Chapter Two: The Kiss

"Ron!" Hermione yelled.

Ron gave a start, the two girls he had his arms around also paused in their investigation of Ron's face and neck to look up into the face of a very shocked and upset Hermione.

There was silence.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled again.

"What?" Ron said trying to act like this was normal behaviour, which probably wasn't a very good idea.

"What are you doing?"

"Err… nothing?" Ron replied hopefully.

"Nothing?" Hermione yelled, "It doesn't look like nothing to me."

Ron's face was beginning to turn red.

"Well come on, do tell us why you are wrapped up in these two girls rather than meeting me for our date."

"You have a girlfriend?" One of the girls questioned, shocked.

"Oh my gosh!" gasped the other.

They both stood up and went to stand either side of Hermione.

"We are so sorry; he said he didn't have a girlfriend."

"Really, we had no idea; we wouldn't be here if we'd known."

Hermione looked at the sincere faces of these two girls. They really weren't to blame, and Hermione was prepared to believe that Ron hadn't told them about her. Heck! What did she care if they were lying anyway, her fight wasn't with them; it was Ron who betrayed her.

"So are you going to explain to this sweet young girl why you were cheating on her?" One of the girls demanded.

Ron gulped, this was not looking good, "Look Hermione, it was nothing really, it doesn't mean anything."

"Doesn't mean anything?" Hermione practically screeched, "Well let me tell you something, IT MEANS SOMETHING TO ME!"

Hermione started to walk towards the door but half way there she turned back and walked up to Ron. She slapped him across the face, hard, and then walked off out of the pub.

Hermione stormed off down Diagon Alley hoping that Ron wasn't following her. She finally stopped in front of Flourish and Blotts, her favourite shop in Diagon Alley. Naturally she went in; large amounts of books always calmed her down. She supposed it was because of all the nice neat order of books. They were so friendly to her, unlike some stupid red haired little twits she knew.

She walked over to the books on Potions and was fingering through a thick book on nastily difficult potions when she sensed someone walk up behind her.

"Piss off Ron," Hermione snapped, not bothering to turn around, "I don't want to talk to you."

"Hey, I resent that." the person behind her drawled.

"Oh I'm sorry," Hermione retorted, keeping her head in the book, "Piss off ferret boy."

"Much better," said Malfoy. Hermione frowned; she had expected a reaction. "But it's a free world and I think I'll stay. Now have you and Weasel had a fight?"

Before Hermione could think of an answer or an appropriate insult Ron appeared in the shop and spotted Hermione. Hermione simply rolled her eyes and began to walk away but Ron pushed past Malfoy and grabbed Hermione's arm.

"Hermione, we have to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you." replied Hermione trying to remain calm.

"Does anyone have any popcorn?" asked Draco, looking around him with a smirk on his face; he was going to have fun with this one. He wanted to enjoy the show.

"Shut up Malfoy!" Ron and Hermione said in unison. Malfoy glared.

"Hermione please just hear me out," said Ron desperately, "It was all just a big mistake, and like I said it didn't mean anything."

"How would you feel if I kissed someone else?" asked Hermione.

"Err… I wouldn't care." said Ron. His voice, however, said differently; he would care and he could not hide that.

"Oh really?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Care to test that?"

"You are not going to kiss anyone; I think that we both know that." Ron said smiling.

"Don't presume that you know anything about me." Hermione hissed.

"We've been friends for seven years and I know you well enough to know that you're not going to kiss the first guy you can lay your hands on just to spite Me." Ron was getting a little cocky about this whole thing.

All through this debate Draco was leaning casually on a bookshelf watching the action, his head flicked back and forth like he was watching tennis. When mention of kissing came up he looked a little worried; he was the only other guy in the bookshop.

"Ron, I don't want to be your 'girlfriend' anymore." said Hermione. Draco smirked at this; it was so nice to see two of his least favourite people fighting.

"Don't be silly Hermione; the chances of you breaking up with me are as likely as you kissing… Malfoy." said Ron patronisingly, "Now come back to the Leaky Cauldron and have lunch with me like we planned."

Ron began to walk towards the door.

"Ron," Hermione called out venomously. Ron turned around and noticed that Hermione was still standing next to Malfoy at the bookcase.

Hermione took a deep breath to summon up some courage then she grabbed Draco and pulled him into a kiss. She didn't just peck him either, it was a full on kiss, tongue and all. Draco considered pulling away but Hermione was quite forceful and although he hated to admit it she was a really good kisser. Hermione was soon lost in the kiss, it was incredible. She would never have guessed that Draco could be so… such a… wow! He was good!

By the time the kiss ended Ron had left the store. Draco lent back against the bookshelf in shock and Hermione slid down onto the floor and began to cry. Draco took a couple of minutes to get his head around what had just happened, and then he too sunk down onto the floor.

As much as he disliked Hermione, or at least claimed to, he couldn't with a clear conscience just leave her here like this.

"Aw, come on Granger," he said trying to be sympathetic, "Weasel's not worth this."

Hermione opened her mouth, "It's just that…" she shut her mouth again. She wasn't about to poor her heart out to a boy; no, wait, he wasn't a boy anymore; he was a man… Anyway she wasn't going to poor her heart out to the man she had been enemies with for six years.

"What?" Draco prompted.

"You're a really lousy kisser." she said, a smile forming through her tears.

Draco smiled too; he could tell she was only baiting him, "Care to give me another chance?" He said jokingly.

Hermione smiled and almost laughed but then she fell back into hysterical sobs.