Chapter 4

A stream of light broke into the window illuminating the dancing particles in the air. With the light filling up more and more of the room dawn broke and the warmth from the air outside flushed into Hermione's bedroom causing her to stir. Morning had arrived and Hermione had been extremely sad to wake up from her wonderful dream. Too bad it was just a dream she thought as she sat up and stretched. Hermione started getting ready and began contemplating her dream.

DREAM SEQUENCE

Hermione had just left the Great Hall after the Halloween feast and was walking back to her dorm when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her into an alcove. Hermione felt a clammy hand cover her mouth while another arm snaked around her waist, she felt warm breath against her ear causing goose bumps to erupt all over her body. "W- who's there?" the hand around her waist squeezed her close to the body behind her. The familiar feeling of warm breath on her neck made her shudder. "Hermione, it's okay its just me, Draco." Draco felt her body relax into his and she spun around to face him. Brown eyes met Grey. Hermione looked up into Draco's eyes and whispered, "Thanks for giving me a heart-attack." He was dumbfounded; he had lost all function of his voice and found himself staring into her endlessly beautiful eyes. Hermione froze as she noticed Draco staring directly into her eyes; evidently, he had lost all intention to reply. She felt his body move towards her and his eyes shifted to her lips. 'Oh my god. This is it!' Hermione mirrored his movement and swung her body into his. Draco lowered his head to rest against hers and breathed heavily. Hermione locked her eyes to his and as their lips met her eyes fluttered shut. The feeling was as though everything else in the world was gone, it had just vanished all that was left was her and Draco and the feeling of pleasure in her gut. He had kissed her. On cloud nine, Draco had lifted his arms to her waist and pulled her into resting against him completely. His head was so filled with thoughts but he pushed them all aside and focused on the fact that he was doing what he had wished to do since the 1st of September, he had kissed the one girl he had felt true feelings for, he hadn't known what those feelings were until the moment their lips brushed against each other. He loved her, truly loved her.

END OF DREAM SEQUENCE

Little did Hermione know that straight across the hall in a similarly lit room a lightly snoring Draco was enjoying the same blissful dream of a forbidden love. Little did she know that he felt the same way. But one thing she did know was that she would have to swat these feelings away, they were supposed to be head pupils and friends, feelings like this would ruin everything.

Draco woke with a start. WHAT THE HELL? He was gobsmacked. How could he think of Hermione this way, she had only just become his friend. Of course he had thought of her as 'pretty' since the Yule Ball but he had never thought of her in this way. He could not be developing feelings. It was not a Malfoy thing to do. Not that he was proud to be a Malfoy. Besides, even if he thought about her that way she'd never feel the same way. Would she? His mind started spinning, overcome with thoughts. He sat on the edge of his bed and slowed his breathing, telling himself not to over analyse. He calmed himself, collected himself and headed for the common room not prepared for what he was about to see.

In the common room Hermione was laying on the recliner with a small paperback book in her hand, she hadn't been bothered to change before she came out so she was wearing an oversized t-shirt which hung off of one shoulder exposing the corner of her silver lace bra. It stopped upper mid thigh and exposed more skin than was usual for Hermione even with her makeover during the summer. Her hair was tied loosely in a bun on top of her head and a few stray wisps of hair fell to frame her face. The freckles on her nose bunched together as she read, her eyes darting from side to side, line to line and suddenly they stopped moving. She sensed a presence in the room. She slowly lifted her eyes from the book after placing a finger to where she had stopped. Stood in front of her no more than five yards away was a shirtless Draco, ogling at her. He hadn't seemed to notice her looking up at him at first because his eyes were still drinking in her form. Her long toned legs, her exposed shoulder and bra, her careless hair. She looked gorgeous. By the time he had stopped ogling he looked to her face, which was over taken with a blush, and he noticed she wasn't looking at his face. She was staring with no regard, right at his toned stomach, her eyes tracing the 'v' leading to his boxers. He let out a slight chuckle and made his way over to her chair.

"Morning beau- 'Mione" he corrected with a red face.

"Morning Draco"

"How did you sleep?"

"Great" she lied, it had taken her hours to get to sleep the night before, all she could think about was him.

"Yeah, me too." He agreed, "What do you have first?" he sat on the recliner opposite Hermione.

"Actually I have a free period this morning, what about you?"

"Imagine that, me too!" Draco smirked knowing fully well he was supposed to be attending ancient runes.

MEOWWWW! There was a clatter from Hermione's room and Crookshanks flew out and onto Hermione's lap, tearing at her bare legs incredulously. For what seemed like forever he clawed, scratched, bit, dug into her skin and she could tell he was filled with a demon, possessed maybe but this was on her cat. There were so many bloody lines, cuts, bruises, gashes, bite marks forming on Hermione's legs and Draco had already grabbed the cat thrown it to the side and lifted her up, only to sit down and place her on his lap. Her face was panic-stricken and she blinked rapidly.

"Stupefy" He yelled at the bewitched cat, wishing he could have killed it then and there for hurting his 'Mione.

"Scurgio." Draco murmured under his breath, holding his wand to Hermione's injured thighs. This was a spell he used to use frequently after many of his fathers infamous beatings. The cuts faded and there was no trace of them on her skin.

"I- I have no idea w- what came over Crookshanks, Draco." Hermione began only to be cut off by Draco pulling her head into his chest. "Are you okay 'Mione? My god I have never been so scared in all my life and I grew up with Lucius." He heard a muffled noise. He quickly realised he was holding her so tightly she had her mouth pressed to his chest and couldn't speak clearly. She pulled back and leant forward resting her head against Draco's. It seemed all too familiar. He leaned in to kiss her but decided on the less risky approach raising his head half an inch and placing a kiss on the end of her nose. "Don't you ever scare me like that again 'Mione, I thought you were going to faint when you saw that blood,"

Dazed Hermione looked up and absentmindedly raised her hand to where his soft lips had pressed her skin.

"Thank you for healing me Draco." She murmured before lifting his chin and placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Thanks."

His whole body lost its stiffness and he held her for a moment, wondering whether she believed they were best as friends. One thing was for sure though. He saw the look in her eyes and he could tell, she loved him too. The only question was did she love him like a friend, like a brother maybe? Perhaps his dream may come true one day because maybe, just maybe she loved him the same way he loved her. He could only hope.