Title: Secret Admirer

Author: Nissa

Email: LuckyStar507@aol.com

Rating: PG

Summary: It's Valentines at Hogwarts and things begin to go haywire

Disclaimer: To my dismay I don't own anything Harry Potter related. Actually I own some bookends but that's beside the point. AN: for one of my wonderful reviewers I've attempted a 'badder' Draco.

"Draco, where have you been?" Pansy exclaimed as Draco entered the Slytherin common room. She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him in a vicious hug.

Draco, completely disgusted by this, shoved her off of him, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Pansy frowned and traipsed over to the couch where she picked up something and returned to Draco with it, "I got you a little something Draco dear, to show you just how much I care about you." She plastered her face with a cheesy grin and handed the package to a somewhat frightened Draco.

He stared down at the box that'd just been shoved into his hands. It was a long thin box, wrapped in red with a deep black bow. Draco slid of the ribbon and slowly opened the paper to reveal a crystal box, which held a sword. The sword was all silver and its hilt was lined by sapphires cut in the shapes of snakes.

"Do you like it?" Pansy asked nervously, "It was used last when Voldemort was strong, it was used to purge the world of those filthy mudbloods."

When Draco heard this it only magnified his interest in the weapon. It now appeared more deadly and beautiful than ever. It felt like it had some sort of power over him. He loved it. However to admit this to Pansy would be like signing a marriage license so instead he tossed it on the couch, "Its not the worst gift I've ever gotten." He said and began to stride off to his dorm.

Pansy made a 'hmph' sound and sat down on the couch next to her failed gift. Draco knew she'd just leave it there and he could come back to get it later. Damn cupids probably hit Pansy and magnified her little crush. Okay well, magnified her minor obsession.

In his room Draco sauntered over to the large window and glanced out into the courtyard. There were so many couples, holding hands, kissing, giggling, some just sitting and looking at each other contemplating how lucky they were to have one another. Then he looked towards the back of the courtyard, sitting on an oak bench under flying hearts and dancing nymphs was Granger. The corners of his mouth played at a grin. She was such an enigma. However Draco was always good with puzzles and he was going to figure this one out.



* * *



Hermione sat on her own little bench practicing a hobby she liked to call 'people watching'. It was a far more interesting hobby at Hogwarts than it had ever been in the muggle world.

She saw a couple, two sixth years, walking down a pathway holding hands. Suddenly the boy stopped and pulled out his wand, he whispered something to the girl and then out of the wand burst a crystalline heart. It was the size of a small charm. The heart grew and grew until it was as large as a beach ball. The boy then took his wand as if it were a laser and engraved the charm, 'Stephen and Nessarose forever'. The heart then burst into a thousand tiny fireworks in various shades of red pink and purple. The girl, who was overly ecstatic, kissed the boy and they were off again.

Hermione sighed. Some days she wished she had that. Not that she would want to do something as cheesy as exploding crystal hearts in public, or even the want of physical affection. Hermione just wanted someone that she could completely trust, with everything, no matter what.

The air pushed towards her as someone sat next to her on the bench, "That was quite a display." The voice said disapprovingly.

When she looked up Hermione's eyes were greeted by ice blue ones, attached to, of course, Draco. She let out a small noise of defeat, as if this day couldn't get any worse, "What could you possibly want?"

"You know, they're having that couple contest tonight." Draco went on, not exactly answering Hermione's question.

"Your point being." She could already feel the taunts coming.

"Oh, I dunno, maybe you and the Weasel could make a run for it?" And there the insult was. Hermione's ears burned, if she didn't feel up for a fight she would've smacked Draco square in the nose.

"Ha bloody ha." She replied as if the previous comment hadn't affected her.

"Well I mean, if you did you could win that private dinner. You and the Weasel, out of the public eye with some candle light and butterbeer." Draco sniggered at the image he'd conjured up in his head.

"Too bad to be in the contest you have to be a real couple." Hermione responded, though it wasn't an insult, it still should make Draco feel like a right moron.

"Yah, but all you have to do is write down a couple on a piece of paper to vote, so if I decided to stuff the box maybe you and dear Ron could have your snog-fest."

Hermione sat her head in her hands, "Draco, you moron, I'm sure they put a spell on the box to prevent that from happening."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that the mudblood knows everything about this school from that 'Hogwarts; A History' book."

Hermione knew she didn't have to take this, so she got up and began to walk away.

Draco still sat on the bench, pensive. He knew she was right. He knew that they'd put a spell on the voting box to prevent magic votes from the same wand. So how the hell was he going to get what he wanted?

Draco shrugged. He could always stuff the box the muggle way.

~*~Hope you liked it, please r/r. I only got 4 last time and to continue I'm going to need more because I have midterms now that I must study for. ~*~