It became easier to talk to Ernie as I spent more time with him. We walked all around Hogsmeade. It was truly beautiful. But, we found ourselves back at Hogwarts in no time at all. We were at the entrance to the Great Hall.

"So, this is where we part," Ernie said.

"Yeah," I stand awkwardly. "So… so, I guess I'll see you around?"

"Definitely," he smiled. "Well, goodnight Miss Granger."

"Night." I know I should have left, but I just continued to stand there.

Ernie came closer to me, and I knew where it would lead. But, did I want Ernie to kiss me? Just as his lips were about to reach mine, I turned my head slightly and put my hands on his chest to stop him.

"I'm sorry," I said apologetically, "but don't you…" I hesitated. "Don't you think this is a little weird?"

He sighed in… relief? "Yeah. I do. But, I thought you were into it. I wanted to be polite."

"Whew," I said as I broke into a smile. "So you didn't feel anything either?"

"Nothing personal, of course."

I shook my head. "Of course not."

He looked confused. "I just don't get it. We have so much in common. Shouldn't something be there?"

"Why force it, right?" I said as I held out my hand. He took it and we shook hands. Then, he kissed my cheek.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

"Night," I said as I watched him walk away.

So, my first date didn't lead to anything. It was to be expected, I suppose. After all, my experience in the guy department just didn't seem to get better as it went. With Viktor, we had the Yule Ball together. A dance. It just didn't seem like we were going out. We just turned out to be friends anyway. Lavender and Parvati may seem to think it was a fluke, but is it so bad for me to think of it that way as well?

With Ron, it was a little different. We went out for a year, and things were good between us. But, we never seemed to go out anywhere. We were always at the Burrow, or at Fred and George's joke shop, or at Grimmauld Place. At the time, I was okay with that. It was just what we did. Simple as that.

And now, with Ernie, he took me on my first real date. And still, nothing seemed to come of it. Maybe I was just playing it safe this whole time. Maybe I needed a little risk every once in a while.

Maybe I needed to reconnect myself with the rebellious Hermione I discovered over the summer. Maybe then, I would find the person that made my heart flutter and my body tingle.

As I headed to the Gryffindor common room to tell Ginny all about my date, I heard a moan from inside a dark alcove.

My Head Girl status kicked in and I doubled back to sneak up to the corner where the lovebirds were hiding. It was definitely passed curfew. These kids are in trouble. I had permission from Dumbledore, at least.

I pulled out my wand and waited a moment. Then, I jumped in front of the alcove and muttered, "Lumos."

Inside the alcove was a half naked Romilda Vane. She was surprised to say the least, and rightly so, because I caught her in a very compromising position.

"Miss Vane," I said with authority, "Are you aware it's passed curfew?"

"Y-Yes," she stammered.

"And do you have a good excuse for being out so late?"

"Well, I was with Draco," she retorted before thinking properly.

My eyebrows quirked up. "And are you still with him?" She shifted her eyes nervously, and I sighed.

"Come on out, Malfoy."

At first, there was no movement. But then, I saw movement in the darkness, and soon, a shirtless Malfoy was before me.

"Evening, Granger."

"What? No 'mudblood' tonight?" I snapped. He looked away, probably analyzing the situation and figuring out a way to get out of it, and I took in their appearances.

There's no doubt what they were up to, I said to myself. Suddenly, a huge sadness washed over me.

I tried to speak, but my mouth was slowly becoming not my own. I knew what was going to happen. So, I needed to get out of there.

"A warning, both of you," I spat quickly. Malfoy's head snapped up. His brows were knitted closely together, and his eyes squinted slightly in confusion.

I didn't know what to do. So, I ran. I ran as quickly as I could. I clamped my hands over my mouth, hoping beyond hope I didn't start singing in the halls.

I found myself outside the portrait to my common room.

"Password?" said the knight in the portrait.

I unclamped my hands to say the password but instead…

"Unity," I sang in a low, sorrowful note. The knight looked at me, concerned, but swung open nonetheless.

Inside, I plopped onto the couch, and I found that I was crying.

"Why?" I asked myself aloud. "Why am I crying?" I didn't understand it. Why the sudden rush of sadness?

And then, my voice wasn't my own.

Crawling in my skin

These wounds, they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing what is real

There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface

Consuming, confusing

This lack of self-control I fear is never ending

Controlling I can't seem

To find myself again

My walls are closing in

Without a sense of confidence

I'm convinced that it's too much pressure to take

I've felt this way before

So insecure

Crawling in my skin

These wounds, they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing what is real

I was weeping and my throat hurt, my voice croaked, and I could barely understand any of the words that were springing from my mouth.

Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me

Distracting, reacting

Against my will I stand beside my own reflection

It's haunting how I can't seem

To find myself again

My walls are closing in

Without a sense of confidence

I'm convinced that it's too much pressure to take

I've felt this way before

So insecure

Crawling in my skin

These wounds, they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing what is real

I began shaking. I didn't understand any of it. Where'd that burst of sadness come from anyway? What had happened to make me feel like this? Was it because Ernie and I didn't work out? I didn't know.

Crawling in my skin

These wounds, they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing, confusing what is real

There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface

Consuming, confusing what is real

This lack of self-control I fear is never ending

Controlling, confusing what is real.

My body grew weak, so I lay down on the couch and closed my eyes. I wasn't crying anymore, but I couldn't move my hand up to my face to wipe the last of my tears away. I was too drained emotionally to even care.

I don't know how long I just lay there, unaware of my surroundings.

"Her-Hermione?" I jumped up startled.

Draco Malfoy was standing before me. To say I was shocked would have been an understatement.

How'd he find this place? How'd he get in here anyway? Did he just call me Hermione? What is going on here?!

So many thoughts were racing through my mind, I couldn't even respond.

"Look," he said, dragging a hand through his platinum locks, and I noticed he had put his shirt back on, "I- I don't know why I'm saying this, but-" he stopped and looked at me. He tilted his head slightly to the side. "Have you been crying?" I was waiting for his trademark smirk, but I never saw it; because, he wasn't smirking.

I sniffed slightly. "How'd you get in here?" I asked in a monotone.

"I heard you sing the password."

"Figures," I snorted, "if you're here to add salt to my wounds, Malfoy, I'm not in the mood." He just stared at me, saying nothing in response. Minutes passed.

"Well?!" I questioned, frustrated.

"Well what?"

"Well, are you going to leave me alone, or are you just going to stand there?!"

He didn't move.

"Fine then. I'll leave." I needed to get away from him, so I turned towards the portrait hole.

"Wait." I heard him say behind me. I stopped but didn't face him.

I could sense him standing right behind me. He turned me around, but I couldn't look at him, so I looked to my feet instead.

He brought his index finger to my chin and gently pushed my head upwards.

I stared at him. Somehow, he was different. He was staring back at me and it seemed like eternity before either of us moved.

Malfoy brought both hands up to cup my face. With his thumbs, he wiped away the traces of tears I was too lethargic to remove myself. I don't recall ever being this close to him before. For the first time, my mind was failing me. I was drawing a blank; I didn't know what to do.

He moved his head closer to mine, and it reminded me that I was in this position before, no more than an hour earlier, in fact.

And yet, the feelings of this being wrong weren't there. There was no awkwardness. This was real.

His lips lightly brushed mine before he pulled back slightly to look at me.

I looked at his lips. Were those really just pressed against mine?

His lips were against mine again, and it wasn't what I expected. I never thought I'd be kissing Draco Malfoy, git extraordinaire, but I figured if it ever happened, it would be rough and controlling.

But this kiss was soft, delicate, and slow. Passionate. Who would have thought? The reckless side in me kissed him back.

The moment I realized I was actually enjoying a kiss with Malfoy, I pulled away and wiped my mouth angrily.

"What do you think you're doing?!" I shouted.

"I thought I was kissing you," he replied simply.

"Why?!"

"Why does there always need to be an explanation, with you, huh?! Why can't you just act upon a feeling without having a logical reasoning behind it?"

"Because!"

"Because why?!"

I turned to the portrait hole and flung it open. "Because it's you, Malfoy." I replied quietly. "Now leave." My voice was firm.

"Why can't you just live in the moment, Granger?! I kissed you! So sorry for attempting to make you feel better!"

"And why would a Malfoy attempt to make a mudblood feel better?" I replied calmly.

"Fine," he said, pushing past me out the portrait hole, "I don't need this."

And he was gone. Not like I cared or anything. Maybe now I could get my normal life back.

"Prat!" I shouted after him before slamming the portrait shut.

A few days later, and things were great. Harry, Ron, and I were spending more time together like we used to.

Ernie and I had been studying together in the library, strictly as friends, of course.

I even set him up on a blind date with Miranda Evans, a sixth year Hufflepuff. They've been on three dates thus far. I do believe they were even whispering sweet nothings into each other's ear when I came into the library this afternoon.

But most importantly, no Malfoy. No Malfoy throwing insults or shooting off hexes. No Malfoy cornering me in the deserted halls. And definitely no Malfoy passionately kissing me in my common room.

Yep. Life was grand.

After that night, Ginny tried to pry details out of me, but I blatantly refused. I didn't want to remember that night. My emotions got the better of me, and I refused to recall anything that happened that night.

"Hey, 'Mione," Ginny said, walking up to me in the library. "Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing," I mumbled. "Just homework."

She stared at me blankly. "Just homework?" she asked, her voice rising. "Just homework?! When has it ever been just homework to you?!"

"Since now," I replied numbly.

She took a seat next to me. "What's happened to you, 'Mione?"

My eyes shot to hers. "What do you mean?"

"Ever since your date with Ernie, you've been different. Did-" she paused. "Did he do something to you?" She was waiting for an answer.

"No, Ginny. Ernie didn't do anything." She looked relieved.

"Then what's got you so down?"

"Nothing, Gin!"

"You're… different. Something must have happened."

"But nothing did! So just drop it, Ginerva Weasley!"

"Fine," she growled, "but the next time you need to talk to someone, don't come crawling to me."

I watched her walk away with shame. I knew I should have just told her; she was only trying to help. But, I couldn't forget that night if I analyzed with Ginny what had happened.

It's best to just stay distant, I told myself sadly. Perhaps some day I'll tell her.

I sighed and continued my potions essay. Just as I became consumed by it, I felt the table wobble. I looked up to see Malfoy had bumped into it, purposely no doubt.

I went back to my homework. He's not worth it, I told myself. Unfortunately, he took me ignoring him as an invitation to sit down. Great. Just bloody wonderful.

He didn't say anything. A man of many words. Finally, his presence could no longer be ignored, so I looked up expectantly.

"Are you dating Ernie Macmillan?" he said. My eyes widened.

"Are you?" he persisted.

I cleared my throat and looked back to my essay. "Why does that matter to you, Malfoy?" I asked nonchalantly, taking a glance at my potions text before jotting down another line in my essay.

"Just answer me," he said almost pleadingly. I looked up and glared.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not."

Malfoy banged his fist on the table making me jump slightly. "Yes or no?!"

My eyes flashed dangerously. "Yes," I growled. "Alright? Yes." It was a straight out lie, but he didn't deserve honesty, I reasoned. His lips pursed with disgust.

"Is that all?" I asked, annoyed.

He looked at me as if he was betrayed. Without warning, he sprung up, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me to a secluded part of the library before I could even comprehend what he had done.

"What is your problem?" I whispered fiercely, yanking my wrist away from his grasp.

"You! You are my problem!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to-"

"Shut up," he interrupted, "I didn't bring you here to talk."

"Then why did you bring me here?!"

Immediately, he roughly grabbed my waist and brought me closer to him. Then, as if me being so close to him could dissipate his anger, he gently clasped my face and pulled me in before softly pressing his lips to mine.

The moment I reciprocated, he ran his tongue across my bottom lip, begging for entrance. I opened my mouth and his tongue battled with mine. I got a strange feeling in my stomach. This time, I knew I was kissing Draco Malfoy. And, I liked it.

Which was why I again pushed him away.

"Now tell me you didn't feel a thing," he stated breathlessly.

"Is that what you want to hear?" I looked at him with pity before settling my eyes on a random book upon a nearby shelf. "Fine. I didn't feel a thing."

He looked at me a moment. "You should become the first Mistress of Magic."

Shocked, I flung my head to look at him. "And why is that?" I asked curiously.

"Because you were so convincing, I almost believed you." I gaped at him. "I know for a fact that you like me. Why? I don't know. I barely understand why I feel something for you so suddenly." He paused a moment as he stepped closer to me. "Why don't you just forget about Macmillan, hmmm?" he murmured huskily, rubbing against me.

I stepped back. "I couldn't possibly. I won't." I stomped my foot childishly.

His eyes darkened. I squared my chin with dignity and walked away. I didn't dare look back. I was afraid I'd see the usual emotionless boy I'm used to become the brokenhearted man I turned him into.

Crawling by Linkin Park

I know this relationship between Draco and Hermione seems sudden and rushed, but trust me, there's a point to that. So, just bear with me, okay?