Nicole wrote this all by her lonesome, but I (Chelsea) inspired her. (by inspired, I mean I DEMANDED she write a DracoxHermione oneshot!!)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.
Dedicated to Chelsea
Inspired by The First Time I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack
I'm super sorry Chelsea I couldn't do it! I'm too much of a Drama Queen! I'm sorry I promised you fluff and gave you a soup opera if you pay attention in the beginning you can see I tried, I just let the plot get away from me! Anywho I hope you enjoy this some what and I am writing an epilogue maybe I'll have it up by tomorrow. I think this might be my Favorite Story yet but then again I have put in soooooo much time with Flowers in Winter. OH! And people pllllleeeez go to my author page thingy and take the poll I really really really don't want to write a Harry/Hermione it's waaaaaaay too boring.
Much love, Nicole
He was driving her crazy. The kind of crazy where when you finally snap you end up strangling the person. As wonderful as the thought was of strangling the little punk the likelihood that Hermione would cause any discomfort on his part let alone damage was about nil. Considering the fact that she was about 5'4" and he had to be at least 6 feet tall was one reason. Another was that he played Quiddich and was strong, not that he had to be to stop her from choking him to death. And a third reason was that she might not be able to resist the urge to kiss him. Hermione was disgusted with herself for knowing this and moodily glared at the assignment in front of her. She could hear him chuckle beside her and Hermione could almost feel his glance on her face. This really was all Professor McGonagall's fault! If she had just ignored Professor Dumbledore's babble about school unity none of this would have happened!
It all started rather innocently actually. One day Professor Dumbledore visited the 7th year transfiguration class and was put off by the 8 foot gap between the Gryffindors and Slytherins. Everyone to the left was a Gryffindor and everyone to the right was a Slytherin. On both sides the row of desks closest to the wall was shoved up against it in order to make room for the huge divide. Disturbed and troubled by this obvious lack of unity Dumbledore talked to Professor McGonagall. The next day everyone was instructed to stand at the back of the class while Professor McGonagall assigned everyone seats and partners (they were started a project that day). Throughout the next few days Professor McGonagall changed seats and partners constantly because of rivalries and vendettas. Finally one day she told the class that she was going to move them one more time and if they didn't behave she would assign the most horrifying, grotesque detention she could think up. The Slytherins smirked and sniggered in their corner apparently because of a joke made by Draco Malfoy who looked very pleased with himself.
Towards the end of the list of partners Professor McGonagall called out Draco's name. After a few moments trying to make his way out of his group of followers he strutted his way over to the desk, making a kissing motion towards a shy Gyffindor. She gasped and blushed obviously pleased; he smirked and sat down, crossing his arms. A loud snort reverberated throughout the room coming from the Gryffindor huddle. Everyone turned around only to see Hermione Granger grinning while Harry and Ron were doubled over with laughter. Draco sneered at them while Professor McGonagall cleared her throat signaling the need for silence. "Hermione Granger!" at the sound of her name Hermione paled considerably, she and Draco were partners?!
After class Hermione begged and pleaded with Professor to give her another partner. Apparently Professor McGonagall thought that Hermione was the only person who could survive Draco's taunts and jeers.
The next few days Draco and Hermione battled about everything from who was to write notes and what books would be useful to research. At the end of every class and study session (that Hermione forced on him, she didn't want to be behind on the project, Pansy and Dean where catching up with them1) they were left breathing heavily as if they had just run a marathon. Hermione had no idea that self-control could take so much out of a person. The real trouble with Draco started with dreams. After about 2 weeks of working with Draco, Hermione started dreaming about him. At first the dreams were about them arguing but then they turned disturbing.
When the dream Hermione would be standing barefoot on a grassy field, she would start walking towards some unknown destination. After a few seconds a lake would come into view and a figure that stood at its edge. The closer Hermione came the clearer the figure became. Eventually she saw that it was a man. As soon as she was 20 feet away he would fall into the lake. By the time Hermione reached the edge of the lake she could not see him beneath its surface.
The next day during a study session Draco got off topic.
"Granger?"
"What, I have a name today, Malfoy?"
"I think its in my best interest to be on your good half since you are responsible for half of my grade. Besides Granger I haven't called you a mudblood since we were kids"
Hermione rolled her eyes
"I haven't called you a mudblood in ages you probably can't even remember the last time I did."
"I really don't care, can we get back on topic?"
"No, I am utterly bored with this topic. I'm in a decidedly morbid mood right now, Granger?
"Yes?"
"If you were to die and you could choose how, what would you choose?"
"I would tell the person to start working on our transfiguration. Really Malfoy I didn't know you would threaten to kill me because you were bored. I had no idea I got under your skin so easily!"
"Hardly. And no I'm not threatening to kill you. It just says a lot about a person, how they would like to die."
"I wouldn't give an answer; I would just keep fighting any way I could. Why? How do you want to die?"
"I would want to drown. People always say its painful, but I don't think so. I find water peaceful, floating in it. If I were to die that way I would want to be weighed down not pushed under by someone. I don't like… we need to get going."
That night when Hermione reached the lake the man's silver hair shimmered in the moonlight as he turned to face her. He mouthed her name and then turned to the lake and fell into it. When she bent over and looked into the lake she thought she saw a glimpse of silver in it depths.
The next day Hermione was walking to the Great hall for dinner her nose in her Charms textbook when an elbow collided with her causing her to fall. As she struggled to stand up she looked up and saw Draco wincing at her.
"I can't believe you hit me, a girl!" screamed at him
"Oh get over yourself Granger you're not a female besides you punched me in the face in third year. I didn't mean to hurt you." He responded coolly not at all frazzled by her hostile tone
"Oh so you hit me to see if I would make a funny noise?!"
"I meant I accidently knocked into you." He sighed
"Come on Granger let's get you patched up." He grabbed her arm and dragged her along the corridor until they reached an empty classroom.
"What are you doing Malfoy? I need to go to the hospital wing I might have a fracture or even a broken bone! Let go of me!"
"First of all you are just bruised second of all I can't let you go to the hospital wing- there we go!" Draco had just opened the door with an adaptation of the alohamorah spell and thrust Hermione into the empty room closing the door behind him.
"And why may I ask, can't I go to the hospital wing?"
"Because you will tell Madame Pomfrey that I attacked and that would waste one of my strikes."
"What are you talking about?"
"There are only so many times you can charm Madame Pomfrey into not writing you up and I would waste one of those one you which I do not intend to do especially since I am actually innocent in this scenario. And if you go today that means I can't hex Zacharius Smith to bits until next month which I would rather not do."
"Wait you have an actual schedule for when you hex people? You really are horrid Draco."
"Only compared to your angelic life style, and aren't we getting familiar calling me by my given name?" Draco said smiling evilly as Hermione blushed at his flirtatious tone.
"I-ii-" stuttered Hermione
Draco chuckled. Hermione's mind seemed to come back to the situation at hand.
"You attacke-"
"You need to sit on this desk I can't see if you have any physical injuries this way, you're too short-" interjected Draco
"I am not short!" interrupted Hermione
"Fine. Whatever, you're not short could you get up on the desk already?"
"I'm not goi-" at that draco gripped her around her waist and placed her on the desk, their faces apart.
All Hermione could think about was the fact his hands, his perfect hand with long round fingers were still around her waist. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she couldn't seem to concentrate on anything other than his body so close to hers. Draco was looking into her eyes and then lowered them to her arms carefully inspecting them. He took one of his hands away from her waist gently raising her arms to inspect it more carefully. He drew his fingers over her skin trying to detect any sore spots. Hermione gasped at the contact.
"Where does it hurt?" he asked in a whisper his eyes meeting hers again. She could feel his breath on her skin. It smelled lightly of mint.
"um… it was nothing…" his right hand was still on her waist, highly distracting. She lowered eyes to the floor trying to ignore his presence so very close to hers. He moved his right hand's fingers watching her facial expression. Hermione bit her lip softly. She was sure he knew his hand was still there, did he know she had noticed it too?
"Malfoy, your hand…" Hermione whispered. He moved his hand from her waist to her other arm, carefully inspecting it. He put down her arm and placed his hands on either side of her on the desk. He moved his face until his mouth was inches from her left ear.
"Please don't call me Malfoy, it sounds like we're enemies or something." He laughed softly as if remembering a private joke and pulled away.
"It looks like your perfect Hermione. Not that you ever aren't" he was trying not to smile as if struggling not to laugh.
Hermione couldn't talk she was using every ounce of energy on not grabbing him and kissing him until that smirk was wiped right off his face. If she dared speak she might blurt out something unimportant like I want to have you're babies. Which really wasn't a big deal but it might make him feel a little awkward.
He then put his hands on her waist again putting her on her feet. His body was flush up against hers his eyes fixed on hers, intent and longing filled their smoky depths. Hermione's eyes were wide and her breaths uneven. Her lips were parted slightly staring into his two perfect eyes. His eyes lowered to her mouth, leaning her face towards hers.
He whispered against her cheek "Do not ever change you're too wonderful to. The world might just shrivel and die if you ever did."
Then he rushed away from her and disappeared into the hallway. Leaving Hermione breathless and confused.
That night she ran the whole way to the lake yelling his name the whole way. When she saw him she ran even harder and reached him. She grabbed his arm and turned him to her. Draco looked down into her eyes and lowered his face to hers, never breaking eye contact. His lips were so soft and firm gently caressing her lower lip, his hand coming up to her face to touch her check with his fingertips, his other arm winding its way around her waist. He gently drew back from her face and whispered something before they fell into the water.
The next 2 weeks Draco was missing from school his parents had taken him out for some familial reason. When Hermione heard he was back and in the hospital she snuck out with the borrowed invisibility cloak after curfew to find out what had happened.
When Hermione reached the Hospital Wing Draco called out from his bed in a feverish delirium.
"Go away Potter! I can hear you, you know that damn cloak doesn't cover the sound of your breathing! Or is it you? Your steps are closer together than potter's footsteps. But you don't feel that way about…I'm such a fool-" he laughed"-I have a fever I'm imagining things"
"Draco?" Professor Snape came from Madame Pomfrey's office
"Yes sir?"
"Who are you speaking to?"
"An imaginary goddess" at this Professor Snape chuckled he turned to Draco's night stand to do something, Hermione couldn't see what.
"Is it wrong for a Slytherin to fall in love with a Gryffindor?"
Professor Snape's back immediately stiffened and he stopped moving all together. He turned to face Draco.
"Why would you say that Draco?"
"Because we are supposed to be mortal enemies, Slytherin and Gryffindor"
Snape sighed and scrubbed his face with is hand.
"It is not wrong, no. Although it is discouraged because it can be…difficult."
"How so?"
"For all the reasons you asked me if it was wrong. Societal code mostly. I thi-" he stopped suddenly as if bothered by something
"Someone else is in this room. I can hear them breathing. At first I thought it was you just breathing irregularly but no it-" Snape's words faded away as Hermione rushed back to homeroom. A part of her was telling her she learned something vital from that conversation although what she wasn't quite sure.
Two days later and here they were in Transfiguration the first time they had been together since the incident in the classroom. He was driving her crazy. All she wanted to do was kiss him senseless but he didn't even make eye contact, talking in a clinical, detached way. He didn't insult her no matter how much she baited him, ignoring her as much as possible.
Hermione knew she was in love him when she cried herself to sleep that night. She knew from that day forth if she didn't see him everyday of her life she would die. And to make him smile would be her goal, because seeing his smile made her soul sing. She loved him and she would love him for the rest of her life even if her never looked into her eyes again.
The next week was a pattern of torture. Looking forward to sitting next to him, to smelling his aftershave and watching lips as he spoke, and the disappointment with him ignoring her presence. Then falling asleep at night, silently shaking with tears pouring down her face, wishing for tomorrow to see him again.
After Transfiguration (the last class on Fridays) she sprinted out of the room to the classroom they where they touched each other. She slammed the door behind herself, crumpling against the wall her tears already falling not 2 minutes since she had seen him last. After a few moments to gather herself Hermione got up and made her way out of the classroom. She glanced up and there he was, staring at her an indescribable look in is eyes.
"You've been crying."
Hermione didn't answer she just kept staring at him.
"Why have you been crying?" he demanded.
"Where have you been?"
"Familial engagement."
"I didn't ask what was the response you're supposed to tell people I asked you where were you."
"Joining the Family legacy."
"You…you're a dea-"
"According to my arm."
"Draco do you really believe..?"
"I used to. But that was before-" he paused "I'm going to be a spy for the Order. Basically I tell Snape everything I know and he relays it to the Order."
Hermione felt her eyes filling with tears again. He was in the middle of the war. He was an outcast now. All the Death Eaters he is working against and all of the Order won't trust him. Snape has been working as a spy for so long and they don't trust him and he's a half-blood, Draco was a pure-blood and his father is a death eater. He will never be excepted.
"I did it for you." He said softly his expression didn't change at all, he just stared at her
"Why have you been ignoring me for so long?"
"Because Snape told me if Voldemort finds out my feelings for you he will find a way to kill us both, preferably after you've been abused in front of me by the other Death Eaters. I thought that I could force myself to stop thinking about you, but now I know it's impossible."
He walked over to her and looked down into her eyes and lowered his face to hers. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her waist close to his body. He bent down kissed so lightly she couldn't feel it, then he took one of his hands from her waist and tangled it in her hair. He kissed her bottom lip this time a little firmer.
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