Okay-dokey! The following disclaimer belongs to me
:) , and is said in a farmer-like accent...
-AHEM-
DISCLAIMER: This here is me plot, not me characters.
Da characters is owned by da inteegileent lil' lady
who goes by da name J.K. Rowlin'. Ya''ll have any
problem with dat fact, take it up with me
shotgun-chickchick--O.o--Billy-Joe Jr.

Alrighty, thank you Mr. Farmer Man Guy! All you
people at home; don't you think he deserves applause?
c l a p c l a p!
Anyway, this story is about Draco and Hermione, both
coming to a conclusion/ realization about...well, read
and find out!! PG-13 for, I believe, ONE swear word,
okay?
OKAY!
*~BEGIN~*

Hermione watched as Ron and Harry went to the
horseless carriages waiting to pull them to the
Hogwarts Express.
Bye Hermione! Harry and Ron called from one of them
whilst being taken in the other direction.
She waved and smiled, See ya'!
A cold wind suddenly blew in from the North, causing
her to pull the coat tighter over her cloak and around
her shoulders. The strong wind was pulling at it, and
she had no intention of letting the snow that was
falling gently from the sky touch her.
She turned and walked back up the steps into school,
snow landing on her much too bushy hair.
Ron and Harry were going to the Weasley's for
Christmas for the first time in seven years at
Hogwarts. Hermione had planned on going home herself,
but, unfortunately, her parents had changed their plan
at the last minute to spend Christmas with her mom's
sister: lonely Aunt Ethel...whom Hermione wasn't
particularly fond of.
Her parents had allowed her, after some begging and
pleading, to stay at Hogwarts for X-mas.
Hermione stepped into the school and shook her head,
scattering the snow all over, and slipped her coat
off.
She headed up to the Gryffindor common room, and
after telling the Fat Lady the password (snow and
tinsel), she climbed inside and went to a seat by the
fire.
Hermione stared into the dancing flames, and yawned.
Leaning back, she reached next to her and picked up a
book she'd just started reading yesterday and left on
the small table. Letting her hand run over the cover,
she opened it slowly, and turned to the page she'd
left off at. So far, she was particularly fond of the
plot.
After an hour of reading, she scoffed. The author
seemed to have sucked the reader into the story with
some well-written first twenty chapters, and then
decided it was too much effort and stopped caring.
The author had even misplaced a star formation!
Well...she was PRETTY sure the author had.
Considering for a moment, she decided that since she
had nothing else to do, and that it wouldn't hurt
anyone, she was going to go check.
After placing a bookmark on the page she'd stopped
at, she closed the book, setting it down, she stood
up, stretched, then grabbed her coat and headed out of
the room again.
Leaving sort of hastily aren't we? the Fat Lady
commented as she swung herself closed.
I have to check something, she told her, going up
the stairs to her right.
The Fat Lady mumbled something, but seemed content
with the answer and didn't complain.
Hermione walked, admiring the portraits hanging on
the walls and the decorations placed here and there,
until she reached her destination.
The ever-elusive Observatory Tower primarily used on
Wednesdays by first years at midnight.
Opening the door, she pulled on her coat just as a
rush of wind tossed her hair around.
Stepping out, she closed it behind her and walked
over to one of the many telescopes pointed at the
stars.
Gazing through it for a minute, she finally spotted
the cluster of stars she was looking for.
I knew it! she exclaimed proudly. The author HAD
misplaced it after all.
What, did you finally realize that there ARE, in
fact, stars located in space? a voice said
sarcastically from her left.
Jumping back, she spun around to find Draco Malfoy
leaning against the banister all around the edge of
the tower, making sure people like Neville didn't
topple off.
Hermione sighed, WHY did you do that?

Scare me!
He shrugged, No reason, he looked back at the sky,
So what DID you find?
Hermione blushed; telling Malfoy what she'd been
doing would only prove that she really was 100%
bookworm material.
she said, wiping snow from her bangs.
Oh, so you just go running around saying I knew it'
for fun? Draco asked as if he were actually asking a
serious question.
She smiled and batted her eyelashes, Of course, she
tilted her head to the side, don't you?
Scoffing, but smiling, Draco shook his head, I'm
afraid I don't, he glanced at her sideways, I've
been told it's abnormal.
Oh really? Hermione feigned surprised, I thought
that it just POPPED out of everyone's mouths!
You're one misinformed muggle-born. he observed,
his silvery hair blowing every-which-way around his
head.
she asked in genuine surprise, I
thought the term for you was
Nah, mudblood just POPS out of my mouth sometimes.
he said seriously.
Hermione stared at him for a second, then burst out
laughing, Th-that was great!
his eyebrows rose, I never knew you were so
easily amused. he commented, prompting her to laugh
some more.
N-not easily amused', she said, her laughter
starting to stop, just surprised.
He watched as she regained her composure, At what?
she said like it was obvious, I thought you
could only tell jokes that hurt people in some way.
she said, looking back at the stars.

There was silence for a minute as both of them
admired the sparkling lights in the sky, then Draco
turned towards the door, See ya' later mudblood.
Hermione spun around, watching as he started to
leave, then she grabbed some snow from the banister,
and made it into a small ball, then hurled it towards
him.

*So denied, so I lied,
Are you the now or never kind?*

Draco cried out in surprise as the snowball connected
with his back.
He spun around and faced Hermione as she burst out
laughing again.
Oh, that's amusing then?
Laughing, she barely squeezed out the word,
Well, I know how much you LOVE being amused, so, he
leaned down and scooped up a huge handful of snow,
packing it into a ball, here ya' go! he threw it at
her, making contact with her forehead.
she cried, That's COLD Draco! she said,
wiping it off frantically.
Really? I never knew. he said, smirking.
She frowned, You DESERVED that, you called me a
mudblood.
Draco leaned against the door, I just reckoned that
you wanted to laugh some more, so I opted to help.
Oh, gee, she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm,
thanks so much.
Any time, any time. he said, waving his hand, No
problem at all.
In fact, she quickly ran her hand over the
banister, gathering more snow, I'll spread the joy.
She threw.
Draco ducked and grabbed some more from the ground
and tossed it up at her.
Hermione dodged to her right, then picked up more,
and threw it back.
This went on for a few minutes, by the end of it,
Draco was shaking his head back and forth to rid it of
the snow, and Hermione was dusting off her shoulders
and nose.

*Are you willing to be had?
Are you cool with just tonight?*

They both looked at each other, unknowing to them,
during their small scuffle, they'd gotten much closer
to the other then they'd ever intended to in their
lives.
Hermione just smiled at him, There. Now we'll both
be joyful.
He grinned,
Draco looked very cute right now, Hermione realized,
his cheeks had turned a light pink from the cold, and
his grin, rather then that usual smirk he always had
plastered on his face, was making him look better then
ever. His hair tossed lightly around his head,
You're quite the snowball maker.
As are you. he said, pondering about how beautiful
Hermione looked when her cheeks were lit up by the
cold, and that smile...her deep chocolate eyes... How
he could be thinking these things, he didn't
understand, nevertheless, he was thinkin' em.
Hermione put a hand up to her cold nose in order to
warm it up, So, why are you stayin' at school this
Christmas?
He shrugged a shoulder, Not in the mood to go home,
I suppose.
Why's that?
He looked up at the sky, considered some thoughts,
then back down at Hermione, Just


*Wanna' stay, not to go.
I wanna' ditch the logical.*

Draco cocked his head to the side, to his surprise,
not really wanting to stop the words that were about
to come sprouting out of his mouth, Y'know, from this
angle, even a muggle-born like you can look cute.
Y'know, from this angle, Hermione said, even a
wizard-born like you can still be rude.
His right eyebrow went up,
You used the word EVEN while trying futilely to
compliment me. How rude is that?
He laughed in spite of himself, I suppose I should
say sorry.
She stared at him expectantly.
Oh! Right--sorry. he said quickly.
Hermione lifted herself up onto the banister, her
feet dangling towards the ground, You should be.
What were you doing up here? Draco suddenly asked.
What were YOU doing up here? Hermione countered.
He waved his hand towards the sky, Gazing at the
stars.
Hermione nodded.
Well, what about you?
Hermione sighed, he'd answered her, it was only fair
to answer him too, Promise you won't laugh?
Draco smiled, and shrugged,
Well, I happened to be reading a book, when I came
across a description of the night sky. It said
something about Orion's belt, but it described it in a
spot I thought was wrong. So I decided to come up
here and check. she explained, then blinked a few
times, had she just told MALFOY that? Oh lord.
Draco just laughed,
Hermione was, in the least, surprised, That's it?
What do you mean?
That's all your gonna' say? Understandable?
Yeah...I guess. he said slowly, looking at her like
she was a bit bad in the head, Something wrong with
that?
Hermione shook her head and smiled, Nothing wrong
with it at all. she said, then looked at him sideways
with a smile, You sure act a lot different when no
one else is around Mister Draco Malfoy.
I suppose so... was his answer to that deep look
into his soul.
Shaking her head, she was about to hop off the
banister, but her hands slipped out from under her.
Unluckily, causing her to fall backwards.
Draco yelled, diving forward.
He grasped her wrist before she could fall to far,
and pulled her back up.
Their faces were inches apart. During her panic,
Hermione had wrapped her arm around Draco's, and let
the other rest around his shoulders. They could both
feel the other's breath against their skin.
That...was close. Hermione stated quietly.
Draco said a bit thickly.
Y'know, I believe that was the first time you ever
said my first name. She whispered, barely moving her
lips.
I believe you may be absolutely correct.
They stared into each other's eyes, and after a
moment or two Draco finally muttered, almost too
quietly for her to hear, And I think this may be the
first time I ever kiss a muggle-born.

*All this time is fool's emotion
Can't I stay an hour or two or more--
Don't let me let you go...*

Snow falling all around them, the wind causing their
hair to touch each other's faces, Draco and Hermione
kissed.
His lips are really soft', she thought, then decided
to open her eyes to take in his features as he kissed
her.
He was absolutely adorable...handsome, and cute all
at once...it was pretty damn overwhelming. Instead of
trying to analyze exactly how he could look that way,
she decided just to enjoy this rare moment that she
was sharing with Draco. So she closed her eyes.
A minute had passed when they finally parted.
Hermione looked into Draco's silver-grayish eyes, and
felt her own start to fill with tears.
What's the matter? he asked worriedly.
she said quietly, then let the tears fall
down her cheeks slowly, This will never-- she tilted
her head back with closed eyes, This can't work.
He looked down at the snow gathering around them,
then finally whispered, I know.
I mean, you and me...it's just so...wrong? she said
questioningly, bringing her face back down to look him
in the eyes. What was the word for it?
I know, I know Hermione, it just...doesn't, he
swallowed,
Hermione slowly took her arm off his shoulders, then
untwined her other from his arm.

*Don't let me let you go...*

Hermione lifted herself up and off the banister, then
slowly headed towards the door, she cleared
her throat, I'll see you at dinner Draco.
He nodded as she closed the door behind her.
Hermione walked down towards the Great Hall, knowing
dinner would be served in a few minutes.
She also knew that Draco's lips were very soft.
She also knew that Draco had feelings.
She also knew that Draco cared about her.
She also knew that she would always remember that
certain Observatory Tower for the rest of her life.
She also knew that she would never, ever look at
Draco in the same fashion again.
Hermione sat down at one of the two tables placed in
the room after all the other students had left for
Christmas.
She passed the time by thinking about how she'd spent
the last half hour. And how absolutely and crazily
unbelievable it was.
The other students that had been left behind came and
sat in various seats around her. Finally the teachers
appeared and sat at the other table.
Dumbledore said a few things to them that Hermione
didn't pay attention to, then their plates filled with
food.
Not really in the mood to eat, Hermione looked up
from her empty plate, and spotted Draco across from
her and to her left.
Draco glanced up, noticing her looking at him, they
exchanged weary smiles, and lifted their goblets to
each other.

*Here's a toast, to all those
who hear me all too well...*

She also happened to know that she would remember
that last half hour forever.

*Here's to the night we felt alive
here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
here's to goodbye --tomorrows gonna' come to soon...*

Dinner ended, and Hermione and Draco sat at the table
until everyone else left the decorated hall, then, as
if they knew what the other was thinking, they went to
each other, and shared one last thing.
A hug.
They smiled, both knowing no one else would ever know
about this. Because this was their own moment in time
that they would never share with anyone else.
This was their secret.
You know how I'll always remember you Mister Draco
Malfoy? Hermione asked, looking up at Draco's sad
face with a smile and watery eyes.
How, Miss Hermione Granger? he asked, giving her a
grin.
Quite the snowball maker.

*Tomorrow's gonna' come to soon...*


~*FIN*~



Okay! If you liked that, but you'd rather Hermione
and Draco stayed together (possibly...) then go to my
other story (Sorry, no sequel for this!); it's called:

*~ If You Ruin That Book in Anyway--I'll Kill You ~*
Alrighty then! Only one more thing left to do since I
already advertised my story...uh...oh yes!
REVIEW!!!!
By the way, can any one of you lovely, beautiful,
intelligent reviewers tell me the French way to say
start' or begin' or anything around that??
Thank ya'!
REVIEW!!!!