Restricted

10

Hermione had known Malfoy to be late and careless but never this late. It was twenty minutes into defence against the dark arts class and she'd had spent that entire time thinking about him. For whatever reason she didn't know, all she knew was that he suspiciously wasn't here.

She fidgeted, fiddled, anything to help make the time go faster — even wished she had some of Malfoy's blue pills to chill her out.

She didn't care about many people anymore and here she was, caring?
Sliding further into her chair, she sprung back up when Professor Snape asked her a question and she fumbled on her words, unlike herself for sure, but of course still got the answer correct.

Just as she answered, Malfoy walked into the class with messy hair and a sharp cut across his lip.

He'd been in some sort of a fight she assumed from his split lip and a cut near his eyebrow, and she couldn't help but think it suited his image. Half the people in the class were scared of him and now she could understand why.

She tilted her head at his picture perfect lean physique and he caught her eyes immediately, not subtly by any means.
No doubt Professor Snape would let him off easy as Draco raised his eyebrows carelessly at the class and took a seat beside Pansy, who had very clearly saved it just for him.

Hermione huffed a little, resting on her palm, her eyes fixated on his muscular back. What was the point in concentrating in class anyway when a war was brewing and this knowledge would be completely wasted when it actually came to fight?

Her free periods had grown longer or more frequent as teachers were beginning to cancel lessons for whatever reason, so she doubted it would be long until they'd stop all together.

Muggleborn's had already been warned to return home. Not her though. Not with parents that didn't even know she existed. And plus, everyone expected Gryffindors golden girl to fight. Just like Malfoy had mentioned last night.

Malfoy was flexing his arms back in his chair, as Snape's voice drowned on she couldn't help but focus on them. She felt pathetic.
But at least she was distracted, for once.

Eventually he turned around, smirking, looking in her eyes directly. She looked away uncomfortably, he was teasing her of course — using a finger to smudge the blood a little from his lip. She gulped, because even though she wasn't looking, she could see he was still twisted around, with eyes on her.

One thing was for sure, she couldn't wait to ask him later what he'd been up to — assuming he'd actually tell her. Malfoy never made things easy.

~

The bath water was scolding hot, soaking off all the guilt she held from last night. The bubbles high around her neck, her hair lathered in honey shampoo. She needed to feel clean, cleansed of sins that her past self would never even dream of.

She was due in the library in approximately an hour with Nott and Malfoy. Although she wondered how long Nott would stick around for, the library didn't really seem his sort of vibe.

He was too energetic to sit for long and he hated reading. Unlike Malfoy who seemed rather content in his own company from her analysis — he was rather intelligent in classes anyway and seemed to be ok alone reading, taking drugs or just bloody scowling at anything that breathes.

She dipped her head under and counted, wondering how long she could breathe here, warm and comforted by the silence ringing in each ear. Although she knew she had to get out and face the long evening ahead eventually. After an entire body shave and moisturise, she was left feeling miles better than before.