Speechless, by Naomi Scott

   Hermione played with Draco's hair while he slept, his head resting on her lap. She smiled. He looked so peaceful. Draco smiled and the steady rise and fall of his chest let her know he must have been having a good dream. He didn't toss and turn like he had when they were in the hospital bed, for which she was glad. It had pained her to see him in such agony, but when Hermione had questioned him about it, Draco clammed up and said he didn't want to talk about it. Hermione looked down at him and sighed. It bothered her to know that he had a burden of some kind and felt that he had to carry it alone. Hermione needed him to know that he was never alone. Not anymore.

   Closing her book, Hermione shifted slightly, trying not to wake him and sighed. Hermione hoped he knew that he wasn't alone. That he didn't have to do everything by himself. Draco rolled over and shivered slightly. Hermione picked up her sweater and laid it over him then smiled as he settled. She sighed. Though she had hoped he would confide in her, she trusted he had his reasons for keeping it from her. Whatever it was, it was causing him to loose sleep. She just hoped he was past that and able to sleep at night. Hermioen smiled. From the looks of it, he was sleeping just fine.

   Hermione brushed the hair back from Draco's forehead, trying to wake him gently. She knew he'd had a long day but it was close to dinner time and she knew he'd probably sleep better in his own bed with a full stomach. Draco stirred slightly and Hermione stroked his forehead. He stretched with a yawn and struggled to open his eyes. She watched as his eyelids fluttered and he grunted. Hermione smiled as he blinked and rubbed his eyes like a child, then opened them widely. Draco looked up at her and smiled. "How long have I been asleep?"

She smiled. "About an hour."

Draco yawned and nodded. "You should have woken me."

"You were tired, you had a long day. I figured I'd let you sleep."

He sat up rubbing the back of his neck. "You couldn't have been comfortable."

Hermione laughed and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

Draco nodded and pinched his lips into a thin line. "Yes. I think I slept better than I have in a long time."

"That's good, right?"

Draco smiled. "Yes. I think your reading helped, I sleep much more peacefully when I'm near you."

Hermione blushed and gave him a smile. "Good. Did you like the book?"

He frowned. "I liked it when you read it to me."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You didn't like it at all did you?"

He thought for a moment then shook his head. "No." She opened her mouth but he cut her off. "I'm just not a fan of those old romance books. I much prefered The Chronicles Of Narnia to Pride and Prejudice."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Your such a spoilsport. It's such a well written story!"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "It's a romance set in the 1700s. It can't get much more boring than that."

She gasped and smacked his arm. "Take that back!"

"Make me." He said raising both eyebrows repeatedly in challenge.

Hermione leaned over as if she was going to kiss him then scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "When will you ever learn."

   Draco groaned and rolled his eyes again and Hermione packed her book back in her bag. Then, leaning over, she placed a swift kiss on his lips. "I'm sorry but I've gotta go. I promised Ginny I'd sit by her for dinner." She grinned. "Your free to join us." She said with a wink and Draco smirked.

"Yeah, I think I'll pass." He said, jokingly. "But really, I'm not hungry anyways."

"Draco Malfoy!" Hermione scolded and he raised an eyebrow. "You might not like it but you are going to go to the Great Hall and you are going to eat. I'll not have you starve to death."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Your sure you won't go to the kitchens with me?"

"Yes. I care about you, Draco but I promised Ginny. But if you try to skip another meal, so help me Malfoy, I will give you the silent treatment for a week!"

"Mm..." Draco hummed, a deep sound vibrating in his throat. "I'm sorry, Granger, but by the way you carry on, one would think that your concerned about what happens to me."

Hermione smacked his arm. "Oh shut up."

   After convincing Draco that a nice, hot meal and a full stomach would help him to sleep better, Hermione headed down to the Great Hall to meet Ginny. It had taken a lot of threatening but it all paid off when Draco entered the Great Hall. She watched him eat three platefuls (which she hadn't thought possible) without saying a word. Hermione winced. If he had been that hungry and yet willing to miss a meal then something must be severely wrong. Draco wasn't a bottomless pit like Ron, but he still needed to start eating more often.

Hermione was worried about him, and she didn't know how to get him to eat normally. She also didn't know why he wasn't eating normally. What had happened while she was in the hospital wing? She was fairly certain that was when he had stopped eating. Was he keeping something from her? Something that could harm him? Hermione smiled when he downed his glass of milk. She had told him that when she had trouble sleeping, her mother gave her a glass of warm milk. It had always helped her, hopefully it would help him to sleep better. Draco wiped his milk mustache and set his glass down then stood and marched out of the Great Hall.

After he left, Hermione hardly ate a bite of her food. Her stomach began to churn and nausea flooded her. Hermione shook her head. She needed to stop worrying about Draco before she made herself sick. Draco was perfectly healthy. He may have skipped a few meals but if she had anything to say about it, that wouldn't be happening again. He would start eating on a normal schedule again if she had to force him.

So, with a clear conscience, Hermione tried to eat more. After a few minutes, she realized that she couldn't down a single bite. Her throat was too constricted. Chugging the rest of her hot pumpkin juice, Hermione tried to swallow at least a piece of bread but her stomach growled in protest. So, without eating another bite, she said goodbye to her friends and left the Great Hall.

   The whole way back to the Gryffindor tower, Hermione procrastinated and worried about Draco. She's couldn't get it out of her head that he was keeping something from her. Something terribly wrong. But she couldnt bring herself to believe that he would lie to her. So then what? What was left? What could possibly be bothering him? Hermione groaned and approached the portrait of the fat woman. "Scurvy Cur." She said loudly and clearly. The fat woman nodded with a slight eye roll and the portrait swung open. She knew that Hermione wouldn't put up with her shenanigans.

   Once she was inside, Hermione wasted no time, heading up to her dorms and hoping in the shower before Lavender or Parvati could steal it. She was tired and ready for bed and didn't feel like having cold water. So, without hesitation, Hermione got her clothes and entered the bathroom. All she needed was a hot shower to calm her aching body and to settle down with a book before heading to bed.

Hermione turned on the water and began to brush her teeth while waiting for it to get hot. She smiled at the scent of her toothpaste. It was spearmint toothpaste but not quite the kind she prefered. There was something about the taste that was different than the kind Draco used. The reason Hermione knew this was because she could taste it on his lips when he kissed her. Maybe she only liked the smell when he used it. Either way, she knew Amorentia would forever smell of spearmint.

   With a sigh, Hermione stepped under the hot stream of water. She trembled as a shiver ran down her spine. The steam helped clear her sinuses and the heat helped to ease her stiffness. Her sore limbs relaxed and she melted with a sigh. In a last second decision, Hermione plugged the drain and allowed the bathtub to fill with water. She pulled out a Sleakeazys bath bomb and allowed it to fizz in the water. Piles of bubbles and suds formed and the water became smooth and silky. Hermione smiled and lowered herself into the water with a sigh.

Hermione was very very glad for magical renovations to modern self care products. They surely made it easier to enjoy yourself and relax. But she would be even more relaxed in her comfortable clothes settled down with a blanket and a book. Maybe some hot tea. The thought made her sigh and she hurried to scrub her hair. It was hard to tame but she managed for Draco's sake. He liked it smooth, and Hermione to please him. So, she went through the work of brushing it and taming it.

   When Hermione finished, it was well past nine. The Gryffindor common room was quiet and warm, giving off a cozy aroma. The steady blaze of the fire let off an orange glow, illuminating the room with a soft, warm hue. Hermione loved nights like this, when it was peaceful and serene. She made her way over to the window seat and curled up with a blanket to look at the stars with a book in her lap. Harry and Ron sitting not far from her, working on their homework.

Most of the other Gryffindors had gone to bed, as it was well past curfew, but the few who remained sat quietly, either working on homework or chatting in whispers. Hermione was the only one who spent her time reading. At times, she wondered if she fit in with her fellow Gryffindors or if she should have been sorted into Ravenclaw. She had enough book knowledge to have been. But Hermione trusted the hat. If it chose to place her in Gryffindor then there must have been a reason.

   Hermione looked over to Ron, who was struggling with his Divination homework. Serves him right for choosing to take such a silly class. Hermione only took it because it was a requirement of obtaining the Time Turner. McGonagall had only given it to her to use for extra classes after all. She needed the extra credit. But if Ron wanted to fake his way through the class, by all means. If Trelawney was too daft to realize that both he and Harry were making up their horoscopes then they deserved to pass.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Divination was a ridiculous class in her opinion anyways. An average witch or wizard could never see into the future unless they were a Seer. Ron let out an exasperated sigh and dropped his quill. "All this homework is making me brain hurt." Hermione rolled her eyes. She hated it when he spoke so uncivilized-like. Ron closed his book. "I'm hungry and tired. So, since I can't eat, I'm going to bed."

Hermione smirked. "When aren't you hungry, Ron?"

Ron stuck out his tongue, mimicking her in a mocking voice. "Did the ferret teach you how to do that?"

"What?"

"Oh come on 'Mione, we all know you have a crush on him."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Stop pretending you don't know what I mean, 'Mione. Your acting more and more Slytherin every day."

   Harry looked frightened as Hermione snapped her book shut. Ginny, who had been sitting across from Harry with her homework, gasped. "Ron!"

"No! It's true, Gin. Can't you see it?" He looked over to Harry. "Haven't you seen the way she's been acting. The taunting smirks, her stuck up manner, the way she always disappears..."

"Stop it!" Ginny yelled and Hermione stood up.

"It doesn't matter if you approve of the way I act or who I choose to spend my time with. Its non of your business, Ronald."

"I knew it! So you are spending time with Malfoy!" Ron said accusingly, pointing a finger in her face.

Hermione bit back her anger. "He's easier to be around than you!"

"Well, if your so comfortable being around that ferret, maybe you should have been sorted into Slytherin!"

Hermione gasped. Harry stood too at that point and Ginny jumped up and pointed her wand at Ron. "Don't make me hex you, brother. I will do it." She said in a vexing voice.

Harry wrapped an arm around Hermione's back. "That was crossing the line, Ron."

   Hermione took a breath and collected herself then stood tall. "Maybe your right Ron. Maybe I should have been sorted into Slytherin, but at least then I wouldn't have to put up with you!"

"Oh no." He gave her a mock smile and shook his head. "You'd much rather put up with a ferret than your own kind!"

"Own kind?"

"Gryffindors, Hermione! Your a Gryffindor, maybe you should start acting like one!"

Hermione let out a shrill laugh. "If your a Gryffindor then I'd much rather spend my time with Slytherins. Oh, and I'm sorry! I didn't know we weren't allowed to talk to students from other houses!"

"Is that all you and Malfoy do?! Talk?"

"I'd much rather talk to him than be in this conversation!"

Ron seemed to shy and back down slightly. His face was so flushed it matched his hair. He stumbled, trying to find words, flustering on the start of every word. Ron couldn't even form a sentence and Hermione had had enough. She raised a finger, silencing him. "My life and how I choose to live it are none of your concern, Ron. When you've decided to be civil about this then, and only then, will I speak to you."

   Hermione spun around and willed herself not to run up the stairs to her dorm. No. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction of knowing he'd made her upset. Though she was certain it was evident in her tone. Hermione made it to her dorm and collapsed on her bed. What was she going to do? How long could she's keep this up? She wanted to be able to spend time alone with Draco, but she didn't want to keep their relationship a secret anymore. But she could have one without the other. If Ron had figured it out surely others would find out soon enough. Maybe it was time. She and Draco had kept things quiet for long enough. It was time to tell everyone.

Author's Note:

HI EVERYONE! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things will get interesting soon! (If this wasn't drama enough for y'all.) But I really do hope you liked it. I put a lot of thought into where to go with it and I have a few more plans for year three but I will move on soon. So stick with me and I hope you guys will like what I have for y'all. My question for this one is....

"Would y'all like to see another broomstick chapter?"

P.S. I know I asked that last time but I need some feedback with answers please!