Hermione found herself sitting on Ginny's sofa whilst Ginny jumped up and down in front of her.
"Wow! So had you been flirting?" Ginny asked. Hermione had gone straight there from the dance studio because she just had to tell someone.
"No! We'd been arguing!"
"Same difference! So he didn't give you any warning that he was going to kiss you?" Ginny clapped her hands and didn't bother to wait for Hermione's answer. "I can't believe it! It's so exciting! Wait until I tell Blaise."
"No! You can't tell Blaise!"
"Why not?"
"Because he'll tell Draco and then Draco will know I've told you!" Hermione sounded anxious.
"He'll know that anyway!"
"But he'll know I'm talking about it as if it's important."
"It is important," Ginny grinned.
"No it's not! Ginny, you're not listening to me!" Hermione said, exasperated.
"What's the matter with you? Draco kissed you! He kissed you!"
"I know that! But he obviously didn't mean to and he left straight afterwards and now things are going to be awkward..."
"What do you mean – he didn't mean to?"
"I think it was the dancing, he was just caught up in the moment," Hermione insisted.
Ginny stopped jumping around and sat down by her friend, taking her hands. "Hermione! You really are useless at this! Draco Malfoy is a renowned lady killer who could probably handle any romantic situation he was put in with ease..."
"Except kissing me! He was off like a scolded cat!" Hermione interrupted.
"Exactly my point!" Ginny nodded. "He wouldn't have kissed you because he was caught up in the moment. He kissed you because he couldn't help himself and then he was shocked that he couldn't help himself. Feeling out of control must have been totally alien to him! So that's why he left so quickly!"
"No." Hermione shook her head.
"Yes! Blaise said that Draco hasn't had a serious girlfriend for ages. He's just been flitting from one bimbo to another – Blaise's description, not mine! I'm sure he is more than capable of manipulating any situation. He acted the way he did because for once he wasn't in control." Ginny grinned at her friend who was looking at her doubtfully. "You should take yourself round to his flat right now and snog the life out of him.
"What? No!" Hermione shook her head. "I might not even go to rehearsal tomorrow! How am I supposed to face him?"
"You're being ridiculous!" Ginny leant closer. "Have you talked to him about the night on the bridge?"
"No, of course I haven't."
"Well, don't you think you should? You have to tell him you know it was him."
"No, Ginny I don't. If I do that then I won't see him for dust and I need him for the competition," Hermione sat back and pushed the hair out of her face.
"I don't understand why you think that. He might be glad that someone knows what he was going through."
"Are you kidding? This is Draco Malfoy, Ginny! The man with a chip on his shoulder the size of Hogwarts! He would hate anyone knowing about that night, let alone that person being me – the girl he hated for seven years."
"Well, he doesn't hate you now, does he?" Ginny giggled. "I still can't believe it!"
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Hermione climbed the steps to her flat wearily. It had been a long, exhausting day and it was now late. As she rounded the last corner she was greeted by a certain blonde wizard who was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against her front door.
"Where have you been? Do you know how late it is?" he demanded as if she'd asked him to come and then stood him up. He spoke as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened tonight.
"I went to...a friend's house," Hermione changed her words half way through the sentence, not wanting him to work out who she had been with and why.
"What did Ginny have to say about our little encounter then?" Draco asked, knowingly and Hermione sighed. He was too clever for his own good.
"She thinks you're a jerk who hadn't the guts to stay and face the consequences of his actions," Hermione said and she stepped over him to open her door. Draco stood up, close to her and she tried to focus on opening the door.
"Well the jerk has sat on your cold and hard hall floor for two hours so that he can do exactly that," Draco said and Hermione, who had finally managed to open her door, turned to look at him.
"You had better come in then," she said, feeling just slightly sorry for him. He had actually sat and waited in her cold hallway for her! Draco nodded and followed her into her flat. "Although I don't why you're here, really."
"Me neither!" Draco said, vehemently and when Hermione looked at him in surprise he continued, defensively. "I kiss girls all the time."
"You've sat on my hall floor for two hours to tell me that?" Hermione asked.
"They don't usually complain..." Draco continued, sounding puzzled and ignoring Hermione's comment. "And if they did I wouldn't bother explaining myself."
"Should I be grateful that I'm getting special treatment then?" Hermione asked and her voice had a slight teasing tone. He looked at her with a frown so she took a step closer. "And I think you'll find that you haven't heard me complain." She said this in a matter of fact voice and looked at him challengingly.
"I thought you would be ready to hex me on sight," Draco said. He looked at her suspiciously as if she might be tricking him.
"Oh, I always feel like that doing that," Hermione said. Draco's eyes narrowed and he put his head to one side.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" he asked.
"Draco Malfoy feeling awkward and embarrassed and coming around my flat to make sure I'm not upset with him?" Hermione asked. "Of course I'm enjoying it!"
"So, I still have a dance partner?"
"Oh! That's what this is about!" Hermione nodded her head.
"No, that isn't why I'm here..." Draco sighed, obviously frustrated with himself.
"Why are you here then?" Hermione asked again. She folded her arms and put her head to one side. "Shall I make this less painful for you? Let's pretend that nothing happened earlier. Let's go to practise tomorrow and just carry on as normal. Would that help?"
"Can you do that?" Draco asked. His face changed from serious to a grin. "Once you've been kissed by Draco Malfoy I hear it's totally unforgettable."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I'm sure it will stay with me for a while..." she said, sarcastically and in an uncomplimentary tone of voice.
"Thanks a bunch," Draco answered.
Hermione looked around her flat. "I don't want to be rude but it's really late and I'm tired..."
"Oh right..." Draco moved towards the door.
"You can stay if you want," Hermione offered, despite herself and Draco stopped in his tracks. Without acknowledging her invitation, he slipped his jacket off and flung it on the back of a chair before brushing past her.
"I thought you'd never ask," he muttered, leaving Hermione staring at him.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
When Hermione woke she could hear movements in the kitchen and it took her a moment to remember who her houseguest was. She yawned and stretched preparing herself for the onslaught that was bound to greet her when she got up. Every conversation with Draco took a major effort to not end up hexing him. She slipped her housecoat on and went to the kitchen. Draco was buttering toast and he looked up.
"Is that how you always dress for bed?" he asked and Hermione felt like banging her head against the wall.
"Good morning to you too!"
Draco ignored her indignation and walked to the dining table, carrying both of their plates. Hermione, who hadn't the energy to argue this early in the morning, followed him and sat down. They ate in silence for a while until Draco spoke again, his subject matter catching Hermione by surprise.
"So I reckon we can win this competition."
Hermione stopped with her toast half way to her mouth. "Win it?"
"Yes! Why not? Esme said we had a chance."
"A chance maybe but I'm not getting my hopes up. I do think we can get a placing," Hermione said.
"You know I need to win," Draco reminded her. "He won't be interested in me unless we win."
Hermione twisted her lips. "I know but I think it's a long shot," she sighed. "Especially if I can't get that bloody drop fall right!"
"You will," Draco sounded totally convinced and she stared at him surprised.
"Thanks for having confidence in me."
"You're Hermione Granger! You can do anything you set your mind to."
Hermione put her toast down and leant across the table a little. "Why are you being nice? What are all the compliments about?" she asked suspiciously.
"I'm just being truthful," Draco leant over the table as well. "You really do need to work on your attitude when given a compliment."
"Isn't there another way you can get your company back? I don't like to think that you've got all your hopes pinned on my dancing ability!" Hermione said, sounding doubtful.
"Right now, I can't think of another way." His voice was despondent.
Hermione was suddenly taken back to the bridge that dark, wet night and she felt that she wanted to prepare Draco for what might happen in case things didn't go their way. "But I'm sure there is one so if this doesn't pan out then that is how you have to think," she was cautious in how she said this but Draco looked up quickly.
"What do you mean?"
Hermione wished she hadn't said anything. "I just mean you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket."
Draco's eyebrows shot up. "What? I shouldn't what?" He looked down at his toast. "I don't have any eggs."
Hermione burst out laughing at him. "It's a Muggle saying – it means you shouldn't pin all your hopes on one thing. You shouldn't risk everything in one go..."
"I don't have a choice," Draco said. "And it's a stupid saying."
"As long as you're prepared for the worse," Hermione said. She knew she was probably saying far too much so she tried to cover it up a little. "I can't cope with all this responsibility if you're entire future happiness depends on me!" As the words left her lips she realized how they sounded and she lowered her gaze to the table, feeling a little embarrassed. Draco, obviously wasn't going to let her off that easily.
"Now there is a very scary thought," he said. "My entire future happiness dependent on Hermione Granger! Bloody hell!" They grinned at one another and Hermione marvelled how they seemed, at some moments, to be totally in tune with each other and the exact opposite at others. "What about your future happiness? Does it depend on me?" Draco asked with a smirk.
Hermione felt a little hot under the collar because not only was his suggestion disturbing she didn't like where the conversation was heading. She covered her unease hastily, standing up and picking up the plates. "Merlin! That's a terrifying thought!" she said in a derogatory tone. "I think we need to remember that this is just a dance competition, nobody's life is at risk or anything." She walked towards the kitchen but she knew Draco had stood up and followed her.
"But you do need this win as much as I do."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "I just need us to get a place – winning would be great but a place would also help me." She gave him a smirk he would have been proud of. "So, I think you'll find you need me more than I need you."
Draco smirked back and shook his head. "I will never need you more than you need me."
"You already do."
"I could do this without you," Draco shrugged but Hermione wasn't fooled.
"Maybe you could three months ago but now the competition is so close you need me!" Hermione wriggled her hands at him and Draco's expression suddenly changed. Instead of the bored slightly condescending face or even the familiar smirk that would have usually greeted her comment, his lips had curved into a gentle smile and his eyes were sparkling. He was looking at her with affection and it made Hermione tingle.
Feeling embarrassed she turned away and put the plates in her sink before taking out her wand to clean them. Before she could mutter the spell to clean the plates she heard Draco clear his throat and she turned to glance back at him. As she did so she dropped a plate which clattered noisily against the sink.
"Stop staring at me, you're making me nervous," she said, rudely but those annoyingly, mesmerizing eyes had locked with hers and she blinked rapidly.
"We need each other," Draco said, his voice quiet and full of emotion. Hermione shut her eyes, trying to not let him affect her but it didn't work because even with her eyes shut she could feel him close to her and smell his wonderful scent. She still had a plate in her hand and as she felt him take it from her she opened her eyes again to be met with those deep, dark grey eyes watching her intently. He reached out and gently pushed her hair behind her ear and she gulped as her heart rate shot up. However, two seconds later it hit the roof as Draco gently put his one hand at the curve of her back and pulled her close against him. And then he leant her very slowly backwards and she knew she must be staring at him but she couldn't help it. As their eyes drank each other in he suddenly moved his hand and unthinkingly she let herself drop, straight backed and elegant until Draco used his other hand to catch her around the top of her shoulders, lifting her with a flourish back to standing.
Hermione's eyes opened in surprise that she had completed the move that had seemed impossible just a few hours earlier, so easily. And then she realized it was because, for that moment, she had totally and utterly put her trust in Draco. Her fear had gone because she had complete faith in him catching her. It was as this explanation hit her that she knew she had to be completely honest with him because that was the only way they could do this dance together and have a chance of winning. She also had to be honest with him because she wanted what she thought he was offering her – she wanted his friendship, his affection.
"I told you could do it – you have to trust me," Draco spoke in a whisper, his face close to hers. "Hermione..."
She put her finger across his lips before he could continue. "I know it was you..."
"Me?"
"On the bridge that night – I know it was you." Hermione took a long, shuddering breath and waited for his reaction.
Sorry for the long delay in posting a chapter - I won't give you my excuses but thanks for keeping with me. Hope you liked this and it was worth the wait! Let me know. x