Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter and if you think that I sound bitter, then you are absolutely right,
A Couple Days of Confusion:
A Very Conclusive Ending…
It was already well past lunch, and Hermione, having found herself finished every single scrap of homework and extra credit that was within her reach, was now lying outside on Hogwarts grounds, and staring dreamily up at the clear blue sky speckled with fluffy white clouds.
Her hands were folded behind her, her head resting on them, as she closed her eyes and let her thoughts slow to a gradual pace. She had spent many afternoons in this same state for the past few weeks, and during these times she would usually allow her thoughts to wander back to Dean.
Missing him, wondering how he was doing, and if he was thinking of her, were questions she only allowed herself to ponder when she was completely at ease and in such a state as she was in now. But when her eyes closed, her mind wandered far from her former boyfriend, Dean Thomas. For some inexplicable reason, Draco Malfoy was the only thought invading her mind; him and his strange behavior.
Now, Hermione was well versed in strange phenomenon's, she was best friends with Ron and Harry, after all, but her reoccurring feelings towards a certain Slytherin were beginning to become a bit worrisome. She knew that, ever since she had overheard Harry and Ron's argument over Hermione and Draco, she had been thinking of him in a completely different light, but one no less confusing.
She remembered suddenly bits of the conversation she had shared with Lavender at lunch a couple of hours earlier that day.
"Draco's been giving you googly eyes ever since last week, and if I know boys like I think I do, that definitely means something," Lavender had said, her voice full of conviction. Hermione couldn't help but remember the little shivers that had gone up her spine when she had heard that.
"I'm sure 'googly eyes' mean something, but I'm also sure that Draco Malfoy was not looking at me with them. Just because he hasn't insulted me within the past few weeks, doesn't mean he automatically fancies me," Hermione had decided it best not to repeat what Harry and Ron had been arguing over to Lavender, although she was already fairly sure that the girl next to her knew every word that had been spoken.
"Whatever you say," Lavender had replied flippantly "I was simply trying to point out that there may be sparks between you two. I mean, all of the best romances start off with the two main characters hating each other first, then gradually falling in love."
Hermione remembered the disgusted look she had shot Lavender after her friend had implied that she and Malfoy could have one of those steamy romances only heard of in novels, and was almost on the verge of laughing.
Lavender had simply shot her back another look that had said 'don't you start with me, I know what I'm talking about'. And Hermione knew that she did. Lavender had at least one new boyfriend every two weeks.
"If Lavender is right," she thought now, opening her eyes and staring at a passing cloud that resembled something between a sheep and a boat "Then what would have made Draco change his mind about me? Could it have been my charming good looks?" She laughed at this thought as well. She certainly wasn't ugly, but neither was she remarkably pretty like those girls she saw in Padma's magazines.
Her mind was suddenly jolted back to something more serious. How could she be thinking of dating Draco, when just a couple of weeks ago she had been in, or at least thought she was in love with Dean Thomas?
Was she really that fickle?
Or had she been fooled into thinking that she loved Dean?
She decided that the latter was the right answer, more because she believed she was a good person, and wouldn't do anything like that purposely, than any other reason.
She had by then closed her eyes once more, and was now reflecting on the conclusion she had just made when behind her eyelids she felt it darken as if a shadow were covering her, and she suddenly missed the sun's rays hitting her frame.
She opened her eyes only to see a figure looming over her, his features darkened so that she couldn't make out who he was, but on first instinct, she knew it would be Draco.
"I have a problem," Her instincts were right. "And I think you're the only one who can help me"
Hermione sat up on the grass, bringing her knees up to rest her chin on them and wrapping her arms around her legs. The shadow moved off of her and she watched Draco as he sat down in the grass next to her. His features were in a tight frown, as if he weren't sure of something, or expecting the worst.
"What's the problem?" She watched him expectantly, and noticed his eyes cloud over a bit and his cheeks sport a light blush. She had noticed early on that Draco Malfoy was undoubtedly very handsome, but until this moment hadn't really taken that into account, as his bad behavior had sort of made everything else about him look bad as well.
But now, as he sat there next to her, looking innocent and charming and perfect and dangerous and everything a girl could want, she realized exactly why there were so many girls in the school at this very moment fawning over him, and that she may turn out to be one of them if she wasn't careful.
"It's not something that's really easy to talk about….." Hermione frowned, and then understood that he was answering her earlier question. "Actually, now that I come to think of it, I can't really put it into words but…..but I just knew that you were the only one that could help. It was kind of like instinct. You know what I mean?"
Hermione nodded, recollecting what she had felt earlier. It had been her instinct that told her that Draco was the one standing over her, and now his was giving him the insight to speak to her. It was all just a tad too confusing.
"So then you don't really know what you're problem is?" she said, after she had gathered her thoughts.
"I have a……vague idea about what it might be," He turned to look at her as he said this, eyes brimming with a deeper meaning. But before she could read on his features what was bothering him, he quickly turned away again.
"I've never known Draco Malfoy to be shy," She said laughingly. "But maybe that's because you spent so much time taunting me. I never did have the chance to notice."
"I knew the subject would turn in that direction eventually, and if you're waiting for an apology, then you better get comfortable, because you won't be hearing one for quite awhile, if ever"
"I wasn't waiting to hear you say 'sorry', but I am waiting to hear you tell me why you're having a civilized conversation with me now, after all these years. And also why you've stopped insulting me. I just can't figure it out, and you know me, that is what I do best"
Hermione turned his way, smiling joyfully. No conversation with an ex-enemy had ever gone this well for her. Draco softened visibly, giving her a small smile in response, and admitting without thinking about what he was saying first:
"I guess it all started when I saw you and Dean together alone in the hall, when he was saying goodbye to you……" His voice trailed off as he realized his mistake. He could only watch as Hermione stared at him in disbelief and utter horror.
"Y-you heard us? You watched us? First off, you should never have done that. Ever," Hermione's voice was stern, but her expression didn't hold as much anger as Draco had presumed it would, considering what he had just admitted to her. Had anyone ever spied on him when he had been in an intimate situation such as that, he would have been sure to rip their heads off afterwards. But maybe that was just a male testosterone thing. Hermione continued:
"Second, why would you stand there and watch us? With your temperament, I would have supposed that that sort of show of emotion would have made you sick"
Draco paled at the thought that he may actually have to answer that question, and realizing that the answer may be devastating. How could he tell her that the reason he had stayed to watch wasn't for the reason she was expecting, which was probably 'Oh, you know, just to get some dirt on the two of you', but one much more embarrassing.
He didn't want her to know that the reason he had watched, and not run, was because he had been captivated with the entire situation, or, more specifically, with her.
Hermione sat there silently for the next few minutes, waiting for Draco's response. It took an extra few minutes for her to realize that he wasn't going to. She looked at him curiously out of the corner of her eye, brows furrowed, but didn't comment. She reasoned with herself that she probably didn't want to hear the answer, anyway.
"Have you decided how to best word your problem yet, so that I can help you with it?" She asked when the silence became to oppressing. She was still watching Draco from the corner of her eye, so she saw when he rubbed his forehead in frustration and let the frown reappear on his features.
"Well, kind of. But now I'm not so sure that you're the one who can help me," He replied pathetically, plucking at the grass with his fingers.
"Why not? What kind of problem is this? I can tell that its obviously not a school related one……" Her face lit up suddenly, hiding the sinking feeling that was forming in her stomach "Its about a girl, isn't it?"
Draco looked at her suspiciously, as if she might know something that she shouldn't. "Yes, I guess," he answered slowly, drawing out each word. Then an idea seemed to strike him "If you want to call her a girl"
Hermione's face screwed up in puzzlement, and Draco decided then and there that it was much more fun to insult people when they didn't know they were being insulted, and therefore had no reason to retaliate. He smiled viciously.
"What can you possibly be happy about?" snapped Hermione suddenly, breaking their fragile peace. She was a bit distraught to think that Draco might fancy Pansy, because, after all, she was the only person that struck Hermione as a girl and not at the same time. She continued, "You haven't even figured out your problem yet!"
Draco grew angry just hearing her tone of voice. She didn't even know what she was talking about! He shouted just the same back at her:
"What do you know, anyway? You have absolutely no idea what's going on, what's happening to me! I mean, for Merlin's sake, Crabbe may actually have been right about something! How d'you think that makes me feel?"
Hermione just gaped at him. Crabbe was right about something? "How about we start there then," She suggested, once she had picked her mouth up off the ground and calmed down a bit. "What exactly was Crabbe right about?"
All of a sudden, as if a bolt of lightning had suddenly struck him, bringing him back to his senses, he knew that in fact Crabbe had been right. He could hardly believe it, but then why else would he feel like jumping out of his skin every time she was near- like right now for instance. Why else would he suddenly have the craving to hold her, to kiss her?
Draco turned his head to look at her, through eyes no longer clouded. He saw that she had turned back away, and was staring at the lake a little ways off, obviously not expecting him to answer anymore.
He reached out timidly with his hand and lightly held her cheek, gently steering her face towards his own. Hermione's eyes widened as she realized how close there faces were. She could feel his breath lift the hair resting against her cheek.
"I think I know how you can help me," He whispered huskily, all fear forgotten as he realized that this may be his only chance. She didn't reply in words, but closed the rest of the distance between them and touched her lips to his. Hesitantly at first, and then gradually with much more meaning.
Draco's head began swimming, and he wondered at how he had never tasted anything so sweet in his life. He decided at the same time that he probably never would, and that it would be most unlikely if he could live very long without it. So when she broke off, his eyes became uncertain. He didn't want to do anything to lose her.
But Hermione just stared up at him, smiling lopsidedly. "So what did Crabbe say?" She whispered breathily, still a bit flustered from the kiss, but prepared to hear something that may make her even more so.
"He said that…..he said that I might be in love"
"And was he right?"
"I think that he just may have been, however strange that sounds"
"Then I think that I may be able to help you, after all. How does that sound to you?"
"It pleases me immensely," replied Draco smugly "although I may need to get permission first"
Hermione looked at him quizzically, but before she could question him, he leant his head forward once again, and kissed her.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this. I have a couple other ideas for fics that I might be getting off to a start soon, but it all depends on how much work I have to do. Oh, and I'm sorry this one was a bit short, but you have to start somewhere…..Till next time,
-minda