Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that you recognise (I have none of my own, so that's all of the characters). Hope you enjoy the story.

Sometimes You Just Can't Help It.

Chapter 1; How Do You Know?

Hermione was lying on her enormous four-poster bed with her hands behind her head. She groaned. This year had just gotten worse and worse. Sure, she was a prefect but that wasn't entirely helpful. She had her own room and the common room was only shared with four people; herself, Terry Boot of Ravenclaw, Susan Bones of Hufflepuff and Draco Malfoy of Slytherin. They were the other prefects.

It was bad because her two best friends now had girlfriends. Harry was dating Ginny and Ron was dating Susan Bones. Hermione didn't have a boyfriend. She didn't find anyone remotely interesting, except for one person. The only problem was that that person was her best friends' enemy. And hers come to think of it. Hermione was in love with Draco Malfoy and to have him sharing a common room with her for the next three years when he felt nothing for her was torture.

She had beaten herself up enough over it. She couldn't tell her best friends because they would disown her, so she had kept it a secret from everyone. It ate her up inside. Malfoy hated her; he was quite clear about that. It didn't bother her that much, after all, it was forbidden.

Hermione groaned again, got off her bed and went down to the common room, hoping against hope that he wasn't down there, he wasn't. She sat down next to Susan Bones.

"Hey Suzy, not out with Ron?"

Susan laughed and carried on writing on the parchment Hermione hadn't noticed. She finished her sentence she was writing, set her quill down and leaned back on the chair. She turned to face Hermione. "I had homework to finish and Ron has very important lazing about to do. So while Ron is very important to me, I think I want to get through school first."

Hermione laughed. She understood perfectly just how one tracked Ron's mind was. Lazing came before homework. Then he could just badger Hermione into doing it for him. "So how are you two getting along?"

Susan smiled happily. "We're great. But you already know that. He is your best friend after all and you do hang around with us most of the time." Susan stopped to think for a minute. "Except for when he asks you when you're going to get a boyfriend, then you scamper off until all's clear."

Hermione shook her head dangerously "Don't even try it Susan. There's nothing to tell. If I went into the emptiness of my love life, I'd never dig myself out of the depression."

Susan nodded sympathetically. "Want to do some much needed homework?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes and Susan. "No need to poke fun! I've done all my work and revision anyway. Want to take a walk outside?"

"It's raining!"

"Oh live dangerously for once Suzy. Coming or not?" Hermione stood up, grabbed her cloak off the sofa and made her way to the portrait hole.

Just then, it opened and in walked a very wet Malfoy. Hermione couldn't help herself. They way his wet shirt clung to his muscles made her blush. Malfoy hadn't even looked at her so he didn't notice. Susan did.

"I'll be back in a min Hermione, need to get my cloak". Susan said, effectively hiding a smile. She left for her dorm to go and fetch it. "Oh, and Hermione," She shouted back at her. "Make sure you're not wearing a white t-shirt!"

Hermione blushed. Malfoy had heard that and he raised an eyebrow, she ignored him. Thankfully, she was wearing a black sweatshirt. Hmmm probably not the best attire, it can get really heavy when wet. She magically changed it to a black polo-shirt.

"You know that you're not supposed to use magic out of class Granger." Malfoy said.

Hermione turned to look at him. "It's not in the corridor Malfoy and only you saw. I doubt that I could have any bad influence on you so screw you Malfoy. Go and bother someone who actually gives a damn."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow and lowered his very wet self onto the couch. Hermione narrowed her eyes again but didn't say anything. He'd never learn.

Susan returned with her cloak. "Ready to go?"

Hermione nodded.

*               *               *               *               *

"I have to hand it to you Hermione, you're not scared."

Hermione turned to Susan, puzzled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

They were walking out in the rain. They had only been out for a few minutes and were already soaked to the bone.

Susan couldn't help but grin. "Well you fancy Malfoy and yet you give him a right talking to. Well shouting to."

Hermione stopped dead. She had turned a sickly shade of white. Word had failed her and she just stood there, she mouth open.

Susan laughed "Close you mouth Hermione, or you'll drown."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, closed her mouth and choked out, "I don't know what you're talking about. How could you say something like that? It's gross and obscene and disgusting. Totally degrading." Then she said more quietly "How long have you known?"

Susan smiled. "Oh, about five minutes. I'm not a gossip Hermione. I know that Malfoy's…what's the word…well there isn't one that does him justice, but just think of what Harry and Ron would say if they found out."

"I know! Why the hell do you think I haven't told anyone? I couldn't bare it if they disowned me. Malfoy's not worth that. No one is." Hermione was close to tears but pushed it away. The last time she had cried was when Voldemort had been defeated by Harry, Ron, everyone imaginable and, surprisingly, Draco Malfoy. That had been at the end of last year so, not that long ago.

They sat down on a particularly flat rock. Susan was trying to console her but she kept smiling. "It's not that bad. It could be Goyle."

Hermione glared.

Susan shook her head. "Look, just forget about it. It's not meant to be. I won't tell anyone, you won't blush when you see him! And everything will be just dandy?"

"Dandy? What does that even mean?" Hermione smiled anyway and said. "That's what gave it away huh? The blushing."

Susan giggled and she kept on giggling. "Of course. When you saw him all wet and Malfoyish, you blushed redder than the Gryffindor colours. I suppose that that is why you always avoided talking about it to you best friends huh?"

Hermione nodded mutely. "I can be omitting, but I can't lie. I've never lied to them."

"Yeah, I remember, Ron said that you never told him who you were taking to the Yule Ball."

Hermione smiled "That was funny."

Suddenly, the rain stopped, they clouds cleared and the sun came out. "That's what you get for living in the UK." Susan said. "Rain one moment, sun the next."

"Yeah, well at least we'll dry up."

"Unless it starts again."

"I thought you said that you were doing your homework."

Hermione and Susan turned around to see Ron standing behind them, laughing and looking only slightly wet. Susan wrinkled her nose and said "Well you haven't been out long. I finished my homework and decided to come out here and drown."

"Riiight. How are you girls?"

Hermione moved over on the rock "Pull up a bit of rock Ron."

Ron was confused again. "Huh?"

"Sit down dummy!" Susan said exasperatedly.

"Oh right. You girls and your slang."

Both of them rolled their eyes. Ron sat down. "Why so wet?"

Both girls frowned and decided not to answer this particularly annoying question. "Where's Harry, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"We're not attached to the hip, how should I know?"

Hermione gave him a piercing look.

"He's at Quidditch practice. The rain stopped and he decided that it would be a great time to train the team."

Susan giggled. "Why they made him captain, I'll never know. I swear he pushes the team too hard. Ron, why aren't you there? You are Keeper."

Ron was in a daydream but was pulled back to Earth with a thump when she said this. "Oh shit! I forgot!"

Hermione was incredulous. "You forgot? You've been on the team for a few months, you've always wanted to play Quidditch for Gryffindor and now you've finally got it and you FORGOT?!"

"I know. What do I do?!"

"Run you dimwit!" Hermione shouted, laughing.

After Ron had sprinted away Hermione turned to Susan. "He was just talking about it for God's sake. I bet he even saw Harry before he left for practise."

Susan shrugged. "What can I say, he's an idiot. But I still love him."

Hermione grinned manically. "You do?"

Now it was Susan's turn to glare. "Don't even try it Granger. You've forgotten that I know who you love and if you even try and tease me, the whole school will know about you by tomorrow morning."

"And you said that you promised."

"Just a little warning."

Hermione grumbled. "There's nothing wrong with loving Ron. I love Ron and Harry, totally platonically, so I think it's sweet. It's cute that Ginny loved Harry for, like, ever and they finally got together when Harry finally realised that the person he really loved was right under his nose the whole time."

"Babbling Hermione."

"I know, but it's sweet. Malfoy's soulless."

Susan shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Draco Malfoy is not soulless. He has a soul, how else could he survive? How else could he be?"

"It's cold, there's nothing there. He has no compassion."

"I wouldn't be so sure. People can surprise you. Tell me Hermione, what did you first think of Harry and especially Ron when you fist met them."

Hermione instantly said. "That Ron was a soulless git with no compassion and a dumbass. Oh."

"There you have it. Weren't you wrong?"

Hermione giggled "Sometimes he isn't and he can be really sweet, but then there are the times when he just pisses me off. But yes, I was wrong"

"Good, now do you want to get back to the castle because no matter how warm it looks right now, I'm freezing."

Hermione nodded and they headed back to the castle. When they got through the doors, they bumped into Terry Boot. "Hi Terry, what's up?"

"Hey Hermione. Wow you're wet."

"And freezing" Susan said. "Don't forget freezing."

Terry smiled kindly. "So I was looking for you and look, I found you."

Hermione yawned, she was tired and wet and standing here was not drying her off any quicker. "What did you want?"

"Oh, just to tell you that lessons are cancelled. McGonagall told the castle and I think you two were the only ones not there."

"Why are they?" Susan asked. "I did all my homework too! This is just wrong."

Terry chuckled. "Do you honestly think that McGonagall would tell us that?"

"Guess not." Hermione said. "Thanks Terry, now if you'll excuse us, we have to go and change before we soak to death."

Terry nodded and they left.

*               *               *               *               *

Hermione and Susan were sitting on the couch.

"Hermione, why don't you tell Malfoy?"

Hermione looked shocked, glanced around wildly and said in a whisper "Could you not say his name? I don't want him to hear! He could be anywhere."

Susan smiled. "Fine, but can we talk about it if I don't say his name? Then he won't know we're talking about him if he happens to walk in."

"Talking about it gives me the squirmies, but fine, if it'll keep you from going goo goo."

"Thank you." Susan moved closer so the she could whisper. "So why don't you?"

"Because I would like to live to see my 16th birthday thanks."

"He wouldn't kill you just because you told him that you like him!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed, "Not him, your boyfriend and Harry."

"Oh, they'll get over it."

Hermione looked at Susan as if to say 'You don't understand at all'. "They would never forgive me Suzy. They hate Malfoy. I know they do, as he hates them…and me."

"Now who's saying the name?"

Hermione clamped her hand over her mouth. He had just come down the stairs. Susan was laughing manically. Hermione didn't know what to do. Had he heard?

Apparently he didn't because he kept on walking past them and sat on the other couch, totally oblivious.

Susan was a bit disappointed. "Looks like its true what they say about boys huh? They are totally deaf."

"Thank the lord for that. Can we stop this now, huh? It's not big news. By the way he looks, I wouldn't be surprised if more than half the female population were in love with him."

"Sure, I just didn't expect it from you. That's all."

"What can I say, I am good, or bad, depending on how you look at it, with surprises."

"Yeah, you know what they say don't you? You can't help who you love."

"Too right."

*               *               *               *               *

Damn, I hate first chapters. I'll update soon.

Please review and please don't flame.