He didn't lie to her.

At dinner, she felt the hairs on her arms shot up, a shiver ran down her spine. She didn't have to turn her head to know that he was looking at her.

But after dinner, she looked for him, and he was already gone. She didn't want to admit it, but her heart sank just a little bit. But it also frightened her- she didn't know where he had gone. All she had to warn her were her arm hairs, and for reasons that don't need explaining, she didn't really consider that a reliable or logical warning system.

Hermione cleaned her plate while absently nodding to something that Ron was saying. Harry and Ron were walking on eggshells around her- they don't know what happened and hadn't asked...yet. She knew that conversation was coming, but right now, she didn't care.

Malfoy had stolen the Game from her. All of her hard work, down the happy little miserable drain. And then he made her want him. And then he kissed her.

He kissed her.

He kissed her.

He kissed her.

And she loved every second of it. She hated him for it. She hated him for the kiss, the game, the comb, the-

Hermione slammed down her fork. "I've got to go," she said, not even looking at Harry or Ron. She ignored them calling her name as she walked down the aisle to the doors of the Great Hall. She just needed some alone time. She needed to figure her emotions out.

Hermione Granger was a mess. And where was her favorite place to go?

Well, it seems that everyone knew the answer to that question.

He was already waiting for her. When she turned the corner, he sunk back into shadow, following her lithe form.

Ronald had to admit, Pansy had a great ass.

He wasn't the stealthiest of wizards, but being in the game had taught him a trick or two.

"I know you're there, Ronald."

Or so he thought.

Without an ounce of shame, Ron stepped out of the shadows and into the hallway. "You're following me," Pansy said, her eyes narrowed.

"You're avoiding me," Ron retorted. "Is there a particular reason?"

"I'm not avoiding you." She came up closer to him, and closer still until she could trail her finger down his chest, nail digging through the material of his garnet and gold sweater. "Which leaves the question, why are you," her finger trailed up towards his neck... "following me?"

Ron swallowed the air in his lungs. Oh, man, he was out of his depth. "I was... I was only..."

"You were only, what, Ronald?" Pansy looked him straight in the eyes, her sultry knob turned on to the maximum.

"I...I..."

He was so cute when he couldn't think. Pansy placed her hands on his shoulders, ever so gently, and then slammed him into the wall. "Here, let me help you get those words out of your mouth, hmm?"

And she kissed him, Slytherin pride be damned.

Hermione curled up to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, forgoing her usual niche at the library. She knew he'd be looking for her, and she knew she was being a coward, but being a Gryffindor didn't mean that she had to be brave all of the time.

She was tired of all the looks and all the stares, and just wanted to curl up and lose her mind in a book.

For some reason, though, the comforting pages of Hogwarts, A History didn't soothe her one bit. She just found herself staring absentmindedly at the dancing flames of the fire that were warming her cold toes. One of the house elves was cleaning some dust of the tables. After a few moments of trying to recall the creatures name, Hermione asked it for some hot chocolate, and a couple seconds later, she had her hands wrapped around the small cup, soaking in the warmth it had to offer.

She was tired. Tired, and lonely, and confused, and so were all of her friends. She wished that they could just forget all about the games, but she knew that anything McGonagall did had a higher purpose. Just because she couldn't figure it out right now, didn't mean that she could just discredit and forget them.

Sure, sword-fighting wasn't a useful skill, but Hermione couldn't be more grateful for the extra strength she now had. She felt muscles in places that she didn't know existed on her body. It was an alien feeling, but empowering, none-the-less.

The feelings she had developed though, Hermione had no idea what to do with them. She had humiliated herself in front of the whole school, McGonagall thought she was a complete mess, the whole school thought she was a slobbering drunk, and Malfoy...

Malfoy.

Her body instantly came to an awareness that still threw her.

The energy coursing through her veins was unnatural. Was it love? Hermione doubted it. But it made her feel so alive in a way she had never felt before.

Victor Krum had merely worshipped her- it was a form of an affection, and Hermione liked the attention. But she was never burning up for him, not like this.

The way that his eyes pierced hers, the way his hands would splay at her waste, the way that he would bite her bottom lip, the way that he challenged her at every turn, his stupidly witty sarcasm, the way he-

SLAM.

The house elf in the room jumped into the air at the sound of Hermione slamming the useless book shut. Distracting herself when Draco was racing through her mind was impossible. She knew where he was waiting for her.

She didn't now how she knew, but she did.

She didn't know what she was going to say, but she would at least say something.

She didn't know how he would react, but she knew he would listen.

She didn't know how she knew, but she did.

Draco sat in the corner of the library. It had been hours already, and there was no sign of her. None at all.

He sat next to a pile of books that he had been absentmindedly flipping through, not a word lodging in his brain.

She was a fever, infecting his mind. He didn't understand why she said those things in the Great Hall. He didn't know why those words made him so angry, but they did. Especially after finding out how formidable she was in the Game.

Two hours later, he stalked out of the Restricted section, furious. He'd catch her again, he had no doubt. She couldn't ignore him.

He wouldn't let her.

In his anger, he didn't even notice Hermione walking in the doorway as he was walking out until it was, naturally, too late. His shoulder slammed into hers so hard, he knew it was going to push her to floor.

His reaction was instinctive. With his cat-like reflexes, he grabbed her arm and spun her around, using her momentum to crash his back to the ground instead of her body.

"There you are." He said, wincing slightly after his body smacked against the ground.

Hermione tried to roll off of him, but his arms held her fast. He breathed in; she smelled like lemons and fire.

"Let me go," Hermione demanded, head on his chest.

There was a moment of silence as they both denied the others body pressed up against their own.

Draco tensed up for a moment. "I'll let you go, but only if you promise to tell me."

He didn't have to finish the thought. Hermione knew what he wanted to know. It was a silly demand, what would he do if she wouldn't tell him? Hold here there on the floor forever?

What a silly thought. She might have just enjoyed that option.

"I won't fight you."

Draco waited for just a moment after her statement; he was too tired of feeling so angry. He didn't want to be cheated. But he knew her, she wasn't going to sell him short. There was an explanation for everything, and he knew that she understood his thirst for knowledge because she had that same thirst.

Hermione rolled out of his arms onto the floor. Draco jumped up onto his heels and after a moment's hesitation, offered her a hand up.

Hermione took it, ignoring the flutter in her stomach that started at the touch of his fingers. "I don't have a knife on me, don't worry," she half joked.

The corner that lifted on his lip looked promising. He nodded his head in the direction of the restricted section. Hermione led the way.

Once they were in the more intimate atmosphere of the older shelves and books alike, they found a table in the corner and sat down across from each other.

Two people, both tired of fighting.

They waited in silence, studying each other.

Hermione took in the perfect lines of Draco's face. His grey eyes were shadowed by fatigue, his hair looked a little more unkempt than usual, but Hermione decided she liked it that way. It made him more human. "I can't tell you why I said the things I did in the Great Hall."

Draco studied her face. She looked a little pained, as if she wasn't supposed to say anything at all. He knew that face all too well from being raised in a house of Death Eaters. "Unbreakable Vow."

Hermione looked down. She couldn't say anything, her mouth felt like it was spelled shut.

Draco only knew one person with the guts to do that during the games. "I'll talk to Pansy later, Granger, don't worry. I'll find out what it was all about."

"It's silly, really." Hermione mumbled.

"It's not. Not to me," Draco replied, his voiced laced with a deadly kind of anger, causing Hermione's eyes to shoot up to his. They stared at each other for another moment. It was almost like his anger was seeping into her own veins.

"Why do you even care, Malfoy. What does it even matter!" She hissed. "You've been playing your own game this WHOLE TIME, why does ANY of this even matter. You should just leave me ALONE!"

Her voice rose above an angry whisper. "You should just leave me alone," she repeated, her eyes glaring into his. But he didn't care. He wasn't about to let up. He wasn't done getting answers.

"Were you really drunk?"

Hermione didn't answer, keeping her mouth stubbornly shut.

"Don't make me ask you again, Grang-"

"No." Her answer had flown out of her mouth before he even finished his sentence.

The corner of his lip twitched upwards. "Knew it." He leaned back.

"No, you didn't."

Draco didn't refute her claim. He steepled his fingers and leaned forward. Their eyes were locked. His next question was completely unexpected.

"Are you alright?"

Silence. Nothing but cautious silence. Hermione didn't know what to do with it; she had no idea how to respond. So naturally, she bristled.

"Why do you care?"

And there it was. They got to the point without even trying.

Draco shifted in his seat. He didn't know. He had no idea.

After a moment, Hermione muttered something.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she replied.

"No. I want to hear it," Draco demanded softly, albeit firmly. This was a different kind of battle, and not one he intended to lose, even though he didn't know what the outcome was going to be.

"I know." Hermione looked up at him. "Well, I don't, actually," her eyes glanced down at her hands which were gripped together. "But I feel it."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Feel what, exactly."

"Don't be absurd," Hermione kept looking down at her hands. "I said I wouldn't fight you, but don't you da—"

"Shh," Draco put a hand up. He needed a second.

Rocky territory with Granger, and not a sword insight. It wasn't like he could kill her this time.

Hermione bristled a little bit. "I don't know what you want from me!" She threw her hands up in exasperation.

And that was when Draco did something he learned to do in the Game. He played the offensive. He would take the attack.

"I want you."

He let the words hang there for a moment – her eyes had shot up to catch his, surprise etched in ever fiber of her posture. The air got just a little hotter. Hermione didn't even realize that she had stopped breathing. What was going on.

"What."

He had her attention, all right. "I don't mean just physically." He cocked his head to the side, watching her intently. This was his moment. He controlled it. Why not shock her some more? "You're on my mind constantly. At some moment in the game, I realized I was obsessed not only with the idea of beating you, but also just with ….. you."

He was looking right through her. Hermione was stunned. Her mouth hung open just a little bit.

"I wanted to get in your head, under your skin, reveal exactly who you were." He leaned forward. "Maybe reveal isn't the right word. I wanted to expose you. I didn't know what I would find, but any time I would try to undermine you, you would outclass me every time. It drove me mad. It still does."

He left that thought hanging, he didn't know what else to do with it. "So, the only question remains, is what to do."

Hermione didn't move. Her eyes were a little too wide for their own good.

"I could kill you."

She still didn't move. Ten seconds later, Draco looked down at his hand. "For Merlin's sake, Granger. Say something."

It took her another few seconds. "Excuse me?" She whispered, looking at him.

Oh, she was angry. She didn't know why, but she was sure the explanation was about to come out of her mouth momentarily. "Excuse me!"

Draco looked up at her, confused. "Wha-"

"You kill me, you hate me, you undermine me, you steal the game from me, and then you tell me that you're obsessed with me? What the hell, Malfoy." She stood up, glaring down at him. "I'm done playing games with you, Malfoy. Done." She sliced her hand through the air, making her point. She shook her head at him, so angry, so upset, she could barely contain it. And then she turned around to leave, but before she knew it, he hand also stood up, his hand grabbing her upper arm and spinner her around.

His lips were hot on hers. He pulled her flush against him. He wasn't going to lose, not this time. She struggled, but only for a second. He kissed her until she was short on air. "We're not done here."

One of her hands had gotten free; it flashed up to slap him, but he caught it before she could. "Try again, I dare you."

Hermione glared at him, "What do you want, Malfoy," She demanded, breathing heavily.

After a moment of their heated stare, he parted his lips, "I don't know. But I'm not letting you walk away from me right now. Not until-"

"Not until what? What exactly do you want to know. What do you want to do. Because I'm tired of this, Malfoy. I'm tired. Furthermore-"

"I don't care if you're tired, Granger. I've been running you into the ground, and I don't plan on stopping now."

"You don't even know what you want-"

"I want this. Something from this. It's confusing, and I hate it, and part of me hates you, but my whole world has been turned upside down, and I'd be an absolute fool to ignore this. You would be a fool, Granger, to walk away from something like this."

"Something likewhat, Draco?" She used his first name like a weapon. Oh, she was ready, she didn't care any more. "Something where ... when you're mad at me, you just kill me? I like my life, thank you very much. And you know-"

"Don't be absurd," He stepped away from her. "Killing you isn't a viable option-"

Hermione cocked her head in indignation. "You're ridiculous, Malfoy. I don't know what you possibly mean-"

He had pushed her to this point. He just couldn't do it anymore. He didn't know what to say, but somehow the words flew out of his lips. "We'd be fools not to try."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, instantly defensive. "Trywhat, exactly."

"I don't know!" Draco threw his hands up into the air. "You think I have a plan?"

"You always have a plan."

"I don't."

Hermione laughed, "Of course you do, you always do."

"I'm not that smart, Granger." He looked away form her. "I don't know how else to tell you, I just don't want to walk away from this. It's intriguing, it's exciting. Maybe for the first time I've felt alive in a while was in that blasted game, and you were the reason. I don't know... But you're tied to it, somehow. And maybe I'm just a little bit obsessed," He whirled around, his hair becoming just a little disheveled, he looked like a feverish mess, "but I want to try."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Trywhat, Draco."

He looked down at the floor, not so brave any more. "I don't know."

She looked at the ceiling. There was nothing but silence around them, almost as if the books were listening in. No doubt some of them were, but that train of thought was the furthest from her mind. She sat back down, suddenly exhausted. "So what, you want to date?"

"What?" Draco looked at her, his face going just a little bit pale.

Hermione started giggling. Maybe she had gone mad. And then, in the strangest turn of events, a grin flashed onto Draco's face. His hand came up to cover his mouth. Maybe he had gone mad, too.

"What?"

Draco just shook his head, a strange mirth in his eyes. "This is ridiculous."

Hermione leaned back.

He laughed out loud this time. "Oh, man. This is so ridiculous."

"What is?" Hermione asked, not really asking for an answer.

He gave her one anyway. "We can strategize, we can sword fight to the death, but we can't deal with any kind of emotions-"

"That's because you don't have any."

His anger flared up again, "Shut up, Granger. Don't spoil it."

"Spoil what?"

Silence. A moment later.

"Let's just try it."

"Try what," Hermione asked again.

"Let's... see each other."

"One more time."

"Don't push it, Granger. I'll kill you."

Hermione snorted and looked away. "You're right."

"Hmm?"

"This is ridiculous. It won't work."

But Draco didn't really care for that opinion. He towered over her for a moment, looking down at her thoughtfully. "I dare you." It was a soft dare. But a dare nonetheless. A dare that excited her. Damn, damn, damn.

…...

"You know this isn't going to wo-"

Draco cut her off with a sharp shake of his head.

Hermione crossed her arms. "And if it doesn't?"

"Then it doesn't, but we'd be fools not to try."

"I can't believe that you're advocating this."

Draco closed his eyes for a moment. "Me neither, but I can't deny it. It's driving me crazy. Maybe it's selfish, but I just I don't care. "

And then she admitted to it. She couldn't help it. "Me, t-." She couldn't finish the sentence. This would never work. This plan would never, ever,work. "Look. Malfoy. Let's be serious-"

"I am being serious."

"But-"

"Don't try to talk me out of it, Granger. Just stop while you're ahead."

He narrowed his eyes at her for what felt like the thousandth time in that hour. "Unless you seriously don't want to try. Unless I'm reading all of this wr-"

"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione glared back. "We can try, but I can't guarantee any-"

"I'm not asking you to do anything, Granger. Justtry. I'm not going to ask again."

They stared at each other intently. Sometimes that was all that they could do. And then she laughed. "Becasue we'd be fools not to try."

"I don't know how to be nice," Draco said quickly. "I don't know how to dote, or not to fight with you, or-"

Hermione put her finger on his lips. "Don't talk me out of it. This is ridiculous, but don't. Who knows," She lifted her finger, "Maybe we'll change our minds tomorrow."

And with that, she backed away from him. "See you tomorrow?"

Draco was holding his breath. He didn't realize it until he breathed in at that moment. "Yeah. See you tomorrow, Granger."

He watched her walk out of the door; he would have heard her heart pounding if his own blood wasn't pumping so loudly though his hears.

"Holy shit."

He stared at the empty library room, running his hands down his face. "What the hell."

But they would be fools, if they didn't at least try... whatever this was.

What in the hell, indeed.