Wonderwall

By tearsofher

Disclaimer: No.. I don't own Hermione or Draco or even Harry.. Do you even have to ask?

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Firelight

Hermione sat beside Harry, at breakfast. Hermione couldn't help but smile when Ron started complaining about their essay for transfiguration.

"Sixteen inches! I swear that old bat has gone off her rocker!" Hermione chuckled lightly.

"Ron.. It would be easy if you paid attention in class," she said, taking a bite of her pancake.

"It doesn't even matter if I DID pay attention, I still wouldn't be able to do the bloody essay," he said to her. Harry chuckled beside her, and she smiled at him, warmly.

"Ron, just do it, would you? A little enthusiasm or less grumbling and complaining wouldn't hurt."

"That's easy for you to say," he muttered under his breath. Hermione glared at him. She felt a slight pressure on her shoulder, and she turned to see Harry grinning at her, his hand on her shoulder.

"A little enthusiasm for any class at all would kill Ron's whole personality, don't you think," he grinned at her. Harry leaned in and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Hermione smiled at him, faintly.

"We've got you for the enthusiasm, anyway."

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Draco watched from the Slytherin table, observing the brown haired girl. She was laughing happily, so carefree when she was with her blasted friends. Draco felt his anger boil as Potter leaned over and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. She smiled at him, and Draco felt it boil even more. But a part of him wondered how he would feel when she was like that with him, laughing happily and letting him touch her wavy hair. He couldn't see it in his mind, and his heart sank. Malfoys didn't belong with mudbloods like her. But he wished it didn't have to be that way. Draco looked down at his plate, glaring. Bloody Potter. Why did he get to have everything? Surely he's done some 'uncivilized' deeds. No one could be that bloody perfect all the time. The people who seemed that way always turned out to be a fake. Draco looked up again, his eyes drawn to Hermione. He sighed, feeling those butterflies in his stomach erupt and bounce off his insides, in a frenzy. What was it about her anyway? Why was he getting so irritable when Potter came close to her, or laughed with her? Why would he care about a filthy mudblood like her anyway?

" She's nothing but a bloody mudblood fawning over Saint Potter," he snarled to himself, stabbing at his food. But even as though, he couldn't feel but a twinge of guilt at his words. What was this? This was absolutely ridiculous, and it was driving him mad. Part of him was confused and angry. The other part was curious about this 'feeling' that he seemed to be getting a lot lately. Too bloody much, as a matter of fact. This 'feeling' or whatever the hell it was, was so unfamiliar it was starting to scare him. He had to find out before he let himself fall into it, and not be able to get up and on his feet again.

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Hermione stumbled into the common room, and halted when she saw that Draco was there. He was reading quietly, the fire in the fireplace providing but little lazy light. The firelight danced across his face, as did the shadows, making him seem so still and unemotional. His hair was wet and slicked back, but she could see the almost white shine of it from the light. She walked quietly, trying to just get to other armchair without attracting his attention. Draco watched Hermione from the corner of his eyes; apparently the confusing and flickering light had hidden his eyes. He was glad she couldn't see that he was watching her. He watched her as she sat down quietly, only making the faintest and softest sound. He observed her, as she watched him, still unknown to her that he was watching her, and then looked around the room. She relaxed slightly, as he saw her shoulders slightly slouch. He observed her as she got out the thin red book she had been holding, and her eyes follow each line. He saw her eyes darting, gracefully but with great speed. He felt as if the fire had crept into his heart, as she saw the edges of her mouth tug into a faint smile. He felt the glowing warmth spread through him, and he could almost feel it melting his insides. He put down his book, and watched her more closely. He willed himself to stop, for of course what would be so fascinating about a stupid know it all muggle born? But he found it was greatly difficult, as he tried to focus back on his book, or anything else in the room, for that matter, but he couldn't. They seemed to be glued to the girl. Draco parted his lips to speak, trying to find out what was so funny about that little red book of hers.

" Care to share what's so amusing in your little book, Granger?" he drawled. She looked up at him, raising her eyebrow. And Draco smirked as he couldn't help but think that was quite sexy.

Hermione was quite shocked at his words to her, considering he was the on who spoke first. But she sighed, as she knew she had to get used to that soon, if she was to be sharing this common room with him. Hermione looked back at her book, uncertain. " It's about a boy, who's trying rather ridiculous acts to try to impress the girl he's smitten with."

Draco raised an eyebrow. " Like what? Juggle cannonballs or some foolish muggle thing like that?"

Hermione chuckled; did he know what he just said? " No," she said. " More like.. Well, he's tried to stand while riding a horse, for he overheard her talking with one of her ladies in waiting that she had never seen anyone do that before. And, well, let's just say that he wasn't able to walk out after the incident."

Draco smiled, and shook his head. " Muggles," he chuckled. " I don't honestly know where you get such ideas as those.. And to have them published into books and have them to be put out for the public to read should be illegal." Hermione smiled, amused and not offended. She had to agree with him; some books out there should have never been put out there. But it felt weird agreeing with him on something. What felt even stranger were those butterflies in her stomach when he smiled. And the way Hermione felt as if someone had been blowing bubbles into her stomach, and they were now bouncing off her insides, when he laughed. She could still hear the faint echo of his ringing laughter, and she couldn't help but wish she could make him laugh some more. Draco smiled at her, and she could feel her heart skip a beat. His silver dark eyes were dancing from the flickering light, and they seemed much more softer, less cold and cruel. She found she couldn't look away from them.

" So, tell me about the girl the fool's trying to impress," Draco smiled at her. Hermione felt her a breath catch in her throat.

" Well," she sighed, trying to get her normal breathing pattern back again. " There's not much to say. She's a princess, rather gorgeous, as they say in the book. And, well.. She only falls for pretty boys, and that pretty much bums him out." She looked up at him, and Draco felt her deep brown eyes pierce into him. He felt as if someone had poured warm acid down his throat, and it was now dissolving his insides.. It felt weird, warm and welcoming. He was puzzled at this, but he couldn't help but let that thought fade as he willed himself not to get lost in her eyes. Unfortunately, his will, apparently, was not strong enough.

" But, besides that.. It seems his friend, Anna Margaret, is quite taken with him. In the text, every time she talks to him, her eyes are filled with adoration and the author says she looks crestfallen every time he mentions the princess. But.. The boy's too blind to see that," she said quietly, as she noticed Draco's eyes were staring right into her own. She felt her grip on the book suddenly weaken, and she felt a slight tingling emotion trace up her spine. She found it hard to swallow, and almost forgot to breathe, as she noticed how deep he seemed to be staring right into her own. His eyes were glimmering, still dark, half of his face shadowed by the dim and little light of the fire, but you could still see them, shining. They were like the glowing stars up in the midnight sky; you could not miss them. His lips were pressed into a soft line, and she could see that he was thinking about her. Just thinking that he could be thinking about her in anyway besides death wishes made something crackle through her veins, her nerves buzzing.

Draco stared into her dark eyes; he just couldn't understand.. How did she manage to do this to him? How could he look straight into her eyes without feeling repulsed, or shuddering with disgust? He did feel something creep up his spine, making him feel warm and heated inside. But it was anything but disgust or repulsion. He was sure he hadn't felt anything like this before, and he would be right on the dot if he knew it was disgust. He had felt disgust for a numerous amount of people ever since he was born. But somehow, as he tried to dig deep inside, he could find the bottle of disgust and hostility that had her name on it. It seemed lost. He felt his heart pounding, louder and louder as each minute the world let pass. She was quiet, but he heard anything but quietness in his ears. There was a white noise, and it seemed to be telling him something, but he couldn't figure it out. Finally there was a loud crackle from the fireplace, and it seemed to throw them back out from their trance. Hermione looked down, cheeks flushed and she seemed flustered, off guard. Draco just looked at her; her hair seemed lighter, as the strands appeared to have trapped the glowing bits of light in them. She licked her lips, nervously, and she began fiddling with her book, flipping through the pages, as if trying to find something.

Draco was mesmerized as he saw her pink tongue move across her soft lips. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him?

"Tell me something, Granger, " he said, quite softly but audible. She looked up at him, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.

"Why do you fill your time up with books, and homework? Wouldn't you prefer having something else to do?" He found that his tone was not harsh, but gentle and soft of friendly. He had to admit, he was quite curious; why was she always stuck here reading? Why wasn't she out checking out every guy that passed?.. And why did she make him feel this way? Draco's head was swarming with questions, far too many at a time. He watched her as she parted her mouth, as if to say something, but then closed it again. She noticed his eyes staring into hers again, and she looked down on her feet, trying to avoid his gaze. She didn't know how to answer his question, let alone what to say. She rather much enjoyed reading, and doing homework. But lately, she had been feeling lonely. A loneliness that neither Harry nor Ron could fill. She noticed it seemed to get bigger, and she felt as if the pit of her stomach got deeper when she saw a couple walk by, laughing and holding hands. She wanted something special like that. She wanted to be in something special, to feel special. She looked away, to the fire. The flames were strong, but still lazy and providing little light. It crackled and sent sparks up into the air. She watched them vanish, the darkness strangling the light. She swallowed hard, and tried hard to think of an answer, but it was difficult. Draco eyes were piercing right through her; she knew he saw right through her as if her emotional shield was transparent.

Draco watched her, as she was silent. Had he hurt her? He had seemed to, as she looked to her feet, then to the playful lazy fire.. Everywhere but his gaze. She was wringing her hands, and Draco knew she was trying to think hard. Had he insulted her in some way? But he guessed.. No one else had asked her this before. No one had questioned her daily activities or trips to the library. Until now. Draco saw sadness in her eyes, though she looked down. Even with the firelight dancing and flittering, he could see how dark and solemn they were. He looked at her, with worry in his eyes.

" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that," he said. " It was none of my business." Hermione looked up at him, but the emotion in them did not disappear. He felt as if his heart was being hammered against. Hermione sighed; she couldn't stay here. It was so intense, the tension between them. He had not said a mere cruel remark to her, and it seemed too odd. She closed her book, her fingers slightly shaking. She looked at the fire, and wondered how it seemed to have gotten so much colder in the room some seconds ago. She tried to swallow, but it was hard knowing his eyes were still on her. She felt as if she couldn't breathe, couldn't make a single move when she knew he was watching her. And looking into his eyes, she might as well have forgotten about breathing at all. She stood up, and looked at him. Draco stared at her, half of her face hidden by the shadows. But, somehow, he felt as if a breath had been caught in his throat. His heart was pounding, as she stared at him for mere seconds. For Draco, it seemed like an eternity. Although eternity felt as if it wasn't long enough.

She sighed, but it came out in ragged breaths. "Goodnight Malfoy," she said to him, her voice shaky but still firm. She looked at him one last time, and walked out of the room. But before she was able to turn the knob on her door, she heard his answer.

It was soft, not strong or cruel. But she still heard it. And she knew it would be ringing in her ears until the next day.

"Goodnight Granger."

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Draco lay in his warm satin sheets, staring up at his ceiling. Unfortunately the brown haired girl still plagued his thoughts and invaded his dreams. It had just become stronger when he came back to Hogwarts. He closed his eyes tightly, frustrated. His mind kept wandering back to her, although he forced them to stay at another subject. He still heard her graceful laugh ringing in his ears, and her brown eyes in the darkness. The shadows hadn't managed to overshadow them, or cloud them. They were still as he remembered; deep, dark and hypnotizing. Just thinking about it made a wave of warmth spread through him, from his toes to the tips of his hair. He couldn't help but see her face in his mind, all the many times he had seen her. Last year, on the last day at the train. On the first day, sharing a compartment with her. And now, in the common room, just only about two hours ago. He still remembered her brown hair, which seemed as if they were lighter, her strands trapping in the little light. Her brown eyes, sparkling. The corners of her mouth stretched into a smile. Draco's heart stopped as he saw it in his mind. He groaned, frustrated. Why was he thinking this way about her? How did she manage to make him feel this way? How did he trap him into those deep eyes of hers? How did she make his heart skip or stop when he saw her? How did she have the ability to make him stop breathing? Draco let out a ragged sigh, as he brought up his hand and ran them through his silky hair. Her smile, her eyes, everything about her.. They were carved into his mind. He couldn't help but see her, dream about her. Think about her. He was going crazy, he just had to be.

Especially when he admitted aloud that she just had to have one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen. And her eyes.. Draco knew this was going to be a long night.

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'Digging deep,

I feel my conscience burn

I need to know who and what I am

This hunger jolts me from complacency..'

-Kendall Payne 'Closer to Myself'

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Alright.. So I said it was a love triangle.. I think my 'love triangle' thirst has been quenched, though, from Silver Eyes Restless Sleep.. So, I wanna make it simpler for Draco. Or, well.. There are going to be some problems, I tell you.. But I'll see if I still want to make this a love triangle story.. What'd you guys think? I don't think I did such a good job.. But I'm trying.. maybe next chap will be better.

-tearsofher