(A/N: Hello! Chapter 12 has arrived. I'm glad you are enjoying my story. Sorry for the slightly short chapter. I think that we are only a couple of chapters away from the end, my friends. But worry not; I have another story idea in mind for when this one is done. Hey, if you add me to your favorites or any of that stuff can you please review with some feedback? Anything? Thanks for all your support!)
Hermione groaned and rubbed her eyes. She flipped over and felt around for a blanket. Instead, her hand made contact with the fabric of her school robe.
"What in Merlin…," she muttered groggily. "Lumos."
The tip of her wand lit up instantly and she almost screamed. She had completely forgotten the events that had taken place in the Astronomy Tower with Draco. She looked down at her naked body and shivered, pulling on her underwear and clothes quickly.
The sun still had not risen so she assumed it must have been around 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Hermione stood up and walked around with her illuminated wand. Draco was no where in sight. She sighed and left the Astronomy Tower.
Hermione reached her dorm rather quickly and as she was changing into her pajamas, she stumbled over a book she had left on the floor.
"Hermione?" A red head was looking around, eyes half closed.
"Ginny," she whispered. "I stayed up reading again. Go back to sleep."
"You look like you've had a rough night," Ginny yawned.
"I was reading, Ginevra. Sleep!"
"Mmmm, okay…," Ginny muttered, falling asleep again.
Hermione breathed with relief and climbed into her own bed where she fell sound asleep again.
The next day was a lazy Sunday and Hermione sat quietly in the common room, writing a letter to Viktor in order to update him on what was happening.
"Who're you writing to?" Ron asked, sitting beside her.
"Viktor," Hermione said, finishing up quickly and folding it before Ron read any of it.
"Why so secretive?"
"No secrets. I was just telling him the current events of my life," she smiled.
"About how much of a prat I am?"
"No, about how sweet you are and how I don't deserve you." Because you deserve someone who is wholly devoted to you, she thought. Ron smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Hermione turned away quickly. "Breakfast! I am starving, let's go to breakfast!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the Great Hall before he asked any questions.
As they were eating and talking animatedly, Dumbledore stood up from where he was eating and raised his hand. The chatter died quickly among the students, curious to see what the old man had to say at such a random time in the year.
"Hogwarts students, I do not wish to interrupt your delightful breakfasts but I have an announcement for all 7th years," Dumbledore started. "I know all of you are happy and at the same time sad because you will be leaving this ancient castle in order to begin your new lives. It is hard to leave behind what you are most familiar with. This year we have decided to start a new tradition. In order to hold a more proper and amusing farewell, the day before your graduation, a dance will be held for 7th years. For those of you who are muggleborn consider this your prom." Dumbledore smiled at the happiness that was emitted from the students and sat back down.
"Prom?" Hermione asked. "That's so exciting!"
"What's that?" Ron asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Exactly what you heard. A kind of farewell dance for those students who are graduating," Harry explained. "Blimey, I never thought we'd have one of those in Hogwarts."
"It'll be fabulous! All of my friends will be jealous because I'll be going with you." Ginny smiled and kissed Harry. "Won't it just be grand getting dressed up, Hermione?"
"Yes, yes it will," she replied, looking over at the Slytherin table. Draco glanced at her but quickly turned away. When their eyes made a second of contact, a burning sensation on her lower back caused her to gasp. Her friends looked her but she continued eating like nothing happened. What the hell was that???
"I can't believe that in 2 months, we'll be getting out of here," Ron said, sighing.
"It's insane how time flies," Harry said. "So many things have happened. I'm just glad that we are true friends."
"True friends," smiled Hermione. "Well, I am stuffed. I'll be in the library if anybody needs me."
Hermione settled into a comfortable armchair deep within a secluded area of the library. She opened a thick book onto her lap that she picked randomly. Ironically, it happened to be on how to make various potions for love and lust. Sighing, she slammed it shut.
"That is Hogwarts property. Be gentle." Hermione looked up and saw Draco, but he was staring at the floor.
"I didn't know you cared."
He smiled. "I don't."
"Why did you leave last night?"
"I don't know. I guess I was overwhelmed with the situation," Draco explained, sitting next to her but keeping his eyes on the books around them.
"Was I bad…?"
"No! No…you were perfect. Was I all you dreamt your first would be like?"
"Actually, no…I believed my first was going to be a disgusting guy that I had to screw because I was a 40 year old virgin."
Draco laughed. "I'm glad I wasn't what you dreamed then. Did you tell anyone?"
"No, no, no way," Hermione said. "I'm kind of confused at what to do. I'm with Ron but…I'm not devoted to him. I can't even kiss him anymore."
"And me?"
"When I see you, I want to kiss you, I want to hug you, and I want to be with you. I don't want to hurt him and the rest of my friends. This, what we have here Draco, is betrayal to those who love us."
"My parents would disown me…well, my father would. Not that that's a bad thing. But my mother? I can't leave her."
"And I can't just harm my friends. You are our sworn enemy."
"Their sworn enemy. Hermione, you and I, we basically are having an affair."
Hermione bit her bottom lip. "I can't believe I'm doing this. This is not like me at all. What am I becoming?"
"It's not your fault that the emotions you had for Weasley proved to be false. You love him but you aren't in love with him. I think you just fancied the thought of being in love more than anything."
"And what I feel for you?"
"Let's not rush into anything, Hermione. We both feel something, yes, but we don't want to use words that may get us into trouble."
Hermione stared at him as he now stared at the ceiling. "Why don't you look at me?"
Draco shrugged. "I don't know."
An awkward silence fell between the both of them.
"I want to go to the dance with you," Hermione muttered.
"It's impossible. Sweetheart, let's be honest here. We're going to graduate and you are going to frolic off with Weasley. I'm probably going to marry that damn Pansy Parkinson. We'll either be happy or miserable forever."
"This isn't fair, Draco. I'm close to just throwing everything away just to be with you."
"Don't be foolish."
"Why would you consider it that?" Hermione asked, exasperated. "Why can't we just come clean?"
"Do you understand the immense shock people would be in? Do you understand what we may lose? Everything, Hermione, everything."
"You are everything to me!"
Draco sighed deeply. "Look, I don't have any real friends. So, I won't be losing anything in that department. My father would murder me since you are muggleborn. He would kick me out and cut me off to my fortune. And still, not even any of those matters. But Hermione, what about my mother? Who is going to protect her?"
"Look, we can keep our relationship a secret from your family. If things get really serious between us…we can take your mother out of there."
"I'm sure my father will let us stroll out of Malfoy Mansion with his wife. He has so many mistresses, he doesn't even care about her but he cares about his image. He'll hunt us down."
"Draco, if you and I turn into something real, something that will last a lifetime, something that includes a family, he will not throw you out because…I can give you an heir."
Draco finally looked at her. Hermione groaned and put her hand on her lower back. He quickly tore his gaze away and immediately the pain stopped.
"Are you alright?"
"What in the hell was that?!"
"I don't know. Maybe it's some psychological shit."
Hermione gave him a funny look. "Psychological, huh?"
Draco changed the subject. "An heir, huh?"
Hermione blushed. "Well, I mean…we can keep it all a secret until we…you know, become serious. Then you can tell him you are not having babies with anyone else. He would have to accept because, if you don't have babies, the Malfoy family will die off at you."
"Smart girl," he smiled. Draco kissed her gently. "We'll see." With that said, he left the library.
Hermione sighed. She couldn't believe she was actually considering, and planning, somewhat of a future with Draco. Was she actually willing to taint her friendships for this boy?
