chapter10
 (all hail now draco)

"What the hell was that?" Ron blurted out. "I was just kidding."

Harry was just standing there, unable to move.

"Had Malfoy just admitted to liking Hermione? I mean she looks nice today, even pretty, but it was Hermione and he was Malfoy. This was not happening. It had to be a joke or some sick prank," Harry thought to himself.

Hermione had a look of utter shock on her face, but on the inside she was jumping for joy. Seeing Ron's reaction to Malfoy's 'fake' confession was everything she could have hoped for.

"Did I just hear what I thought I heard? Harry please tell me you didn't hear that?" Ron scoffed.

"I heard it."

Disbelief fell on Ron's face. "But it's Hermione."

"Oh so you think that someone like Malfoy wouldn't like someone like me," Hermione snapped.

"No, I just meant," Ron faltered.

"You just meant what Ronald?" Hermione snapped again, turning on her heel she stalked away.

Natalia was in such a good mood after spending lunch near the lake with Taya, they had talked about so many things. Natalia didn't realise how much she had missed girl time, as she had been spending so much time with Ron it was good to talk about girly things. Natalia literally skipped back to the Entrance Hall, when she got there just as Hermione was walking off from the two boys. Walking over, she slipped her arms around a thin frame. Ron smiled, turning around to wrap his arms around her waist as well.

"Do you have a nice lunch without me?" Natalia asked.

"Nice? Interesting s'more like it."

"Interesting, interesting how?"

"Malfoy sort of just admitted to liking Hermione," Ron scoffed again.

"Oh yeah he was staring at her at breakfast. He said he liked her new hair, said it made her eyes like nice. Hmm I only assumed that there was something going on between them," Natalia said nonchalantly.

"But there's no way Hermione likes him back," Ron said more to reassure himself.

"Why not? His a good lo..."

"A good what?" Ron interrupted raising an eyebrow.

"Well, if you weren't here, he'd be the next best thing to look at," Natalia smiled, pressing her head against his chest.

"Malfoy second best to me...ha."

"Oh but he is to me, though maybe not to Hermione," Natalia started pulling Ron outside to the court yard, when Ron finally registered what she meant.

"What!"

Draco had been surprised at how much fun that had been. Playing mind games with Potter and Weasel should be made into a sport. Draco laughed to himself. After leaving the gaping boys he had walked straight to the library, hoping Granger would turn up and fill him in on what happened after his absence. While he had been waiting, his mind had wondered. Twice today he had looked into those chocolate brown eyes, they were so deep, so full of emotion. Twice he had nearly gotten lost in them. He never thought he would have been glad of Potter's presence before, he might have stopped something Draco didn't even want to think about.

"Ahhh what was he thinking about, this was Granger, god all she had done was change her hair, big deal," Draco shook his head.

He was just about to leave when Hermione rounded the corner, looking just as furious as that 'night' a week ago. She stormed right by him into the library dumping her things on the nearest table, she headed into the deserted stacks.

"Something had gone wrong, what did Weasel say to upset her again?" Malfoy thought, going after her.

He found her on the floor sobbing hysterically.

"What's happened?"

"He...doesn't pink...'ew gud...wik 'e!" she sobbed.

Malfoy rolled his eyes at the pathetic scene before him, "Stop crying Granger, I can't understand you."

She glupped a few times, then breathed out. "I said he doesn't think I am good enough for you, that you wouldn't like me."

"Well of course I really wouldn't," Malfoy thought, but he kept it to himself. Out stretching his hand out for her, she just looked up at him baffled.

"Well get up Granger, a girlfriend of a Malfoy shouldn't be sobbing on the floor," Malfoy said trying to cheer her up. "Especially over a Weasley."

Accepting his hand, she stood up a little too rapidly and she feel into his firm chest.

"Oh sorry," Hermione took a step back.

The feeling of Granger's soft body pressed against him was peculiar, as he couldn't quite put a word to what he was feeling, shaking his head looked at her. "Why do you let him get to you so much?"

"Because I care what he thinks of me, don't you feel the same about Natalia?"

"Yes and no," Malfoy admitted. "Um, so it obviously worked he was jealous?"

"I don't know, maybe just shocked."

Leaning against the bookshelf, he played with a piece of hair as he thought what best to do next. "We might have to work faster than I thought."

Becoming aware of the fact that she had been staring at Malfoy, Hermione clicked her brain back on. "What do you mean?"

"Well Weasel doesn't have anything to be jealous of as he doesn't believe you would like me back."

"So?" Hermione was surprise by how much she enjoyed watching him think, it looked like a million things were spinning round inside his head.

"Don't go to class and I'll see you at dinner," with that Malfoy left.

Hermione still couldn't believe she had done what Malfoy had asked and skipped Herbology. She had spent the double in the Room of Requirements making it up by study, she had been thankful that Neville had told her what they would be doing in class. When Hermione had decided to leave and head to the Great Hall, as she assumed that 'I'll see you at dinner' meant that Malfoy wanted her to go to dinner, she wasn't prepared for the image that a waited for her.

Upon reaching the Great Hall, she saw Malfoy leaning casually against the stone wall. Without even realising she had stopped to soak him in, he had one leg up against the wall, the other supporting him on the floor, his left arm was wrapped around his waist, the other playing with a strand of silver-blonde hair, the same way he had done in the library.

He had changed out of his school robes and now wore black slack and a loose fitting black silk shirt, which was slightly opened to expose the top of his chest. Hermione had seen Malfoy in clothes like this most of her schooling years but there was something different, it was like she had just opened her eyes to the real Draco Malfoy.

Passing girls stared and giggled, without him even noticing the attention he was drawing to himself. By just leaning against a wall, he was a site girls dreamed about. Hermione understood now why he had such a god-complex, swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued towards the doors. The moment Malfoy saw her he stood up straight, and walked over to her in three quick strides. Taking her hand in his, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Follow my lead."

The surrounding girls that moments ago had been starring and giggling, were now glaring with vicious looks. Hermione recognised some of those faces as girls from her year, among them were Pavatti and Lavender who were fiercely gossiping to each other. She followed him into the Hall, immediately all eyes were on them.

"So I'll see you after dinner then, hopefully I can cheer you up some more," Malfoy said loud enough for everyone to hear, while kissing the back of her hand that was entwined with his.

"Yeah, I can think of a few ways you could cheer me up." Hermione cheekily kissed her two of her fingers and placed them on his unsuspecting lips, she hadn't noticed that they were slightly parted, until she felt his warm breath against her finger which sent shivers down her spine.

Before he could see her expression, Hermione turned round and headed for her table, repeatingly clenching her hand, his breathe still tingling the skin.

"Gryffindor's really were bold creatures," Malfoy thought, as he was sure a lot more would be read into her 'kiss' than to his gesture.

Walking over to the Slytherin table, the muttering had began about the 'kiss', Malfoy realised that she now had control she made the last move, very clever but unacceptable. He would have to find away to regain control, as that little stunt have been his idea to begin with. Sitting in his usual seat between Natalia and Blaise, he wondered what he could do.

"So you and the mud...I mean Granger," Blaise corrected himself, after seeing Draco's face, he would now have to defend her seeing as people thought they were a 'something'. The thought would give him nightmares.

"When did you start to...um...like her?" Blaise continued.

"It's none of your concern," Draco hissed.

"Do you want to come to Hogsmeade with us tomorrow Draco?" Natalia asked.

Draco only assumed she mean the Potter Trio. "Yeah that would be good," Draco replied.

"What you don't have to ask Granger for permission?" a Slytherin down the table snorted.

Crabbe and Goyle stood, cracking the knuckles. Silence fell upon the Slytherin table.

Malfoy smiled to himself.

Hermione had agreed that going to Hogsmeade was a good opportunity for jealousy, as Ron had barely even looked at her at dinner that night. Malfoy merely rolled his eyes.

Smirking, he looked her up and down, Hermione suddenly felt self-conscious. Sometimes during their meetings alone she wished he would just keep pretending.

"We have to fix one thing."

"What!"

"Your obvious lack of grooming skills," Malfoy replied unfazed by her hostilely.

"Why thanks," Hermione snorted.

Ignoring her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the deserted classroom they had been in. She had no idea where they were going, until Malfoy started descending down a flight of stairs.

"Malfoy, why are we going to your dorm?" Hermione demanded.

"Because Granger," Malfoy hissed letting go of her hand, he pointed to her feet. "Stay here."

Saying the password he entered the dungeon, five minutes later he came back out.

"Come on."

Hermione clambered into the dimly lit common room of green and silver, it was completely deserted giving the room an eerie atmosphere.

"Where is everyone?" She asked glancing around.

She had never been in the Slytherin dormitory before, she always thought it would be a cold and damp dungeon and it was. Hermione was again thankful she was a Gryffindor for the cosy warm dorm she had spent many hours in study, reading and spending time with her friends.

"I told them to leave," Malfoy admitted.

"So they did?"

"Yes"

Seeing that she had finished questioning his authority in the Slytherin house, he gestured towards the fire place.

"We're flooing to the Manor."

Hermione nodded stepping into the fire place, Malfoy squeezed in next to her throwing the floo powder.

"MALFOY MANOR."

Malfoy felt the usual pull against his navel, and then his feet hit solid ground again. Stepping out of the fire place, brushing soot off his school robes he heard Hermione doing the same. He turned round to see the wide-eyed girl staring in awe at the magnificent library they were standing in. There were shelves of books from floor to ceilings on all four walls.

"What?" Malfoy growled grabbing her hand firmly, he pulled her roughly out of the room through the only door in the room.

Hermione was rudely roused from her daze, when she felt Malfoy grasp her hand and pull her out of the room. She glimpsed a look at his face, his brow was gathered and it looked like he was pouting. Was Malfoy embarrassed about his wealth, Hermione wondered?

"Malfoy, are you alright?"

Malfoy came to a stop in the centre of the room they have just entered. Looking around Hermione realised that they were in Malfoy's room, which would mean that that library was his, all those books.

"Malfoy I didn..."

"I was thinking we should start getting used to calling each other by our first name, so it's now Draco," Malfoy interrupted.

Hermione was taken aback. "Oh yeah, that makes sense...sorry."

"What for?"

"Whatever I did that upset you before," Hermione didn't know if bringing it up was a good idea now.

"Oh...erm...don't worry about it, it wasn't you."

Hermione was about to ask if he was okay, when he started pulling her out of the room again. He was walking too swiftly Hermione had to jog to keep up.

"Can you slow down?"

He brushed her off, with a wave of his hand.

"Draco!"

Just then he abruptly stopped in front of wooden double doors, letting go of her hand he opened the doors and walked in, Hermione following. The room they were now standing in was a purely white sitting room, there was two beige lounge chairs in the corner, surrounding a low level coffee table, stacked with magazines, on the other side of the room was a single door. Hermione then noticed that the room had only one white wall and that the rest were mirrors, making the room appear larger and brighter that it actually was. Draco went to sit down on the lounge chair, when Hermione went to follow he shook his head and pointed to the single door. Lifting his feet up onto the coffee table and grabbing a handful of magazines, Draco looked like he was settling in for a long wait. "They're waiting for you, I'll be right here."

Hermione hesitated, and then walked over to the door.

Two hours of waiting had put Draco in a foul mood, he had gotten his mother's stylists to come thinking they would make easy work of her, apparently not. Flipping through the last magazine, the door opened and Hermione walked out, in spite Draco continued to read.

"Well, what do you think?" Hermione asked a little hurt that he hadn't immediately looked up. "Draco!"

Hermione was very proud of the clothes she had picked out, she wanted to look sexy but without over doing it. Though she did want to keep warm, it would most likely be snowing this weekend. So she had opted for a comfy pair of denim jeans, a black tight fitted t-shirt, a beige wool knitted cardigan loosely hanging from her shoulders, and mole skin ugg-boots. The outfit would keep her warm while showing off her 'curves', as the stylists had put it.

Slowly glancing up from the magazine Draco took her in, starting at her feet working his way up. It looked sexy, yet still keeping a sense of class. Draco thought as his eyes reached her face, that's when he saw why it had taken so long. The stylists had used a permanent straightening charm, while keeping a slight curl, which was very complex charm.

Draco wondered why he had never noticed her before, he had seen her in clothes similar to this most of her schooling years but there was something different, it was like he had just opened his eyes to the real Hermione Granger.

The way the curls shaped her face, showed how she had grown into her features she no longer looked like a dorky girl, she was now a women, an attractive women.

Her eyes had the littlest bit of make-up on them, but they were entrancing, Draco couldn't believe what he was saying but the women standing in front of him was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen.

Realising that he had been staring at her for them past five minutes, Draco looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"That good?" Hermione laughed as she turned to look in the mirror, she gasped.

They hadn't let her see what they had done. For once in her entire life, she loved the way her hair looked. It looked Bohemian. She locked eyes with her reflection, the slightest bit of make-up made them...she couldn't find a word for it. Hermione couldn't believe this was her that she was looking at. The woman staring back at her was someone, Hermione envied.

Across the room, she saw Draco staring at her again. She smiled from ear to ear, it looked like Draco liked what he saw.