Enough
Title: Enough
Author: little_dollface
Rating: PG
Warnings/Notes: Written for Round 4 Challenge #6 at dramione_ldws and 100quills prompt 'Reach'.
Word Count: 499
“Granger, you’re rubbish at hiding,” Malfoy said, looking out the window at the night sky.
Panicked, Hermione pushed her back closer to the wall. How had he known she was there watching him? She’d been so careful not to make a sound. She waited for him to approach, but he never came. The corridor bloated with silence as the seconds ticked away.
Her resolve dwindling, she emerged from the shadows. He let out a hushed sigh and tilted his head to the floor. She could see the tension in his shoulders through the material of his robes, and without thinking, reached for him.
“Don’t touch me!” he snarled, grabbing her wrist.
Hermione jumped, startled that she’d unconsciously moved to touch him and strained desperately to get away. “You’re hurting me.” He gave her a hard stare, and when he tightened his grip, she spat, “Haven’t you hurt enough people already?”
He released her arm as if it were on fire, causing her to stumble. “Then get out of here. Go back to your little tower and shag Weasley or something.” He turned to face the darkness once more.
“No,” she said softly. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to say,” he replied, resting his shoulder against the frame of the window.
Hermione approached him again, more carefully this time. Pausing inches away, she sighed. “Please turn around. I need to know.”
Silently, he complied. She gestured hesitantly to his left arm. Keeping his eyes focused on anything but her, he nodded slowly, his jaw clenched. Her hands shook as she slid the fabric up, exposing his skin. In her mind, she knew what would be there, but to see it with her own eyes hurt more than she’d thought possible. She stood in stunned silence, her thumb making the tiniest of circles on his skin as she contemplated what to do.
He jerked his hand away. “I told you there’s nothing to say. Now leave!”
“I can help. You don’t have to do what he wants,” she said, trying to catch his eye. When he finally looked at her, she stifled a gasp. His skin was ashen and the circles under his eyes stood out harshly against his pale complexion. Without hesitation, she reached out to touch his cheek. “I want to help you,” she said, worry and comfort lacing her voice.
He removed her hand, and then startled her by cradling her face. Seconds passed like hours as he pressed his lips delicately to hers. When he broke the kiss, her heart seized and she ached for more.
Resting his forehead against hers, he spoke, “It’s not just you. There are other things, other people, I need to consider.”
Images of his mother floated through her mind. She started speak, to argue that she could help him find a way to protect her too, but he stopped her.
Pressing his thumb to her mouth and dragging it lightly across her lips, he whispered, “It’s not enough.”
Author: little_dollface
Rating: PG
Warnings/Notes: Written for Round 4 Challenge #6 at dramione_ldws and 100quills prompt 'Reach'.
Word Count: 499
“Granger, you’re rubbish at hiding,” Malfoy said, looking out the window at the night sky.
Panicked, Hermione pushed her back closer to the wall. How had he known she was there watching him? She’d been so careful not to make a sound. She waited for him to approach, but he never came. The corridor bloated with silence as the seconds ticked away.
Her resolve dwindling, she emerged from the shadows. He let out a hushed sigh and tilted his head to the floor. She could see the tension in his shoulders through the material of his robes, and without thinking, reached for him.
“Don’t touch me!” he snarled, grabbing her wrist.
Hermione jumped, startled that she’d unconsciously moved to touch him and strained desperately to get away. “You’re hurting me.” He gave her a hard stare, and when he tightened his grip, she spat, “Haven’t you hurt enough people already?”
He released her arm as if it were on fire, causing her to stumble. “Then get out of here. Go back to your little tower and shag Weasley or something.” He turned to face the darkness once more.
“No,” she said softly. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to say,” he replied, resting his shoulder against the frame of the window.
Hermione approached him again, more carefully this time. Pausing inches away, she sighed. “Please turn around. I need to know.”
Silently, he complied. She gestured hesitantly to his left arm. Keeping his eyes focused on anything but her, he nodded slowly, his jaw clenched. Her hands shook as she slid the fabric up, exposing his skin. In her mind, she knew what would be there, but to see it with her own eyes hurt more than she’d thought possible. She stood in stunned silence, her thumb making the tiniest of circles on his skin as she contemplated what to do.
He jerked his hand away. “I told you there’s nothing to say. Now leave!”
“I can help. You don’t have to do what he wants,” she said, trying to catch his eye. When he finally looked at her, she stifled a gasp. His skin was ashen and the circles under his eyes stood out harshly against his pale complexion. Without hesitation, she reached out to touch his cheek. “I want to help you,” she said, worry and comfort lacing her voice.
He removed her hand, and then startled her by cradling her face. Seconds passed like hours as he pressed his lips delicately to hers. When he broke the kiss, her heart seized and she ached for more.
Resting his forehead against hers, he spoke, “It’s not just you. There are other things, other people, I need to consider.”
Images of his mother floated through her mind. She started speak, to argue that she could help him find a way to protect her too, but he stopped her.
Pressing his thumb to her mouth and dragging it lightly across her lips, he whispered, “It’s not enough.”