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GIRL'S DORMITORY, HERMIONE'S FOUR-POSTER

Draco and Hermione were sitting in Hermione's dormitory, huddled together on her bed, reading Initima.

"But what does this mean?" Hermione said in frustration. She threw the book down on her bed and started pacing. Draco, slightly amused, watched her walk up and down, and lay back on her pillow. He didn't dare look at the book; he had been avoiding actually reading the pages since they had come up hours earlier.

"Calm down, love," said Draco, smirking.

"I can't, Draco! You know this is driving me mad! How could you have read whatever you thought I wrote? I don't—"

Then suddenly the door swung open and Draco bolted upright. Hermione stopped in the middle of her intense pacing and looked up, eyes widening. To both of their dismay, it was Lavender Brown; giggling like the little schoolgirl she was.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" said Lavender, in a mock voice. "Was I interrupting something?"

"What's got you all….happy?" asked Hermione in slight disgust.

Lavender turned up her nose and smirked.

"Oh nothing; just Ron…," she said.

Hermione's arms unfolded and she looked as though she had just lost something very dear to her. Draco noticed the distance in her eyes and the smirk on his face seemed to have disappeared.

"What about Ron?" asked Hermione, her eyes looking anywhere but Lavender or Draco.

"Oh nothing, we've just spent the last hour kissing," said Lavender, licking her lips in satisfaction.

Hermione scratched her nose as Lavender climbed up to her bed. She took one last look at Draco, who was watching the scene intently, and she ran downstairs.

Instead of immediately running downstairs like his instincts told him to, he stayed. He froze, realizing what was happening.

She still loves him. She loves that filthy blood-traitor.

No, she loves me.

She doesn't mean it.

She wouldn't do that.

Wouldn't she?

"This is your fault, you filthy bitch," said Draco quietly.

"Oh sure, Draco, like it's my fault everybody seems to love me?" said Lavender with too much confidence.

"Nobody loves you, you stupid whore," said Draco, quietly becoming angered at himself for kissing her.

"Really? Because I distinctly remember that other night when we—"

"That was nothing," Draco interrupted.

"It didn't feel like nothing," said Lavender, smirking.

"But you did," said Draco, walking out of the girls' dormitory.

He stuck his hands in his pockets, feeling a mixture of emotions: regret and jealousy. Jealous because Hermione loved that—that weasel, and regret that he had made out with Lavender.

"What was that about, Draco?" asked Hermione, her voice shaking.

Draco's heart bolted, and he met Hermione's eyes. They were glistening with tears.

Why is she crying?

"You kissed her, didn't you?" asked Hermione, looking Draco in the eyes.

"Granger—I—" began Draco.

"Don't. Now I know what she meant by 'how dare you steal Draco from me!'" said Hermione, at least glad for an explanation. Her eyes let out tears, and soon, she was crying silently, and Draco was stunned, watching her.

"You love Weasley, don't you?" asked Draco, as hurt as Hermione was.

Hermione looked up and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Draco, what—," Hermione started.

"When that dimbo said she snogged Weasley….I saw your face, Granger. You love him, not me," said Draco, looking her in the face.

Her beautiful, innocent brown eyes mixed with the haunting and loving gray eyes that glistened with the regrets of his near past. Draco could see his reflection in her shimmering eyes. He felt empty; lost; like nothing could help him.

But he couldn't take it any longer. He couldn't take seeing her hurt and broken like this. So he shuffled towards her, and all in one swift movement, took his hand in hers and kissed her. He kissed her with more passion than ever before.

He had the intention of putting all of his effort into one kiss; one kiss for his true love that would eventually put out all of the messy flames he had started tonight. She kissed back reluctantly, her warm touch always like fire against his cold skin.

There, just outside the girls' dormitory, they kissed in silence.

Until Parvati Patil walked in on them.

"Hermione! And—and…Malfoy? What are you two doing here?" asked Parvati in extreme, utter confusion.

Hermione was speechless, but Draco was leaning casually against the wall, his body inches from Hermione's.

"Just having fun, Patil," said Draco casually, sticking his arm around Hermione's waist. He pulled Hermione closer and kissed her again. Parvati looked utterly bewildered.

Instead of saying anything, she slowly walked into her dormitory, still staring at the two with confusion. Draco rolled his eyes and leaned in for more; but instead of Hermione's lips, he found her hand in the way.

"Granger," said Draco, pinching her waist.

"Not here, Draco. Not now," said Hermione, kissing Draco on the cheek. She then proceeded to skip off to bed, not even caring that Lavender and Parvati were gaping at her as she winked at Draco before closing the door.

He smirked, scratched the door and started to walk down to the Slytherin common room. He walked alone, his hands in his pockets, satisfied with what had so recently become of a terrible situation.

You can't get through life by just kissing every girl you see.

Sure I can.

It's not that easy.

Who says?

He argued with himself all the way down to the gloomy Slytherin common room where he found Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson sitting very close together. Pansy's eyes turned to her former lover and her face lit up in embarrassment.

"Draco! Where have you been?" asked Pansy nervously as Blaise scooted away.

"With Granger," said Draco simply, not giving any sign of wanting to talk. Nevertheless, he sat down opposite them.

"How is she?" asked Pansy, giving a small smile.

"Fine," said Draco. He kicked his feet up on the silvery table and laid back just as he had on Hermione's bed.

"I heard Weasley got that Brown girl," Blaise piped up.

Draco's face reddened at the mention of their two names.

"Draco, what's wrong?" asked Pansy in alarm.

"I think Granger still likes the Weasel," said Draco, putting his feet back down and running his fingers through his bleach-blonde hair.

"No she doesn't," said Pansy reassuringly.

"Doesn't matter. She's all mine anyway."

END OF CHAPTER 14

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

What did I say? Still an emotional roller-coaster.

So, we're nearing the end, thank you for sticking around so long! xx

Anyways, review, it makes me happy.

Love, Xan

P.S. Spot any mistakes? Tell me!