Beautiful Imperfections

The fading echoes of her footsteps were beginning to drive him mad. She was nothing more than a fleeting shadow, dancing out of his reach every moment. Their game of Cat and Mouse was beginning to grow more and more threatening, unstable. It seemed at any point to turn into something dangerous. Yet they did not stop.

The summer had changed her, in more ways then one. Her hair was no longer bushy, but fell into elegant curls, the color of dark chocolate. She had filled into her body, no longer hiding it under baggy clothes. Her eyes, those wonderful caramel eyes, had been the only thing that had not changed. They still remained framed by her long lashes, bright with knowledge and the innocence that still remained in her.

He was intrigued by her, but knew he could not have her.

x-X-x

Hermione's shoes clacked on the stone floor, bouncing around the empty corridors. Two whole hours of patrolling and not a single soul had been found. It seemed almost ridiculous that a Head Girl and Head Boy were still needed, due to the lack of activity in the castle. It seemed even more ridiculous that a Slytherin Head Boy was needed, much less the son of a known Death Eater.

Yes, Draco Malfoy; Slytherin Prince and pompous, arrogant ferret, was Head Boy. As was she, Hermione Granger; Gryffindor Bookworm, Muggleborn Know-It-All and best friend of Harry Potter's, Head Girl. So far they had not gotten along. The first three weeks had been spent bickering and throwing curses at one another; now Hermione was stuck under "lockdown" only performing Head duties and being glued to each other's sides. But they had split up, the only time they were allowed to be away from one another was during Head duties; and Hermione was going to use it to her advantage.

She had not seen Ron in a while. They had started going out when she went to stay at the Burrow over the summer. While helping Harry with the Horcrux hunt one day, he had plucked up the courage and asked her. But when they returned to school, he was different. Always snapping at her, and hanging around Lavender and Parvati. But she would surprise him today; she knew he would be up studying for the surprise quiz in Defense Against the Dark Arts. They had not snogged yet, but she felt that now was the right time.

Hermione smiled and giggled, yes… she would really surprise him.

Rounding the corner she walked over to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She gave the password and then stepped through.

'Won-Won…' came the soft moan of Lavender Brown. The Common Room was dimly aglow; the last embers of the fire were dying out, casting shadows across the many chairs and tables.

Hermione's body went rigid with shock, for there seated in an armchair by the fire, was Ronald Weasley and the Gryffindor Slut; wrapped so close together that you could not tell where one started and the other ended. Both looked as though their mouths were glued together, hands groping and hair standing on end.

Instantly Hermione felt rage, disgust and resentment rise in her. The need to curse the both of them was far too great to refuse. Tears building up, she raised her wand and pointed it at the pair, neither noticing nor seeming to care that she was there.

'E-Expelliarmus.' She stuttered through her tears. The spell shot out and hit the pair, sending them away from one another. Ron looked up, shock and anger written on his face that instantly changed to panic when he saw it was Hermione who had said the spell. Lavender just sat on the ground, smirking at Hermione's tear stained face.

''Mione I can explain!' Ron yelled at her retreating figure. She halted and turned around, rage clear in her brown eyes. The disgusted look she gave him shut him up, but he didn't stop moving towards her. When he was 2 feet from her, closing in, arms outstretched as if he was going to envelop her in a comforting hug; she ran. His voice rang out behind her, pleading for her to stop, that it didn't mean anything, that he loved her; but she didn't hear him.

The tears were flowing fast as she ran around a corner and smacked straight into a hard body. Landing hard on the floor, she looked up and met the cool grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. 'Perfect. Just what I always wanted him to see.' she grumbled to herself. Hermione stifled the sobs that she wanted desperately to let out, all the while staring him in the eye. And then, she couldn't take anymore. She left out a pain filled moan and collapsed onto the ground, shaking in fits of tears. Malfoy standing over her the whole time, unable to do anything.

'Granger. Stop.'

'W-what do you want Malfoy?' she stuttered.

Malfoy looked at her with pity.

'Who would have thought that the Weasel would be the one to cheat on you.'

'I don't want your pity! Just spare me the sarcasm and walk away.' She screamed at him through her tears. She didn't need this. Not now, not ever. It was already too much.

Malfoy stooped down and grabbed her into his arms. Hermione tried to push him off, but he was either too strong or she really needed someone to hold her.

'I'm not pitying you Granger. And I'm not going to walk away.' He looked down at her. God she was beautiful, even through her tears. He watched as her brown eyes widened slightly as she watched him. He knew her brain was working full fledge, trying to figure him out.

'Why are you doing this?' There was the question that was also on his mind. He was supposed to hate her, but why didn't he?

'I don't know Hermione.' Her eyes widened even more at her name coming from his mouth. She squirmed a bit in his grasp and then locked eyes with him. The next thing they knew, they were attacking each other with a passion neither knew they possessed.

A few moments passed before they stopped their furious lip locking. Both were panting heavily, neither wanting to speak first. But then Malfoy – no Draco – broke their thoughts.

'I hope you can realize how much I want you -- no need you, Hermione.'

She gazed at him and then smirked. 'The Slytherin Sex God wants me? The Gryffindor Bookworm? Do tell me what caused this sudden change in heart.' The smirk lingered on her lips, while she watched his reaction very carefully.

'You really want to know?'