Chapter 9

She slowly closed her eyes as his mouth lowered to hers. She waited for contact.

"Are you sure you want me to show you Granger?"

She nodded. Lightly his lips contacted hers. Gently at first then harder as the pressure to deepen the kiss became more urgent.

This is wrong. I should push him away. I should have never told him to show me. But it was what she wanted, what she had always wanted. She melted into his arms succumbing to the kiss, giving as much as she was taking. He nibbled at her lower lip. Taking that as a sign she opened up to him.

She had dreamed of this moment, now it was happening. She moved her arms around him and slowly started caressing his back.

Draco felt like he was going to die. Here he was finally kissing the one woman who could torment his thoughts as well as his every waking moment. If only every moment could be this blissful.

They broke apart reluctantly. "Draco, we should go somewhere more private."

He only nodded, afraid of breaking the spell that had woven around them. He took her hand as she led him away.


Hermione shook her head. She had to stop her daydreams about Draco Malfoy. They were beginning to be too much, especially since she had pushed Malfoy away, not kissed him.

** Flash Back**

"You really want to know Granger. I'll show you." He reached up and grabbed her and lowered his mouth to hers.

Hermione moved her arm and shoved with all her might. She wasn't going to let him kiss her in some delusional anger. If it was going to happen it wasn't going to happen like this. "Look Malfoy, I don't know what you are trying to do but you have some nerve thinking you can kiss me."

"Kiss you. You are delusional." Draco stepped back trying to recover himself from what almost happened. "It was you and that magic I was talking about. You better stop it Granger. You will never be with me, not even by magic."

"Be with you, you were the one about to jump me in the hall you bloody wanker."

"As if. Just stay away from me Granger."

** End Flash back**

What was wrong with her? She had pushed him away and yet here she was still imaging what it would have been like if she had let him. Would he have taken her up in his arms? Would he have answered all her dreams? Would he have told her that he loved her and would never hurt her?

Wait a minute. Why would I want him to tell me he loved me? It's not like I care about him. I love Ron.

Oh who was she kidding? She didn't love Ron. She didn't even want to be with him anymore. It was time to end the charade. She would just have to tell him that although she cared about him, and no longer blamed him for what happened the year before, she couldn't get over the image of seeing him and Lavender. She didn't trust him and that was that. She had gotten back together with him for all the wrong reasons.

Hermione moved to stand from her seat on the floor. After Malfoy had stormed off she had sunk back to the ground to compose herself and had ended up daydreaming.

As she rose she was pushed to the ground again.

"Well looky who we have here. It's Potters Mudblood boys. What shall we do with her?"

Hermione looked up at her assailants. "Crabbe, Goyle, Delecoix."

Michael Delecoix took her arm and pulled her to her feet. "Hello Granger. You looked so sweet sitting there on the floor we thought we might come and have a taste. You've changed. You're not the bookworm you used to be. If you weren't a filthy Mudblood I would almost say you were sexy, but alas…"

"Let me go Delecoix."

Michael reached for a strand of her hair and twirled it around his fingers. "Or what?" he turned to his companions. "Watch out for people coming. I'm going to sample a bit of what Weasley has."

Fear blazed in Hermione's eyes. What did he think he was going to do to her?
Micheal pushed her against the wall and brought his lips to hers. Struggling she tried to push him away and free herself from the situation.

"Oh Mudblood. Don't you like it?" He reached under her robes and grabbed her thigh. "It'll only hurt if you fight it."

Just as he reached to open her robes an arm reached and pulled him off of her.

"That's enough Delecoix. Get off of her."

"Sorry man, I didn't know you had a vested interest in this one. If she's yours why didn't you just say so?"

Draco looked at the boy in front of him. He couldn't tell him the truth. "What I want and what I have are of no concern of yours. Are you forgetting who I am?"

Michael shook his head. "Sorry. Come one boys." He looked at Draco "I'll see you back in the common room."

As the group of boys sauntered down the hall Hermione crumpled to the floor once again. She looked up at her savior. "Why?"

"Don't feel so special Granger, I dropped a book out of my bag when you so forcefully pushed me away and I came back for it. That's all."

But it wasn't. When Draco had turned the corner and saw Michael on top of her he had a reaction he never could have foreseen. Rage moved through his body combined with a feeling of hate for the boy. How dare he think that he could force himself onto her?

But isn't that what you want?

No it wasn't. He wanted her completely. He knew that Weasley hadn't had her, he went to someone else for that the year before. No she was pure and for the first time in his life Draco wanted something that no one had ever had. But it was more then that. He wanted her. He felt a need to protect her.

"Why are you staring at me like that Malfoy?"

Draco bit his upper lip. "Are you okay?"

Hermione was shaken by the change in his demeanor. Wasn't this the guy who had just told her he had only come back for the book? He looked at her the same way he did when he was concerned about her wrist at Diagon Alley. It was a look of compassion, of caring. "I'm fine. A little shaken though."

Draco offered his hand to help her up from the ground. When she just stared at it he looked at her. "It's a hand, not a snake Granger. I'm just offering to help you up."

Hermione smiled. "I know it's not a snake. I'm just surprised you offered it." She reached up and took his hand in hers.

A jolt moved through Draco's body. His breath became shallow. She looked so helpless looking up at him through her big brown eyes. He pulled her up. "There now I can get on with my night. Good day Granger."

Hermione grabbed her hand and started to massage her wrist. Draco cringed. It was still bruised from that day at Diagon alley. How could he be so careless? Hermione followed his eyes. "It doesn't hurt. It's just still colored a bit, that's all."

"I know."

"Malfoy, are you alright. I mean from what happened that day?"

"Look Granger like I said I don't know what you think you saw that day but."

"But nothing. Look you helped me tonight. I can't even imagine why but you did. If you ever need to talk to anyone about what happened that day you come see me."

"Thanks"

"No problem. Can I have my hand back now?"

Draco looked down and realized he still held her hand in his. Her fingers entwined with his. He got the feeling that was where they were supposed to be. Just as he was about to let go he heard a male voice not too far away.

"Oh Moine, how could you?"