Hermione could feel eyes burning into her back. She felt a tingle down her spine as she became aware of someone's eyes upon her. She gave a small shiver as she glanced over her shoulder. They were in Potions class, and Professor Slughorn was talking softly about healing and rejuvenation draughts. Hermione scanned the room behind her quickly, trying to determine who has staring daggers into her back. She gave a small frown as she realised the source of her discomfort. He was watching her with enigmatic eyes, the usual silvery grey hardening to steel. He caught her looking back at him, and he returned her gaze unashamedly. The corner of his mouth started to twitch upwards into a particular smirk that seemed only at home on the lips of Draco Malfoy.
Hermione deepened her frown, partly because she didn't appreciate Malfoy's brazen attitude, and partly because she really wasn't sure what his reasons were for staring at her like she had the secrets of the wizarding world scrawled across her back.
She snapped her head back around as Malfoy's smirk spread across his face. She could still feel him watching her, and it was very off-putting. She was half expecting a jinx to hit her in the back. Hermione found herself fidgeting as she tried to concentrate on Slughorn's words.
"You okay?" Harry enquired as she hit her foot off his leg under the table. She was restless - she just wanted the lesson to end.
"Yes." Hermione replied, quite bluntly. Harry raised an eyebrow at her, so she added "Honestly, Harry. I'm okay." Harry shrugged slightly to himself and turned his attention, such as it was, back to Slughorn. Why on earth was Draco Malfoy staring at her? It couldn't be good - not if it involved Malfoy. Was he planning something? She winced as she realised she sounded as paranoid as Harry. Could she be blamed for it though? Malfoy had always hated her. She wasn't sure what attention she was getting from him exactly - but she did know she didn't like it.
She breathed a tiny sigh of relief as she realised Slughorn had dismissed them. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard him. Hermione walked with Harry and Ron down to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Hermione?" Harry asked pointedly. Hermione shook her head slightly, escaping from her thoughts.
"Sorry, Harry. Did you speak to me?" she questioned. Harry frowned at her. Almost as if he knew just when the worst moment to show up would be, she saw Malfoy stroll past over Harry's shoulder. He was with a few other Slytherins, including Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. Malfoy met her eyes and held her gaze, his eyes were darkened and his signature smirk was on his face. Hermione let out a breath as Draco Malfoy looked her up and down. When his eyes lingered over her breasts, her breathing quickened. Harry and Ron had stopped, alarmed at Hermione's sudden change in mood. They decided to follow her line of sight just as Malfoy moved his eyes back up to hers, and he gave her a flirty wink.
Harry and Ron both snapped their heads round to Hermione, who stood frozen, watching the lithe form of Draco Malfoy walk down the corridor. What on earth had just happened? Hermione should have expected an outburst, but she was in so much shock that she was almost surprised when Harry spoke.
"Did Malfoy just wink at you?" Harry exclaimed. Hermione just shook her head in disbelief. "I... I don't know." Hermione replied. Ron's face had turned bright red. Hermione could tell he was furious.
"What does that slimy ferret think he is playing at?" Ron exclaimed, his hands balled up into fists. Hermione shook her head again, coming back to her senses.
"He - it's Malfoy. He probably only wanted to get a reaction from me." Hermione stated, extremely grateful that Ron and Harry hadn't seen the hungry way Malfoy had stared at her breasts. If a reaction was what he had wanted, then it was certainly what he got - Hermione's heart was still beating fast, and she had just managed to get her breathing under control. Hermione felt ashamed at the strange pressure in the pit of her stomach. She knew that she was slightly aroused - and that just made her fill up with shame.
She realised with a start that she had been stood still since Malfoy had disappeared around the corner. Harry and Ron were looking at her quizzically. Harry opened his mouth to speak.
"Come on," she interrupted "let's just go to lunch. He's just being his usual intolerable self." She started to walk down the corridor, not prepared to wait for them to question her. They eventually caught up with her and they walked down to the Great Hall in silence.
Ginny joined them at lunch, with Dean Thomas in tow. Hermione didn't join in the conversation. She stared down at her plate, fiddling with her food. To say that she had a lot on her mind would be a lie. She only had one thing on her mind - one person, and he was sat across the hall on the Slytherin benches, his silver-blonde hair slightly ruffled. There was something undoubtably dark about Draco Malfoy. It had only been a few days since he had left Harry stupified on the Hogwarts Express with a broken nose. She still didn't believe Harry that he was a Death Eater however. On that note she was being quite stubborn.
"Hermione." Ginny exclaimed. Hermione looked over to her friend, a blank expression on her face.
"What is going on? You're so quiet. You aren't even touching your food." Hermione glanced around and realised that Harry was watching her intently. Dean was eating. He probably felt like he was intruding - he didn't know Hermione that well.
"I'm fine, Ginny - just tired." Hermione reassured her friend. Not that she looked all that reassured. It was then that she realised Ron wasn't looking at her, he was looking past her.
Malfoy was sat in his usual regal manner. His hair glistening slightly in the light. Hermione shivered as she realised that he was looking right at her, paying no attention to the look of utter fury that Ron was sending his way. The corners of Malfoy's lips twitched upwards as he met her eyes, and the only way she could think to describe the way he was looking at her were bedroom eyes - eyes full of possessiveness and dark promises. He picked up his goblet, lifting it to his mouth and taking a mouthful. He swallowed before running his tongue suggestively along his full lower lip.
Hermione grabbed Ron's wrist then, as he jumped up, eyes full of anger.
"Ron - Ronald!" Hermione said more forcefully, as Ron tried to pull away from her. "He's not worth it. You're just giving him exactly what he wants. Sit down." Ron sat down at the look on Hermione's face. She didn't doubt he wouldn't think twice about storming over to the Slytherin table and causing a scene, but the warning look in Hermione's eyes was enough to make him pause. He sat back down on the bench, clenching his fists.
"From the looks he's giving you, I don't think it's Ron that he wants." Ginny said boldly. Ron almost jumped up from the table again at that, and Hermione threw her a reproachful look. "Malfoy is a lot of things, but he isn't stupid. He's been reminding me since first year how far beneath him I am, and how filthy my blood is. He knows that Harry and Ron are protective of me, and he's hoping to illicit a reaction. He doesn't want anything from me other than to unnerve me, and I'm not going to let him." Hermione wished she felt as steady as she sounded. That look had left her heart rate soaring, her breath fast, and her stomach had done a backflip.
Hermione stood up. "I'm going up to the common room to study before lesson." she announced, "I'll see you all later." she added, slightly softer. Hermione didn't look to see if Malfoy was staring at her as she walked out of the Great Hall. She just kept her head held high in case he was. Hermione walked along the corridor until it was quiet, and lent back against the wall. She let her breath come shallow and fast as her mind raced back to look Malfoy had given her across the crowded hall. She realised with a start that she wasn't sure how long she had been staring back at him before Ron had jumped up. She had been so focused on him, that everything else had melted away. God, what was happening?
Hermione was alarmed when she heard a soft chuckle from a few feet away. Her breath caught in her throat when she looked up to see Draco Malfoy stood in front of her.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" she snapped angrily at him. She was furious at herself for allowing him to see her in such a compromising position, and the satisfied humour in his eyes told her he knew that he was the cause.
"I just wanted to talk to you." He replied, the signature smirk taking over his lips once more.
"To a filthy mudblood? Surely that's far beneath you." She remarked, "Talk and leave, I don't have time for your games." she added.
"You should make time for them. Or are you afraid that you'll enjoy them?" he replied, raising an eyebrow. Hermione shook her head in disbelief.
"I never thought I could find you more arrogant, but you just pulled it off. I'll ask you again, Malfoy. What do you want?" She demanded. Her anger at this whole situation was making her bold. Malfoy's face changed, growing darker. He walked to stand a few inches in front of her. As he neared, Hermione felt her heart beating fast against her chest. She had her back against the wall, so she couldn't distance herself from him.
He raised his hand to wrap a curl around her finger, playfully tugging it. She tried to pull her head away from him, but she was fixed to the spot. The pressure in the pit of her stomach returned, and she was breathing heavily. His eyes drifted down to her heaving chest, the smirk returning, and his eyes filled again with desire. Hermione flushed as she felt her nipples harden against her bra. She prayed that he couldn't see. He looked back up at her eyes, and she felt like his grey eyes were boring into hers, trying to determine something. She felt her own widen slightly.
"Are you sure," he whispered softly, "that you want to know the answer to that question?" his voice seemed intimate. Hermione seemed to come to her senses, and she put her hand on his chest to push him away. She felt his muscles against the palm of her hand. She felt a slight arousal at the touch and it caused anger to bubble up within her. She pushed against his chest, and he moved back a few steps.
"I don't know what you are playing at, Malfoy." Hermione admitted, "But I don't want to be part of whatever game you are playing. If you want to get to Harry, go and play with his hair." she snapped. Malfoy chuckled at that.
"I'm afraid Potter isn't my type." he remarked, "if you decide to play with his hair anytime soon, be sure to let me know. I'm sure you'll find mine much more to your taste."
Hermione looked at him with utter disbelief. Malfoy was flirting with her. He lent in close to her, and she heard him take a deep breath. Her skin prickled as he murmured into her ear, "I wonder if you taste as delicious as you smell." he purred into her ear, "I'm sure I'll be finding out." Hermione shivered. She let out a sigh of relief when Malfoy turned and walked away down the corridor. She felt sick with guilt at her body's reaction to him. It was Draco sodding Malfoy - he shouldn't be able to get her to react like this.
Hermione took a few breaths to steady herself before heading up to the common room. She was pretty sure that her mind wouldn't be on her studying. She hoped no one had seen the exchange between her and Malfoy - that would be all she needed.
Hermione didn't see Malfoy again that day. At least not in person. She saw him in her head a lot. Even admitting that in her own mind made her wince with shame. Malfoy was a Slytherin. He'd broken Harry's nose, called her a Mudblood countless times, practically jumped for joy at the idea of her being petrified by a basilisk. Then out of nowhere he had suddenly decided that her buck teeth and bushy hair were attractive? That he wanted to taste her? Hermione briefly considered that Malfoy was a vampire, but that was even more far fetched than the idea he was a Death Eater. So she could only guess that he had meant something much cruder, something Hermione had only read about in steamy young adult novels. She cursed herself under her breath as a filthy image flashed across her mind - a silvery-blonde head at work between her thighs.
What is wrong with me? She thought. She turned over in bed, sighing quietly. Ginny was already asleep across the room. Hermione just couldn't understand what had changed - she felt like Malfoy must have some sort of ulterior motive to his sudden attraction to her. She considered a few options. It was possible Malfoy was trying to get information from her, possibly about Harry. There was the possibility that Malfoy was on some sort of conquest - he'd chosen the one girl in the school that he had the least chance of wooing, just so a victory could inflate his ever-growing ego. The other option was much more far-fetched - there was the possibility that for some unknown reason, Draco Malfoy had developed an attraction to her. Sighing again, Hermione closed her eyes. She was desperately tired, but she couldn't get her mind to quiet. She pulled the covers closer around her, and attempted to clear her mind. She eventually fell into sleep, but her dreams were plagued by Draco Malfoy.