Erised

Chapter 6: Worry

Chapter 6: Worry

The next day, all Draco wanted to do was meet Hermione again. Ever since the dream episode, he was curious about what Hermione felt for him. Did she actually care?

He made his way towards the Great Hall for breakfast. He peeked in and stole a glance at the Gryffindor table. Hermione wasn't there.

He went sat at his table, patiently waiting for her to enter. A few minutes later, he saw her friends enter the hall.
Almost all of her friends except her and that airhead Potter.

Hermione entered almost a good thirty minutes later, with Potter in tow. They seemed to be arguing about something. As they approached the Gryffindor table, Hermione looked across at Draco. Her expression was worried. Following her sight Harry looked up too. More like glared. The same menacing glare Draco and Harry used to give each other before the war. It was like Potter was challenging him to something. Draco snorted and looked away.

Throughout the meal, Hermione didn't look at him once. Draco kept glancing at her, hoping she would look. He wanted to ask her if she could meet him in the room of requirements tonight for his Charms tutoring.

Of course, that was only an excuse to see her. Draco didn't really need help in Charms. He was better than Hermione thought he was. Charms tutoring was just an excuse he had come up with in order to get her to spend time with him. It had been almost a week since they last met, if he left out Hermione's worry of him dropping dead yesterday.

As if on cue, Hermione got up, looked at him and walked out the hall. That was Draco's signal. He looked at the Gryffindor table to make sure none of Hermione's friends, especially Potter, were looking at him. Potter was busy snogging Weasley's sister while Weasley tried to stop him from doing so.

Draco got up and almost ran out of the Great Hall. He looked around and found Hermione sitting on the steps of the marble staircase. He smiled in her direction and made his way towards her.

He knew something was wrong when she returned his smile with a weak one, worry still etched on her face.

"Hey, what's wrong?", he asked her.

She almost looked up in surprise. "What? Nothing's wrong.", she answered, clearly lying.

"Hermione, don't lie to me.", he said. He realised something. This was the first time he had called her Hermione. Maybe he was hallucinating, but Draco could see Hermione's cheeks turning pink.

"What's bothering you?", he asked again, to bring her back to the topic. Hermione let out a sigh and spoke.

"It's nothing, really. Maybe I'm just overreacting. Harry told me this morning that Seamus saw us coming out of the room of requirements a week ago. He asked me if there was something I hadn't told him, something about you and me.", she said.

"What did you tell him?"

"Well, I lied as much as I could. I told him Seamus must have been wrong because I hadn't been to the room of requirements since the war. But, I don't think Harry believes me. It's just so hard lying to Harry. After everything that's happened, I feel like I'm betraying him or something. On top of that, the two of us staring at each other all the time isn't helping the situation.", Hermione said, her eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"Don't worry. We'll find a way out. You don't need to lie anymore. If that is what will make you feel better. All you're doing is helping me with Charms. I don't think there's a law in our world that stops you from doing that", Draco said soothingly, as best as he could. He didn't know how to console people. He had never been in a situation where he had to console anybody, leave out his mother after the war, but her case was beyond consoling.

Hermione's eyes widened slightly. " No. I can't do that. It's not fair. If I tell Harry, you'll be in trouble. No. It's alright. We'll just have to try and be more discreet", she said.

Draco took her hand in his, her hand warm against his, and squeezed it. Hermione froze. Not knowing what to do. She then smiled at him.

Draco smirked. A good imitation of his usual smirk but much less menacing. He looked at Hermione and said, "Now that you already have broken most of the rules, how about breaking one more?".

Hermione snorted. "What do you want me to do?", she said, challengingly.

"Come to Hogsmeade with me this weekend".

This is just a filler, and I know it's nothing great, but just hold on. The good stuff is on it's way :)

- Piper