They stared at each other in that manner for a few moments, before Harry broke the silence.
"Malfoy, let's hear her out first. She's smart and you know that, and she will come up with a good plan." Harry said tentatively, giving Hermione an encouraging smile.
"You know as well as I do that her plans will most likely involve putting herself at risk to lure the bastards out." Draco snarled. "She spent way too much time with you two." he gestured with his head at Harry and Ron.
"What is it to you if I put myself in danger, Malfoy? Why do you care?" Hermione asked slowly, her voice cold.
Draco's head jerked in her direction. After a moment's pause, he stood up and strode until he reached her armchair.
"Because of this." he said in a cold whisper, letting a small piece of parchment fall on her lap.
Hermione unfolded it, her eyes widening slowly as she read it.
"What does this mean? What is this?" she asked, confusion and worry laced in her voice.
"That, Granger, is a note my father left me in his study right before he disappeared." Draco answered, not taking his eyes away from her.
He noticed the small twitch her hands gave at the mention of Lucius Malfoy.
"Even so." Hermione started, her voice trembling slightly. "What does this have to do with me and with what we're planning?"
"Granger, I thought you were smart." Draco snapped, bending down and grabbing her shoulders in a tight grip, forcing her to look up at him.
Harry and Ron both shifted in their seats. The others remained quite still, watching as Draco and Hermione had a battle of wills.
"If he is involved, we don't know what can happen." Draco said darkly.
"Maybe you're misunderstanding his words. Maybe he meant that he knows something, and he will… help…" Hermione said, trying to sound confident. But her voice immediately faltered at the look of pure anger Draco had in his eyes.
"I don't want to see another member of my family hurt you. Therefore, I am not taking any chances. If indeed he is trying to help, he can come wearing a white flag or something, I don't care. But until we know for sure, you are not doing anything stupid. " Draco said with finality, clenching his jaws.
"And what exactly are you going to do to stop me?" Hermione frowned up at him, trying to get up.
Feeling her move, Draco pushed her back down, tightening his grip on her shoulders.
"Don't test me, Granger." Draco said warningly.
"Or what? You'll chain me or curse me?" she bit out, finally mustering enough force to push out of the armchair she was sitting on and move past him.
His hand jerked up and he grabbed her by the elbow.
"Hermione, please." Draco blurted out in desperation, every ounce of coldness gone from his voice.
Everyone let out a gasp. Then, a deafening silence covered Draco's words. Ginny even covered her mouth with her hands, staring in shock between Draco and Hermione. Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and George gaped at Draco as if he grew another head or sprouted wings. Blaise watched his friend with mild amusement, tapping his chin with his index finger.
The only ones who didn't seem too shocked were Neville and Luna. They both looked at Draco and Hermione with calm, steady eyes, waiting to see what happened next.
Hermione turned and stared at Draco in stunned silence. It was like her brain had stopped working, not able to process Draco's words properly. She just stood there, like a statue, not able to move a muscle or make a sound.
Taking advantage of her shock, Draco closed in on her. He placed his hands on her arms, this time in a gentle manner. He forced her to look up at him, his stormy grey eyes boring into hers.
These past few days had strained him, and Hermione's current stubbornness made something snap inside him. Draco's carefully placed walls crumbled slowly, and he could only think about how to keep her safe. Nothing else mattered much to him at that time. He couldn't care less how that would make him look. He had to explain it to her, to make her understand.
"How do you think it will make me feel if I see my father hurting you? After what my aunt did to you in my own home. How do you think I could bear it if something like that happened to you again?"
He paused for a moment, squeezing her arms slightly. Hermione remained silent, looking up at him with her mouth slightly opened.
"I may not have been able to do anything then," Draco continued quietly, "but I sure as hell can do something now."
"And what is that?" Hermione whispered despite herself, catching her breath when she saw the intensity in his stare.
Her arms went up, slowly placing her hands on his forearms. She looked into those grey eyes, returning their intensity, searching for something.
But before she was able to find it, Harry's voice snapped them both out of their daze.
"That is working with all of us." Harry said. "It's better than working alone. I'm sure even a Slytherin like you would agree, isn't that right?" he asked.
As if he was doing it against his will, Draco slowly pulled his eyes from Hermione's, though his arms were still holding her. Part of him felt like he never wanted to let her go. He quickly pushed the thought to the back of his mind.
'What right do I have to think this way? None.' He thought bitterly before finally releasing her. His fingers still felt her skin.
"Well, I agree with Potter. Or should I say with 'Harry' now that we're on a first name basis with the Gryffindors." Blaise said with a smirk directed at Draco.
Draco's pale face showed a soft tinge of pink. He glared at Blaise and scuttled away from Hermione and back into his chair. Ginny looked from him to Hermione and chuckled softly.
'Ginny will have a ball with this one.' Hermione sighed, groaning inwardly. But her heart fluttered against her will when she remembered Draco's words.