Confrontation

A/N - Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, i've been busy, but here it is!

The day couldn't have started better. Hermione had met up with Harry and Ron straight away and they all walked to the Great Hall together laughing and joking. For the first time that week, Hermione felt a wave of well-deserved relief wash over her.

In the great hall Malfoy hadn't even given her a second glance since he was busy talking to Crabbe and Goyle. Whatever he was saying to them must have been funny since they had dumb smiles plastered on their faces. Hermione was glad that he wasn't glaring at her as he usually did. Maybe he had given up? Could it be possible? After all, he had made her worried about his intentions. Maybe now he was going to give it a rest. She applauded fate.

It really did look that way. As soon as Malfoy had finished talking with Crabbe and Goyle, Vila appeared at his side batting her fake eyelashes and whispering something quietly in his ear. Malfoy smiled slightly and turned to look down on her. Leaning down so he was level with her ear he whispered something back; making Vila flush.

Hermione couldn't tell what was going on between Malfoy and Vila and truthfully she didn't want to. Turning her eyes away, she waited for Ron and Harry, not once looking toward the Slytherin table. Whatever Malfoy wanted to do with spoiled senseless Slytherin like Vila had nothing to do with her. Wasn't it only a minute ago that she was wishing he had given up his advances? If anything, she should be celebrating that finally she could walk around Hogwarts without having to check every corridor first. But where did all this new feeling of relief go?

It was over two hours later; Harry and Ron were practising throws to each other on their brooms, showing off their talents to anyone who was watching. Hermione noticed that Ron was getting pretty good and hints of muscle had started to show on his lanky self. It must have been all the exercise he got playing Quidditch. He practised harder than anyone else she knew and she admired his determination to improve. The Quidditch season was starting on Monday and everyone was trying to get in on his or her last chance for training.

Hermione grew bored of watching and decided that maybe a good study session was what she needed. Walking to her personal room she bumped into Snape as she turned the corner. Snape realised who it was and his face shrouded over with utter annoyance. Hermione knew that she was going to get told off and had mentally prepared herself.

'Miss Granger, do you have any idea where you should be right now?' His articulated words confused her and she stood there with a simple look on her face. Best to act dumb.

'As Head Girl, it is your duty that you spend your afternoon from one till three with Mr Malfoy. You have student business to discuss.' Snape observed her shocked expression and he smirked nastily.

'It appears that you may not be as organised as you like to think, Miss Granger. I suggest you get to the Head's common room immediately.' With that, Snape walked away, causing Hermione to shiver; Snape was such a despicable person. Who knew why Dumbledore put up with him!

Hermione let what Snape had just said sink into her rattled brain. Of course it was the Head's meeting today and she was to discuss students worries and complaints with Malfoy. She had totally forgotten and Malfoy would no doubt be livid at her late attendance. Malfoy was not going to like this at all and he would utterly detest the idea that a mudblood had kept him waiting.

Something else to hold against me, she thought miserably and made a dash for the Head Boy's and Girl's personal quarters.

Some of the panic subsided when she realised that Malfoy had appeared to give up on his promise to make her 'suffer'.

Who knows, maybe he hasn't shown up at all, she thought as she ran up the stairs at a swift pace. He looked so busy with Vila earlier that he most likely had more important business to attend to - instead of inflicting grief on Hermione.

But luck wasn't on her side this time. Malfoy was sitting on one of the sofas in their common room, a scowl emerging on his face when she walked in.

'Where have you been!' he demanded, standing to face her. 'You're over thirty minutes late; I've had to go through all the notes myself.'

He indicated to the small table behind him. Hermione saw sheets of paper scattered untidily on its surface. A nauseous feeling flooded inside her; Malfoy had done all of this by himself, while she had been watching Ron and Harry throw a Quidditch ball.

'Draco, I'm so sorry I forgot! I mean… I didn't know…' Hermione stopped stuttering and a strange expression flickered across Malfoy's face. It appeared to be shock. Hermione was also taken back. Draco, cocked his head back and looked down at her curiously.

'So, we're on a first name basis are we...Hermione.' His teeth flashed a dangerous white when he saw her horror-struck expression. Oh Merlin! She'd called him Draco! She'd never called him that, ever! Not many Slytherins would be so bold as to address him by his first name either.

'Don't look so scared, Hermione.' He said her name with ease; it seemed to just roll off his tongue. When he spoke her name he looked as though he was enjoying it. He enjoyed seeing her squirm with discomposure.

'You always look at me with such unsure eyes nowadays. Whatever happened to that sharp-tongued proud witch that used to torment me. How I miss her.' Hermione found herself backing away from Malfoy who was approaching her slowly but with alarming smoothness.

'Yes I do miss that girl who would love to spit verbal acid at me. Whatever happened to her, Hermione?' She found her own shaking body completely pressed up against the wall - in fear or delight she couldn't tell.

'You happened to her, Malfoy,' Her voice was barley a whisper but he heard clearly what she said.

'It never stopped you before, Granger. When I would make threatening remarks to you, the weasel, and scarhead, it never bothered you. So, I must ask you, why the sudden change of heart?'

Hermione bit her lower lip, trying not to let out a sob that would give her away easily. He was towering above her, both his arms pinning her against the wall on either side of her head. She was a prisoner of his hostile gaze. His smell was so clear from were she was and so powerful that she couldn't breathe. It made her feel giddy just knowing that this was Draco's natural scent. He was still waiting for her timid answer whilst looking down at her with cold questioning eyes. He wanted to know why she was so desperate to avoid him.

'I don't know…'

'Liar!' He snapped at her, his hands reaching down to hold her wrists tightly. He slammed her wrists on the hard wall above her head and she winced in pain. 'You're acting this way for a reason and I want to know why.' Hermione saw the treacherous glint in his eyes and knew that this time - he wasn't kidding. She was playing with ice so cold it burned her tender self.

'Malfoy, please…I really don't know! I didn't mean to see you and Vila that night! It was hot and I needed fresh air! You have to let this go; we can't go on all year like this!' Her entire body was quivering. Would he accept that as an answer?

He took some steps back and observed her closely. Who knew what he was thinking? It didn't take him long to finish his analysis of what she had said.

'I never thought in the first place that you were watching us intentionally, Granger. You're so stuck up about what's right and wrong, and you know that spying like that is very, very, wrong.' His voice had grown deep while speaking to her. His final words made him smirk slightly sending a rush of agonising heat through her.

'So then why are you doing this?' Her question was desperate and she was anxious for answers. Hermione stepped toward him, unaware she was doing so.

'If I haven't done anything wrong, then why are you hurting me?' Horror shook Hermione to the core when she heard a frosty laugh come from Malfoy. How could he laugh at her like this? She was being dead serious!

'Because it's so much more fun this way!' he hissed, venom dripping from his words. 'The almighty Hermione Granger craving for her best friend's enemy! Do you know how arousing that thought is to me? When you clung to me as we kissed like a woman dying of thirst. You want me as badly as I do you - only you won't admit it to yourself. Instead, you lock yourself away in your room or surround yourself with those 'friends' of yours. You'd better get used to me, Granger, because I'm not going anywhere for a very long time.'

And then his mouth came down on hers like it had a few days ago. But this time, his kiss was rough and demanding, so unlike the soft tender one she had received. His mouth ravaged hers, bruising her yielding lips. Hermione tried to scream out but his destructive force stopped her.

'Stop!' she thought, beginning to panic. It wasn't like this before; there's nothing here but ferocity now.

Finding that she could move her right arm, she lifted up her hand as quickly and as powerfully as she could. She struck Malfoy with a resonating crack on his left cheek and saw him stagger back. He held onto his face, his eyes closed, trying to hold back the pain he was feeling. She didn't wait to see what other damage she had inflicted on him. Sprinting for the door, she flung it open and darted down the corridor away from the cold-hearted bastard.

She never saw Malfoy observe the cruel bruise on his skin and scowl. Neither did she catch the look in his shadowed eyes when he decided that payback was most definitely on the tainted cards now.