Chapter 1: A Teacher's Intuition
Headmistress McGonagall
Tension filled the air as the door to the Great Hall slammed open. There was silence as Miss Granger walked angrily towards the table. It was Christmas and given the fact that Lord Voldemort was still in most parents' minds along with fear and mistrust, many wanted their children home. That left about ten students here including the Head Boy and Girl. They ate at the teacher's table with the rest of us and came and went as they pleased. I hazarded a glance at Slughorn, wondering if he might know the acting force behind Miss Granger's fury. When she had returned to Hogwarts to finish her education the board of governors had wasted no time naming her Head Girl but I had to struggle tooth and nail to get Mr. Malfoy the title of Head Boy.
I know people talked about my appointment, outright yelled at me sometimes, but during the aftermath of the war it became increasingly clear that Draco Malfoy and his mother had helped our side more times than we could have possibly realized. The world didn't need a different prejudice but to be free of it altogether and I had been convinced that giving Mr. Malfoy a chance to redeem himself may come in handy there. Now I was beginning to wonder if it had been worth it after all. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy had to live together, with a single common room and neighboring bedrooms for an entire school year. They ignored each other for weeks, without Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley here Draco's anger was greatly subsided overall. But then the trouble started. Not a single class that contained the two of them would commence without an outright screaming match between the two about folding clothes or cleaning up after oneself or about being obnoxious or rude or arrogant. Miss Granger had been sent to my office more times this year than the entirety of James Potter's friend group had in their complete tenure at Hogwarts. That in itself should have earned her some sort of medal. She must be about to yell at Mr. Malfoy although about what this time I had no idea.
"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!" her voice yelled causing second year Mindy Raine to drop her silverware on the floor with a loud clatter. "How DARE you go and do THAT and then just walk away from me!" Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes but seemed oddly pleased with himself.
"Hermione Jean Granger," He added, exceptionally more calm than she was. "I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea as to what you're speaking about."
"Oh, you BLOODY WELL DO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU PSYCHOTIC NARCASISTIC PRAT!
"Really? Because nothing comes to mind. Perhaps you'd like to elaborate in front of all these lovely people and tell your professors exactly what is going on here." That classic Malfoy smirk was prominent on his face but his eyes sparkled with mischief, staring directly into Hermione's furious eyes. She looked at all of us awkwardly and then proceeded to give Mr. Malfoy what can only be described as a death glare before raising her hand and quite soundly slapping him across the face. Everyone in the room including Mr. Malfoy looked entirely shocked. "I believe that's the second time you've assaulted me." He hissed, slightly less cockily than he had been.
"Are you mad? That was third year! How do you even remember that?"
"Because it hurt Granger! And I don't care how long ago it was, that's still two times you've assaulted me!"
"Yes, well keep that up and it certainly won't be the last." Turning on her heel, Miss Granger stalked angrily down the rows of tables and out of the Great Hall. Silence persisted and all eyes were on Mr. Malfoy as he angrily sat down and attacked his pudding with unmatched fervor. Finally Slughorn cleared his throat causing Draco to look up mid bite.
"Wha," He mumbled, food still in his mouth. He swallowed. "Oh, right. In third year I made a joke about that Hippogriff that was getting executed and she punched me in the face." He continued to eat. Slughorn continued.
"Right, that was the first assault, we understand. However, we were thinking more recently. Would you care to tell us what has just transpired?" Draco chewed thoughtfully. Then wiping his lips with his napkin, Draco stood and shook his head.
"No Sir." He turned and stalked off with frustration oozing out of every facet of his being. Once he had cleared the doorway and we had all had a good look around at each other, the students and staff returned to their food. Professor Sprout leaned over to me.
"I don't know about you Professor McGonagall, but I for one am dying to know what's going on here. If he's done something to hurt her Potter will have his blood let alone what her boyfriend will do. Weasley already hates him more than death itself and given further motive he may actually kill the boy. That isn't going to help your campaign to end prejudice against pure bloods." I nodded in agreement. I would find out what was going on before she could send any owls and smooth things over. That Miss Granger could take care of herself I had no doubt, but that she wouldn't confide in one of her friends something that would accidentally start another Wizarding War I wasn't as certain.
Tension filled the air as the door to the Great Hall slammed open. There was silence as Miss Granger walked angrily towards the table. It was Christmas and given the fact that Lord Voldemort was still in most parents' minds along with fear and mistrust, many wanted their children home. That left about ten students here including the Head Boy and Girl. They ate at the teacher's table with the rest of us and came and went as they pleased. I hazarded a glance at Slughorn, wondering if he might know the acting force behind Miss Granger's fury. When she had returned to Hogwarts to finish her education the board of governors had wasted no time naming her Head Girl but I had to struggle tooth and nail to get Mr. Malfoy the title of Head Boy.
I know people talked about my appointment, outright yelled at me sometimes, but during the aftermath of the war it became increasingly clear that Draco Malfoy and his mother had helped our side more times than we could have possibly realized. The world didn't need a different prejudice but to be free of it altogether and I had been convinced that giving Mr. Malfoy a chance to redeem himself may come in handy there. Now I was beginning to wonder if it had been worth it after all. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy had to live together, with a single common room and neighboring bedrooms for an entire school year. They ignored each other for weeks, without Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley here Draco's anger was greatly subsided overall. But then the trouble started. Not a single class that contained the two of them would commence without an outright screaming match between the two about folding clothes or cleaning up after oneself or about being obnoxious or rude or arrogant. Miss Granger had been sent to my office more times this year than the entirety of James Potter's friend group had in their complete tenure at Hogwarts. That in itself should have earned her some sort of medal. She must be about to yell at Mr. Malfoy although about what this time I had no idea.
"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!" her voice yelled causing second year Mindy Raine to drop her silverware on the floor with a loud clatter. "How DARE you go and do THAT and then just walk away from me!" Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes but seemed oddly pleased with himself.
"Hermione Jean Granger," He added, exceptionally more calm than she was. "I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea as to what you're speaking about."
"Oh, you BLOODY WELL DO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU PSYCHOTIC NARCASISTIC PRAT!
"Really? Because nothing comes to mind. Perhaps you'd like to elaborate in front of all these lovely people and tell your professors exactly what is going on here." That classic Malfoy smirk was prominent on his face but his eyes sparkled with mischief, staring directly into Hermione's furious eyes. She looked at all of us awkwardly and then proceeded to give Mr. Malfoy what can only be described as a death glare before raising her hand and quite soundly slapping him across the face. Everyone in the room including Mr. Malfoy looked entirely shocked. "I believe that's the second time you've assaulted me." He hissed, slightly less cockily than he had been.
"Are you mad? That was third year! How do you even remember that?"
"Because it hurt Granger! And I don't care how long ago it was, that's still two times you've assaulted me!"
"Yes, well keep that up and it certainly won't be the last." Turning on her heel, Miss Granger stalked angrily down the rows of tables and out of the Great Hall. Silence persisted and all eyes were on Mr. Malfoy as he angrily sat down and attacked his pudding with unmatched fervor. Finally Slughorn cleared his throat causing Draco to look up mid bite.
"Wha," He mumbled, food still in his mouth. He swallowed. "Oh, right. In third year I made a joke about that Hippogriff that was getting executed and she punched me in the face." He continued to eat. Slughorn continued.
"Right, that was the first assault, we understand. However, we were thinking more recently. Would you care to tell us what has just transpired?" Draco chewed thoughtfully. Then wiping his lips with his napkin, Draco stood and shook his head.
"No Sir." He turned and stalked off with frustration oozing out of every facet of his being. Once he had cleared the doorway and we had all had a good look around at each other, the students and staff returned to their food. Professor Sprout leaned over to me.
"I don't know about you Professor McGonagall, but I for one am dying to know what's going on here. If he's done something to hurt her Potter will have his blood let alone what her boyfriend will do. Weasley already hates him more than death itself and given further motive he may actually kill the boy. That isn't going to help your campaign to end prejudice against pure bloods." I nodded in agreement. I would find out what was going on before she could send any owls and smooth things over. That Miss Granger could take care of herself I had no doubt, but that she wouldn't confide in one of her friends something that would accidentally start another Wizarding War I wasn't as certain.
Chapter 2: Backstory
Draco Malfoy
I don't know why I had done it. She was just standing there yelling at me to be more responsible and I just wanted her to shut up. I just wanted those lips, those perfectly formed, beautifully pink lips, that sat below that cute button nose and those rose pink cheeks spattered with those adorable freckles and those big brown eyes that just look into my soul, to stop moving. Or rather, to stop speaking. So I kissed her. I leaned down, took her face in my hands and stopped words with my lips. And I don't know why she was acting so crazily. She had kissed me back. Her hands were in my hair, her body pressed against mine and her tongue in my mouth before those perfect eyes flung wide open and she pushed me away with a scream.
"What the hell was that? I have a boyfriend why would you kiss me? Hell, I'm a mudblood, why would you kiss me?" She stared at me half in anger and half in shock and to be honest? I didn't have an answer for any of those questions so rather than answer I simply smirked and walked out of our common room, locking her in with a spell so she couldn't follow me. I ate with everyone, silent as ever and waited to see how long it would take her to figure out the counter curse. Not long at all as it turned out. She burst in and slapped me and made everything I had just done real. I had just kissed her. I kissed a girl who hated me with every fiber of my being, and let me just say it was all completely deserved on my part. But I had shown her how I felt! You never show a girl you like her because it makes you look like an idiot! Ugh. And now she was so pissed at me. I made my way through the twisting hallways and found myself back at our common room. She was sitting by the fire staring into it.
"Hermione-" I began gently, trying to find some combination or words that could fix this situation.
"Don't." She said simply. "I don't want to talk to you. I just cheated on my boyfriend! How the hell am I supposed to explain that?"
"Okay Granger, I kissed you. Last time I checked that doesn't make you a horrible person. Why would you even bother telling the Weasel?" she shot me that glare that had me quivering were I stood, wondering how long it would take me to drop to the ground and out of the way of any spell.
"Because, you prat, I kissed you and however accidental that was he deserves to know and I need to apologize." Accidental. She never could have meant to kiss a great big ex-Death Eater like me.
"You Gryffindor's are weird." I said before stalking off to my bed and flinging myself on it. How had this day ended this way? When I had woken up today I had no idea what was all about to happen. If anyone found out about this it would get to my father and if my father found out about this, he would break out of Azkaban and fly straight to Hogwarts and murder me in my sleep. There was no way I was going to bed tonight.
I don't know why I had done it. She was just standing there yelling at me to be more responsible and I just wanted her to shut up. I just wanted those lips, those perfectly formed, beautifully pink lips, that sat below that cute button nose and those rose pink cheeks spattered with those adorable freckles and those big brown eyes that just look into my soul, to stop moving. Or rather, to stop speaking. So I kissed her. I leaned down, took her face in my hands and stopped words with my lips. And I don't know why she was acting so crazily. She had kissed me back. Her hands were in my hair, her body pressed against mine and her tongue in my mouth before those perfect eyes flung wide open and she pushed me away with a scream.
"What the hell was that? I have a boyfriend why would you kiss me? Hell, I'm a mudblood, why would you kiss me?" She stared at me half in anger and half in shock and to be honest? I didn't have an answer for any of those questions so rather than answer I simply smirked and walked out of our common room, locking her in with a spell so she couldn't follow me. I ate with everyone, silent as ever and waited to see how long it would take her to figure out the counter curse. Not long at all as it turned out. She burst in and slapped me and made everything I had just done real. I had just kissed her. I kissed a girl who hated me with every fiber of my being, and let me just say it was all completely deserved on my part. But I had shown her how I felt! You never show a girl you like her because it makes you look like an idiot! Ugh. And now she was so pissed at me. I made my way through the twisting hallways and found myself back at our common room. She was sitting by the fire staring into it.
"Hermione-" I began gently, trying to find some combination or words that could fix this situation.
"Don't." She said simply. "I don't want to talk to you. I just cheated on my boyfriend! How the hell am I supposed to explain that?"
"Okay Granger, I kissed you. Last time I checked that doesn't make you a horrible person. Why would you even bother telling the Weasel?" she shot me that glare that had me quivering were I stood, wondering how long it would take me to drop to the ground and out of the way of any spell.
"Because, you prat, I kissed you and however accidental that was he deserves to know and I need to apologize." Accidental. She never could have meant to kiss a great big ex-Death Eater like me.
"You Gryffindor's are weird." I said before stalking off to my bed and flinging myself on it. How had this day ended this way? When I had woken up today I had no idea what was all about to happen. If anyone found out about this it would get to my father and if my father found out about this, he would break out of Azkaban and fly straight to Hogwarts and murder me in my sleep. There was no way I was going to bed tonight.
Chapter 3: Ronald
Hermione Granger
When Ronald Weasley stepped out of that fireplace I should have been jumping for joy. I mean I hadn't seen my boyfriend in months. But the only thing I could think of was the feeling of his lips on mine. Not Ron's lips mind you, his. Draco Malfoy's. And that was not a good sign. He swept me off my feet and swung me around.
"Hermione." He breathed as he kissed me passionately. It was nice. Really it was, I enjoyed kissing Ron. I always had. I loved him. But the second Malfoy's lips touched mine I had seen fireworks. Like in all the muggle chick flicks, when the girl gushes about the spark, it had been there. And now that I had felt it, I saw so much clearer how much it wasn't there with Ron. I had to break up with him. Not for Draco. Of course not! I just knew that there was more out there and that I needed to find it. If Draco Malfoy could give me sparks like that in a stupid game he must have concocted in his head to mess with mine, than there was someone out there who could give them to me and could love me like no one else could. I deserved that, right? Just a little?
Sadly, Ron noticed my silence. "Hermione, what's wrong?" I sat down on the couch and Ron followed my leave.
"Ron, we need to talk." I began. His face blanched and he tilted his head back into the couch's back.
"Oh Godric, Harry's told you. That bastard, he promised he wouldn't. Hermione I swear, it didn't mean a thing. We were just apart for so long and I was really lonely and drunk and Hermione I swear it was a one-time thing. I am yours and I always will be. Please, please, please give me a second chance!" I shook my head in confusion.
"Wait, what? What are you talking about? What was a one-time thing?" I began hissing. I half hoped this wasn't what it sounded like and half hoped that it was.
"Harry didn't tell you?"
"No but you're about to." I raised my eyebrows at him.
"It was this stupid party at work that Harry made me go to and I missed you so much and we had just been fighting and I missed you Hermione! And I was so lonely and miserable so I got really drunk and Lavender Brown and I ended up," He trailed off.
"Lavender Brown. You cheated on me with Lavender Brown?!" I laughed inwardly. Here I was, so upset that I had kissed Malfoy back and Ron had cheated on me months ago and had made my best friend lie to me about it and hadn't had the guts to tell me until I caught him in his lie. "No, you know what? It doesn't even matter. That wasn't what I was going to talk to you about. I asked you here so that I could say this in person. Ron, I love you." He looked at me awkwardly and ashamed as he well should have. "But I'm not in love with you." He stiffened at this. "I don't think we should see each other romantically anymore."
"What?" He spat out. "Hermione I know I made a mistake but that's no reason to throw away everything we have!"
"We don't have anything! That's my point! I didn't know about you and Lavender when I decided that I wanted to break up with you. I don't feel anything here other than our friendship. You are my friend and I hope we can stay that way." Ron stood up and ran his hand through his hair as he swore loudly. I didn't bother to admonish him but I flinched as he kicked an armchair over.
"Hermione, please, I'm begging you, please just give me another chance."
"Ron, this isn't about the fact that you cheated on me, I don't feel a spark, or romance, or anything." I said. "And I know you need to process this and move on, so feel free to go bang the hell out of Lavender Brown." I turned to go but he grabbed my arm, roughly. I opened my mouth to tell him to back off but before I could say a word I heard the clearing of a deep voice.
"Hello Weasel." Draco Malfoy had come out of his room. Dear God help me. "I don't think you're supposed to be here. Granger if you're going to be bringing boys into our dorm then I'm going to start bringing girls. Lots and lots of girls. Naked witches, everywhere. So unless you want a full on orgy in here," he turned to Ron. "Weasley, get out."
"Malfoy, just because I let you live with my girlfriend doesn't mean I'm okay with you talking to either of us that way."
"Well if I heard correctly she's your ex-girlfriend, so," Draco turned around but Ron wasn't about to let him leave the conversation winning so he ran up and tackled him from behind. I screamed as the two began wrestling angrily. This was muggle fighting at his finest. Grabbing my wand I quickly separated them and hung them in the air.
"Stop it you idiots!" I turned to Malfoy.
"I don't know what the hell your problem is but this whole, weird, mood swing, thing you've had going on the last few days needs to stop. Go to sleep we have to patrol at 2 AM tonight." I turned to Ron. "He's right, I just broke up with you. And you muggle fighting and acting all controlling isn't going to change that. I hope we can be friends so take your time cooling off. You need to go home. Now." I dropped them both to the ground and looked back and forth between the two of them. Before either could get in a word in I turned around and half ran to my room, locking the door behind me.
What had just happened? I know Malfoy had acted like his normal arrogant, disgusting self, but his timing had been impeccable. And he had heard that I had broken it off with Ron. Had he simply been on his way down and happened to hear or had he listened to the whole thing? And that damn kiss, had he felt a spark? I was a mudblood, he could never like me in that way, and yet it seemed to me, despite the actual definition of the words he had spoken, he had been trying to help me get Ron out of here. But maybe that was just because he hated Ron and actually wanted him out. What was going on?
When Ronald Weasley stepped out of that fireplace I should have been jumping for joy. I mean I hadn't seen my boyfriend in months. But the only thing I could think of was the feeling of his lips on mine. Not Ron's lips mind you, his. Draco Malfoy's. And that was not a good sign. He swept me off my feet and swung me around.
"Hermione." He breathed as he kissed me passionately. It was nice. Really it was, I enjoyed kissing Ron. I always had. I loved him. But the second Malfoy's lips touched mine I had seen fireworks. Like in all the muggle chick flicks, when the girl gushes about the spark, it had been there. And now that I had felt it, I saw so much clearer how much it wasn't there with Ron. I had to break up with him. Not for Draco. Of course not! I just knew that there was more out there and that I needed to find it. If Draco Malfoy could give me sparks like that in a stupid game he must have concocted in his head to mess with mine, than there was someone out there who could give them to me and could love me like no one else could. I deserved that, right? Just a little?
Sadly, Ron noticed my silence. "Hermione, what's wrong?" I sat down on the couch and Ron followed my leave.
"Ron, we need to talk." I began. His face blanched and he tilted his head back into the couch's back.
"Oh Godric, Harry's told you. That bastard, he promised he wouldn't. Hermione I swear, it didn't mean a thing. We were just apart for so long and I was really lonely and drunk and Hermione I swear it was a one-time thing. I am yours and I always will be. Please, please, please give me a second chance!" I shook my head in confusion.
"Wait, what? What are you talking about? What was a one-time thing?" I began hissing. I half hoped this wasn't what it sounded like and half hoped that it was.
"Harry didn't tell you?"
"No but you're about to." I raised my eyebrows at him.
"It was this stupid party at work that Harry made me go to and I missed you so much and we had just been fighting and I missed you Hermione! And I was so lonely and miserable so I got really drunk and Lavender Brown and I ended up," He trailed off.
"Lavender Brown. You cheated on me with Lavender Brown?!" I laughed inwardly. Here I was, so upset that I had kissed Malfoy back and Ron had cheated on me months ago and had made my best friend lie to me about it and hadn't had the guts to tell me until I caught him in his lie. "No, you know what? It doesn't even matter. That wasn't what I was going to talk to you about. I asked you here so that I could say this in person. Ron, I love you." He looked at me awkwardly and ashamed as he well should have. "But I'm not in love with you." He stiffened at this. "I don't think we should see each other romantically anymore."
"What?" He spat out. "Hermione I know I made a mistake but that's no reason to throw away everything we have!"
"We don't have anything! That's my point! I didn't know about you and Lavender when I decided that I wanted to break up with you. I don't feel anything here other than our friendship. You are my friend and I hope we can stay that way." Ron stood up and ran his hand through his hair as he swore loudly. I didn't bother to admonish him but I flinched as he kicked an armchair over.
"Hermione, please, I'm begging you, please just give me another chance."
"Ron, this isn't about the fact that you cheated on me, I don't feel a spark, or romance, or anything." I said. "And I know you need to process this and move on, so feel free to go bang the hell out of Lavender Brown." I turned to go but he grabbed my arm, roughly. I opened my mouth to tell him to back off but before I could say a word I heard the clearing of a deep voice.
"Hello Weasel." Draco Malfoy had come out of his room. Dear God help me. "I don't think you're supposed to be here. Granger if you're going to be bringing boys into our dorm then I'm going to start bringing girls. Lots and lots of girls. Naked witches, everywhere. So unless you want a full on orgy in here," he turned to Ron. "Weasley, get out."
"Malfoy, just because I let you live with my girlfriend doesn't mean I'm okay with you talking to either of us that way."
"Well if I heard correctly she's your ex-girlfriend, so," Draco turned around but Ron wasn't about to let him leave the conversation winning so he ran up and tackled him from behind. I screamed as the two began wrestling angrily. This was muggle fighting at his finest. Grabbing my wand I quickly separated them and hung them in the air.
"Stop it you idiots!" I turned to Malfoy.
"I don't know what the hell your problem is but this whole, weird, mood swing, thing you've had going on the last few days needs to stop. Go to sleep we have to patrol at 2 AM tonight." I turned to Ron. "He's right, I just broke up with you. And you muggle fighting and acting all controlling isn't going to change that. I hope we can be friends so take your time cooling off. You need to go home. Now." I dropped them both to the ground and looked back and forth between the two of them. Before either could get in a word in I turned around and half ran to my room, locking the door behind me.
What had just happened? I know Malfoy had acted like his normal arrogant, disgusting self, but his timing had been impeccable. And he had heard that I had broken it off with Ron. Had he simply been on his way down and happened to hear or had he listened to the whole thing? And that damn kiss, had he felt a spark? I was a mudblood, he could never like me in that way, and yet it seemed to me, despite the actual definition of the words he had spoken, he had been trying to help me get Ron out of here. But maybe that was just because he hated Ron and actually wanted him out. What was going on?
Chapter 4: Jealousy
Draco Malfoy
I clomped down the stairs but stopped short when I heard it. Weasley. Whispering her name. Her name. And then there was that snogging noise. I stiffened. This was appalling. But she hadn't told him about our kiss. Maybe her telling him wasn't as bad as I had originally thought. At least then they would stop this disgusting kissing. It was putting me off my super. And making me really angry. So I listened. I wanted to know what was going on, you know, so I could know what to expect from Hermione when this was all over. And that's when I heard it. He kicked something over and swore. She was in danger. I rushed through the door and watched him grab her arm. That ginger bastard. No way in hell.
I couldn't take this. She had disappeared into that room of her almost an hour ago. I was pacing across the floor in my room. What was this? I had gone above and beyond to get her idiotic ex-boyfriend to leave her alone. How did she not see it? What I had done had been clear as day! What was she doing up there? Thinking of the easiest way to let me down? Deciding if her pride could get over being with a scum bag ex Death Eater like me? I was different now. Perhaps she didn't realize it but I was. And that kiss, I had felt like the earth had moved under my feet, like the sky around us had lit up with a thousand fire crackers and like a magical yet oddly muggle electrical shock had passed between us. I couldn't answer her questions. Why would I do it? She was everything my family lived to demolish. I was everything she had fought to eradicate. Our past was filled with hate and there was no future for us. But who could think about the future or the past when right now, in the present, this very second in time, the most beautiful woman in the world might possibly be thinking about me?
I may not have been some courageous Gryffindor, but I was a Malfoy. And we did not sit around and wait for a woman to make the first move. I was going to tell her how I felt. Right now. I marched to the door and swung it open ready to run down the stairs, turn the corner and sprint up her small staircase, pound on her door until she was so annoyed that she had to open it and kiss her so fully that she would have no doubts as to my feelings. But that wasn't a possibility. Because she was standing right there. Fist raised, about to knock on my door. We stared at each other.
"Were you trying to help me, back there, with Ron?" She asked awkwardly after a few painful moments of silence.
"Obviously. What else would I have been doing? Apparently you haven't noticed but I haven't brought a girl here all year. I haven't so much as looked at any of those silly tarts because all I can see is you." I said honestly. And then my face froze, realizing what my mouth had just said. The truth. Something I had kept hidden all this time. I had just told her that I liked her. Like REALLY liked her. She had better say something quickly or I might just die of petrification and apprehension. But she didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Her lips had a different idea of how they could show she felt the same way. And as her lips attacked my own, my lips responded with equal fervor as my arms wrapped around her and pulled her into my embrace, and let her into my heart.
I clomped down the stairs but stopped short when I heard it. Weasley. Whispering her name. Her name. And then there was that snogging noise. I stiffened. This was appalling. But she hadn't told him about our kiss. Maybe her telling him wasn't as bad as I had originally thought. At least then they would stop this disgusting kissing. It was putting me off my super. And making me really angry. So I listened. I wanted to know what was going on, you know, so I could know what to expect from Hermione when this was all over. And that's when I heard it. He kicked something over and swore. She was in danger. I rushed through the door and watched him grab her arm. That ginger bastard. No way in hell.
I couldn't take this. She had disappeared into that room of her almost an hour ago. I was pacing across the floor in my room. What was this? I had gone above and beyond to get her idiotic ex-boyfriend to leave her alone. How did she not see it? What I had done had been clear as day! What was she doing up there? Thinking of the easiest way to let me down? Deciding if her pride could get over being with a scum bag ex Death Eater like me? I was different now. Perhaps she didn't realize it but I was. And that kiss, I had felt like the earth had moved under my feet, like the sky around us had lit up with a thousand fire crackers and like a magical yet oddly muggle electrical shock had passed between us. I couldn't answer her questions. Why would I do it? She was everything my family lived to demolish. I was everything she had fought to eradicate. Our past was filled with hate and there was no future for us. But who could think about the future or the past when right now, in the present, this very second in time, the most beautiful woman in the world might possibly be thinking about me?
I may not have been some courageous Gryffindor, but I was a Malfoy. And we did not sit around and wait for a woman to make the first move. I was going to tell her how I felt. Right now. I marched to the door and swung it open ready to run down the stairs, turn the corner and sprint up her small staircase, pound on her door until she was so annoyed that she had to open it and kiss her so fully that she would have no doubts as to my feelings. But that wasn't a possibility. Because she was standing right there. Fist raised, about to knock on my door. We stared at each other.
"Were you trying to help me, back there, with Ron?" She asked awkwardly after a few painful moments of silence.
"Obviously. What else would I have been doing? Apparently you haven't noticed but I haven't brought a girl here all year. I haven't so much as looked at any of those silly tarts because all I can see is you." I said honestly. And then my face froze, realizing what my mouth had just said. The truth. Something I had kept hidden all this time. I had just told her that I liked her. Like REALLY liked her. She had better say something quickly or I might just die of petrification and apprehension. But she didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Her lips had a different idea of how they could show she felt the same way. And as her lips attacked my own, my lips responded with equal fervor as my arms wrapped around her and pulled her into my embrace, and let her into my heart.
Chater 5: Caught Scarlet Handed
Hermione Granger
This was getting ridiculous. The second classes were done we just locked ourselves up in our suite and kept the rest of the world out. Once the novelty of kissing and cuddling wore off we found ourselves talking in a way we couldn't talk with anyone else. I had never worried about offending him before this whole mess and that carried over pleasantly, breaking down walls and making this the easiest relationship I had ever been in. I wasn't strung up on how to best answer a question or what I could or could not say. I could be more honest with him than with anyone I had ever known. It didn't hurt that he was incredibly gorgeous and more brilliant than our entire year. I had never realized it before, having been too busy hating him and all, but he got top marks in every class and was rivaling me as far as marks were concerned. It was no wonder he made Head Boy.
Of course all that conversation didn't mean we didn't have time for the physical stuff. A few weeks in I had been convinced that this spark, this electricity would wear off after a time, perhaps just dull to the pleasant connection I had with my past boyfriends. I had been wrong. If anything it got stronger as time passed.
We knew that this wasn't something we could share with the world. Not yet anyway. His father was insisting a retrial and Draco was struggling with all the drama and publicity that went with that. The wizard version of paparazzi was harassing him every time he went out past the school boarders and throw onto that the fact that he was dating a muggle-born witch who had led the rebellion against Voldemort, he wouldn't get a moments rest.
We also had to consider the position that this would put Professor McGonagall in. The Head Boy and Girl dating? She would probably be forced to keep us from living together. And we didn't want that. Far from it. We continued to fight, just as before but this time our make ups tended to consist less of a professor forcing us to apologize and more of Draco pulling me into a deserted classroom and showing me just how sorry he was or me sneaking into Hogsmeade to get some apology food and beverage from Aberforth and taking him on a picnic that tended to end with a lot of uneaten food and our clothes strewn about.
One particular fight towards the end of the year caught the attention of several teachers however. Draco had skipped his patrol duty, spilled butterbeer on my Transfiguration Essay and I had refused to go home to meet his mother on the same day and we were furiously fighting with each other after McGonagall's class. He of course couldn't say a word about his side of the argument in public which meant it was mostly me yelling at him while he had to sit silent and brewing. After nearly 15 minutes McGonagall had returned and began an attempt to get us to talk it out like she used to do. I knew it wasn't fair to Draco's side of the argument but I was spitefully refusing to give into that voice of reason. Suddenly Draco stood, his chair toppling over behind him.
"I refuse to have this discussion in public. I wish to speak my mind and Granger you know perfectly well I cannot do that here. Come on. Common Room. Now." And with that he stalked off. I picked up his chair for him, shaking a bit.
"What on Earth was that about?" McGonagall asked in complete confusion.
"Excuse me professor." I mumbled without an explanation as I hurried off after him. The moment the portrait close behind me I ran to him. He was sitting by the fire, his face in his hands. "Draco I'm sorry. I was stupid. Insisting we have it out, right there-that was spiteful and petty of me. Not to mention that I'm upset about some of the most asinine and immature things I can think of. You were right to be angry. I shouldn't have brushed you off like that this morning."
"No I was stupid. I shouldn't push you to meet my mother, particularly when I don't even want you to tell your friends. I just want you to be in my life for more than this year and as final exams come closer I realize that in a few months we won't be living together and if we want to stay together, we will have to tell everyone. I don't want to give you the chance to change your mind about me." I smiled and kissed the back of his neck, wrapping my arms around his curled up form.
"I feel the same way. This year has been a dream and I don't want to wake up. I wish we could just tell everyone and not have it be a big deal." He nodded with a smile but neither of us bothered to suggest that this was even a possibility. "You know what else I wish?" I asked casually, trying to cheer him up a bit.
"Hmm?" he asked, without to much emotion.
"Well for one, I wish you weren't wearing that silly shirt." That caught his attention.
"Oh really?" he turned to me and stood up, pulling me up and into his arms as he walked towards the couch. "What else?"
"I would just love it, if my handsome boyfriend would put his lips to better use than by distorting his face with a frown." He held me close and my heart raced as he allowed me to slowly unbutton his shirt and push it from his shoulders. I never ceased to amaze at how warm and welcoming his embrace was, particularly when I was curled up against his bare skin.
"I think that can be managed." He whispered before meeting my lips with a kiss. It was another, spark driven, charged kiss that intensified with every passing moment. Draco lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his hips. One hand cupped my ass and the other was intertwined with my hair, pulling pleasantly at me. My own hands found the back of his neck and his scalp, playing roughly with his platinum blonde locks. I could hear myself moan but I paid no mind to the noises we were making. Or the other noises in the room. Which was probably not the best course of action. I paid no mind to the sound of the portrait opening. Or the footsteps coming down the passageway. It wasn't until a direct voice rang throughout the room that we broke out of our reverie.
"Excuse me, Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy but I need to be sure you too make up-it doesn't do well to have my Head Boy and Girl at war with one anoth-" Professor McGonagall drifted off. She stared at us. We stared back. Draco's shirt was long since gone and my own barely covered my shoulders. My legs were still wrapped around him and our arms were so intertwined with each other it was hard to tell where I stopped and Draco started. It was the most compromising position I had been caught in. By a lot. I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks as McGonagall took the sight in. "Well I guess I don't have to worry about any discord, do I?"
This was getting ridiculous. The second classes were done we just locked ourselves up in our suite and kept the rest of the world out. Once the novelty of kissing and cuddling wore off we found ourselves talking in a way we couldn't talk with anyone else. I had never worried about offending him before this whole mess and that carried over pleasantly, breaking down walls and making this the easiest relationship I had ever been in. I wasn't strung up on how to best answer a question or what I could or could not say. I could be more honest with him than with anyone I had ever known. It didn't hurt that he was incredibly gorgeous and more brilliant than our entire year. I had never realized it before, having been too busy hating him and all, but he got top marks in every class and was rivaling me as far as marks were concerned. It was no wonder he made Head Boy.
Of course all that conversation didn't mean we didn't have time for the physical stuff. A few weeks in I had been convinced that this spark, this electricity would wear off after a time, perhaps just dull to the pleasant connection I had with my past boyfriends. I had been wrong. If anything it got stronger as time passed.
We knew that this wasn't something we could share with the world. Not yet anyway. His father was insisting a retrial and Draco was struggling with all the drama and publicity that went with that. The wizard version of paparazzi was harassing him every time he went out past the school boarders and throw onto that the fact that he was dating a muggle-born witch who had led the rebellion against Voldemort, he wouldn't get a moments rest.
We also had to consider the position that this would put Professor McGonagall in. The Head Boy and Girl dating? She would probably be forced to keep us from living together. And we didn't want that. Far from it. We continued to fight, just as before but this time our make ups tended to consist less of a professor forcing us to apologize and more of Draco pulling me into a deserted classroom and showing me just how sorry he was or me sneaking into Hogsmeade to get some apology food and beverage from Aberforth and taking him on a picnic that tended to end with a lot of uneaten food and our clothes strewn about.
One particular fight towards the end of the year caught the attention of several teachers however. Draco had skipped his patrol duty, spilled butterbeer on my Transfiguration Essay and I had refused to go home to meet his mother on the same day and we were furiously fighting with each other after McGonagall's class. He of course couldn't say a word about his side of the argument in public which meant it was mostly me yelling at him while he had to sit silent and brewing. After nearly 15 minutes McGonagall had returned and began an attempt to get us to talk it out like she used to do. I knew it wasn't fair to Draco's side of the argument but I was spitefully refusing to give into that voice of reason. Suddenly Draco stood, his chair toppling over behind him.
"I refuse to have this discussion in public. I wish to speak my mind and Granger you know perfectly well I cannot do that here. Come on. Common Room. Now." And with that he stalked off. I picked up his chair for him, shaking a bit.
"What on Earth was that about?" McGonagall asked in complete confusion.
"Excuse me professor." I mumbled without an explanation as I hurried off after him. The moment the portrait close behind me I ran to him. He was sitting by the fire, his face in his hands. "Draco I'm sorry. I was stupid. Insisting we have it out, right there-that was spiteful and petty of me. Not to mention that I'm upset about some of the most asinine and immature things I can think of. You were right to be angry. I shouldn't have brushed you off like that this morning."
"No I was stupid. I shouldn't push you to meet my mother, particularly when I don't even want you to tell your friends. I just want you to be in my life for more than this year and as final exams come closer I realize that in a few months we won't be living together and if we want to stay together, we will have to tell everyone. I don't want to give you the chance to change your mind about me." I smiled and kissed the back of his neck, wrapping my arms around his curled up form.
"I feel the same way. This year has been a dream and I don't want to wake up. I wish we could just tell everyone and not have it be a big deal." He nodded with a smile but neither of us bothered to suggest that this was even a possibility. "You know what else I wish?" I asked casually, trying to cheer him up a bit.
"Hmm?" he asked, without to much emotion.
"Well for one, I wish you weren't wearing that silly shirt." That caught his attention.
"Oh really?" he turned to me and stood up, pulling me up and into his arms as he walked towards the couch. "What else?"
"I would just love it, if my handsome boyfriend would put his lips to better use than by distorting his face with a frown." He held me close and my heart raced as he allowed me to slowly unbutton his shirt and push it from his shoulders. I never ceased to amaze at how warm and welcoming his embrace was, particularly when I was curled up against his bare skin.
"I think that can be managed." He whispered before meeting my lips with a kiss. It was another, spark driven, charged kiss that intensified with every passing moment. Draco lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his hips. One hand cupped my ass and the other was intertwined with my hair, pulling pleasantly at me. My own hands found the back of his neck and his scalp, playing roughly with his platinum blonde locks. I could hear myself moan but I paid no mind to the noises we were making. Or the other noises in the room. Which was probably not the best course of action. I paid no mind to the sound of the portrait opening. Or the footsteps coming down the passageway. It wasn't until a direct voice rang throughout the room that we broke out of our reverie.
"Excuse me, Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy but I need to be sure you too make up-it doesn't do well to have my Head Boy and Girl at war with one anoth-" Professor McGonagall drifted off. She stared at us. We stared back. Draco's shirt was long since gone and my own barely covered my shoulders. My legs were still wrapped around him and our arms were so intertwined with each other it was hard to tell where I stopped and Draco started. It was the most compromising position I had been caught in. By a lot. I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks as McGonagall took the sight in. "Well I guess I don't have to worry about any discord, do I?"
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