Hermione was rather eager to get to her first Transfiguration class of the year. But as she peered down her schedule, memorizing it, she saw they had it with the Ravenclaws, and Slytherins. She bit her lip hard. She was still embarrassed and confused about her dream. Why didn't Ron or Harry save her? Deep down, she thought she knew the answer, but she shoved it from her mind. Impossible. Untrue. She shook her head and took a deep breath. It doesn't matter, she told herself, why should it? And she tried to ignore these thoughts as she looked through the rest of her schedule. But his angelic face, his mesmerizing eyes, his soft hands, they were impossible to forget. What's happening to me?
"Hermione!" a voice called out of the blue. Hermione jump out of her seat in surprise. "Come on, Hermione, we'll be late!" Harry said, beckoning to her from outside the portrait hole, Ron already speeding down the stairs.
"Yes, yes! Sorry!" Hermione mumbled, quickly following Harry, her long robes swishing behind her.
"Hermione, you ok?" Harry inquired as they went down the stairs.
"Of course," Hermione lied, looking back at him innocently, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You just seems a little, I don't know, dazed?" Harry said with a confused look.
"Well, I'm fine," Hermione said, reassuring him. Harry, easily satisfied with this, struck up an animated conversation about the Quidditch season which they talked about until they reached the classroom. Hermione bit her lip again, nervously.
"Something wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked, once more.
"Nothing, nothing." she quickly said and entered the room. She was relieved that the Slytherins weren't here yet. She opened her book and skimmed the chapters quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw to the Slytherins enter the classroom. Her eyebrows scrunched up in futile effort to concentrate. Draco sat down just a foot away from her. Nothing but empty space between them. Hermione pulled on a lock of her hair in frustration. Shit! Just my luck, she thought bitterly. She scanned the room for any empty seats, but there were none. Suddenly McGonagall entered the room and called the class to order.
Draco still immensely tired from the night before, due to the fact he had gotten no sleep, tiredly got up and clumsily dressed, and headed for class. He was not fully aware of his surrounding until he had seen Granger right next to him. Damn it! He had made a plan last night to avoid her completely. But he was sitting right next to her. He looked around, no empty seats. He cursed under his breath angrily. Whatever, he thought as he swallowed uneasily, it shouldn't matter....
"Now students, you are approaching your OWL year, this year in particular is essential..." McGonagall's voice drained away as Malfoy started glancing at Hermione. He kept noticing new things about her. Her cheeks were tinted a ruddy color, almost like red wine. Intoxicating and beautiful. Her curls fell over her face in the loveliest way. She reached to put a stray lock behind her ear. His hand impulsively reached out to do it for her. It was halfway to her face before he realized what he was doing. He suddenly dropped his hand, his face turning red. Unfortunately, she had seen as well. Her eyes looked into his, shocked and confused. Suddenly they became wide with realization and she stared down at her books. Her cheeks turning redder, looking more stunning than ever. He also noticed something else. She was trembling.
Hermione was feverishly copying down notes as McGonagall continued her lecture, but her hair kept getting in the way. she pushed most of it behind her hair but one stubborn lock still stayed. She reached to put it behind her ear, before she saw a pale hand reaching out toward her. Almost... almost to do it for her. She looked at Malfoy in disbelief. Is that what he wanted to do? Why is he like this? Is this another dream? Her head was dizzy with this shock and more questions. And the hard questions she needed to answer herself. What do I feel? Do i care about him? Their eyes met again, stormy grey with chocolate brown, almost as if the earth and the sky had been united.
Both confused.
Both entranced.
Both feeling something they did not recognize.
END OF CHAPTER 3