21. Acute Dangers

Disclaimer: No, its not mine. Unfortunately. But I can tell you, if I did own Harry Potter, I'd make sure there were Draco Malfoy naked scenes in the books and films.

A/N G'day guys! I know i don't update half as much as i should and as always im incredibly sorry. I've just done my AS levels which took up a lot of my time as i well...'revised'. But hey, i am updating and i am carrying on with this story...even though im taking forever to update. But,I love you guys! And all the reviews i get give me a happy, fluffy feeling inside! You guys are the greatest!

'Daaaaaaaadddy!' Malfoy's eyes shot open in fear and he untangled himself from Hermione's grasp as he got out of bed and ran to the other room with a sleepy Hermione stumbling after him.

Ella was thrashing wildly in her bed as she kicked her sheets everywhere and started crying helplessly in her sleep.

Malfoy's eyes widened and he moved the sheets quickly away from her squirming body, and held her in his arms as she woke up and started crying into his chest.

'Come on, shhh' He said quietly as he stroked her back gently. 'Just a dream'

'Ella, do you want to tell us what it was about?' Hermione asked gently as Ella pulled her head up from her father's chest and fixed her eyes on Hermione.

'A man' She whispered.

'What was he doing? What did he look like?'

'You can sleep the rest of the night in our room' He said, putting her down into the middle of their bed gently and tucking her under the covers. Hermione crawled in on the other side and looked nervously at Malfoy who was already faking sleep.

'Morning'

'Morning' She said as he came over to her and pressed his lips to hers slowly. Her hand found it's way to his neck as she started to kiss him deeply before pulling back and smiling at him.

'So, what are we going to do about Ella?' She said playing with the hair at the back of his neck.

'What about her? It was just a nightmare'

'Yeah but-'

'But nothing' He said as he kissed her briefly again before heading into their bedroom where Ella was still sleeping quietly.

'Malfoy..' She started but was interrupted by a knock on the door. 'Bit early' She muttered.

She opened the door to see a grinning Blaise. 'Good morning, Hermione'

'Morning?' She said rubbing her eyes as she took in the charming Slytherin standing in front of her.

'Can I come in?' He said, sliding a smile into place.

'Yeah, of course' She said moving out the way. She suddenly felt his hand brush her thigh and turned to scowl at him viciously 'Blaise, what are you doing here?'

'Not a morning person I see. Just thought I'd see how you were' He said, stepping closer to her.

'At 7.30am?' She said, taking a steb back.

'Well, you never know when you might need me'

'Blaise,' She took a breath 'this is sorta hard.'

'What's wrong?' He said leaning against the back of the couch.

'You're a nice guy and everything Blaise, but nothings going to happen between us.'

'Why do you think I want something to happen?' Blaise said with his brow furrowed.

'You don't?' Hermione said almost hopefully.

'No, you're right. I do want to be with you.'

'Sorry, I'm kinda with Draco'

'Yeah, shocking. Another girl falls for him and not me. Don't worry about it Hermione' He said spinning on his heel with a fake smile plastered to his face and slamming the door on his way out.

When Blaise got outside he leant against the wall with an evil smirk. 'I think it's time I wrote a little letter to Malfoy's father' He muttered, walking down the corridor whistling.

'I'm trying, Granger' He grunted, turning to glare at her as he held up the mini hammer and started hitting the rocks that were currently on their table in Potions.

'Hit them harder. Honestly, you're as a weak as a girl'

'That's not a very feminist thing to say now, is it?' He smirked as he finally smashed the rocks and added them to their potion. She prodded him in the side as he smiled and tickled her waist as she started squealing.

'10 points from Gryffindor for making inappropriate noises in my classroom, Miss Granger' Snape said, as he passed them. Hermione glared at her professor before turning her glare on Malfoy whose hand was resting lightly on her thigh behind the table. Neither of them noticed the looks they were getting from some of the other occupants of the room.

Harry stirred his potion with vigour as his eyes latched onto the pair on the other side of the room. He cringed. Every time he saw them even in the same room together, it made him want to be sick. It was wrong, he knew it and most likely they both knew it too. He looked over at Ron who was completely oblivious to the flirting that only he seemed to notice going on between Hermione and Malfoy.

'5 Points from Gryffindor for stirring your potion angrily' Snape droned as he walked passed him. Harry grabbed the handle of his wand hard as he knuckles went white. Why is Snape in such a bad mood? He thought as he watched him take more and more points off of people as he strode past them.

Snape continued to stalk around the Gryffindors taking points off for 'not pronouncing your T's', 'smiling too much' and 'breathing too loudly'. He kept trying to avert his eyes from the horrible demonstration his favourite and worst students were putting on. At the beginning of class, they had apparently sat next to one another for the benefit of show for Ella. Of course there was one vital flaw in that plan… Ella was not in fact in the lesson.

So for most of the lesson, Snape had been snapping at everyone and casting glares at Malfoy and Hermione who were continually flirting, much to his annoyance. What made it worse was the way the rest of the class seemed immune and didn't even notice them. He was tempted to conjure a neon sign pointing towards them and see if that created reactions amongst the students. He didn't want them getting away with it without consequences. The worst thing that could happen would be the student body finding out. Snape smirked. No, the worst thing that could happen is for Lucius to find out, Snape thought.

'Mr Longbottom, stop twitching. 5 points from Gryffindor' He snapped before heading back to the front of the room.

'I hope Ella's ok' Hermione said as she looked through the potions book and took notes.

'Stop worrying' He said in a tone that was harsher than he had intended.

'I've never heard her scream that much. I think I'll tell Dumbledore about her nightmare' She said chewing the end of her quill.

'It was just a nightmare'

'I know. But, well…oh I don't know. You're probably right'

'I'm always right' He said smirking as his thumb made circles on her thigh.

'Don't get cocky Draco. I'm still doing better than you in all my subjects'

'That's because you try' He said, as the class ended and he started throwing books into his bag.

'Well I want to get good grades at the end of the year'

'Oh and I don't?' He mumbled before following Hermione out the door to where Harry and Ron were waiting for her.

'You coming to Hagrid's with us?' Ron said as he cautiously watched Malfoy out the corner of his eye where he was talking to Pansy.

'No, I want to spend some more time with Ella'

'Bring her with you'

'I'm not having my daughter hanging around with an oaf thank you very much' Malfoy drawled as he came up behind Hermione.

'He's not dangerous, you idiot' Harry spat.

'Something that big? He is dangerous. Imagine if he tripped and fell on you, you'd die from lack of oxygen'

Both Harry and Ron glared at him before turning to Hermione with a smile.

'Ignore him. Want to come? We can wait while you get Ella?' Ron suggested hopefully.

'I..' She trailed off as she looked between Ron's hopeful gaze and Malfoy's angry one.

'Maybe not this time, guys. But I promise, next time. I'm there' She said as she watched them walk off.

'Ya know, I think Potter has a thing for that big oaf'

'Shut up' she muttered with a smile on her face as they headed towards their room.

They got to their room where Malfoy opened their door and froze solid , forcing Hermione to slam right into his back.

'Hello Draco'

Hermione, who was currently muttering about warning before you stop, froze rigid at the voice beyond Malfoy.

'Father' Malfoy acknowledged as he walked in, followed by Hermione and looked around for Ella in worry.

Lucius smirked. 'I haven't hurt her. Not yet. She's a pretty thing you know. Grown up fast considering last time I saw you, she was not even one.'

'Problems occurred with the spell. Dumbledore is working on it' Hermione said defiantly as she crossed her arms.

'Trust Dumbledore to mess things up' Lucius muttered before letting his eyes travel over Hermione. 'Muggles'

'What is your purpose for being here?' Malfoy asked as politely as possible.

'How rude, Draco. Did I teach you no manners? I'm here because I felt my presence was needed.'

'You were wrong' Hermione said as she looked at Ella who was looking around her doorframe in confusion.

'Talk to me like that again mudblood and I will curse you without a second thought' He spat angrily as he pulled out his wand and aimed it at her chest. Malfoy shifted towards Hermione instinctively causing his fathers wand to aim at him instead of Hermione.

'I was hoping beyond hope it was a rumour you know. My son, my heir, a Malfoy, a pureblood has fallen for…that!' He shouted pointing towards Hermione who was clenching her fists.

A small gasp was heard behind them and they all snapped their heads to look at Ella who had unshed tears in her eyes as she looked fearfully towards her grandfather.

'Mummy?' She squeaked in fear as she looked towards her mother in worry.

'It's ok' Hermione said crouching down as Ella ran into her awaiting arms. 'It's ok' She said as much to herself as to Ella.

'Take her back into her room'Draco ordered, as his gaze never left his fathers.

He heard the door shut a few seconds later and peeled his gaze away from his father's to check that Ella and Hermione had gone. He raised his eyebrow.

Lucius lifted up a bit of parchment. 'I received a letter'

'Pansy!' Malfoy blurted out in anger, which he realised was not helping his situation. 'I'm sorry'

'Not Pansy, even though I'm shocked she knows and hasn't contacted me. Her family will be contacted shortly. No, the person who contacted me will remain anonymous. I thought it was a joke. If only, Draco, if only' He said with a twisted smile.

'What do you want from me?'

'I'm not appreciating your attitude boy. I thought I had brought you up better. I knew you see, when you were in Hogsmeade, she had already got to you then. Although I thought you would have completely ignored your feelings for her given her social status and heritage.'

'It's purely physical' he said levelly.

'Indeed. She's a pretty thing. I know when it's a physical relationship with you Draco. I've watched you tell girls you don't need them anymore and discard them without a another thought. But, with the mudblood, I even think there's respect there and dare I say it, love' He said as if the very word made him want to hurl.

'I don't love her'

'Not yet' he said, expecting a reply from his son. It never came.

'You won't even deny it. Well, there are many ways I can do this, Draco. I'll give you two warnings. If you don't stop whatever you have with this girl, your daughter will pay the price. If you then continue to carry on, the mudbloods life will be the price. Goodbye' he said as he turned around and started striding out the room. 'I've got people watching you very closely son. Don't try anything' He said shutting the door behind him.

Malfoy let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and looked towards Ella's room expecantly. He didn't wait long before Hermione crept out with Ella in tow. She looked at Malfoy nervously who was staring into space with a meaningful gaze on his face. She wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her cheek on his chest, but he made no effort to respond and remained distant.

'I've got to go' He suddenly said, pulling out of Hermione's grasp and striding out of their room.

'Think you can go to my father, do you?' He said through gritted teeth. Blaise's eyes flashed surprise for half a second before violently pushing Malfoy back. 'You going to deny it?' He said as he looked up from behind his hair.

Blaise gripped his neck as he gasped for breath. 'You need saving, you just don't know it yet'

'I don't need saving' he said in a deadly quiet voice. 'Maybe you do, you seem to like Hermione a lot'

'First name terms? Getting close with her aren't you? Picking out kids names?'

'Shut up'

'No. I do like Hermione you know, but I wouldn't find her as half as appealing if you weren't so interested in her'

'You want her to spite me basically?' Malfoy snapped as he stepped closer to his friend.

'Perhaps' Blaise smirked as he twirled his wand in Malfoy's face.

'You've always been jealous of me'

'Don't flatter yourself. I pity you in fact. You don't realise you've fallen hard for her'

'It's lust'

'Denial land.' Blaise said in a sing-song voice.

'If she let me in her pants, I wouldn't still be after her'

'I beg to differ' Blaise said softly as he looked as his friend whose eyes were glazed over as if he were thinking intensely. 'What's sad is she's in as much denial as you are. But trust me, she likes you. She likes you a lot.'

Malfoy's head hurt as he considered everything everyone had said to him since knowing Hermione. He wanted her. He knew that, but what he was really scared of was a feeling that felt almost foreign to him. He didn't know what it was but he knew that this feeling increased every time he was close to Hermione. He didn't just want her body, he wanted all of her...but his father had dashed any hopes.

Blaise looked at his friend genuinely. No smirk, no malicious smile, just an honest expression as he watched his friend realise what he had known for a while. 'You should tell her' He said quietly as he watched his friend lean on the wall and almost collapse as everything came together in his head.

'How?' He same simply, meeting his gaze.

'Show her' Blaise said as he watched Malfoy's face change into resolve. Malfoy pushed himself off of the wall and started walking away.

'I didn't send that letter, Draco. I was going to, but I couldn't do it.' Blaise said quietly. Malfoy turned around and looked at Blaise who was shifting uncomfortably.

Malfoy thought quietly as realisation dawned on him. 'It was Snape' He threw over his shoulder before walking off.

Blaise suddenly felt a hand slip into his as he turned to meet Claire's gaze.

'Wow, that took him long enough to figure out' Claire said shaking her head. 'I hope you're over your Hermione-is-the-best phase now'

'Well, the punch Draco threw at me kinda knocked it out of me. I pity anyone that tries to hurt Hermione now, he'll be on a war path'

'You reckon they'll work? Now that Lucius knows his son has fallen in love with a muggleborn?'

'I don't think they'll both meet the end alive'

'I hope your wrong'

'So do I'

A/N I know! It's getting dark and angsty and fluffy. Go me! At last I got Malfoy out of his safe little denial place