As she coursed downstairs, her ear caught the sound of heavy footsteps. Her lips started trembling. She stopped in the middle of the staircase and hid in the darkness. As she was waiting for something, or rather, someone to appear at the lower staircase, she felt a hand suddenly touching her lips.

Her mind started thinking of who it was. The fingertips of the hand were icy cold, as if it belonged to someone who had just been inside a freezer. No, thought Hermione. How foolish was that thought of hers. Why was her mind so troubled? She needed to go outside, Draco needed her right away.

"Hm, Mrs Norris, no one's here. Let's just go back, okay?" Mr Filch started walking away from the staircase and then Hermione waited until she barely heard the footsteps.

In an instant, she removed the hand stepped backwards onto the light. She scarcely saw the silhouette in the darkness. Who could this be, widely awake like her, in the middle of a taciturn winter night.

"Relax, Hermione. It's me," the person in the darkness leisurely phased out onto the light. Hermione felt a satisfying feeling flowing around her body. It was Draco Malfoy.

Curiously, Hermione stepped forward and swallowed the lump in her throat and then asked, "What brings you here, Malfoy? And why were you so fast? Bloody hell, are you into illegal medicine or something?"

She stood up, eyeing Draco from his lips up to his eyes. He then sighed and moved forward until he was just inches away from Hermione's pale face.

"I'm not into something, Hermione. Pft, stop accusing me, alright? And besides, you know why I'm here," he grinned after speaking and slowly stride a bit more towards Hermione. Now, they were just about two centimetres away from each other.

Hermione could feel his warm breath on her lips, his heart pounding the way hers was. The intensity was just so immense that Hermione didn't know what to do anymore. She just waited there, not moving even an inch. On the other hand, Draco just smiled, the way he smiled under the tree and leaned forward to Hermione's face.

Hermione, a bit scared and excited, thought that Draco was going to kiss her on the lips. But instead, he held her hands gently and kissed her forehead. Their fingertips lingered to each other's. Hermione felt his warm lips on her stoned forehead.

As if satisfied of what Draco did, she smiled like a child who just got a new toy and deliberately rested on Draco's chest. She felt relieved and satisfied even what had happened earlier that day. She slightly frowned at the thought but then again, was pleased with what had happened just now.

"I'm glad you're okay now, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry if I was harsh earlier this day. You know my reputation, you know how hard it is to be a Malfoy." Draco sighed and started letting go of Hermione's hands and slowly paced towards her back and embraced her tightly.