Chapter 4

Hermione was a good deal taken aback by this statement, blinked several times before managing to stammer, " Wh-what?"

Malfoy stared down at her. "This is what you meant ?" he asked "when you said you already knew. Isn't it?"

Hermione was blushing deeply now. Oh what a fool she had been to think he was in love with her! Of course he'd only meant to wreck the one happy thing in her life at the moment. Draco Malfoy in love with her? Perish the thought.

But it had to be said that she did feel a twinge of disappointed that it was not so…Which of course made no sense whatsoever, since she was in love with Harry. What did she care how Malfoy felt about her?

"Of course that's what I thought you meant," Hermione said in a voice she thought was convincing enough. "What else could you have meant?"

Malfoy blinked twice. "I don't know" he said "But you certainly seem cool enough about it"

"Well it isn't exactly something new, people try that all the time and anyway I know I can trust him and that's that! I'm leaving." She started walking towards the door while thinking, even if Malfoy was telling the truth and she saw no reason why he might lie about it, when such a thing could easily be checked. She carried on her train of thought when it was interrupted by a firm grip planted on her right shoulder. Hermione turned and opened her mouth to speak but was too slow as Malfoy got there before her. "Hermione I would never tell you that you are wrong," Hermione let out a brief snort. Malfoy ignored her. "However I would urge you to consider very carefully whether Potter is the right guy for you" Hermione parted her lips to protest this…

But forgot everything she'd been about to say when she found one of her hands caught up in Malfoy's. Looking down at her slim fingers on his much larger ones, she felt for some reason her breath catch in her throat.

This of course was perfectly ridiculous, because she didn't admire or even like Draco Malfoy, he was just a rude interferer and sadly he was intent on interfering in her business.

That fact and that alone was undoubtedly why the moment Malfoy's fingers closed over hers, Hermione's pulse grew short and her cheeks hotter than ever. Why just who did Draco Malfoy think he was?!

"It would be a shame," he went on keeping a firm grip on the hand that Hermione was trying to slip from his grasp. He did not seem to notice… or care anyway. "a burning shame," he added forcefully " if you were to align yourself to a man as selfish as Potter."

Hermione found herself – beyond all reasoning, and much to her horror – being pulled hypnotically towards Draco Malfoy … it was completely illogical but there it was and there didn't seem to be a blessed thing she could do about it. But she couldn't seem to stop herself, though of course it defied all logic. She didn't even like Malfoy. He was reasonably good looking, but the things that came out of his mouth! How could she possibly feel attracted to such a person?

But what of him? He had certainly made it clear (many times) that she was not his favourite person in the world, but he hadn't exactly dropped her hand in disgust (in fact he picked it up). As a matter of fact, he was swaying towards her as if unable to stop himself either.

And then the worst thing possible occurred. Draco Malfoy swayed so far forward that his mouth actually collided with hers.

The next thing Hermione new, they were kissing. She and Draco Malfoy the last guy on earth whose lips she'd ever want to touch with her own. Kissing! And quite passionately too. Draco had dropped her hand and reached out instead to seize her by both arms, as if fearful she'd sway so far forward they'd fall.

And she was no better! For her fingers had curled, as if of their own accord, around the back of the Slytherin's neck, though Hermione could in no way determine how they'd got there, unless Malfoy had put them there.

What was stranger was how delightful it felt to have Draco Malfoy's mouth on hers! Which was of course perfectly ridiculous, because Hermione hated Draco Malfoy – hated him with passion and, besides she was with someone else… though thanks to today's discoveries she was not too certain for how much longer.

Perhaps it was because she hated him so passionately that kissing him felt so terribly exciting. For love and hate were both very strong emotions, so naturally both would incite very strong reactions.

One thing she didn't understand was that she doubted being kissed by someone one detested was supposed to trigger anything but feelings of revulsion. And she, oddly enough, felt far from revolted by Draco Malfoy's kisses.

He pulled away roughly. "I can hear someone coming," he explained his voice a little out of breath. He ran out of the classroom before anyone came and not so long after she left trying to act as nonchalant as possible.

The intruder was Lavender "Hermione where have you been I've been looking for you for ages, not to mention your boyfriend he's been as worried as me! Anyway, now that I've found you, will you help me revise for the potions test? Professor Snape will kill me if I get lower than 70%..." Lavender carried on talking, but something she had said caught Hermione's attention. There was a test after lunch a potions test… and that meant Harry would be sitting next to her. A plan was forming in her head. Yet that caused to forget to look at where she was going and soon enough she bumped into someone.

She had caused them to drop their notebooks, pens and a note. Hermione gathered the pens and looked up; her heart was thumping as she lifted her head. It was Draco Malfoy he picked up his notebook and note while, beckoning for Hermione to give the pens to him. His cold, grey stare bored into Hermione soft chestnut eyes and he smoothly slipped the note into Hermione's shaking hand.

She stood up and shook the dust of her skirt, while casually slipping the note into her robe pockets. "He leaves quite an impression, doesn't he?" asked Lavender. "Yeah… yeah he does," replied Hermione.