A MATE FOR LIFE

Chapter Thirteen

Draco woke up the next morning in a fairly good mood. He went out to the common room and stopped short to see Hermione passed out on the couch, laying on her side. He also noticed sometime in the morning, she had slipped on a nightshirt. He covered her up with a blanket and quietly slipped out through the portrait. He went in search of Professor Snape, who was just coming out of the Great Hall from breakfast.

“Oh, Professor, you’re just the person I was looking for. I wonder if I could bother you to borrow a couple of ingredients for a potion that I need to make for a friend.” Draco asked.

Snape looked to Draco, “What kind of potion would that be?”

“This friend has a bad headache, and their stomach is a bit queasy. I used to make this potion for my father a couple of years back and found it helped cure it.”

“Who is this friend Malfoy?”

“I’d rather not say sir. I just need you to trust me – I will replenish what I borrow when I can get to Diagon Alley.”

Draco was one of the only students he did trust, and decided to not push the issue. “Very well Draco, just clean up after yourself when you’re done.”

“Yes Professor. Thank you.” Draco said as he went to the dungeons with Snape’s knowing eyes following him.

Draco came back to his dormitory about two hours later after making the potion and cleaning up. He knelt beside a still sleeping Hermione, her arm hanging to the floor. He brushed her hair back off her face with his fingers, enjoying the silky texture of it.

“Hermione.” He said. Nothing. He gently shook her, “Hermione, time to get up.”

She slowly opened her eyes to see a smirking Draco looking at her. She raised her head, then in pain, put her head in her hands. “Maybe just let me die in peace, okay Malfoy.” She said as she closed her eyes from the light in the room.

“No, can’t let you do that. I have just the thing for you to help cure that hangover of yours.”

She looked up at him as he helped her sit up, wrapping the blanket around her legs. “You know, I’ve never felt this bad before from drinking.” She said closing her eyes and leaned her head back on the back of the couch.

“Probably all those shooters, you were pounding them back pretty good.” He said, trying not to laugh at her anguish. “Here, drink this, it helps. I used to have to make it for father all the time before he got taken away.”

She looked at the glass then to him. “What’s in it?”

“A little of this, a little of that. You do trust me don’t you?” He asked.

She nodded her head as she took big gulps of the potion. It was a bit bitter, but she could taste a tinge of peppermint. She drank it all down, then handed the glass to Draco. “How long will it take before it does something?”

He sat down beside her, “Only about a half and hour. Then the pain will be a memory.”

Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder, drawing her legs up. “So Draco, did we have sex last night? My last vivid memory was of me accepting my half of the prize money after we were about to go someplace private.”

He brought his arm around her and held her close. “No, we didn’t have sex, god knows I wanted to. But I wanted you to be conscience for it.” He laughed. “Why were you out here on the couch this morning?”

She felt his chest move as he chuckled and smiled. “I had got up to go to the bathroom, and I guess I never made it back to my bed. Thanks for last night.” She put her arm around his waist and closed her eyes waiting for the pounding in her head to go away.

They sat like that for awhile, each thinking their own thoughts, until Draco felt her hand rubbing against his chest and stomach. She tilted her head up and grazed her lips against his neck. “You still smell good.” As shickeicked her tongue against his skin. He looked down into her eyes and brought his mouth down to hers where he savoured the taste of her lips.

He raised his head up, “you must be feeling better.” He said , his breathing uneven.

“I do feel better, I am also a bit hungry.” She said.

Draco looked at the time. “It is almost lunch time already. I’m kind of hungry too.” ‘For you’, he thought to himself as he drew lazy circles on her back. “I made some extra potion in case you want to give some to Weasley and Brown, they will probably need it too.”

Hermione got up, “Well, I’m having a quick shower, then do something constructive with my day.” She said as she strode to the bathroom. “Ware are you doing today?” As she looked back.

He didn’t answer straight away as he was watching Hermione’s state of dress. She wore a t-shirt that went down to her waist and the black thong panties that he had a faint glimpse of last night.

She glanced back noticing where he was looking and smirked. “Malfoy, you there Malfoy?”

“Uh yeah, the Slytherin team as a quiddich practice today, probably all afternoon.” He said pulling the blanket on his lap as if he was folding it, but to actually hide his growing erection.

Hermione still smiling went in and locked the door behind her. After a quick shower, feeling refreshed and sober, she dressed in her jeans and a Gryffindor sweatshind wnd went in search of Ginny and Lavender.


After she gave the password to the fat lady in the portrait, she walked in to see Harry and Ron playing a game of wizards chess. “Hey guys, where’s Lavender and Gin?”

Harry looked up, “Hey there ‘Mione, surprised your up and around. Gin and Lavender are still in bed, won’t let us go near them.” He smirked.

“Why are you up and around, you had more to drink than them, and it doesn’t look like you’re suffering any?” Ron asked as he looked at her.

She smiled as she went up the stairs. “Let’s just say, I had help from an unexpected friend.” She went up and opened the door quietly to see two of her best friends laying on their beds with buckets on the side, in case they got sick. She gently shook Ginny, “Hey Gin, it’s me Hermione. How are you feeling?” She smiled.

Ginny opened her one eye at her, “Like shit, what do you think. Just leave us in peace, ‘Mione.”

Hermione chuckled to herself, “Well, I’ll leave if you want, but I have a sure-fire cure for that hangover of yours.”

Ginny then got a good look at Hermione and noticed she did not look like she was suffering, “What is it, and where did you get it?”

“Just take it, there’s enough for both of you. I’ll wait downstairs. I will warn you though, it tastes a bit bitter but it sure works. It will take about a half an hour before you feel the results. I’ll tell you who made it for me when you come down to the land of the living.” Hermione stated as she left the two glasses and walked out the door.

Hermione had watched Harry and Ron annihilate each others chest pieces, when they all looked up to see Ginny and Lavender dressed and looking better.

“That stuff worked great Hermione, what was it?” Lavender asked.

Ron looked over to Hermione, “What stuff are they talking about ‘Mione?”

She waited until they were all sitting, “Now you two feel great now, right?” As she looked at Ginny and Lavender who nodded in response. “Well, Draco saw me suffering this morning and he made it for me. It turns out he used to make it for his father years ago. I trust him, and I believe he wouldn’t hurt me intentionally.”

“Since when is it Draco, and not Malfoy?” Ron asked.

“And, what is there between you two?” Harry added.

“Look guys, neither me or Draco know what’s going on between us, if anything. I do know that it’s kind of nice with us not being at each others throats though.” She answered. ‘Auch uch a nice tasting throat it is too.’ she thought.

“Well, just be careful ‘Mione.” Ron said.

“ I will, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. Anyway I seem to vaguely recall that you Lavender won second place. What did you win?” Hermione asked.

“I have no idea, I haven’t had a chance to look at it. Wait, I’ll get it.” Lavender said as she ran up the stairs.

She came back down and unwrapped the package, “Oh my god.” She cried.

“What? What is it Lav?” Ron said as he went to her side.

Hermione looked over Lavens shs shoulder and laughed, “It’s a truth and dare game for adults.” They all looked at some of the sample questions on the back. “We should plan a night to play this, sounds like it would be a blast.”

“When should we plan it and where should we play it.” Ginny asked looking forward to it.

Hermione thought about it a bit, “Well, I think I know where we could play. Where we wouldn’t be disturbed.” She got up to walk to a large lion tapestry on the north wall. “Riin hin here.” She pointed.

They all looked puzzled. “Here, it’s kind of open isn’t it?” Ron asked as he looked around the common room.

“No not ‘here’”, as she waved her arm around the common room, “but here.” She pointed to the tapestry. “I found this a couple of years ago when I was trying to find a quiet place to study. You see, this is another ‘Room of Requirement’. Smaller that the room we used for our DA meetings in oifthifth year, but cozy still. As for when, if you want me involved, it will have to wait until after the Halloween fair is over. I’m probably going to be very busy with the planning and details of it.”