Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the situation I have put the characters in. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling.

She sat still in her seat watching the man across the room from her.

How can a boy, that caused so much trouble, that nearly killed her headmaster, be sitting in the same room as her? And why did she not feel as disgusted by his sight as she should?

Since he arrived 6 months ago she had gotten to know him. Only slightly. He never talked about that night in the tower, has maybe made about two comments on his parents and childhood since he's been here, yet she feels as though she knows more about him than she did in school.

They would often have late night conversations together when everyone else was in bed. She was surprised at how easy he was to talk too. At first it was awkward, neither knowing what to say, now it was simply natural. It also scared her. It scared her because she has came to realise how much she enjoys his company.

Their light talks, the arguments, he could even be amusing at times.

Now she sat here wondering how she could have grown to care for this man. After all he's done and in this short space of time.

Maybe it was because her friends were gone and she missed the company of her male companions. Maybe it was because he was different, damaged and that somehow intrigued her. Maybe it was because he is not how he was in school, he was still himself, but a version of himself that she couldn't help like. Or maybe it was because she was lonely. It made more sense to her than anything else.

She was smart, the brightest witch of her age, but when it came to him.. He was something she couldn't understand. No matter how many times she studied him she couldn't work him out and something told her that even if he told her about every single thing in his past, she would still never understand him.

Draco Malfoy was a mystery and she, Hermione Granger, wanted nothing more than to understand him, and that in itself scared her.

"Your staring." His voice broke through her thoughts making her jump.

"Sorry." she replied much quieter than she had wanted.

He gave her a strange look and she cleared her throat.

"I don't understand you." she said, her voice strong again.

"You're not supposed too."

"But-"

"You're not supposed to, Granger. How is that so hard to understand?"

She looked to her hands. "But I want to understand you. I need to understand you. It's.. It's annoying that I can't."

"You understand everything and everyone and then I come along and confuse you, mess everything up for you because I don't want to be understood yet you are determined to figure me out. Granger, I can practically see the wheels in your head turn, trying to figure me out."

"Why don't you let people understand you?" said she, meeting his eyes.

"It's a sign of weakness."

"How?"

"If people understand you they think they know you. They can get in your head, manipulate you, confuse you, hurt you. I don't want any of that happening to me so I put up my walls. There's some insight to Draco Malfoy, Granger. Now, will you leave me alone?"

She was quiet for a couple of minutes thinking about what he said.

"What if you care about someone? Really care, and they care about you, would you let them in?"

"Ha." His laugh was cold, dry, so different from the warmth she could on occasion hear. "Who would ever care that much about me? My own parents don't even care that much. And I don't think it's possible for me, a former Death Eater, follower of the Dark Lord, to care that much about anyone."

"But if you did?" Her voice was quiet again.

He took a moment to think about his answer. "I guess it would depend on who they are."

"You let Pansy in?"

"A bit."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

He sighed. "I've known her my whole life. She seen me before who I am now. I guess I couldn't shut her out completely because of it."

"Do you love her?" The question had left her mouth before she could think about what she was saying.

"Why, Granger? Are you jealous?" he smirked.

"Ha! Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy." She said it with ease but Malfoy always had a way of seeing past people's lies, especially hers, no matter how convincing they sounded. Truth was she didn't know she was jealous until he asked her. She knew him enough now to expect the question so she had gotten herself ready for it, she just didn't expect the named emotion to come with it.

He raised an eyebrow at her but said no more. Instead he answered the question.

"Love's a strong word, Granger. I don't like throwing it around to much. I care about her, yes, a lot."

"What do you want most out of life, Malfoy? Be as honest as you-" she paused, "can."

"What do I want most out of life?"

"Yes."

"What do you want most out of life, Granger?"

"Wha- I asked you first."

"You answer me, as truthfully as you can, and I'll answer you as truthfully as I can."

"Fine." she thought for a second about her answer before replying, "I want this war to be over. I want to be happy with my friends and family. I want a family of my own with a husband and children that I love more than anything. I want to be happy."

"And where am I in this plan of yours?"

"Excuse me?" The question surprised her. It was the last thing she expected to hear, but she answered honestly, "Wherever you want to be, Malfoy."

He stared at her for what felt like an hour but was only a few minutes. His grey eyes that reminder her so much of the moon were now alive and full of intensity. The intensity of his stare was what unnerved her the most. He stood up then, slowly making his way toward her. She was frozen to her seat, not taking her eyes of his. The chair was high and when he stopped in front of her she was staring at his nose. She looked up to his eyes again, still alive and full of intensity. Her heart was beating fast and loud, blood rushing to her ears. She was sure he could hear and see her heartbeat.

"You want to know what I want out of life, Granger?"

She nodded slowly, now unable to say a word. Her eyes never leaving his as he scanned her face, as they landed on her lips, as he moved them back up to look at her.

"You."

And with that, he kissed her, putting everything he had into the kiss and she gave him everything she had back.

New story.

Hope you like!

R&R

~NickyB.