Reading is Sexy: Chapter 9

Note: Oh… My… Dumbledore!! 93 REVIEWS!! WOOHOO!! A million thanks to all who have reviewed or added my story to alerts and favorites lists. I hope you continue to enjoy me story, no matter what bumps I throw in the road…. Wink wink…

Let's get to 100 Reviews with this chapter shall we??

****************************************************************

Hermione walked back to Hogwarts in a daze. She couldn't believe it had actually happened. Draco had closed the distance between them, and left her feeling whole. It had been a million times better than she could have possibly imagined, and although she was a little upset that he hadn't stuck around, she found it terribly romantic.

He had just walked away, leaving her wanting more.

Damn him, she thought, though without much commitment.

She honestly couldn't even fathom a reason why should would want to say that now, for she was too infatuated and filled with wonder, when it came to Draco Malfoy. He was confusing and moody and sometimes, as she had seen before this year, downright unpleasant. She didn't care anymore.

Besides, all males were like that.

She giggled quietly to herself and her jubilance increased with every step she took. By the time she reached the Common Room, she was laughing hysterically, and Ginny, who was sitting in an arm chair by the fire, grew instantly suspicious.

When Hermione saw Ginny, she decided to be very secretive, for she knew Ginny was waiting for her to tell-all.

"Hello," Hermione said. "Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

Hermione giggled and tried to cover it up, as Ginny raised an eyebrow.

Then, since there was no one else in the Common Room, and she couldn't hold it in any longer, she burst.

"WOOHOO!" she screamed. Then she ran around the room twirling her arms, in what the muggles might call 'a happy dance'.

Ginny burst out laughing as well, as Hermione shouted, "I kissed Draco Malfoy! I kissed DRACO MALFOY!"

By this point, Ginny was rolling on the floor laughing at Hermione's antics, as she was still dancing, and Hermione didn't think she could possibly stop.

Something, though, made her.

Someone coughed, and Hermione stopped in the middle of her dance, arms in the air.

Ginny, who hadn't heard the cough, stopped laughing and became still on the floor, and then after a quick look at each other, she and Hermione looked towards the person who had brought them all down.

It was Ron.

He was leaning up against the back of The Fat Lady's portrait and had a look of pure anger on his face.

"Explain," he demanded.

No one said a word, and then Hermione realized she didn't have to.

"No," she said, and then she continued. "I don't have to explain anything to you, Ronald Weasley. It's none of your business, and I'm not going to let you ruin this moment for me." Then she stomped up the stairs, noticing the silence she left behind in her wake.

The last sound she heard before she closed her door was a sob, and she knew it wasn't Ginny.

Don't let it bother you, she thought to herself, but she found the only way to possibly do that was to sleep. So once again, she escaped pain with her dreams.

**********************************************************

When Hermione awoke, it was the next day. This day passed slowly, for she had no Draco to look forward to that afternoon. Ginny had forbade her to see him unless absolutely necessary, which included class and The Quidittch Pitch. She fell asleep early again that night, and the last two thoughts she had were about how she hadn't spoken to Ron at all that day, and about Draco.

********************************************************

Hermione woke up on Wednesday happier than she had been in a while, excluding the moment her lips had touched Draco's, and set herself to preparing for the day. She wore a short pink dress, a white cardigan and a pair of sparkly gold flats.

She laughed when she realized she still hadn't worn half of what she bought with Ginny when they went shopping. But she became very serious when she saw that state her hair was in. Hermione set herself to work.

About half an hour later, she was in Potions, her first class of the day, and one she shared with Draco.

Her heart was pounding when she sat down in her chair, which happened to be in front of Draco's on most days, but today was not most days.

He never showed up.

Hermione was nervous all class long. She kept imagining he would show up with a bouquet of flowers and sweep her off her feet with an amazing kiss, but that was just a fantasy. He never came.

By lunch Hermione was distraught. He wasn't at the Slytherin table, or anywhere in the Great Hall. She hadn't passed him on her way to Transfiguration an hour before, which she always did on Wednesdays. And so she sat with her head on the table, thoroughly disappointed and worried.

Ginny, who at that moment was dodging a kiss from Harry, saw Hermione down the table, and said to her, "Hermione, what's wrong."

Hermione just gave her a look, and secretively nodded towards the Slytherin table. Ginny's eyes lit up, and she laughed.

"You're so dramatic, Hermione. He's in the hospital wing. He has a cold. I heard Parkinson whispering about it."

Hermione breathed with relief, then asked Ginny, "Does that mean I get a day off?"

Ginny laughed, nodded her head and said, "As if you really want one," before winking.

So Hermione went to bed early once again.

****************************************************************

Hermione didn't see Draco on Thursday, but on Friday, when she saw him at lunch, she began to mentally prepare herself for The Quidittch Pitch. Today she had purposely chosen clothes that were sexy, but easier to climb in, and a pair of cute tennis shoes. She had been very pleased with how she looked when she left her Dorm.

She was just as confident when she reached the Pitch, and so Draco leaning against a stand, waiting for her.

Hermione, though she was tempted to fling herself into his arms, approached him calmly and smiled.

He grinned back at her, and she asked him, "Feeling better?"

He nodded, and then added, "I hope you weren't waiting here for me on Wednesday."

Hermione shook her head to tell him that she hadn't and he chuckled.

"Well," she said, because she had to get down to business, "I must start reading."

She made her way over to the center of the field, and lay down on her stomach, her feet dangling in the air behind her head.

She opened her book to her page, which wasn't much farther than where she had been two weeks before.

Before long, she realized that Draco lying was down on his back beside her, his arm draped over his silver eyes, to protect them from the sun. Hermione sighed, and swore she could see him smirk.

She couldn't take it any longer. Turning herself over, she put her book down and laid her head on his stomach. She felt his chest rise and fall, and heard him sigh.

Now it was her turn to smirk.

Slowly, he took his unused arm, and brought it down to his stomach, before softly stroking her hair. She closed her eyes, and enjoyed the moment, trying to forget everything but him.

Before she knew it, her eyes fluttered open, and she realized it was dark.

Draco had sat up, causing her head to fall into his lap, and he was still stroking her hair. He was staring at, she could tell, and she couldn't stop the smile that lit up her face.

He didn't smile back, but he didn't pull his hand away either and Hermione closed her eyes again.

She had been sleeping so much lately, and was surprised when she found herself in his arms, being carried down the steep hill towards the Hogwarts Grounds. She knew she must've fallen asleep again, and was glad he hadn't left her like last time.

She buried her head in his chest as a cold wind blew in from the east and she swore she felt a rain drop on her hand.

This time, she didn't fall asleep and before she knew it, Draco was lowering her to the ground. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Draco kissed her softly on her forehead. Then he walked away and Hermione felt her heart melt.

Her heart, she found, had been doing that a lot lately.