After she had finally shaken off Ron and Harry, Hermione slipped quickly and quietly out of the portrait hole. She ran silently down the hall and skipped steps on the marble staircase. She flew through the front doors and sprinted to the Quidditch feild. There, hovering by the goal posts on his fancy broom, was Draco. She smiled at him as he lowered to the ground and ran to greet her. The sun had long since set and the stars were out, shining brightly. Only then, Hermione realised how cold it was. She could see her breath, puffing out of her nose and mouth and fading into the air. Draco stopped and smiled again.
"Hi, Hermione." He hugged her and they sat down in the grass. If they sat close enough, it wasn't as cold. They talked and laughed until the the sky was a pale shade of grey. Underneath it all, Hermione knew that Draco was smart, kind, and sweet. She wished he'd let everyone else see it. She bid him goodbye and set off toward the castle, before Harry and Ron woke up. But, she was too late. By the time she got into the common room, they were both sitting at a small table over an untouched game of Wizard's Chess. They both glared at her when she came in.
"Where were you? We came in to see you last night and Parvati told us that you had left at 10:30 last night and haven't been back since!" Ron stood and stalked over to her, closley pursued by Harry. Hermione sighed and desprately tried to think of an excuse.
"I-I-was-"
"Well?"
"I just went for a walk. I didn't realise how long I'd been gone until the sun rose." She smiled meekly and turned away quickly to change into a fresh outfit. When the three of them came down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were waiting for them. Ron rolled his eyes. Harry shook his head and Hermione remained expressionless.
"Heard about your little sneak out last night. I'm sure McGonnagal will be happy to hear about this." Malfoy smiled maliciously. Ron rolled his eyes again and glared. Crabbe and Goyle snickered. "Who was it? Neville? I'm sure the two of you had loads of fun!" Just then Neville came walking innocently through the doors. Malfoy stuck out his leg, tripping Neville, and laughing. "So did you have fun with Mud-Blood Granger?" Neville just stared from the ground, dumbfounded. Harry stepped forward and helped Neville up.
"Shove off, Malfoy." Crabbe and Goyle both snickered again. Malfoy smiled sweetly at Hermione then turned to Harry.
"Suit yourself," He said shrugging one shoulder, he looked straight at Hermione, "I'll see you tonight." And with a wave of his hand, the three of them were gone. Neville instanly bolted to the other end of the hall. Hermione took a seat at the Gryffindor table and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She had a terrible headache and she hadn't gotten any sleep. Harry and Ron sat on either side of her.
"AND WHAT EXACTLY WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" Ron's face was twisted with a hearty little mixture of confusion and frustration. Hermione shrugged one shoulder exactly the same way Malfoy had done and picked at her food. Harry and Ron bugged her all morning.
"Listen, Ron, Harry, I have absolutely NO idea what he meant by that, ok?" And they gave up for the rest of the day. They decided that even if she did know, she wasn't going to tell them today.
That night, Hermione slipped out again, only this time she met Draco outside of the Slytherin common room. He was sitting, hugging his knees with his back against the door. Without a word, Hermione sat down next to him. Draco put his head on her shoulder and they sat like this in silence for a few minutes, then he took her into the common room. Hermoine had never seen it inside, but she wasn't interested in the room. She sat next to Draco on a big couch. Without looking at him she said:
"Draco, I-I need to ask you something. Can't you just-just act the same you act around me at night during the day-" Draco grabbed her face and and pulled her into a gentle kiss. He pulled away quickly, roses forming on his cheeks. He wouldn't look at her. Up until now, they had just been good friends. Hermione, had always known that she loved him. She took him by the back of the neck and kissed him again, he leaned over her.
The next morning, Hermione sighed and kissed Draco on the cheek. She sat up and began to gather her clothes off the floor. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her back down.
"Draco, no, I've got to go. We'll get in trouble, someone will be coming in soon." She handed Draco his pants and he put them on. Just as she was pulling her shirt on, Pansy came running in.
"EEEEWWWWWWW!! What's going on? Draco? A Gryffindor? THIS Gryffindor?" She stared at Hermione as if she had just impaled her with a butter knife. Malfoy snickered as he yanked his shirt out of Hermione's hand and turned to Pansy.
"'Course not, Love. She is just so easy. And I really needed some, bad, You know how it is." Pansy smiled at Hermione, obvously trying to cover up the envy brewing up inside her.
"You heard him, get a move on." Hermione dressed as quckly as possible and slipped out without a goodbye from Draco.
That day was a Saturday, and Ron had gone to watch the Gryffindor Quidditch practice. So Hermione sat at the small table and began to study. Just then Lavender and Parvati approached her, both trying (and failing horribly) not to giggle. Hermione looked at them, with one eyebrow raised.
"Yes?" the two fidgiting girls burst into laughter. Hermione rolled her eyes and began to read again. Parvati soon regained herself and smoothed out her robes.
"Um...Hermione? Neville says he saw you leaving the Slytherin dorms. Were you? I mean what would you be doing there?" Hermione shut her book and stood, facing them.
"I wouldn't be near the Slytherin dorms if you threatened to kill me! So I suggest you mind your own business, in fact, I'm really offended that you had the nerve to even assume!" And with that she stomped out of the portrait hole. She figured that Quidditch practice should be ending soon and she'd go and meet up with Harry and Ron.
On her way to the feild, she thought about what happened. Why had she exploded at Parvati and Lavender? They were just asking a simple question. 'I would have done the same.' She thought to herself. She had panicked. If anyone found out, then God only knows what sort of hell that would raise. Hermione never even spoke to Malfoy during the day, but he made a special effort to target her. She had hoped with everything she had to hope with, that that was just an act in the dorms that morning. In fact, he was the very first boy to ever even kiss her, on the lips, anyway. Victor Krum had kissed her on the cheek at least a thousand times. At least she was allowed to be with him.
"Hermione! Hey." Hermione jumped and turned around. Ron and Harry were standing behined her. Harry's black hair was still wet from his shower and Ron's voise was hoarse from yelling and cheering. The three of them went walking and talking. Ron went on and on about how much he hated Malfoy with a passion and how he would get down on his knees and thank the Lord when he dies. Hermione was nervous. During the time when they talked about Malfoy she hardly said anything. Just nodded her head and said "Yeah...sure" and "huh? Oh, right terrible." when ever they said something to her.
That night, at dinner, Hermione sat twirling her spaghetti on her fork and letting it drop back onto her plate with a 'splat'. She hadn't eaten a bite. Ron sat and watched her for a moment, then asked her if she was all right. He told her that he was worried. Hermione snapped at him.
"Since when do you care?" Ron was taken aback, he blinked, confused as if she had just slapped him.
"I've-I've always cared." Hermione sat back and stared at him. Her mouth was hanging slightly open. She shook her head and told them that she was tired and wanted to retire early. She got up and ran out of the Great Hall. 'That was just a friendly concern, right? I mean, he couldn't want that-no. Good friends worry and care about each other, that's all. And, Ron is a really great FRIEND. Friend.' Hermione's head hurt from all the thoughts rushing through her brain. She was so caught up in thought that she did not realise that she had walked out onto the Quidditch feild. No one was outside. They were all missing the beautiful sunset. But, then again, so was Hermione. She wasn't paying attention. She wanted so bad to tell Ron and Harry the truth. But she was just so scared that they would stop talking to her. She was even more afraid that Draco would be lying to her. What if he didn't love her? Then what?
"Hermione?" She jumped so much that she tripped and rolled over on her back and looked up at the person talking to her. It was Draco. She smiled and jumped to her feet. "I saw you leave so fast, I was worried. Are you ok?" Hermione hugged Draco around the neck and he hugged her back, kissing her cheek. She pulled away from him, but kept her hands on his sholders. Draco kept his hands on her waist.
"I don't know about you, but I really think Harry and Ron should know about us. It's hard keeping this a secret."
"Are you mad?" Draco wasn't being rude, just honest, and Hermione understood that, "They'd slit our throats, especially Weasly!" Hermione hugged him again. She didn't want to admit that Draco was right. There was no chance that they would ever understand. Together they made their way back to the castle. They were to stay in the Gryffindor tower that night. Hermione complained that it would be too risky, but Draco had overheard a few second year Slytherins planning to stay up in the common room that night, so Hermione showed him the way up to the tower.
When they got there, they were too caught up with each other (and NO not that way, filter your mind!) that they didn't notice a certain red haired boy watching them.....................................................
"Hi, Hermione." He hugged her and they sat down in the grass. If they sat close enough, it wasn't as cold. They talked and laughed until the the sky was a pale shade of grey. Underneath it all, Hermione knew that Draco was smart, kind, and sweet. She wished he'd let everyone else see it. She bid him goodbye and set off toward the castle, before Harry and Ron woke up. But, she was too late. By the time she got into the common room, they were both sitting at a small table over an untouched game of Wizard's Chess. They both glared at her when she came in.
"Where were you? We came in to see you last night and Parvati told us that you had left at 10:30 last night and haven't been back since!" Ron stood and stalked over to her, closley pursued by Harry. Hermione sighed and desprately tried to think of an excuse.
"I-I-was-"
"Well?"
"I just went for a walk. I didn't realise how long I'd been gone until the sun rose." She smiled meekly and turned away quickly to change into a fresh outfit. When the three of them came down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were waiting for them. Ron rolled his eyes. Harry shook his head and Hermione remained expressionless.
"Heard about your little sneak out last night. I'm sure McGonnagal will be happy to hear about this." Malfoy smiled maliciously. Ron rolled his eyes again and glared. Crabbe and Goyle snickered. "Who was it? Neville? I'm sure the two of you had loads of fun!" Just then Neville came walking innocently through the doors. Malfoy stuck out his leg, tripping Neville, and laughing. "So did you have fun with Mud-Blood Granger?" Neville just stared from the ground, dumbfounded. Harry stepped forward and helped Neville up.
"Shove off, Malfoy." Crabbe and Goyle both snickered again. Malfoy smiled sweetly at Hermione then turned to Harry.
"Suit yourself," He said shrugging one shoulder, he looked straight at Hermione, "I'll see you tonight." And with a wave of his hand, the three of them were gone. Neville instanly bolted to the other end of the hall. Hermione took a seat at the Gryffindor table and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She had a terrible headache and she hadn't gotten any sleep. Harry and Ron sat on either side of her.
"AND WHAT EXACTLY WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" Ron's face was twisted with a hearty little mixture of confusion and frustration. Hermione shrugged one shoulder exactly the same way Malfoy had done and picked at her food. Harry and Ron bugged her all morning.
"Listen, Ron, Harry, I have absolutely NO idea what he meant by that, ok?" And they gave up for the rest of the day. They decided that even if she did know, she wasn't going to tell them today.
That night, Hermione slipped out again, only this time she met Draco outside of the Slytherin common room. He was sitting, hugging his knees with his back against the door. Without a word, Hermione sat down next to him. Draco put his head on her shoulder and they sat like this in silence for a few minutes, then he took her into the common room. Hermoine had never seen it inside, but she wasn't interested in the room. She sat next to Draco on a big couch. Without looking at him she said:
"Draco, I-I need to ask you something. Can't you just-just act the same you act around me at night during the day-" Draco grabbed her face and and pulled her into a gentle kiss. He pulled away quickly, roses forming on his cheeks. He wouldn't look at her. Up until now, they had just been good friends. Hermione, had always known that she loved him. She took him by the back of the neck and kissed him again, he leaned over her.
The next morning, Hermione sighed and kissed Draco on the cheek. She sat up and began to gather her clothes off the floor. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her back down.
"Draco, no, I've got to go. We'll get in trouble, someone will be coming in soon." She handed Draco his pants and he put them on. Just as she was pulling her shirt on, Pansy came running in.
"EEEEWWWWWWW!! What's going on? Draco? A Gryffindor? THIS Gryffindor?" She stared at Hermione as if she had just impaled her with a butter knife. Malfoy snickered as he yanked his shirt out of Hermione's hand and turned to Pansy.
"'Course not, Love. She is just so easy. And I really needed some, bad, You know how it is." Pansy smiled at Hermione, obvously trying to cover up the envy brewing up inside her.
"You heard him, get a move on." Hermione dressed as quckly as possible and slipped out without a goodbye from Draco.
That day was a Saturday, and Ron had gone to watch the Gryffindor Quidditch practice. So Hermione sat at the small table and began to study. Just then Lavender and Parvati approached her, both trying (and failing horribly) not to giggle. Hermione looked at them, with one eyebrow raised.
"Yes?" the two fidgiting girls burst into laughter. Hermione rolled her eyes and began to read again. Parvati soon regained herself and smoothed out her robes.
"Um...Hermione? Neville says he saw you leaving the Slytherin dorms. Were you? I mean what would you be doing there?" Hermione shut her book and stood, facing them.
"I wouldn't be near the Slytherin dorms if you threatened to kill me! So I suggest you mind your own business, in fact, I'm really offended that you had the nerve to even assume!" And with that she stomped out of the portrait hole. She figured that Quidditch practice should be ending soon and she'd go and meet up with Harry and Ron.
On her way to the feild, she thought about what happened. Why had she exploded at Parvati and Lavender? They were just asking a simple question. 'I would have done the same.' She thought to herself. She had panicked. If anyone found out, then God only knows what sort of hell that would raise. Hermione never even spoke to Malfoy during the day, but he made a special effort to target her. She had hoped with everything she had to hope with, that that was just an act in the dorms that morning. In fact, he was the very first boy to ever even kiss her, on the lips, anyway. Victor Krum had kissed her on the cheek at least a thousand times. At least she was allowed to be with him.
"Hermione! Hey." Hermione jumped and turned around. Ron and Harry were standing behined her. Harry's black hair was still wet from his shower and Ron's voise was hoarse from yelling and cheering. The three of them went walking and talking. Ron went on and on about how much he hated Malfoy with a passion and how he would get down on his knees and thank the Lord when he dies. Hermione was nervous. During the time when they talked about Malfoy she hardly said anything. Just nodded her head and said "Yeah...sure" and "huh? Oh, right terrible." when ever they said something to her.
That night, at dinner, Hermione sat twirling her spaghetti on her fork and letting it drop back onto her plate with a 'splat'. She hadn't eaten a bite. Ron sat and watched her for a moment, then asked her if she was all right. He told her that he was worried. Hermione snapped at him.
"Since when do you care?" Ron was taken aback, he blinked, confused as if she had just slapped him.
"I've-I've always cared." Hermione sat back and stared at him. Her mouth was hanging slightly open. She shook her head and told them that she was tired and wanted to retire early. She got up and ran out of the Great Hall. 'That was just a friendly concern, right? I mean, he couldn't want that-no. Good friends worry and care about each other, that's all. And, Ron is a really great FRIEND. Friend.' Hermione's head hurt from all the thoughts rushing through her brain. She was so caught up in thought that she did not realise that she had walked out onto the Quidditch feild. No one was outside. They were all missing the beautiful sunset. But, then again, so was Hermione. She wasn't paying attention. She wanted so bad to tell Ron and Harry the truth. But she was just so scared that they would stop talking to her. She was even more afraid that Draco would be lying to her. What if he didn't love her? Then what?
"Hermione?" She jumped so much that she tripped and rolled over on her back and looked up at the person talking to her. It was Draco. She smiled and jumped to her feet. "I saw you leave so fast, I was worried. Are you ok?" Hermione hugged Draco around the neck and he hugged her back, kissing her cheek. She pulled away from him, but kept her hands on his sholders. Draco kept his hands on her waist.
"I don't know about you, but I really think Harry and Ron should know about us. It's hard keeping this a secret."
"Are you mad?" Draco wasn't being rude, just honest, and Hermione understood that, "They'd slit our throats, especially Weasly!" Hermione hugged him again. She didn't want to admit that Draco was right. There was no chance that they would ever understand. Together they made their way back to the castle. They were to stay in the Gryffindor tower that night. Hermione complained that it would be too risky, but Draco had overheard a few second year Slytherins planning to stay up in the common room that night, so Hermione showed him the way up to the tower.
When they got there, they were too caught up with each other (and NO not that way, filter your mind!) that they didn't notice a certain red haired boy watching them.....................................................