This fanfic is dedicated to Fox McCoy and Awks

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter

Chapter Eight

Hermione arrived back at the common room before Harry and Ron did, so she took her book that she left on the table, and began to read, waiting for them. Just as she was getting into it, she heard the loud conversation between both Harry and Ron, who jumped on her when they saw her reading. "Reading! It's our first night back, and New Years Eve! I will not let you read, not under any circumstance!" Ron said as he slid over the back of the couch, placed his arm around her shoulders, and stole the book from her hands.

"I was just waiting for you guys to get back!" she laughed back at the two of them.

"Well, go get dressed, because you are not going out wearing basically nothing! You will freeze to death, and tease all the boys with that barely there tank top!" Harry was filling in her father's role perfectly while she was away from home.

"Hey, speak for yourself there, Harry! Hermione, if you want to wear that, it is fine by me! If you want to change into a mini skirt too, I think I can live with that!" And Ron played the flirtatious friend part flawlessly.

Laughing at her two friends, Hermione said, "Well, if one of you told me where I was going tonight, I would be able to decide on an outfit... on my own."

"Oh... Pretty much everyone that is here from fifth year up is sneaking into Hogsmeade tonight. I just assumed that you wanted to go, but if you want to stay here, that is cool too, ill stay too." Harry looked apprehensive about his offer, hoping that Hermione would want to go out, and not stay at school.

"Don't worry Harry, I want to go!" answered Hermione reading his face. "I need to get out of this bloody castle!" And away from Malfoy she thought afterward. Hermione retreated back to her room to change. She found something that she thought would satisfy both Ron and Harry. She found a pair of low-rise jeans and a fun pink top with sequins hanging off of it. She wore heals to hide her true height. She let her hair down and straightened for the night with a potion. She put in a pair of chandelier earrings of the same color pink and wore a pink stone pendent around her neck. Normally Hermione didn't bother with makeup, but decided that she would put some on for fun. As she walked down the stairs from her dormitory she saw both Harry and Ron waiting impatiently for her.

"Honestly, women take so damn lo- Hermione!" Ron stopped mid sentence not wanted to upset Hermione. But she only laughed at him.

"Want to finish that sentence for me, Ron?"

"Mione... I-I..."

"Yes, Ron?" she teased.

"You look absolutely gorgeous." She smiled politely, but brushed off the compliment as if he was his job to say that. "No, honest Mione. You look perfect." Noticing his serious tone, Hermione began to blush furiously.

"Thanks Ron. But I think its too much, I was thinking of going and chan-" but she was cut off.

"Too much? You are barely wearing anything! Go up and change right now!" Harry interrupted her only half joking, but smiling widely all the same.

"Harry, if you make her go up and change ill never talk to you again. She looks beautiful, and you know it. You're only jealous because you could never look that good in that outfit."

They all laughed as they huddled under the cloak and headed out to Hogsmeade for New Years Eve.

* * * *

"Where exactly are we going in Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked when reaching the trap door down underneath Zonko's.

"The Three Broomsticks hosts a New Years Eve party every year. It's held in the basement." Ron answered.

"I didn't know it had a basement."

"We are never here really at night, that's why. It a type of club, it opens around nine or so I think." Hermione was getting excited. She needed a night to forget everything that had happened, and Harry and Ron were just the ones to help her.

It was half past eleven when Hermione felt she finally needed a break from dancing. She was being passed around from man to man, hardly knowing any of them, however, at the end of every dance, she always found herself back in either Harry's or Ron's arms. As she started to walk down to their table, she saw Ron following her. "Go back on the dance floor, I'm fine here. I'll be back out in a second, I just need a breather."

"Sure, Mione? I don't mind at all."

"Positive." She watched Ron turn back around, though hesitantly, and go find Harry, who was dancing with a rather pretty blond girl. Just as she turned around, she found herself face to face with a very serious looking Malfoy. "I didn't know you were here..." She started, but he cut her off.

"Come outside with me for a minute."

"Malfoy, no. I don't need this now." She said while trying to brush past him. "Its New Years, I am here to have a good time. I really-" he cute her off again, this time grabbing her arm so she couldn't go anywhere.

"It won't take long. I just need to tell you something."

She twisted her arm out of his grasp. "Tell me here then."

"No, outside." He was beginning to get upset, and she decided to go outside and quickly see what he wanted, and be back for the count down.

"Fine, five minutes." She snapped back at him. She turned around back at the dance floor to see if either Harry or Ron saw her with Malfoy. Unfortunately, they did. They were making their way over to the duo at a dangerous pace, when she hissed into Malfoy's ear, "I'll meet you by the entrance. Just go..." before she finished he was already gone.

"What the hell was what Mione?" Harry asked at her, looking ready to kill.

"What was what?" she asked back sweetly.

"Did he do anything to you? Because I'll kill him if he tou-" but he stopped himself mid sentence when she saw the red mark on her arm where he grabbed her. "Where the hell is that bastard! I will kill, I swear to you! Once I find that asshole, he is as good as dead!"

"Ron! Stop it! Tha-that wasn't him! I walked into a chair. It was me!" She looked at him innocently, trying to hide her arm from the two of them.

Harry, always the more reserved one of the two, was looking even angrier than Ron was, but decided to keep his mouth shut. Ron was doing enough yelling for the two of them. "Fine, whatever Mione. Let's just go back out there, dance with me?" Harry asked, offering her his hand in a mockingly gentleman way.

"I will, of course. But let me just run to the bathroom quickly." Before either could protest, she turned and walked away. She headed in the direction of the restrooms, until she was sure they were no longer watching her. Once she thought she was safe, she change directions, and walked towards the exit. When finally reaching the entrance of the club, she looked around for Malfoy. Searching for a few seconds, she spotted him leaning against a stonewall. She walked over to him cautiously, hugging herself trying to keep her arms warm. He walked to meet her and draped his cloak over her shoulders without saying a word. He then took her hand in his and led her away from the Three Broomsticks. They walked in silence for a few minutes down the sidewalk along side a stonewall. Hermione didn't want to be the first one to start talking, but couldn't bare the quiet. "Malfoy, why-" but he just squeezed her and she stopped talking. He turned and looked at her for a few moments before leaning down and kissing her. He started out slow, giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted to. When she didn't, he deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her back drawing her in closer, keeping her warm. She then followed suit and put her arms around him too, one around his neck and the other resting on his chest. The kiss began slow and soon became more passionate, as the two discovered how much they wanted each other. However, several moments after Malfoy kissed her, he broke away. He looked in to Hermione's eyes, and melted. She had a look of pleasure and shock all over face, she wasn't smiling, but he could tell she was happy.

"That's what scares the crap out of me." He finally said. Hermione remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "I've..." he paused again taking a breath before carrying on, "I have being wanting to do that since that day when we went into the kitchens and got stuck in the closet. I've been thinking of that ever since we went ice skating and I fell on top of you. I have been craving that since last week when I kissed you under the mistletoe. I have never wanted something so much before in my life, and so sacred to lose it at the same time. That is why you scare me, Hermione Granger."

Hermione wasn't sure if Malfoy was done talking or not, but didn't care. She wasn't sure if this is what she truly wanted, or if she was just caught up in the moment, but she got up on her toes and pulled Malfoy down to meet her anyway. She kissed him even more passionately than before, hungry for his touch. Malfoy smiled through the kissing and muttered "shrimp" in to her ear. Malfoy was considerably taller than Hermione, and she had to stretch to meet Malfoy's mouth. "Goon," she responded defensively. He smiled sweetly, lifted her, and placed her on the stone wall so that they were now eye level. He stepped forward into her, and she pulled him inward pressing herself against him, not wanting to let go of him and kissed him again. They stayed with each other for what seemed like an eternity before Hermione finally snapped back into reality. I can't do this! It is Malfoy, what are Ron and Harry going to say? What is everyone else going to say? What if he isn't serious about this? "...Malfoy?"

He looked up at her, worried that she changed her mind about him. "Yeah?"

"I, I just don't know how this is going to work. I mean, Gryffindor and Slytherin don't exactly get along, and if we are together, they might not see..." She kept on rambling not sure what exactly she was trying to say, but Malfoy understood her and her concerns.

Malfoy let out a deep breath of relief, "It will, I'll make it work." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and smiled.

"How do you know? Harry and Ron, they won't let it happen. No offense, they hate you. They will kill you, and then they would kill me, and, oh, I just don't know." Hermione began to ramble again. Malfoy just waited patiently until she was done.

"First of all, I just know. Second, I hate them too, so no, I am not offended. I'm not scared of Harry and Ron, I could duel them both at the same time, one hand behind my back and still beat them without a scratch," Hermione glared at him for insulting her two best friends, but didn't interrupt him and let him continue. "Thirdly, if those two ever touched you in anyway, or hurt you at all, I would kill them before they could say Quiditch." She forgot about the insult and forgave him instantly when she hear him say he would protect her, even if was against the two people in the world who would never do anything to remotely hurt her.

As much as she wanted to believe him, Hermione couldn't. "Malfoy," she smiled doubtfully at him, "I just can't see this working out. And trust me, as much as I hate to admit it, I want this to work out, but it seems impossible."

"Why? Because of Harry? Of Ron? What our houses will think? That our friends might be uncomfortable and disapproving? I don't care about them, none of them. If they can't accept this, than that is their problem not mine or yours."

"Then what about me being muggle born? I know that you care about that!" Malfoy was speechless.

A/N: sorry a/b the cliffhanger, i am having some trouble with where to go from here, i dont want to fall into any clichés... any ideas are welcome!