Aah, the amount of story hits is sky-rocketing with each chapter (Yay!). Keep commenting please, and currently I am replying to all your reviews. Now, hold on to your seats, this story is about to take off!
Ron and Harry were waiting for her in the common room when she got back.
"Where have you been, Hermione?" asked Ron, trying to sound nonchalant, his expression curious.
"I took Malfoy to the hospital wing," She said, matter-of-factly. Ron's mask broke.
"Are you kidding me? After what he did to you?!"
"What did he do to me, eh?" Ron's face froze.
"Well, he, uh..."
"Exactly." Ron flopped into a chair, looking annoyed, but defeated.
"Are you sure you want to get into this. 'Mione?" Harry was different to Ron in that way. He asked deeper questions, concerned for his friend, rather than riding her over her own decisions.
"I'm not getting into anything, Harry. I just helped someone who needed it. There are only a few exceptions to who you should be allowed to leave unconcious in the cold, and Malfoy is not one of those."
"Well, okay then."
Ron looked incredulously at Harry, "That's it? You're just letting her off the hook? This is Malfoy we're talking about."
"What hook, Ron? She was right in bringing him back to the school."
"It's still Malfoy. Why is she cozying up to him all of a sudden?!"
"I'm not 'cozying up', Ronald." She snapped, before pushing past Harry, and dashing up to her dormitory, trying to hide the crimson blush that had filled her cheeks.
"Bonkers, completely bonkers," She heard Ron mutter as she fled the room.
Confused was probably the best word to describe the way Hermione felt over the next few days. Draco Malfoy kept on throwing her half-smiles each time they passed.
A week later, Hermione found herself in one of the girls' bathrooms, one hand propping herself up against a sink, the other slowly kneading her temples, trying in vain to rid herself of the image of him from the backs of her eyes, like an image burnt into a TV screen. And the picture only became clearer at night, so detailed that she could pick out the flecks of black in his winter grey eyes.
She needed to get him out of her head, the sooner, the better.
She splashed water over her face and headed for the library.
"Hello," He spoke from the chair on the other side of the desk. She squeaked in surprise, and Draco couldn't help chuckling.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I frighten you?"Her eyes narrowed.
"What do you want, Draco?"She asked, irritated. His eyes widened in surprise.
"What?"
"You called me Draco." he said, still a little shocked.
"Yes, so?"
"It's probably the first time you've used my first name, that's all."
"Oh. It's not such a big deal; you seem to call me Hermione now, all of a sudden."
"Yes, I suppose that's true," He examined his fingernails as he spoke.
Neither of them spoke for a long time, and Hermione's eyes drifted back down to the book beneath her hands, while Draco sat silently, contemplating.
"I came to talk to you," He said, eventually, startling her slightly once more.
"About?"
"The alley in Hogsmeade,"
"It is a nice alley, a little plain, but nice all the same," She joked, trying to avoid the subject he was obviously aiming for.
"Funny," He sniffed, "You know what I'm talking about."
"Yes, I do. What about it?"
Draco's lips tried to form words, and he genuinely blushed. Hermione tried to hold back a giggle. Then realised that maybe she would have to speak first.
"I haven't stopped thinking about it," She whispered, trying not to speak so quietly that she would have to repeat herself. She was surprised at herself; this was something she had not even admitted to herself. Draco looked up in surprise, and his eyes met hers.
"Honestly?"His eyes seemed to glow with the question. She tried to look down again, but he hooked a finger under her chin. She gulped.
"Yes,"And with that word, he leant across the table, and pulled her face to his. Their lips met, and sparks seemed fizz between them, sending shivers down her spine. His lips were gentle, though less hesitant than her own. Her thoughts and any warnings her mind might have gathered up to stop her lay scattered, cast aside. Her hands moved to the back of his neck. He groaned slightly. Someone nearby in the library coughed, reminding them where they were. Draco whispered "Me too," in her ear, before pulling away.
"How about...a date?" He suggested, a coy smile twisting at the edge of his mouth. Hermione bit down on her bottom lip.
"I dunno, Draco, I mean, what would people think if they saw you with me?"
"Er...lucky guy?"He teased. She raised her eyebrow. "Ok, fine, a secret date?"She sighed.
"Ok, fine." Nothing would please her more, but she wasn't about to tell him that, even if the look in her eyes suggested that he felt the same way.
"How about Tuesday, at, say, six o'clock? On the other side of the lake?" He suggested.
"That sounds...secret," she confirmed, "Now, be off with you, I have work to do, and people can come to the most ridiculous conclusions about two people they see together in the library..."
He could've skipped out of the library, but he managed to suppress that urge, expressing his glee through his broad grin, instead. Once in his common room, he collapsed over the back of a black leather sofa, so his head hung near the floor, and his knees were hooked over the seat back. Teddy Nott had been sitting, working at some potions work, but now looked down at the upside-down Draco, who was still grinning like a madman.
"By Gods man, are you possessed?" He asked, sounding jokingly alarmed. Blaise came over to see what was going on.
"Is he diseased?" He asked Teddy, playing along with the old-fashioned english. Malfoy giggled.
"For sure, this behaviour is most abnormal," Teddy shook his head.
"I am in love!" Draco sang happily. Teddy and Blaise shared a look.
"Right, either Master Draco here has been slipped something, or he's had one too many fire whiskeys, and as he's not breathing flames currently, I think we may have to assume the former." Draco pulled himself around, so he was upright once more.
"No seriously, guys, I am!"
Teddy raised an eyebrow, "You haven't been staring at pictures of Zabini's mum again, have you?"
Blaise cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Watch it, Nott, or your mudblood father could be in trouble."
Teddy grinned apologetically, then turned his eyes back to Draco's face. His cheeks were uncharacteristically flushed, his eyes sparkling. "So who's the girl, or guy," he added, "I'm not here to judge."
Draco bit his lip, he wasn't really supposed to say yet, they were a secret, after all. "I can't say. But she's amazing, beautiful, intelligent, everything," He sighed, happily.
"And she is real, right?"Blaise asked. Draco's eyes narrowed.
"Yes! She's also an amazing kisser," He gushed. Teddy wooped, while Blaise started at him, suspiciously.
"Right, Draco, now you really are starting to worry me. You come back from Hogsmeade all, well, high, after getting beaten up, of all things to be happy about, then today you burst in all flushed, declaring you're in love, and gushing about her being an amazing kisser?! Have you gone soft?"
"Why did Potter and Weasley beat him up?"Teddy asked, curiously.
"Oh, they thought he was attacking Granger, in Hogsmeade," Blaise told him, matter-of-factly, and then froze. Oh crap.
"You're in love with Granger?!" Teddy was astounded.
"What?! How did you come to that conclusion?" Draco asked, panicked.
"Weasley attacked you because he thought you were attacking Granger, right," Draco nodded uncertainly, "Well, you said thought, meaning you weren't. And Weasley is still very protective of her, is he not? Especially after they dated and all. So, you must have done something other than attack her to make him angry, so...you kissed her. It wouldn't be unreasonable to suspect that as well as actually fall in love, you would fall for a muggle-born, you've changed so much since the war." Damn, he was sharp.
"Not. A. Word." Draco hissed at Teddy. He was in way too deep. If Teddy or Blaise spread this around, he would be a dead man, and Hermione would never speak to him again. Nott held his hands up, defensively.
"I won't, I won't. And neither will Blaise, will you Blaise?" Blaise seemed to want to object, but Teddy elbowed him in the ribs, hard. Draco nodded, and walked towards the dormitories.
"I can't believe he's going out with a mudblood," Blaise muttered darkly from behind him. Without a second thought, Draco spun around and flew at Blaise, knocking him to the floor, and hit him in the face. Something crunched beneath his fist. He pulled himself of Zabini, giving him a disgusted look, and strode out of the room, his hands fists at his side.
"Well, at least that confirms that the real Draco is still there, somewhere." Teddy's voice wandered after him. He dug his nails deeper into his palms.
Ginny came and sat beside her at breakfast the next day. Hermione almost choked on her drink.
"What?!" She spluttered.
"Draco Malfoy."
"What about him?" She tried to sound casual.
"Oh come on, Hermione!" Her red-headed friend sounded exasperated, "It's so obvious! He's been giving you these weird looks for ages, and over the past week, you've been returning them, before disappearing into this little world inside your head for the next hour or so," Ginny stifled a giggle.
"I haven't, have I?" Hermione's cheeks flushed crimson.
"Yes, it's quite amusing really."
"And you're not...angry? That, I er, like him?" She asked, nervously.
"Angry? No. I was a little surprised at first, of course, but I mean, the heart wants what it wants, right?" Hermione smiled to herself. Yes, that sounded about right.
"But Herms, are you sure he's changed that much?" Her concern mirrored her boyfriend's.
"He has." She said, firmly.
"Well then, that's good enough for me," She beamed.
"Well, let's see if it's good enough for Ron,"
"Good point," Ginny laughed, before running to catch up with Harry, who was just leaving.
To be honest, Hermione didn't mind Ginny knowing. It was nice not to have everything secret anymore, or at least not completely.
"Hello," his voice spoke, soft in her ear. The sound sent shivers down her spine, and her heart beat frantically in her chest.
"Hi," She breathed. He chuckled lightly at her reaction.
"You know, I kind of like this," he laughed quietly.
"Like what?" Her heart refused to slow.
"Your...reaction to me," he whispered seductively, his breath hot against her ear. He ran a finger lightly down her spine, chuckling again as a shiver ran through her.
"I hardly think this is appropriate behaviour in a potions supply closet, Malfoy." She said, coldly, annoyed that he had discovered the power he help over her.
"Fine." She turned to look at him, but he had already rejoined his friends in the classroom. She would have to talk with Ginny later, to try and find a way to give her the upper hand. She would try and get it back tomorrow, at their date. She gulped. Tomorrow was too soon, but too long to wait, as well.
She sat on the end of Ginny's bed, her legs folded beneath her. They were the only two in the dormitory, luckily.
"Right, so you want to try and get back that...power you seemed to have over him, right?" Hermione nodded.
"You do you get Harry under your spell, so to speak? I've seen the way he looks at you..."
"Ah, well, there's three things to it; feminine charm, temptation, and playing hard-to-get."
"So...act flirty, dress sexy, leave hanging?"
"Exactly!"
Hermione fretted in front of the mirror. She was wearing black skinny jeans, and a blue sweet-heart tee.
"Ginny, I'll freeze in this!" She whined.
"'Mione, are you honestly trying to tell me you know no spells for keeping yourself warm?!" She blushed. She did, but magic had skipped her mind in her panic. She muttered the spell, and felt a warm glow spread through her limbs. Another incantation and her hair softened, and its curls bounced slightly. Resorting to muggle methods, she applied a couple of layers of mascara and some lip-gloss, and turned back to Ginny, who was waiting patiently for her to finish from her bed.
"How do I look?" She asked, anxiously.
"Malfoy won't know what hit him," Ginny grinned, "Now; you don't want to keep Blondie waiting, do you?" Hermione shook her head, feeling slightly dazed. Ginny jumped off the bed and steered her towards the door.
Alright, thought Hermione, here goes.
Her heart was somewhere in her mouth as she descended the front steps of the school. Part of her brain was screaming at her to turn back, but it was quickly shouted down by the part of her that desperately wanted him alone.
The evening was quiet. The sun had not quite set yet, and birds were singing. A light breeze played across the otherwise still surface of the lake. The scene calmed her frayed nerves, and her heart slowly descended back into her chest, only to start beating at triple time at the sight of Draco Malfoy, standing with his back to her, a mere fifty feet away.
This was it; turn back now, before he noticed her, or go and join him.