She stole glances at him from across the room, she had done so since they hit the age of about fifteen. He was so confident and demanding with the other students, strong and cocky, with that touch of arrogance that was just electrifying. So now she sits in her mid-year exams, in all of which she will earn top marks, and he sits three rows ahead and two seats to the right. His blonde hair slicked back so smoothly and it catches the candle light so willingly, the muscles in his neck tensed as his mind ticked away. She sighs and returns to her parchment as she finishes her exam and then waited for the hourglass to empty. This was her last exam before the Christmas break, she wasn't leaving for home this year; her parents were away in Switzerland so she was to stay at the school. Aurors had managed to restore their memories after the battle at the school. She had been invited to Ron's house with Harry and the rest of the family, but she wanted to stay at the school to study further for her NEWTS next year, after all she wanted to do the best she could. She and Ron had not lasted long, they just seemed to fizzle out, as did Harry and Ginny. She wasn't really sure why but after all of the events of last year things just weren't the same. Though they all decided to return to the school, Harry and a number of other students who fought have already gained entry to the auror program with the ministry. She was still planning what to do when she finished her final year. The hourglass reached the last few inches and drained quickly.

"Stop writing please," McGonagall said from the corner of the hall.

As the students began to file out of the room she watched as a blur of blonde hair and black robes leave his seat and move out of sight. She sighed again; he was never going to look at her the way she looked at him. The only way he would ever acknowledge her was in her fantasies.

"Hermione!" She turned to see Harry calling out for her.

He asked her to see them off at the train and she agreed. "Have a good Christmas."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us? There'll be plenty of food I'm sure, knowing mum." Ron asked.

"I really should get a leg up on my study, just go, and have fun. It's only a few weeks anyway."

"Alright." Ron mumbled, she thought he might still be a little awkward around her.

"I wish you would come, Ginny keeps looking at me with sad eyes and it's bloody depressing." Harry whispered to her before they headed onto the train.

Hermione watched the train pull out of the station and looked down at her feet. Part of her wishes that she had taken them up on the offer, but until Ron meets her eyes again she'll keep her distance. She walked back up to the castle and headed to the library, the books have always been loyal companions. She stroked the spines of the books on the giant shelves that have been collecting dust for months, it's a wonder they were able to restore it to its former glory after the battle. And to think, these glorious old titles haven't been given a double look since the restoration. Hermione was about to pull one off the shelves when she saw him go past, his blonde hair a blur as he walked quickly towards the restricted section. Hermione watched him enter and disappear from view behind the shelves and thought to herself, I could be rebellious, maybe a walk in the restricted section would … aid my study. She rolled her eyes at the failed attempt at sounding mischievous. She checked to see if the librarian was watching and walked into the restricted section. It had been many a while since she had been in the restricted section. She walked past some rather odd titles and chains connecting books to the shelves. She heard scuffling coming from a few rows down and walked slowly towards it, not that she expected what she saw. There was Draco, his tie undone and his white button up shirt untucked and showing part of his taught white chest, and there, pressed up against him was Pansy Parkinson. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her tongue, she was sure, was forcing its way down his throat. Hermione suddenly felt like an idiot, a feeling that was not familiar to her. She started to back away and her foot caught on some chains and they made a loud clanging which caused Pansy and Draco to leap back from one another. When the shock left Pansy's face Hermione could see the loathing in her eyes.

"You! Filthy mudblood! Expelliarmus!" Her wand was out faster than Hermione could react, the spell knocked her into the wall.

She was slightly stunned but not enough so to resist wiping that smug smile off Pansy's face. "You can call me a mudblood but at least I'm not a filthy snake getting grimy amongst the bookcases, Rictusempra!"

Pansy went spiralling through the air and into a set of bookcases. Hermione took one look at Draco, his haughty expression enough to make her apparate out of the library and into the hallway before the common room. She gave the fat lady the password and almost ran to the girl's dormitory. How could she be so stupid! What did she expect was going to happen by following him into the restricted section? She turned to her parchment and began to write her extended essay for ancient runes.

The next morning she sat in the great hall eating her breakfast and reading a library book, the long tables nearly empty with only a few students from each house staying at the castle for the holidays. She dared not sneak a glance over to the Slytherin table, where Draco and Pansy were sitting; she didn't want any more humiliation than she had already gained. After eating she headed out to the grounds for a walk when someone called out to her.

"Granger!" That silky, self-assured voice could only come from one person.

She turned around to see Malfoy strutting over to her, thankfully he was alone. "What is it you want Malfoy?"

"I uh, just wanted to ask if you, liked what you saw the other day. Didn't know you were into that sort of thing." His smirk was about as wide as his face and he looked as though he was holding back a laugh.

"I can assure you Malfoy that I wouldn't dream of running into you in that situation nor do I enjoy the idea that you would ever come to know what it is that I like." She wondered if sometimes she went too far in seeming disinterested.

"Oh I'm pretty sure you were somewhat intrigued." His grin grew larger.

"I don't think intrigued is the word for it, I think nauseated is a better way to describe it. I can't see why anyone would want to put anything near Pansy Parkinson, I'm sure she has more infections than a Cornish Pixie."

"So Pansy is the problem, well, at least you're intrigued by me." He raised his eyebrows and walked away with a sneer.

Hermione was feeling a slight rush after having spoken with Draco, truthfully she knew why he was attracted to Pansy, she was typically attractive, not to mention she was a tramp. She couldn't help thinking of what it would have been like had she and Draco not been enemies from the very beginning, if they had been able to immerse themselves into getting to know one another. They probably still would have gone their separate ways. He was so… assured and conceited, and she was happy to stay away from the spotlight and have people come to know her as the 'smart girl'.

She spent the rest of her day reading by the lake and practising charms, by the evening she was spent. She skipped dinner in the hall and was heading back to the common room when she ran into Romilda Vain.

"Oh, Hermione! It's lovely to see you!" She exclaimed with a warm smile.

"Romilda, it's been such a long time."

"Well yes, I tried to take up further studies with the dragons in Romania, but after a few close calls I fear it wasn't for me."

"Oh so what are you doing with yourself now?"

"I'm studying the mer-people of the black lake; Hagrid has given me some rather interesting texts to use and creatures to observe."

"You'll have to excuse him there, he doesn't realise that people don't completely share his enthusiasm for strange and albeit dangerous creatures, I trust you remember the blast ended skrewt classes from a few years ago." Hermione smiled, things may have changed but Hagrid will always be the same.

"I suppose you're right as always. Oh! I was meaning to congratulate you on becoming head girl."

"Thanks, it's not much of an achievement considering the few students who did return."

"Well you must try out the prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor, if you haven't already, it's amazing." Romilda grinned.

"No I haven't been up there, no need really."

"You look exhausted! Go up there and run a bath, it will completely revitalise you. Anyway, I must go, I have work to do!"

With that, she scurried off down the corridor and out of sight. Hermione headed into the common room and collapsed onto an armchair by the fire, looking back, sitting out in the cold weather probably didn't do her any good. She thought to herself about what Romilda said about the prefect's bathroom. It does sound like a nice place to relax; perhaps it would keep her mind off a certain Slytherin who seems to be featuring quite prominently in her thoughts.

By eight, most of the students had retired to their chambers or remained in the hall to socialize with their friends. Hermione decided to try out the fifth floor prefect's bathroom. She headed through the corridors in her jeans and hooded jumper, carrying her bathrobe and towel she entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Slowly she undressed and slipped her bathrobe over her cool skin before flicking her wand to run the water. An array of taps began to turn with a number of different coloured liquids pouring out from each one. They combined in a clear churning pool filled with bubbles that began to float around the room. She walked over to the steps of the giant bathtub and let her robe slide off her shoulders and fall to the floor, leaving her standing naked in the bathroom. She put one foot into the bath and sighed with pleasure, she could already feel herself becoming more relaxed. She lowered herself slowly into the water, engulfing her senses. The water was so warm it was like lying in the sun without any clothes and soaking in the heat. It smelt like lavender and rose, a scent that Hermione found positively intoxicating. The bubbles floating around her were reflecting the light from the candles in an infinite display of colours. Everything about this bathroom was designed to captivate the senses ad put one completely at ease, and by god was she at ease! She put her head back onto the padded rim of the tub and closed her eyes, allowing herself to float; her body completely covered with bubbles. She didn't know how long she must have been lying there, completely tranquil, when she heard a small click. She opened her eyes and sat up to look around. She could have sworn that she heard the door.

"Is there anyone there? Someone's in here!" She had turned over the sign on the outside of the door to say 'occupied' yet she still felt as though someone had entered the room. Her eyes darted to where she had left her bathrobe and to her surprise, it was gone.

"Looking for something Granger?" Her head whipped around to see Malfoy standing on the other side of the bath holding her robe.

"What are you doing here?!" She managed to breathe the words out as she stared at him across from her in his white school shirt and jeans.

"I, uh, thought you might like some company." He said with a smug grin.

"Well I don't so leave!" She was so dumbfounded that she could hardly recognise her rasping voice.

"I didn't realise this place was so posh, I might've come in earlier." He looked around as he started to remove his shoes and socks.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Going for a dip. Is that a problem Granger?" There was that same smug smile as he pulled off his belt and tossed it on the floor.

"Yes it's a problem! You're not even supposed to be here!" She hissed.

He smirked and unbuttoned his shirt, "are you going to curse me? Will you be calling out for McGonagall?"

She thought about it, but her heart was beating far too fast and adrenaline was slowly taking over her body. What was she going to say? She had no idea where this was going to go but there was no way that she was going to stop it, instead she just looked at him, gabbling to herself. She looked around for her wand, it was probably too far away to reach without exposing herself to Draco. She heard a splash and whipped her head around to see Draco sitting on the other side of the bath with his arms behind his head, looking as smug as ever.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She asked as calmly as possible.

"I think it's pretty obvious."

"Do you think?" Her whole body was just throbbing as she watched him sitting there with the top of his bare chest poking out of the water.

"Yeah, I uh, felt like a bath, don't you know that I come here often?"

"You're not allowed in here, it's the prefect's bathroom."

"You're not a prefect."

"I'm head girl, and were you hoping to find a prefect in here? I'm quite certain they've all left for the holidays."

"Why would I be looking for a prefect?" He scoffed.

"Oh right, you're probably waiting for Pansy." At this he sneered and started to laugh.

"I knew you were jealous Granger, you can't stand the thought of me with anyone can you?"

"You don't know what you're talking about Malfoy."

He flicked an eyebrow up and his mouth pulled into a half smile. "Is that so?"

"Obviously."

With another smirk he stood up out of his seat and took a slow step towards her. She didn't know what to say, what to do; she just sat there watching the water trickling off his bare sculpted chest.

That smug smile never left his face as he slowly waded through the water towards her, the throbbing in her body growing with every step he took. His eyes never left her eyes but hers darted to the water line where she could see the dark shadow of his boxer shorts under the bubbles. She became increasingly aware of the fact that she was completely naked with nothing but water and bubbles to hide her body. She looked back up at him; his gaze still held on furiously to hers, he was a metre away now. She pushed her back into the side of the bath and he stopped walking when his body was close enough for her to smell his musky cologne over the aromas in the room. It was a sweet scent, but at the same time it made him seem dangerous, powerful. It was exhilarating.

"I bet you're thinking about me with someone now, ey Granger?" He smirked and his eyes slowly dragged themselves from her gaze to the water line.

She didn't know what to say, she was definitely thinking about him. He was right in front of her wearing nearly nothing and looking at her so intently that she found it hard to do nothing at all. If she were to do something, what would it be? He took another small step until they were almost touching, his eyes trailed her jaw line and her bare neck, over her collarbone and again down as if his gaze was sinking below the surface and exposing her there and then. She felt her foot slip and bump his, he didn't drop his gaze, instead he sneered and lifted his hands to rest them either side of her on the side of the bath. His foot gently brushed the bottom of her leg and he drew his face in close and grazed her ear with his teeth, his body retaining its distance from hers. Hermione closed her eyes and felt his tongue glance the side of her neck, followed by his lips as they traced the same line that his eyes had only moments earlier. When he reached her collarbone he gently pressed a finger to the bottom of her neck and slid it straight down her body until it reached her navel where he rested his palm on her stomach and dragged it to her side, he did the same with his other hand until they were holding her sides while his tongue continued to lace her neck with such pleasurable patterns. She lifted her arms and pressed them to his sides, the taught muscles of his stomach feeling even more magnificent than they looked. She waited for the moment when he pulled her into him and put his lips on hers, alternatively he nipped at her neck and broke contact, sniggering to himself before wading to the other side of the bath and climbing the steps, his boxer shorts clinging ever so marvellously to his body. Without turning around he pulled on his pants and put his shirt over his chest and called out to her.

"I told you that you liked what you saw." And with that he was gone, out of sight and out of the room.

She almost couldn't believe it, he was there one minute and now he was gone, as if he had apparated on the spot. She could still feel his hands where they had brushed her skin in the water, her neck felt as though it was numb where his mouth had been gently embracing her in a way that was completely out of character for him. There was a tenderness that she would never have foreseen and the way he seemed so sure of himself made her think that he had done this many times before. She sat in the bath for what seemed like hours and only one thing was certain to her; there was no way that she would be relaxing tonight.

Draco pulled his arms through his shirt and buttoned it up as he walked towards his common room. She was right in front of him, she was within his grasp. He knew that in that moment he could have had her in any way that he wanted, but when she put her hands on his sides he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She wasn't like the other girls that Draco would pursue, she was, sweet. It almost sickened him how he was thinking about her. She had always sparked his curiosity, there has always been that aspect to her that bewildered him, and when he saw her walk into the bathroom alone he thought he could take his chance to get her out of his system the best way he knew how. Everything had been going great, he could see that she wanted him to be there, and he definitely wanted to be in that bath with her. He didn't feel this guilt when he was touching her body, kissing her neck, but when her small, shaking hands tenderly made contact with his chest he felt something else. He knew what it was, he knew what that touch conveyed, but he had never felt anyone express it toward him before. Tenderness, compassion, and for letting her think that he could be capable of something so alien to him he felt guilty. So he walked down the corridor, guilt and regret viciously swimming together in his gut, and his mind running in circles.