CHAPTER 13:

He didn't know what woke him, but he cursed whatever it was, to the ends of hell. The pain in his head was overwhelming and he had to blink several times to clear his blurred vision. He was lying on the plush carpet of his common room, tucked under a blanket. His shoes and socks had been taken off, along with his robes and they lay in a neat, folded pile next to him.

He slowly pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked around. She was nowhere in sight, and he took that as a blessing. He didn't think he could face her after his highly inappropriate actions of the night before. Because he did remember. With a startling clarity, at that. If it weren't for the fact that his head felt as though it was going to implode into itself, he would never have guessed the staggering amount of alcohol he had consumed in order to get himself to that level of drunkenness.

He got up and picked up his things, wincing slightly as he bent down to do so. He wondered if Hermione had brought him in and set him up in the common room. Probably. It was like her to do something like that. Hurt you and then pick you up and help you out.

Bitch.

Did he expect her to be grateful? Because he wasn't. He would have preferred to find himself on the cold, hard floor of the hallway, rather than warm and comfortable in the common room, knowing that she had helped him. It comforted him a little bit to know that, at least, she hadn't gone back to lip-locking with Zabini. He felt a surge of pleasure, knowing that he had interrupted a moment between the two. One moment less. Yay.

He climbed the spiralling staircase slowly, his body feeling sluggish and his head pounding. Morgana, he was never going to drink again. Ever.

"Oh, you're up."

His head snapped up. Right in front of him stood the one person he really didn't want to see right now. "Did you expect me to sleep for the rest of the year?" he asked, scathingly.

She seemed unaffected by his tone and shrugged. "Maybe. You sleep like the dead."

"I was drunk."

"Yes, you made that quite obvious last night, thank you."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Granger, you need to move. You're blocking my path."

"So? You move, you're blocking mine.."

He growled. "Granger, I'm having a skin-splitting headache, okay? So I can't really take this shit from you right now. Move over."

"If you have a headache, then it's your own fault. You move."

"My own fault? What the –? Haven't you ever gotten drunk before?" He paused for a second and then slapped a hand against his forehead, as if making a revelation. "Of course you don't drink! Saints such as yourself usually don't have such tendencies."

She looked at him coldly. "Well, I can't be much of a saint now, can I? What with all of my kinkiness and endless love for threesomes. That's hardly what I'd call saintly behaviour."

She pushed past him and made her way to the portrait hole. In five seconds, she was out of sight.

"Oh Merlin, where were you last night? I was looking all over, hoping to find you, or Harry or Ron, and I ended up talking to this guy, and we were getting along so well, I thought he might be Seamus or Martin Hopkirk – you know, Gryffindor, my year? But when we unmasked, it turned out to be Jonah Whitmore...sixth-year Slytherin, sister's in your year, Amy or something like that. And it was beyond awkward. So I asked him to dance –"

"Wait, you what?" Harry interjected angrily.

Ginny waved an impatient hand at his question and continued narrating her story to Hermione, who was listening with an amused expression.

"Anyway, so I asked him to dance, and we did and thankfully, we started talking again and he is nothing like all those other nasty Slytherins! Boy, was that a revelation! What about you, Hermione?"

Hermione shrugged casually. "I went for a while, but I felt really ill, so I left early."

Ginny made a sympathetic face. "Are you okay now? You really should stop stressing yourself out too much."

Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yes, mum. What about you, Ron?"

"Don't ask," Ron grumbled.

Harry smirked. "He ended up talking to –"

"Hey! You said you weren't going to bring that up!"

"Right. Sorry, Hermione, can't say."

Ginny laughed evilly. "But I can. No, Ron, your puppy-dog look doesn't work on me, I find it quite revolting actually. He was talking to Eloise Midgen, only that he didn't know it was her before she took her mask off. She really had disguised her acne well with that mask. She looked pretty."

Hermione laughed merrily, knowing Ron's feelings towards Eloise hadn't changed much in the past few years. His reaction to any mention of her was always comic.

"Anyhow, Hermione, what were you wearing?"

"Erm, a green and silver dress."

Ron and Harry's mouth fell open. Even Ginny looked a bit surprised.

"What? Why are you lot ogling at me like that?"

"With that silver mask?" Ginny enquired, suddenly excited.

"Yes."

"Oh, Hermione, you looked absolutely marvellous!" Ginny gushed. "I was wondering who it was wearing that gorgeous dress – will you lend it to me sometime?"

"Eh," Ron warned, "I don't want my sister wearing a dress like that. When you go out, you have to cover yourself up from head to toe."

"Says who?" Ginny challenged, as Harry imagined her in Hermione's dress.

"Says mum, if I accidentally mentioned it in a letter to her."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him.

"What's wrong with that dress? I thought it was quite decent," Hermione said, frowning.

"Decent, yes, but seductive!" Ginny said, grinning devilishly.

"Too much so," Ron mumbled under his breath.

Hermione smiled shyly.

"Hey, who was that guy you were with?" Harry asked, suddenly.

Hermione laughed nervously, not sure how they would react when they found out.

"Oh, that was, umm, Blaise. He sort of recognised me and so he came over, and, erm...you know."

Ron was frowning. Ginny was smirking. Harry was expressionless.

"No, we don't." Ginny replied.

Hermione huffed. "We just hung out. And I told him I didn't feel too well, so we left early. Honestly. We didn't end up in the throngs of a passionate embrace or have mind-blowing sex... We didn't even kiss. No big deal."

Ron looked slightly happier, Ginny looked rather downtrodden and Harry was still expressionless.

"Oh well," Ginny conceded. "Maybe next time."

Hermione shrugged. "Maybe."

Or not.

"You're still here?" Draco looked up from where he was sitting and scowled.

"This is my common room too, Granger. I don't think I need to consult with you on when I can, or cannot be here. Now, you on the other hand, aren't you supposed to be with Blaise, or those other tiresome boyfriends of yours?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and unclasped her robe, placing it on the floor, by the cushion she proceeded to sit on.

"I would have been, except that I couldn't find Blaise. I was hoping to take part in a humongous orgy tonight, but I guess that's not happening," she bit out.

Draco glanced at her, surprised by her words. "Please, don't tell me you're still upset about what I said yesterday?"

"Okay, fine. I won't tell you."

"You are?" His tone was sceptical.

She remained silent, staring into the fire instead.

"I was fucking drunk, okay? Get over it."

No response. Draco exhaled loudly.

"Did you bring me into the room yesterday?"

"No, I summoned over some of my threesome buddies and they helped me –"

"For Merlin's sake, I fucking apologise, alright? I was drunk and pissed off at you and I hate Blaise, so I just said shit."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Whatever. Yes, I did levitate you into the common room. I would have taken you into your bedroom but I wasn't in the mood of trying to figure out a way past the wards you've surely set up."

"Right."

Silence.

"Why didn't you come? To the Ball, I mean."

Draco shrugged and didn't answer for a while. When he did, it was with a question. "Does it make a difference?"

"Yes."

The answer was automatic and made Hermione blush deep red. She couldn't begin to imagine what had possessed her to say such a thing and prayed that he wouldn't turn to look at her, but as he luck would have it, he did.

"How so?" he asked, one eyebrow raised, face showing a slight hint of amusement.

"Well, erm, the – uh, the students. I mean, it undermines my authority as Head Girl if the Head Boy doesn't show up to things like this."

"You're a crap liar, Granger,"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she sunk into her seat. "Like you'd never imagine," she muttered, hating herself momentarily.

He smirked. "So, what was the real answer?"

Hermione cast him a steely glare. "There is no real answer. And plus –" she steered the conversation away from the currently embarrassing topic, "I should report you to Professor Dumbledore for your inappropriate conduct last night."

"So, do it then."

"What?"

"Go. Report me. I dare you to."

Hermione stared at him in surprise. "Ok," she said, getting to her feet and picking up her robe. "I'm going."

He looked over at her lazily. "Fine, go ahead."

"Fine," she retorted, still unmoving.

"Uh, Granger, the exit's that way," he said, pointing to said exit.

They stared hard at each other for one gaping pause, before she stomped her foot in frustration and plopped down into the cushion again, discarding her robe.

"Bloody hell, Granger, what happened to all that Gryffindor courage and righteousness?"

"Fuck you."

"You care too much about people."

"I don't care about you."

"Then why don't you go to Dumbledore."

"I'm giving you the benefit of doubt."

"But I want you to go and tell Dumbledore."

"Then go and tell him yourself."

"Why can't you do it? There's nothing stopping you…"

"I DON'T KNOW, ALRIGHT?" she finally said loudly, angry that she was trapped by his questions. "I just don't know…"

Her voice had lowered to a whisper and her breathing was heavy.

"You're messed up, Granger."

"Only because you've made me that way," she replied, no longer caring what she said or how she sounded. He was as messed up as her. So who gave a knut?

Draco, however, wasn't expecting that answer and almost choked on the air he breathed in. Almost, but not quite. He was also quite relieved. Because he wasn't the only one. She was in it too. The same place, the same feelings. Maybe. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. After that admission, what could he say? That he was sorry? Because he wasn't, really. He didn't care for her as Potter or Weasley did, and they weren't friends He wasn't in love with her and didn't even like her that muchHe wanted her and that was a different thing. That was all about his dick and had nothing to do with his heart. If he had one.

So they sat in silence for a very long while, each lost in their own thoughts, but very aware of the other's presence. Finally, Hermione let out a short breath of air that could have been a laugh or a sigh. "I don't even know why I bother."

"What?"

"You."

"Granger, what are you talking about? It surprises me how you manage to do so well in school, considering how utterly unintelligible you usually are."

"Well, considering how limited your understanding is, I wouldn't expect you to understand what I say. It's way above your level, actually."

"Then how is it you walk around with those two morons?"

"You know, you think about Ron an Harry too much. You bring them up in almost all our conversations, you're constantly in their face…are you secretly in love with them?"

"Oh most definitely!" He said mockingly. "Although a lot less than what your affection for Crabbe and Goyle."

"Oh, my," Hermione replied tonelessly, "I guess my secret's been revealed."

"Don't worry, I won't tell if you don't."

"Right. What were you doing last night?"

"I don't believe that's any of your business."

"I'm Head Girl."

"Right. Not my keeper, not my mother, not my girlfriend, not my lover."

"I don't think 'lover' is an apt term to associate with you in any situation at all. I don't think you can love at all."

"Maybe. But I can make love to a girl, and very well at that."

"Malfoy, I have no idea how you got that big, fat head through the door. And I don't believe you can make love to anyone either. Fuck, yes. Have sex with, yes. Make love, no."

He smirked.

"You think?"

"Definitely. All talk."

He looked at her then, as though contemplating something. She watched as his tongue darted out to moisten his lower lip. That small, but sensual gesture sent slight shivers up and down her spine, as she recalled, in vivid detail, the havoc that tongue had wreaked on her senses, time and time again. When he finally started speaking, Hermione had to force herself out of her lust-filled thoughts to concentrate on his words.

" – show you?"

"Erm, what?"

"I said, why don't –" he moved off his cushion and closer to her, "you let me –", he was kneeling down in front of her, but was still taller than her…sometimes she forgot how tall he was, "show you?"

She couldn't, not again. No matter how she felt.

Just as his lips were going to fall upon hers, she turned her head to the side, feeling them brush against her cheek instead.

"No, Malfoy. We can't keep doing this."

He slowly lifted his head away from hers and surveyed her for a while.

"And why ever not?"

"Because it's not healthy."

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm not doing this anymore. I'm not a masochist and I won't keep letting myself get hurt. Like the last time."

He frowned pensively.

"I didn't think a few kisses hurt. You looked like you were quite enjoying them, actually."

She rolled her eyes in frustration.

"I didn't mean physical pain, Malfoy. Have you always had the emotional range of an egg?"

"I have no idea what –"

"You'll never understand. You're just too –"

" – going on about shit like this, it almost makes me think –"

" –you wouldn't understand even if it flashed –"

" –too complicated for your own –"

"I like you, okay?"

Silence.

Hermione closed her eyes, willing herself to breathe properly. She seemed to be breathing in too much air –she felt suffocated. As aware as she was at that moment, she felt, rather than heard him, leave.

"Ah, Miss Granger, please, do have a seat."

She smiled as she sat down in a chair opposite Dumbledore.

"Sherbet Lemon, Miss Granger?" he offered, waving out a box.

She shook her head.

"Professor, you said you needed to see me...?"

"Ah, yes. Well then, first I would like to congratulate you for the excellent Ball you organized. It was tremendously amusing – though I must say, your absence was rather surprising."

"Uh, yes, Professor, I'm sorry, but I wasn't feeling too well, and went back to my room to rest."

"Yes, yes, of course, I understand. But would you happen to have any knowledge as to where Mr. Malfoy was that night?"

She shook her head, unsure of how to respond.

"I'm not sure as to where he was, but he arrived at our common room shortly after I did and immediately went to sleep."

This technically wasn't a lie, but Hermione had trouble saying it anyway. She couldn't believe she was doing this, but lately she had been doing a lot of things she would never have thought herself capable of. Like telling Draco that she fancied him.

"Hmm, I see. And, Miss. Granger, what are your impressions of this Head Boy? Does he work well with you?"

"Malfoy and myself – well, it's common knowledge that we don't get along very well, and we never have...so given the circumstances, I would say that our communication has improved greatly. I think we have come a long way from what we were before."

Oh Merlin!

"That's very good, I'm pleased to hear it. Well, keep up the good work, Miss Granger."

She took that as her cue to leave and got up, straightening out her robes.

"Oh, and Miss Granger, please, send in Mr. Malfoy on your way out."

She nodded and walked out of the office, heart pounding. She hadn't talked to Malfoy in a little over a week – ever since she had made that unwanted and unexpected confession. Their lack of communication, however, was not for the lack of her trying. Funnily enough, this time, he was the one avoiding her – desperately. If, by any miracle, she did happen to be in the same place as him, he would be out of the door well before she could form a sentence.

She continued her walk down the hallway to the spiral staircase, wondering where Malfoy was –they had come up together –in a manner of speaking, at least, since he had sped up and had walked a good five metres in front of her the whole time.

She spotted him close to the staircase, leaning against the wall casually, examining his fingernails – or maybe just pointedly ignoring her. Her presence was acknowledged by a slight stiffening of his posture, but other than that, nothing changed.

"Malfoy."

He didn't look up. She sighed.

"Malfoy, Dumbledore wants you in his office, now."

He left.

A/N: So…here it is. Hope it was worth the effort of your reviews and your…erm..24-hour wait. I did say I would post the chapter later this week, but unfortunately, since I will be busy tomorrow, I posted them today instead.

Okay…now, thanks to

xxxxcrazychickxxxx, OrbThesela (Aww, well, I like the B/Hr ship too, if that's any consolation…not as much as D/Hr, though. And THANK YOU for betaing!!), ddani (Ooh, I'm flattered, actually… "blushes"…hope you enjoy the updates), TheresNothingInside (If he didn't have problems…this story would be over. Lol, well hope you enjoyed these chapters), ryannenataly (Draco is….insufferable. But honest, yes.), Murgy31, iluvharryandron (I don't think Draco has the potential to ever make Hermione 'understand'…their relationship is too volatile, but well…hehe), MalfoysOnlyChemo (well, she had to clear out the whole affair with Ron, or else, this story would be a mess with all these guys and only one girl…thanks, glad you like it!), Fozzy-Floozy (let's hope it stays that way :D), pink-beat (I'm glad you like it, although, I must clear it out…at this point, all there is on Draco's side is lust…he hated Hermione, so he can't suddenly fall in love with her…that's just –unreal), gtbioteach, sarabara8692 (what can I say, I am evil! But to make up for it, I post quickly ;D), xl-lisa-lx, MrsRaisaMalfoy and KekeKoorime

for reviewing the last chapter…you all rock! And so do those who favourited (think I made up a word there :S) this story and added it to their alert list…danke! (German for thanks)

Now, I'd really appreciate it if you guys would help me with something…and I hope it's not a lot that I'm asking for…before I post the next chapter, I'd love it if all my readers would help me reach my 100th review mark…will you guys?

Till then,

Rae