Serenity Abandoned

“Serenity Abandoned”
By: MG / Shanibelle
Chapter Seven –
“Truthful Lies”

Note: My "Thanks to:" are at the end of the chapter now. :)

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“Why did you save me?” Her question seemed to reverberate around the room.

He was quiet and Hermione was too afraid that if she spoke, he would never answer her, so she stayed quiet, too.

Finally, she recognized his intake of breath to be one that precedes someone talking; his voice was quiet when he spoke, “I didn’t think… I didn’t have time to. The only thing that I can remember going through my head was –” he paused and she saw his eyes lower to the floor and the volume of his voice lowered until she could barely hear him, “It’s the only right thing to do.”

His head turned, his face was now towards her. She lay there, staring back at him, quiet, trying to make sense of his actions from the past years versus his recent choices.

“I don’t get you, Draco Malfoy.” She sighed, stretching out on her stomach to mirror his own position and she rubbed at her forehead before turning to face him, the moon coming out behind the slight cloud cover to come in through her window and cast a slight glow around the room. She was able to make out his facial features and the same heat of a blush spread across her chest and she felt it creep up her neck and into her cheeks. “You’ve been a completely different person for the past week. I just don’t get it.” Nor do I understand why I'm suddenly getting butterflies in my stomach when you're around. She continued in her mind.

He took in a deep breath before releasing it in a sigh, “There are certain actions that are expected from the purebloods of the Wizarding World, Hermione.” Her heart thudded, pleased with the sound of his throaty voice finally muttering her name. “My actions have been different due to the fact that my father is now incapacitated in Azkaban and I know for a fact that Voldemort has already denied my passing into the Death Eater’s circle. I no longer have to fear the consequences of doing something against the rules. With the exception of the rest of the purebloods doing something. But they're too cowardly to go against orders, so they won't do anything, anyway.”

He watched as she plumped a pillow to rest her head against it, still facing him, “So, you actually wanted to become a Death Eater?” Her tone was purely curious. He smirked in the darkness.

“Well,” he paused, shrugging, “yeah. You have to remember that it was what I was taught. Dad was a Death Eater before I was even born and even though, once I was old enough to understand, and my mother tried to undo the damage of the things he had taught me, they were still there, impounded into my brain. I still act subconsciously on them.”

“Do you miss him?”

He thought seriously on the question for a few minutes before something struck him and he turned his head sharply from where his eyes were resting.

“What’s with all the questions, Granger?”

She was surprised at the sudden gruff tone he used, a pinch of suspicion in there, hidden, but she heard it. She thought she felt it, too, but she couldn't be sure, “Oh, I just want to know more of the story, that’s all.” She offered as her reply before she added, “Think about it Draco; you’ve been my best mate’s enemy for six years. I’ve learned to grow to hate you in that time. First, you save my life, risking yours to do so and then you’re nice, and – and joking with me. And you come into my quarters on your own free will. To… relax. You’ve thrown me off-kilter with this new behavior and…” she trailed off, sighing loudly as the moon once more hid behind a cloud.

“And I’m confused.” She finished, a slight pout in her voice as she rested her chin on the pillow, trying to sort everything out in the floor’s pattern.

“Yeah,” Draco sighed, his own eyes falling to look at the floor, “I miss him.”

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Hermione awoke the next morning to a loud beeping. She groaned as she reached for her wand, her eyes shut tightly against the day she didn’t want to face. Turning off the internal alarm she had placed on herself to last the duration of the school year, she burrowed deeper into the bed, throwing her arm haphazardly over her head to block out the rest of the sunlight that was streaming in through the windows as the sun rose.

“You’re going to be late if you sleep in.” Draco’s voice warned from behind her and she groaned, burrowing deeper underneath the covers.

“I don’t care. I’m Head Girl… and I’m tired.” Her logic made sense to her and she took a deep breath, feeling herself go back to sleep. Until the blankets were ripped from keeping her warm and her body curled into a fetal position, trying to keep the warmth it once had a second ago. She seriously considered growling at him.

“Get up, Granger. Breakfast is downstairs and getting colder by the minute.” She peeked one eye open and turned her shoulder, now lying on her back. She opened her other eye and watched him as he buttoned the last few buttons of his white oxford shirt, uncaring to the fact that his hair was dripping water on it and leaving places slightly transparent. She felt her skin prickle as the feeling returned to her stomach and she felt the urge well within her to pull him down and onto the bed with her, to kiss him and act like the only thing that mattered was him. She cleared her throat, pushing down the urge, “Did you poison it?” at her question, he crossed his arms and looked at her angrily.

“I had Dobby prepare it.” He answered, his eyes steely grey.

“Oh,” she swallowed hard, “and you want to have breakfast with me?”

He relaxed slightly and gave her his best bored face, “Well, not if you make it go cold, I won’t.” Draco turned and disappeared back into the spacious bathroom before coming back to the door frame, “You have ten minutes.” He disappeared once again.

She lay there, stunned for a few seconds, staring at where he stood, He wants to have breakfast with me? Has he gone loony?

She got up slowly and went to her dresser, trying to figure out the massive change in him, and the only explanation she could come up with was the reason he had given her the night before – he no longer had to fear his father, nor the wrath of Voldemort. Somehow, that had to have a loophole. You don't just live your entire life, trying to become something, and then give up without the slightest bit of consequences somewhere along the line.

Hermione showered quickly, her mind still whirling from the fact that Draco was spending time with her – and wanted to. She quickly dried her hair with a drying spell and put it back in a knot, securing it there with one of her enchanted hair sticks.

Coming downstairs in her robes, she entered the kitchen to find Dobby singing a song about creepy crawlies that was horribly off-key and Draco pouring a glass of orange juice, a small smile on his face.

He turned at the sound of her clearing her throat softly, “Oh, hi.” The smile still occupied his lips and her breathing faltered as he looked at her almost… fondly. “Why are you in your robes?”

She blinked at him as Dobby didn’t bother with a greeting, but instead did a quick, low bow, and quit singing as he continued preparing the dishes, “Because I plan to go to class.” A grin spread across his features—one that made her stomach tighten and her knees wobble.

“Today’s Saturday, Granger.”

Her face turned to a look of ‘dangerous murderer’, “You woke me up early on a Saturday?” she asked, the glare burning brightly in her eyes.

It seemed not to affect him, “Dumbledore sent a note earlier. Seems he wants us to go on an errand to London.”

Her body language immediately went from anger to defensive, “Are you sure Dumbledore sent it?” she asked.

Dobby continued preparing the final touches on the plates, humming slightly as Draco moved from the counter to the island and sat himself on a barstool, taking is time as he took a drink of his orange juice and finally motioned to Dobby whom was now standing on one of said barstools and handing him his plate, “He sent it with Dobby and the food, and had a post script with some Candied Lemons for you.”

She worried her lip—Dumbledore had found out over the previous years that her favorite treat were the Candied Lemons and would send them with every note… probably as confirmation that it was actually him.

But something about this just didn’t feel right.

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Okay, so a bit shorter than most of my chapters. But I had to leave it at a Cliff. :) Reviews/Ratings are always welcome, even if it's something along the lines of, "Dear LORD. Your OOC!Draco is horrendous!" -shrug- I like Nice!Draco.

Thank you much to my reviewers of the previous chapters:

PyroAngel, Spoon, and Tals.

I'd love to hear more from all of you!