SURPRISE! :) I wasn't planning on posting this chapter for a few days, but the reviews were so lovely I couldn't help myself! You probably won't get chapter 4 until Sunday night/Monday morning though. I am trying to type ahead of myself so that when finals week comes up, I can regularly update without taking up all my study time. I want to keep up the regular updates cause nothing pisses me off more than when I am all into a fic and the author takes weeks to post, or even a week to post. I don't want to be like that.
Also, not that it matters, but the other reason I posted early is cause I should be in a bad mood considering I just worked a 9 hour shift on black Friday and my feet hurt, but I have a date tomorrow! Eeep! I am so excited!
Thank you so much for the reviews! They make me giddier than a little girl on Christmas morning. If any of you have a story you'd like me to check out, either post the name in the reviews or PM me. I would love to read all your stories and review them. I'm going to finish chapter 5 now! - Valerie Ann
On the way to class, Hermione used as many warming spells as she could to try and dry out her clothes and hair. Often along the long walk to the dungeons she would catch someone staring at her. With one quick glare they would rapidly run down the nearest corridor.
By the time she arrived to the potions room in the dungeon, Hermione had managed to dry her clothes off completely and not only dry her hair, but use a calming spell to rid of any frizziness that reminded her of herself in first year. As far as she was concerned, she arrived to class a minute early and looking quite decent. She took her usual seat next to Harry, with Ron in front of them. Lavender was nowhere to be seen. Looking across the room, she noticed the empty seat where the pratty, blonde haired Slytherin usually sat, and hoped that he would somehow find a way to make it to class.
Class went on and ten minutes in Hermione realized there was no way Draco was coming. She wasn't even quite sure why she wanted him there. Soon the class was starting on the Awakening Potion, which if good quality, would be donated to the Hospital Wing. Hermione had brewed this potion before and knew it word for word by heart but couldn't even focus on the directions if she tried.
"Okay, wolfsbane… wolfsbane… damnit!" she muttered under her breath.
"Hermione, are you okay?" She looked up and Harry was across the table from her with a worried look on his face. She managed to look over at his cauldron and noticed his potion was the perfect color and consistency that the book stated it should be at right now. Hermione's potion almost looked as bad as Ron's did. "Earth to Hermione!" Harry said while waving his hand in front of her face.
"I am bloody perfect Harry. No need for the obnoxious gestures." She wasn't quite sure if her tone came out of spite for that damn potions book that has been getting him perfect marks all year, of if she was still frustrated by her recent incident in the bathroom with Malfoy. As soon as class was over, Hermione got up from her seat and walked out of class without a word to Harry, hoping this would give him a chance to talk to Slughorn about some memory he needed to get from him.
It had been two weeks since Draco had kissed Hermione in the Prefect's bathroom. Or did she kiss him? She was so confused. Every day at each meal she would stare across the room at the Slytherin table hoping to see a flash of blonde hair, or a smirk that seemed to be meant for her, but she never came across either. Some days she would even skip going down to the Great Hall and just ask Ginny to bring her something back. She didn't want to go down to the first floor only to be disappointed again. After 14 days, she could no longer stay in this funk. Maybe that was why Malfoy kissed her? To simply mess with her head. It all made sense now. Had Draco caught on to the fact that Harry was following him, and figured Hermione could buy him some time? She was not a woman to be used and thrown away.
Hermione marched down to the Great Hall for dinner. As soon as she walked through the large doors, she saw the flash of blond hair. She glared in his direction then walked over to her usual spot at the Gryffindor table. It was a lot easier to stay for meals now that Ron and Lavender had broken up and she and Parvati had taken to sitting at the far end of the table throwing occasional glares in Ron's direction. There was still tension at the table though considering all Dean and Ginny had done as of late is fight, yet for some reason they still sat next to each other, angrily silent and causing a gloomy cloud to form over their end of the table. Harry looked oddly happy though every time he looked over at the clashing couple. As he was still smiling, Harry leaned over the table closer to Hermione, and whispered his plans for tonight. He was going to take some of his Felix Felicis he had won in Slughorn's class earlier in the year, and hope to get that un-tampered memory out of him.
Hermione couldn't focus on what he was saying, and cut him off. "Harry, since you'll have the Felix tonight, do you think I could possibly borrow the Marauder's Map?"
"Er, sure Hermione. May I ask what for first?"
"I just figured since you won't be able to keep an eye on the castle like you do every night…" Harry looked at her curiously, "Oh come on, we all know you fall asleep with that map in your hand after staring at it for hours on end. I just thought you'd be busy tonight so I can be the watch."
"Okay. Watch for Malfoy though, if he isn't show up on the map that means he is in the Room of Requirement. As far as I know, that is the only room that isn't marked on the map and he has seemingly disappeared a lot over these past few months, even more so over the last few weeks. I don't know what is going on, but after I get done with this job for Dumbledore, I am going to figure it out." Harry said with a serious tone, and he was one to keep his word when he made that kind of statement.
"Well you have bigger things to worry about tonight Harry. Go on! It's nearly six and you should probably grab what you need from your dorm before it gets crowded," stated Hermione. She wasn't sure if her tone would possibly give her away. She hated lying to Harry, as it was a rarity for her.
After dinner instead of sticking around and talking to Ron like she was originally planning, she ran upstairs acting as though she was heading to the Common Room, but instead veered off when she hit the 7th floor and wandered down the corridor. She had the Marauder's Map in her robe pocket and was getting ready to pull it out when she noticed a first year Slytherin girl standing to the side of the wall that let into the Room of Requirement. The girl looked bored, and was holding a pair of scales. Before the girl noticed her, Hermione case an Avis charm, then combined it with Oppugno, so the birds she had created out of thin air chased after the little girl, pecking at her as she ran away with a manly scream. She dropped her scales on the way and just before they hit the ground, Hermione cast a hover charm, then Accioed them in her direction. They floated right up to her hand and she gently set them down and waited.
After waiting for an hour, Hermione was getting bored. "Homenum Revelio," Hermione whispered and quickly realized that there was indeed someone in the hidden room before her. Doing a quick check of her surroundings, she sat in the corner a few feet from the entry to the room, cast a disillusionment charm and brought out the Marauder's Map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
And with those simple words the map revealed the placement of everyone in Hogwarts. Harry was in Hagrid's hut with Slughorn and Hagrid, Ron was pacing in his dorm and Ginny and Dean were sitting on opposite sides of the common room. Hermione searched the entire map but couldn't find Draco anywhere. She tied her messy hair back into a loose ponytail and removed her school robes to reveal that she was just wearing jeans and a white singlet with a light blue jacket over it. She always figured if no one would see her clothes, she might as well dress comfortably. She used her robe as a cushion to sit on the cold, stone floor and resumed waiting. Within minutes of sitting she heard a creaking noise, and looked up to see that a door was forming on the previously rock hard wall. After it had completely formed, and tall, pale figure peeked out the door, then stepped out and closed it behind him. He had a stressed look on his face and the bags under his eyes had become even darker since Hermione had last seen him.
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted quickly. If she was going to pop out of nowhere, she didn't want him to have his wand at hand. That could end badly, especially with the mood he seemed to be in.
Draco turned around to see who had disarmed him. "What the fuck are you doing Granger? Give me back my wand!" he demanded
"First, you tell me what the bloody hell you were doing in there, Malfoy!" Hermione scoffed back at him.
"I thought the unwritten rule was that we don't answer to each other." He said coldly.
"If you want your wand back, and not broken beyond repair, then I recommend you start talking. Where have you been these last two weeks? I am not one of your tarts who you can just kiss and then forget about. Why did you even kiss me? Am I just a part of your ploy, or whatever it is that you're doing?" Hermione tried to keep the tears out of her eyes. He wouldn't win. If that was his plan, he would have to save it because Hermione Jean Granger is stronger than that.
"Hermione… I-"
"Oh so we're back to a first name basis now!" Hermione cut off Draco, before he could explain.
"Will you stop being such a stubborn prat and just listen to me! You were never supposed to be involved in this. Don't you get it? This is way bigger than you and me. I don't regret kissing you but the fact is, I shouldn't have done it. Especially if I knew you'd be following me around at this hour. I kissed you because I wanted to. Not as part of any plan or whatever it is you are suggesting that I am doing, but I assure you, it was never about you." Draco looked almost sad as he finished.
"Then what is it about Draco?" She asked softly, while walking towards him and holding out his wand, "I may have been wrong about a lot of things, but it's kind of hard when it seems as though you've been deliberately avoiding me. What did you expect me to think? Also, don't act as though I am daft, just tell me the truth. Please?"
"Hermione, I'm saving you by not telling you the truth. I never meant to avoid you, I've been very busy and I'm sure you were confused after our last encounter, because I am too. But, I want you to know you're practically all I've thought about in the last two weeks, and it's selfish of me. I have too much going on right now and the last thing I need is to involve you." He grabbed his wand out of Hermione's hand and turned to walk down the hall when she grabbed his hand.
"So that meant nothing to you, is that it?" She couldn't stop the tear falling down her face. She wasn't even sure why she was crying. It wasn't usual for Hermione to feel like this. It took her years to have feelings for Ron but one kiss from Draco and all those feelings drifted in the opposite direction. She looked up to see that he had turned back towards her. He wrapped his arms around her as she leaned her head against his muscular chest.
"Don't ever think that Hermione. Please. I'm sorry, for all of this. I just didn't want to make this worse than it already is. I thought if I stayed away you'd think nothing of it, even though it's all I think about."
"Do you mean that?" Hermione said with a shaky voice, letting her tears fall onto Draco's black v-neck shirt.
"Of course I do."
"Then maybe you can explain to me what this is?" At this time Hermione let her arms drop back to her sides, and Draco did the same. She stared up at him, noticing he slightly towered over her height.
"I can't say I have an answer…"
"Then just answer this. It's simple, and don't you dare say 'because I wanted too.' Why did you kiss me?"
"I know it'll make no sense to you, but I've wanted to kiss you since fourth year. I know I made your life hell and it kind of is my defense mechanism. You were right the other day you know." He paused for a moment and grabbed her hand in his. "I do hold a grudge against Potter. He didn't want to accept my friendship and he has always gotten the attention. Most of the teachers love him, the community loves him and he is never forced to do anything, he does it because he believes it is right. I was jealous of you because no matter how hard I tried, you were better than me at everything but flying a broom and I hated the Weasel cause of the way you looked at him. Like he was some courageous man and it made me feel like shit to feel beneath him.
"Everything I was taught growing up turned into a lie when I started school here. I was taught muggles were beneath me, you proved that wrong. I was taught only the pure bloods deserved status. Harry proved that wrong. I was told riches were everything, Weasley proved that wrong. My family's name may be feared but the truth is we're all cowards. My father is a coward, my mother should have left ages ago but she is a coward, and last but not least, I am a coward."
"I don't think you're a coward Draco." Hermione was looking right into his eyes and before she could even say another word, Draco had her face in his hands and was leaning down to kiss her. It started soft but soon his hands slid down to her hips and her hands were in his hair. This time the kiss wasn't fierce, but it just showed their longing for one another. Draco again tasted the peppermint on Hermione's lips and beckoned her to open her them by sliding his tongue across her bottom lip. Hermione gave in without a struggle. Draco needed her and pulled her body as close to his as he possibly could, he then lifted her and moved her legs around his waist. This was the first time in a while he was able to forget the vanishing cabinet and how weak he felt. She made all darkness around him brighten up with light like a patronus in a cloud of dementors. Her body felt so warm against his, he needed more. He moved so her back was against the wall and he parted his lips from hers, only to start moving them down her neck to her collarbone. Hermione let out a slight moan and kept her eyes closed.
"Hermione, HERMIONE!" A voice belted out. It sounded so close, as though the person who the voice belonged to would turn down the corridor and see her with Draco at any second. Hermione's face suddenly gave a panicked look and Draco let her release her legs and slide down the wall to solid ground.
"You better go." Draco stated, not actually wanting her to leave.
"Not without you." And with that Hermione grabbed his hand and started to run towards the stairwell. Draco followed cautiously, but at a quick pace, wondering where she was dragging him.
"Alohomora!" Hermione whispered and a seemingly unused classroom door opened. As soon as she let go of his hand and shut the door, Draco couldn't see a thing and didn't move out of a childhood fear. He hated darkness.
"Hermione, what are you doing?"
"Oomph! There we go." Then he could feel Hermione at his side again pulling him along for a few feet. Suddenly, it felt as if she was slowly lifting of the ground. Before he could pull her down, thinking he'd be saving her, she opened a door in the ceiling and pulled herself through it. The empty classroom flooded with a ray of moonlight through the ceiling door and in that light, Draco could see a rope ladder that Hermione must have climbed to get to it.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" She exclaimed impatiently.
Next chapter is titled "The Tower" if that helps you at all. Sorry for the cliffhanger. Love you guys! Look for the chapter in the next few days and REVIEW! :)