Shifting the Balance

Chapter 6

~ Seeing Red ~


(A.N.: It’s a long chapter, so bear with…)


The next day Hermione felt a lot better. She couldn’t find her bag and books and remembered she left them in the library. When she got to the library Madam Pince gestured Hermione to walk over. Hermione wondered what the old woman had to say when she reached the desk.

“Granger. Please remember to look after your belongings.” Madam Pince gave Hermione a disapproving look.

“You are lucky I found your books and satchel. Here.” Madam Pince handed over her schoolbag. Hermione smiled.

“Thank you!” She wanted to leave when madam Pince voice spoke again.

“Next time I will not be as thoughtful when a student leaves such important objects to just scatter around on the table.” Hermione rolled her eyes. “It wont happen again.” Hermione yelled back when she exited the library.



***


In the Great Hall she walked over to where Ginny and Neville sad.


“Hey guys. Where are Harry and Ron?” Hermione asked as she sat down across of them.


“They are practicing again. For the upcoming match with Ravenclaw.” Ginny answered.


“So how come you aren’t watching?” Hermione asked as she filled her plate with scrambled eggs.


Ginny moved closer to Hermione before she whispered. “ It’s that Tamara! When ever I watch Harry, she would be there to watch Ron.”


“Yeah. So?”


“Look. She’s nice and all. But she is just so calm and collected. Boring really!” Ginny added.


Neville and Hermione both had to suppress a snigger. “Well, she can’t be that bad.” Hermione said.
“No, she seems really nice” Neville agreed.

Ginny rolled her eyes at them. “Well then one of you spend a whole morning with her. And tell me she isn’t as boring and two dimensional as she seems! And then add the constant silly little laugh whenever Ron says anything remotely funny. Its annoying as hell!” Ginny finished.

Hermione smiled at Neville again who slapped Ginny playfully on her back.


Hermione filled her toast with eggs and took a huge bite. Looking over the Great Hall her eyes lingered on the Slytherin table. There Malfoy hung in his chair, arms behind his head, watching the hall as well.


Their eyes met. Malfoy looked at her coldly and Hermione had to suppress a shiver. Malfoy kept watching her and it made Hermione a little nervous. She narrowed her eyes at him and then he finally looked away. That was sort of creepy.



Hermione made her way towards charms with Neville. When Hermione walked besides Neville following the flow of students that left the hall, Hermione noticed Malfoy walking with Crabbe and Goyle. Walking behind them she couldn’t help noticing red ugly scratches on Malfoys neck. They make a great contrast with Malfoys light skin. Hermione was just wondering how he got them when Malfoy turned around.


“What are you looking at Mudblood?” He narrowed his eyes at her.


Hermione returned the gesture and retaliated with “Nothing much Ferret!”

Hermione kept looking until Malfoy snapped his head back. Neville gave Hermione a sideways glance.
He raised his eyebrows and Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

Ron and Harry were already seated on the large table in the middle. Hermione and Neville joined them. “How was practice?” Hermione began.

“Ron is really becoming a great keeper. He didn’t let one quaffle pass!” Harry was very pleased.

“Wow, that’s great Ron!” Hermione exclaimed. Ron blushed lightly. Hermione smiled, he would never change.


“So you think we make a good chance at winning from Ravenclaw?” Neville asked.
“Yeah we think so.” Harry answered.

At that moment professor Flitwick entered the classroom. Hermione took her charms book from her satchel and put it on the table. The professor scribbled some spells on the blackboard. The task was the same as ever. Read and learn as much as you can about these spells. The second half of the lesson was used to practice the spells.

Hermione was trying to read when it occurred to her she couldn’t concentrate. Something was off.


When she looked up, she looked over at Harry, Ron and Neville, but they all were reading.


Bowing back over her book she tried to read again. But it was no use. That strange feeling lingered.


Setting her quill down again she slowly turned her head. In the back Malfoy was watching her.


Quickly she turned back to her work. Creepy little shit! Why was he staring at her??


When the theoretical part of the lesson was finished Hermione groaned. She didn’t read anything. She could feel Malfoy stare at her, even when she wasn’t facing him.


Hermione practiced the spells with Neville. He wasn’t doing very well. She got blown away on two different occasions. But the fact was that she wasn’t doing any better. Hermione was relieved when the bell zoomed the end of lesson. While she left the classroom she gave Malfoy one more glance. He was gathering his things and didn’t notice her.




***




Hermione was heading for the Head Common room when she heard footsteps behind her.


Twirling around she found Malfoy behind her on the stairs. He took two steps at a time. He didn’t see her, his eyes were cast down. When he looked up his eyes widened momentarily. Standing still in front of her he smirked.


“What the hell are you smirking at?” Hermione startled slightly from her own hard voice. She didn’t mean to be this harsh, but somehow she was on edge.


“I scared you didn’t I Granger?” He couldn’t hide the smugness on his face.


“No!” She crossed her arms. “Why are you creeping around like a little cockroach?”

His eyes narrowed at her words. Hermione couldn’t suppress a smile.


“I’m going up op to MY common room!” He emphasized that he had as much right to be there.


Hermione shrugged and walked over to the large portrait of Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor. Both men in the painting were watching the adolescents with mirth. Godric couldn’t suppress a smile.
Malfoy gave him a angry look.

Harshly Hermione said “Unite” and the portrait revealed the hole behind it.


She stepped inside and put her bag in a corner. Malfoy however walked over to the study table and put his leather satchel on one of the chairs surrounding the table. His cloak followed on the back of the chair.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Turning around he leaned himself on the wooden table, hands placed on both sides.

Hermione hung her robe in the closet by the door. Then she settled on a large armchair. There she stared off into space. Malfoy observed her for a while then scraped his throat. Hermione’s head snapped in his direction. She looked sharply at him.



Malfoy wasn’t bothered by her stare. “It is getting cold in here.”


“Yes, it tends to get cold around November.” Hermione pointed out the obvious.


Malfoy moved closer to the couch. “We could light the fire. The elves haven’t yet.”


“Yes Malfoy. You could get off of your arse and light the fire yourself!” Hermione couldn’t help herself.

He scared her half to death just now. And he called her a mudblood again. She wasn’t having a
conversation with this prat.


“What is your problem!” Malfoy spat as he walked over to the fire place. Angrily he took his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the fireplace. Malfoy whispered “Incendio” and started a small fire. He placed his wand away again and turned.


Hermione sat in the chair and looked down. Malfoy followed her gaze and it rested on a large ginger cat.


“Crookshanks!” She exclaimed. The large cat jumped off the floor onto her lap. Hermione scratched the ball of fur behind the ears. Malfoy gave the cat a dirty look. Hermione looked back at Malfoy.

“Why are you hanging around here? Most of the time you go out of your way to avoid me.” Hermione was still patting the large cat.

Malfoy stroked his hair back and sighed. “I have as much right to be here. I’m not letting the Gryffindor know-it-all tell me what to do.”


“I’m not telling you what to do!” Hermione sighed.


“No matter how annoying you are.” He gave her a sideways glance.


“Fine!” Hermione said and brought her attention back to her cat.


Malfoy let his body fall into the couch. He stretched his legs and put his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes.


Hermione was annoyed. Why was he spending time with her? It was just weird. He never even stops to acknowledge her as he’s dashing to his dorm. He was acting strange. Then she remembered the scratches on his neck. Maybe it has something to do with them.

“Did you get into a fight?” Hermione heard herself ask before she could stop herself. Malfoys eyes flew open and his head snapped in her direction. He sat up straight.


“You don’t get to ask questions.” He said. His eyes began to darken again.
Hermione felt her anger rise as well.

“Why Malfoy. Because I ask questions close to the very truth?” Her eyes were glittering.

“Yes Granger. That’s it!” Malfoy rolled his eyes at her.

“But it is! I know it is. You act really strange Malfoy. Even for you!”

“What’s that suppose to mean? I act strange?” He glared at her.

“How would you know.”

“The fact that you’re talking to me! The fact that you choose to stay in the very room I am in.”


“Don’t get ahead of yourself Granger. I’m simply trying to relax in my free period. Not working though. Because the silly little chit in front of me wont SHUT UP!” Malfoy lay back down, dramatically draping an arm over his head.

“If there wasn’t any truth in it, why are you yelling at me?” Hermione looked at Malfoy pointedly.
“Those scratches are from a fight. What else could they be from?”


Hermione stared at Malfoy, knowing she made a strong point. Malfoy stared back at her daringly. He got up again.


Suddenly he lifted his eyebrow and a lazy smile formed on his lips. He looked wickedly at her.


“What!” She snapped. Then it dawned on her what he was suggesting.



“Oh please, like that would be the reason. Don’t play me for a fool Malfoy. I know for a fact that these scratches weren’t made by some Slytherin whore.”


“Is that right?” He drawled lazily.


“If you were with someone, you would take every change you’ve got to prance around with your conquest. It is what you did with Parkinson last year even if it didn’t last very long.


And you haven’t done that yet. And don’t you think I of all people would notice?” Hermione looked smugly at Malfoy.

“You don’t know everything Granger. Maybe I don’t want to prance around with this one! Maybe she isn’t a Slytherin. Just maybe I get to nail this girl in her own dorm.” He looked suggestively back at Hermione.


He is trying to provoke me. Hermione thought. Well this will surely rattle his bones.
“No I don’t think so. Besides I don’t know any girl who would go out with you after you coldly dumped Pansy so publicly. Every girl in this school by now knows what a cold bastard you are.”

Hermione knew this was below the belt. Even if Malfoy had done that. She could see his eyes burning dark. His fist clenched at his sides. He got up from the couch.


“How dare you talk to me like that! You know nothing!”


Crookshanks jumped off Hermione’s lap. Malfoy was closing in.



Hermione got up from the armchair and straightened to her full height.


Malfoy towered over her small frame. But Hermione glared at the tall Slytherin, not willing to back down.



“You better not open that foul mouth of yours again!” He threatened.


“Why Malfoy? Because you know I’m right? That no girl in her right mind would want anything to do with you?”


Malfoy closed the gap between them, grabbing one of her arms. His face was inches from her own.


She could see his sapphire blue eyes narrowing. No grey left in them.


“And what about you Granger?” Malfoy drawled as he pulled her closer by her arm.


Hermione grabbed his hand, trying to loosen his grip. She looked up again and shrunk away when his face was contorted in a nasty sneer.


“You’re one to talk. No man will ever so much as lay a finger on YOU! Disgusting filthy mudblood whore!” He kept yanking on her arm. But Hermione didn’t notice.

“Yes, yes I know Malfoy! Filthy MUDBLOOD, who no one would ever lay a hand on. So what else is new?” Hermione yelled.

“Well, lets see. Even Potter and Weasel wouldn’t have you. They’re all taken care of. That leaves you the fifth wheel, doesn’t it?” Malfoy whispered darkly.

“Poor Granger, not even her best friends would have a go with you.” Malfoy sniggered.

His words cut her deep. Her anger intensified. But she could feel hot tears behind her eyes.
She would be damned to let Malfoy get to her.

“Shut up, arrogant LITTLE SHIT! And you wonder why you have no friends! God I pity you.” She yelled.

In that moment Malfoys anger flared immediately. He gripped her arm more painfully and raised his other hand. God he wanted to hit her.



Hermione saw his other hand move and her eyes widened. He had never…

No, I will not let anybody touch me again!

With all her force she pushed against his chest. He let go of her arm.

“What Malfoy?” Hot angry tears were pouring over her cheeks. “You want to hit me?” Hermione screamed. She pushed him again. He put his arm down again.

“Prove to me you are a real man? I know you want to. I can see it!” She stood before him.

“Why don’t you just do it!” Malfoy just stared at the girl in front of him. Unable to move or speak. He could feel his fists clench and unclench at his sides. Her eyes were dark. Like amber. Her tears made their way to her cheeks. She was so angry, her mouth a tight white line, brows knitted together.

“Do it! Just like him!”

Malfoy took a step back. An image of his father backhanding his mother in the living room appearing in his head. His eyes widened for a moment and he stepped back.

He looked at Granger.

“No, I’m not anything like him!” He spoke softly.

He turned away from her and sprinted to his dorm, taking two steps at a time.


***

Hermione let herself fall into the couch. Softly she cried. Next to her Crookshanks purred and she reached for him. Nuzzling into the softness of the cat she let what just happened sink into her.
She stood up for herself! She did not let Malfoy get the upper hand. But she could still see it in his eyes. He wanted to hit her. If she didn’t do what she did, he would have hit her. She was certain.
She didn’t think Malfoy was dangerous. She could handle him. She knew that now. But she would have to be on her guard.

In his dorm Malfoy leaned against his closed door. His hart was thumping loudly. He slammed his fist against the door frame willing himself to calm down. How could things get so out of hand?
Yes he knew. He was scared Granger would find out what he did to Lenn Feartrent. That’s why he was so on edge. And of course Granger jumped all over it, stupid know-it-all.
But that was no excuse. He let himself go. In front of Granger. He never hurt a woman in his life. Well not physically anyway. He almost hit Granger. She did deserve it, but he swore he would never do that. Frustrated he let his body fall on his bed.
He had to control himself in front of Granger. The one person who got under his skin. That made him angry in a heartbeat. And the memory of his mother? He wasn’t even going to give that thought. That had nothing to do with Granger! No need to reminiscing on old hurtful memories! Hell, he wasn’t going to give Ganger one more thought either!

***

^^Next in Chapter 7: Lenn got hurt and Hermione is determined to find out what happened. And yes, finally Malfoy and Hermione collide in a totally different manner….