14
Chapter 14 of 22
Fawkes_07* * * November 1, 1997 * * *
The ball was supposed to end at eleven. Dumbledore apparently had a bit too much Old Ogden's, however, and neglected to shut things down until well after midnight. Potter's presence had undoubtedly contributed to the chaos as well, though Draco had left immediately, having no stomach to face that little prick after what happened with Granger.
He spent the early hours of the evening in their common room, but did not bother to light a fire. When midnight finally rolled around, he took up his wand and systematically patrolled the entire castle, flushing out would-be lovers from every hidden nook, full-length tapestry, and dark corridor. When he reached the top of the Astronomy Tower, he simply turned around and performed the same sweep in reverse.
When he came at last to his own portrait hole, he heard them laughing in the common room.
Draco snorted in disdain, but it was really only for the principle of the thing; he'd already supposed she'd bring him back to the suite. Damned if I'm going to be forced out of my own room by that tosser. He steeled himself and gave the password.
I fucking KNEW IT! Potter was sitting in his spot on the divan, an obviously magical fire burning quietly in the grate, and there was Granger, parked right beside him. I get her all worked up and you slink on in and make the moves. Arse! "Entertaining, Granger? Beg your pardon, but I'm afraid I live here too, only one door and all."
"Malfoy! Where've you been? You disappeared from the ball!"
"Didn't like the present company, I'm sure," muttered Potter.
"Still don't!" Draco said, grinning. "But at least I'm in good company."
"Malfoy..." Granger began with a tone of warning, but Potter snapped, as usual.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Draco had been brooding for several hours, and was genuinely angry on several fronts. A legitimate target was all he needed. "Mrs. Snape heard you come in, Potter. She heard you. Ducked out of sight long before you came into view."
Granger looked at Potter in shock, and Potter shrank a few sizes and dropped his gaze to the floor. Draco had hit the mark, and he was only getting started.
"Harry?" said Granger tentatively.
Potter raised his hands as if warding off a volley of stones. "I know," he said to neither of them in particular.
"So what is it? Do you hate her just because she's with him? Or have you managed to Conjure up some other reason to threaten a little half-pint like her?"
"It's not like that!" Potter snapped.
Draco wasn't having any excuses. "She HEARD you, Potter. That only means one thing. You've taken out all your shite on Snape since the day you got here, but I swear, I'm not going to let you hurt--"
"I wouldn't!" shouted Potter, leaping to his feet. "You don't know anything, Malfoy! The curse can't... It's not that smart. It can't tell between someone who means to do harm and someone who... " Potter's argument trailed off and he sunk into the divan.
"Who what, Harry?" said Granger, undoubtedly the least grammatically-correct sentence she'd ever uttered.
"It's complicated," Potter sighed.
"Is it?" said Draco. "Then let me simplify things, Potter. You harm one hair on that little head, and I'll kill you. I don't care how many Dark Lords you've slain. Hear me?"
Draco was itching for a fight after this evening, and he fully expected Potter to offer a duel on the spot. It was with mixed feelings, therefore, that he watched Potter curl around his own middle with an expression of pure loathing and say, "I'd never hurt her. I swear it." He looked pleadingly at Granger. "You don't understand, but I swear I'm not her enemy. You saw me dance with her tonight, you believe me, don't you?"
Granger glanced between the two wizards uncertainly, and it eased Draco's anger somewhat to see that she obviously gave him some creedence instead of blindly supporting Potter. "She didn't look very happy, Harry," Granger noted.
Potter ran his fingers through his hair, an annoying habit Draco had despised for years. "She wanted to show him that she trusts me. She knows I won't hurt her. Never again."
You fucking bastard. "Again?" Draco breathed.
"I told you. It's complicated."
Draco was angry enough to hex him with his bare hands, but the little prat looked so genuinely miserable that he reckoned the guilt was sufficient torture. For the moment, anyway. "Then leave her alone. Don't make her 'prove' any of your bullshit to Snape, or to you."
Granger shifted a good six inches back away from Potter on the divan. Take that, motherfucker. No way in hell you'll score with Granger tonight.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Looking and Seeing
170 Reviews | 7.69/10 Average
looking to see what next... chapie 21: suprise that severus has a wife, & he gave great advice to draco!!!
love it.. lovely moment between dh..
alway knew draco could be nice to hermine, if he wanted to..
maybe draco will help hermione over her sadness of being lonely.. love severus's idea of draco and hermione working together..
so draco learn interesting fact concerning hermione, while spying on her and severus's discussion! love the plot, so far...
Omg! I started this not realising it was incomplete, and that it had been five or so years since it was updated. Are there any concrete plans to finish it? I really hope so, it's a great story so far. Feels like it's going to be much longer than this. Please finish! :)
oh! I really hope you havenmt decided to completely abandon this fic forever, I've only just discovered it and I want more! Please reconsider and pick it up again! --Tyche
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
I haven't abandoned any of these poor fics, honest. I have them all written in my head. I just can't for the life of me find time to type them out. Someday...
Response from TycheSong (Reviewer)
Good! I am relieved to hear that. :-)
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
I haven't abandoned any of these poor fics, honest. I have them all written in my head. I just can't for the life of me find time to type them out. Someday...
Response from TycheSong (Reviewer)
Good! I am relieved to hear that. :-)
oh! I really hope you havenmt decided to completely abandon this fic forever, I've only just discovered it and I want more! Please reconsider and pick it up again! --Tyche
I just noticed that this story got updated over on MNFF, which prompted me to reread....I really, really hope that you finish this story and the "is it worth it to finish" from a couple of chapters back is not how you feel. I want to know what happens! Or rather, how you draw the story to its conclusion. The situations you devise are unusual and intriguing, and I look forward to the next chapter.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
I plan to, really. I'm just always short on time. MNFF doesn't even have the latest chapter up, I don't update as regularly over there.
Ahh... this story was so satisfying. I loved how in character both Hermione and Draco are. Their 'feelings' naturally evolve without making them ooc. I see you haven't updated this in a while, I hope eventually you'll come back to it. Even so, since they finally got together and it seems happy times are ahead, you could also mark this as complete.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Heh, well, I could, except I do have some more ideas that I wanted to write about when I started this tale... well, we'll see.
Just read through this story for the first time! Its brilliant, I would love to read more!!!
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Thx, yeah, I wish I could write more, but I just broke 6 ribs and can't sit up for more than a few minutes. Sigh.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Thx, yeah, I wish I could write more, but I just broke 6 ribs and can't sit up for more than a few minutes. Sigh.
Draco is so sexy/pathetic/vulnerable/lovable/hatable in this chapter. I love how complicated and and mysterious and subtle their relationship is so far... it's somehow a lot more believeable than if everything were all spelled out. I love it.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
That's what I was shooting for--cool! Glad you're enjoying.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
That's what I was shooting for--cool! Glad you're enjoying.
I was seriously busting a gut laughing while reading this chapter. I LOVE the way this story begins--I've been looking for some good snark for weeks. This is the first D/H fic I've read, and I think I may be hooked. Hawt. I really love your version of Draco. He feels just right.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Cool! Always glad to know there's other people who have the same twisted sense of humor as me. :)
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Cool! Always glad to know there's other people who have the same twisted sense of humor as me. :)
I started reading this on Pureblood and was so thrilled to see it here, too! Fantastic story and I agree with the other reviewers - the amount of build-up has been perfect.Looking forward to the next installment. :)
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Thanks! I'm pretty happy with it so far--it turned out pretty good.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this fic. It is very well-written, and, unlike many for this pairing, believable. Thanks for writing it, and I hope you choose to continue.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Thanks! I will--but I'm behind on all my fics at the mo.
Haha.. I can totally picture Draco checking himself in the suits of armor. And the description of "pink, bubbling champagne" was perfect!
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
*grin* Thanks! I've felt like pink bubbles inside before, myself.
Oh, this was SO lovely!
I can't explain why, but this slow, kissing-only, nonsexual event feels deliciously perfect. If I were reading Severus/Hermione I'd probably be frustrated but in this story with Draco and Hermione it feels splendidly right.
Can't wait for more!
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
yay! I like to think they're both young enough that they wouldn't leap into it pell-mell--they'd want to try one another on first.
Response from mia madwyn (Reviewer)
Also, maybe a response to how fragile she is (or has been)? How unexpectedly sweet of him.
Oh, I do hope that you will be continuing on with this. I couldn't stop reading--it was spellbinding in every way. If you need encouragement, consider this to be some, okay? If you choose not to go on, thank you for sharing what you have. It's well written and thought out and I did really enjoy it. :D
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Thanks! Glad you like it--I do plan to continue but I have a lot of "open" fics at the moment...
Glad to know you're back on this; thanks for the short but sweet chapter!
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
You bet!
That was quite sweet.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
:) I thought so.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
:) I thought so.
Please keep writing this story. A couple of chapters back you thought it wasn't being recieved well. I wasn't reading it because it was listed under the hogwarts cat. and I haven't taken to many of those stories. But I started to read yours and kept saying yeah with each marker for the next chapter until this one.
Don't get discouraged about not getting reviews, I am a avid reader but terrible about writing a review and I am going to try and become better at giving encouragement to my favorite authors. I am looking forward to your next chap. Your timing for the relationship to take a turn was perfect. I didn't feel like---geez, get there already. I know there is suppose to be a build up but some authors build up for so long that I actually start disliking the characters and then I lose interest in the story altogether.
So I bow to your nimble fingers and quick mind. But most of all, have fun writing or its not worth it.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
LOL, thanks. It is nice to get reviews, we authors are such hogs for trouble. Maybe I should have put it in a different category? Malfoy Manor, maybe? Heck, I never know what to put them in.I know exactly what you mean about the WAAAY too long buildup--I get annoyed with that a lot too. But some people love it--it's all accounting for taste, I guess.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
LOL, thanks. It is nice to get reviews, we authors are such hogs for trouble. Maybe I should have put it in a different category? Malfoy Manor, maybe? Heck, I never know what to put them in.I know exactly what you mean about the WAAAY too long buildup--I get annoyed with that a lot too. But some people love it--it's all accounting for taste, I guess.
I really like this story, i love the draco/Hermione pairing (there aren't enough of them in my opinion)Draco's POV was irresistible, i liked how he reacted to having a "secret". but I wonder what will happen when the other students discover their relationship. and i'm sure Harry and ron will have something to say, even if they are no longer so close to hermioneupdate soon please
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Yeah, it was fun to think about how they might react the next day. I debated a lot of ways it could go and decided this was the sweetest. Hee hee. But yeah, you know a LOT of people are going to weigh in on this one...
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Yeah, it was fun to think about how they might react the next day. I debated a lot of ways it could go and decided this was the sweetest. Hee hee. But yeah, you know a LOT of people are going to weigh in on this one...
I gave up reading fanfic for Lent, but when I saw you'd updated the temptation was too great to resist. This was a great chapter, I love the change in Draco, how his self-centered concern for his own pleasure has begun to shift in ways he's not really even recognizing yet.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Exactly. He's really in over his head and he doesn't even know it. Heh.
Response from Fawkes_07 (Author of Looking and Seeing)
Exactly. He's really in over his head and he doesn't even know it. Heh.