Chapter 5:

Hermione stood before the mirror. She put on a last coat of mascara, and then she stared. She still couldn't get used to her reflection, even though she'd been wearing makeup since Saturday. She felt like the girl she saw in the mirror had always been there, just hidden beneath the surface.

She couldn't get used to the way her skin seemed to glow now, how her brown eyes stood out, and men passing in Hogsmeade had stared at her. And every time she remembered how Draco had whistled at her, she had to remind herself that it hadn't been a dream, and that she was sexy.

She knew Draco knew it, but she also knew she had to keep up her act, for he had to admit it.

Ginny, when Hermione had complained while shopping, had pointed to the short, pink skirt Hermione had been trying on at the time, and said, "Hermione, you in that skirt, are the definition of sexy, and you, every minute of every day are the definition of reading. All you have to do is know it."

And now, looking in the mirror, Hermione had to agree with Ginny.

Then she strapped on the blue kitten heels she had purchased on Saturday, and ran a manicured hand( or so it looked, for they were actually fake nails) over her perfectly shaved legs.

She was wearing the pink skirt today, and it had blue stitching on it which was why she wore the blue heels. Her top was white, and sleeveless, with pearl buttons extending down the front. Hermione spared one more look in the mirror, applied some more red lipstick, and winked at her reflection.

Glancing rakishly at the pile of clothing on her bed, (needless to say, she had bought way too much on Saturday) Hermione threw her new sparkly bag over her shoulder and hopped down the stairs. These heels were much easier to walk in then Ginny's.

"Woah," Ron said as he saw her crossing the room, but Hermione ignored him. She was still mad about Saturday, when Ron had complained about her shopping again.

"Bloody hell," he had said, when she and Ginny had met him and Harry at the Three Broomsticks. He was staring at the numerous, large shopping bags Hermione was carrying. Ginny had ignored him and given Harry a rather wet kiss, to which he had grinned about all afternoon.

They had sat down and held small talk for not long, before Ron had to bring it up again.

"I don't get it, 'Mione," he'd said. The nickname alone had irked her but she almost let it go until he said, "Who are you trying to be? Lavender Brown."

Without a second glance, Hermione had stormed out of the restaurant, and made her way back to Hogwarts. Of course, then she had seen Malfoy, and forgotten all about her red haired friend.

Hermione paused before she entered the Great Hall, for she was worried about what gossip might start because of her new look. But then she reminded herself of why she was doing this, and smiled flirtatiously like Ginny had taught her. She was, after all, a very quick study.

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The day passed faster than Hermione expected it too. She had been disappointed when she realized that Draco wasn't in any of her classes that day, for she was confident she could face him. However, she knew fate would bring them closer somehow.

Ginny was already preparing for future 'attacks', as she called them, on Draco. She had prepared a list of places for Hermione to read and act sexy in at the same time. It read:

Ginny's list of Sexy Places:

The Black Lake

The Quidittch Pitch/ Stands

The Prefects Bathroom

Stairs Near a Broom Closet

Hermione had pointed out that Draco wasn't always going to be exactly where she happened to be reading, but Ginny had winked at her and said, "Don't worry, I have it all figured out."

Hermione couldn't help but be a little anxious as to what lengths Ginny would go to in order to make this work.

But she forgot all about this, after she ran into Ginny in the Common Room.

"What are you doing, Hermione?" Ginny shouted. "You're supposed to be at the Lake, tricking Malfoy! Get your butt down there!"

Hermione sighed, made sure her book was in her bag, then headed straight out of Gryffindor Tower.

She made her way slowly towards the lake, wondering what Ginny had pulled off to get Draco to be there.

She took a deep breath before stepping out onto the Hogwarts grounds, and looked sneakily for any sight of blonde, blonde hair in the distance.

She made her way to her favorite beech tree, and swung her hips. Draco could be watching her from somewhere.

She nonchalantly dropped her bag in the grass, after grabbing her book, and slowly slipping her feet out of her heels, without bending down to untie them.

She sat underneath her tree, and leaned against its smooth bark. Crossing her legs like Ginny had taught her, she opened to her spot in her book. Hermione tried to read, and act natural, but she was looking for Draco through her lashes.

She smirked when she saw him across the Lawn, staring at her. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…" she mumbled in amazement. There was nothing that girl couldn't do.

Hermione continued to try to read, but all she could think about was Draco, who was still not far from where she read.

Then she had a burst of inspiration.

Hermione left her tree, and walked forward in the grass, once again swinging her hips slowly.

She saw Draco shift in amusement out of the corner of her eye and she giggled, which was not like her.

Then she stretched her arms above her head, making sure that her shirt rose above her hips, revealing the soft skin around her hips.

After that she laid down in the grass, holding her book over her head. She crossed her legs again, and took deliberately deep breaths, her chest heaving.

After pretending to read for another moment, she heard approaching footsteps, soft in the grass.

She forced her eyes to stay on her book, as if she hadn't heard him coming.

But come he did and Hermione looked up when his foot nudged her toe.

"Hello," she said quietly and in reply, he said, "Mind if I join you?"

She shrugged though her insides were screaming and she sighed when he reached the grass.

They sat in silence for a while, but Draco broke it. "What are you reading," he said, and Hermione turned to smile at him.

"It's called Out of the Dust," she said. "I must've read it a 50 times, but I love it more each time."

She made herself stop there, because she didn't think it would be very sexy if she started rambling, and looked back at her book.

But a pale, rough hand took the book from her and tossed it softly into the grass.

Draco leaned on his left elbow and faced her, pursing his perfect lips. Hermione mirrored his action, and pulled in her stomach.

"Can you put the book down for a minute, at least?" he asked her, and she almost blushed.

Almost.

"Of course," she said. "Though I don't see why I should. Reading is Sexy, after all."

Draco rolled his eyes, but Hermione knew that had struck home.

But Draco wasn't giving up. He leaned in close to her, and breathed slowly. It was as if he could already tell that she loved his breath and when he came so close to her. Hermione fought back, and blew warm air at his blonde locks, smirking as sensually as she could. He was surprised and pulled back, but Hermione stared into his eyes, determined to keep on.

She smiled and said, "Ready to give in?"

He smirked his signature smirk, which Hermione had never before admitted was very attractive on his aristocratic features. "Never," he said, leaning in until he was so, so close. Then, ever so slowly, he pulled away and shook his head.

Hermione, momentarily disappointed, regained her composure and shook her hair slowly, forcing it to frame her face.

Then she said, "Me neither," and stood up, grabbing her book on her way.

She walked quickly to her shoes and her book-bag. She thrust the book inside, flustered, and slung her shoes over her shoulder. Then she sauntered away, swinging her hips like always, and pretending to be care free.

When Hermione was out of sight from the Lake, she leaned against a stone wall and took a deep breath.

I'm falling for him, she thought. I can't be falling for him! Stop!

Yet she couldn't deny that when Draco had been so close to her, she had desperately wanted to close the distance between them. The only thing that had stopped her was the fact that that would probably mean losing. She knew that she had to succeed.

Hermione sprinted up the marble staircase and headed straight for Ginny's dorm.

Ginny gave her advice, for hours and hours, and before long, Hermione felt like she was ready again.

She went to bed confident, and fell asleep quickly.

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SO what do you think?????

Please Review: and leave some criticism!!!! 

I want to have something to fix and improve on!

By the way, Out of the Dust, by Karen Heese, is one of my favorite muggle (wink wink) books of all time, so I chose that for Hermione. It is not my story, just as Harry Potter isn't mine.