"You're free to go?" she asked with a wide smile, meeting him half way.
"Yeah," he muttered. Although he didn't exactly greet her in the most friendly way possible, she could tell that he was beginning to relent on his cold attitude towards her.
"Oh...I forgot to tell you. Professor Haymen wants us to meet with him in his office Friday night at 7 PM."
"Haymen? Who's that?"
"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He told me that Dumbledore wants him to teach us how to protect ourselves from any other intruders."
"I don't need -" Draco began hotly, but was cut off when Hermione frowned at him.
"Don't give me that," she said in a motherly tone. "Dumbledore just wants to protect you."
"Like I said, Granger, there's nothing anyone can do about this. Not even Dumbledore. If my father finds out that I even told anyone, then..." Draco made an attempt to step around her, but she moved to the side to block his path.
"No," said Hermione firmly. "I'm not letting you go until you agree to come with me."
"I'd appreciate it if you could get of my way."
"Come with me."
"No."
"Then I won't get out of your way," she answered with her arms crossed.
"Fine," he growled, "I'll go with you to your little meeting. Now move."
Smiling to herself, Hermione moved aside and went back to her homework. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco head to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Once she heard the water running, she put the quill down and sighed.
An image lingered in her mind - the picture of him as he looked down at her and tried to get her to move out of his way. His bruises and cuts had all been healed, and although the glint in his eyes had been anything but pleasant, she couldn't help but remember the way his stone-cold gaze had softened as he looked at her.
For the second time in the past few days, Hermione scolded herself for bringing back the picture of Draco. Why is he having such an effect on me? she thought with a frusterated sigh as she picked up her book again. Although she held it up, her eyes merely skimmed over the blur of words on the page - she was too occupied with thoughts of Draco to register anything.
Before she knew it, the door to their bathroom opened again and the Slytherin himself walked out with a towel around his waist. He frowned when he saw Hermione still lying on the couch. "Shouldn't you have gone to bed by now, Granger?"
Back to last names I see, she thought. Okay then, two can play at that game...
"Perhaps, Malfoy," she answered casually. Moments passed and she made no move to get up.
Draco raised an eyebrow at her response. Before he had entered the shower, Hermione had acted as if she cared about him and wanted him to be safe; now she seemed determined to return his not-so-friendly attitude. "Whatever," he mumbled in reply. "Good night."
With that, Draco stepped into his room and closed the door, leaving Hermione to her thoughts alone.
Hermione woke up with a start when she heard soft footsteps outside her bedroom. Her eyes widening in fright, she quietly got out of bed and treaded over to the door. Looking out, she saw the shadow of a tall figure brush by her room and head towards the exit.
Her curiousity overtaking her sense, Hermione leaned further out and saw to her surprise that as the moon cast its pale glow on the prowler, Draco's striking features became clear. Wondering what he was doing up this late, she waited until he had left the dormitory then followed him out and began trailing after him.
Taking care to hide in the shadows, Hermione softly made her way after Draco - down the staircase, past the Hufflepuff common room, through a series of winding corridors, and finally, past the entrance hall doors and onto the Hogwarts grounds.
As if he had done this every night - which, Hermione realized, he probably did - Draco began walking towards the lake without hesitation. When he reached it, he sat down on the shore with his knees up to his chest and his chin resting on them. He seemed to be staring at an invisible point on the horizon.
Hours, it seemed, passed as Hermione continued to stand in the shadows of a tall tree and watch gaze at Draco's silhouette. Everything seemed so picture perfect; she was afraid to even breathe, not wanting to risk shattering the stillness.
Then as if it had never existed, the moment was broken by a jet of red light shooting towards Draco from the edge of the forbidden forest. Almost mechanically, as if he had been expecting it, the tall blonde whipped around and muttered a spell which dissolved the beam of light as it shot towards him.
"Who's there?" he yelled into the quiet of the night.
There was no answer. Hermione shook in fright. Her mind told her that she should run to Draco's aid, but her feet were planted onto the ground.
"Come out, you coward," Draco repeated. The tip of his wand was lit up, and in its dim light, Hermione could see Draco surveying the dark forest with narrowed eyes.
A quiet rustle came from a bush a few feet to Hermione's left and she watched with bated breath as a short, stout figure clothed in a tattered brown cloak stepped out.
"Mr Malfoy," he said in a shaky voice. "I see you are alone?"
"Yes," Draco replied tensely, moving towards the stranger and closer to where Hermione stood hidden. "Who are you?"
Hermione watched as the man paused and bent down to pick up a box. He straightened up with the parcel in his hands, and gave it to Draco.
"Open it."
With a suspicious glare at his companion, Draco cautiously untied the rough pieces of string that held the box together. His eyes widened and he jumped back in surprise when the contents became evident - no less than four crimson scorpion-like creatures crawled out and latched themselves to his pale hands.
"Your father sends his best wishes," said the cloaked stranger with a chilling laugh as he stepped back into the shadows. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.
The moment the shadow of the figure was gone, Hermione rushed out from her hiding spot to Draco. He now kneeled on the ground, his fists clenched and his teeth gritted in pain. The creatures had disappeared, but his hands and upper-arms were now covered in angry red scratches. The skin around the wounds was turning a sickly green, and it was clear to Hermione that the animals had been poisonous - perhaps even fatal.
Draco barely noticed Hermione as she knelt before him, trying to keep calm.
"Draco, can you hear me?" she whispered urgently.
"Get me...get me to the hospital wing," he groaned. Blood was now streaming out of his cuts, and he was so pale that it was obvious he was going to pass out soon.
Without hestitating, Hermione took his arm and swung it over her shoulders to help him steady himself. Leaving the half-opened box behind, the two students made their way clumsily back to the dark castle, as the moon continued to shine brightly above them.