A/N: Well here's another one-shot! I love making these! Every time I get an idea for one, I gotta type it up and get feedback from you guys!

Kiss From A Rose

"There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea.
You became the light on the dark side of me..." – Seal

Draco stood on a balcony of an abandoned tower in Hogwarts. He leaned against the railing, feeling the brisk wind against his face. Draco always came up here when he wanted to escape. He came here after he got turned into a ferret in 4th year; he came here after receiving a letter from his father that he was destined to be Death Eater once he graduated from Hogwarts; and he came here when he fell in love for the first time.

It was not typical for a Malfoy to fall head over heels for someone. Hell, his parents weren't even in love with each other.

Don't show weakness. Don't show weakness... he thought. If there's anything my sorry excuse for a father had taught me, it's not to show weakness...

Draco had been feeling pathetic the last few hours. Not only had he made a fool of himself in front of the only girl he loved, he also had the nerve to love! With a mudblood nonetheless!

His face scrunched up in anger. Stupid Mudblood... he tried to think bitterly. But his expression diminished as he felt remorse. He didn't know why. After all, it was her fault he felt like crap now. Draco watched as the sun set and reflected over the past couple of days...

One week earlier:

Hermione was studying in the library as usual. She read over her History of Magic notes. Draco entered and looked around. To his delight, it was deserted. He hated it when there were little 1st and 2nd years running around and throwing books here and there.

He made his way to his favorite spot, but stopped in his tracks. He hid behind the shelf, quiet as his shadow. Then he saw her, Hermione Granger sitting in his seat.

"What the hell?" He said, almost inaudibly. But he noticed something different about her appearance. She was wearing her muggle clothes; comfortable green cargo pants, black tank top, and a grey zip-up jacket over it. Her hair was in a messy bun and she played with her silver necklace as she read. Draco also noticed that the lantern she was reading by reflected off her face. It gave her an angelic glow he's never noticed before.

His brows furrowed. 'Why does she look so good tonight?' he thought.

Hermione, feeling eyes on her, looked up from her book. Draco turned and put his back against the bookshelf, hiding in the shadows. He breathed in and out nervously, fearing she might've seen him staring.

Convinced she had done enough studying for the night, she packed up her stuff and headed out the door. Once he had heard it shut, he emerged from the bookshelf, his heart thumping madly and butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

That was the first time he realized that he was always in love with Hermione. After that night, he found it hard to concentrate in any class. When he wasn't near Hermione, he was thinking about her. When he was near her, he couldn't stop staring. It was hard enough to see her everyday, but knowing he couldn't even get 5 feet by her without having Potter and Weasley glare him down made it even harder.

A week passed since the library encounter and Draco had decided that he couldn't take it anymore. He had to tell her how he felt. He had to kiss her, just once. Just to see her reaction. If she kissed him back, he would know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Two hours earlier:

Draco strode down the halls. He was on his way to the library to finally tell Hermione how he made her feel. Nervously, he opened the doors and, not surprisingly, found Hermione reading a thick book.

He took a deep breath and moved to the front of her table. Hermione looked up from her book, agitated that she had to be interrupted.

"What?" she made no attempt to be polite.

"I need to talk to you."

"You? Need to talk to...me?" she asked unsurely.

"That's what I said. Follow me." Draco put on his whole stuck-up attitude absent-mindedly. He sauntered out of the library, his cloak billowing behind him in a Snape-like fashion.

Hermione looked around to see if anyone saw, but every person was absorbed in their own book. She sighed and stood up to follow Draco.

She caught him pacing and looked at him expectantly.

"Is there a particular reason you interrupted me from my studying? Wanted to make more nasty comments about my bloodline?" Draco was slightly stung by this.

"Actually, no. I wanted to...to tell you something." She shrugged.

"What is it then?" He started forward. Hermione fought the temptation to step back and kept her ground.

"I have feelings for you, Hermione Granger." He said, taking her hands in his. Her eyes widened in surprise and her mouth was half open.

Draco tried to read the expression on her face. So far, things were not going well. He decided that now would be the right time.

He leaned in quickly and kissed her lips with enormous passion that her breath got caught in her throat. He stroked her cheek with his thumb while using his other hand to hold her in place. Soon enough, he felt her resisting.

She pushed his chest away with success and put her hand to her lips. Draco saw her eyes brimming with tears and surprise.

He waited. He waited for a while, actually. Hermione finally put her hand down and was about to say something.

'This is it' he thought. 'She's going to say that she has feelings for me to. Then she'll kiss me back...' Draco watched Hermione intently as her mouth opened.

"Malfoy...I'm – I'm sorry." Then she ran, leaving him in the middle of an empty corridor.

That moment replayed over and over again as the sun set. He would never have her. So this is how unrequited love feels like... Draco finally realized the he couldn't always have what he wanted. Sometimes there were no loopholes.

Darkness surrounded Draco and he subconsciously pulled his cloak tighter around him. He took this as his cue to leave and get back to his warm Slytherin common room.

He took in the atmosphere and related it to how he was feeling right now. Extremely dark and bitter cold. He felt like a Malfoy again.

"There is so much a man can tell you
So much he can say

You remain,
My power, my pleasure, my pain......"

Fin

A/N: Poor Draco...I hope you guys like this one. I think this is a fic that a lot of people can kind of relate to. PLEASE REVIEW! Read some of my other stories and review that as well! MuAhZ!!!