"UGH!" I groaned in frustration and buried my face in my hands. Merlin I hate that woman. I hate Defence Against the Dark Arts and I hate this textbook. I threw my book against the opposite wall of the empty fourth floor corridor I had sat in. I had finished my Prefect rounds and decided to try and practice some spells while I was alone. Ron is at Quidditch practice, Harry is with Professor Snape and I am trying to learn something useful for my O.W.L.s, which would be easier to do if we didn't have such a terrible woman as our professor.
"Problem Granger?" an annoying and sneering voice came from the shadows as Malfoy appeared in the corridor.
"I am allowed to be here, Malfoy. I'm a Prefect." I retorted standing up, zipping up my robes and taking my hair out of my ponytail.
"As a member of the Inquisitorial Squad I think I rank above you." He motioned to the badge on his black and green robes before he bent down and retrieved my book and flipped through it. "Useless thing." He mumbled and handed it to me.
I hesitated. What is happening? I gripped my wand tighter.
"Well?" He asked, waving my book towards me.
"Thanks." I muttered and grabbed it from him.
"What were you doing?"
"Trying to learn. Although this book is written for five year olds not fifth year students." I turned from him and picked up my bag, putting my textbook inside. "Well?" I asked.
"What?" he looked at me confused.
"Am I in trouble? Are you taking me to her?"
"No. I was just patrolling. I am not bringing you to Umbridge Granger."
"Fine." I replied and started to walk away.
"Wait." he called quietly. I turned around and faced him. "I...I'm not going to say anything."
"Okay." I said cautiously.
"Look, I know what you think. I am not doing this to try and sniff out Potter or anything. I know that you have a secret club. I know you are learning things that she doesn't teach us. Don't think that just because you excluded us, Slytherins aren't doing the same."
I tried not to give away a hint of surprise to confirm what he had just said. How does he know about DA?
I shook my head and sighed in annoyance "Malfoy, just tell me what you want so I can leave. Am I in trouble or not? I still have room on my hand for another detention." I waved my right hand in the air. Covered with scars from "I must not tell lies" to "No one likes a know-it-all".
"No, I just…" He trailed off. We both got quiet. Footsteps. He quickly walked towards me and grabbed my arm, hurrying me along the corridor in the opposite direction of the footsteps, glancing back to check on who was coming.
"Malfoy." I hissed.
"Shut it Granger." He hissed back as he opened a door to a broom closet and pushed me in. Looking back one last time he quickly closed the door and locked it.
"What do you think you are doing?" I whirled around trying to get past him to the door.
"Shut up Granger." He said again, more forcefully and pushed me against the wall of the broom closet, putting his hand over my mouth.
I started to struggle against him but stopped when I could hear the footsteps right outside. Malfoy looked at me with a finger against his own lips. I rolled my eyes at him but stayed quiet. He smirked at me and looked at the door.
We could hear muffled voices on the outside. One sounded like Umbridge. Our breathing seemed to stop and Malfoy's hand relaxed. Soon the voices and the footsteps went away.
"What is going on?" I whispered to him, shoving his hand away from my face.
"I think what you want to say is 'Thank you Malfoy for saving me from another detention'." He scowled at me, not backing up. "Lumos" he muttered, his wand emitting light in the small space.
"Why would you care? Why would you care if a mudblood," he flinched, "like me gets another detention from the professor you are clearly sucking up to?" I pushed him away from me. "Are you ill or something?"
"Fine. Next time I will just let you get caught shall I?" He sneered but didn't move. I picked up my bag from the ground.
"Can I go now?" I asked, trying to move past him to the door.
"Wait," He put out his arm, blocking my path, "I joined the squad because of my Father. He needs to stay in favour with the Minister and Umbridge is probably shagging Fudge so I joined up. Do you think I actually like to be around her? She talks to us as though we're first years." He said not looking at me.
"Okay." I replied not really following what the point of him telling me all this was. "You are not welcome to our meetings, if that's what you are after."
"I am not after anything Granger. I just need you to know that I am not who I seem to be. I'm not apologizing for anything, I'm just telling you what is actually happening." He looked at me. I noticed for the first time how intense his eyes could get.
"Okay, look I am just stressed about exams. I wasn't trying to be snippy or sarcastic." What had come over me? Was Malfoy moving closer?
"Exams are like two months away Granger." He laughed slightly. "If you're stressed now, how are you ever going to make it through your O.W.L.s?"
"Stress drives me. And-Malfoy, what are you doing?" I found myself pressed against the wall again.
"Something I probably shouldn't." He said softly and bent towards my lips. His mouth touched mine. I closed my eyes, before opening them again and pulling away. He stayed where he was, inches from my face, looking at me. "Is this okay?"
Someone who was not me obviously came into my body at that moment and nodded, which someone in Malfoy's body took as consent to kiss me again. His hand cupped my face, still holding his wand, I could feel it pressed against my cheek. His other hand lightly rested on my waist. I touched his wrist and my other hand laid lightly on his chest.
I had no thoughts. Any frustration I felt seemed to disappear and any instincts I should have had, were paused. Suddenly I felt his hand tighten on my waist, clutching my robes. My hand instantly gripped his wrist and I pulled back abruptly hitting my head against the wall.
"Merlin, what was that?" I almost yelled, rubbing the back of my head. Malfoy had quickly backed up as well. "What? Why?...Are you ill?" I asked not knowing what exactly to say.
"No. Well, I guess it depends on who you ask, but no, I am fully healthy and competent." Why was he being so casual about this?
"You...you kissed me."
"You said I could!" He somewhat shouted back.
"That was not me, that was some out-of-body poltergeist who inhabited me and clearly you and made us-" I literally could not think.
"Okay, I should go." Malfoy said, making his way to the door.
I grabbed his arm, "Wait."
"What? This was clearly a mistake." He looked back at me. Was he feeling shame? Regret?
"Clearly." I said meanly, his eyes darkened.
"Right, well, obviously don't say anything. Not that anyone will believe you anyway." He sneered.
Well at least the real Malfoy was back. "Just stay away from me alright." I pushed past him and reached for the door.
"Wait," he sighed, "let me check," he moved to open the door slightly. He stepped out and motioned for me to come out. I stepped out cautiously in case this all turned out to be an elaborate, deeply disturbing, set up. There was no one around.
I looked at Malfoy once more and turned to make my way to the Gryffindor Common Room before anyone found me. Once I had arrived I went to my dorm room. As I stood in the washroom bruising my teeth I closed my eyes. Mint. Dark chocolate. Coffee. That is what he had smelled like. His hair touching my cheek as he kissed me. His hand on my waist. His lips touching mine, it was the most intense kiss I had ever had. I mean I had only one other kiss to compare it to. Krum. But that was so timid and innocent. Like two friends who wanted to see what it felt like. This kiss was a proper first kiss. It had felt like you thought a first kiss would feel like.
I shook my head. What was I doing? I finished brushing my teeth and climbed into bed. Closing my eyes I could see him. I gasped and opened my eyes. What was happening? Why did he, Malfoy, kiss me? To him I was nothing, less than nothing. He must have been on some medication. Something Madam Pomfrey gave him must have affected his ability to think clearly. Surely that is the only reason right?
xxx
It was a dream. It had to have been a dream. Why I was dreaming about Malfoy kissing me was another matter altogether but at least I established that it was in fact just a dream. Right?
"Hermione?" a voice, Ginny's voice, brought me out of my daydream. I jumped slightly on the bench at the Gryffindor table. Before me were plates of breakfast food. I had only poured a cup of coffee though. I looked at Ginny and Harry and Ron, they were all looking at me.
"Sorry?"
"Got enough sugar in your coffee?" Ron asked as he reached across me for more eggs.
I glanced down at my mug, how much had I scooped in? I had been unconsciously stirring it for Merlin knows how long.
"Since when did you start drinking coffee?" Harry asked, concerned.
"I had a late night studying." I said and took a sip of my coffee. I choked it down. Merlin, I must have put in five teaspoons of sugar.
"Well we have Divination, so we best be off. See you later." Harry said as he and Ron left. We were having a DA meeting later that night. Amidst my obvious distraction this morning, at least I managed to send a message to everyone's coins.
I glanced over at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy staring at me before a friend nudged him and he got up to leave.
I took another horrible sip of coffee and made my way to Ancient Runes.
xxx
Please leave your thoughts! Stay tuned for chapter 3!