the peculiarity of love // dramione

05

Draco laid awake in his bed. He still wasn't used to the eerie quiet of the Tower; it was nearly the exact opposite of the Slytherin dorms under the Great Lake. He felt somewhat triumphant for getting himself to apologize, something he had always wished he'd done more of in his years.
He wasn't sure what it was about Hermione Granger that had made him ask for her forgiveness; perhaps the fact that she was terrifyingly intimidating, or that she would probably ignore him the rest of their lives if he didn't. Not that I mind if she ignored me forever. Well.... maybe a bit.
Stupid Gryffindors.

                                                                                  The next morning

Draco woke to see snow falling heavily outside. He always woke up early, though he wasn't sure why. As he went downstairs to the Common Room he found that Granger was already up and in the kitchen..... cooking?
"Why are you cooking? The Great Hall is full of food, what could you make that's possibly better than the breakfast we already have?"
"I was in the mood for a recipe that my family makes. They're blueberry crepes with whipped cream and chocolate topping." She simply tilted her head at him, holding back her annoyance.
"Oh. That's... nice."
"My father used to cook this on special days. It was the last breakfast I had with them before- um.." She was remembering the last happy day she spent with her family before the war tore everything apart. A flood of memories and emotions swept over her and threatened to leave her a sobbing mess on the floor.
He didn't know what to do. Is she crying? Was it something I said? Bloody hell, women are complicated.
"Uh, it smells good." Was that weird? Was that something I'd normally say?
Hermione blinked back the tears, knowing that she couldn't cry in front of Malfoy.
"Well, um, I seemed to have made a few extra, would you like to join me for breakfast?"
Draco stopped dead in his tracks, wondering if she really just asked him to join her in an activity that wasn't required of them.
"I have plans."
"Oh. Alright then." Hermione was confused as to why she asked him, so she shrugged and turned back to the stove.
Draco almost felt bad, then he was angry at himself for feeling bad. Without another word, he marched out the door.

Moments later, in the Great Hall

"Ohhhhhh Drakey, were you thinking of me last night? I wanted so badly to be with you," The nasally voice of Pansy Parkinson shattered Draco's calm thoughts.
"Of course, darling."
No, and if I was, only to remind myself how lucky I was to NOT be with you.
"I saw the snow and it reminded me of you. I know you love the snow." the girl sat uncomfortably close to him.
*gagging internally*
"Sure, Pansy."
I hate the snow.
"I missed you yesterday! I thought you were staying in the Slytherin Dorms last night! Why do you always need to be in that Tower of yours?" Pansy was leaning on him, clutching to his arm.
"Oh, you know, had some important work to do. I devised a great plan to beat the Gryffindors for the House Cup this year." Her hold on him was making it hard to eat.
"You're so cunning Draco!" She gave him a kiss on his cheek, which he subconsciously flinched away from. Uh oh.
"Draco? Why did you do that? I gave you a kiss! Are you seeing someone else? I swear I'll kill you!"
Fuck.
"Pansy, I didn't mean to do that, I was just... reaching for the blueberries." He said smoothly, not missing a beat.
Blueberries. He found himself thinking about Granger, and if she was alone eating her breakfast. Stop that, Draco.
"Oh, well then. I saw that Granger Mudblood girl walking outside wearing this atrocity of a hat! Have you seen it? It's this ugly thing with a huge bow on the back, though I must say it flattens her hair out a bit." Pansy said with a cackle.
He restrained himself from getting up right there and walking away, and instead just smirked a bit.
Indeed, Hermione walked into the Great Hall wearing an orange hat with a bow on the back. She sat down beside Ron and Ginny, and didn't seem to care that people were staring at her.
"Did you hear me?"
"What? Could you repeat?" What's gotten into me? I doesn't waste time on looking at what others are doing, especially not Hermione Granger.
"I said: did you hear about the First Years who got into a snowball fight with Peeves last night? It was quite funny; one kid broke a finger!"
Granger didn't mention that.
Pansy laughed loudly, though he didn't even say anything. He sighed and focused on his food.