I have work to do. I have work that I don't want to do. Posting seemed like a good, if incorrect, option. Is anyone else experiencing warmer weather? I live in New Jersey, and it's close to 60 degrees. I'm still freezing, but that doesn't go away for me until it hits the 80s.

Chapter 14
"And then she said we can't tell Kit about it," Draco concluded as he finished telling Adrian about his and Hermione's first kiss.

Adrian grinned and leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "I wouldn't want anyone to know about that either. In fact, I may have to Obliviate myself because I didn't want to know about that," he joked. Draco glowered, eyeing his friend as if trying to decide which hex would be most appropriate to use. With a roll of his eyes, Adrian changed his tune. "Look, it makes sense that she doesn't want Kit to know. I know you like her, and clearly Hermione likes you too. But she has to consider what's best for her daughter. If this is some quick, one night stand thing you're looking for-"

"It isn't," Draco interrupted.

"Right, but say it doesn't work out between the two of you," Adrian continued. "You can't put Kit in the middle of your relationship. She's attached enough as it is, and if you left, she would be devastated. Keeping this a secret, for now at least, is the best plan."

All that he had learned about good posture forgotten, Draco slumped down in the chair across from Adrian's desk. He had no intentions of leaving the Grangers, not now and not in the future. He could picture a life with them, a life he had long hoped for. It was one complete with a loving, intelligent wife and a rambunctious but sweet daughter. He wanted to spend his nights curled up in front of the fire listening to Kit read, then Hermione as the little girl fell asleep in his arms. And if he could make Hermione see that he wasn't going anywhere, it was a life he could have.

"Maybe you're right," Draco finally admitted. "I don't want to see either of them get hurt because of me."

"Good, then don't say anything to anyone else about it," Adrian advised. He opened a file and started to read, glancing up only once. "Anything else?" he inquired when Draco didn't leave.

Shaking his head, Draco rose to his feet and opened the door to leave. But he stopped. "What if she doesn't actually want to be with me, and that's why she doesn't want anyone to know?" he asked.

Groaning, Adrian shut the folder and leaned forward. "She speaks very highly of you, Draco," he replied, already tired of the conversation.

"She speaks highly of Potter and Weasley, too. Doesn't mean she wants to be with them," Draco retorted.

"Did she hit you when you kissed her?" he asked. "Kick you? Punch you? Pull out your hair? Push you away? Anything?"

"No," Draco mumbled.

"Then I think you're alright. Don't get yourself worked up over nothing," was Adrian's advice.

Nodding reluctantly, Draco stepped out of the office much to his friend's relief. But he wasn't gone long. "I think I'm taking the rest of the day off," Draco decided, shutting the door behind him.

"It's only quarter past nine," Adrian shouted, but received no response.

Draco exited the realty office and squinted against the light of the harsh, morning sun. Turning, he walked swiftly toward the school house, knowing he would find Hermione there. The front door was unlocked, so he let himself in. The walls were adorned with small, yellow squares of paper, on each of which Hermione had carefully written out ideas for that particular room. He was looking at a paint sample tacked up in the hallway when the front door opened.

"Wasn't expecting company," Hermione said, startled to find him in the foyer.

"Sorry," he replied, chagrined as a delicate blush covered his cheeks. "I didn't mean to frighten you. Just wanted to say hi."

"Hi," she greeted him, shutting the door behind her. She moved closer; he didn't. Finally, with only inches between them, Hermione hugged him. "I'm glad you're here."

"Suddenly, I am too," he murmured, relaxing enough to return her affections. "Are we alone?"

"We are," she confirme.

"And there are plenty of beds upstairs," he continued, his grin bordering on lascivious.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione pulled away. She moved into the room designated for the library and began to look through the Malfoys' books. Pulling a tome on potion making from the shelf, she carelessly flipped through the pages without reading one line. Her back remained to Draco, and so she was surprised when his arms wound around her waist. "Is patience not a virtue taught to the elite Purebloods?" she inquired, shelving the book.

"No, it is," he replied, nuzzling his nose behind her ear. "I was conveniently sick during that lesson though."

"It was one kiss, Draco," Hermione said tiredly as she pried his arms from her waist. "Let's not make a bigger deal of it than it was."

"A bigger deal?" he muttered, walking out of the room. The kiss had been a big deal to him, and she had brushed it aside as easily as a few crumbs on the table. Her sudden nonchalance bothered him more than he cared to admit. It angered him more than anything that she had turned off her feelings for him so quickly.

"Where are you going?" she asked when he reached the front door.

"Home," he replied harshly.

"Why?"

He had the door opened and slammed it shut as he turned to face her. "Why?" he reiterated with thinly veiled hostility. "You really want to know why?"

"Yes, I do," she replied, shouting to match his pitch.

"I like you, Hermione, and I don't know how else to show it than to just show it," he replied, his anger lessening the more he spoke. "I get it though. You don't want me to touch you. You don't want anyone to know that we kissed. Did you let me kiss you because you were too shocked to push me away?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's been...awhile since I've dated anyone," she told him. "I haven't dated anyone since Kit came along. I don't know how to do this, Draco."

"What's so hard about dating?" he wondered, leaning against the door.

Sighing, she replied, "It's...dating you. It's sort of a scary idea." Nervously, she bit her lip as she awaited his response. But Draco said nothing. He crammed his hands in his pants' pockets and stared at his shoes. "I'm sorry I implied that it wasn't a big deal, our kiss. It was."

"Do...do you want to be with me?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

He could sense the "but" that was about to come.

"I don't think I can."

Taking a step closer, he extended his hand, and inhaled when she accepted it. "Because of Kit?" he guessed, drawing her closer.

"I'm afraid that we'll break up, and she's already so attached to you. I don't want her to get hurt," she said, her eyes falling to their hands. "I don't want to lose you, Draco."

"I won't hurt Kit. Ever," he vowed. "And I won't hurt you either. Can't we just give this a try? We'll keep it a secret for as long as you need to. We'll keep it away from Kit."

Hermione pulled her hand away. "I don't think I can do this," she replied.