Disclaimer: I do not own J.K. Rowling's creation, I just use it to amuse and confuse my readers. Lol. Continue and Enjoy!
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A/N: Ok, you've begged for it, I've written it. Here is the next part to A Night To Never Forget. Since the brick wall of writter's block has stopped me in my progress of other stories, I'll pick up where I left off. Mind you I did no intend for this to be very long, I will do it for my readers. At least this one I still have a stearing with. Keep Reading and Reviewing for me! On we go!
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Hermione sighed as she wondered through the corridor towards the Great Hall with her classmares. The excitement from the Quidditch match still hung in the air with Slytherin's win against Ravenclaw, and students danced everywhere cheering and singing. Ginny and Harry walked ahead of her, his arm around her shoulders, and both him and Ron singing the Ravenclaw victory song with Luna and Neville. They weren't discouraged by the loss, so they rejoyced. She laughed at them, unable to be infected by their happiness. Her mind was wondering as she followed the crowd.
At a turn in the corridor someone came out of a hidden portion of the wall and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back into the darkness. She gasped and began to struggle, until lips met hers and she was picked up off her feet and wrapped in a tight embrace. She felt immediate heat spread from the kiss and her struggle stopped. She kissed him back, reaching under his hood with one hand to entangle her fingers in his hair which was still damp with sweet. When he pressed her against a wall she gasped and he took the moment to deepen the kiss. She moaned against his lips and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Wait!" She gasped when she caught a moment to pull back. "Draco stop!" She said in a hurried whisper.
"Do you really want me to?" He kissed her again and she whimpered in retort. "Didn't think so." He teased.
"We can't, not here." She warned, untangling from him and setting her feet on the floor.
He sighed and put his hands on the wall behind her, pressing his forehead to hers. "Granger you're driving me crazy." He kissed her briefly, and she kissed him back.
"And you are doing the same to me." She said glancing out into the corridor at the passing students. "But this is too open. And I thought we'd talked about this when we got back to school?"
Draco let out a growl from between his teeth. "I haven't been near you in weeks, haven't touched you in longer. I can't handle this." He openly confessed.
"Draco I'm with Ron still!" She warned quietly.
At this he pulled back, looking down at her and pushing his hood off of his head. "And? It hasn't stopped you this far." He looked angry, but she could also see that heated promise just hidden underneath. "Come to me," He pulled her against him, kissing her neck and causing her eyes to roll, but she pulled back.
She looked up at him riddled with guilt. "Draco please," She pleaded with him to understand. "I can't."
He sighed and let her go, looking at the last of the passing students. "How much longer?" He asked her.
She watched the students too, shaking her head and stepping back so that there was space enough between them to think. "Draco..." She didn't know how to make him undertsand that if this continued it wouldn't end well for them.
"'Mione," He took her by the waist. "I want you. Now, whenever your ready, I don't care. Just," He closed the distance between them. "Please." He leaned down and kissed her neck, running his hands up her shirt slightly and leaving burning trails of passion across her skin where he touched. "Don't torment me with this distance anymore."
She shook under his touch and sighed. "We can't." She pressed her hands against his chest but he wasn't moving. And his heated kisses were beginning to cloud her thoughts. "They're probably looking for me Draco I have to go." She said in a breathy whisper.
He sighed in her ear, and as if to play more truth to her words they heard Ron and Harry in the hall. "Where the bloody hell did she go?" Ron's voice first. "She was right behind us."
"Maybe she just went to the bathroom Ron, it was a long match." Harry said.
"And? She doesn't normally go off without telling us." Ron was annoyed.
Hermione gasped and pulled Draco tighter into the dark corner as they came to a stop in the corridor right beside them. Draco pulled out of her arms and leaned against the wall across from her, watching her. She looked up at him sadly, she could clearly see the disappointment on his face. It was almost like a knife to her heart to see that look on his face.
"Come on Ron you're over reacting. She'll be along, let's just go eat." Harry encouraged.
"No, you go on. I'll wait for her." Ron crossed his arms stubbornly searching the hallway.
"Okay." Harry through up a hand and walked away, back towards the Great Hall.
Ron sighed and walked the opposite direction. Hermione sighed in relief and looked back at Draco. He wasn't looking at her anymore. "Go." He said shortly. "Don't want to keep him waiting."
She stepped towards him and he looked down at her, his expression suddenly blank. "Go, Granger." He said again. "He's waiting and if you show up he'll be less worried."
When she opened her mouth to say something he stepped around her, looking to make sure it was clear enough to leave the hidden spot, and then he was gone. Hermione rubbed her face in frustration and then leaned out of the hidding spot as well. Ron was at the end of the hall close to the staircase. He was looking over the rail, so she slipped quickly from the knook and walked up behind him.
"Don't lean too far you'll fall." She joked.
Ron spun around. "Where the hell did you go? You just vanished and didn't say anything." He said in annoyance.
"I'm sorry Ronald I didn't think I needed permission to go to the bathroom." She crossed her arms, starting to feel annoyed herself.
Ron suddenly looked like he'd been slapped. "No..." He said slowly. "Just got worried that's all."
"Well I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me."
He nodded. "Right..." He put his hands in his pockets. "Are we going to dinner?"
Hermione nodded. "Of course." She turned and lead the way to the Great Hall, Ron trailing behind her silently.
They ate in silence, Hermione had seated herself across from Ginny, and Ron sat beside her to her dismay. Looking around cautiously, Hermione found Draco had joined his fellow Slytherins, a pumpkin juice in hand, and a very clingy Pansy Parkins on his arm. He was laughing at something his goons had said when he spotted her. His smile faultered momentarily as he tore his gaze from hers. He shook Pansy off and she got up with a huff and stomped away. He watched her leave before looking quickly back over at Hermione and then back to his teammates who were chanting their own victory song.
Hermione picked away at her food while beside her Ron ate and laughed with Harry, Neville and the rest. After a half hour of being unable to stomach eatting much, she got up.
"I'm going to the common room." She looked directly at Ginny.
"You ok?" Ron asked grabbing her hand.
She nodded, faking a smile. "I'm just tired." She lied.
"I'll go with her." Ginny got up too, and Hermione pulled her hand from Ron's.
"We'll see you upstairs." She gave him another fake smile.
"Wait 'Mione." Ron stood up. "I'm sorry I turned into a git about you disappearing."
"It's ok." She nodded.
He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and she blinked in confusion. "See you upstairs?"
She nodded. "Yes." Her and Ginny quickly left the Great Hall.
"What was all of that?" Ginny asked once they were on the stairs.
Hermione sighed in frustration. "Ron became a snit because..." She choked on telling Ginny about Draco and threw her head back.
"Because you disappeared I gathered that, but there's more. I saw you look at Draco." Ginny whispered the last as they reached the second floor landing. "Is that why you disappeared?" Ginny asked hurriedly.
Hermione gave her a look that simply told her to 'shut up'. "I don't want to talk about it." She added outloud.
"Oh my god, 'Mione what happened?" She pressed as Hermione took the stairs two at a time towards Gryffindor tower.
"Nothing happened!" Hermione insisted, and then she sighed. "What am I talking about?" She muttered. "Ginny I'm frantic!" She turned on her best friend. "Before Ron and I officially got back together Draco and I..." She searched for the words. "Saw a lot of each other on and off..." She said honestly. "More off than on but when Ron and I got back together last year when school started it was less and less and I stayed with you at your place for the summer and now..." She shook her head and continued on.
"Wait!" Ginny followed hurriedly and shouted the password at the Fat Lady, who crossed her arms with a huff and swung open for them. "Hermione really! Wait!"
Hermione didn't stop until they were in their empty dorm room. "Draco and I saw each other every other weekend last year while everyone went to Hogsmade." She spat out quickly before dropping down onto her bed and falling backwards against it as if she'd been hit with a stunning jinx.
"What?" Ginny sat beside her. "Is that what you were doing?"
Hermione nodded. "Ron and I were on thin ice and being with him was really hard. But Draco was the one that came up with the idea a few months after school started."
Ginny smiled mischieviously at Hermione. "Tell me."
Hermione looked up at her. "What?"
"Tell me." Ginny repeated. "You obviously felt better about telling me what happened the first time with you and Malfoy tell me whatever you want, that's what I did the bangles for. I'm your best friend 'Mione, you can tell me anything. Tell me this and get it off your chest!"
Hermione felt more relaxed suddenly and she laid back staring at the ceiling. "Fine..."
Ginny pulled out her wand and waved it, summoning a tray of hot chocolate and pumpkin cakes. "Talk away."
Hermione rolled over and took a cup from the tray. "I hadn't spoke to him since the night at the club, and when I boarded the train you, Ron, and Harry hadn't arrived yet."
...Flashback...
Hermione placed her on board bag in a compartment and made sure that Crookshanks was secure in his carrier before heading towards the dinning car. There were hardly any other students in the car, save three Slytherins, one of whom, was Draco Malfoy. Their eyes locked and Hermione froze in the doorway for a few moments, until Crabbe and Goyle turned to see who Draco was looking at. She then quickly seated herself in the closest booth and picked up a menu to block their view of her sudden blush.
"Go wait in our car." She heard Draco snap quietly to his goons, whom, within moments, trooped past her booth and out of the dinning car. "Well, well." A shiver ran down her spine as she lowered her menu and came face to face with Malfoy. "Hello."
"Hi." She knew her cheeks were bleeding red almost, and it got worse when another shiver ran down her spine at the thought of a hot and dark V.I.P. cozy.
"How have you been?" He asked casually.
Hermione fidgeted in her seat. "I've been fine, you?"
He nodded and smirked. "I've been fine. Busy since..." He trailed off, his eyes trailing to the open collar of her blouse.
Her cheeks were burning, and she closed her menu and buttoned her blouse where he was eyeing her, as she suddenly noticed, her exposed lace bra. "I should go." She stood up to leave.
Draco stood as well, "Wait." He stepped up and stopped her progress in leaving. "What happened that night," He started. "I feel like something...happened that we should probably talk about."
Hermione blinked. "Are you going to say that the alcohol and lack of better judgement got the better of us and we should probably not speak of it again?" She asked too quickly. "If so I can agree, it was stupid, sorry, nice having this chat." She turned again to leave.
"No," Draco followed her out into the connecting corridor and pulled her to him. "No, that's not what I meant."
"W-what did you mean then?" She asked.
"I meant everything that happened that night." He said smirking the suddenly alluring smirk that sent hot sensations throughout her entire body.
"Um..." She could see students boarding the train through the window, and she suddenly became very self concious. "Should we be talking about that here?"
Draco followed her gaze and slowly stepped back from her. "Are you embarrassed Granger?"
"No!" She said quickly. "I just...didn't know that you wanted to be...open about...what we did."
He shrugged. "I didn't say I wanted to. You obviously are afraid of what will happen if it comes out into the open, so why push that?"
"Oh..." She looked at the floor between them. She felt at a total lost of how to respond to him.
"Granger look, if you just want to ignore it happened, we can." Draco said sincerely. She blinked startled, and he leaned in close. "But to be honest I hope you will change your mind." He then left her to join Crabbe and Goyle in their compartment as the train began to fill rapidly.
...End Flashback...
Ginny's jaw had dropped as she spoke, and she now snapped it shut briefly. "He said that?"
Hermione nodded. "Want me to go on?"
Ginny nodded. "When did he suggest the weekends?" She demanded.
Hermione slightly rolled her eyes as she took a bite of a pumkin cake. "Well..." She said around the bite before chewing and swallowing with a following sip of hot chocolate. "That wasn't until later, a few months later. We'd, of course, had our usual encounters between Draco, Harry, and Ron. Usual banter and arguments, but he was more...careful to not really say much to me." She thought for a moment. "He did but he wasn't actually rude about anything."
"Ok, well when was his suggestion?" Ginny pressed.
Hermione sighed, thinking again. "When you were about to leave for Christmas break." Ginny eyed her. "He didn't leave either."
"Spill!" ginny pressed again.
...Flashback...
The thrill of the holidays rang around the castle as students prepared to leave for home, and those staying bid them farewell. Hermione had decided to stay, her parents had plans to visit family across country and sent their love and gifts which sat under the tree in Gryffindor tower. Hermione helped Ginny with her things as they left to join Ron and Harry at the carrages to leave for the train.
"Are you sure you don't want to come home with us 'Mione?" Ginny asked.
"I'm sure." Hermione said. "I've got a few studies I'd like to complete before the holidays are over and I think this time would be great to complete them."
Ginny shrugged. "Ok, well," She smiled. "I'll send an owl when we get home, and we will see you after the holiday."
"K." Ron took Ginny's bag as she hugged Hermione, and then stepped over with a smile.
"I'm going to miss you." He said hugging her as well.
Hermione smiled back. "I'll miss you too."
When he pulled back he leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss, which she froze under and blinked when he pulled back. "What is it?" He asked.
She shook her head. "Nothing." She lied, giving him another quick kiss. "I'll see you when you get back."
Ron smiled, feeling something was a little off. "I left my gift for you under the tree."
"You didn't have to get me anything Ron."
"Yes," He took her hands in his. "You're my girlfriend, and it's our first holiday as a couple I wanted to."
She smiled and hugged him. "Be safe." She pulled away, hugged Harry, Luna, and Neville, and retreated inside so that Ron didn't see the dismay on her face. She had gotten him a book by one of his favorite authors he'd told her about once, and given it to Ginny to give to him Christmas day. She was almost certain whatever he'd gotten her couldn't amount to a simple book, and she felt a little guilty as she watched them pull out of sight.
Later that evening she found herself in the library beside the fire with Hogwarts a History in her lap. She sipped casually on a hot chocolate and flipped the pages slowly as she finished each one. Though she had read the book hundreds of times it she still enjoyed the history of her beloved school. As she closed it to stretch and check the time she felt she was no longer alone.
Turning around she saw Draco leaning against a bookshelf, a coy smirk on his face. "Hello Granger."
"Hello Malfoy." She picked her book up and held it tightly against her chest.
"I see you didn't go home for the holiday." He noted.
"You too." She noted.
He chuckled. "Do I make you nervous now Granger?"
"What?" She was taken aback and couldn't help but laugh. "No, why would you ask that?"
"Because you've almost avoided me like the plague since the train."
Hermione laughed. "I haven't avoided you, we have three classes together, you still fight with Ron and Harry on a regular, how is that avoiding you?"
He laughed softly. "When you're alone you walk past me without a glance."
She studied him for a moment. "Are you...upset that we don't have anymore encounters than usual?"
He shook his head. "I was hoping by now you would have gotten back to me about our personal encounter."
She blushed, clutching her book a little more tightly to her chest. "Um," She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Malfoy I..."
"Wait." He moved towards her, and she took a tentative step back. "You know I meant what happened. I can't help but have feelings for you."
She blushed. "What kind of..." He closed the distance and pulled her into a slow and breathtaking kiss. She dropped her book unconciously. Draco pulled back slightly. "Feelings..." She finished in a breathy whisper, her eyes half closed.
He smirked, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "I hope you'll reconsider avoiding me."
"I'm not avoiding you." She said breathily.
He chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind." He brushed his lips against hers briefly, and then left her to her now sparatic and wondering thoughts.
...End Flashback...
Ginny looked as shocked as Hermione had felt. "That wasn't a suggestion though." She said outloud. "Why didn't you write me about any of this?"
"Because Ginny it was..." Hermione found herself at a loss again. Which was uncommon and beginning to get to her. "It was all confusing!"
"I'm sure it was!" Ginny exclaimed. "It was Malfoy!"
Hermione gave her a blank stare. "There's more."
Ginny refilled their mugs. "Go on." She sipped at the fresh chocolate like a child listening to their favorite bedtime story.
Unfortunately, the door to their room opened and their other three room mates appeared. "Later." Hermione whispered.
"I'm holding you to that." Ginny whispered back.
"Hermione, Ron's looking for you. He said meet him on the seventh floor it was important." One of the girls said.
Hermione looked at her watch. "But it's almost curfew."
"The you might want to hurry." Ginny said patting her leg. "No need to get caught out and about."
Sighing Hermione placed her own mug on the tray Ginny had summoned and left the room. When she reached the seventh floor, out of habit she walked towards the room of requirement. To her surprise the door was visible, and ajar. Pausing to see if anyone was around, she edged towards the door. Once there she slipped inside and closed it softly behind her. When she turned around she gasped at the room filled with roses of all breeds.
Ron stood in the middle of the room, smiling his goofy lop-sided grin. "Hi."
"Hi." She was awed by the room. "What's all of this?"
He pulled a box from behind his back. "Happy anniversary." He brought the gift to her, and opened it. Hermione gasped at the ring inside.
"Ron..." She looked up at him.
He shook his head. "It's not what you think..." He said softly. "I know how you feel about waiting, it's just a gift. To show you how much I love you."
Hermione took the ring out of the box. It was a simple silver band with pink and opal stones set in an oval cluster. It fit her right ring finger perfectly. "Oh Ron." She smiled up at him, and returned his kiss when he leaned down and touched his lips to hers. When she pulled back he looked confused. "It's really close to curfew Ron, we should get back to the tower.
"Mione," Ron reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She lied, thinking about this very room, and the secrets it held for her. "It's beautiful." She smiled again. "Thank you. I'm sorry I forgot." She admited openly. "I have been distracted lately."
He smiled at her again. "I don't need anything Mione. I just want you to know I love you."
The shock of his statement made her take a step back. "We should get back to the tower." She repeated softly.
He nodded and put his arm around her, grabbing a violet colored rose as they began to leave the room. Guilt began to tear at her heart, but she took the offered rose and smiled, leaning into his embrace as they walked back towards the common room. When Ron gave her a final chaste kiss before she darted up the stairs to the girls dorms, Hermione held back a heavy sigh of guilt. Ginny was waiting for her impatiently and gave her a look of worry when she entered the room.
Hermione couldn't say anything, she just held out her hand and let Ginny see the ring. Ginny stared at the ring, then up at Hermione, then back down at the ring. "Oh my god." Was all she could respond.
"I'm going to bed..." Hermione responded as she went over to her bed and began to change.
"But," Ginny walked over to her. "What you were telling me,"
"Later Ginny." Hermione pressed. "I'm really tired now and I need to sleep..." She changed quickly while Ginny nodded and laid down herself.
Feeling just as drained, Hermione fell asleep minutes after the lights dimmed and went out. Her dreams were torn and haunted between Draco and Ron. She awoke with a start the next morning and dressed quickly. She ran down to the great hall, searching the Gryffindor table frantically. When she spotted Harry and Ginny, she found Ron directly across from them.
"Morning." Harry greeted her.
"Morning." Hermione replied quickly. "Ron I need to talk to you."
Ron looked up at her confused, along with swallowing a mouth full of food with a little difficulty. "Ok?" He said quizically.
"Not here, come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.
He stumled after her and allowed her to drag him from the Great Hall. "Wait, 'Mione what's going on?"
"I can't accept this." She held the ring out to him once they were in a very sectioned off hallway.
He looked down at the ring in confusion and then back up at her. "Why?" Was all he could manage.
"Ron..." She was crying, she hadn't even noticed until the worry on his face began to show. "I can't accept it because I can't be your girlfriend anymore." At that moment, Draco Malfoy was crossing the entry way Hermione and Ron stood across from. He heard her and stopped, looking over. "I can't let you love me when I don't feel the same way."
Ron blinked, stunned in silence for a long time. "I-I don't understand."
"I've been lying to you and I can't do it anymore. I..." She crossed her arms and shifted uncomfortably. "I've been seeing someone else..." She confessed.
Ron shook his head, almost as if trying to recover from her slapping him in the face. "What? Since when?" Anger was beginning to grow in his voice.
"Since before you got back from Christmas break last year..." She swiped at the tears on her cheeks.
"Who?" He demanded.
Hermione looked up at him. "That's not important, I just can't do this anymore, I don't love you, I'm in love with him!" With that she ran off, leaving him alone in the hallway looking down at the ring.
Draco stared at Ron in shock until Ron looked up from the ring in his hands and looked around in blind silence. Before Ron could focus and notice him, Draco followed Hermione quickly. She'd headed for the staircase, so he figured there were only two places she'd go. The Gryffindor tower, or the Room of Requirement. He hoped it wasn't the tower with everything he had.
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A/N: Ok, there's part two, I hope it is not too much of a cliff hanger, but I will be writing more, there is an unfinished section I want to add now so, it will go on. ^_^ See you in part three! Distorter out!