"What did he want to talk about?" Harry probed as Hermione continued reading her book.
"Apologizing," Hermione answered vaguely. Harry frowned.
"C'mon Hermione, that isn't even a proper answer, please?" Harry pressed on. Hermione sighed and placed the book on her lap and stared at Harry. He stared back and glared when Hermione averted her eyes.
"I just told you, he wanted to apologize. That's all." Hermione said. Harry growled internally, usually he would let Hermione to keep it to herself, but now the thought was barely manageable. He wanted his mate to tell him everything. So he decided to pull it out of his mate.
It's called coercion Potter.
Yeah? But I hardly care.
Hermione won't like it. You should give her some personal space.
But she is driving me mental by keeping it to herself. Even she forced me to tell her things sometimes, it's a payback.
Harry knew he wasn't playing fair, but he won't admit that some part of him wanted to tell Hermione when she probed into his personal matters sometimes.
But just this once he would do it. So he let go of his Veela charms lightly, so that he won't have to face something just like before.
"Please Hermione? Won't you tell me?" Harry asked in a deep voice, blinking and looked at Hermione pleadingly. Hermione blinked rapidly as she shook her head to snap out and Harry smirked in his victory, knowing it was working.
"Hermione?" Harry gave a final push, using more pressure with his Veela magic. Hermione sighed, her eyes taking an angry but a slight dreamy like state. So, she put her book aside and started explaining:
Hermione was lost in her book until there was knock on the compartment door.
"Come in." Hermione said distractedly as she continued reading. She heard the rustle of the door and a clear of the throat. She looked up, her eyes widening at the visitor.
"Malfoy?" Hermione got up, her guard on as she reached for her wand. Draco held his hands up in surrender.
"I just want to talk Granger," Draco said. Hermione regarded him intensely, seeing no signs of lie; she gave a curt nod and sat down. But then what did she knew? Slytherins are good at lying. But she was curious.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Draco took a seat opposite her. What did he really want to talk about? That he won't stop with his mudblood insults? Did he come here to warn? Or taunt? Or harm? Kill?
But he was ridiculously at ease as he stared out of the window.
"Out with it Malfoy," Hermione found herself saying before she could shut her smart mouth which often did the talking without considering her.
"To the point. Charming, Granger." Draco smirked appreciatively. It took Hermione's every ounce of control she had not to twitch a single muscle in her face, but she couldn't stop her eyes which widened a little.
Bloody hell, did he just compliment her!?
She narrowed her eyes to look for any sign of sarcasm evident in his face. There were none.
Apocalypse.
She drew her wand and pointed at his face.
"When did Malfoy first call me a mudblood?" Hermione asked suspiciously. Draco looked shocked as he got slightly cross-eyed at the tip of her wand. He looked at her and blinked. He gave a snort, which turned into a chuckle, then a full blown laughter. Hermione's suspicion only grew. Malfoys don't laugh at all. They only know two expressions: smirk or sneer.
"In the second year, before Weasel tried to hex me," Draco's grin widened as he remembered. Hermione could tell it was one of his favorite memories. She lowered her wand and frowned.
"You are Malfoy…" Hermione mumbled in confusion. Draco regarded her amusedly.
"You are an interesting company, I must say," Draco smirked. Hermione snorted.
"Ask Ron or Harry. They beg to differ," Hermione said as she blew out a stray curl from her face. He ignored her comment as he still regarded her face curiously, his eyes intent on the curl she blew from her face, as if debating with himself about something.
"I am curious, what made you think I am not Malfoy?" Draco asked abruptly as he leaned back.
"Well, for one thing, you have never complimented me in your life. Maybe one time about my teeth in fourth year, you said, I don't look like a rabbit anymore…" Hermione trailed off as Draco winced slightly. She pretended she didn't notice.
"Then, yeah this is the main point: you laughed." Hermione looked at Draco wide eyed. She pressed on 'you laughed' so intently that Malfoy grinned again.
"I laugh Granger, believe it or not. I am human," he said with a smirk.
"You are a Malfoy," Hermione told him as if it explained everything. Draco rolled his eyes.
"I am surprised Granger. I didn't know until now, thanks for the apprise," Draco drawled, Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean. You showed me your strange behavior, I have earned suspicion." Hermione bit out as she crossed her arms. Draco raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything.
"Touché," Draco finally agreed, amusement evident in his eyes as Hermione gave a smug smirk and a nod of approval.
"So, what is it that you want to talk about?" Hermione asked as she played with the edge of her book absently as she looked at him curiously. Draco averted his eyes and ran a hand through his platinum blonde hair. Oh god, is that a blush?
"I am… sorry," Draco said with an effort which Hermione acknowledged, but was shocked.
"What?" came her eloquent response.
"I won't repeat it again." Draco said with a set sneer.
"Oh goodness, you are Malfoy…" she sighed in relief. Draco snorted and waited for her response.
"But…why?" Hermione asked in confusion. Draco cleared his throat.
"Well, for all these years, first. I know an apology isn't enough, so I will try to be civil. Second, the time at the Malfoy Manor…" Draco trailed off, shuddering slightly. Hermione gave a shudder as well.
"Don't apologize, it's not your fault," Hermione said quietly. Draco looked at her disbelievingly.
"I have been coerced to torture Muggles and Muggleborn Granger. But the time I saw you three in the Malfoy Manor with those Snatchers and Death Eaters, I was afraid… for all of you… especially you, since you are a muggleborn. My life… I accepted it the way my father decided it as. It was the same that time, when I saw my crazy – thankfully dead – Aunt torturing you, I was disgusted by the act. I was disgusted by my family. I thought which side I am in anyways? But then when she carved that word in your arm, I wanted to kill her. I was taught since childhood that people like muggles and muggleborn are loathsome and lower than us, but I was forced to rethink. But I couldn't really take sides, it was my family that took his side, I had to follow them.
I can't say I let go of my prejudices completely, you will still find me saying something offensive by mistake. But I will try my best Granger. I decided what I want to do. My apology is from the time I couldn't protect you." Draco finished. Hermione looked very surprised and a little happy.
"But it really isn't your fault Malfoy. You didn't give us; I knew you recognized us that time." Hermione said softly. Draco still shook his head, a little irritated at Hermione's Gryffindorness.
"Damn Gryffindors." Draco muttered. Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"You are not acting like a Slytherin yourself," Hermione retorted. Draco scowled in response.
The compartment door opened and Harry took in the scene, he looked like a Hungarian Horntail who was seconds away from pouncing.
"Mate," Draco was broken from his reverie by Blaise.
"Did you apologize?" Blaise asked with a smirk. Draco scowled at him.
"Yeah I did," Draco said.
"Did she accept?" Blaise pressed on. Draco growled in annoyance.
"She thinks it isn't my fault," Draco said disbelievingly as he bit on a Liquorice Wand. Blaise eyed it warily.
"This is your sixth Draco, sure you don't want our body to be ruined," Blaise smirked when Draco's pale face got paler and he let go of the Liquorice Wand. Blaise rolled his eyes; he will start nibbling on it again after few hours he was sure of that.
"I know Hermione is like that… what?" Blaise trailed off at Draco's stare.
"You call her by her first name," Draco stated suspiciously. Blaise shrugged.
"We are on the first name basis since sixth year. We are in Slug Club, she is pretty friendly," Blaise said nonchalantly as he stole one of the Liquorice Wand from Draco and chewed from the end thoughtfully.
"She is an interesting company, I must say," Blaise continued. Draco chuckled.
"I told her the same. She doesn't believe me, she says her friends don't agree," Draco frowned. Blaise laughed.
"Of course, that goon Weasel, can't you see they constantly fight? He surely doesn't enjoy her witty comments. Potter on the other hand-" Blaise was cut off by Draco.
"Yeah, I just met Potter in the Heads compartment. He is the Head Boy. Also, there is something different about him." Draco continued, ignoring Blaise's 'duh' look at the Head Boy comment.
"What's different about him?" Blaise frowned. Draco shrugged.
"He seems more built and what to say… handsome? I mean, I know he was good looking as I heard from the girls, but he looked way different than before….why are you looking at me like that?" Draco scowled at Blaise's half scared look; he looked around the empty compartment and scooted at the opposite corner of the compartment.
"Since when do you swing that way?" Blaise shuddered and tried covered his body. Draco growled.
"Not funny Zabini, I am serious here. There was something different about him. Also, the way he looked at Granger… it was like: she is mine, back off. It was very primal… and let's say dangerous." Draco finished. Blaise frowned.
"What d'you reckon is going on?" Blaise asked him. Draco shrugged.
"Beats me," Draco replied. Blaise frowned.
"Let's forget it. It must be just the changes after months and war. He did kill the Dark Lord; it may make him feel like he is more of importance, although I find it hard to believe. Just forget it and let's enjoy a normal life," Blaise shook his head and smiled at Draco.
"I think you are right," Draco muttered, looking out of the window, lost in the thoughts of a certain curly haired Muggleborn.
"So that's it," Hermione finished as she looked at Harry and scowled. Harry chuckled and ran a hand through his already messy hair.
"Well, I beg to differ Mya. I mean, I find your company interesting," Harry frowned at her. Hermione's eyes widened.
"What did you call me?" Hermione asked abruptly. Harry cleared his throat.
"I called you Mya, you don't like it?" Harry asked anxiously. Hermione smiled at Harry and he felt like he would do anything to make her smile like that. And he meant anything. But he didn't want to be on her bad side, mate or not. She was Hermione, the brightest witch of her age. Ron called her Herms once and she transfigured him to a Gryffindor couch… and let's say his face was subjected to many arses.
"I love it," Hermione said softly. She hated it when people made stupid nickname out of her names: Herms and 'Mione were the most irritating. But Mya, it was something exotic and cute, and she liked it. Harry grinned.
"Good," he said. He felt an urge to touch his mate, his Veela coursing in him to close the painful distance between them.
"Also, I don't believe you find my company interesting." Hermione came back to the topic as she frowned. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Oh really?" Hermione asked as she crossed her arms and set her infamous glare on him, with her mouth set determinedly when she always wanted to prove someone wrong. She blew a stray curl hovering over her cheek. Harry was mesmerized as his sharp Veela senses took every single detail of her. Why didn't he notice Hermione beauty all these years? Was it because of his bad eyesight? He noticed there was small mole near the line of her jaw which he desperately wanted to kiss; there was a shiny red tint on the ends of her hairs which was only more prominent in the sunlight. The way she blew her curl, which was so adorable. He wanted to tuck that curl behind her ear; it was a restrain not to do so. Then those beautiful chocolate irises with amber speck, her doe shaped eyes. Her wild curly hair was not bushy anymore as she got her treatment done in the beauty parlor. He liked her bushy hair, but didn't mind as they were still curls which flowed in sleekly on her back in large volume.
He wanted to assess her more but instead he was pinned down again by that oh so famous Hermione look, and he melted again.
Boy he is so whipped.
"Well, you can say when you are not talking about books, then you are an interesting company…" Harry conceded. Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. She glanced at Harry curiously who was fighting the urge to serenade, or write a love poem on her hair.
"What are you reading?" Harry asked as he got out of his seat and sat beside Hermione, closer than necessary. He could hear her heartbeat accelerated a little.
"It's a muggle novel, The Notebook." Hermione murmured as she continued reading the book. Harry snorted and took the book out of her hands.
"Hey! Give it back!" Hermione protested as she tried to snatch her book back. Harry smirked at his mate attempts to take her book back. His smirk was short lived as he felt the first stirrings of arousal when Hermione placed one hand on his thigh and used it to push herself up and reach for the book. Harry sucked in a sharp breath as her cheek was inches away from his face. Just a tilt in the left direction and he could capture her lips, or kiss that small mole near her jawline. He felt his fangs threatening to protrude at the throbbing pulse by her neck. He could sink her fangs in her neck…
Harry shook these thoughts away and clutched Hermione's waist firmly. He turned her so she was comfortably sitting in her lap, stopping himself from pitching a tent by images like Ron in a tutu.
"Gah!" Hermione gave a sound of surprise as the book lay on the other side of the compartment seat and she was snug and fit on Harry's lap. She unconsciously wrapped her arms in Harry's neck.
"Harry! What are you doing!?" Hermione hissed as she tried to wiggle out of his lap, but with no avail.
"If you keep squirming like this…" Harry warned as he felt his shaft growing thicker in arousal. Hermione stopped her squirming as she felt which she thought she felt.
"H-Harry…" Hermione's face was decorated with a rosy tint as she averted her eyes and placed it on the window. She desperately wanted to ask what he was trying to do. And his… that… he is aroused for Morgana's sake! Why is he aroused anyway?
Scratch that. Why am I on his lap anyway?
Hermione found some semblance of control and looked at Harry's… obsidian gaze. She sucked in a sharp breath, where was the emerald green she loved so much?
"Ha… Harry! Your eyes!" Hermione whisper shouted she felt like she should talk in a low voice, she didn't know why. She couldn't avert her eyes from his as he gazed at her… which could only be described as lust.
"Touch me," Harry said in a pleading whisper as his eyes roamed all over her face. He wanted the feel of Mya's baby soft skin. He didn't care where she would touch; he was greedy enough to feel her touch. Hermione's looked at him surprised but did what he asked.
She raised one finger to touch his cheekbones, marveling on the soft yet hard skin, using her thumb to lightly brush the light dark circles under his eyes. She looked back, a little disappointed to find his eyes closed, his nostrils flared and the fists clenched on her shirt.
She ran her fingers on his red lips, admiring the softness of them, her thumb brushing his jawline. She looked in his eyes again to find his eyes back to normal, the green glittering emeralds she loved so much.
"Harry…?" she whispered again, worried as he just stared in her eyes. He loosened his hold and placed her on her seat and got up.
"Let's change, we are going to arrive," Harry said, opened his trunk, picked up his uniform and walked out of the compartment.
He accomplished a feat. He didn't rape her then and there.
Hermione on the other hand was furiously thinking what happened to her best friend of seven years.