I ignored her stare, hoping she would turn her head away and do something else. I was already impressed that she didn't leave. Noticing that she was still staring at me even after ten minutes, I raised my eyes from the book and looked at her.

«You know I'm the best at the staring game, right?» I said, smirking.

«That's what we're gonna see», she answered, keeping a straight face and looking me right into the eyes.

...

Hermione's POV

I wouldn't lose to this undisciplined jerk, no matter if it's in a game or in real life. I looked him in the eyes for a long time, wondering why he would need this table enough for him to try to make me leave so hard. His eyes were grey, grey like the rock beach I was walking on with my parents when I was a child. I felt sadness pull at my heart. My parents, who I obliviated, killing all hopes of talking to them normally again. But something in his eyes made me feel like there still was hope, even though there probably wasn't. Still, I almost felt like I knew there was hope. Why? 

Grey. Mystery kind of grey. If secrets and unknown would have had a color, it would have been this grey, the same grey as his eyes.

Suddenly, I had an idea. Not a very good one, but I hoped it would work. Counting time in my head, I continued to look him in the eyes. Thirty minutes passed. Forty. Fifty. An hour. I pretended to start falling asleep, making it look as if my eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. The shadow of a smirk appeared on his face. I achieved in making him believe I was falling asleep for real. I drew my wand out of my pocket under the table before casting a mind-fogging spell on myself to make it easier for me to feel like I was falling asleep. My thoughts became less clear and I closed my eyes, melting on my chair, feeling like I drifted to sleep for real. Still, I concentrated on what was going on, trying not to actually fall asleep. 

For something like half an hour, nothing happened. He probably wanted to be sure that I was asleep. Finally, I heard him stand up. «Aparecium», he whispered. I slightly opened my eyes to see the effect of the revealing charm he had cast. The corner of the table that was on my right slightly glowed. As he started walking in my direction, I shut my eyes completely to make sure he wouldn't see I'm awake. I heard a sound similar to a drawer being pulled out. Then, I heard something like paper being unfold before hearing a drawer-like sound again. 

A hand touched my shoulder. «Granger,» he said, shaking me slightly. I didn't react. I wouldn't give up that easily. My plan was simple; I hoped that if I pretended to be in a very deep sleep, he would take me in his arms to bring me to the common room, which would give me the opportunity to reach into his pocket and take out the pen that I saw him open and pull a paper out off this morning. I knew he had put it in his pocket during breakfast and really hoped that it was still here. «Rennervate», he murmured, probably hoping to wake me up that way. All the spell did was to unfog my mind. For credibility, I moaned and slightly opened my eyes before lazily closing them again. Then, what I wanted to happen happened: he took me in his arms.

...

Draco's POV

I was surprised that the reviving spell didn't wake her up. Maybe she was very tired, or she was using some kind of medication or potion for some reason that had fatigue or drowsiness as a side effect. I turned around to walk away, but a wave of guilt hit me. I remembered how I watched as she was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange back at the main Malfoy manor. How I did absolutely nothing when it happened, even though I wanted to. Bringing her back to the common room would hurt no one. I could at least do this for her. 

Fortunately for me, there wasn't much time left before curfew and we were the only students in the library. I put her books in her backpack before putting the backpack on my shoulders. Then, I lifted her from her chair, taking her in my arms. I couldn't believe I was doing this, but the guilt was driving me crazy. She was the main reason why I sent those letters; she was the one I felt most guilty about not helping out during the war, because I had watched as she suffered without acting to help her. This memory had a huge impact on me.

Suddenly, I had a feeling of déjà vu, like if I had already carried her that way once, but I couldn't understand why... Ignoring the feeling, I started carrying her towards the 8th-years' common room, taking the least frequented corridors that could lead me there. Her hair, falling on my right arm, felt soft and fluffy, and framed her face in a way that made the words «sleeping beauty» fit her to perfection. When I entered the common room, there was only one student, who seemed very concentrated on his book and didn't bother looking at us. Silently, I laid her on the sofa in front of the fireplace, putting her backpack on the floor beside her before going away to sleep.