Seven Things

by astrogirl23

A/n: Hello guys! I just wanted to thank you for giving me a lot of good reviews, I really appreciate it! I just want to hug each and every one of you. Thanks again! So here's another chapter, as a token of my affection for all the lovely readers. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

Draco Malfoy discovered one rainy afternoon three things that he knew would change his life forever; first, that miracles do happen. Second, that patrolling during the early afternoon had more disadvantages than advantages. And thirdly, that Hermione Granger hated getting soaked under a thunderstorm.

The third he could personally vouch for, since he still possessed the bruises she had made on his arms, although the red hand mark her palm had made on his cheek had already disappeared.

It all started when he received the letter from his mother that Wednesday evening before their evening rounds. The day before he had the guts to do the most outrageous thing when he discovered another bloody fact to hate about her.

Her kiss.

Draco's grey eyes snapped open when he heard a tapping sound from his bedroom window. Blinking the bleariness from his eyes, he realized that he had fallen asleep again while reading the last chapters of his Defence Against the Dark Arts book. He really should avoid studying on his bed if he actually wanted to finish studying, he thought.

Setting the book aside, he stretched and hopped down his four-poster bed, peering over the window to check where the tapping sound came from. He then saw the familiar silhouette of their family owl, a grey tawny that frequently delivered missives from either Draco's mother or father.

Draco swallowed convulsively, a feeling of nervousness spreading in his stomach. It was the first time he would be receiving a letter from his parents ever since he went back to Hogwarts. He opened the window and let the owl in, giving it a quivery pat on the head as it held out its leg where the letter was tied to.

Taking a deep breath, he ripped open the envelope and unfolded the parchment.

Dearest Draco,

I have missed you so much these past months, my darling son. I am very sorry that we haven't been able to write to you since you arrived there, for reasons I am sure you already know of. Your father and I have been under house arrest, and our every move had been monitored by the Ministry. That included being robbed of the right to mail letters, even to our own son. Unless we have proven that we no longer want a part in the never-ending war, we would still be under surveillance. It was a wonderful thing that as of last night, the house arrest proclaimed on us by the Ministry has been lifted, and now we are finally free to contact you.

It greatly saddened me that the school did not allow you to come home for Christmas break, but I do hope that you have received the gifts your father and I sent you, late as they were sent ( I could just imagine the security checks it went through before getting there). I am very anxious to hear about how you are faring there, Draco. Have they been treating you well? I have heard that McGonagall had appointed you as Head Boy, which gave me and your father a shock; we then came to a conclusion that it is a form of test for you, to see if you had improved or will have room for improvement since the Final Battle ended. I know you would never disappoint us, darling. I'm sure you are doing exceptionally well there.

Another thing I just wanted to inquire about, is it also true that Potter's friend Hermione Granger is your fellow Head Girl? If so, are you two getting along? I do hope you would treat her civilly, Draco. Your father and I had signed a contract with the Ministry and McGonagall about our family's complete abolishment of our philosophy about the purity of blood. I know you've complained a thousand times before that you can't stand her; if you still feel that way, please set it aside until you graduate. It wouldn't do us any good if you offended one of the heroes of the war, darling.

Please write to me soon, Draco. Your father and I are most anxious to hear from you.

Your loving mother,

Narcissa

Draco's heart constricted with emotion as he gazed down at his mother's flowery script. He missed his parents so much. Feeling a sting of tears behind his eyes, he blinked furiously, not wanting to bawl his eyes out before his evening patrol with the Head Girl.

He read the letter one last time, savouring the words, before lovingly folding it and tucking it within the safety of his robe pocket.

"You're smiling," Hermione observed as he went down to meet her at their common room. "It's either because you finally finished studying for Defence Against the Dark Arts or you're happy to see me. I'm guessing it's the former rather than the latter, because you see me everyday but don't give out a smile as bright as that each time you see me,"

Draco grinned at her but did not reply. Somehow, he still could not bring himself to open up the topic regarding his family to her. Though he had already grudgingly accepted the fact that he loved her to distraction, there was still a part of himself that he withheld from her—his heart was enough to sacrifice, but his brain was another idea. No, he would never surrender wholeheartedly to Hermione, no matter how strong his emotions revolved around her.

"What is it?" she pressed, tugging at his robe sleeve as they slipped out the doorway of their common room. "Tell me, please?"

But Draco only shook his head, plodding ahead of her. "Is it Astoria?" she asked ten minutes later, her tone casual but cautious.

"Would it matter to you if it was her?" he could not resist replying in a voice that dripped with cynicism. He felt her halt on her tracks behind him, and heard her sharp intake of breath as well.

"Are you implying that I might be… jealous?" she inquired icily, and he half-turned to face her.

"Are you?" he challenged, and she turned scarlet.

"No," she snapped, pushing a classroom door open to check for any loitering student milling about. "Why should I be?" she flicked an annoyed glance at Draco, and he shrugged.

"Beats me. So quit your incessant questioning, before I get other ludicrous ideas," he drawled out, giving her a smirk to cover up the slight heaviness her words sent to his chest.

"I was just curious," Hermione mumbled. A rather uncomfortable silence filled the air after that, and Draco's light mood was gone. She really need not slap the harsh reality in his face that she would never want him, but then again, he deserved it, for baiting her into irritation.

"So… um, is it Pansy?" she asked timidly five minutes later, obviously unable to help her nosy self.

"No," he snarled, starting to get pissed off. Did she really think his happiness merely depended on girls? She made him feel like a shallow-minded, girl-obsessed git. "Can't you just mind your own business for one freaking second, Granger? You are seriously getting on my nerves."

She looked as though he had slapped her on the face; the colour drained from her cheeks, and she blinked at him, too slow to hide the hurt in her eyes.

"Right. Sorry," she whispered, turning away. Then her spine straightened, and she marched on ahead of him, completely ignoring his presence for the rest of their patrolling shift. Draco resisted the urge to grovel and beg for her forgiveness, for acting like a complete arse.

"Where are you going?" he asked when she turned her heel to the opposite direction from their common room.

"I hardly think it's any of your business," she answered curtly, not bothering to face him. She had barely taken three steps away when he grabbed her hand and forced her to turn to him.

"It is, if it involves the safety of my fellow Head Girl," he said in a hard voice. His heart clenched when he saw her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. She was spitting mad, alright. He could only wince at the burning fury in her brown eyes.

"Oh, so now you're allowed to meddle with my life, and I'm not allowed to do the same?" she asked furiously.

"Your safety is a different matter altogether from my privacy," Draco responded icily. "And I am hardly obligated to inform you of everything that's happening to me just because we became 'friends'," he could not help the bitter sneer that flitted his face. "And if you don't want to tell me where you're headed off, fine. Just try to keep out of trouble and stay alive until the morning so I won't get expelled by McGonagall for not caring enough about the well-being of the saintly Head Girl,"

Hermione's bottom lip trembled at his mean words, but she seemed determined not to cry in front of him. "I'm going to the Gryffindor common room, you unfeeling jerk! At least my friends there don't take it the bad way if I'm curious about their welfares!" with that she yanked her hand away from his suddenly slack grip, and stormed away to the opposite direction, her bushy hair flying behind her.

With a low curse, Draco stepped forward to follow her, then realized that nothing he could say right now would alleviate her anger. He just acted like a complete arse, so he could hardly blame her for stalking off. He might as well leave her to her real friends for the meantime.

With a heavy heart he trudged back to the Heads' common room, feeling quite lonely and frustrated. He would apologize tomorrow, he silently vowed. And probably share a bit of information about the good news his family just received, even if it made him very uncomfortable. Damn her, for demanding so much he wasn't ready to give.

He felt disgusted with himself for allowing her to take over him, making him weak with submission to whatever bloody thing she desired from him.

Worse thing is, she had no bloody idea.

Draco did not see Hermione the whole morning the following day, and he wondered vaguely if she was purposely avoiding him. When he finally caught a glimpse of her in the Great Hall with Ginny Weasley, she had her face averted to the direction away from him, very careful not to meet his gaze.

The final straw came for Draco when he found out she wanted to switch patrolling partners for the rest of the term from Blaise, who was not too enthusiastic at the possibility of being suddenly paired up with her.

"I'll speak to McGonagall," Draco muttered, and Blaise nodded in approval.

"You better, mate. I don't want to be stuck with her for the rest of the term," Blaise eyed Draco with a bit of disbelief. "I know for a fact that you're already immune to her, unlike the rest of us,"

And so Draco went to the Headmistress' office, highly incensed.

"This is preposterous, Professor!" he ground out, his fists tightening into angry curls as he faced the Headmistress in her office. "Surely you wouldn't allow it, the Head Girl is supposed to be paired up with me!"

Minerva McGonagall gave him a perplexed stare. "I thought you did not exactly want Miss Granger as your Head Girl, Mr. Malfoy," she said slowly, setting down her quill to give him her full attention. "She just mentioned that fact to me this morning. She mentioned maybe you'd enjoy having Mr. Zabini or perhaps a lower year prefect, like Miss Greengrass, as a companion for the evening rounds,"

Draco wanted to wring Hermione's neck for backing him down to such situation. He'd look like a complete idiot admitting that he preferred her company than any of the people McGonagall just mentioned. But if that was what the chit wanted, so be it. Damn her.

"I never said I didn't want her as my partner," he said in a low voice, and McGonagall's brows hitched up. "But if this is the arrangement she prefers, so be it." He said those words with a sense of finality, and the Headmistress eyed him with a trace of pity.

"Did you two have an argument?" she asked in a gentle tone that shocked Draco. Never had he dreamed that the wise old witch would speak to him in a tone other than sternness. "I had assumed that you and Miss Granger already got along, but it seems that something unpleasant happened between the two of you,"

Draco could only shake his head, unable to form a reply. He couldn't risk talking to McGonagall about such things; he knew she would be smart enough to figure out he had feelings for Hermione, and that would only make the situation worse.

"I'd like to be paired up with Astoria, if that's alright," he said gruffly after a moment of silence, and McGonagall looked sorely disappointed.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. If that's what you think is wise."

One reason why Draco preferred the late night rounds was because he did not have to keep an eye on the young ones from years one to three, who posed as unmanageable kids pumped up with too much energy and complaints than he cared to deal with. He felt like a baby sitter watching and scolding them, dropping them off to their correct common rooms when they got lost, and other petty things he preferred not doing.

The new arrangement McGonagall gave him though, included an afternoon shift, where the youngsters were either struggling to find their way back to their common rooms or were wreaking havoc in the hallways with Peeves. To his surprise, Astoria was terribly patient with the kids, restoring peace while Draco sulked at his misfortune.

"I assume you aren't too fond of children," Astoria commented as they strolled down the hall leading to the school grounds. He had been relieved when she did not press him for details when he showed up instead of Blaise. It was another thing he could compare her to Hermione against, her respect of his privacy. Well, Hermione did too, but she was pried on his private business more than he would allow a person to do.

"Yeah, I guess," he answered, looking bored. He watched idly the first-years running around the quidditch pitch, some who were practicing for their flying lessons. Astoria calmly asked a first-year Hufflepuff boy to stop throwing spit balls at the glowering Gryffindor sitting on the grass with a couple of female friends, mentioning that she might possibly dock points if he kept on doing it.

What caught Draco's attention however, was a Slytherin girl, sobbing her heart out as she sat on the bleachers, her small shoulders quivering. He left Astoria with the Hufflepuff boy and strode over to the little girl, who looked at him with watery green eyes, her nose red from crying.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to sound gentle and approachable. The little girl's eyes widened when she recognized Draco's face.

"I… I lost my cat," she finally managed to say between her teary hiccups. "I was just—I was just playing with her when I blinked and she—when she disappeared!" the little girl burst into hapless tears again, and Draco gave her an awkward pat on the head.

"Don't worry, I'll find your cat," he said determinedly, and she gazed at him with trust in her big green eyes.

"Really?" she squeaked out, calming down a little.

"Really," Draco answered. "Now tell me, how does this cat of yours look like?"

The little Slytherin girl was more than happy to describe her pet. "Bubbles is a white Siamese cat, with a black tail and paws! She also has a pink ribbon tied to her neck, with a small gold bell!"

Draco nodded, mentally taking note of the information the kid gave him. As he was making his way back to Astoria to inform her of his mission, heavy rain suddenly started pouring down from the sky, and everyone lounging on the grounds bolted up and ran for cover.

"I need to look for this little girl's cat," Draco told Astoria when they reached the roofed area of the quidditch pitch. He steered the little girl to make her stand beside the blonde prefect. "Just stay here, alright? I'll be back," without waiting for Astoria's response, he went out under the steady heavy pour of rain, towards the direction the Slytherin kid pointed where her cat disappeared to.

Draco was openly cursing as he shuddered uncontrollably against the cold, heavy rain. This would be the first and last bloody time he would be doing a damned heroic act. He heard a sharp, barely audible mewl of a cat near the lake, and he jogged onwards, ignoring the cold pelting rain soaking him from head to foot. This was the last time he would be patrolling in this bloody shift. After finding that damned cat he would be marching up McGonagall's office to switch him back with Hermione.

He let out a sigh of relief when he spotted the drenched cat cowering between the tall blades of the grass, shivering. Gingerly he picked up the poor animal, tucking it under the safety of his robes.

He nearly screamed like a girl when he spun around and saw Hermione standing in front of him, her hands on her hips, her sodden hair sticking to the sides of her face.

"You scared the hell out of me!" he yelled out through the loud pattering of the rain around them. Above them lightning struck, and they both flinched at the deafening rumble of thunder ahead. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Her voice shook from the freezing rain when she answered. "A—Astoria told m—me that you were out h—here, trying to act the hero and s—saving a c—cat in the middle of a s—storm,"

He was quick to notice that she was shivering madly, either from the rain or from the thunder. Concern winning over his pride, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him as he attempted to share what little warmth he could give her. She fought him off for a second, but gave up and snuggled to his chest.

"So I was," he tried to sound casual, but his voice came out shaky as well. "I've been trying to impress my fellow patrol-mate so she won't sack me like you did," he added in a tone full of irony and hurt.

"Well I'd say it's a foolish thing to do!" she glared, pulling away from him. "You could get struck by lightning if you stay out here too long!"

"So what? It's not as if you care about me. If I recall correctly, you were the one who kicked me out as your partner for the patrols like a heartless witch," he said sardonically, and she squinted up at him, absorbing the look in his eyes, which he knew contained bitterness and hurt.

"And you didn't even fight for it!" she said angrily, her voice rising. "Don't you dare pretend that I didn't do you a favour—I know how much you'd prefer Astoria as your partner! You would never go to these lengths just to impress me, like you would to her!"

Draco rolled his eyes, praying for fortitude. "Yeah, there's nothing more I'd enjoy than patrolling a bunch of brats who really try my patience! And please, quit acting like a jealous girlfriend over Astoria, because you don't even like me in the first place!" he shot back, getting just as livid as she was.

"I am not acting like a jealous girlfriend!" she snapped. "Stop deluding yourself, Malfoy,"

Draco shook his head disbelievingly at her. "Only if you stop denying yourself the truth, Hermione," his murmur was lost in the heavy fall of the rain, but she seemed to have heard him utter her name. Confusion flickered in her eyes, then it was gone.

"What truth? That I might possibly have feelings for you?" she gave a fake laugh, backing away from him. Somehow, her words and expression caused his calm façade to snap, and something inside him broke. Something unleashed the hidden emotions he had so carefully bottled inside the past months, causing him to act irrationally. Draco was so furious with the mocking look in her eyes that he yanked her back to him forcefully, causing her to crash into his chest with a thump.

"You are the biggest idiot I have ever encountered in this school!" he hissed, and her eyes grew wide with astonishment. "You are the densest, nosiest, most unbearable bitch I ever had the misfortune of falling in love with! I hate you, you filthy little mudblood! You are making me so fucking miserable! I want you to get the hell away from me, and give me my fucking heart back!"

He was breathing heavily after his short speech, and he abruptly let her wrist go, a horrified look on his face. Hermione seemed frozen in utter shock at his declaration, and when she was able to move, she gave him a sound slap on the face.

"Well I feel the same way for you, you insensitive bigot! Do you think I enjoy being in love with you? It's the worst sort of punishment I could ever have! It's unbelievable! It's—" the rest of her words were cut off when he had closed the remaining distance between them, his lips touching hers, and the world behind Draco Malfoy disappeared.

The only real thing for him at the moment was Hermione; he marvelled at the softness of her lips, the quiver of her cold hands as they hesitantly cupped the sides of his face, and the feeling of rightness as her small compact body huddled against him in a sweet embrace. She admitted loving him too, and it made him feel like he had conquered the world.

It seemed as though an eternity had passed when they finally pulled away from each other, both looking confused and awed at the same time; then Hermione clutched Draco's arms painfully when another roll of thunder clapped angrily in the dark sky.

"Oh my God." Hermione said, looking flabbergasted. "Oh my God. Oh my God," she looked as though she would hyperventilate from shock. she swallowed, blinked three times, and repeated her senseless litany. Her tirade halted when lightning struck again, followed by the angry bellow of the thunder. Hermione squeezed his upper arms again in fright, and she buried her face on his chest.

"Let's go back," he murmured into her hair, trying to absorb the trembling from her body, his fingers running soothingly over her arched spine.

"I hate thunderstorms," she whispered embarrassedly, letting him lead her back to the shelter of the castle.

"Then why did you follow me outside?" he asked, and she gave him a cross look. Right. She loved him. He gave a laugh then, pulling her closer to him, if that was possible.

Draco pulled out the shivering cat from his robes when they reached the castle, where the little Slytherin girl anxiously waited, Astoria standing calmly at her side.

"Bubbles!" the girl squealed happily, taking the cat from Draco. "Thank you very much!" she grinned toothily at him, then disappeared into the hall with her friends.

"It's a good thing you found her cat, Draco," Astoria said with a serene smile on her beautiful face. "Ashley has been very worried, Bubbles was a gift to her by her parents before she set off for Hogwarts,"

Draco nodded with a polite smile, wringing out the sleeves of his soaked robes. "It was also a good thing you stayed with her while I searched for her cat. Thanks, Astoria," he responded, and gave a slight start when Hermione cleared her throat.

"I think we better go up and change," she grumbled, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, I agree with her," Astoria said, reaching over to tuck back a wet lock of hair from Draco's face. "Go on, Draco. I'll see you around, I suppose,"

Draco watched with amusement as Hermione stomped up to their common room, leaving a wet trail behind her. He couldn't seem to let the fact that she was actually displaying a hint of jealousy sink into the peripheries of his mind. He had to admit, it made him feel triumphant.

She had run off to her room before he could catch up and talk to her some more. With a sigh, he went to his own room and took a warm shower, regaling the previous events in his head. Had he heard her correctly? Did she really love him back? The notion seemed so ridiculous he had to shake his head. It would take a miracle to make someone like Hermione love him. They shared too many differences, and just that mere fact of loving each other posed as a possible threat to their reputations and lives.

He also wondered how they would act around each other now that their feelings were out in the open. Would they continue to fight? Would he still live to see the daylight once Weasley and Potter found out? What would his parents do? And the biggest question was, would they make it official?

Draco was filled with anxiousness as he went down their common room after his shower. Hermione was nowhere to be found, but it seemed that she had left a note.

Draco,

I still have to finish some essays at the library, and I need to find an extra source for the research paper I'm doing for Professor Vector. I won't be back until late in the evening.

-Hermione

Draco did not need a clearer sign that she was purposely trying to evading him. He completely understood her action, for he himself was not yet ready to deal with the sudden turn of events. He had a nagging feeling that he would just be mucking things up the first chance he gets. Or she will.

He then distracted himself by replying to his mother's missive, informing her that he was in good terms with the Head Girl, but not elaborating any further. He didn't think his mother would be too happy to discover that he had fallen in love, with a muggle-born no less.

After that he busied himself with books and more paperwork, willing the slithering in his stomach to go away. He had been rechecking his Charms essay when he heard the common room door open. Hermione returned earlier than he had expected, and she flushed to the roots of her hair when their eyes met. She clutched the books she held closer to her chest, looking hesitant to speak to him. But after a split second, she did, her eyes choosing to settle on the letter he was holding instead.

"You know I'm absolutely dying to ask what that is, but since you don't want me snooping too much on your privacy, I won't," she announced seriously, and a smile tugged on one corner of Draco's mouth.

"It's a letter I wrote to my mother," he responded, and she looked astonished that he dared to answer her. "That was the reason I was smiling so widely last night—because I was finally able to receive a letter from my family,"

It hurt his throat to explain, but also a bit relieving to let out his side of the story. He could not read the expression in Hermione's eyes, but she had set down her books and had sat down beside him, sliding her fingers into his cold hand.

"I'm happy for you," she said with utmost sincerity. "I read it at the Daily Prophet this morning, that the house arrest has been lifted. I suppose that was the reason why they weren't able to write to you,"

"Yeah," he responded, tightening his grip on her fingers. For a moment they just sat there in comfortable silence, their fingers intertwined. Finally, he brought himself to ask the things he had been dreading to talk about.

"What do you suppose is going to happen to us now?" her fingers loosened at his words, and a morose look crossed her features.

"I honestly don't know," she whispered, a sad note in her voice. "I'm really sorry, Draco, but it's something I don't really fancy talking about. I'm still in the process of digesting it, I reckon,"

Draco gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it. "I feel exactly the same way. I never intended to let you find out. I… I never thought it would work out," Stomach churning with inexplicable emotions, he leaned over and gently wiped away a stray teardrop that had formed on Hermione's eye.

"This sucks," she mumbled, blinking. "I wish… I wish I could go back to hating you," she said, sending a knifing sensation to Draco's heart. He secretly wished for that as well… or maybe not.

"You want a memory charm to go with that?" he asked dryly, and she smiled a little.

"No… but really, Draco, this is a messy situation we're in right now," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "I think we should just pretend not to know how we feel about each other,"

"I'm game with that… if we start tomorrow, that is, and not tonight," he said huskily, pressing his lips lightly against her forehead. She gave a sigh and encircled her arms around his waist.

Hermione's eyes glittered with unshed tears, her lids drifting close as their lips met in another bone-melting kiss.

"Yes. Not tonight."

A/n: I hope these two didn't get too OOC or anything. They are pretty hard to capture, especially in such romantic scenes. So darlings, tell me what you think! I'd love to hear from you! A one-word review would be enough to make me smile. :)