Count Your Blessings

Citten - Thanks for the review! I'm going to try and spread the chapters out as much as I can. I already have the ending figured out so hopefully things will get flowing once I return

kazfeist - I haven't read that story before. Hm. I'll have to go check it out =)

catysmom - Thanks for the comment!

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Draco lay in his beautifully carved mahogany bed, decorated with long silky curtains that held shimmering silver snakes. They had once been enchanted to slither around but Draco found that to be rather tacky and a bit creepy. He was never fond of snakes but tolerated them due to the fact that it was the house mascot and because his father enjoyed them immensely. When the Dark Lord returned, his mother had changed the entire layout of their home to mask the once lack luster appearance of it. Now large jeweled serpents adorned every door, crawled up every pillar, and had basically taking over the entire house.

It was one reason why he enjoyed coming back to Hogwarts. He could live without seeing too many Slytherin mascots, and not have some giant snake head staring down at him while he slept. Sighing, Draco's eyes skipped over to a ticking clock he had received from his mother on his eighteen birthday. It was elaborately decorated with its hands in the shape of, you guessed it, snakes. Large jewels were planted inside and all around the frame and face.

He inhaled as his hand felt around his pocket, pulling out something white from his pocket. Hermione's knickers. His fingers felt the lacy fabric as a small smirk grew across his lips. He leaned back, resting his head on the crook of his arm and held his 'token' up. Staring at it as the glittering light from the moon reflecting its rays on the black lake danced across the fabric. He wasn't a pervert of any kind, not like Crabbe who hoarded Millicent's abnormally large knickers in a compartment in his trunk.

The clock began to ring, a low vibrating sound, and Draco groaned. He hadn't slept but it wouldn't have been the first time he stayed up all night. Rolling off the bed and planting his feet firmly on the ground, Draco took one last look at Hermione's knickers and folded it neatly before tucking it under his mattress. The House-Elves knew never to go around his mattress, other than to make the bed. He had, when it was younger, gotten heated when they found all sorts of PlayWizard magazines under his mattress and had to have 'the talk' with Snape. Imagine how horrible that was. Most of the time Snape sat at his desk and glared at him while Draco thought of ways to punish the elves. Punish them he did. Of course, now he realized how immature he had been but that was in the past.

A loud snore broke Draco from his trip down memory lane. Goyle. Draco looked at the mirror and swooped his hair from his face. He needed to get a hair cut but the girls seemed to enjoy running their fingers through his hair. Even Hermione. Hermione. That stupid mudblood couldn't get out of his head. Her large puppy dog eyes, hazed over in want with her puffy pink lips. So beautiful. Stop. Stop it. Thinking like that was what got his aunt cast out of the family! Trying to forget the look on Hermione's face when he left her, Draco traced his hand over his dress shirt and buttoned it up.

Breakfast was boring. Boring for Draco that is. Pansy had caught sight of him and opted to sit beside him, annoying him with random gossip and chatter, much to his apparent dismay. His eyes constantly scanned over to the Gryffindor table. A tight line formed on his lips as he noticed that Granger was missing. He shrugged his hand away from Pansy and grabbed onto his fork, stabbing a few sausages violently. Where was she? Was she ill? Was she talking to Dumbledore about what had happened? Why was he thinking abouther so damn much?

Pansy's hand snaked its way to his thigh as she leaned closer to him. Her breath bathed him unwantedly as she spoke, "What's wrong Draco? You're not the same..." She purred into his ear.

Very annoying. There wasn't anything wrong with him. A person is entitled to be annoyed, displeased, whatever the hell he wants to be without something being wrong with him. His cobalt blue eyes landed on Pansy, digging into her black beady ones. He thought he felt her shiver by his gaze, but a far different shiver than the one Hermione had given him. She was afraid. She should be.

Draco planted his hand firmly on Pansy's, who made an odd delighted noise, and pulled her hand from him. Her face fell as if she had been told there was no sale at Madam Mirkins, a popular teenage witch shop. She sniffed and looked to the Gryffindor table, grinning.

"You know Draco...I wonder if Nott has gotten his way into the mudblood's dirty knickers yet..."

He turned his head instantly to Pansy but feigned a look of indifference. "Nott couldn't get his way into a paper bag," Draco answered with a shrug, his hand gripping onto his fork.

Pansy shrugged and leaned against him, her arm wrapping around his. Draco allowed it, only if she kept talking about Nott and Granger. His eyes danced along the Slytherin table and narrowed when he didn't see Nott. Maybe that was why he was up early. Pansy's hand began to stroke his arm as if he were a pet.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Crabbe and Goyle made a bet with Blaise and Theodore. They said that it was a toss up to see who could get with Granger, you know after she's been acting funny."

Draco stiffened and tossed a glance at Blaise, who looked exhausted from the previous night, he looked at Draco and gave him a curt nod before going back to breakfast. Pansy's rambling continued, knowing that it would keep Draco's interest. Not because he cared for Granger but because it involved a person he hated. Or so she thought.

"I mean, first she literally throws herself at Snape. Then she was caught with Weasel behind a tapestry..."

With that, Draco pulled from Pansy and was halfway to the door before she even noticed. He had found Nott and Granger a few moments later. The girl pinned up against the wall in an empty classroom. Nott had his lips against her neck, his hand tracing over the hem of her skirt. She didn't seem to mind at all. That began to boil his blood.

Theodore turned when Draco slammed the door and crossed his arms. Hermione's face turned beet red and she tried to cover herself, while Nott remained in the same position. He looked uninterestedly at Draco and sniffed.

"What?" He asked, not making any motion to move.

Draco pulled his wand and pointed it at Nott, who stared at him in confusion. "Get away from Granger." He growled, flicking his wand to the side. Nott pulled his hands up and backed away.

"Malfoy what is you pro---" Nott said quietly before pulling his own wand and shouting "Stupefy!"

Draco moved quickly and shot a disarming spell, watching Nott's wand fly high into the air. He then stupefied Nott before the wand touched the ground. Draco stalked to Hermione and grabbed onto her wrist, prying her from the wall.

"Can't wait to shag every boy in Hogwarts, could you?" He snapped, eyeing her exposed chest before bringing a hand to her blouse and clamping the fabric close.

She seemed stunned, quiet, and somewhat lusty. Draco pointed his wand at Nott and obliviated him, making him think Hermione had kneed him in the groin and escaped. The last thing he wanted them to know was that he was helping a Gryffindor, especially Granger.

Draco turned as he felt Hermione's hand on his. "I'm...I..." She spoke quietly. Draco pulled his hand from her and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. He could smell Nott on her, but her own smell was over powering.

"I don't need an explination." He replied, feeling Hermione's hands run up his chest. His hands traced to hers and pried them from him before grasping onto the back of her neck and pulling her to him.

Their lips clashed, bodies melted together, and it had sudden become really hot. Her moans filled his mouth as his tongue battled hers. He brought a hand to her waist and pushed her away for the millionth time. The clock on the wall dinged, signalling that breakfast was over.

They didn't have any classes together, which was a shame because he couldn't watch her. Draco helped straighten her uniform after she seemed to realize why he had stopped. In reality, he stopped because it wouldn't have been right. To go any further with an unconscious Nott on the floor in a classroom that would become filled within the next few minutes.

"M-Malfoy..." Hermione's soft tone broke the silence as Draco finished buttoning up her blouse.

He looked at him and raised his eyebrows, "What?"

"Why...are you helping me so much? I'm not...you know..."

She began stumbling over her words, embarrassed, and he actually thought it was cute. Nothing like Pansy's rambling, or even Daphne Greengrass. This brought into question why he was helping her. Why he was going to all this trouble just for a mudblood. He sure as hell didn't know.

Pulling his hands from her, Draco shoved his hands into his pocket and shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe I don't want the Slytherins to be seen as rapists. Not all of us are cruel."

"You're not doing it because of the Slytherins." She was still really observant and it annoyed him at that point.

"What do you want me to tell you?" He asked with a slight sneer, "That I'm in love with you? Please, don't insult me."

Hermione's eyes darted away from him. She was expecting him to say that, wasn't she. Maybe it would've made her feel better about this whole situation. Draco shrugged and turned but stopped when Hermione spoke, "Is...are...we...Um. The room of requirement."

"I'll be there at one-thirty, Granger. Come if you want." He replied, turning back to the door.

He held it open for Hermione and both slipped out into the busy hall. Draco noticed Pansy trying to break through the crowd looking for him and almost wanted to duck out of the way. Until Potter and Weasley arrived.

"Get away from her, Malfoy!" Ron shouted, holding out his wand as if that'd do anything.

"Honestly, Ronald." Hermione muttered as Ron pulled her to him.

Draco raised an eyebrow and realized that she had told her two little friends about her 'problem,' Weasel was abnormally protective now. He sneered as Ron's hand traced over Hermione's and her face flushed.

"Stay away from Hermione. I'm warning you," Ron said bravely, puffing his chest out like a bird.

"Who says she won't stay away from me?" Draco smirked, wiggling his eyebrows at Hermione.

"I mean it, Malfoy!"

Draco rolled his eyes and turned but felt Ron's wand prod him in the back. He turned and with a balled fist, smashed it into the bridge of his nose. Weasley went stumbling back and fell onto the ground. Harry launched himself at Draco, but he was too fast. He ducked at every punch and managed to upper cut Harry. Ginny let out a howl and raced to Harry, who was sprawled out on the ground.

"Is that all you got?" Ron started to say but Hermione silenced him with her hand.

"We have to get you to Madam Pomfrey." She whispered, her eyes darting to Draco for a second before she helped him rise. Ron clutched his nose which was gushing with blood and glared at Draco.

"Self defense, Weasel. Don't even try and think about running to old Dumbledore. We all know what happened." He smirked triumphantly, watching Scarhead and Weasel hobble off. His smirk disappeared when Hermione glanced back at him with a scathing look.