Dramione: WANTED

CHAPTER 5: HERMIONE MEETS THE TALKING DOOR

CHAPTER 5: HERMIONE MEETS THE TALKING DOOR

"What the hell? That dumb idiot is after you?" Draco's eyes widened in amazement.

Adrian had been what the others in his house classified as the "nice Slytherin," a rare enough thing when everyone else was following the Dark Lord and all, so it had shocked them when he'd become a wanted criminal after going around killing people for gold.

Apparently, there were no such thing as nice Slytherin, well, except Blaise. Blaise was more Gryffindor than Slytherin anyway.

"They must be more than desperate to catch you Granger. That guy is far too good at killing people, and if the Longbottom's hired him of all people, you're screwed. Adrian is an expert at tracking."

"Yes, Malfoy. I'm well aware of that. You think I'm here because I want to see you almost naked? He found my apartment and I don't have anywhere else to go at the moment. My last safe house I had to give up as a false trail for Harry and Ron. I wouldn't be here otherwise."

She glanced around the creepy, dark hallway of the manor and wrapped her arms around herself, pulling the cardigan she was wearing closer to her body to keep in the warmth and away whatever horrors wanted to infiltrate her mind.

"Right, those two buffoon are after you too." Draco let out a sigh and ran a hand through his ruffled hair, "remind me again why you were ever friends with them?"

She was far too good to be hanging out with two people who didn't trust her enough to know that she wasn't a killer, for Merlin's sake.

"Look, I'm not here to discuss that. This is where the favour comes in. I wouldn't be asking you this if I had any other options. I considered the street, but it will probably snow tonight and I can't afford to get sick."

Draco ignored the fact that she made it sound like he was the very last resort and one that she still didn't want to use. "I need a place to stay- just for the night. No one will believe that I would come here of all places, so he won't track me here. Just for the night. I can leave in the morning."

She looked away from him, her face flushing slightly as she stared at the carpet like it was something that she'd never seen before in her life, her fingers wringing anxiously, waiting for his answer.

Draco stared at her.

There was dust all over her clothes, a bruise blossoming on her left cheek, she looked completely lost and absolutely... no, nothing. He knew all too well that the Hermione Granger that he knew would never ask for help unless she had no other options. She was stubborn and determined and it sort of stung somewhere in his chest that it was her own friends that had caused her to sink low enough to request help from him.

What were Pothead and Weasel thinking, doing this to the only one in the world that gave a crap about them during the years that they had no one else?

"Granger, I may be a jerk, but I know how be nice. Sometimes. I'll find you a room somewhere upstairs." He paused, finding the astonished expression on her face somewhat insulting, "but you have to promise me a few things first, Granger."

She looked quite taken aback, but nodded anyway, her face turning serious in an instant, listening keenly. Like she always did.

"Firstly, don't leave your room until morning. There are parts of this house even I don't know, so if you get lost, well, the world won't have to worry about you killing them because no one is going to find you for a million years."