Strange

Sunrays at the rise of dawn poured into the room, seeping through the curtains.

Hermione Granger fidgeted in her sleep at being disturbed by the stream of light, her closed eyelids quivered and slowly she opened them. With a fisted hand she rubbed them lightly, yawning due to the remnants of drowsiness in her system. Her sleep had been quite restful, yet she felt queer and had a bad feeling like she was forgetting something.

After a few seconds of questioning her existence, or more accurately cursing the requirement of life which demands for one to wake up from peaceful slumbers and leave warm, cozy beds to toil hard in the cruel and wicked world, along with trying to control the wayward strings of fate- she tried to get up.

The brunette couldn't sit up, reason being the crushing weight she felt lying on her. As she became more coherent, she remembered the events of the previous night, a light blush rising to her cheeks that looked a little bloated in the morning. She cast a nervous glance to the figure sleeping peacefully beside her.

A small smile lit up on her face, unnoticed by her. A handsome blonde who looked particularly ravishing yet adorable at the crack of dawn was breathing lightly in his slumber, his exquisite features reflecting the blissful contentedness he felt on the inside. Hermione looked at the arms of her mate that were snaked around her like an anaconda captures it's prey and his legs were weighed down on her making her feel as if an elephant was sitting on top of them.

Draco Malfoy was hugging her like she was a cotton doll that he could squeeze however he wanted making her feel uncomfortable in his hold. Abruptly her stomach lurched unpleasantly. Gradually she felt something building in her stomach and cramps began to form. She took deep breaths to increase her oxygen intake before trying to overthrow the heavy beast laying on her. She pushed. He did not budge.

She puffed a wisp of hair away from her face and tried once more. Same result-he was dead asleep and did not move. Not. Even. A. Tiny. Bit. He did not even have a change in his expression, Hermione noted in bewilderment. Is it her who is too weak or him who is too strong. She was getting tired of this koala clinging to her as if she was a bamboo pole.

She wondered if she should kick him like a kangaroo. No, she cared too much to hurt him like that.

Taking a milder option into consideration she acted. Wiggling her lithe fingers Hermione tried to tickle the blonde boy. Draco's small smile grew big at her touch. He did not change his position, however.

"Draco," Hermione's voice that was a little hoarse due to dehydration choked out. "Wake up...!"She whined.

'This deaf boy,' the brunette seethed in her mind, 'Let's see how he reacts when I turn a deaf ear to whatever he says today.'

Firmly she made up her mind, channeled her agitation to her fingers and went to pinch him awake. Alas, the boy barely had any fat. Instead of a flab of skin her fingers met his toned stomach where she could hardly pinch any portion of the skin. Same with his chest. Her temper rising Hermione pinched his nose, turned his head a bit and whispered in his ear in a seductive voice," Honey," Draco's unconscious self stirred at the sound of this sensual voice. "Wake up or else...I WILL HEX YOU WITH A SPELL TO KEEP YOU AWAKE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK," Hermione's tone was so loud at the last part that Draco's eyes flew open, he sat up and covered his ears in agony. It was only Monday and to Draco Malfoy his beauty sleep is very dear. He needs to look handsome for his mate. Dark circles are not acceptable.

Hermione jumped off the bed and ran inside the bathroom to finish her kidney's business. It was hard for her to control herself for that long. Young Mr. Malfoy better be prepared today for he has angered his mate who will be having her vicious monthly cycle dictate her mood swings for a few days. He did not have any knowledge of the happenings in the following days as he looked at the bathroom door that closed. He was still massaging his ears and the temple of his head.

'That girl has quite a set of lungs!'

Minutes ticked by and about three quarters of an hour later the couple was ready. The female was experiencing familiar yet painful cramps in her stomach, her mood dampened. The male was as confused as he had been when he woke up, still not understanding why Hermione seemed so distant today. Everything seemed to be fine for them yesterday. What happened? Why the sudden change? Did he do something wrong? He racked his brain but his efforts were futile for he ended up with nothing.

Other than pain Hermione also felt embarrassed. Was her reaction too much in the morning? She has never been good at controlling her eccentric moods and fitful temper during this period. How was she supposed to convey this to her mate so that he doesn't misunderstand?

"Draco," she called, "Don't take anything I say or do to heart today."

"Stay away from me, that would be best, just for a day or two. Don't overthink, it's nothing serious, but take my words seriously." Hermione fumbled a bit and just randomly muttered out whatever first came to her mind. Draco stared at his mate with widened eyes. Hermione pursed her lips and rushed out of their private dorm-'Great going Hermione, he is definitely going to overthink now!' she chastised herself. Why is it that people with high IQ suffer because of their low EQ?

Draco stared at the disappearing back for a while as he pondered over what he heard just now. Why was he supposed to stay away? Is she angry at him? Did he do something wrong? Till when was he supposed to 'stay away'" Main question-Will he even survive till the end of that period?

Shaking his head he commenced forward towards the great hall.

Entering through the huge double doors Draco's sight instantly narrowed at the Gryffindor table.

'Potter, Weasel...-ley, blond rat...huh? Hermione's not there, neither is her best-friend. Is she skipping breakfast? Why?" Taking a troubled mind, Draco half-heartedly moved with heavy steps to sit beside his friend at the Slytherin table. Blaise noticed the grey clouds hovering over his friend's form.

"Oi! What is the matter with you mate? Instead of being on cloud nine why are you still seated on stormy, grey clouds?"

Draco plopped his bottom down on the cold bench," Hermione's acting weird."

"When has she never," Blaise mumbled before correcting himself at receiving a deadly glare from the blonde beside him. "I mean, she is a girl, girls are strange creatures, difficult to understand. They say something and mean something else."

Draco arched his perfect eyebrows," Why does it seem as if you're saying this from experience? As far as I know, the number of girls you have talked with can be counted with one hand," he snorted.

Blaise was reminded of the two conversations he shared with one particularly queer girl. An airy, bubble-head who sometimes said the most strangest of things that held very deep meanings. Each time she had left him confused, yet intrigued and he could not wait to meet her again. Unconsciously his dark orbs singled out her bent back as she sat on the Ravenclaw table, eating her breakfast. She was surrounded with her peers, yet she seemed so alone. Her silky strands of dirt blond hair fell on her shoulders, the tips hanging near her chest. True to her reputation- she was like no other.

Following the mesmerized, dazed gaze of his friend Draco found who he was staring at. He smirked and let his friend be, completing his breakfast quickly. He needs to search for his mate. He wondered where she could be.

He heard a voice that made him cringe call his name and saw someone occupy the seat opposite to him. Why did this simple breakfast take a turn for the worse?

Peace must not exist in the dictionary of his life!