Trigger warning: Please be advised, there is attempted SA in this chapter
Hermione
December 20th 1996
Hogwarts
Ginny whistled in Hermione's general direction, giving her a long look up and down as Hermione observed herself in the mirror.
"Don't oggle me Gin," Hermione laughed half-heartedly, then sighed. Frankly, the curly haired Gryffindor was in no mood to go to a fancy gathering.
Ginny came up behind Hermione in the mirror to admire her own dress. She looked gorgeous in a simple gold shift dress that hit right above her knees. Her gold strappy heels complimented the ensemble and her figure well, elongating her exposed legs. The overall effect was that of a breathtaking, fiery golden snitch.
Hermione's eyes strayed back to her own image. She was almost unrecognizable to herself.
The night after the fateful Quidditch match and the subsequent… events, Hermione was feeling rather reckless. On a whim, she purchased a dress out of a catalog for the Slug Club event that she felt would make her feel fierce; make her feel like nothing could touch her.
Hermione moved her hands down her sides, taking in the dress she wore. It was a floor length gown, made from a supple, rippling satin that hugged her entire body in just the right places, and flowed in all the rest. The neckline crept up to her throat, exposing the angles of her collarbones. From the front, the dress could almost look conservative. Only her sinewy arms were exposed, and at times when she walked, a glimpse of her leg through a thigh high slit.
The Gryffindor turned in the mirror to take in the back of the gown. This was what made her question the judgment of her purchase. The dress was backless, with the fabric gathering just above her tail bone. She was completely exposed with an expanse of freckles peppering her skin, looking like a sky full of the faintest stars.
Once again, she adjusted herself in the mirror, letting the dress move and catch the dim dormitory lighting. In low light, the dress appeared to be jet black, but when light found the material, one could see the undertones of forrest green.
Her eyes lingered up in the mirror until she was returning her own stare. Originally, Hermione intended to wear very little makeup, but Parvati had other plans.
The overtly girly Gryffindor, Parvati, had passed Ginny's dorm room, and was horrified to see that Hermione had not 'completed the look!'. The Patel twin went to quick work at establishing a smokey eye, then made an executive decision and brought Hermione's somewhat tamed loose curls into french twist that gathered at the nape of her neck, highlighting the showstopping backless dress.
Eventually Parvati was satisfied and left the room, much to Hermione's relief.
"You have your wand on you right?" Ginny asked, eying Hermione carefully.
Hermione pulled the slit of her dress to the side to display her holstered wand against her leg. When she let the dress fall back down around her ankles, the outline of the weapon could hardly be seen.
"Merlin Hermione, you could just keep the thing in a handbag," Ginny snorted as she checked her complexion in the mirror once more.
"I didn't want to bring a bag," Hermione declared innocently enough.
Ginny gave Hermione a steady look. "I don't trust Cormac, so just keep it by you OK?"
"Sure Gin," Hermione replied miserably. She was fully regretting her lapse in judgment by accepting Cormac's invitation.
After a moment of silence, Ginny growled. "Honestly, Hermione, what were you thinking? Why did you agree to go with that slime ball?"
Hermione sighed in agreement. "You're right. But I wasn't in the right frame of mind when he asked me again." she shifted uncomfortably, hovering herself somewhere over the truth. "It was the day after the match. And with everything that happened…"
"Yeah yeah, my git brother messed it all up, I know" Ginny groaned, leaning over Hermione again to use the mirror to place some lip gloss on. "But you didn't need to agree to go with Cormac to get back at Ron."
Hermione let an anxious laugh pass through her lips.
"At least you didn't ask Malfoy," Ginny remarked, causing Hermione to go suddenly very still. "I was worried for awhile that, I don't know…"
"Yeah, that would have been bad," was all Hermione could manage. Ginny hardly noticed Hermione's awkward response and continued to ready herself for the event. Hermione, though, did her best to shield her inner most reaction to the mention of Malfoy.
It had been weeks since the Gryffindor and Slytherin quidditch match. Everything in her life seemed to have changed since that day, but due to the copious amounts of alcohol she consumed that night, certain details felt…hazy.
She certainly remembered Harry's stunt where he used her to bait Ron into thinking he was drinking Felix Felicis. Harry was still asking for Hermione to forgive him for that.
She also remembered, quite clearly, Ron snogging Lavender (though sloppily, if she was recalling correctly) in front of the the entire Gryffindor house. That's when her memories start to get foggy.
She felt confident that she left the common room, and also that she broke into the library. There were blue orbs that she conjured at some point. And then there was the part where Draco Malfoy found her.
That's when it all became extremely fuzzy.
She was certain Malfoy had been nice to her when he found her. After weeks of him not talking to her, of having resumed his cruel disposition towards her, she certainly sensed he was warmer towards her when he randomly stumbled upon her. But beyond that, the time in the library was like an out of focus image. But even despite the hazy quality to the memory, the general thought of that night sent fluttering sensations up through the central line of her chest.
The end of the evening was like flashes of real moments that mingled together with what she could only imagine were scenes from a dream. The line was incredibly blurred on what happened, and what didn't.
Ron had come in, with Lavender. That much she could confirm from Ron's confrontation the next day, demanding to know if she had been in the Library. Hermione was so shocked he was talking to her, she merely stared at him blankly until he grunted and walked away.
But she remembered the deep, rumbling voice that reverberated skin to skin when Malfoy told her, "he'd handle it" with Ron.
A shiver rippled down the bare spine of her back.
But then, once Ron was gone, there was something more. Or at least she thought there may have been. Perhaps though it could have been her subconscious weaving something lusty through her mind while she slept.
Regardless, whatever it was, she wanted it again. Hermione couldn't let herself believe it had really happened. Because if it did happen, she didn't know what that meant for either of them. They hated each other. They were born to oppose the other.
But then why could she not stop thinking about the way his jaw felt under her hands, the way his lips moved with hers, how all of that made her feel overheated and needing fresh air?
Whatever sliver of hope Hermione had that the events were not a dream woven by her own brilliant mind fizzled when classes resumed that next Monday.
Hermione chanced looks in his direction during Runes, hoping he would at least look at her. Even if the kiss was concocted in her subconscious, she knew for a fact he was with her in the library, and was not a complete ass.
But he wouldn't look at her. Not once.
Feeling bold, and deciding that she needed to know. When class ended, she gathered her things, got to the door before anyone else, and waited to catch him.
He tried to keep his eyes trained ahead, coasting past where she stood in the doorway. But she followed him, refusing to give up that easily.
He only went a few steps before he rounded on her, but not before scoping their surroundings to ensure no one saw.
"Look," he said sharply. His voice was thick and gravely and it reminded her too much of the night in the Library. She scratched at her neck where she felt a flush bloom.
"We're not friends, got it?" The words were frigid and instantly ripped her out of the warm feelings that had conjured just a second prior.
She tried to say something, but her voice failed her. She thought she saw the daggers in his eyes lower for a fraction of a second, but the blades glinted again after a brief reprieve.
"Go scurry off to Weasle or Potter or whoever else you're following around these days," Malfoy spat cruelly.
She felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes, and she nearly cursed at Malfoy for making her feel this level of vulnerability towards him. That she could be brought to near tears over a pureblood who hates her kind.
With that, she had to turn and walk away. Anger and confusion began to overtake her, and she refused to let him see that he hurt her.
It just so happened that directly after that interaction, Cormac McLaggen had cornered her in the hallway to reaffirm his interest in taking her to the Slug Club party for the fifth time. Completely exhausted, and feeling a bit unhinged, Hermione had relented and agreed.
"Cormac is a real sleeze Hermione," Ginny said, bringing Hermione back to the present.
Hermione let her hands smooth down the sides of her dress to calm her nerves. "Nothing is going to happen."
"Mclaggen likes the chase. He's going to be a real creep tonight. I know it" Ginny said warily. The fierce blue eyes of the youngest Weasley held Hermione's stare carefully. "Dean said Cormac has been bragging…"
Hermione arched a brow. "Bragging about what?"
Ginny's eyes grew more serious, but then she shook out her arms with the built up tension and growled with presumed frustration.
"Look, Mclaggen said he's going to 'bag the Golden Girl' tonight. He seems convinced, according to Dean, that you're going to as it was said to me, 'give it up to him'."
Hermione bit the inside of her mouth. She knew she could handle her own, but comments like that cooled the blood in her veins.
"Mind if I stick around you and Dean tonight then? Maybe we can try to keep together as a group" Hermione asked, looking once more in the mirror at her own reflection.
"Yeah of course," and it seemed that Ginny was genuinely relieved that the evening was shaping up to be more of a friend hangout, rather than a date with Dean. "It'll be fun, me you and Harry can make fun of Cormac behind his back, and Luna can confuse a vampire".
A serene smile danced along Ginny's face. Hermione smiled back.
"It was really great that Harry asked Luna," Ginny commented abruptly. Her eyes turned up and looked casually at Hermione.
"Well Harry's a great guy," Hermione replied with a sly smile. Ginny didn't blush easy, but when she did, what with her fair skin and red hair, it was quite obvious.
"Come on, lets go get this over with," Ginny relented, taking Hermione by the elbow and escorting her out the door.
—-
The evening was turning out to be the worst case scenario, Hermione thought glumly as she stood in the throngs of guests at the Slugclub party festivities with an untouched glass of champagne in her hands, and only Cormac in front of her.
The minute they all walked into the party, the whole plan of six of them sticking together fell apart. This concerned Hermione, because even in mixed company, Cormac could not seem to keep his hand north of her back side.
When they entered, Slughorn appeared out of thin air, exclaiming that he finally nabbed the elusive Harry Potter for a function and dragged him and Luna away without another word.
Ginny and Dean stayed near by for a few more minutes, that was until Dean became upset by some look Ginny gave him when he remarked negatively about Harry's leadership abilities as the Quidditch team captain. When Ginny snapped at him, Dean went onto say something about how she was always in a bad mood with him.
Hermione just smiled blankly, not wanting the fight to blow up into one of their frequent blow outs where they'd have to walk away and have a private row about it. Hermione looked cautiously to Cormac who was hovering over her, casting a hungry look down, which she tried to ignore it.
Their quiet argument came to a head when Dean grunted, then threw up a hand, and stormed off. Ginny half heartedly called after him, then turned to Hermione looking defeated.
"I should go after him," Ginny said apologetically. Hermione tightened her smile to look supportive and nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can"
"I'll be OK Gin" Hermione said reassuringly as she tapped the side of her leg where her wand was. Ginny smiled through the tears that were forming at the aftermath of yet another fight with Dean.
And with Ginny gone, it only left her and Cormac.
Never the one to be social at gatherings like this, Hermione went against all typical instincts and hunted down any groups of witches and wizards that she could drag herself over to to put a buffer between her and Cormac. Since Cormac loved feeling important, she figured she could bait him with all the big named people Slughorn invited.
This worked reasonably well for a bit. Cormac, without shame, tried to hit on Gewong Jones from the Holly Harpies Quidditch team in front of Hermione. Gewong gave Hermione an apologetic look, having noticing that she was his date, but Hermione only returned a look back that said, 'If you want him have him'. She didn't.
They had made their rounds to just about everyone Cormac considered "worthy enough" for him, which then meant Hermione was out of distractions.
In a spot off to the side of the party, Hermione tried to mentally disconnect from the event altogether figuring time would go by quicker. Eventually she'd be able to meet back up with Harry and Ginny.
Most of the time, Cormac talked at her, giving little to no impression he cared about whether or not she was enjoying herself. The rest of the time, he looked at her like she was something to devour, which left her feeling nauseated.
Hermione's eyes swept the room as Cormac spoke nonsense to her. She observed all of the different types of wizards and witches that intermingled, and thought how the look of the room was quite quaint and cozy despite her current company. The lighting was warm throughout the room, and deep red and green silks celebrating Christmas hung from the ceiling, making it feel like they were on the inside of a grand circus tent.
Everyone at the function looked sharp, even if some of the outfits were a bit much, she thought. Hermione eyed Slughorn who wore bright purple and yellow robes that hurt the eyes to look at. She had lost respect for the professor since her last detention, and could merely roll her eyes at his attire.
Her thoughts strayed to Malfoy, as they begrudgingly did often as of late. She found herself imagining what Malfoy would have been like at an event like this. He probably would have worn something far too expensive, but it wouldn't be gaudy or over the top. She remembered sheepishly that he looked very handsome at the Yule Ball, though she never admitted to the thought then because of what a ass he always was.
Malfoy and Cormac appeared to operate in similar high falutin social circles, but she didn't think Malfoy would have been desperate for attention the way Cormac was. Draco would have let people come to him, she theorized.
She let her imagination go further, and wondered what it would have been like if he was her date. Suspending disbelief of course, given that he was a pureblood who outwardly would not be seen with a muggle at an event with important people. All the same, it was a daydream so she went with it.
In her mind, he would hold out his elbow for her as they moved about the room. She conjured up what it would feel like to clutch onto his arm, undoubtedly using the action as an excuse to be even closer to him. To be lost in the forrest of his scent.
She pictured a scene where they spoke to someone who bored him. Draco would give some posh excuse to leave the conversation, and guide them away. Only when out of earshot, he would drolly complain to her how much he hated the person they were speaking with. She in turn would lecture him on not being an ass.
A hand came into her vision which planted itself against the wall near her temple. Still deep within her imagination, she let herself believe for a second it was Malfoy's.
Then her senses were invaded with a musty smell, something like cheap cologne. It nearly made her gag. Focusing, she realized the hand was Cormac's and he was leaning his face in towards her mouth.
She put a hand on his chest, pushing him back. "What are you doing?"
Cormac, still inches from her face, smelling all wrong, smiled. "Giving you what you want"
She almost wretched on the spot. "I do not want you to kiss me, if that is what you're inferring"
He leaned back slightly, but largely looked undeterred. "So you want me to do other things to you then?" his eyebrows rose expectantly.
Hermione pinched the brow of her nose and sighed exhaustedly. "Look McLaggen, I shouldn't have accepted your offer to come with you tonight. I'm not interested in you like that. Or in any way."
She went to move out from under him, but he moved with her, blocking her from an easy exit. Her eyes watched him carefully as her body chilled.
"I'm not an idiot Granger," Cormac stated boldy, to which Hermione audibly gauffaed. He shook his head, not letting it discourage him. "I know you going with me was to make Weasley jealous. We all saw what happened with him and Brown after the match."
Hermione felt wildly uncomfortable that even Cormac Mclaggen seemed to understand the depths of the feelings she had for Ron, and how that night wrecked her.
"Look I think we have a common goal. I wouldn't hate getting back at him for taking my spot on the team either," Cormac added, looking momentarily flustered at the memory.
Hermione averted her eyes, knowing full well she had been the cause of Cormac not making the team with a well timed confundus charm.
"I don't want to make Ron jealous" Hermione finally clarified for him. She realized when she said it outloud, she meant it.
She was still angry with Ron, but something at the root of her feelings for him had changed. At times, she would attempt to will herself into her old affections, even if it would hurt seeing him with Lavender. She reasoned that liking Ron while he was taken was infinitely easier than the burgeoning sentiments she was developing for Malfoy.
"So if not Weasley, who do you want to make jealous then kitten?" Cormac questioned her with a purr. He was revolting, Hermione thought as she crossed her arms and looked away from him over her shoulder.
"Perhaps the rumors are true then," Cormac began with intrigue, "maybe we're out to make Malfoy jealous" Cormac added with a smirk. Hermoine's head whipped to his.
"What?" her eyes were like slits on his smug expression. He seemed satisfied that her response confirmed his suspicions.
"Well I think we have a winner," Cormac said. "So you want to get Malfoy's attention then?"
"What rumor?" Hermione asked abruptly, trying to maintain a look of incredulity instead of panic.
"Brown says you and Malfoy were in the stacks together the night of the match," Cormac answered, seeming bored with the details, wanting to get back what it meant for him. "But Malfoy's a bit more experienced, to get him jealous we're going to have to do a lot more than snog…"
She couldn't take it anymore. With a quick hand to her wand, she cast a wordless protego that sent Cormac back several paces. It was not a full blown repulsion charm, but enough to make space for her to leave.
Hermione made one final attempt to find Ginny Harry or Luna before she left. She looked briefly for them on the way to the door, even if it was just for them to see she was leaving, but she couldn't spot any of them. She needed to get out of there fast though, so she turned to the doors and promptly left.
Outside in the hallway, with the door closed behind her, she took a grounding breath of the cool night air which was several degrees cooler than it had been in the party. The corridor outside Slughorns office was dimly lit with torches well spaced out.
Wringing her hands, trying to rid herself of the anxiety and the confusion she felt, she began to briskly walk in the direction of the Gryffindor common room, her heels clicking against the cobblestones as she walked.
Rounding a corner, she entered a corridor that was bathed in moonlight streaming in from the nearly floor to ceiling windows. It reminded her of the night of her first detention with Malfoy.
Overwhelming embarrassment overtook her senses. Not because she went with Cormac to Slughorn's event, though she was sure she'd regret that for years to come. And not because it seemed like the whole school knew she cared about Ron when he publicly snogged someone else.
No, what made her want to crawl into a cave was the fact that merely being in a hallway bathed in moonlight could trigger her thoughts to Draco, and how that never in a million years he would ever consider being with her. Not to mention the shame she felt at letting herself fall for a pureblood, after everything his people had done to hers. What utterly embarrassed her was how the mere thought of him made her heart spin out of control.
A hand roughly grabbed her shoulder, and she was shoved back into a wall, spiking the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Then, Cormac's beady little eyes came into focus.
Hermione went to reach for her wand, but he had pinned her hand closest to the holster against the wall almost immediately.
"I see you like to play hard to get," Cormac whispered, his eyes heavy as he looked Hermione up and down. In the close proximity, she could smell champagne and firewhiskey on his breath.
His free hand moved greedily over her waist and towards her backside. She jerked under him, but he kept moving his hands freely.
"Cormac stop" Hermione growled, jerking again. "I am not interested in you. I am not playing hard to get. I do not want you to do this," Hermione grunted, trying with every fiber of her muscles to get to her wand.
He chuckled softly leaning into her neck. She continued to push him back, but his body was too heavy against hers.
"Stop!" she finally yelled, hoping someone would hear her. If only she could get to her wand.
Pure rage pulsed through her, giving her more strength to push him away but it still wasn't enough.
Then the weight of his body was off of hers. The coolness of the night air replaced the clammy heat that radiated off of Cormac's body.
Steadying herself, It took her a moment to understand what she was looking at.
Slumped down on the opposing wall from her was Cormac. It looked as if he was thrown back into the wall with some force, and he appeared just as shocked as Hermione was.
And to her right was Draco, his wand drawn, eyes murderous.
"What the fuck Malfoy," Cormac complained as he adjusted his body awkwardly against the wall.
Draco's whole body was illuminated in the brilliant glow of the moon. His eyes were near slits looking at Cormac, and his chest was heaving. He wore a white oxford like he had the night of their first detention. With the aid of the moonlight, he looked like a fallen angel.
"I said what the fuck Malfoy," Cormac complained again, making a gesture towards Hermione like Malfoy had interrupted something.
Draco took two steps towards Mclaggen and in one fluid movement, he grabbed the scruff Cormacs dress robes, and punched him square across the jaw.
Hermione gasped. All of Draco's movements were so quick and lethal that it took her by surprise.
Cormac clutched his face and slid down the wall. Draco moved closer to the heap that was Mclaggen and stared down at him like a statue carved of marble. In a fluid movement, the Slytherin leaned down closer to Cormac's ear, and whispered something to him.
The look on Mclaggen's face made it seem that whatever Malfoy had just said was far worse than the physical assault he just experienced.
Quickly, Mclaggen scrambled up the wall and began to walk away aimlessly, not even in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. After a few moments, the echos of Cormac's shoes retreating fainted, and all that was left was the sound soft flickers from the surrounding torches, and the barely there background noise of a party in the distance.
Draco hadn't turned to look at Hermione yet. His feet were still planted, looking down at the spot that Mclaggen fell. His hand opened and closed several times as Hermione watched.
He truly looked heavenly in this light. His platinum blonde hair blazed against the moonlight, and his exposed skin seemed to glow.
Mesmerized by his face, she could see he began working his jaw like he wanted to finally say something. There was a controlled fury in the way he stood.
Slowly, Hermione approached him. With each step she took and the subsequent soft clicks of her heels, Draco's rigid posture loosened.
When she was almost close enough to touch him when he spoke.
"Are you OK?" it was as if he hadn't spoke for days. His voice sounded strained, and coarse all at the same time.
"Yes, thank you," Hermione said carefully, watching his expression.
"Please," he said, his voice still strained and unpracticed, "don't go anywhere without your wand"
Hermione's jaw clenched. "I have my wand on me, he had my arm pinned"
Draco's body jerked like he was about to storm off in the direction Cormac had gone. Hermione responded to his movement as if she was attuned to him, and placed a tentative hand on his chest.
"Don't" she said softly, her face positioned directly under Draco's chin. She looked up, hoping to reassure him. "I'm OK"
His body released tension under her touch. His head dipped down, but his eyes were closed. She began to step away when his eyes opened and seemed to focus on her, taking her in as if it was the first time he was really seeing her that evening.
The way he gazed down on her was unlike any look anyone had ever given her before. When Cormac stared at her, it was like she was something to consume. Not even Ron could compare to the way Draco looked at her in that moment. All Ron looked to Hermione for was reassurance and comfort.
Draco Malfoy looked at her like she was the first thing he had ever seen.
Her hand began to fall way from where it was placed on his chest, but as she did, his hand moved to rest on top of hers, pressing her fingers mindlessly into him.
An intense thrum passed over her body all at once.
"Granger…" he said horsley. His eyes found hers but abandoned the intense look she returned. Even with his eyes turned towards the ground, he wouldn't let her hand move an inch.
She was scared that any second, he would disappear again; that he would become nothing more than a memory she treasured or a hazy dream she hoped was real.
Hermione had to keep him there, so she baited him with conversation.
"Do you make it a habit of strolling dark hallways on the weekends?"
He let out a throaty chuckle, which could have doubled as a distraught sigh. "Every night, really."
She felt protective of him, and her fingers curled to feel him under his shirt. The hardness against the plain of her hand made her chest throb again.
"Malfoy…" she began, looking back up into his face which now looked aimlessly down between them. Slowly his eyes met her's. "Are you OK?"
He looked like he wanted to laugh at the question, but he couldn't.
"Yeah Granger," he tried to smile. "I'm fine"
His hand softened against hers, and slowly, both of their hands fell to their sides.
He took a step back, not being able to look at her. He raked his hand through his hair anxiously making it messy in a way it never was.
"Are you sure you're OK," Malfoy asked Hermione again, trying to avoid eye contact.
"Yes," she smiled faintly, hoping he would look at her one last time before she knew he would disappear.
"Come on, let me walk you back. I can disillusion myself when we get close." and then he held out his elbow for her to take.
She paused, looking at his arm longingly, remembering that she had just imagined herself in this day dreamed scenario.
It was impossible for her to move. All she could do was stare at the hitch in his arm. When he stepped into her orbit, she felt like her barriers shattered all at once.
"Draco," she said tersely, instantly dragging his attention to her face, his eyes monitoring her lips that just spoke his name. She took a breath in. "You are making me feel absolutely insane!"
His eyes watched her from his tall vantage point, and a look of concern swept over his expression.
"This," she began gesturing between the two. "What is happening? What is this?" The sting of tear forming at her lids accompanied the words. She was overflowing with the frustration and confusion she felt.
He looked tortured as he watched her struggle. "I don't know" he replied weakly. "I don't know"
"You're confusing me!" Hermione rasped out, still helplessly staring at him just steps ahead of her.
His head dipped. "I apologize"
She moved into him, eliminating all space between the two.
"Do not apologize, I don't want you to apologize I want…" she said forcefully, jabbing a finger into his chest. She looked up at her hand thrusting into his chest when his fingers circled around her wrist gently. A hidden memory surfaced.
"We've done this before" she murmured. His hand was still around her wrist, his eyes now focusing on where he held her. "I had this dream…the night of the quidditch match," his eyes wouldn't stray from where his hand held her. "I, in the dream. I kissed you. You kissed me"
He didn't say anything, he just stood there.
"It wasn't a dream was it?" she asked in a hushed tone.
"No" he said, refusing to look at her. He dropped her hand reluctantly, and took a step back. "We can't do this Granger"
She sighed, tears prickling, knowing he was right but not wanting to accept it.
Looking up to his face, to his eyes that wouldn't meet hers, she finally spoke. "I know Draco."
His body tensed as his shoulders rose and fell rhythmically. At his side, his hands twitched like they were trying to reach out for something.
Hermione observed him in silence. She wouldn't be the one to break, because when she did, he would leave again. And then they'd be strangers once more.
A ragged breath shook her attention loose. Her eyes moved from his hands back to his face that looked torn. His eyes were still looking away from her when he finally spoke.
"Fuck it" he said, almost to himself.
And then, his hands moved swiftly to her face, bringing her lips to his desperately. He took a long drawn breath as he held her close against his body.
It took her a moment to realize what had just happened, but without thinking, the moment he drew her in her hands reached out to his stomach to steady herself. But then, his earthy calming scent took over her senses and her hands began feeling up to his wrists which held her face. She thrilled at what he felt like. He deepened the kiss, his tongue plunging into her, and a deep memory of what he tasted like was recovered.
Her hands found the back of his neck, and her fingers clawed at his skin, her tongue eagerly meeting his. All at once it felt like her body was filled with electricity, and the only way to ground the current was to touch him. And even then it wasn't enough to quell the intense buzz she felt inside her.
His hands became urgent against her neck and jaw, angling her up to him so he could press himself even deeper into her.
His tongue was deft against hers, skillful and patient as he explored. Nothing was rushed about what he did, but every place their bodies touched she thought she could feel that he needed more of her.
She wanted him closer even though they were pressed against one another. Hermione, feeling emboldened, pulled his neck down into her, pressing her chest flush against his.
The silk of her dress was hardly any barrier between them, and as she angled her body against his, a sensitive sensation pulsed over her breasts. The soft friction of the fabric against the sensitive skin of her nipple sent a clenching, thumping feeling down low in her stomach. She hummed a moan into his mouth.
His head tilted back away from hers. She nipped up towards his chin, trying to get him to come back.
With his mouth against her temple, he slid his hand down her arm and to her waist.
"You are going to kill me with that way you moan," he said gruffly into her hair that was pulled into a low twist. His hand began moving again, exploring the contours of her hip, and slowly, leisurely, he navigated to her exposed lower back. He drew a heavy breath against her temple.
His fingers crept up the now flushed skin over her spine. Every inch that he touched lit up something in her that she hadn't realized was dormant. A flurry of signals were pulsating through her, most of them screaming some version of want. Before that moment, these were feelings she had only had mildly. It was never like this.
Draco's wandering hand rested at the base of Hermione's neck, and after sufficiently enjoying the benefits of her backless dress, he took her mouth once again with his, like he was a starving man.
Hermione was not practiced when it came to kissing, while Malfoy very clearly knew what he was doing. She worried about this, but at the same time was appreciating his expertise. Being kissed by Draco Malfoy was like being in a master course on the subject taught by him. And with him being such a skilled instructor, she found herself responding out of instinct to his moves.
His teeth nipped at her lip, sucking it gently which sent shivers down her spine.
Her hands moved on their own accord over his abs. His muscles were taught and lean, which she observed achingly as she met his tongue that seemed to be responding enthusiastically to her touch. Her hands, ever the curious ones, worked up to his chest which was strong and broad. An intrusive thought struck her in which she desperately wanted to claw her nails down the front of him.
Jutting out her chin she pushed him back from her mouth. His breath was ragged as he looked down at her.
Hermione eyed a supple looking place on his neck, and became fixated on it, wanting to know what it tasted like.
Draco stilled as she moved onto the tips of her toes, and placed a lingering kiss at the nape of his neck. He rolled his neck. He seemed to like that, she thought with a coy grin. Whetting her lips, she dragged the tip of her tongue up his neck, and towards the part where his jaw and his ear met. She had to pull him down further for her to make the complete journey.
"What are you trying to do to me," his voice was unhinged as he grabbed her waist tighter.
"I was curious if you would like it," she smiled into his neck, trying to do it again but he angled his neck away from her mouth, his eyes now looking devilish.
"Well," he whispered, moving his lips down until they hovered over a similar spot on her neck. His warm breath against her skin already made her body clench in anticipation.
He began to kiss her gently right under the ear, nipping at her skin in a way she would have never expected to like but she found that she adored it. She tried to turn her head into his, wanting to find his lips, needing to kiss him again, but he laughed, keeping his lips pressed against her throat.
"How do you like it, Granger?" he questioned, his deep voice thrumming against her throat.
"I, um," her voice was cracky and nervous sounding. He chuckled softly again as he persisted.
Hermione let out a tiny whimper as he sucked lightly on her neck. Her sounds appeared to break his concentration that was focused on slowly torturing her with his mouth. In an instant, he pulled her face back into his.
Being the quick learner that she was, Hermione began to nip at his lips in between dips of her tongue into his mouth.
His hands rolled over her body effortlessly, the silk of her dress acting as an accelerant to his touch.
Draco's hands stilled just at the top of her rib cage and she felt the pace of his kiss slow, as if suddenly he was distracted; concerned maybe.
His thumb grazed the curve of her breast, but his hand remained just below.
Hermione, not an expert at what they were doing but becoming a quick study, realized that his hesitation was likely a concern that he was moving too fast.
Her breathes were soft pants as he lingered just below her breast, obviously wanting to go further. No one had ever touched her there, and she was desperate to have him be the one to do it first.
Tentatively, and a bit worried that she was being a bit forward, Hermione reached her hand down and placed it atop of his. She began to guide his hand further up until she could feel his fingers consume the outline of her breast. With her encouragement, he moved now at his own accord until hand rested over her, his thumb now rubbing circles over the outline of nipple. Hermione drew a sharp breath in as she felt how her nipples peaked and the accompanying sensation along with it.
Hermione did not know this was how it could be. Being entangled with Draco in the dark halls of Hogwarts was beyond anything her imagination could have created. It was mind numbing bliss. The way he made her feel, made her body feel, it was beyond what she was able to comprehend in that moment.
Another low moan passed through her lips and into his mouth as he continued to trace his hands over the most sensitive parts of her breast. Her vocalized desire sent him over the edge, and in a swift movement, he had picked her up by her thighs, moving her body up against the wall. Out of instinct, Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist and steadied her hands around his neck.
Draco gave her a burning look as he held her against the wall. All she wanted was him. She wondered what her expression might look like to him.
He brought her face into his, taking her mouth at painstakingly slow and agonizing pace. She could sense the way she kissed him must have felt urgent; needy, but his pace was domineering, and after a few blissful moments, she felt herself easing into this new slow burning measure like a hot bath.
At some point, after Hermione had lost track of the concept of time, he pulled away from her, leaning back just enough to look at her. His eyes moved from the top of her head, down to the compromising position they were in, and then back up to take in her darkened chestnut eyes.
"Hermione!"
Her name echoed loudly against the stone walls from a few hallways over. She recognized it. It was Harry, and he must have just left the party looking for her.
Draco looked mutinous. "Of course it's fucking Potter"
Gently, he guided her down from where he held her, her feet coming to rest on the ground.
Knowing they only had moments before Draco had to be out of sight, Hermione cast a hopeful look up to him. He met her gaze, and answered the unasked question.
"This isn't going to end well," he said softly as he reached down to her face, pushing a curl that escaped her french twist away from her temple.
She smiled nonetheless "That's fine."
Footsteps echoed their way, but they still sounded a distance off.
"How is this going to work?" he asked, brushing his thumb against her temple, breathing her in. It felt like her chest would explode at the way he took her in.
"I've been told I'm the smartest witch of my age," Hermione replied in a hushed tone back, a smile gracing her pouty lips. "I'm sure I can figure something out"
She watched him as a rare Draco Malfoy smirk formed at his lips.
Desperately, he kissed her, so hard she was worried he must have assumed it would be their last.
"Hermione!" this time it was Ginny calling.
"You're going to be the end of me Granger," he huffed as he pulled away from her, his mouth stilling by her cheek, holding her face close to his. She breathed him in deep.
He tipped his head back in resignation, took a step back, then gave her one more painstaking gaze before he turned away quickly and was out of sight.
Before Harry and Ginny found her, Hermione took a split second to stabilize herself and smooth down her dress and hair. She prayed her makeup was not messed up enough to cause suspicion.
Yes, she was nervous to face Ginny and Harry, especially in the disjointed state she currently was in.
Above that, she was generally terrified. Because with each breath that passed through her lungs since Malfoy walked away, she worried that it may be impossible to shake the feeling that she would be permanently destabilized from that point forward now that he was somehow in her life. It was like a glow that radiated out of her, and the power of it, though great, was unnerving.
But she needed to take things one step at a time. Tonight, she had to pretend that everything was normal to two of her closest friends. Act as if there there hadn't been a seismic shift at her core.
Tomorrow, she would need to figure out a way for her and the Slytherin Prince, someone she would have never thought in a million years she would be desperate for, to be together.
