Well, glad to hear that things weren't too rushed in the last chapter! And, again, if you want to be on my mailing list please just say so on your review! (And, just in case I missed anyone and you didn't get my mail saying I updated, please remind clumsy old me that you want to be on the mailing list!)

Oh, and ex-jlo you thought that maybe Lavender was pretending to be Hermione's friend to get Ron, so I MUST let you, and everyone else who thinks that way, that that is NOT true!! Lol. (No, I'm not angry, just in case anyone thinks I am). In my Fic, Lavender is one of Hermione's closest friends, always there for her when help is needed. I chose Lavender to be Hermione's friend because I like her, and thought that it would be interesting to work with this character. Hope that made sense ^_^

And I also hope you guys like this chappie, even if it might be a bit weird. Maybe everything won't make sense at first, but keep on reading until the end and you'll get an explanation! OK? Lol ^_^

Thanks to The Blue Flying Lunchbox, XxSleepygirlxX, Sparkled-eyes Dreamer, ghosts-girl23, chocolat elf,  unicorn777, SVZ, Crystalline Lily, Eperanza, Scarlett, DMLvrMudBldHtr, CindyLea, FiliaTheRyuuzoku, Nikki, Bluebird, sakura angel90, hyper_shark, Sinders, Ely-Baby, Jayne Elizabeth, Aindel, StarJade, carnimírie, LittleShyGirl, Ellie, TriGemini, Crazee Croaky, Lucy, Me123, fb90, ex-jlo, Courtney, Silver Fawkes, mainey, *karly*, oceanguardian, sb1, Starry, Seom, Starry Skies for reviewing!!!

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Other citations will be made where necessary

*****

Draco and Hermione stood in silence, not daring to make a sound.

This had been a shock.

Hermione hadn't expected it.

How could it be that she loved the person who was sitting right next to her?

She risked a glance at him, and saw that he was looking at her. Her heart started beating wildly.

If she loved him, then how come she never knew? Why had she never figured it out? But now she knew. She could feel it. His presence made her feel nervous, and yet she loved it. She loved being around him, she could spend hours just being with him, without saying a word… but not now. Not today. Not after reading this. She had to go away to be alone for a while, to think.

But if she left now, it would be too rude. She would just try to slip away at the first chance she got…

She started turning pages, and muttered, "Let's look up… candy,"

Draco barely heard, because he was still in a state of shock.

How could this be? Hermione? Hermione Granger?

This was bad.

Very bad.

If his father somehow found out about this, he would be furious. He would get back at Draco… or even at Hermione!

If he had known sooner…

Wait.

He had known. All along, he had known he was slowly falling in love with her. He just didn't want to admit it. At the masquerade, he had known who he was dancing with before she told him her name.

And he had wanted to keep on dancing with her.

On the Christmas Ball, in the garden, he had wanted to kiss her.

And in between, they had talked and laughed, they had shared secrets and they had had touching moments. She had been warming up his heart with her smiles, her positive attitude, her playful manner… but, most of all, with her sympathy towards him. She had been kind and patient. She didn't give up. She hadn't treated him like everybody else did… like a 'Malfoy'. She had never seemed to be afraid of him at all.

And he liked that.

Not only because she had treated him normally, but because it had been… amusing to see her bravery.

He realized now that he wanted her more than anything else in the world.

" Candy. Your favorite food is candy, and you like anything sweet…" Hermione's voice made him come back to reality.

"So, as to that you should always brush your teeth at least…"

"Hermione," Draco interrupted her.

She didn't look his way. She just stared at the book as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Yes?"

"Why are you looking up… candy?"

"Oh, uh… because that's what Ron got, and he asked me to look it up for him," she forced a laugh. "You know how lazy Ron is…"

"Then why did you look up broomstick?"

"Because… Ha-Harry's Joggart turned into his firebolt," she wouldn't look at him.

"And… why did you look for person?" he asked, coming closer, wanting her to look into his eyes.

She didn't say anything for a while, but finally she turned and looked straight at him. "Because…" she thought about an answer. Should she tell him? No. Yes! No!! What should she do? "Because Lavender's Joggart turned into a person," she said quickly.

Sorry, Lavender, she thought.

Draco stared at her suspiciously.

Of course.

He hadn't really been hopeful, anyway. How could she love him, after the way he had treated her? He didn't deserve her heart. She had no feelings towards him.

Unless she was lying…

Hermione had always been bad at lying. He looked at her, and saw that she was looking away uncomfortably.

Was she lying? At least, he hoped she had been lying. But why should she? She had no reason to! She never lied to him. She had no reason to do so now. He was just stupidly wanting her to love him, while he knew that would never happen.

Hermione suddenly stood up. "Er… I better put this back," she got the book and hurried over to the shelves.

"You're leaving?" Draco asked, also getting up, and walking after her.

"Yes," she answered, putting the book back and walking towards the exit. "I promised Harry I'd help him with his homework," she was almost out of the library.

"Hermione," Draco said quietly behind her.

She stopped, staring straight ahead. She was both glad and uncomfortable about the fact that he was calling her, making her stay with him for a longer while. Why now? Why not later? She wanted to be alone, to get away for a while…

She turned around and faced him.

They stood staring at each other like they had done so many times before, until, finally, Draco broke the silence and said, softly, "What did Bluey turn into?"

Hermione stood silent. How could he ask such a question? She couldn't tell him. She wasn't ready to yet.

"Draco…" she said. She wanted to look away, but those gray eyes kept her prisoner. She took a deep breath. "All I can say is that it turned into something I really appreciate and… love,"

And, before he could question her any further, she turned around and left quickly.

***

Hermione climbed into the portrait hole.

"Hermione!" Ron said, waving frantically from the couches. "Where did you go?"

"Oh, um… to the library," she answered, coming over and sitting next to him.

"I didn't know we had any homework today," Harry said.

"No, I went to look for a book that would tell me the meanings behind the things the Joggarts turned to," she turned to Ron. "Candy means that your favorite food is candy, and that you like anything sweet, so you must brush your teeth at least four times a day."

Ron looked at her blankly. "Why candy?"

Now she looked blankly at him. "Um. Ron? Navy turned into candy for you. At least, you said so,"

Ron turned as red as his hair, and looked away. "Oh, uh… yes, that's right,"

After looking at him curiously, Hermione turned to Harry. "Broomstick means you are passionate about quidditch,"

Harry grinned. "So I am… by the way, what did your Joggart turn into?"

Hermione felt herself blushing… again. "Something I really love,"

Ron blinked. "Well, obviously! That's what Joggarts are supposed to do! So what did did turn into?"

Hermione smiled misteriously. "Secret," she whispered, and stood up. "Now, I'm going to go to my room,"

And she lelft the two boys to stare after her, wondering just what in the world that secret was.

***

Two days after, Hermione and Draco met again to finally finish their Joggart report.

They both knew what they felt for each other now and, although they were a bit shy at first, they started talking and joking soon.

"It has now reached a proper size for an adult Joggart," Hermione read outloud what she had just written down. "And its magic has been very powerful." She looked at Draco. "Hagrid said that we could write down what our Joggarts had turned into… but it was voluntary. Do… do you want to write it down?"

Draco thought for a moment, but then slowly shook his head. What good was there to tell her? She would never feel the same for him. He didn't want to tell her. It might even scare her, as innocent as she was, to know that he loved her. Maybe she wouldn't talk to him at all. He didn't want to ruin their friendship. "No. It was very personal,"

Hermione seemed relieved, because, if he had said it, then she would have been forced to say it, too.

"Ok then," she said, and wrote the final sentence. "We're done!" she said. She tried her best to look cheerful, but it was hard, because she didn't want to end their Joggart Meetings. It was the perfect excuse to be together! "Now we just have to put our names here…" she wrote her name under her last paragraph, and handed Draco the quill.

He wrote his name under hers, in a writing as perfect and neat as Hermione's.

That was it.

Their project was over.

They didn't want to leave yet, though, so, as they had been doing for quite some time now, they started talking the hours away.

***

Draco walked alone, heading towards his common room.

Just in front of the entrance, though, Pansy was waiting.

She smiled. It wasn't a sweet smile. It was an evil one.

"Draco, Draco, Draco," she said, slowly walking closer to him.

He stared, wondering what she wanted now.

"I think you should know that I have just done you a favor."

He looked at her suspiciously.

"I'm afraid," she went on. "That you have been spending too much time with that Mudblood, Granger,"

He clenched his fists.

"So I decided to help you come back to your senses," she stopped in front of him, and stared right into his eyes. "Do you know what I did, Draco?" her smile widened. "I wrote to my parents about you. About your Joggart. About how it turned into that filthy Gryffindor. And I'm sure my parents will let your father know as soon as possible."

For a moment, Draco's eyes reflected fear. In a moment, though, he had recovered

And he was enraged.

He took out his wand, and pointed it at Pansy. Without thinking about what he was going to do, he yelled, "Reducto!"

Pansy blasted backwards, and slamed into the wall.

Draco stood there, still pointing at Pansy with his wand.

Pansy was on the floor. Her nose, hands and knees were bleeding. She opened her eyes weakly, and looked at him with a look full of fear. When Draco got angry, he was very dangerous.

Specially if he had his wand with him.

"How dare you write to your parents?" Draco hissed.

Pansy was slowly sitting up. Her robes were damp and dirty now, and her hair was tangled.

She looked like she had been fighting an ogre.

"How dare you?" he yelled.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco turned sharply around, and was face to face with Snape.

Snape's eyes travelled from Draco to Pansy, who was still having trouble getting up, and then to Draco's wand.

"Pr-professor…" Draco stuttered.

"Well, Draco," Snape finally said after he had recovered from the shock. "We're in trouble, aren't we?"

***

Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table. "Where's Draco?" she asked.

Ron, who was sitting by Lavender, shrugged. "Who cares?" he turnd to Lavender. "Are you going to eat that?"

Hermione looked at Harry, but he didn't seem to know either.

"Haven't you heard?" Seamus, who was sitting in front of Hermione, asked. "They say Malfoy hexed Pansy Parkinson this afternoon,"

"What?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Has he been expelled?" Ron asked hopefully.

"No. But he's been sent home for a few days,"

"Shame…" Ron muttered, and then turned to Lavender again.

"He's been sent home?" Hermione asked.

How could this be? Why had Draco suddenly hexed Pansy? Had he finally lost control of himself?

"Same old Malfoy," Neville muttered.

Hermione glared at him. "Pansy Parkinson is very annoying, Neville! It was only normal he hexed her!"

Hermione couldn't believe what she was saying because, in fact, she didn't think it was normal.

Neville looked at his potatoes again, and didn't say anything else for the rest of the evening.

***

The next four days weren't cheerful for Hermione.

The main reason was that Draco wasn't at Hogwarts. She couldn't talk to him. She couldn't even look at him! She spent all her time wondering just what had happened for Draco to be so aggressive. When he came, she would march up to him and demand an explanation of everything that had happened. What was he thinking? What had caused him to hexe Pansy?  Did he know how worried she was? Was he ok?

All these questions, and many more, tormented her throughout those days.

But then, on a fine Sunday afternoon, she heard from Parvarti that Draco had returned.

"Did you see him?" Hermione asked. She had been reading on her bed, but she soon threw the book aside and looked at Parvarti, desperate for any news of him.

"Yes," Parvarti answered as she put on her makeup. "I saw him on his way towards the dungeons after breakfast,"

Hermione jumped out of bed and ran towards the common room.

"Hermione, where's the fire?" Ron asked from the window.

Hermione didn't answer.

She ran out of the portrait hole and down the marble staircases.

She didn't care if she had to search the whole castle for Draco… but she was going to find him.

She checked in the library first, but he wasn't there.

She went up and down all the corridors, but there was no sign of him.

But, as she went past the entrace to the dungeons, she heard Pansy giggling.

"Oh, Draco, stop!"

Hermione entered the damp dungeons, following Pansy's giggles.

"Come here," Draco said.

Hermione's pace quickened at the sound of Draco's voice.

She turned a corner, and found Draco.

And he was kissing Pansy.

He had her around the waist, and he was leaning down.

And their lips were definitely touching.

It was as if someone had just thrown a bucket full of icy water on Hermione's head.

As if she were falling into an endless dark pit.

As if someone had just  kicked her in the stomach.

As if a knife had just gone  through her heart.

Draco suddenly looked up, and stabbed his eyes into her own. Something that was so familiar to her now.

Fighting back tears, she turned around, and started to run away.

"Hermione!" Draco yelled after her, and gave chase.

Hermione didn't listen. All she knew was that she wanted to get out of the dungeons, away…

"Hermione!" Draco's voice echoed through the empty corridors.

She ran out of the dungeons, and started to run towards the staircases.

She was barely there when  Draco got her arm tightly, whirled her around, and kissed her.

He wanted to explain to her all that had happened since he had been sent home. He wanted to explain how much he loved her, how much pain he was feeling, how much he desired her… and the best way he found was by a kiss.

It wasn't a gentle kiss.

It was more of a violent one, considering the way Draco had wirled her around and slamed his lips against hers.

For a moment, Hermione started kissing back, but, as if she had just realized what she was doing, she pulled her head away, and looked at him angrily.

There was hunger in his eyes. He desired something, and he was used to getting everything he wanted.

He was frustrated.

She tried to pull away from him, but his grip on her arms were tight.

"Let me go," Hermione said weakly with the few energy she had left.

"Hermione, let me explain…" Draco started.

"Let me go, Malfoy!" she yelled.

She soon regretted it, though. Draco's eyes filled with hurt. She had called him Malfoy. She hated him.

Draco loosened his grip, and Hermione was free at last.

She looked at him, and started walking backwards slowly, fighting back the tears which were so obviously going to stream down at any moment now.

She turned on her heel, and ran to the safety of her common room.

***

Draco had locked himself in his own room. He was looking out the window, thinking about everything that had happened since he had walked into Malfoy Manor…

He had been immediately called to his father's office.

"I'm very disappointed in you, boy," his Father said behind his office desk. "The Parkinsons have told me about your feelings towards that filthy mudblood. I never thought you'd go this low. You've insulted the whole Malfoy generation!" he yelled. He stood up and came close to him.

For once, Draco didn't cower. Instead, he stood up straight and looked straight in his father's eyes, which were colder even than his own.

"But I shall protect our reputation," his father said with a cruel smile spreading across his face. "Oh yes." He took out his wand, and pointed it at Draco. "You will be under my command now. Under the imperius curse,"

He said no more. He pointed his wand at Draco. "Imperio!" he yelled.

Draco wasn't quick enough. He had been getting out his wand, but his father had done it first.

Now he felt the most wonderful feeling. He felt a floating sensation, as if every thought and vorry in his head was wiped away gently, leaving nothing but a strange happiness.

Then his father's voice echoed somewhere in his head, saying, "Go into your room,"

Draco turned around and left the office.

"And stay there until you go back to Hogwarts,"

And he did just that.

His servants brought him food, and his mother would come to visit him once in a while.

When he had returned to Hogwarts, his father's first command was to go to his common room.

"Find Pansy," was the next one.

"Apologice for everything you've done to her. Say you love her," was the third.

"Go with her everywhere. Spend your time with her," was the other one.

"Kiss her,"

And then he had seen Hermione. She had looked at him, as if she couldn't quite believe he was kissing Pansy Parkinson.

Then she had run away.

And his heart had screamed at him to run after her.

"Don't," his father's voice had said in a soothing tone. "Leave her. Don't chase her. Go with Pansy…"

But a much stronger voice had yelled, "Go after Hermione!"

And he had done so.

He had broken the spell.

Now he was no longer under the imperius curse, and he was free to do as he liked.

But he didn't have Hermione. She was angry with him.

But… why should she be angry? She felt nothing for him! Right?

Oh.

There is a very logical explanation of why she is mad at you, Draco thought. You don't go around kissing two girls in the same afternoon. Specially if the one you love doesn't love you back, meaning she didn't want me to kiss her.

But then why had she given him that look when she had seen him and Pansy kissing? Why had she ran away?

He didn't know.

All he knew was that Hermione was angry with him, and he didn't know how he was going to explain to her everything that had happened.

But he would find a way. Any way.

He needed to get Hermione back.

*****

Ok, I know that this kiss wasn't the gentle, nice, mushy-gushy one you were probably expecting, but hey, it's a start! And I hope this chapter wasn't too cheesy .  And sorry I had to cut it here, but I needed to in order for my next chapter to come out nicely! Lol.