A/N : SORRY for not updating. Chapter Ten took me forever to get right, and I'm still not sure if I even like it, so I need to rely on your feedback.

Chapter Ten

Hide And Seek

Hermione stared into the flames of the Gryffindor common room fire. What was happening to her? She returned to the tower in a daze, not really sure what she did. She tried to go to bed, but it was too quiet. An eerie sort of quiet, as if there was something badly wrong going on, and someone was watching. At least the fire cracked every few minutes. Too many things went through her mind, what she'd done, if it was even real. Was what she felt real? It couldn't be, it was impossible. She was ill…or dreaming, anything but living in reality.

"It seems like every time I can't sleep…here you are." Hermione jumped and turned around to see Harry coming down the stairs.

"Harry!" she held a hand over her heart, "You scared me."

He smiled and sat down next to her. "What's your excuse?"

Hermione looked at him with a serious eye. "I kissed Malfoy."

Harry looked at her for a moment, suspiciously, and then smiled. "You're funny."

She faked a laugh and shrugged. "That's me. Sorry to scare you."

Harry laughed. "I'll have to tell Ron that one."

"Maybe you shouldn't. Just…forget I said anything." Hermione said quickly, to cover her lie. "Our inside joke."

"Um…sure Hermione, whatever you say."

Hermione smiled a little, and then stifled a yawn. Maybe she was tired after all.

"Harry, can I ask you something?" she said, keeping her tone casual.

He shrugged and she took it was a yes.

"So, about Ron…" she didn't exactly know where to begin. Ron was not a subject she liked to talk about lately. "Lav-…. Ron…did- wouldn't he…" She groaned and dropped her head onto the back of the chair she was in.

"Never mind," she said after a while.

"Hermione, Ron wasn't trying to make you upset. Lavender asked, he agreed. I don't think it was in his intentions…"

"But what about new years?" Hermione was sitting back up again, gesturing widely. "He was so great, and I thought he was serious." Her face dropped into a frown and Harry sighed.

"I wish I could help, but Ron is really the only one who can answer you." He stood up and made his way to the bottom of the boys' stairs.

"Thanks for trying," Hermione mumbled as he left and she tried to sleep.

Hermione sat in her literature class the next day wishing she had never woken up. She couldn't bear the thought of being in the same room as Malfoy. Though he wasn't a total horror to think about….

Professor Dickson took roll and surprisingly, he wasn't even in attendance.

"He wasn't feeling well, Professor," Blaise Zabini put in.

"Well, did he go to Madam Pomfrey?" Professor Dickson asked.

"I suggested it, but I doubt he will."

"Well, all right. If he isn't back next week I'll see Madam Pomfrey." Professor Dickson said with determination.

Hermione tuned out the rest of the attendance, she was eager to get some good old-fashioned note taking in, to take her mind off things.

"Now," said Professor Dickson as she put down the student list and took off her glasses, allowing them to hang around her neck. "I thought we would start with some classic Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet."

Most of the class broke into murmurs of confusion, but Hermione smiled. Being muggle-born she knew quite a bit of old William.

"Star-crossed lovers," Professor Dickson said dramatically, channelling Professor Trelawney. "Families who despise one another, yet their children just can't live without one another. Literally." She sighed dreamily.

Hermione scribble down a few notes as their professor went on. "Now, Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague. She's just twelve, and he's roughly sixteen. How either of them know they're truly in love is what you'll be answering…"

Hermione took a good handful of notes as she went on about the secondary characters. Their first assignment was given at the end of the class.

"For next lesson, I wan you to read the first act, and make notes! Use your margins, it's why they're there. You're dismissed for today. Enjoy your afternoon. Mr. Zabini, come here."

Hermione stopped at the outside of the door and could hear Professor Dickson, just barely.

"Please give this to Mr. Malfoy, along with the assignment. I hope he is well soon."

Hermione snorted derisively. Poor Professor she was new. Little did she know that he was probably faking the entire thing. Hearing Blaise walking down the rows of desks, she walked down the hall to meet Harry and Ron (who she still wasn't on good terms with). Ginny had left ahead of her to catch up to her sixth year friends.

"How's the new class?" Harry asked as they found one another.

"Oh, it's good, we're doing Shakespeare at the moment." She ignored Ron's confused look as Harry nodded.

"And the teacher?"

Hermione shrugged. "She teaches well enough, and she's interesting, but a bit of a pushover though." She laughed a little. "When she heard Malfoy was sick, she pulled Zabini aside and wished him well."

"H-Hermione, you sure Malfoy's sick?" Hermione was surprised to see Ron talking to her, though he wasn't making eye contact, or even looking at her.

"I'm not sure of anything, Zabini said he was ill."

"Doesn't look too sickly in my opinion." Ron nodded down the corridor and then resumed staring downward. Hermione followed to where Ron nodded and found Malfoy leaning against a wall, speaking with Adele. What was it with them? They were always together. Apart from looking very tired and a bit clammy, he seemed fine. Adele turned and walked down the hall and Malfoy glanced down towards Hermione. She felt her cheeks to red-hot and racked her brain for an excuse.

"Oh, damn. I forgot my quill in Dickson's room," she lied as they came nearer to Malfoy. "You go on, I'll meet you." She turned away and walked slowly in the other direction until Ron and Harry had rounded the corner. Then, once again she set off in the direction of Malfoy and he stepped in front of her before she could pass, just as she secretly hoped he would.

"I need to talk to you," he said quietly, not paying mind to the passers by.

"You don't look well." Hermione said flatly, not immediately making eye contact.

"Well, I'm not. Look can I talk to you?"

"Perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey if you're ill." Hermione glanced around, looking for a target to keep her gaze as a few sixth years came down the corridor.

"Madam Pomfrey can't help!" Malfoy's voice rose a bit, but then he lowered it, aware of people around. "I need to talk to you. Meet me tonight?" She didn't respond.

"Hermione! Come on, you'll miss lunch!" She found Ginny and smiled quickly.

"I have to go," she said to Malfoy, glancing at his sunken in eyes briefly before passing him.

"Her-!" he called, but she had set off at a jog to catch up with Ginny.

"What was that about?" Ginny asked as they made their way into the great hall.

"Oh, he must have forgotten I was serious about quitting the committee." Hermione responded as they took two seats at the Gryffindor table.

"You quit?" Ginny and Ron said, Ron sounding more like 'chu-uit?'

"I didn't tell you? It happened Monday. Well there were disagreements so I quit," she said plainly. No one argued.

History of Magic was their last afternoon class, which was only on their schedules because Harry and Ron knew they could pass easily by copying Hermione's notes. Malfoy didn't appear in his classes for the rest of the day, at lunch, or for the first part of dinner. Hermione hardly ate as she attempted to free herself from the guilt that was pulsing in her chest. Her face held a steady frown as she review her notes from her Literature class. Romeo and Juliet. Star crossed lovers…born into a world of rival families in an ongoing battle between ancient enemies. It was a world not too unlike her own, Hermione realized. A world in which the family a person was born into decided who you were…what you would become. They were complete opposites, raised to hate one another for a reason that no one was really positive of.

It wasn't supposed to happen…they were never supposed to fall in love…if that was what it really was. There wasn't a way to exactly tell. They knew so little of what the other one really was.

"Hermione you only just got that assignment a few hours ago. Why don't you take a break?" Harry asked.

"I know…I know, I just think it's all very interesting is all. Is that bad…taking an interest in your classes?" No one responded, realising that she was in a state. They could sense her frustration, her constant glances across the great hall, and his feeble attempts to look casual as she did so.

"Hermione, are you all right?" Harry frowned at her. She looked over to him, a worried face.

"Uh…yes…yes I'm fine." She closed her book and held it in her hand. "I...I just forgot that…I asked Madam Pince to hold a book for me and…and I promised that I'd come and pick it up after dinner so…I'll see you later." She stepped over the bench and hurriedly walked out of the great hall without a glance anywhere around the room. Harry watched her go, his face scrunched in a frown that a father could have for his daughter. He was about to eat another fork of potatoes when he noticed Draco Malfoy, who had risen to his feet. He glided out of the great hall. And all of the sudden Harry knew, there was a moment of clarity. He glanced around his table and nobody had taken notice.

"I'll be back guys," he said generally and rose from the bench to leave the great hall. He reached the other side of the doors and looked both ways. It didn't take long for Harry to find Malfoy walking down a corridor heavily. A surge of anger made him speak.

"Where you off to?" Harry called, now only three or four feet away. Malfoy looked over his shoulder briefly.

"It's not really any of your business is it?" he said, and kept walking.

"Look," Harry said, "Just stay away from her."

Malfoy stopped and turned around. "Number one, Potter, I don't know what you're talking about, and two, if I did do you think I would actually listen to you?"

Harry sighed angrily, frustration building up in him. "You're only going to hurt her. So just let her alone."

Malfoy looked to the ground momentarily, as if to silently deny Harry's statement. "You don't know what you're talking about." He then turned around again and set off once more for the library.

"Well…we'll see!" Harry called down the corridor to Malfoy's back. Then he cursed under his breath for not being able to come up with a better comeback.

Hermione paced the back of the library. She almost wondered why she had come. She was still upset at Malfoy…or awkward around him or something. But then seeing him really needing her, or needing something…or maybe not.

Rolling her eyes at her stupidity she collected her books and left the library. About halfway down the corridor she spotted Malfoy and let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. That same heated feeling she felt earlier had come back.

"Where were you?" she said, approaching him. As she got closer she saw he looked even more exhausted.

"Got held up," he said, shrugging as they met in the middle of the corridor.

"By what?" Stupid question.

"Some idiot with a scar." He smirked

Hermione smiled, and then hated herself for it. She shouldn't be smiling at him making fun of Harry. It was Harry. But she couldn't help but smile for some reason.

"You wanted to talk? She asked, looking up at him again.

He nodded. "I wanted to apologise."

"What for?" Oh wait, you took advantage of me when I was upset, I nearly forgot.

Malfoy leaned forward, silently asking her permission before catching Hermione's lips in a kiss. Taken aback for a moment, she pulled away, shaking her head. "Malfoy, what are you doing?"

He took her books and dropped them too the floor. "Apologizing."

Hermione gave him a small smile. He wasn't apologising to her, but more so for her, in her defence, about Ron. He may not have said the words, 'I'm Sorry.' Nor did he actually say why. But it was implied. It was always implied

"You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Romeo."

The drowsy smirk crept in again. "That's what I'm here for."

Hermione lifted onto her toes and kissed him again. She felt a pang of guilt in it, a betrayal of sorts. Her deep instincts of her brain were yelling, yelling for her to stop. Stop kissing him and stop actually wanting to.

Malfoy couldn't have heard her thoughts, but he broke apart. "Let's go somewhere."

Hermione looked around. "Somewhere other than the deserted corridor we're currently occupying?"

"Someone could walk down here any minute."

"Great then, let's go." Malfoy took her hand and pulled her down the hall.

"Malfoy!" Hermione pulled on his arm halfway down. "Stop!"

"What now, Granger," he said, frustrated.

Hermione could see it in his eyes, and crossed her arms, stepping away, she knew what he was getting at, but she asked anyway. "What exactly were you expecting to happen?" He made to respond, but Hermione knew and beat him out. "What? You really that I would do…that? No." She turned and started to walk away.

"Why not then?"

"Why not? What kind of question is that?" Hermione sighed and turned around. "Because…"

"Don't tell me you're one of those pathetic romantics who's all flowers and candles and wedding rings." He gave an exaggerated eye roll and found himself leaning against a nearby wall.

"So what if I am?" she said angrily. "What's wrong with wanting that to be in a proper setting with a mature person and caring, I mean really caring for the other person-"

"You're such a virgin, Granger." She could see a twinkle in his tired eyes.

"Well maybe, but-" Hermione stopped, she could hear someone coming. "Footsteps." She explained to Malfoy's confused expression. "You should go." She whispered hurriedly.

"Fine, but we're not finished here!"

"Okay, okay," she said, urging him down the corridor. Stupid Malfoy. Always the guy. He was curious though and stayed in the vicinity, out of sight.

Hermione turned around to see Harry staring back at her. "Harry! Hi," she said quickly

"What're you doing?" he asked.

"Me? Oh…I was just," she looked around and saw her books on the floor. "I uh…dropped some things." She bent over to collect the items.

"Hermione, I know," Harry said sternly.

Playing dumb was something Hermione was very against, but she thought she'd give it a try. "Know what?"

"I know." Harry repeated.

"Know what? Harry…you're going to have to give me more than that."

"You and Malfoy, Hermione!" He blurted. "Again!"

"Oh. Well you see…w-what you have to know…"

Harry sighed. "I sure hope you have a good explanation. I cannot even imagine what's come over you!"

"It's nothing okay?" Hermione thought for a moment about Malfoy's attempt to get her to sleep with him. That wasn't exactly 'nothing'. But if it would keep Harry quiet…

"Nothing? I thought this was over a while ago!"

"Yes! -No, it's…it's something. It's an infatuation or something…it's nothing." A weak lie, but it seemed to be working.

"Well the infatuation ends here. We're still in danger, Hermione! His father is still a death eater!"

Hermione held her tongue. She knew Lucius Malfoy was dead…but something in her made her not want to ruin Malfoy's trust. And Harry was only trying to protect her. But he did that too much.

"Harry, I'm sorry. But I'm eighteen. I can take care of it. Thanks for looking out for me, but I'm fine." She turned away and walked down the corridor, Harry trailing behind her, and Malfoy in the shadows.

Review? Thank you! Lots of new ideas coming up for the coming chapters. The trip is going to be very interesting.

Honest opinions please?