Chapter 5: The Bleachers

It had been about month since that day Hermione was attacked. She knew Draco had been avoiding her, only talking to her when it was mandatory for potions. She was very confused by his actions, one moment he was yelling at her, next he was saving her. Since then she would catch him looking at her. But as soon as she looked back his concerned eyes would get dark and a sneer would cross his face.

She had given up on trying to be kind to him. She honestly wasn't sure why she even thought it possible. He was so brainwashed into believing she was bad because of her blood status, he would never see her anything other than muggleborn.

It was the beginning of October. It was a quiet saturday, although cloudy and dreary, and she made plans to watch Harry play quidditch with Ginny, Dean, and Katie. She had a book in hand due to her lack of interest in the sport and, with a blanket on her lap, settled in on the bleachers while they got ready to play. She was about 15 minutes into reading when she swore she heard her name. Looking around she did not see anyone. Thinking she must've been hearing things, she returned to her page.

"Granger! Down here!" hissed a male voice. She looked around to realize it was coming from below her.

"Granger, under the bleachers! Can we talk?"

Shock came over her as she realized whose voice that was. "Guys I'll be back, I..ermm...need to pee."

No one paid attention to her so she quietly grabbed her blanket and book and climbed down the bleachers. Making her way to the back, she ducked under the wooden supports. She smirked a little when she saw the back of the tall blondes head.

"Well well, looks like you're speaking to me again?"

Draco jumped a little, turning around "Bloody hell Granger! Since when do you walk to quiet."

She thought she saw an almost glow come across his face at the sight of her. It was quick and then he was back to his usual miserable mask he wore. But his grey eyes, seemed a little brighter than usual.

"You look well...erm.. i mean it looks like you're sleeping and eating well" Hermione stammered, an unusual nervousness coming over her.

He lowered his eyes, noting that its been about a month since he had his consistent nightmares. "Yeah well..." He trailed off.

"So do you always lurk under bleachers or did you want to talk finally?"

He rubbed his brow and let out a sigh. "This is stupid"

"Malfoy what is going on?' She was starting to get concerned

"Just give me a fucking minute!"

Hermione winced a little but decided to unfold her blanket, laid it flat on the ground, and proceeded to sit down. She didnt know why she did it but she thought it would make him a little more comfortable.

He looked at her, shaking his head in confusion. "What are you doing Granger?"

"You said you needed a minute, i figured i would make myself comfortable while i waited. Would you care to join me?" She motioned her hand to the empty space on the blanket.

He stared at her, she could tell he was battling his next decision in his head. He then shrugged his shoulders in defeat and sat next to her, much to Hermione's surprise. They sat there, neither daring to look at the other. Draco was obviously uncomfortable so Hermione decided to break the silence.

"Thank you for saving me..." She spoke quietly

Her thanking him surprised him. "I..ummm...your welcome" He then sat up straight "You're my only competition in this bloody school, mine as well keep you around."

She knew, in a bizarre way, that was a compliment. So..um.. what did you want to ask me?"

A softness came over his features. "You said you thought you saw something good in me. How could you?"

"Oh" was all she could think to say so she stared at the book in her hand, fidgeting with the pages.

"You're gonna ruin your book if you keep fucking with the pages." She stopped and put the book down next to her.

"Listen Granger, I'm not good at conversing like this"

She chewed her bottom lip and lowered her head while she thought of what to say. "Well um I don't really know how to explain it, there was a confidence to you i never saw before, like you've seen things, but those things made you understand the world better. It wasn't your usual cocky 'I'm better than you' confidence either. But at the same time you looked sad, like you were struggling with something... and then in potions you actually tried to help me. Something you would've never done before..."

Hermione then lifted her head back up and looked at him. Truly looked at him for the first time. He really wasn't that bad looking. He was skinny but muscular, with broad shoulders. His grey eyes had flecks of blue and gold in them. And his skin, although pale, was a beautiful porcelain.

As Granger was fiddling with her book he couldnt help but look at her. Her chocolate brown bushy hair falling down to her midback, Her petite frame looking smaller by the position she was sitting in. He couldn't think of anything to say so she looked up at him.

He never saw her look at him like that in real life, only in his dreams. Her amber colored eyes looking directly into his. Her olive skin glowing despite the grey weather outside. Her small turned up nose showing the slightest hint of freckles.

He couldnt resist himself. It felt like someone else took over. He leaned over to her and before he could think he kissed her on the lips. For a second he thought she was kissing him back but then he felt a push on his shoulders. Opening his eyes he saw a very shocked Hermione.

"What are you doing?" Hermione's tone snapped him back into reality.

"What? Um...fuck.." He became flustered trying to figure out what happened.

"You yell at me, then your nice, you call me slurs, and then you think you can kiss me!?' Hermione eyebrows furrowed in anger "What kind of game are you playing?"

The rejection slapped Draco in the face. He jumped up really quick "I dont fucking know Granger! Maybe my whole life has changed. Everything i thought was right, I'm now questioning!"

She flinched at the outburst, but regained her composure "Okay" was all she could mutter

"And I dont know, maybe youre the only one who doesn't look at me like you either hate me or feel pity for me. I feel sort of normal when I'm around you. Hell i even enjoy us working together in Potions."

She relaxed a little as she came to a realization "Malfoy, do you like me?" She stared him right in the eyes.

He hung his down, avoiding eye contact with her. "I don't know... but what's the fucking point, it can't happen."

"What can't happen?" Hermione asked as he started to walk past her.

"A Malfoy is not capable of liking someone like you. Ever. And i can understand why you wouldn't give a goblin's ass about me" He seethed with his back turned to her, already out from under the bleachers.

"Draco wait!"

He stopped when he heard Hermione call him by his first name, sounding foreign on her tongue, her voice pleading. But Malfoy's dont get rejected and he needed to leave before he said or did anything else stupid. So he continued his way back to the castle.

He could feel her getting under his skin. He didnt know why, but she sparked some sort of fire in him. He had been having dreams about her almost nightly. Some sexual, some not. Why was she in his fucking head? He didn't want to care about what she thought of him.

Just then he saw Pansy walking into the castle. There she was, a distraction. A conniving smile creeped up on his face. Best way to get someone out from under your skin is to replace them with someone better.

Hermione, Ginny, and Harry walked back to the castle together.

"Hermione you're quiet, everything okay?" Asked Ginny

"Yeah...umm... actually can i pick your brain? Harry do you mind?"

Harry nodded in acknowledgment and jogged ahead, leaving Hermione and Ginny to talk amongst themselves. She was trying to think of how much information she could disclose to her.

"So there's someone that i sort of know, and, I'm not 100 percent sure, but i think he might like me"

Ginny gasped in excitement. "You know i would choose you over my brother any day. Who is he?"

"I don't want to say, but he is someone i never thought would like me."

Ginny remained curious but decided not to push on who this person could be, so she asked the next question that came to mind. "Alright but do you like him?"

Hermione was thrown off by this question. She was so busy trying to help and analyze him, she never thought about her reasonings why. Did she like him?

"I..I..I dont know" Hermione stammered "I mean maybe.. He was a complete arse to me in the past, but now he seems...different"

"Well maybe you need to figure that out."

"Yeah, but what about Ron?"

Ginny shook her head."Don't worry about my brother, he will get over it."

"Don't tell Harry." Hemione whispered as they were approaching Harry sitting on the steps.

Harry and Hermione approached the common room after dropping Ginny off at Gryffindor tower. Once inside they scanned the room looking for a place to sit. They found a couple chairs by the window and sat down. Hermione setting her book and blanket on the table.

"So what did you and Ginny talk about?"

"Oh nothing, just girl stuff."

"Ron?" Harry asking inquisitively.

Hermione rolled her eyes, he was partially right. "Yeah I still am unsure how i feel about him."

Do you want this break to be permenant?"

"I dont know... maybe?" She sighed scanning the room "I just wish we never..."

Hermione spotted Draco snogging Pansy on a larger chair in the corner. She tried to hide how annoyed it made her. Was this jealousy? Why did she feel jealous?

"Never what Hermione?"

"Ummm never..made it past friendship.." She was trying hard to pay attention to Harry but kept on getting distracted by Draco

"Sorry Harry, my head is all over the place today."

"It doesn't help that these two are putting on a show." Hary gestures to the two cuplrits on the chair

She watched them, redness coming over her face. She felt her annoyance rising and decided to get up and go to her dorm when she heard a mumble from that direction that stopped her in her tracks.

"Mmmm Granger."

Sorry it took a bit to write this. I haven't been feeling good the past week and didnt have the energy.
Thank for the follows andthe comments so far!