by Angelkatt
 
 

Chapter 3
 

"Professor Dumbledore, I do still protest about this pairing of Hermione and Malfoy. Of all
the people, of all the punishments! I don't understand why you insist on this...scene. You know
something will happen." McGonagall paced and scolded in the Headmaster's office. "It has
been like this since the beginning of Hogwarts. Gryffindors and Slytherins don't mix. So it is
written."

"Please Minerva. I though you had more of an open mind than this. It isn't that big of a deal.
Hermione is a good girl and Draco...um..." he scratched his head, "Draco is...a smart lad. He'll
understand his lesson."

"I don't even understand the lesson you're trying to teach him! Are you saying you will not let
either of them out of this predicament until he realizes something that it seems no one but you
gets? I look up to you sir and mean no disrespect, but you're insane!"

Dumbledore sat in his chair, shuffling the papers on his desk and answered without looking at
her. "I have confidence Miss Granger will help him out."

The younger Professor was completely confused. "They way they are, I think they'll kill each
other before ever working together."

"Such little faith Minerva!" Albus chuckled. "We will just have to see how things play out before
anything is certain."

*****

"So, I get the silent treatment now, do I?" Draco watched as Hermione flipped the pages of her
book. "Not that I thing that's a bad thing. I don't have to listen to your constant whining about
everything."

Hermione looked up a little from her book, but just as easily looked back down.

"Fine! I'll just leave you here. I'm sure you feel right at home in the library, but I don't feel like
spending the rest of the day here."

"Gee, for someone who detests my presence so much, you sure make a big deal when someone
decides to ignore the great Malfoy. Besides, you were free to leave whenever."

"I--well--" He was stumped for words. "Okay, I admit it. I have nowhere to go. Back to the
common room where all the other Slytherins will laugh at me? No. I figured I would annoy you
until I got tired of it."

"I'm honoured," she replied dryly, "but I have made a vow not to argue with you and get in trouble
again. The only way I know to not get in a fight with you is simply not talk to you, or acknowledge
your existence."

He gave her his telltale sneer. "You do realize now I will not rest until I get you to break your little
promise to yourself."

"Is that your idea of fun? Make someone else's life miserable? That's just sad, and I won't fall for it."

"No one can resist me when I have my mind set on something."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I bet, but no one can change me when I have my mind set of something."

"I bet you 10 Galleons I can do it."

"There is no way, Malfoy."

"Yes there is! I can wrap anyone around my finger."

"In your dreams."

"I can do it."

"No you can't!"

"Yes I can!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Ye--"

"Will you two shut up?" Harry and Ron had just entered the library and would have watched
the two in shock, if they hadn't wanted to save Hermione from being kicked out of the library.
Malfoy, they didn't care so much about. "Hermione, are you okay? Why are you arguing with
Malfoy?"

"We aren't arguing." her cheeks tinted red.

"Yes we were." Draco smiled smugly.

"Hermione, what are you doing with that?" Ron asked as he and Malfoy eyed each other.

"Professor Dumbledore asked me to take care of Malfoy here while he's in his wheelchair."

"You're kidding." Harry snickered. "You're telling me you have to stick by Malfoy as long as
he has to stay in that thing. Aw Hermione..."

"Hey." Malfoy frowned.

"I know. Believe me, I've contemplated suicide."

"Hey!"

"There should be an award given out for putting up with him for so long." The three friends
laughed, "Truly someone only a parent could love."

Draco Malfoy could endure much more than others thought he would be capable of, but these
were one of the times he couldn't sit and take it.

"Whatever." he muttered and rolled himself out of the library and the other three continued
laughing.

"Come on, Malfoy." Hermione still smiled as she called out to him. "Malfoy?" Her grin faded
when she realized wasn't coming back.

Ron and Harry were still laughing loudly when Hermione got out of her chair and followed
Draco.

She ran out into the halls, wondering how a boy stuck in a wheelchair could go so fast she
had to run to catch up. "Jeez, Malfoy!" She could see him continue going ahead of her.

"Draco." I guess we can assume that affected him some, because he promptly stopped in his
tracks.

"What." He still didn't turn around, but Hermione was confident he wasn't going to run...roll again.

"We were just joking. We though you'd--"

"Be used to it? Great logic there, Granger. I can see why you're at the top of the class."

"Fine. Be cynical and sarcastic. I'm not going to fight you on this one. I'm sorry. I apologize. Are
you happy now?" She was now facing him.

"Don't treat me like a nancy boy who goes off crying because his little playmates don't like hanging
out with him."

"Easy. Stop acting like one."

"Why don't you stop acting like someone who thinks she knows everything about anything when
all she really understands is things she reads out of a book!"

"And what is wrong with reading comprehending?"

"It only teaches this is bad and this is good. Books are biased by the author."

"That's not true. I know there are exceptions. Reading gives facts and you arrive to your own
conclusions. I know things don't stay the same."

"No. It'll always stay the same."

"What?" Hermione frowned.

"Um...nothing. Never mind."

"No, you can't argue for one thing and then contradict yourself."

"Why not. I am a contradiction."

Hermione yelled in frustration. "I'll talk to you when you start making sense! Until then, I'm
leaving."

"Well, I'm not going to stay here. I'm going too." There was a beat as both realized something.
"Hey, Hermione--"

"Draco--"

"Where are we?"
 

*****

Well, it appeared as if our heroes had stumbled across one of Hogwarts many secret hallways.
The mysteries the lay there might not have been touched in centuries. Draco and Hermione might
have been the first two people to wander down it since it was created. It was a truly historic
moment.

Not that either of them cared.

"What did you do?!" Hermione yelled at Draco, "Where did you take me?"

"It wasn't me. Why do you automatically assume it was me?"

"Because you're you." Hermione didn't really think she needed to explain that. Didn't he know
he was a Slytherin and was known for inflicting trouble on others?

"Hey, that's called being prejudice."

"You're accusing me of being prejudice? You, Mr 'muggles and and mudbloods aren't as good
as me'?" Hermione flared her arms out for dramatic effects and Draco had to hide a laugh.

"Yes, I am. You're assuming because of the reputation of my family and house name, that I
would play such a trick on you."

Hermione studied Malfoy's face. "You're disappointed you didn't think of it first, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Of course. Back to the original question at hand-where are we?"

"Back to my original statement-I don't know."

"Great."

"Yeah."
 
 
 

Back to Chapter 2
Chapter 4