Hermione scribbled her name at the bottom of the letter and turned to the owl. '''I'm sorry, but you're going to have to go back out there.'' The owl hooted softly and stuck out her leg resignedly. ''It's no use giving me that look,'' Hermione continued, tying the letter onto the owl's leg. ''This letter needs to go to Ron and Harry, and you're the only one who can take it.''
Hermione could have sworn the owl rolled its eyes and then flapped out of the window. She watched for a second as rain splashed onto the windowsill and then banged the window shut. Turning back to her room, she wondered what she could do now. She had done all her homework, plus extra reading. She had tidied her room, written to her family, to Ron and Harry…were there any Head duties she had forgotten? Hermione snorted to herself. Of course there weren't. She had had to make sure she was thoroughly up to date seeing as Malfoy was so obviously absent from all of the meetings. Although, speaking of Head duties, she had organised a trip to Hogsmeade, and it wouldn't be leaving for another ten minutes. She grabbed her cloak and her bag and made her way down to the reception where umbrellas were being brought out and cloaks wrapped around.
When they eventually set off into the rain, Hermione let her thoughts drift back to Malfoy, now that it seemed safe to do so. The rain pelted her face, getting underneath her umbrella. She thought about casting a charm and then realised that she was enjoying the sensation. Since her kisses with Malfoy, it seemed as though her senses had been heightened: every touch seemed magnified. She had almost gasped when Ginny had briefly hugged her the other day, but thankfully no one had noticed anything.
Malfoy hadn't been seen since carrying her up to her room, and while Hermione was glad that he wasn't lurking around outside her room anymore, she couldn't help but feeling slightly angry that he gave up that easily. Two kisses? That was all he wanted from her? Smiling sarcastically, she told herself that she was honoured to have had the Great Malfoy's attention on her for so long. Merlin, she had probably increased his arrogance levels phenomenally by succumbing so easily to him. But then, thinking about the gorgeous way his lips moved against hers, how his hands cradled her head and stroked the back of his neck…Hermione sucked in a slightly deeper breath than usual and tried to regain some sense of decorum.
Noticing that they were practically in Hogsmeade, she dismissed Malfoy from her mind and began making lists of what she needed. New quills, new ingredients for potions…
An hour later, she was laden down with bags from various shops, with all her new materials for school. Beginning to make her way back towards the hill that led to Hogwarts, her eye was suddenly caught by a shop – one for young witches' clothing. It was one of those shops that she had always looked at but never bothered to go in, always dismissing it as too expensive. But hey, she did have quite a bit of money saved, and her parents gave her money for school equipment…'so why not?' Hermione asked herself.
Pushing the door open, she looked around. The shop was brightly lit but she couldn't see anyone else in there. Leaving her bags by the door, along with her dripping umbrella, she began to flick through the rails of clothing. Unexpectedly, an assistant appeared next to her. ''Are you ok there?''
''Fine thanks.'' Hermione smiled and bent her head again, but the assistant didn't seem to want to leave. ''We have that in a different colour, that would really flatter your colouring.'' Hermione smiled, resigned herself to the fact that she would not be able to browse in peace, and let the assistant pick out what seemed to be half the shop's stock. To her surprise, most of it did actually look quite good – a departure from her usual jeans and t-shirts. Thinking ruefully of how much this would deplete her savings, she paid the assistant and looked wearily at her bags.
''Good luck getting that lot back.'' The assistant smiled sympathetically at her, but not offering to help. Hermione grabbed them up, no free hands for her umbrella, stepped out into the rain and began to make her way back to Hogwarts. The rain hit her hard, streaming into her hair, down her face. Her breath rose in clouds in front of her, and dark seemed to be falling more and more rapidly. Just as Hermione was beginning to get nervous and thinking that she ought to shift her bags so that she could get to her wand more easily, someone grabbed her from behind, seizing both of her upper arms.
She screamed loudly and dropped her bags, immediately looking for her wand, but she had already been spun around and was looking Malfoy in the face. He had cast a charm on himself to stop the rain hitting him, and he was smirking at Hermione's reaction to him. Her eyes narrowed.
''Do you ever do anything other than sneak up on me?'' she spat, shrivelling contempt pouring from her voice.
Malfoy didn't seem to care. ''You haven't been screaming the last couple of times Granger.''
''You just grabbed me from behind in a dark street. What the hell did you expect me to do, you idiot?'' Hermione carried on, berating Malfoy with every curse she could think of, hating herself for making such a big deal out of it. ''It's not funny Malfoy! It never was funny, but it's getting worse! Just leave me alone, for Merlin's sake!''
''Shut up Granger.'' Malfoy snorted contemptuously. ''You can't pretend you're not enjoying this.''
''How dare you?!'' Hermione was close to reaching a pitch that only dogs could hear.
''Oh come on, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! Last night, I could have screwed you and you wouldn't have done anything to stop me.''
Hermione's cheeks flushed, shocked at the fact that he would bring that up. ''Shut up Malfoy.'' She turned around, levitated her bags up, not caring who would see her, and made to walk off, but Draco spun her around again.
''I'm not finished with you.''
''Well, I'm finished with you, so get lost.''
''Watch your mouth Granger.''
''I'll say what I want. You do not control me.''
''I will in the end.'' Draco looked at her and thought how fetching she looked. The rain was pouring through her hair, leaving it gleaming like a wet otter. Her nose was slightly pink in the cold, and her eyes were wide in the dim light. A rain drop landed on her lip and she unconsciously licked it away. Draco grinned as he saw the small pink tip caress the curve of her lip. She realised what she had done and blushed again.
''You won't be getting anything off me.''
Draco didn't even bother to answer, just grabbed her, pulled her close and began feasting on her lips. But Hermione's mouth didn't move at all. She stood there, completely motionless, as though…Draco frowned slightly. It was as though she was bored. He pulled away and looked at her.
''Got that out of your system?'' She asked scornfully and turned around, walking away before he could riposte.
An hour later, Hermione was sitting in the shared common room in front of the fire, wearing a new pale pink top, with a brighter pink ribbon that tied under her bust, and a pair of dark blue jeans. She was quietly immersed in her book when Draco walked in. Clearly his charm had worn off at some point because his silver blond hair was slicked back with water. His eyes seemed unusually clear, and from Hermione's seated position, he looked commandingly tall as he stared at her.
She sighed and turned back to her book, pretending to read. It had required all her willpower not to kiss him back earlier, and the last thing she needed was him standing in front of her looking tall, manly and sexy. Draco slumped in an armchair opposite her, and she could feel his eyes on her face. I'm not going anywhere, she told herself, I've turned him down once, and I can do it again.
''Granger.'' His voice made her jump.
''What?'' she didn't bother lifting her eyes from the page.
''You've been pretending to read the same page for the last ten minutes.''
''So?'' Hermione lifted her eyes and wished she hadn't. He was still in his jacket, dripping wet and looking so unbelievably attractive she couldn't believe that a thousand girls weren't hammering on the door at that moment.
''Just talk to me. Why won't you kiss me? I know you want to.''
''Leaving aside your enormous arrogance, what I want and what I do are completely different things.'' Hermione put her book to one side and stared back at him, slowly losing herself in the stormy grey eyes.
''So you admit that you want to kiss me?'' Draco seized on one part of the speech.
''I didn't say that.''
''I know you're thinking it though. Come on Hermione, don't act like you don't want to.'' His voice had a cruel tone in it that Hermione couldn't help shivering at. And yet, while it was scary, there was something in it that was undeniably attractive. As soon as she thought that, she leapt up from the sofa.
''Where are you going?'' He had risen up slightly in his chair.
''My room. Try not to lurk around outside it, ok?'' Hermione kept her back turned.
''Wait.'' Draco's voice was soft but commanding. ''You aren't going anywhere.''
''Shut up Malfoy.''
''I asked you to call me Draco last night.''
''You called me Granger earlier.''
''I just called you Hermione.''
''So you call me Hermione when you want something?''
''We've been through this Hermione, You want it too.''
''Well you aren't getting it, Draco. So go and talk to one of those 'nice pureblood girls'. I'm sure your daddy wouldn't be too pleased if he knew what you were doing.'' Hermione had gradually been working her way over to the door, too scared to leave straight away, and enjoying the argument too much.
''I don't want them. I want you.'' Draco's simple statement caused fingers of lust to run up and down Hermione's spine. ''Come here Hermione.''
She turned around slowly, and looked at him. He looked at her, soft light glimmering on her face. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted. Draco gave her a mirthless smile. ''I don't want to kiss you Draco.''
''Who the hell do you think you're fooling?'' Draco raised his hand and crooked his finger. Hermione didn't even think about it but walked slowly towards him. Draco watched her hips swaying slightly, and remained seated. ''I've initiated every kiss we've had Hermione. You've been enjoying them, I know you have, and now its time for you to kiss me back. I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave.''
Hermione's spine stiffened slightly, but all her resolve slipped away as she looked at Draco. If she was a lion, he was a panther, and he was more dangerous. There was no way she could leave, she told herself, panicking, wondering what she would do.
''No one's going to stop you, no one's even going to see you Hermione. Just do it.'' Draco rasped at her, crooking his finger again. Hermione wasn't able to think any more, just stare at Draco in the firelight. Her sane brain was screaming at her to leave, to get out now while she was still physically capable, but unfortunately her sane brain was overwhelmed by the sensory overload being experienced by the rest of her body.
Draco watched impassively as she came towards him, placed a knee on either side of his legs and straddled him. She leant into him and tentatively touched the sides of his face, running soft fingers down to his lips. Draco's eyes watched hers, as they focused on his lips. Her breathing picked up, he could feel the warm, mint-scented little puffs caressing his face. Slowly, she lowered her face to his, still stroking the sides of his face. Draco didn't move at all, not wanting to make it easy for her. The bet was completely gone from his mind. The only thing that he could focus on was Hermione, her gorgeous face coming towards him, her slim body leaning into him.
After what seemed like an age, her lips gently brushed his. He waited for a minute, letting her do the work and then opened his mouth, needing her more than he had ever needed a girl. She matched him in desperation, their passion making them cling to each other.
''Don't make me feel like this.'' She whispered against his mouth, raking her fingers back through his wet hair. ''I can't take it, we can't do this, please Draco, please don't make me feel like this.''
''Don't beg me to do that. That isn't what I need from you.'' The words left Draco's mouth before he could think about it, but the fierce look in Hermione's eyes showed that she hadn't thought about it, that all she wanted to do was lose herself in him, not to have to think about what she was doing.
And for once, Draco did something for someone else, and entwined his fingers in her soft hair, pulling her mouth into his so that she wouldn't have to think.
Whew...(fans herself and blushes a little). Well that was fun to write hehe. Thanks for reading chapter four everyone. I hope you enjoyed it. Of course, even if you didn't, I'd like to know! Write me a review, even if it's to say that you think something can be improved. Obviously, I love reading positive things, but no matter what you write, I will write you a reply (unless you leave an anonymous review, in which case, I can't). Also, I just thought I'd do a little bit of shameless self promotion. If you have enjoyed this story so far, you might want to have a look at my other story, Conflict and Conspiracy. It's another Dramione, it's already finished, and the comments that I've had for that have all been really positive, so I must have done something right! But anyway...thanks for reading, thanks in advance for reviewing, and look forward to the neext chapter! kisses, petitesorciere.