Disclaimer: I do not own any of this. I will also forewarn that I absolutely love quotes and collect them like crazy from all over, including but not limited to movies, books, plays, conversations and anywhere else. I will incorporate quotes in this story and will do my best to credit them at the end of each chapter. However, I am human and do make mistakes, and therefore I would appreciate greatly if someone would notify me if I misquote or forget to credit someone. In some instances, I do not know where/who the quote came from and will credit them as "unknown". If anyone does know where they come from I would greatly appreciate hearing from them.

Authoress' Note: This story is, above all, a romance story. I have read the latest installment of Harry Potter (Half Blood Prince) and will try to incorporate as much as I can into this fiction. However, I'm not great at action sequences and angst, so don't be surprised if I neglect to add some of the more intricate parts of the book-plot into this story. Example, Dumbledore is still dead, but the trio will return to school for their seventh year, McGonagall is the new headmistress but the horocrux thing probably won't make a huge appearance in this. Thank you and enjoy!

Special Authoress' Note: This chapter gets two quotes because I liked them both and I am horribly indecisive.

Chapter Fourteen: Astra inclinant, non necessitant (The stars incline; they do not determine)

"Often our feelings lie beneath the surface,
Hidden by the smiles we wear upon our faces;
emotions are concealed,
we bear our sorrows on our own,
Grown-ups only cry when they're alone."
- Noel Richards, from Never Give it Up by Sheila Walsh

Was it Love? Or was it the thought of being in love?

-Pink Floyd

"Damnit Granger—that bloody hurts!"

Draco snapped, dumping Hermione unceremoniously onto the couch in the Heads common room. He had endured her beatings throughout the entire trip from the Gryffindor common room to their own and was beginning to feel the effects of the thrashes. His chest hurt from having Hermione's knee driven painfully into it for three hallways and his back was inevitably bruised from her pounding fists. Dropping her onto the couch was an instant relief and Draco found himself slumping tiredly into the lounge chair next to it, nursing his injuries. Hermione however wasn't as forgiving as he had prayed she would be and hopped up immediately, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"It serves you right for kidnapping me!" She snarled irately, shoving an accusatory finger into his chest. "I can't believe you would do that—in front of my friends, my housemates, and everyone else! Do you know the rumors that will be flying around tomorrow? Lavender and Parvati will have this spread—and embellished—by breakfast!" Draco smirked cockily, apparently lacking any hint of a preservation instinct, and stared at Hermione.

"That's so true Hermione—and I can only imagine how things will be now that Potty and Weasel know about our little rendezvous in the hospital wing," he noted smugly to Hermione's absolute horror. She blanched immediately, her hand flying to her forehead in warning of an oncoming headache.

"You are the most inconsiderate, intolerable, insufferable—,"

"Are all the alliterations really necessary, Granger?"

"—incorrigible, imbecile I have ever met in my life! How can you be so uncomprehendingly dense? Do you have any feelings whatsoever?" Draco had to hand it to her—the girl was incredibly verbose when she was angry.

"I can see someone still has her panties in a twist," Draco remarked unperturbedly, taking the moment to relax into the chair. He smiled placidly at Hermione who flushed crimson at the insinuation.

"Do not think for one moment that you had any affect whatsoever on my panties!" Hermione sputtered hotly to Draco's immeasurable amusement.

"There's no shame in admitting it—many girls, much stronger than you, have fallen prey to this body." Draco waved his hands across his chest and face, obviously pleased with what he had to offer. Despite her momentary irritation towards her co-Head, Hermione couldn't keep herself from snorting in disbelief.

"Oh right—that's rich. I'm sure it's difficult being you and living the life of a bloody heartthrob." Draco shrugged, genuinely pleased that Hermione had seemed to temporarily desert her foul mood.

"All part of the challenge of being me," he continued conceitedly, shaking his hair back from his eyes.

"Well I'm sure it's challenging—not necessarily for the reason's you posed, but a challenge nonetheless."

"Well," Draco began sagely, "life isn't fair I suppose. Especially when you're filthy rich and handsome to boot. " Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco's ego petting.

"I agree—if life were fair you wouldn't be the Head Boy, Voldemort would be dead, and all of us good guys would be living happily ever after," she joked but Draco's brow furrowed with gravity. What was that about me not being Head Boy? I bet she wishes it was bloody Potter—the damned good-for-nothing, can't-leave-well-enough-alone, egotistical prat! Draco thought bitterly to himself, oblivious to his outright jealousy.

"Hermione, let me tell you something," Draco began, his tone dark and thoughtful, "Life is a disease; sexually transmitted and invariably fatal. Of course it isn't fair. We're all just doing the best we can under the circumstances."

"How poetic," Hermione noted after a moment of stunned silence. Draco grinned, his earlier demeanor taking over his suddenly-serious deportment. "Your acumen never fails to amaze me."

"Good," Draco grinned, sitting up from his slouching position to stare at Hermione. Somewhere in between her anger and her sudden tranquility she had settled onto the couch and was now watching him with a cautious glint to her eyes. "Now, for the matter at hand." Hermione gulped. She had hoped to avoid this altogether but apparently Draco couldn't get the kiss off his mind. Well, neither can you, the annoying voice in the back of her head chirped, causing her to groan in annoyance. It was so hard to be angry when her own body was siding with her enemy.

"Do we have to?" She whined and Draco smiled. Good. She had gone from complete avoidance to mild acceptance. At least they were making progress. "I don't want to talk about it—it was a mistake! This isn't fair!" She cried, fully aware of how childish she looked, and sounded. She almost wanted to stomp her foot to provide the full effect. The smile quickly fell from Draco's face. A mistake? A mistake? He had gotten all worked up all week for a bloody mistake?

"I told you before—life isn't fair. Now why'd you kiss me?" Draco demanded, all traces of affection lost. Hermione was confused. Why was he being so moody?

"I plead momentary insanity," Hermione joked, hoping to inspire some sort of amiability back into her foil's mood. He remained petulant though, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Bollocks—you wanted me Granger. It was raw, rampant lust."

"Oh, you wish. It was nothing of the sort. I was merely tired from having spent the night in that blasted chair and all logical thought was shot to hell. I can't be blamed." Hermione paused. "And as I seem to recall you pulled me—quite savagely if I might add—to you. What exactly were you planning on doing?" Draco shrugged, his joviality returning gradually.

"Don't get your trousers in a twist. I was merely embracing the inevitable." This served to catch Hermione's interest and she sat up straighter, eyeing her co-Head suspiciously.

"What are you blathering on about now? Honestly, talking to you is like plucking out one's own eyelashes—painful and pointless." Draco sighed. Obviously subtleties weren't her forte. If he had any hope of having her understand him at all he would have to use more concise terms.

"I'm talking about the unavoidable—we're supposed to be together, it's the counterpart theory," he explained as easily as if he were asking Hermione to pass him a book. For her part, Hermione was rendered completely speechless. Well, for a moment at least.

"What in the seven circles of hell are you talking about? Have you gone completely insane?" She cried, having seemingly lost all control over the volume or octave of her voice. Draco winced. This was not quite how he had expected her to react.

"You make me sound absolutely mad! It isn't as if I'm suggesting you strap a piece of parchment to your head and go around pretending you're a bloody unicorn! I'm merely suggesting that we may, in some alternate universe, have the chance of being friends." Hermione laughed.

"I think you were suggesting something a little more romantic than friendship," she teased which only made Draco roll his eyes, continuing on with his earlier speech as if there had been no interlude.

"It's inescapable Hermione, there's no use fighting it. We're supposed to be together simply because we're so opposite. We harmonize eachother. Example," he paused to point to himself, "erratic," he gestured towards her, "reliable. I'm a rebel; you're a stickler for the rules. I'm an idler, you're studious."

"I'm good and you're evil." Draco ignored this comment, continuing on with his spiel.

"I'm audacious and you're docile. I'm—,"

"—a bloody lunatic is what you are. Are you feeling ill? I think that bludger to the head shook you up more than you think." Draco frowned and he sighed, leaning back in his chair. Leave it to Granger to ruin a perfectly good scientifically proved theory. He thought she of all people would understand, having read nearly every damn book in the library.

"How's that working out for you anyway?" He asked and Hermione wrinkled her brow in confusion.

"What?"

"Being clever," Draco supplied warily, wishing that for once she would put aside all prejudices and see him as a person rather than the enemy. Well do you blame her? For nearly your entire academic career you have tormented and beleaguered the girl and you expect her to forget all of that just because you came across a few articles that explained your sudden attraction? You are loony.

"Great," Hermione admitted brightly, a broad smile adorning her face. Draco rolled his eyes. Well I'm glad she can find the humor in this, he mumbled inwardly. Why shouldn't she—she's not the one who just bloody humiliated herself with your stupid counterpart theory!

"Keep it up then," Draco offered lamely when he grew uncomfortable with the silence that had fallen over them. Hermione watched him curiously, wondering how to proceed. Why did he have to be so damn confusing? One moment he was hating her and the next he was proclaiming that they were made for eachother? Hermione didn't know what to say. She felt awkward and blundering. She wanted to reach out and take his hand but she didn't know how to go about it. He was acting so pleasant, so charming—suddenly it hit Hermione. This was all a joke. Some elaborate ruse cooked up to undoubtedly amuse the Slytherins. Well I'm not falling for it, Hermione decided decisively.

"Hermione?" Draco offered after a moment and Hermione was surprised to find that she was unnerved by the genialness in his voice.

"What do you want?" She sighed although her voice lacked any of her desired indignation. Draco smirked, falling back into his swaggering disposition.

"Just that you fear me, love me, do as I say—the usual." Hermione's less-than-amused glower worked to curb Draco's repartee, returning his focus to his articulations, "Think about it, its destiny. We were led by a star." Hermione snorted again in a very unladylike manner.

"By chocolate you mean. Come on Draco, you can't honestly believe that we're destined to be together because of the bloody stars. You know how much I hated Trelawney's class—it was all just a bunch of guesswork. Nothing incontestable. And that's exactly why I don't—why I can't—believe you."

"You just don't have an open mind about things like this. Nothing is completely inconceivable."

"That's not fair—just because I don't believe in fate and my destiny in the stars doesn't mean I'm not open minded!" Hermione protested, "What I do believe in is medical problems, which is why I think you should have your head reexamined in the morning."

"Damnit Hermione, I'm not brain-damaged! I'm serious!" Hermione rolled her eyes, settling back down against the chair. Draco watched her, expecting her to respond, but when she made no move to do so and instead picked up a book Draco found himself unnerved.

"What are you thinking?" He found himself asking and immediately regretted it. 'What are you thinking?' He demanded of himself, 'What are you thinking?', gods Draco, what are you, a bloody girl? Why don't you just grow a pair of ovaries right now and be done with it? Why do you have to be so damn feminine all the time? Hermione lowered her book and stared at him curiously, as if lost in thought. Finally she sighed.

"I'm thinking that you haven't fully evolved from the chimps." Draco looked aghast.

"I did not descend from animals," he said as if horrified by the thought. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on Draco, it's evolution. Everyone evolved from them. I wasn't insinuating that it was just you." Draco still looked dubious about it and shook his head in disagreement.

"Well maybe everyone else did, but I didn't." He paused, taking in Hermione's bemused smirk that she was trying to hide behind her book. "I ain't no kin of the monkeys," he clarified once more, although his voiceadopted a sing-song lilt that worked to change the mood of the dispute. Hermione shook her head, sending her brown tresses flying.

"Oh honestly. I almost wish that you were still talking about your blasted we-were-meant-for-eachother speech. At leastthenyou weren't disputing provedscientific theories. Granted, you were creating your own, but I guess that's just the risk you take when you talk to a crazy person." Draco shook his head, slightly annoyed at her analysis of his theory.

"It isn't a crazy theory and I didn't make it up. I was simply telling you that there are other-worldly forces at work here. We can't deny them much longer." Draco raised his eyes suggestively but Hermione bit her lip as if distracted by her own thoughts.

"I don't believe you." Draco was surprised at how much those four words hurt when Hermione said them. Why? What can I do to make you believe? He was at a loss though for how to proceed and instead just resigned to pouting.

"Well, it's your loss then. Here I am trying to be open and honest with you and you insist on living in the past." Hermione rolled her eyes. Gods, if she had known he was so dramatic about everything she wouldn't have bothered contesting his uncharacteristic pronouncement.

"Oh would you tone it down a bit? I don't know why you're getting so worked up. You're the one who came to the Gryffindor common room, kidnapped me, and then proceeded to lay down ridiculous theories regarding our future together? Now you're getting all testy because I find it hard to believe that the boy who teased me ruthlessly since day one suddenly developed feelings for me? That just isn't fair." Draco cocked his head to the side, smiling slightly.

"You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is." Hermione sighed.

"You are infuriating."

"And you are positively humming with sexual tension."

"Oh sod off you great lump," Hermione groaned, rubbing her forehead tiredly. For a joke he was doing a pretty damn convincing job. She could only imagine what the finale was supposed to be. When he finally convinced her to date him would he publicly humiliate her? She hated that she couldn't foresee his intentions but she hated even more that she was beginning to fall for his charms. Come on Hermione, don't be daft. Get a grip on yourself! In her musings Hermione had failed to notice that Draco had risen from the chair and was now seated startlingly close to her. Consequently she was even more caught off guard when she found Draco's strong hands on either side of her face, rendering her immobile. "What are you—,"

Hermione was cut off by Draco's lips on her own. It was a smoldering kiss that sent Hermione's heartbeat rocketing and her senses ablaze. What is he bloody doing? She wondered vaguely, dubious yet unable to break the osculation. This is absolutely batty—can you imagine what Harry and Ron would say if they knew that you were kissing Draco Malfoy? He's been the thorn in your side for seven bloody years and now you're allowing him to kiss you? You've gone absolutely mad! Hermione scolded herself inwardly, unable to shake the self-consciousness about the taste of her breath.

When the kiss finally ended both teenagers seemed to have a difficult time returning to the moment. Draco recovered first, blinking back the shock of his own actions, and stared at Hermione who was sitting motionless on the couch, eyes closed and lips parted slightly.

"What now?" He asked huskily, having yet to fully recover from their latest endearment. Hermione blinked. She had to focus. She couldn't let herself get sucked into Draco's joke. She had to get out—she had to get away from Draco, if only for a while. She glanced towards her bedroom. Perfect.

"Bed," she said flatly, stifling a fake yawn in an attempt to make her sudden escape more plausible. Draco however either didn't notice her yawn or chose to ignore it as he smiled brightly.

"Yours or mine?"

"Oh bugger off," Hermione spat disgustedly, rising from the couch and walking towards her room.

Draco watched her go, silently cursing himself, and when he was sure she was out of earshot, not-so-silently. This had been exactly what he had tried to avoid. He had wanted to take his time, gain her trust and maybe even her friendship before engaging in a relationship. Then his stupid hormones had kicked in and that plan was shot to hell. The worst part though was that Draco could tell Hermione didn't believe him. She thought he was joking or teasing her—he could tell by the way she was always so guarded around him. Why do you think that is? Draco asked himself sardonically, you're the one who tortured the girl for years and now you expect her to forget all that and just give in because you've told her that it's destiny? No wonder she left, she probably thought you were a bloody lunatic! Draco sighed, cursing the emptiness around him. He had to make Hermione realize the sincerity behind his avowals.

Hermione sat in her room, beating the life out of her pillow. Stupid Malfoy! She fumed inwardly. She was mad at him for telling her those things but she was even angrier with herself for wanting desperately to believe them. She wanted to believe that he liked her. She wanted to believe that they were complements or whatever it was that he had said. She wanted to be liked and appreciated and loved. But Hermione wanted it to be real, and no matter how much Draco had appeared to have changed she couldn't get over the sick feeling in her stomach that she would pay for it later. Casting one last despairing look towards her door, the one thing separating herself and Draco, Hermione flopped back on her bed, burying her face in her pillow.

A moment later, she began to cry.

This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Terra for all of the reasons below and also a few reasons up above

Sources:

"Life…is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal." Is a quote from Neil Gaiman

"What now?"

"Bed"

"Yours or mine?" Is from the movie Pretty in Pink

"We were led by a star"

"Led by a bottle (I used chocolate) you mean." Is from Monty Python's Life of Brian

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say…." Is from the movie Labyrinth

"That's not fair!"

"You say that so often. I wonder what your basis of comparison is." Is also from Labyrinth

"How's that working out for you?"

"What?"

"Being clever"

"Great."

"Keep it up then" Is from the movie Fight Club

"Oh, someone still has her panties in a twist."

"Don't think for one second that you had any effect whatsoever on my panties." Is from the movie Ten Things I Hate about You

"She did not know what to say to him. She felt awkward and blundering…." Was loosely lifted from a passage in one of Antoine De Saint Exupéry's books