Houston, we have liftoff!


A/N: The highly anticipated "In-Which-They-Finally-Admit-They-Love-Each-Other-In-A-Fluffy-Way!" chapter! I can just hear you guys going, "Finally!"

Yes, Draco was an ass, but he has his reasons...


"When your time is up, Eloise, who is filling in for Penelope Clearwater, will come get you. I hope this will be the last time I see you for a Saturday detention, Ms. Granger." Prof. McGonagall was about as shocked as I was that I had two detentions in the same lifetime. I especially couldn't believe that they were both with-

"Vell, vell, velcome bat ."

Draco was grinning at me from inside the green house.

"I don't want to talk to you." I snapped coldly.

"But I want to talk to you. Why else would I provoke someone into hitting me without Snape around to take off points?"

He wasn't going to make me smile, he wasn't going to make me smile...dammit, he's making me smile! Argh!

I retreated to a corner farthest from him, and started plucking weeds. After about ten minutes, my bucket was full, so I turned to empty it into the larger one near the door, and almost ran into Draco, who had been standing right behind me.

"What?" I asked, trying to keep my voice below freezing. It wasn't working.

Instead of answering, he grabbed my hands in his.

"Hermione, I never thought I'd say this, but those insufferable twins were right."

"What?" I gaped, trying to escape his grasp.

"Why are you still fighting this? You told George you love me, and if you didn't know it by now, I love you too, God dammit!" He half-shouted. "And if you still don't believe me, think about what I'm saying! Why are you fighting this?"

"Because I'm scared, all right? Are you happy now?" I shouted. I backed away, into the center of the room. "This can't work." I said, staring at the ground. "Ron and Harry would never understand." I couldn't look at him. I loved him, but I was telling him I would throw that away to keep Ron and Harry as friends.

His arms moved, almost by themselves, to my waist. He moved closer, pulling me against him.

"It can work, Hermione," He whispered in my ear, "You just have to take this chance."

A tear fell down my cheek. "Draco..."

"Don't speak." He said, taking my face in his hands, guiding my face upwards, until I was looking straight into his eyes.

He leaned his head forward, and kissed me...

"Oh my god!" Eloise yelled.

I pulled away from Draco quickly, staring at the ground again, trying to hid my red face. Draco was standing, stunned, in the middle of all the plants, his arms still out, like he was still holding me.

"Um, hi Eloise." I said quickly, hoping she would play along and pretend she hadn't seen anything. "We're almost done here, I need to get some dinner, could you take over here?"

I hadn't taken two steps towards the door before she replied "No, I can't take over making out with Draco for you." I turned even brighter red, and Eloise smiled. "But I can tell McGonagall that it's taking longer than you thought it would to get rid of all these weeds, so you need an extra ten minutes or so."

Now I was the one who looked stunned. Draco, on the other hand, got what she meant right away and grinned.

"I never thought I'd say this, but thanks, Eloise." He said.

"Of all the people, I never thought it'd be you two." How could they both be so calm? All the blood in my body had decided to come above my neck and solidify at the moment. "Though I thought you looked really cute at the Yule Ball. Stupid Ron." She laughed. "Have fun." With that, she shut the door again.

Draco looked at me. "You know, since she's filling in for Penelope, we have to do what she says."

"And she did tell us have fun." I said, amazed these words were coming out of my mouth. I looked up at Draco. He was smiling.

And I know I was smiling back.