Markings of an Inmate

Chapter Five: Protecting What is Mine

Pale sunlight shone softly through the thin linen curtains on the two bay windows that were spaced on either side of my dresser. I groaned and shut my eyes tightly, willing in vain for the light to leave. When I opened my eyes, I scanned the room, truly taking it in for the first time.

The walls were the color of the crystal seas that embraced the Greek Isles with a white trim. The hardwood floors were a light pine color, as was the wood furniture. My wrought-iron bed frame was also painted white with the same white linen as the drapes serving as bedding. It reminded me of a room we had at our estate on Crete.

I stretched and groaned again when I felt the familiar twinge of pain as the healing wounds stretched. Mi stirred beside me and I looked down to see her hair flared out on one of the down pillows, sheet and comforter tucked around her as she slept. I felt a constriction in my heart that I didn’t understand.

I truly hoped she didn’t regret what happened between us the night before.

Slipping slowly from under the sheets, I made my way toward the bathroom. I tugged my shirt carefully over my head, wincing, and chanced a glance in the mirror. The bandages that Blaise had applied the night before were tinted yellow and pink from the antiseptic charm and blood.

I pulled the layers of gauze off tentatively, gritting my teeth. I threw them into the garbage bin and turned the shower to a preferred temperature. When I stepped in, I felt a sliver of pain where the stream of water touched the sensitive skin.

I quickly worked shampoo through my hair, massaging my scalp gently. I rinsed and then went to work on my body, clenching my jaw the entire time. I shut the water off, grabbed a white towel from the rack, and wrapped it ‘dangerously low’ around my hips, as Mi would say.

I stepped out and saw Mi, in my boxers and white button-down, leaning causally against the marble countertop. She looked so fucking sexy; I could feel my body starting to respond.

“Hey,” her eyes raked over my torso seeing all the freshly healing wounds. Her expression was pained for a moment, “I was upset when I woke up alone this morning,”

I smirked at her, “Becoming addicted, love?” I challenged.

“Would it be so bad if I did?” She shot back. My smirk became a smile and I crossed the small space between us in two strides and pinned her hands behind her on the marble.

“It could be dangerous.” I licked my lips as her eyes floated over my body seductively.

“I’m a Gryffindor. I laugh in the face of danger.”

I laughed at my little kitten, trying to be a lioness.

“Oh really?” I leaned forward and blew softly on her ear. I felt her shiver against me, the feeling spurring me on. “Let’s see how brave you can be.” I ran a hand down her back and cupped her full bottom, lifting her up on the cool surface behind her.

She gasped as the cool counter hit the bottoms of her thighs. I shove her shapely legs apart and situated myself in between them to thrust and grind very slowly against her.

“Draco,” she gasped.

I stopped and puffed out a frustrated sigh, “I’ll be good. Can you help me out?” I glanced down at my scars.

She laughed as she pointed her wand at my chest muttering another antiseptic charm before reaching into the cabinet beside her and pulling out fresh white gauze. She wrapped it carefully yet tightly around my tattoos before brushing her lips against mine and pushing me gently away.

“Draco . . .” I heard Blaise call my name as he entered the bathroom to find Mi and me in this position. “Oh, she knows?” Blaise looked slightly hurt and betrayed.

“I found out by accident really,” I heard Mi say softly, not looking at Blaise but at her feet. I rubbed her arms soothingly. Blaise turned and closed the door softly behind him, a sign he wanted to go into my room and talk privately.

“I’ll be back,” I murmured into Mi’s ear and she nodded, saying something about a shower.

I walked into my room and closed the door behind me, casting a silencing charm.

“Well, wow,” I heard Blaise mutter from the rocking chair in the corner.

“She really did find out by accident, mate.”

He looked up at me, trying to see if I was telling the truth. I walked to my closet and pulled out a pair of jeans. They were tight around the hips but loosened farther down. I slipped them on swiftly, dropping my towel.

“She doesn’t know about you,” I said as I pulled a white t-shirt over my head. I could feel the tension leave the room. “It just wasn’t my place.” I turned to see him nodding.

“Thanks, mate.”

I nodded as I pulled a dark blue polo over my head. I toweled off my hair and slipped on pair of trainers - I think Mi called them Vans; I just knew they were comfortable - before settling down onto my freshly made bed.

“I’ll see you in the Commons.” He made his way down the stairs and I heard the portrait door close.

My stomach growled as I listened carefully for the water to be shut off. I sighed and grabbed a jacket before making my way downstairs to the kitchen. I reached into a cabinet and grabbed a bowl and box of cereal before reaching into the icebox and pouring some milk into the bowl.

I ate slowly, thinking over what had happened between Mi and me. I had just finished my breakfast when Mi came down in a pair of tight jeans, black ballet flats, and a light yellow and white stripped top that was tucked in, a black leather belt, and a jean jacket. Her makeup was barely noticeable, just highlighting my favorite parts. Brown eyeliner, light eyeshadow and light pink lip gloss that made her lips even more kissable.

She looked gorgeous.

“Hey,” she said as she grabbed some yogurt from the icebox.

“Hey, yourself,” I said as I handed her a spoon.

“I was wondering,” she paused and took a spoonful in her mouth, swallowed, then licked the back of the utensil. “Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me and my friends?” She looked at me with big hopeful eyes.

How could I say no?

“Do you want me to go with you or your friends?” I smirked at her awkwardness.

“Me,” she said quietly.

“Sure, but would you mind if my friends come?”

She was smiling when she shook her head.

She finished up quickly and we both made our way through the portrait door. Out in the hall, I watched her from the corner of my eye glancing tentatively down at my hand, once or twice brushing hers against mine.

I took her hand gently and pulled her closer. I could feel her breath hitch as I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and reached for her other hand. She laced her fingers with mine with a small smile on her face.

I felt like smiling with her and I didn’t understand it. She was creating unknown feelings in me.

When we walked into the Commons, someone tackled me into the ground. Mi screamed from the quickness. I started to struggle in vain against Theo’s large frame. He stood three inches taller than my six-foot frame and was a good ninety pounds heavier than my one-hundred-and-ninety pound body, and all of it was muscle.

“‘Hit oft!” I struggled to breath in the position he had me in. “Can’t breathe Nott!” He got off me, laughing, and pulled me up with a rough jerk, causing me to crash into Mi and Potter.

I wrapped a protective arm around Mi and steadied myself. “You okay?” I whispered in her ear. She laughed and nodded.

“What the hell were you thinking Malfoy? You could have hurt her.” It was Weasley.

“You have no right to even be worried about her physical well-being, Weasel,” I shot back and turned to go talk to Blaise, but not before kissing Mi softly on her temple.

His face was as red as his hair.

I walked over to Blaise, Daphne, Theo, and Pansy. Daphne wrapped her arms around my neck as soon as I got to them. “She’s good for you,” she whispered before kissing me lightly on the cheek. I laughed and wrapped an arm around Pansy.

“You guys want to go to Hogsmeade with me, Mi, and the Gryffs?” Blaise and Theo laughed at my discomfort when I mentioned Mi’s friends.

“And miss you being socially awkward?” Theo and Blaise glanced quickly at each other before letting out simultaneously ‘no’ with a bark of laughter.

“Gee, thanks for your support.” I said in mock hurt.

“Hey, Hermione,” Pansy’s acknowledgement made me turn to look at the girl that had been consuming my thoughts since the train ride.

“I don’t understand why they have to come with us.” I heard Weasley complain.

“Well I don’t think Draco wanted to be the only snake with a bunch of lions, and I don’t think Mi,” I smirked as Red used my nickname for Hermione, “wanted to be the only one without a date.”

“You’re the only one with the problem, Ronald, and no one invited you to come along with us,” Mi said, taking my hand. I pulled her against me and put an arm around her waist, showing Weasley that my place was right by her side.

*!*!*

We had been walking around Hogsmeade for two hours. Blaise, Theo, Potter, and Weasley were loaded down with their girlfriends’ purchases, while I had only one bag from a bookstore. She had been adorably sulking since I dragged her out of the store and paid for her purchase, but I could tell she enjoyed the attention I was giving her.

What girl didn’t like it when a guy throws her over his shoulder to take her out of a store? I jokingly complained that my back hurt from where she was punching me in her pitiful efforts to get me to let her go.

“Anyone else hungry?” Theo asked, which meant he was going to get something to eat with or without us.

“Yeah,” Red piped up, dragging Potter into The Three Broomsticks; we all followed them in.

We pulled three tables together and sat down as a large group. The other students stared at us as I dragged Mi’s chair closer to mine. Rosmerta greeted us, asking for drinks and we ordered a round of Butterbeers. Mi leaned against me and shivered.

“Are you cold?” I asked wrapping an arm around her shoulders, rubbing her arm softly to cause friction.

“Not anymore,” she whispered back with the same smile she had been wearing since this morning. I smiled down at her before taking a swig of my drink.

“Seriously, Hermione?!” I looked up alarmed at Weasley’s voice; he was looking at us with disgust in his eyes. “You are acting like a common whore, throwing yourself at him. When did you become one of Malfoy’s poster girls?”

Four chairs scraped against the wooden floor. Theo, Blaise, and I were standing up. I had pushed Mi’s chair away from the table, placing myself between her and Weasley. Her stunned expression at Weasley’s statement evident on her face as she looked at me and then back at the Weasel.

“You want to apologize for that, now!” Blaise’s thick accent filled the now silent room.

Weasley looked shocked at the fact that the Slytherin Seeker, Keeper, and one of its Chasers were now towering over him.

“Well it’s true! She’s acting like his whore! What happened, Malfoy? All the girls in the dungeons too loose? You have to get in the tightest pants in the school?” Pansy and Daphne let out a hiss of discomfort, and I tried to lunge across the table. Mi kept silent.

“You’re one to talk!” I spat as Theo wrapped two brawny arms around my torso and yanked me from the filled pub and out into the crisp October air.

Blaise had his arm wrapped around Mi as the rest filed out. Daphne handed me my jacket and Mi wriggled out of Blaise’s arms and rushed to me, flinging her arms around my torso nuzzling her face into my chest. I wrapped a protective arm around her and inhaled the sweet scent I have become addicted too.

“Thank you,” she smiled as I ran the back of my hand from her temple to her jaw.

Weasley walked out with Brown clinging tightly to him, Potter looking frightfully between his two best friends, and Red with her head held high as she walked over to us. I let Mi go and turned to Weasley.

“Oi Weasley!” He stopped but didn’t turn around, “You ever ask your chit where she learned all her tasty tricks or did she forget to mention that in Fourth Year she was down in the dungeons every night after everyone went to bed?” I was baiting him but he deserved what was coming.

His temper overtook him as I planned it would.

He turned and rushed at me but before he managed to get a hit in, I had him on the ground gasping for air, my hand on his throat. Brown, Mi, and Red screamed; and I knew Pansy and Daphne were smirking.

“You ever treat her with less than the respect she deserves and your nose will be bashed in. You got me?” He nodded as he clawed at my hand. “She isn’t yours anymore, Weasley, not that she ever really was; she’s mine, and Malfoys protect their own.”

“Draco, let him go!” Mi’s voice was alarmed. “Please, Draco, for me.” Her soft pleas cut through my anger and I loosened my grip.

When I let go of his throat, Weasley rolled over onto his stomach, coughing. I stepped over him and turned to Mi. Her expression was a mixture of emotions that I couldn’t quiet decipher. I tentatively approached her, not knowing what to do.

Her eyes were glued onto the coughing Gryffindor on the ground but when I reached her, her eyes snapped to me. I placed my hand gently against hers and was relieved when she laced her fingers in with mine. She smiled softly before folding her body into mine for a hug. Relief flooded my body; she wasn’t angry. I wove both arms around her shoulders and held her tight.

“I’m still starving,” Theo muttered, annoyed.

“Well, let’s get something to eat then,” I turned to Red, who was watching Brown help Weasley to his feet.

“You’re going to go with them, after he did that to me?” he asked, angrily daring Red to defy him.

“You deserved it, Ronald.” She said in a huff and turned to Potter. “Are you coming?” Her tone indicated that he had no choice in the matter. Potter nodded numbly and walked over to our group before wrapping an arm around his girlfriend.

“Yeah, I need to talk to Malfoy anyways.” I looked up at his statement, confusion written clearly on my face. Potter smirked at my reaction – now I was a little worried. Potter didn’t smirk, I did.

Oh, this isn’t good.

“Well let’s go then. We can get something at The Hog’s Head.” Theo said as he led Pans away.

“Yeah, ‘cause I don’t think Rosmerta is going to let us back in for a while.” Blaise muttered under his breath and followed Theo.

When I started after the other couples Mi grabbed my hand and held me back. I turned to her slowly not knowing what to expect.

“I’m yours?” her voice was soft and unsure and I could again feel the weird emotions start to well up. Why would she doubt my affections for her after what just happened? Was she that self-conscious about herself? And when did Hermione Granger start doubting herself?

Everything was confusing.

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed each of her knuckles softly. Uncurling her fingers from mine, I repeated my kisses to each delicate fingertip. My eyes determinedly never left hers so she could see the emotions behind my actions.

“Only if you want to be, love.” My small smile was a mere shadow of her wide grin.

She bit gently on her plump bottom lip before nodding softly. I smiled and leaned down to capture her lips with mine. She sighed softly into the kiss and I took the opportunity to trace my tongue on hers. Just as her lips parted and she shuddered against me, I pulled away, smirking triumphantly.

“You are an arse,” she pouted. I smiled innocently at her before intertwining my fingers with hers and setting off after our friends.

~~~~~
Edited: Feb. 27, 2010
AN: Betas Margarita & Sam. Just to make a note again. Nothing has changed...just fixed the grammar and spelling mistakes.