A/N: Hey peeps, we're back again! Told ya we'd be fast! Lol... well it's the weekend (that's always my excuse...) good enough! Here it is ... the long awaited for Ch. 4 (psh..i wish...)
Review Responses:
First off, thank you guys so much! You're all AWESOME!!!!
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splitpersonality33 - oh, we'll definitely be continuing! Thanks!
darthelwig - k, good, I thought you peeps might think it was a bit awkward, but guess not! =) yeah, and I feel bad for Herm too...
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CanadianVamp - Is it still to short? Well I think this ones 6 pages, so I hope that's more to your liking, plus the fact that I spent hours infront of my computer, coughing my head off, getting the chapter written.
oreo69not96 - Ron & Harry are just nieave(sp?). And I agree if all hott (don't ask, when guys are REALLY hott I spell it with 2 t's)guys apologized like that life would rock!
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Previously:
Draco smirked. She was interesting, this mudblood. He would have to teach her a lesson.
Hermione watched him, contempt clearly written on her face.
"Well then, I suppose an apology is due."
He had to be planning something else. She knew it. Since when did Malfoy of all people apologize?
And Hermione was right, because without another word, Draco leaned in slightly and gave her a lingering kiss, right on the lips.
Chapter 4
Hermione's eyes widened as Draco's soft lips pressed insistently against her own. Her first reaction, of course, was to push him away, he was Malfoy! But oh, it just felt right somehow...
As always, however, first instincts took over. She shoved Draco away. Hard.
Draco looked her up and down and smirked. Well, that was an interest little interlude. And now that he actually looked, this Granger wasn't exactly an unattractive girl. Not stunning, but definitely not ugly.
Plus, the look on her face was just priceless. It seemed to be caught halfway between curiosity, confusion, anger, and yes, the most obvious, disgust. But could it be? There seemed to be a little but of want mixed in there too...
"Now that was totally uncalled for Malfoy!" Hermione all but snarled.
Draco feigned hurt. "Didn't you like my little apology?" Hermione made a noise that sounded decently like a growl. She raised her hand and slapped him on the side of his face. Hard. And to her great satisfaction, it left a bright red hand print on his cheek.
She snarled, "And that was my token of appreciation!"
Without another word, Hermione stalked off at an alarming speed, considering that it was Charms she was heading towards...
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Draco winced. Ouch. That was a blow to his ego. When was the last time he, Draco Malfoy, got slapped? And that hard too...
Draco touched the side of his face gingerly. Yep, that had left a mark. Especially since it hadn't healed yet completely from the ...tap...that he had received from his father. Glancing around quickly, he took out his wand and pointed it at his face, muttering a concealing spell.
"Completement consealius."
And without another thought towards previous events, Draco walked swiftly back to class. McGonagall was definitely not going to be pleased...
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Hermione slowed down enough so that she could safely ponder on what had just happened.
Why would he just kiss me like that? But it can't go any further than that... What am I thinking, why would it go any further than this? He's doing this just to screw with my mind. I bet he's just like Chase under all his false charm... One day, Oh, you're my perfect little angel, and the next day, bam. You wind up with a black eye, and a broken rib.
Hermione stopped, looking at the door that her feet had brought her to.
Oh damn, why did I walk so fast? Beyond that door is worse then hell...
Yet she had to enter. Pushing the door open slowly, she carefully slid in barely making any noise.
"Well, Miss Granger, I'm glad you've finally decided to join us!" said Professor Flitwick, with a stern expression on his face, but his twinkling eyes gave him away.
"Oh, I'm sorry Professor. I met an old...friend, and we kinda stopped to -" Hermione slapped a hand over her mouth, suddenly realizing the stupidity of her words. Chase would think that she went off during class to insert word with someone else!
Yep, I just got myself the worse beating that I'm probably gonna get my whole life...
Professor Flitwick's eyes widened just slightly. And he coughed. "Well, Miss Granger, now that you've finished with your... previous activities, I expect you will sit yourself down beside Mr. Winchcomb and ask him what you've missed."
Oh damn...
It was gonna be one hell of a lesson.
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Draco slipped quietly through the door and saw McGonagall with her back to the class. If he was quiet enough maybe, just maybe...
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. I see you have finally decided to join us common people."
Draco sighed. He had been close.
"I apologize Professor."
Professor McGonagall glared at Draco severely. "25 points from Slytherin, I hope that teaches you a lesson. The next time you are excused for a washroom break, I trust you will not misuse the privilege."
Draco resisted the urge to stamp his foot. 25 points! How dare she...
"Is that understood Mr. Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall asked, a threatening note already creeping into her voice.
Draco sighed again. "Yes, Professor."
"Very well. What are you waiting for? There's an open seat next to Miss Parkinson, start copying the note immediately!"
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Hermione slowly lowered herself onto her chair, next to Chase .
"What's wrong lamb?" Chase asked in his falsely sweet and caring voice.
Hermione cringed at the pet name, he had given it to her one night after he broke her wrist. She remembered the look Madam Pomfrey had given her when she said that she had broken it tripping down the stairs.
"Nothing, dearest," Hermione said through clenched teeth, spitting out the words as if it physically hurt her to say them. "Just tell me what we have to do."
"Now, now let's not be snippy or you might just have a lesson of your own to learn." Chase eyed Hermione hungrily before jerking her wrist in his hand.
Hermione suddenly shut her mouth, remembering Chase was taller and much stronger then she was. She teared up the slightest bit before quickly wiping her eyes and preceding to pretend she had no a clue what was going on...
"I'm sorry honey, I really don't know what's gotten into me today. I probably didn't get enough sleep, I stayed up really late last night studying."
Chase's eyes flashed slightly. A random person would have just thought it had something to do with the light. But Hermione could see that she had made a mistake. And again, she realized her mistake too late. Chase was definitely going to suspect something. After all, she did share a dorm with Malfoy...
Chase smiled, then he whispered, "Apology accepted. But only if you meet me in the Astronomy tower tonight... at nine okay sweetie?"
Hermione closed her eyes momentarily. Yep, this is my last day on Earth.... She forced a smile, "Of course. Anything for my dearest!"
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Draco down sat quietly next to Pansy, taking out a piece of parchment to begin the note.
Pansy noticed the look on Draco's face and decided to take action.
"What's on your mind honey?" Pansy asked, with the sexiest look she could muster.
Not you, that's for sure.
Pansy slipped a hand under the table, trying to get a reaction that Draco KNEW she couldn't. Rubbing her hand up and down she slowly inched closer to her destination with each rub.
Getting scolded by McGonagall was enough, plus, he had also lost Slytherin 25 points! He was lucky he didn't get a detention, but he definitely was NOT in the mood to put up with Pansy.
As silently as he could, as not to alert McGonagall, Draco slapped Pansy's hand away.
"Drakey! What's wrong with you today?" Pansy whispered
"Nothing, dear, I just don't want to get- excited - in front of McGonagall," He lied. As if Pansy could do anything like that to him.
Pansy glared at him slightly. "I honestly don't know what's gotten into you! You've been so rude to me today!"
...And her eyes promptly gathered tears.
Draco snarled softly. But he had to do something to repair the damage he'd done. He carefully slipped an arm around her waist. "I'm sorry sweetie. I'll make it up to you sometime okay? But right now, I gotta catch up."
Pansy sniffed and wiped her eyes with a silk hanky that she had pulled out of her pocket. "Oh, its okay Drakey honey."
Draco rolled his eyes. Where did she get her ridiculous nicknames? He quickly withdrew his arm and resumed copying the note once more.
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Chase smiled at her.
How can he manage to make them look real? Wondered Hermione. But then again, he's the one who beats me up every night, and he's getting away with it!
Hermione quickly forced a smile back and turned to finish reading the chapter on Vanishing Charms.
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Ring, bell, ring!
Draco gritted his teeth, and tried to read over what he had wrote. Pansy had been inching closer and closer to him for the past half-hour. And his tolerance been just about used up.
"Alright students. You should be done your note by now. However, if you have been foolishly wasting your time, I suggest you get it from a friend." McGonagall's eyes strayed to Draco and Pansy, who was practically in his lap.
"Remember, your research paper on a famous Animagus is due next Monday. It must be at least two and a half scrolls long."
The class groaned.
"That's all. You are dismissed." And with that, McGonagall swept out of the room.
Finally, thought Draco.
"Pansy, dearest, I have to down to the common room and get something okay? I'll meet you at lunch," Draco said, wanting to shake Pansy off.
"Alright hun, I'll save a seat for you!"
Plan Shake-off-Pansy: Unsuccessful.
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The bell rang.
Tiny Professor Flitwick climbed back onto his stack of books and announced to the class, "I will be expecting a summary of the chapter I just had you read by Wednesday. That's all. Have a good lunch!"
Hermione sighed in relief. Finally, some time away from Chase. She quickly gathered her stuff to join Ron and Harry, but not before he wrapped his arms around her waste and whispered in her ear, "Remember, the Astronomy tower at nine. You'd better be there."
The sweet and sickly voice he had be using had completely disappeared. Now a threatening one replaced it.
Hermione knew better then to argue. "Sure thing honey."
"Good" was all that he said before he walked off.
Ron turned from his conversation with Harry to grin at her. "Got another date with you boyfriend?"
"Oh, stuff it Ronald! I've had enough of you!" said Hermione, glaring.
Harry, seeing the danger of the situation, quickly intervened. "Hey, it's lunch peeps. Aren't you hungry Herm? We should all go down... and I need help with the homework Flitwick assigned. I don't get any of it!"
Hermione almost laughed. The first time in almost a year. "You always have trouble with your homework Harry!"
And so, with the squabble between Ron and Hermione successfully postponed, the three headed towards the Great Hall for lunch.
A/N: There. How was it? Kinda a transitional chapter, probably very boring for you peeps. But, there was some vital stuff in there, and we promise, in the next chappie there'll be more d/h interaction!
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