Disclaimer: 1) I don't own Harry Potter, and also 2) if you haven't reviewed yet, please do. I want to know what you guys think!

This Kiss

Honestly, the restricted section should just be called the 'section-of-the-library-where-only-charming-people -can-get-into'. It had been way too easy for me to blink prettily at Professor Slughorn and lie about a project due tomorrow that required access to this part of the library.

He believed me, as do most people when I lie, and quickly wrote a note to Madam Pince saying that I was allowed in here as many times as I wanted to for the duration of this week. Yeah. The entire week.

If the majority of students had evil intentions, there'd be so many Voldemorts, there wouldn't be enough Harrys to go around. Luckily, I wasn't evil. I was just looking for a way to get extra credit, and I had thought of a perfect way to get myself an Outstanding in my exam at the end of sixth year.

I was going to invent a spell.

Giddy with excitement, I stepped over the threshold and suddenly I was four years old again, waiting to open my birthday present. Even Hermione hadn't thought of this, and I was thrilled.

What the spell would actually do, well… that I haven't decided yet. But whatever, right?

The books here were, by appearance, dusty, smelly, and moldy, but they had this air of ancient power to them, as if they could snap your spine if they wanted to. I grinned ecstatically. Starting in the 'A's, I browsed through each thick volume, looking for information on creating spells. It would take a while, but I didn't mind.

What felt like hours later, I was bleary eyed, sleepy, and fighting the urge to sneeze. I had written bits and pieces of useful information in tiny letters on a piece of parchment, but I hadn't really found a book that would give me a step-by-step guide. Finally giving in, I sneezed. There was a slight shuffling sound.

Suddenly, a prickly feeling started at the base of my neck, raising tiny hairs on the length of my spine. I didn't know how I knew it, but someone was here. I cast a panicked glance out of the large tinted window—night had fallen long ago, and it was nearly curfew. Who on Earth was spying on me?

Carefully, with measured, precise movements, I placed the book I was currently holding back onto its shelf. I took a deep breath and spun around, pulling my wand out of the pocket of my school blouse in one quick movement—to find my body pinned between the oak bookshelf and someone tall, hard and tauntingly masculine.

"Hello, Fawn." Draco said, almost casually. "Were you avoiding me?"

I stuttered to a halt. It was true. After my impulsive actions earlier today in the Great Hall, I could barely stand to look at him without feeling an onslaught of confusion. So to avoid this, I simply… avoided him.

I hadn't expected him to catch up to me so quickly.

"…Maybe," I mumbled, trying to calm my rapidly pounding heart. My pulse throbbed in my throat. My palms suddenly felt sticky with sweat, and I couldn't bring myself to look at anything other than his tie, its Slytherin colors glinting in the dim lighting. A sharp reminder of why I couldn't just melt into him.

"Could you…" I cleared my throat. "Could you maybe let go of me now?"

He chuckled. Instead of letting me go, the little git grabbed my hands and lifted my arms above my head and pinned me against the wall. Hot breath caressed my neck, and lips brushed my earlobe. I desperately fought the guttural noise that threatened to come out of my throat.

"Why? Are you scared?" His voice is huskier than usual.

What in the name of Merlin is happening to me.

"No." I said defiantly, trying not to breathe too hard. "Why are you here, Malfoy?" I'm careful to use his last name. I'm careful with all my movements. Every breath I take, I'm painfully aware of his chest brushing against mine. Every time my eyes dart to look somewhere else, I'm desperate not to look into his eyes.

If I did, I might just give in.

A slow, dark smirk grows on his face, and he trails his spare hand up my thigh. Apparently, he had seen right through me. And how the hell did a stupid grin turn me on so much? "You don't have to say accio to make me come, Saffron," He growls, still grinning.

A mewling sound lodges in my throat. His smirk grows wider.

Fuck me. I mean—wait, no…

"What—did y-you just…" I gasp, bucking hard, expecting him to let me go. He doesn't. Instead, his eyelids suddenly flutter closed, and he presses closer. He bites his lip, but I hear the sound lodged in his throat, anyways. It's a deep growl that fucking curls my toes. I grit my teeth.

There's silence. Don't oh don't say anything oh please, I thought, staring desperately at his tie. I can't fucking take it.

"Tell me to stop, Saffron." Suddenly, Draco is tilting my head up gently, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were shards of diamonds flickering like silver flames over molten fire, half-lidded, glazed over. "You don't deserve being tangled up with someone like me."

"What—what do… what do you m-mean?" I breathe back, too curious for my own good, too distracted to think clearly. "Tell me, goddammit, Malfoy!"

"I've been chosen for a mission so great, so grand that you couldn't even dream to be in my position. I'm going to change the course of the world," He replies bitterly. His eyes are wide, unguarded for once. They're darker than the silvery grey I was used to seeing.

"But you don't want anything to do with that mission." It's a statement, not a question.

"No." He pulled backwards; clearly shutting down again. My hand snaked up and grasped hold of his tie, crumpling the soft material in my grip, keeping him from moving. A flicker of surprise registers in his eyes, and I press on.

"But you have to do it. To save yourself." I knew I was correct the minute a veil shuttered across his face. But to my surprise, he answered directly.

"Yes."

What happened next was entirely out of my control. I didn't know what I was doing at all, or why I was doing it. Maybe it's because he's broken and I'm naïve enough to think I can fix him. Maybe it's just because he looks so damned irresistible just standing there, eyes wide and trusting enough to let me in, even if it's only for a short period of time.

I leaned forward. His lips are soft, sending promising tingles shivering under my skin, which was igniting like a gasoline fire. He tastes like bar soap and rain and sweet musk. He tastes like caviar, and all things rich and expensive. He tastes like a forbidden luxury.

He stiffened in shock, and then slowly responds by threading his fingers through my hair and pulling me closer. I kiss him harder, accidentally clashing our teeth in a painful collision, and I let out a shocked whimper at my own impulsive actions. But just as I'm about to pull back, Draco pushes forward, attacking my neck with his lips. A keening sound escapes, and I realize that it was me, that I made that sound.

He jumps into action, running one hand over my hip and up my side. His fingers tickled. His fingers eased beneath the edge of my top, brushing the sensitive skin over my ribs and beneath my breast. I gasped, fascinated by the curiously delicate sensation and my own conflicting impulses.

He kisses me again.

It's not a soft kiss at all. It's the kind of kiss that makes you realize that oxygen is overrated. He slams his hips into me wildly, and the whole bookshelf shakes. A book falls on my head—heavy, solid, and menacing: just like my conscience.

Unconsciously, I read the title. It's the "Fifteenth-Century Fiends".

Suddenly, I remember myself; exactly who I am and where I am. I jerked backwards, yelping as my head hits something hard. I realize vaguely that I'm trembling.

"You're a Slytherin, Malfoy." I spit out, trying to compose myself. "I'm a Gryffindor. It's never going to work out." But I want it to.

I wiggle out of his grasp when he doesn't respond. I'm breathing hard now, as the world crashes back down upon us. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Madam Pince standing up from her librarian's chair, heading in our direction. She couldn't see us, but just a few more steps… My reputation would be ruined if I were to be found here with Draco.

I hadn't realized that I'd said the last part aloud.

Draco laughed. His laugh was cold, mirthless. I notice at the back of my mind that his lips are swollen. He backed away from me, suddenly disgusted. Despite this action, there was a layer of hurt beneath the silky surface of his grey orbs. But any regret, any guilt I felt for causing that was quickly washed over by rage as he replied to my unwittingly spoken comment.

"Always knew you were a bit mentally disabled, goat." He said bitingly. He walks a few more steps backwards. "If you don't remember, you were the one who kissed me first. I guess hanging out with Potter really has gotten to your head. Seriously, the two of you are like an orphanage club. Charity cases."

"Get out." I snarled, and suddenly, I'm eleven years old again, newly alone in the world and trying my best to fend for myself. I'm breathing heavily again, this time with barely restrained rage. How dare he use my parents against me.

"Get the hell out of here, Malfoy, before I hex you straight into the infirmary."

He scoffs, and shoulders his way out of the Restricted Section of the library. Right past Madam Pince.

Madam Pince approached me cautiously. Saffron-Malfoy fights were legendary by now—even more legendary than Potter-Malfoy fights. "Fawn, it's nearly past curfew, I think it's time to—"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm leaving." I almost scream, before storming all the way back to the Gryffindor common room. I flung myself into the safety of my four-poster bed, barely managing to cast a few silencing charms before crying my heart out.

Draco always knew how to get to me.

And this time… this time I had kissed him instead of punching him in his sorry face. I flop onto my back and place a trembling hand on my lips. The worst part was, that kiss still tingled in my veins even as my brain was seriously regretting it.

"Fawn, are you okay?" A muffled voice came from the other side of the heavy velvet curtains, and I silently spit out some swear words. In my hurry, I had miscast my silencing charms, so that nothing had happened at all.

"I'm fine." I called out, not able to figure out whom that voice belonged to and honestly, I didn't really care. Not right now.

To my dismay, the curtains were drawn back to reveal not one, but two people: Hermione and Ginny. They immediately took in my tear stained face and puffy eyes, and their familiar faces contorted with worry.

That just made me cry harder.

I sat up, allowing them space on my bed. I desperately wanted to unload my worries on someone, but I knew that if they knew about Draco and I, they'd be horrified. No, more than horrified, they'd feel betrayed. This was Malfoy we were talking about, after all.

"Fawn, you know we're always here if you need to talk, right?" Hermione said gently, reaching over to stroke my hair.

"Cut the bullshit, Hermione, look at her! She definitely needs to talk. Right now." Ginny's voice was assertive and strong, but also held a certain degree of gentleness, and I couldn't help but smile at her bossy side. She had changed.

"I—I just…" Shit, I didn't even know where to begin.

"Is it a boy?" Ginny asked. She was right on the spot, as always. I nodded once.

"And let me guess… you don't want to tell us who it is." Hermione murmured, still stroking my hair soothingly. "It's alright. Just tell us why you're upset, Fawn. Cry your eyes out—we'll always be here."

I refrained from reminding her that I was already crying my eyes out.

"I—we—there's no way—" I sob out through my tears. "But I don't know why—I just—he called me a—"

"This boy…you mentioned something about how 'there's no way'? So you don't want to date him. Am I right?" Ginny says, tying her hair up so it's out of her way. She's getting down to business.

"Yeah. He's an awful guy, and—you don't get it. He's the worst person you can imagine for me, but I'm just drawn to him, and I don't know if it's just attraction or something else, but—" Here, I cut myself off. No way. It was definitely not 'something else.'

"Look, I don't care about that," I continued. "It's just tonight, I went and… I k-kissed…"

"You kissed him? Oh, Fawn." Ginny wrapped me up in her arms and mumbled nonsensical things in my ear. She'd make a great mother, I thought.

"Is it Zacharias Smith?" Hermione asks fiercely, her eyes blazing. There was no telling what Hermione might do to him if I had nodded. I simply shook my head, smiling a little. No. Zacharias wasn't even near Draco's league.

"It doesn't matter," Ginny scolded Hermione. "All we need to know is that Fawn's confused about her feelings for some guy, whom her brain hates but her heart wants. Right?"

I nod, freeing myself out from Ginny's almost suffocating grasp and wiping my tears on my sleeve. They had nearly dried up by now.

"Want to hear my advice? Just stay away from him. Notice some other guys. Practically the whole male population in Hogwarts would kill to have you as their girlfriend." Hermione said, calming down a little now.

"And contrary to popular belief," Ginny cut in dryly, "some of the guys here are actually okay. Maybe you'll find someone who your heart wants and your brain likes."

"Thanks, guys." I said weakly. I wrapped both of them up in a huge, bone-crushing hug. "You're the best."

"Don't we know it," Ginny said, winking.

Hermione had already gotten off my bed and was straightening her robes. "Glad to see you're feeling better, Fawn. Now get to bed! It's late."

I let out a hoarse giggle. They left, footsteps growing fainter, and I lay down, eyes wide open in the dark. I toss a little, and there's a thump.

I reach down, underneath the curtains to reach whatever just fell off the bed. My fingers wrap around a warm, leathery bundle. I raise it onto the bed and inspect it, even though I already know what it is. Draco's cloak, the one I still hadn't returned to him.

Bar soap and rain and sweet musk, I thought blearily as I fought my leaden eyelids.

It smells like him. And it's then that I realize that I'll never be able to stay away from that fucking arrogant, egoistic, broken, beautiful Slytherin boy.

Doesn't mean I'm not going to try.

Holy cheese balls—first FawnxDraco kiss! Are you surprised that it was Fawn who initiated it? Haha. I'm not actually used to writing scenes like that: took me quite a while, too. Until next time! :)

~Nightingalelynx