AN: Sorry, I just re-read that last chapter and noticed that in a few places I used "his" instead of "her" and "he" instead of "she" and some punctuation was missing, and I saw how it could have been confusing, and that's frustrating to me to present something to you guys that wasn't 100%. So, I promise to review this chapter once I've finished writing it : )

More silence followed between Draco and Hermione after the night he took her virginity. Only this time, the tension was even more intense, their senses heightened whenever they were near each other. Both of them tried desperately to act calm and normal that their friends started to notice. Harry and Ron just thought Hermione was distracted by all her extra work, but Pansy was furious with Draco and refused to speak to him. He didn't mind so much, but it was irritating when Blaise and Crabbe were continually asking him "What's wrong, Malfoy?"

Also, this time the silence didn't last as long. About a week later, at breakfast, Hermione sat up straight, her whole body tense, as she saw him sauntering along the Gryffindor table. He stopped just in front of her, Ron, and Harry.

"What do you want?" Ron asked, agitation already creeping into the edges of his voice.

"Nothing from you, Weasley. Just have to return Granger's notes is all," he drawled, shoving a handful of papers in Hermione's direction. "Don't want anything from that filth on me any longer than I have to endure it." His painful words didn't match with the look in his eyes, and he couldn't bring himself to hold her gaze.

"Then why borrow them from her in the first place?" Harry asked defiantly. "I'm surprised you even know how to read them!"

"Shut up, Potter. I don't owe you any explanations," he snapped back, and then walked away, his friends from the Slytherin table getting up to join him on his way out of the Great Hall.

Hermione, gathering up the notes that Draco had never borrowed from her, noticed small writing on one of the scraps of parchment. She grabbed all of the little pieces and shoved them all into her bag, frustrated.

"Don't let him get to you, Hermione," Ron said, placing one of his hands on her back.

"No, I'm not," she said, "It's just that he's such a miserable git." The words felt weird to say, they made her feel bitter when she knew she wasn't. But she had to say these words so that Harry and Ron wouldn't question her.

It wasn't until that night, back in the common room that Hermione was able to read what Draco had written to her in that small handwriting on the fake notes of hers. Finally alone, Harry and Ron were at a late night Quidditch practice, she pulled the crumpled notes out of her bag and flattened them out on the table in front of her. Most of the pages were blank, but on one, at the very bottom of the page, written in tiny handwriting, Draco had scrawled, I can't stand this, meet me tonight.

That was it. There were only seven words, but those seven words sent a shock of desire down Hermione's spine and she knew she would go. But she should have been there by now. Hurrying to gather up her books, she raced up to her dorm so she could change quickly before meeting him. She hadn't planned on anything, and she didn't want to get caught in her comfy, ugly, granny panties. She slipped into a pair of lace underwear and a matching pink bra, and exchanged her uniform pants to her skirt, then raced to the seventh floor.

It had been two hours, and Draco was starting to worry whether or not she was going to come. He was also worried that he was going to get caught, standing in an empty hallway past curfew, out of bed, out of his mind.

Stupid! He thought to himself. Stupid, stupid, STUPID! He had to force himself not to smack his own head. What were you thinking? He asked himself. No one would want you after you were such an ass. He hated that he had been so mean to her. He didn't know why, just that he couldn't help it. And once he had said it, he felt better about himself, but he'd never felt worse.

He hated that he had upset her, but he was twistedly proud of himself for remaining the same person he'd been since they met. He wanted to know that he was still himself, now that everything else had finally started to be forgotten.

Before he could chastise himself more, he heard someone coming around the corner. Looking up, he saw the silhouette of her bushy hair come flying around the corner, and in a matter of a few seconds, she was standing directly in front of him, glaring into his eyes.

Avoiding her gaze that was so intense his stomach boiled with guilt, he turned to the Room of Requirement and entered, knowing that she was going to follow him. Confirming his prediction, she followed him straight into the room and waited awkwardly for him to say something.

When he had walked a few paces, he turned to face her. But as soon as he made eye contact with her, his voice failed him. What did he even want to say to her?

"Well, if you're just going to stand there like a git, I'll leave," Hermione snapped, suddenly feeling very furious with herself that she was there. She hated that she had come here to him.

"No," he said softly. "Don't go," and he dropped his eyes to his shoes.

"Well, why shouldn't I?" Draco didn't answer her and so she kept talking. "What reason do I have to stay here? I don't like you, and you clearly don't like me. What will I get from being here? More insults? More confusion? More humiliation? More…. Heartache?" She didn't like to admit it, but Draco definitely was causing her a lot of heartache. "Why should I stay?"

For a few awkward minutes, Draco didn't answer, and it was only when she turned to leave that an involuntary cry of protest escaped his lips. Turning on her heel, Hermione glared at him. "Please?" he whispered, only after he said it did he realize that his hand had flown out towards her in an effort to stop her from leaving. He stared at his empty palm then closed his fingers and lowered his hand to his side. "Don't go!" Draco said, more forcefully.

"You still haven't given me one good reason!"

"I know. I don't have one."

Scoffing, Hermione looked towards the walls and ceiling as if they would have an answer to the questioning look in her eyes. "Well, in that case, Draco…. Goodbye."

And again she turned to leave. But before she could reach the door, Draco had easily caught up to her with his long legs, grabbed her gently by the arm, spun her around, and kissed her. His mouth pressed against hers, he let his tongue explore her lips and did not protest when her tongue battled for dominance. After a few minutes, he pulled back, gasping for breath.

"I love you," he whispered. "That's why you should stay."

"No," Hermione said, her voice aching with sadness. "I love you, too. And that's why I should go."

So she did. She slipped easily out of his grip, and left the Room. Back in Gryffindor tower, she went quietly up to bed and crawled under her covers. Her mind never left him, and her dreams were filled with his soft lips, his bright eyes, his strong arms, and his messy blond hair.

Down in the Slytherin dungeon, all Draco could think of was how infuriating she was. How little sense she made. And how much he wanted to kiss her. Her lips had been so soft today, and she had said she loved him back. At least he didn't feel like a total idiot, saying he loved her when she never felt anything like that towards him. Merlin, she made him mad. Why couldn't she have just stayed? Why couldn't she have just crawled into that big four-poster bed with him? Instead he was down in his Slytherin bed, taking care of things for himself. Granger was such a pain in the ass.

AN: / Sorry it's so short. Been distracted and frustrated lately. Also sorry it took so long. Gonna keep writing right now, just wanted to post this so you know I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. Reviews, please and thanks. Again, my apologies