Striving For Something Not Temporary

Disclaimer: Yeah...so I still don\'t own Draco Malfoy. Although if I did, he\'d probably be locked in a cage in my closet. Wearing a collar. Mmmmm.....

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I really love reading them.




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The dream from the previous night was still weaving it’s way through her thoughts as she sat in the Great Hall during breakfast. She seriously had considered telling Harry about it, but was dumbfounded as to how to start. There was still so much confusion fresh in her mind.

She was known to have multiple dreams throughout the night. The course of her nighttime imagination wandered through many different stories on average. None had however felt as real to her as this one did. Was the beginning of her adventure with the mystery man unrelated to the destruction that followed. Gods, she hoped so. Though, despairingly, she felt on some strange level the two drastically different scenarios were disturbingly linked together.

Why would Voldemort beckon her? Was it even Voldemort, or was she just jumping to conclusions? Why would he say those things? Ulg...Hermione’s mind was racing. She felt the bile rise up in her throat. ‘It was just a dream, stop thinking about it you twit! It wasn’t even real, just a stupid nightmare’ she told herself.

I wonder if this is how Harry’s dreams felt when Voldemort links with him? Oh that’s absurd, he wouldn’t be linking himself with me! I’m a mudblood for Christ sake! He’d be swatting at me like a fly before he’d stoop so low as to penetrate an inferior mind.

Maybe I should ask Harry if he’s been having dreams lately...just for curiosity’s sake.

“Um, is everything...alright? Hermione?” Harry queried as he snapped his hand in front of her face, ripping her from her thoughts.

“Hmmm? Oh! Yes Harry, I’m fine.” she lied as she pasted on a false smile and tucked in to her recently undesirable food.

“Positive?” Ginny asked with sincerity.

“Yeah. Positive. I’m just a bit preoccupied with the Ancient Runes extra credit project. I’m working on the angle that there are two different meanings for the runes whe-”

“Christ, she’s fine.” muttered Ron as he swallowed his omelet.

Harry ignored him. “So how are things going on the home front with Malfoy, Hermione?”

She was momentarily frozen in thought. How were things with Malfoy? She’d completely forgot about the previous evening with him. All her thoughts were concentrated on that blasted vile nightmare.

She opted for outright honesty this time. “Extremely confusing. He seems like he actually wants to be my friend. We get along great in fact. Then I end up going nuts on him at the most ridiculous times for unconsciously lacking trust in his motives. It makes me feel like a total psycho.”

“Well it’s not like it should be unconscious, it is Malfoy you’re talking about Mione. He can’t be trusted! It’s good you have your guard up. He’s dangerous!” Ron exclaimed.

“Oh please, Ron. Let up on the dramatics would you?” Hermione rolled her eyes. “I’ve gotten to know him a bit better recently, and he’s a regular person just like you or me. He’s actually pleasant to be around. He’s got a fabulous sense of humor and–“ She stopped herself from speaking that train of thought out loud. “It’s just hard for me to let go of the past sometimes.”

“It seems like you’re trying a little harder to get along with him than a professional truce would require. What exactly is going on with you two?” Ginny pondered.

“He’s nice Gin. I want to be his friend. Lord knows, him of all people need one. As you are supposedly my friend, you should trust my decisions.” she spat. “I’m going to class, I’ll see you at lunch.” She shot up from the table, grabbed her back pack, and disappeared out the doors, leaving puzzled stares in her wake.

***

Draco woke up quite early the following morning. Well, early for him at least. He wanted to give Hermione some space, but he secretly wanted to at least catch a glimpse of her before heading down to the great hall.

God, he didn’t know what was coming over him. He hadn’t been lying to her when he told her last night that she was beautiful, he just couldn’t believe he couldn’t keep his emotions in check enough that he had actually told her that. He was losing his fucking mind.

Those dark waist length curls and angry ochre eyes of hers seemed to be casting a spell on him. He’s never behaved this way regarding a female conquest. If he wanted her, he took her. That’s that. He should have the power in this situation.

He walked out on to the balcony and lit a cigarette with his new bic lighter, smiling he ran his thumb over it and put it back in his pocket.

“Oh get a fucking grip you quim whipped fuck!” he spat angrily, slumping down on the chair.

Releasing an angry sigh, he turned toward the table and flicked away his ashes into the tray. He noticed that there was a butt in the ashtray. The house elves would have already emptied it from the night before, which means Granger’s already been out here this morning.

“Well she’s a quick one this morning isn’t she?” he said aloud.

He pictured her sneakily walking from the common room and sashaying those sexy curves down to corridors towards her breakfast. Which led him to thinking about that kiss last night, and how her delicate frame fit so well when wrapped around his.

She was intoxicating. Like eucalyptus and spearmint. He couldn’t seem to get close enough to it. To her. Even after burrowing himself into her hair and feasting on her like she was his first taste of water after days in the desert. He sat there pondering, while idly rubbing his earlobe.

Ah yes, there was of course that.

God. What a nut ball. She actually bit his ear. Why am I even dwelling on this, she obviously hates me, she bit his ear for Christ sake! He should just forget about her, the sooner the better, actually, before his father kills him.

Ahhh..yes. Father. How could I forget Father? I have to get a hold of myself. I can’t actually think about Granger, I’ll be disowned! Then where will I be? A knutless pauper making Granger turn tricks for food, that’s where. With her habit of mutilating body parts, we’d be starved to death by the end of the week.

With that final thought, he put out his cigarette, and left for the Great Hall.

***

Things actually seemed to brighten for Draco that morning. He strolled upon a younger Hufflepuff girl that gave him the satisfaction of scurrying away from him after he barked some nonsense about her male family members being prone to bestiality and how she had a few characteristics that were similar to a goat.

When he arrived at the doors of the Great Hall, a group of students were exiting. Upon seeing him, they moved aside like the parting of the Red Sea to let him walk past. Ah yes. Draco Malfoy was back.

No more pining after some piece of ass. He had business to attend to, and he made sure everyone realized they were still shit stuck to his shoes.

“Good morning Draco!” Pansy exclaimed as he sat down. She not so subtly inched closer to him in the process, and started reaching her had to his knee under the table.

“Careful Pans,” he said as he eyed her hand, “one day you might just let on the impression of desperation.” He brought up his gaze to her’s with a wicked gleam as he reached for a lemon poppy seed muffin.

Yes, the morning couldn’t have gone better. These past couple of weeks he seemed to absorbed in thoughts to realize the benefits of having entire colonies of people around you to do your bidding and take your frustrations out on. Draco was definitely in better spirits as he swung open the potions door that morning.

Oh well fuck me then, nevermind.

Draco stood there and stared at the back of Granger’s head before he realized his feet were moving and his stomach felt like it had been invaded my a cluster of Cornish Pixies.

‘Oooh. Draco, stop.’ he scolded himself. You were doing so well without her remember? Feet, I command you to stop!

They stopped. Right in front of the chair next to Granger’s.

Great, thanks feet. Fuck you too!

Hermione looked up at him with a nervous smile. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

“Um, aren’t you going to sit down?” She managed another smile, this one much less nervous then the last.

Draco took his seat. Well, it’s going better than expected, at least she’s smiling. So much for giving her space though. So much for trying to forget about her that way. He bent down to his backpack to retrieve some parchment and a quill, and caught a glimpse of her thigh under the table. Yep, so much for not losing my mind.

“Listen, about last night,” Hermione started, “I honestly don’t know what came over me. I wanted to apologize..”

“Don’t worry about it Granger.” he interrupted. He really didn’t know what to say to her. Especially here in class.

“No, really Draco, I want us to be friends, I really do, and I have no excuse for my behavior.”

“Well isn’t that absolutely nauseating. Five points from Gryffindor for airing your dirty laundry during my class time, Ms. Granger.” Snape spat before Draco had time to continue with his end of the conversation.

Hermione’s face flushed red and she sunk lower in her chair. She spoke nothing for the rest of the class period. Not even to answer a question.

***

Later that night, he arrived back at the common room after rounds to find Hermione camped out on the balcony with a stacks of parchment in various piles on the tiny table.

“Hey.” she said, not bothering to look up.

Draco lit his cigarette and sat down, reaching for one of the parchment stacks. “What’s all this then?” Thumbing through the pile he picked up and reading with mild curiosity.

“It’s the appointment parchments from the box in the office.”

“Really? Why are there so many?”

“Because people in this school are complete morons apparently. Honestly, and I quote, ‘Artemisia Lufkin is a very rare chocolate frog card, and the only one in my collection I happen to be missing. I was wondering if you could ask the prefects at your next meeting to ask the members of their house if anyone had it and want to set up a trade.’ I swear Malfoy, I’m going to rip that fucking thing down.” she shook her head in frustration.

Draco chuckled, “So what’s with the separate piles?”

“Well the ones in your hand are the ones that the prefects can handle, and the rest are for the rubbish bin. I was going to start a pile of ones that we needed to handle personally, but there aren’t any that require our attention.” She said before taking a drag of her cigarette and leaning back into her chair.

“Well that’s good isn’t it? We have enough shit to deal with around here without having to teach a sniveling first year Hufflepuff how to blow their nose.”

“Heh...yeah.” Hermione smiled and shook her head. “You really are an asshole, you know that?”

Draco gasped in feigned hurt and clutched his chest. “Granger, you wound me!” He laughed. “Besides, from my black kettle viewpoint, it doesn’t seem the pot you’ve been holing yourself up in all these years is too far behind.”

“I am not an asshole!”

“No, my apologies Granger, you are not.” he said in all seriousness. He looked over at her to see her face relax at his last statement. “You, are a complete bitch actually.”

Hermione’s head jerked in his direction so fast, for a moment he wondered about whiplash repercussions. “Fuck you Malfoy! I am not a bitch!” she spat.

Ah....why hello there Miss Eye Full of Stink. Oh, how I’ve missed you.

Doubled up in laughter, Draco finally managed to speak. “Oh way to go proving my point there Granger, Jesus.”

“You are so infuriating!” she growled, while standing up and storming back into the common room.

“Oh come on now Granger, you act as though it’s a bad thing! It’s dead sexy doll face, dead sexy! Really!” Draco bellowed through the open door, slouched in his chair with tears in his eyes.

When he finally calmed down, he reached back for the stack of parchment to look them over a bit more thoroughly. Recounting the events of his day, he decided all in all, it didn’t turn out half bad.

He really was fond of that bipolar freak.



PLEASE don\'t forget to REVIEW guys! They mean alot to me and I really apreciate any feedback you guys have. If you don\'t, I\'m totally lost. Unless no one\'s reading it? Hello? Anybody? Hehehe...

Either way, I hope you guys are enjoying it so far. It\'s no where near finished, but I\'m trying to set up a good \"get to know you\" period.