Hey there, Kittyheads! Some reviews said I do a good job of making Draco and Hermione's interactions very natural. That makes me sooooooo happy. I work so hard to keep them in character, so thank you very, very, very much! Anyway, I talk too much. Enjoy!
(No rights to the Harry Potter-It belongs to Miss Rowling.)
~PotterheadKitty~

Draco put his quill pen in his mouth as he stared at the parchment Professor McGonagall had given them.

"You get an A," he grumbled, slightly annoyed. McGonagall had made him grade papers. They were boring-ass papers too-they were second year reports on famous witches and wizards.

As he read the next one, he rolled his eyes. Someone was genius enough to do a paper on Dumbledore. Really?

He shoved the Dumbledore report aside and groaned. He'd spent half his evening doing this bullshit.

But, his mind kept straying to the Gryffindor Princess-the adorably awkward, smart-ass, beautiful, independent girl who had the gorgeous name of Hermione Granger.

Her smile could light up all of Diagon Alley. Her eyes were two, deep pools of chocolate that he could literally get lost in.

Right now, he sounded incredibly cheesy-but he couldn't help it. She just made him feel...different. And those kisses he'd shared with her were just pure magic. (Author's Note-No pun intended!)

McGonagall came sweeping into the room just then, looking as stiff and as infuriating as usual. "Are you quite finished, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I graded 86 papers," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"All right...if that is the best I'm going to get from you..." She sighed, seeming exasperated. Draco wanted to cuss the bitch out--86 papers and this is the best he was gonna get?-but he just nodded curtly and walked out.

"Evening, Mr. Malfoy."

Recognizing the voice, he smirked and turned around. "Hey, you." Hermione stood there, leaning casually against the wall. She had a book in her hand, as if she had been there for a while.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her neck. "Were you waiting for me?"

She let out an involuntary little moan, then nodded. "Y-yeah...I was."

"Good." He continued kissing the length of her throat. She was friggin' intoxicating.

"So...um...I..." She couldn't finish her sentence, she moaned again. "W-will you stop that so I can concentrate?"

"You are just too bloody adorable." But he did pull back-he wanted to hear what she had to say.

"So..." She traced her finger around the shape of his lips, making his knees go weak a bit. "Does this...you know...does this mean we're...together?" The last word came out as a whisper.

Draco ran his hand through her soft, curly, bronze hair. "It depends, love...unfortunately...I still have Pansy all over me. Ugh. She can't take a hint." He tilted her chin up with one finger to make her look at hin. "Merlin knows I would do anything to be with you. There's a lot of crap we have to sort out first and you know it."

"I do," she murmured. "So, for the time being...what are we then, Draco?"

Draco snickered. "Oh, so it's 'Draco' now? No more Malfoy or Ferret or 'foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach?'" He imitated her voice from third year in a high falsetto.

She puffed her cheeks up with air and flipped him off.

"Ooh, feisty. But, as for where that leaves us...I guess I'll go with...enemies with benefits."

"Benefits?" she repeated, giggling.

He leaned closer to her, running the finger that was still under her chin from her chin to her eyebrow and back again. He grinned at the shiver that scampered up her spine. "Lots and lots of benefits."

"Draco." The way she whispered his name made him shiver. "You...are such a tease."

"And you...are such a Mudblood."

She yanked herself away from him and stomped down the hallway, calling him every swear word she could muster.

He shook his head, smiling. That girl made him feel warm in places he hadn't thought was possible.

For something to do, he patted his pockets and pulled out a cigarette. Through the smoke cloud he just blew, he noticed a figure standing at the end of the corridor.

It was a guy. A guy with red eyes and blond wavy hair. His face was twisted up in fury as he stared at Draco. He turned and ran full speed around the corner.

XXX

Hermione smiled dazedly as she walked to the library. Being Head with Draco wasn't so bad after all...

Her skin still tingled where Draco had touched her. He had such an effect on her and she loved it. She reached up to the Hogwarts shelf and found a whole book called The Life of Godric Gryffindor-The Brave, Bold Lion. She pulled it down and, for some reason, snagged a book on The Life of Salazar Slytherin-The Strong, Cunning Serpent.

Hermione opened up the Salazar Slytherin book first. She read eagerly, laughing when she found out Salazar loved Granny Smith apples and had a fear of white ferrets.

She was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't notice the girl standing above her. It was a very pretty Ravenclaw girl, with bright red hair that reminded Hermione of the Weasleys.

"You must be Hermione Granger," the girl said. She stuck out her hand and Hermione shook it awkwardly. "I see. Just as goody-two-shoes as they say. You're the Little Miss Head Girl."

Hermione stood, facing her; she did not like this girl's tone. "Yeah, well, I am. Didn't you see the badge?"

The girl ignored her. "So you're working with Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah, he is Head Boy."

"I know that." The girl flipped her hair. "You know he likes me, right?"

Hermione stepped forward, a unfamiliar, protective feeling coursing through her veins. "No, he doesn't."

Suddenly, the girl completely dropped her rude-friendly mask. "Yes, he does, little bitch," she spat. "He is mine. And you better stay away from him or I swear I will ruin you."

Hermione held her ground, leaning into the girl's face threateningly. "Or you could stay away from him, instead. He really hates gingers."

Furious and shocked, the Ravenclaw girl pushed past her and out of the library. "Bitch!" she screamed behind her. Hermione watched her, the blood still pulsing at her veins.

Yeah, Draco was hers. This girl better back off or she'll see a whole different side of Hermione Granger.

XXX

Hermione tucked her newly checked-out library books under her arm as she headed back to their dorms. Professor McGonagall hadn't gotten ahold of her yet, so she was work free.

She pushed open the door and saw Draco was sprawled out on the couch, his white button-down shirt open all the way down, exposing his perfect, pale musculature. His chest rose up and down peacefully.

He was sleeping.

Hermione dropped her books softly, mesmerized, staring at him. She crossed the room and kneeled beside him.

He didn't move. His eyes were shut lightly and his pale, surprisingly long eyelashes brushed his defined cheekbones. His beautiful, soft hair fell shaggily into his eyes. Draco's pink lips were open slightly into a perfect, small circle.

Beautiful, she thought. Without thinking about it, she reached up and stroked his wispy, blond bangs.

His eyebrow twitched, and he woke with a snort. Beautiful, she couldn't help but think when she saw his sleepy gray eyes flutter open.

"This is a nice surprise to wake up to," he murmured, his seductive tone still clouded with sleep. It was ridiculously sexy. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Not that long." She blushed, as if she was caught snooping.

"Must be interesting to watch me sleep." He reached up and stroked her cheek. "Or were you watching my chest?"

Hermione looked away. "Quit being so damn self-centered."

"So I'm wrong then?" he challenged, sitting up. He stretched, and she was able to gape at his abs. Her tongue ran over her lips as she stared at him. Just beautiful.

He raised one eyebrow. "Saw that."

"Fine, okay? You were right." She stood up too, getting an idea. "But what about you? You've stared at my chest before, too."

"Ha!" Draco rolled his eyes. "Name one time."

"That day on the train."

Draco's eyes flashed but he held his smile in place with a bit of effort. "You were looking at me too, Granger."

"Aha!" She pointed at him. "You didn't deny it!"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "Neither did you, Miss Argumentative."

Hermione smiled at him. "So can we just say it was both of us and shut up?"

"Or you could kiss me and we'll both shut up."

Giggling, and feeling that same rush she got through her body, she leaned into Draco's lips. He roughly moved his mouth with hers, pulling her down on the couch on top of him.

She trembled in anticipation as she ran her hand down his warm, shapely abs. They felt just as perfect as her wildest dreams-maybe even better.

She heard a low moan from him and the sound sent her into a near frenzy. She pulled at his hair and his nails dug into the exposed skin of her waist where her shirt was riding up.

They broke apart and after a few more kisses, they stared at each other. "Bloody...gorgeous," he panted as he stared at her.

Hermione looked down. Never had she felt this way when any of her exes looked at her. Not Viktor, definitely not Cormac, not even...Ron...

"I have to go," Draco said, inturrupting her thoughts. "I need a smoke. Clean up after me, will you, Mudblood?"

Hermione walked stiffly toward her dorm without looking back at him. "Insufferable ass!"

XXX

Draco climbed to the top of the Astronomy Tower, staring out at the Hogwarts grounds. The sky was dark, the stars hung there, and the moon was a fat crescent.

His eyes raked the dark campus. A group of third-year Gryffindor were stargazing for their Astronomy class, a Ravenclaw couple was making out near the Forbidden Forest, and some Slytherins looked like they were smoking something they shouldn't near the greenhouses.

He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, thinking of her. Never had he thought about a girl so much. She just haunted his mind-and he liked it.

Draco looked up at the sky, his eyes locked on the moon. He loved coming up to the Astronomy Tower when he needed to think. He sighed contentedly.

The grounds ended up fizzling out as the students disappeared. An hour later, Draco was the only person out.

"You!"

Draco looked up calmly over his shoulder. "Who, me?

"Yeah, you!" Cormac McLaggen stood there. His eyes were bloodshot red, as if he'd been crying, hadn't slept, or both. His blond hair was messy and horrible, and his wrinkled shirt was backwards.

Draco took another drag of his cigarette. "You look awful."

"Stuff it, dipshit," he gasped. Cormac's hands were trembling as he took an unsteady step forward. "I know. I know about you and my girlfriend."

Draco raised one eyebrow. "Girlfriend? If I'm correct, everyone's under the impression she dumped you cold at the Three Broomsticks. Might want to use a different choice of words, buddy."

Cormac clamped his teeth together. "How do you know that?" he growled.

"Let me put it this way-even Filch knows."

Cormac came barreling toward Draco at the edge of the Astronomy Tower. "You little shit!" he screamed. "How dare you? How dare you talk to me that way? After you took Hermione away from me?"

Draco sucked on his cigarette. "There's no need to shout."

"My father will hear about this," Cormac growled.

"That's my line, McLaggen. Try again."

Cormac shoved Draco. Draco had to keep his balance because they were teetering at the end of the tower. "Watch it!"

"No!" Cormac's voice got extremely low and shaky. "Hermione was my girlfriend first. You...you came and took her from me. She is mine. She belongs to me. She loves me. And you know...what they say...if I can't have her, no one can."

With a grunt, he leaned forward and pushed him again. Draco held onto the side pillar but Cormac pushed him once more.

Then, Draco came falling down, down, down. His screams pierced the silent campus.

And everything went black.

XXX

...Holy crap.
~PotterheadKitty~