As Hermione reached the Gryffindor common room, Ron ran up to her. "Where were you, Hermione?" he panted, catching up to her from his run.
"Oh, Ron," she said tiredly. "Go eat lunch. I don't want you to skip a meal but I'm going to 'cause I'm feeling a bit off today."
"A bit off?" he asked, still out of breath. "You didn't show up!"
"Er, yes, I know," she stuttered. She decided on the truth. "I hade to take Malfoy up to the hospital wing.
"What? Why?"
Maybe not the whole truth. "We, er, I got a bit shirty. I accidentally hexed him."
Ron laughed, which turned into a slight cough, and then he recomposed himself, breathing calmly now. "Accidentally, eh, Hermione? What'd ya hit him with?"
"Stunning spell," she lied, choosing the spell she had meant to say.
"Oh, no," Ron said, as an idea dawned on him. "'Mione, what about your Head Girl Badge? I mean if Lucius got butted out the first time, he certainly won't be this time. He's not going to stand by while a girl who cursed his son takes equal ranking to Draco."
"I know, Ron," she said exasperatedly. "I don't want to think about it," she said in a nonchalant voice. "Go eat lunch. I need to think, or to rest."
"But, Hermione-"
"Go, Ron."
"You know, Hermione," Ron said, turned half way from her. "You've been acting very funny lately." Hermione fidgeted, not knowing what to do or say. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the Head Boy would it?"
"What?" she spat, drawing away from him and looking livid. "How could you?"
"How could I what?"
"Imply that I've got anything to do with Malfoy. You think I'm letting him intimidate me? I can handle myself, Ron! Don't you go thinking I'm some damsel in distress. I don't need you or Harry to help me. I'm fine!"
She ran into the Gryffindor common room, crying, pushing past Seamus who had just opened it.
Hermione started out for the hospital wing very late in the night. She wasn't sure if her Prefect badge would help her stay out of trouble, but it was the best thing she had. Her thoughts lingered on the invisibility cloak in Harry's trunk, but she didn't think it would be wise to ask him for it as Ron had already suspected a link between Hermione and Draco. She remembered his eyes as he entered the library that night, and how they flickered over to the niche made by shelves Hermione and Draco had been in. She continued to try and to end this, and she continued to be pulled further in. But this time they wouldn't be allowed to shout at each other, so close to Madame Pomfrey, and also he'd be in bed…'Oh,' she thought. 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea.'
But she pressed on, coming ever closer to the room where Draco would lay asleep. As the door loomed into sight, a voice beckoned to her.
"What are you doing out?"
She swiveled around, stunned that someone else was out at this hour. And then she saw him, Draco Malfoy, standing patiently by a painting of unicorn and a dragon, oddly placed together in the same picture. "Draco…why aren't you in the hospital wing?"
"'Cause she let me out ten minutes after I went to her."
"Why?" Hermione asked suspiciously, and quiet nervously.
"'Cause there was nothing to do. All she did was tell me Love Charms are not allowed." He seemed very cool, too casual. Not how he was when she cast the spell on him. His drawl was back and he was leaning against the wall in an overly apathetic way, like his bored manner.
"So…you know it was a Love Charm. You see, I-"
"Don't cover up, Granger," he mocked. "I'm sure you meant to say something else," he joked sarcastically.
"I did!"
"Of course." He was too calm, she didn't like it.
"So…"
He walked over to her, a few inches taller. She noticed that. "Love Charms are not allowed you know."
"Well, are you going to tell anyone?"
"That depends," he continued in his tease. "Maybe I'm still under its spell."
Hermione opened and closed her mouth, changing her and being extremely upset, but not wanting to provoke him.
"Calm down," he said exasperatedly, slinking a hand around her waist. Her mouth opened in protest but she discovered she couldn't speak as he titled his head down to hers, being discrete and brushing his lips over hers. Her lip trembled in anticipation, but he didn't move to kiss her. He inclined his head even lower to her neck and persisted to vex her by not fully kissing her and slightly touching her skin.
She quivered in his arms. She felt a tickling sensation all near the part of her neck Malfoy chose to caress. "No," she said, suddenly changing emotion and trying to push him off her. He only moved up to look her eye to eye. She stared back, his cold glare was tauntingly seductive. "The spell, Malfoy-"
"It wore off five hours ago," he said slowly, pointedly staring at her.
"No." She refused to give up her excuse. She wanted to leave, but she didn't realize that she didn't know her reason for wanting to leave. Confusion that she had never felt in her entire life was consuming her mind. Did she want to leave because of Harry and Ron? Did she have her own reasons, understandably? Or did she really want to leave at all? "It must still…it must be affecting you."
Draco paused, seeming calmer than her. He kissed her, and she felt him inside of her again. And as he drew away a slight sound of objection escaped from her lips. "Alright." He turned, ready to leave her, when they both heard it. Footsteps. And then…
Nothing happened. Draco looked around, puzzled. Hermione too was searching the halls with her eyes. After a moment, Draco continued in his walk. After his footsteps had died away, Hermione started for her own room. But someone grabbed her from behind, making her give a small squeal of surprise, but she managed to stop herself from screaming.
Ron was holding her arm, the invisibly cloak under his other.
"Ron!" she gasped. "How-How long were you here?"
"Only just now," he answered suspiciously. "Harry and I were looking for you, they said you weren't in your dormitory. Hermione, what are you doing?"
"What?'
"Why were here, with Malfoy?"
She looked into his eyes, he didn't seem to know. "Er, I was…I was worried about the whole hexing ordeal, so I came up to ask him to keep it quiet."
Ron stayed silent for a few seconds, looking into her eyes. "We're your best friends, Hermione. You know you can tell us anything."
"Of course I do!" she snapped crossly. But then she softened, "And I do. I tell you everything." She turned to leave.
"Er, Hermione."
"What, Ron?"
"I thought you might want to travel back in this." He pulled out the cloak.
"Oh, of course," she mumbled, scurrying back to him.