A/N: Here's the next chapter. Hope you all like. And you know, I heart reviews. Totally! Heh.

serasivad: well, i rather love draco in character, so i try my best not to make him OOC :)
Lyra: Hope you're not mad yet ;)
IvoryClover0: Tada, here you go, next chapter :)
Cory:yes, well Draco definitely is sexiest man alive eh?
Sex Angel: He has a nice little plan in his pretty little head :)
amanda: hope you still enjoy
TzAmZ: i'll email you asap, cuz of beta-reading. that would be really lovely!
Jess: well didn't have you waiting long eh? :) Enjoy CH.8

DISCLAIMER: Plots mine, and Draco? Well he's mine too - in my dreams. In real, Ms Rowling owns him and all the others.

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Piercing Eyes

Chapter 8: How can one tame a lioness?

How could she? How could she humiliate me like that in front of the whole school? Make me look like a complete utter fool? I knew the answer, I knew it exactly. Because I had done this to her countless times before. I had called her names, played tricks on her, made jokes about her, and have all of my fellow Slytherins laugh about her hysterically. And adding to that, I had hit her, just a night before. Practically, it was all my very own fault, but I was still furious. I really wanted to get back to her, but how? Make jokes about her? She was used to that. Humiliate her friends? She was used to that too. Hit her again? Not even I'm like that. But how? How?

I thought crept up my mind, that I quickly chased away. But it came again. And again. Maybe the idea wasn't so bad after all? Maybe I should really make her fall for me? It would be kind of a challenge for me to, and that was probably a nice side effect. Granger wasn't as easy to get as all the other bitches.

Yea, actually it was a very brilliant idea. It make her fall in love with me. And then i'd finally be able to get to her. Some good snogging wouldn't be bad either. But I didn't plan on going all the way with her. I mean, not with that filth! Humilating her, yes. Dirty myself? Definitely no! But I will make her beg for me. And then I'll throw her away, just like she deserves it! The filthy mudblood!

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Oh my god, that must have been one of the best moments in my entire life! Malfoy's expression was incredibly, indescribably hilarious! He looked so shocked, surprised, mad, fuming and fooled at once. I had never been as amused as in this particular moment.

I found it a little weird though, that I didn't give me his death stare. He just kept sitting there for quite a while, practically daydreaming, and then he stormed out of the Great Hall. He was probably going to have a shower, but then again, he could just have used a cleaning or drying charm. Well, I'd find out about that later, when I was back in my, I mean our, dormitories.

But for now, I just had to stay in the Great Hall. Everyone, except the Slytherins , was in best mood, and ost of them still laughing like crazy. Especially Ron and Harry were not quieting down. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in amusement, and I think I even saw McGonagall hide a small grin. I wouldn't bet on that one, but it really looked quite like it.

Snape, however, looked quite the opposite. And 'angry' would really have been an understatement. He looked absolutely furious. Even more than that. And right now he promptly proceeded towards our very own Gryffindor table. But of course we had taken care of this. That's why we had split the plan. I mean, of course Snape knew we were responsible of Malfoy's little accident, but there was no way in hell he could prove it.

He obviously wanted to try however, and abruptly stopped in front of us.

"Explain yourselves."

I put on my most innocent face, and blinked. "Explain what exactly, Professor?"

"The situation, Ms Granger." he said, gritting his teeth. "Explain."

I grinned inwardly. Of course I had seen this coming. And of course I had prepared my answer. Points taken off or not I just had to make him angrier. And I knew exactly what to say, to do so.

"Well, Professor Snape, me, and all of my Gryffindor house mates, were sitting here, enjoying our lovely dinner, when Mr. Malfoy decided to put on his little show. It obviously went wrong, the poor thing. He looked horrible, don't you think?"

He glared at me in disbelief, probably wondering since when I have gotten so bold. He's be surprised if he knew how bold I could be. Hah. And I definitely liked being like this. Snape would probably the one seeing most of new and bold Hermione Granger. And take most points off Gryffindor for it.

"10 points off Gryffindor for flat lies directed to a Professor." he snarled, and left.

There, I knew it. But I really didn't care at all. And neither did the other Gryffindors. We'd win all the points back in other classes, and especially in Quidditch matches. And making Snape very angry was definitely worth a few points. Heh.

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Late at night I finally heard her coming back to the common room. When I heard her melodic voice mutter a quiet "Stabbed Beauty" I quickly got up and pretended to check out to bookshelf. That was my first step. Making her think I was a bookwork, too.

She barely glanced at me, and I could tell she was grinning inwardly. She had that slight twitch around her mouth corners, as if she was about to break down laughing. Quickly grabbing a book, she sat down on her couch, pulling her blanked over her knees, and began reading quickly.

"You can sit on my couch, if you're cold." I said, trying my best to sound nice and sincere.

She raised her eyes to me, and arched her eyebrow.

"Yeah right, Malfoy. Do you think I'm that stupid? You're obviously up to something! I mean, who wouldn't be, after such an incident." With that she giggled hopelessly, and I almost lost my cool. Luckily I didn't. I tried to sound very sweet, and finally replied.

"Well actually, Hermione, I'm not at all up to something, as you chose to call it. I just wanted to be nice, for a change. And I see you're feeling cold.

It made me feel good, seeing how she cringed, when I used her first name. I had never done that, and she knew that. And she was obviously quite impressed by it, since it took her quite a while to respond.

"I don't think I can trust you at all, Malfoy."

"Try me." I simply said, and smiled sincerely, or better what I imagined sincerely, at her.

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That was not happening. No, no, and no. Not happening at all. Malfoy was definitely not flirting with me. Or was he? That was just typical for me. Minutes earlier, I had been so content with playing that little trick on him, and now? Now I was again falling for his stupid flirtatious games. Damn.

Of course he was up to something. A blind, deef and mute monkey could tell that, it was absolutely obvious. And still I was flirting back! Flirting with Malfoy, god forbid! Why did he have to look so damn sexy anyway? How did he manage to change in such a way, just during the summer holidays? And why the hell did he know how exactly he had to smile, to make me give in, no matter what he said? God, I hated him. So much.

Try me' he had said. Well, okay. I will try you, Malfoy. I certainly will.

"Okay." I slowly said, and stood up, walking over to his goddamn couch. And then the git actually dared to touch me. God! Almost casually - where did he learn to do something like that casually? - he slid his arm around my waist, and looked at me. I still don't know why i didn't just wriggle out of his arm, but I just stayed there, not moving, and looked him straight in the eye. I sure as hell was determined not to show any emotions.

He, however, didn't move either. He just kept gazing into my eyes. His own were with absolutely no expression. No anger, no excitement, no anything. It was almost scary but to some part also intriguing. And it was killing me, just to stand there, doing nothing.

"Let go of me." I hissed.

"Move away, if you want."

"Let go."

"Move away."

"Malfoy-" I began, and suddenly he quieted me.

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Lame lame, very lame cliffhanger eh!?


Well, how did Malfoy manage to shut Hermione up?

And how will she react?

Coming up sooner or later in Chapter 9!