Chapter Twelve- A New Kind of Wondering

Waking up the next morning Hermione could feel her heart racing and her palms sweaty. Looking around her saw everyone else still sleeping soundly, but as she tried to get comfortable and fall back asleep she had an odd feeling. She had been having dreams when staying with Harry, but this one was different from that dark figure and the lavish room. This one took place she knew had to have been the Shrieking Shack and the figure was Draco.

Biting her lip she wanted to conclude that she only dreamt of the Shrieking Shack only because of yesterday, and she dreamed of kissing Draco because he did kiss her. Exhaling deeply she felt confused. What did these dreams mean? Were they connected? And if so how?

Shaking her head she doubted the dreams connected, but the thought still gave her pause. Putting those thoughts aside she rolled on her back and looking up towards the curtains of her four poster bed couldn't believe just how much her life had changed in the past two days.

In a way it seemed sort of surreal how things had been panning out the past couple of months. First off with Ron, how he had accused her of cheating and then having to watch as he and Lavender flaunted their relationship in front of her. Star was another thing she had not expected. She wasn't sure if she dared get another animal since Crookshanks had died, but something had compelled her to get her. Now she and Malfoy...

It had started the first night they had arrived to Hogwarts, during dinner. It was as if he kept demanding her attention and gaze towards her, but why? Never had she ever dared search him out or look for him. In fact, she had taken pains through the years to keep her back towards the Slytherin table, to avoid their jeers and glares.

Then came the night they had talked in the Astronomy tower. That whole confrontation, or conversation, or whatever it was had been the turning point. She definitely knew that much for sure. But never would she have guessed that during the first month of school, or actually the past 7 years, that he had felt anything for her. It was so hard to imagine. And now they were...

What exactly were they? They had a good time yesterday and she allowed him to kiss her, and even had kissed him back! He even surprised her by kissing her spontaneously throughout the day.

She couldn't help but smile as she thought back to the kisses and time they shared looking around and laughing, but it seemed all so...like a dream? Could he possibly truly like her? All those years of taunting, tormenting, and cruelty was hard to put aside. Although seeing him yesterday, his eyes and voice so full of sincerity, was eye opening. It revealed to a whole new side of the Draco Malfoy she thought she knew.

Remembering back to the day she and Harry were sitting in the train, she had been scanning the crowd, and she remembered when she had picked him out and her surprise. Never would she have guessed, or even imagined, that he would return this year. After she and everyone else had watched as he crossed back to the other side to join Voldemort she thought that that would have been the last they would ever see of him.

But as he stood there on the platform 9 ¾ watching everyone pass him by, standing alone and forlorn she wondered if there was something more to his coming back. Surely he couldn't have a motive for coming back this year could he? Is his father looking for power and wanting to overtake the school?

Shaking her head she dismissed that thought as soon as she thought of it. Remembering back to their fifth year it became too obvious and clear what he had been up to. He had been solemn and quiet in all the classes that she had shared with him, and he really didn't seem to be around whatsoever. So if he did have some ulterior motive for being back this year he had either learned to keep a good poker face, or had returned just for the sake of returning.

The whole reason as to why kept her wondering though.

After several minutes she began feeling restless as sleep kept avoiding her. Sighing deeply she got out of bed and picking up her robe slipped into her slippers heading out towards the Common Room. As she tied the belt she headed towards the window and watched as the sky flashed as rain continually poured down. Wrapping her arms around her middle she began pacing. After several minutes of making a circle, she headed out the Fat Lady and let her feet lead the way.

Before she knew it she was making her way up the stairs towards the Astronomy Tower. In a way it seemed right to head there, but with it being so early she wondered if he would be up there. Smiling she hoped he would.

Reaching the top, she looked up and felt the breath being knocked out of her chest. There with his back to her was Ron. Her pulse started racing and she couldn't help but to want to slip back down the stairs, but as he turned suddenly he looked at her causing her to stop moving. He frowned and showed the same look of surprise that was on her face.

They stood there looking at each other without saying anything for a long time. He opened his mouth suddenly but before he could say anything she took a deep breath exhaling, "I gotta go."

Before he could stop her she spun and half ran down the stairs. It wasn't until she reached the corridor that she hid in an alcove and tried to catch her breath. As she steadied her breathing she realized something. Her heart wasn't making any flip flops. Her hands felt a little sweaty from the nervous awkwardness of what just happened, but she didn't feel any of the pain that she normally felt.

Looking down at the floor she hoped maybe it would provide her with some answer as to why that was. Was she really and truly over Ron for good? Had she truly come to terms with what had happened?

The past month had been tiring for her. With her avoidance of any place or spot that had held some sort of emotional remembrance of him, avoiding talking to him whatsoever, to just flat out avoiding him whenever she saw him walking down the hallway with Lavender. But the anger she had felt was slowly starting to burn out.

As she took a deep breath she leaned back against the cold stone wall feeling for the first time a sense of peace wash over her, until she heard footsteps coming up the hallway. Ducking back into the shadows she felt her heart pound as she awaited any moment a teacher would walk by and catch her. But as the footsteps neared, she took a quick peek and saw Draco walking towards where she had came from. Her heart did a funny flip flop when she saw him, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Draco!" she whispered loudly.

Stopping in the middle of the corridor he looked around before spotting her and rushed over to her hiding place smiling.

"What are you doing hiding here?" he asked brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face, "And in your pajamas!?" he added as he looked her over.

Blushing she looked down and realized she did indeed have her robe and pajamas on she couldn't help but feel a little humiliated at her appearance. Laughing he brought his hand up and placing it under her chin made her look up at him as he smiled and said,

"You still look beautiful no matter what you wear."

"Really?"

"Yes." He said, his gaze shifting back and forth from her eyes to her mouth.

"Draco?" her voice sounded awfully quiet, and her pulse was starting to race.

"Yes?" he repeated bringing his hand up to caress her face.

How was he able to do this to her? Make her insides feel like butterflies, her heart like a snare drum, and her mind just go completely blank.

Not waiting for her to speak again he bent his face close to hers and kissed her fully on the mouth. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she melted against him and was lost to the world as she kissed him back.

Draco couldn't help but respond back as he felt Hermione wrap her arms around him. Wrapping his around her waist, he pulled her close and felt as though his senses were on overload. Never could he have imagined that he would ever get to kiss Hermione Granger. And here, again, he was holding her pressed against him kissing her with all his heart.

His heart felt like soaring and for a moment let himself be caught up in the clouds. Never had he felt such a passion and feeling for anybody, and this dear creature that he held in his arms he wanted to share this feeling within him.

Too long he had spent in denying himself the right to have her, and had tried to reject her in every way possible. But now he didn't want to fight anymore. He instead wanted to spend every waking moment trying to make up for the wrong he had done to her and to make her feel at least half of what he felt in that moment.

For in that moment the wondering of 'what if?' was gone. It was then replaced with the wondering of 'what next?' took its place.