Chapter 10 - Ron

"You realise, you're going to have to tell Ron soon..."

Hermione groaned at Harry's assessment and burrowed back under the covers trying to hide from the imminent disaster that loomed over her. They had stayed the night in the infirmary and she was sure Ron would be visiting them soon wondering how they had come to be there in the first place. She didn't know how long she could manage to keep her relationship with Draco a secret.

"Mione?" Harry woke her from her reverie "You're not shining again, are you? I didn't mean to upset you" and of course she now had to deal with that glowing predicament as well...

"No, Harry, I don't think I am" she pulled the covers from her head and turned to look at her friend asking for confirmation "Am I?"

Harry smiled warmly at her "No, you're not" his statement lifted some of the weight she was carrying on her shoulders but it also brought back memories of what she'd done to her friend the night before.

"Mione, it's not your fault" Harry said, reading the guilt behind her eyes he continued "remember what Dumbledore told you, Mione, you were the one who said we were going to face this together..."

"Harry, that was before I became a walking burning machine, to you of all people, whoever did this wanted to hurt you, Harry, and is using me to do it. I can't let that happen, and we don't know how much of me they've changed. Harry, I can't control it. What if it is mind warping as well? What if they're even using me as a spy? "

"Hermione you don't know that, what if that's exactly what they want; to tear us apart. Divide and conquer, isn't that how the saying goes? Well, we won't let them, we can't Mione; I won't lose you as well."

Hermione looked at Harry with sad eyes "Promise me you will at least try, Mione" Harry pleaded with her.

She couldn't help but nod her head "Of course I will, Harry"

It was then when Ron decided to make an appearance in the hospital wing.

"So who will I be blaming for leaving me out of the fun this time?"

"Hello Ronnikins" Harry's voice was considerably lighter as he jested with him.

"Funny, Harry but you're not blaming this on Lavender this time; it's not as if we saw each other last night. Now you two tell me; how did you end up here?"

Ron was looking expectantly at Hermione and Harry decided to take pity on his friend "It appears that Hermione is suffering some after-effect from the curse she took and was blessed with the ability to burn people" His light and playful tone earned him a glare from the brightest witch her age.

"Is that true, Mione? That's bloody brilliant! Can I see?"

"Well not so much, Ron, you see, the only person she can burn so far is me, and she can't control it either, she just starts to emit this bright light from her skin and then each time she touches me I end up with a bleeding burn"

"Oh... that explains why you look so sad, honestly Mione it's not so bad, give it some time; I'm sure you'll be able to control it, and who knows, maybe burn more people in the future..."

Hermione's indignant shriek could be heard all the way down the hall

*

"Still worried about him?"

"I haven't seen him since he left the infirmary, Harry, that's not like him, what if he's still feeling guilty?" Hermione said as they walked to their next class.

"I'll never understand this infatuation you've got with the git, but by all rights, Mione, he should feel guilty"

"You don't get it, Harry. Draco is not used to feeling guilty, you should have seen him after the accident, I'd dare say he's even worse than Ron at facing his emotions; I'm terrified of what he'll do now."

"If he dares touch a hair-"

"That's just it, Harry, I'm afraid he won't!" Hermione said in an agonizing whisper...

They entered the classroom, Hermione buried in her own worrisome thoughts leaving a very horrified Harry trailing after her as their teacher closed the door behind them.

*

Yes, he was avoiding her again. It took all of Hermione's control no to enter in a state of panic for losing him; she kept telling herself that she'd dealt with this before and that she would do so again! She just needed to corner him or maybe just find the way to get him alone again.

He'd changed the password to his dorm which he had somehow claimed for himself; how the slytherin sneaked his way through those stunts eluded her mind but she'd find out later.

It was Saturday night and she knew he had patrols tonight so she'd been waiting for him hidden under Harry's cloak outside the dungeons. He had to come out of there at some point, right? She was going to borrow the Marauder's map, but Ron had beaten her to it after a fight with Lavander, claiming he needed to look for her to apologise, Or rather snog her senseless Hermione thought; Git.

After what felt like hours waiting outside the Slytherin's dungeon, she finally saw him emerge and decided to follow him until they reached a more desolate hallway.

They were nearing the seventh floor when Hermione decided to act. She cleared her throat.

"I was wondering when you'd do that" So that's why it had taken so long for them to wander a deserted hallway; he knew.

"You've been avoiding me" she accused

"Not exactly, I just haven't been looking for you"

"That's the same thing!"

"Temper Granger, you should be more careful with it these days"

"You're not sneaking your way out of this conversation, Malfoy"

"Back to surnames are we?" he was smirking that oh so sexy smirk of his; she was going to jump him! Whether to punch him or kiss him; she hadn't decided yet.

But not so fast, she thought, she was going to make something good out of this. She took off the cloak and opened her knee high robe, revealing her recently acquired lingerie, which consisted of a top and briefs for the night.

"I don't think you should walk the halls with that, Granger" was that anger in his voice? She thought. Good

"I'll walk wherever I please, using whatever suits me and with whomever I want..." she said defiantly

He strode to where she was in a couple of seconds and cornered her against the wall "you wouldn't dare..." he whispered in a menacing tone that sent shivers all through her body; she gulped, he was so deliciously close all she had to do was lift her lips to his. She licked them imagining how it would feel earning a groan from the Slytherin.

She decided to follow her whim and traced her tongue across his lips, reaching a hand towards his neck pulling him close. He was tentative at first but after reading her delicate touches and her prodding tongue as she tried to overcome her insecurities, he stopped fighting her. He took her in his arms and turned them around, resting his back against the wall he never broke the kiss but didn't deepen it either. He hugged her close tracing his hand through her midriff under her robe and top; tracing her curves in a loving manner.

"Hermione" he whispered in rapture showering her with soft kisses that travelled from her nose to her cheek, to her neck and all the way back, he kept repeating her name in reverence. Hermione was on her way to Neverland as his pacifying kisses bathed her with affection.

"I missed you" She whispered "missed your hands, your touches, your voice, don'tleave me again, Draco."

Too focused on themselves they didn't hear the approaching figure that came into view holding a map on his hands and hardly believing his eyes.

*

"Hermione?!" Ron screeched, bringing them both back to reality at a crashing speed.

Shocked and still flushed; Hermione turned to face her friend "Ron?" she said in a squeaky voice almost above a whisper, as if willing it not to be true while Ron's shock was overcome by rage:

"Get your sleazy hands off her, FERRET!" he growled in a threatening voice.

Draco, of course, didn't pay attention to his threats making his hold on Hermione more possessive and secure, plastering a smug look about it. Ron's next wave of rage had Draco sprawled ten feet away from a screaming Hermione along the hallway.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Weasley!" Draco's voice was a furious roar, watching his kitten lift from the wall where she had been flattened after the impact.

She hurriedly closed her robes, as she placed herself in the line of Ron's target and his wand. Not that Ron had noticed much of her inner attires if his intense look of hatred towards Draco was any indication. Thank Merlin, she was already embarrassed enough.

"Ron, wait! I can explain" she tried to appease him in vain. He was so blinded by his wrath that he didn't notice the slight change in appearance his friend had taken. He was about to aim another hex when Hermione yelled an Expelliarmus, making his wand fly along the hallway. By now Draco had already gotten to his feet and was walking forwards, he knew the riot was bound to gather people to the hall and was worried about Hermione being seen in her present glowing state.

Ron was about to launch himself towards Draco when he was stopped by a suddenly stronger than usual Hermione that pulled him to the ground, it was then he noticed her appearance and looked at her dismayed.

His shocked intake of breath was accompanied by a group of sudden collective gasps from people that had turned the corner behind Draco. The Slytherin swore upon looking back at a very stunned Lavander Brown followed by the Patil twins and a group of Hufflepuffs he didn't know...

"What is it with you tonight?! Shouldn't you all be in your dorms it's almost an hour past curfew!"

"We heard the riot, and came out to help" recovered one of the twins. Yeah right! And run all the way from your towers to do so... Thought Draco, he could bet his fortune only the Slytherins had been smart enough to keep themselves hidden, and fumed at the knowledge.

"That is in no way an excuse to be outside your dorms at this hour! 20 points from each house! And get out of my sight now before I make it a detention with Filch!"

"What!"

"No!"

"You can't do that!"

"What's wrong with Hermione?!"

"What have you done to her?!"

"RON!"

Were the horrified shrieks that followed his statement. Gryffindors Draco stressed the word in his head; at least Hufflepuffs are smart enough to seek self preservation.

*

And so it was that Hermione became to be known as the shining girl; after the incident Hermione had to explain to Lavander and Parvati the side effects of the curse she had taken on the Hogsmeade visit, and how her intent to stop a stupid quarrel between Ron and Malfoy had provoked another outburst.

Thankfully they had bought it but they had also taken upon themselves to spread and later on clarify the already scattered rumour of how the shining girl and the boy who lived could no longer touch each other due to an oddly performed contraception charm.

Hermione didn't know what was worst, having to deal with the stupid rumours or focusing on her temper and the changes it caused. At least she no longer had to deal with people discovering, since after that, the incidents in which she was seen glowing became a common occurrence and more and more Harry and Hermione would find themselves in the infirmary; hence the stupid rumour.

Dealing with Ron had proved harder than anything; even with the help of Harry, who had proved a more loyal friend than she could ever hope for, Ron refused to speak to her even though he had stayed with her for Christmas holidays.

She knew it was all due to Harry who had convinced him of protecting her from the threatening horror that was Draco Malfoy.

*

"I can't believe you are still with that git"

"Ron it's been weeks, when do you plan on dropping the subject?!"

"I won't ever get used to you two being together, it's disgusting! I wouldn't rule it out as another side effect of the curse. I mean; who knows? Snape is not telling us anything, it's bad enough you were not allowed to leave Hogwarts for Christmas"

"Ron, will you stop it already? I was with him before the accident happened."

"And that doesn't mean he's not guilty! This entire thing about you not being able to touch Harry is too suspicious and it's become more frequent as well. He probably planned it that way!"

Hermione was looking drained "Ron please, Draco doesn't have anything to do with that, look; it's hard enough trying to get him out of his guilt trip, I don't want to deal with you cementing the idea in his head"

"Guilty my ass, I'm not buying this act of him caring about you, all those years of hatred don't go away that easily, Mione, at least you can admit that!"

"It wasn't easy, Ronald! Now get over it and don't talk to me until you do!" and she stormed from the common room leaving a very lonely Ron by himself. It didn't help that due to Christmas there was hardly anyone in the school anymore. The couple hardly needed to hide nowadays, which had led to Ron stumbling with them during a heated snogging session that morning.

Ron was regretting not accepting his mother's invitation in favour of staying with the shining girl and the boy who lived, not to mention the Ferret she had now adopted for a pet.

*

The fact that Potter and Granger were now an item never ceased to infuriate Draco but it had made his relationship with Hermione easier to conceal.

He now spent long nights in their shack trying to teach her how to keep her emotions in check. To Hermione's horror, they'd discovered that her transformation now stretched beyond skin pigmentation. It now affected her magic and form as well.

It had happened during a heated argument about muggles, when in a blur of movements and light Hermione's arms had grown long silver blades protruding out of the sides of her forearms and two conjured muggle guns had appeared in her hands. Upon realising what she'd done the shock had changed her back in a matter of seconds without leaving a trace of a scar on her skin but Draco had gone frantic looking if she was injured or if it had hurt at all while Hermione had grown white with fear admitting that she'd barely felt a thing.

That night Draco didn't sleep at all.

*

"You are jealous" Draco stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Hermione pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest trying to get away from him. "Whatever would make you think that?"

"You shine all up each time McLead talks to me; you need to control your emotions better than that, you're practically an open book"

"You think I don't know that! I'm not that easy to read!" Hermione snapped

"Look, I don't care about her; I didn't even like that she stayed during Christmas but there was nothing I could do. And I love that I can read you like that but you need to be more careful!"

"Just quit it, ok" she pulled his cloak closer to cover her body as she tried to stand up

"What are you running from?"

"I'm not running from anything; just leave it alone, you're imagining things" She was avoiding his face trying to pick her clothes from the floor.

"Are all Gryffindor's lying abilities this lame?!" Draco asked as he took a hold of her arm and pulled her to look at him "are you going to tell me what's bothering you now?" she gave him an irritated sound as response, lowering her face to his chest and uttered a barely audible 'no' in reply.

"It's because of what you saw in the hallway back then, isn't it?" she groaned in annoyance at his guess.

"The way you speak in your sleep, I'm amazed no one has found about us yet" he chuckled "I think it's time we talk about it, you're always avoiding the subject"

"I need to know what happened between you two"

"I don't think that's going to help things"

"It's just that, I've always known that you had other girls before me, I mean, you were with Pansy when this whole thing started. Gosh, even Pansy had a real relationship with you- don't interrupt me! It's hard enough to admit this as it is- but Ciara is different, I can tell, she wasn't just some twit that stumbled with your bed, she cared about you, and she cared enough to give herself to you, Draco. She actually got to know you, the real you. I need to know. It's kind of closure for me, you have no idea how inadequate she makes me feel"

Her words had opened a wound that had never really closed inside him, "It's not the way you think. I know I hurt you that night, Hermione; I can't express how sorry I am – he took a deep breath – it was actually worst with her even though I took her willingly I didn't know what I was doing and I think I hurt her quite a lot. I was new to the whole sex thing back then…"

Hermione couldn't fathom the idea of Draco being new to sex but remained quiet throughout all of his speech

"I did stumble with her during a party at my parent's house. And she, knowing the real me as you said, it's not true, I don't think anyone's gotten as close to that as you. She just has an idea of who I am. She visited my house since we were little; she used to idolize me, which is the reason why we ended up having sex that night. I didn't know she was a virgin. I didn't know what I was doing, period. The next morning, when it dawned on me I had taken her virginity, and the way I did it, I apologized, but she told me not to worry because it was her decision and that she'd always wanted it to be me. I didn't know how to respond to that so I just left.

"I left her in that room to mend things on her own, all alone in my house. I think I've carried the guilt ever since, but I didn't know what else to do. You once said it might be good that I can hide my emotions so well but I never thought it did her much good. I still don't know why she wants to be with me at all"

A long pause followed before Hermione finally said; "She needs closure too".

"She's not getting any kind of closure from me" Draco reassured her

"I thought that you'd been in a relationship with her." Hermione said, still immersed in her own thoughts.

"No, we weren't, I hardly spoke to her after that"

"Tell me again" she said, pulling her face up and looking at him with glowing eyes.

Noticing her much lighter tone, Draco wrapped his arms around her and gave her a light squeeze "Tell you what, Bookworm?" he asked wearing that cunning smile that was so unique of him.

"That you love me, Ferret"

He pushed her back to the mattress and bathed her with kisses and soft bites that tickled her rendering her helpless.

She was laughing her guts out and getting short of breath but didn't give up "I need to hear it"

He raised himself to look at her while he said "I love you! And I wouldn't leave you for a harem of Ciaras, my Kitten" earning a smile from her lips that he kissed away too.

"I can't imagine you being anything but the sex expert you are" she said breaking the kiss and earning a chuckle from the tickling master.

"Most of the things I know, I learned from you, or rather with you, my little bookworm, I've never met someone who puts more passion into knowledge than you" he gave her a small kiss on the lips "Are you ok with it now, minx?"

"I'm satisfied with my knowledge, thank you – she smiled at him - I can't believe you learned with me, I mean; you have to be naturally skilled when it comes to sex then"

"Says the pot to the kettle, I still can't believe that shower was your first blowjob, you nearly killed me" Draco said in much serious tone.

"I can't believe you didn't figure it out right away…"

"I told you, invisibility cloaks don't work in water; I ruined two of them that way, give it to Potter to have a special one"

"I'm still not so sure about that, I looked it up and every text I found stated the same thing…"

"That reminds me, you never told me how you got in there…"

"I just sneaked into the room and waited for you to come" she shrugged.

"WHAT?! Hermione please tell me that you weren't there when the bunch of idiots were taking showers!"