A/N: Once again I'm sorry for the late update. I had another wedding this weekend, this time I was a bridesmaid! I actually preferred this wedding to the last one I went to because it was more laid back. I had a lot of fun as a bridesmaid we wore these very nice long hugged royal blue dresses with halter top straps, they were actually nice to look at unlike some bridesmaid dresses!

Anyhow,

I am so incredibly glad that you guys enjoyed the last chapter, I honestly wasn't sure how it was going to go over but most people seemed thrilled. I think I may have made a few people feel sorry for Pansy though, which was actually my plan because I wanted to show the softer side of her right before she died. I am honestly not sure what is to come next, I have no plan, pretty bad, but I will make it work!

Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

First Kiss

The cold feeling that seemed to creep up Draco's spine was imminent. He found himself staring at the raven haired girl, who swayed softly from the rails he had slid down as a child.

He had nothing to say.

He felt that it was his fault, that she had done what she did, that maybe he could have been a little kinder to her over the years. The fact that she was now dead seemed to sink into him like a heavy weight, making his legs numb and his heart heavy.

Hermione stood behind him, he could feel her eyes. He hadn't turned around to say anything to her, or given any word of what he wanted to be done. The world seemed to have come to a stand still and nothing seemed to flicker his vision from the dead cold eyes of Pansy Parkinson. Somewhere she was now watching him, mocking him for his arrogance. He could feel his hand shaking as he rested a cold palm on the rail, and looked down at the swarm of house elves crowded around her dangling corpse.

He swallowed profusely, eyes dry from forgetting to blink.

The house elves all seemed to stare up at him with certain compassion, their massive orbs they had for eyes watery and glazed.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Draco asked, though he choked slightly as he spoke. "Get rid of her."

He waved his hand and spun around, not bearing to see the sight any longer. He knew that he wasn't going to be able to sleep now.

Hermione was still standing behind him, face pale and arms straddling her shoulders. He gave her a disgusted look, not believing that she was here in his house. He felt as though he must be dreaming.

There she was, the girl he loathed, looking at him with an innocent gaze which pierced his insides. The same eyes which had stared at him for over ten years, cold and unforgiving.

She shifted slightly, her eyes were not cold or unforgiving now. He could see a faint pity in her stare, and it made him feel sick.

He scowled, sweeping past her without a word, head held high above him. She continued to watch him, her eyes burning holes in the back of his head as he entered the room he was sleeping in and closed the door.

Shutting it tightly, he let his eyes fall shut and leaned back against the oak frame, supporting himself with his arms. He took a deep breath, not being able to see anything other then the haunting image of Pansy dead in the hall. It seemed that people were dying all around him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He rubbed his cold and clammy palm against his face, wiping away a freezing sweat, and relaxed his body.

Then suddenly, without hesitation, he had snatched up his wand from the pocket of his robes and fired a deadly blast at the mirror on the room's far end. It shattered with a heart-stopping crash, sending shards of broken glass whirling through the air. He let out a loud roar, sending another shot towards the portraits of distant relatives which hung from the walls. The occupants of the portraits ran and disappeared from the frames as they also came shattering down to the emerald carpeting.

Then, all was silent.

Draco closed his eyes once more, sliding down the door with his back and collapsing to the floor. He banged the back of his head on it several times before settling down and staying still, pale hands pressed against the ground and chest caving inwards heavily.

Would he ever be happy?

He had never been happy.

The only time he had ever felt the least bit happy was when he was on his broom, soaring high above the tree tops, free as a bird. The feeling of a woman's touch had never made him happy in the least. Sex was a dull and tedious affair, which always led to drama, and that also wasn't something which made him happy.

He contemplated joining Pansy in death, doing himself in as well.

Then he thought of his mother, fare and beautiful, and what she would say to him. He knew she would want him to continue forward, and bring back the Boy Who Lived. He did not know if he could live with the heavy heart he carried, the conscience which haunted him every waking moment of his pitiful life. He thought that maybe somewhere deep in his pitiful and pathetic soul, there was a person who had a meaning to their existence, a person who was meant to make a difference in the world.

There was a soft knock on the door suddenly.

Draco rolled his eyes, head still pressed against the door's oak finish.

"What?"

"It's Hermione, let me in Malfoy."

He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the vast ceiling, wand twirling in his pale fingertips.

"Get lost Granger, what could you possible want from me right now?" He droned, not removing himself from in front of the door.

"Just let me in Malfoy."

His eyes snapped open. He hated when people spoke to him in that manner.

He stood swiftly from the floor and yanked the door open. There stood Granger, supporting herself against the frame of the door and staring at him with those cold brown eyes. They just watched each other for a moment, neither of them saying a word.

He raised his eyebrows towards her, as though silently asking her what it was that she wanted.

"Why is it that you continue to bother me?" He asked her, crossing his arms as she pushed past him and into the bedroom. "We utterly despise one another Granger, or have you forgotten that fact so quickly?"

Back turned to him, she stopped suddenly.

"I know what it's like, to lose a friend." She said quietly, as she turned slowly and looked at him.

Her eyes met his, and suddenly an odd sort of feeling came over him, making his body feel weak. He did not know what this feeling was, so he brushed it off as quickly as it had come. As soon as the strange feeling had passed, his heart began to race, and his hands went tingly. He wished desperately to know what she was doing to make his body act so differently, but did not know the answer.

Whatever it was, he didn't like it.

She continued to stare at him with that gaze, as she stepped closer to him, her face inches from his. He crossed his arms towards her, not blinking or looking away from her for a second. He wasn't going to let this mudblood overrun him in his own home.

"It's the most lonely and terrible feeling in the world, isn't it?" She asked him softly, still staring deep into his eyes. He found himself giving in to her, and breaking the gaze by looking at his feet.

He sniffed, wiping his nose with the back of his hand in an arrogant manner. He kicked at an invisible object on the floor, and then spoke.

"I've seen it all before Granger, and it's nothing that I can't handle."

She continued watching him, unconvinced by his response.

She took a step closer, and Draco found his heart racing even faster. He found himself thinking to himself why he was not attempting to push her away from him, or get as far away from her as possible. What was it about her that was suddenly making him feel defenseless and weak?

"How do you do it, Malfoy?" She whispered, eyes not flickering.

"Do what?" He drawled, placing his hands on his hips. "I don't know what you are talking about Granger."

She nodded at him.

"Hide your feelings." She replied. "I don't understand how one person can keep so many feelings and emotions just bottled up in one place for so long. Don't you ever just, want to explode? I don't care who you are, Draco Malfoy, we all have emotions, and you are no exception, no matter how pure the bloodline or how proper the posture."

Draco felt threatened by her, and stepped backwards.

"Get lost Granger, you are way out of line!"

"I can see right through you." She continued, still stepping closer. He found himself swallowing swiftly, as she backed him against the wall. Her lips were now only inches from his, and he could feel her breath caressing his skin.

He found himself enjoying this feeling, and mentally smacked himself.

"Every scowl," She whispered, moving even closer. "Every single word of cruelty, every sigh and groan and arrogant step you take, I can still see right through it all Draco Malfoy and I know exactly what you are."

"And what am I?!" He hollered, stepping towards her and making her take a step back, shocked from his response.

"A human being!" She screamed, holding up her hands to stop him, and resting them on his chest. "I don't care what terrible things you've done Draco Malfoy, I know what you feel and I understand your pain. I am the same."

He stopped, his face lightening and his breath slowing. The things she was saying angered him but at the same time he found himself aching to have her hold him.

Was he right in the head, had the Dark Lord put a curse on him?

Why was he suddenly feeling the need to lunge at Hermione Granger?

They just stood there for a moment, eyes locked and cold. She would not look away, why would she not look away? She was the most stubborn female he had ever met.

He found his breath seizing in his chest as she moved her lips slightly closer to his own, hot breath on his face. An odd sort of sickly feeling made itself known in his stomach, but it wasn't a bad feeling. There was something about that woman that had suddenly made him feel defenseless, and he felt there was nothing he could do about it.

Her lips were so close he could taste them, but neither of them made another move.

"You aren't the cold-blooded killer that everyone thinks you to be, Malfoy." She said quietly, making him shiver as she scanned over his face with her eyes. "You are much deeper then they say. I never saw it before, but now I can. I see a boy who is tormented by his father and alone in this world. I see a boy who screams out to be forgiven for everything he has done and just wishes it to all be over. There is a heart in there somewhere, the heart of a loving son, and a brave warrior."

That was it, he had had enough from her.

He snatched her wrists up with his hands, they felt warm compared with his. She squeaked slightly as he yanked her towards him, scowling and angry. She continued to look into his eyes, something very few people could do.

He could feel her shaking underneath his hands.

"You need to learn your place here mudblood." He spat angrily, launching her back a few feet.

She just looked at him sympathetically, as though waiting for him to change his mind.

She looked so innocent and compassionate.

Why was it he just wanted to march over to where she stood and pull her into his arms?

He shook his head angrily, trying to rattle away the thoughts he was having.

Then he turned back to her.

"Get out Granger."

She scowled towards him, before marching past him. She grabbed hold of the door handle, pulling it open softly. Then she turned back to him, and said:

"I guess I was wrong, you really are a coward."

This made him very angry. He jumped forwards slamming the door shut and pinning her against it, nostrils flaring and eyes wild with rage. She didn't look frightened as her eyes met his, making him shiver.

What was happening to him?

Then, before he even knew what had happened, his breathing had calmed softly, and his hands were softening against her body, pulling her against him. His eyes had become gently and were washing over her face, a hand on her throat. Her chest caved in and out against his own, making his knees weak. Her body felt warm against him, and he pulled her even closer.

Then he let his eyes fall closed, and quietly pressed his lips against hers. An instant tingling traveled through his body, from his face right down to his toes. He held on to her to keep from falling to the floor, as her tongue met with his and he tasted her sweet mouth. His lips felt overly sensitive and swollen to the touch, and an instant feeling of stiffness made its way from between his legs.

He opened his eyes suddenly, realizing what it was he was doing.

He pushed her away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and turning away from her. He did not know what to do or say, except that he wanted more.

This had to stop.

He turned back to her, she was staring at him the same way she had been the moment before he had kissed her.

"Get out, Granger."

A/N: Ooooohhh the first kiss. Not sure what to think of this, I think it's interesting. Just a little teaser I guess. In the next chapter I am going to get to the library and telling you all of the plan to resurrect Harry, and maybe fill you all in on Hermione's dark mark

Thanks for reading, love to hear from you!