Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

AN: When I first started writing this fic (last Christmas, oops) it was just fluff, but I'm not really a fluff person so the ending is a bit of a change, don't hate me. Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!

The Prefects' Parting Kiss

23rd December, 1995, Fifth Year, Sixth Floor Corridor

A small scrap of parchment floated down from the offending plant that had been strategically placed above a patrolling route that the two prefects took. Malfoy's impatience certainly benefited from his impeccable seeker's skills; without them, he would not have been able to snatch away the instruction that was floating teasingly above their heads. Malfoy's face furrowed as he read the offending parchment and shoved it in the direction of Hermione's face. She gasped in shock and her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes darting from him to the parchment and back.

Hermione's eyes flashed defiantly as her initial fear disappeared and her usual spirit took over. "This is almost as ridiculous as nargles!" She exclaimed angrily. "I don't have to do anything. She moved to step back but bumped into a rubbery wall. Hermione managed to push herself through slightly if she applied enough force, but was suddenly propelled forward into Malfoy's chest. Hermione had been looking behind herself to find out where this mysterious force ended and so managed to fall into Malfoy shoulder first, causing him to displace his balance as well.

"Bloody hell Granger, keep off me!" He brushed his robes off and shot an angry glare at the clumsy girl in front of him. His disdain of having to kiss the Gryffindor Princess grew as frustration and embarrassment dotted her face in blotchy red patches. He could not imagine going anywhere near this girl, let alone having to press his lips to hers.

Many girls had cleverly manipulated some mistletoe above Draco's head, but he had always extracted himself from them and he would do the same here.

Malfoy pulled his wand out and first aimed it at the transparent blockade and then to the festive plant when the first proved unsuccessful. Instead of exploding into thousands of miniscule pieces as he had hoped, the mistletoe spat out a few red sparks and ejected another piece of parchment.

This time Malfoy seemed disinterested in the offering his nemesis provided him with and it was left to Hermione to catch it.

"You're not going to get out of it that easily," read out Hermione, her nose creasing as she eyed Malfoy uneasily. "It looks like we have no choice, and I'm certainly not waiting for a Professor to come along, it's nearly ten o'clock!"

Before Malfoy could react, she went on her tiptoes and pecked him on the check, fiercely blushing pink as she did so.

Malfoy backed away and wiped his cheek in the process, a disgusted look appearing on his face. "Granger, what the hell was that for?" He did not want to be touched by someone with as inferior status as her, and certainly not someone he loathed so much.

Hermione was completely horrified at what she had just done and his reaction to it only increased that feeling. "It's not like I wanted to kiss you, you git!" She shouted. It was not fair of him to act this way, at least she was trying to rectify this situation. "Some of us have things to do you know."

"Well it most certainly isn't you Granger, unless you count that Arithmancy essay due in a month's time." Malfoy retorted. "Although, knowing you, you probably want to do it before Vector's even set it." He had been trying to avoid looking at her and missed the pointed glare she was giving him. Draco wished she would stop looking at him with so much fire in her eyes; her passion was a rare find and all too tempting.

Taking a quick glance around the corridor, he leaned down and briefly pressed his lips to hers.

They jumped away from each other, now repelled where before the mistletoe had been emitting an aphrodisiac. Luckily, the walls that had once trapped them had dissipated; otherwise, they would have rebounded and bumped heads.

"Urgh, Granger. I'll need to have a hundred showers to feel clean again." He swiped the back of his hand across his mouth to rid himself of non-existent saliva.

"Oh Malfoy, stop being childish. I don't have cooties," said Hermione.

"Cooties Granger? Aren't you worried about me catching your Mudblood germs?"

Hermione put her hands on her waist and tried to glare at the blond boy but he kept his face forward, unable to look at her. He was trying to hide the smirk crawling up one side of his mouth but it crept across to the side Hermione could see and her death glare faltered.

At first, her smirk mirrored his, but then she let out peals of laughter.

Malfoy spun around, checking that nobody heard and then clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Ugh, Malfoy, aren't you worried about catching my Mudblood germs?" she teased, once he had been kind enough to release her mouth.

He shook his head and replied, "You are too much of a Gryffindor." He carried on walking, resuming their patrol.

She looked sadly at him, the mirth of their previous conversation gone. He was always running away.

"You're a coward." She blurted out. The words had never meant to leave her head and his pause kicked her in the heart; she knew she had hurt him.

"Come on Granger, we still have the seventh floor to do and the dungeons." He had increased the pace and soon they would have left safe territory.

Hermione stayed still and called out to him a final time, "Draco." Her voice sounded overly hoarse and he felt a twinge of guilt at hurting her.

He did turn to look at her but only to hurry her along, "Some of us have things to do you know." He gave her a small smile and she hurried to meet him, sadness forgotten.

"Being brave is not a bad thing."

He silently laughed and shook his head. "I would call it more reckless. How many times have you almost been killed? Anyway, that's not what I meant." He turned away from her and moved towards the window. "You're- You're too passionate, you care too bloody much about people."

"I-" She did not have an answer for him.

"I have to have enough for the both of us, don't I?"

Draco turned around to face her, not expecting the flintiness in her response. This time there was ice in her fire. Draco knew the ice would melt and would quench the fire and that would be the end of them.

This time, he was the one without an answer.

Footsteps were heard around the corner and Draco knew he could not say what she wished him to say. He could not say that her passion had melted his heart; it was still locked up and as closely guarded as his mind.

He leaned in and whispered the last kind words he had to offer her, "Merry Christmas Hermione." I'm sorry.