**Thank you sooooo much for the reviews. Please believe me, they are all greatly appreciated. By the way, please pay attention the titles of each chapter. If you notice, they make up a poem. I actually wrote the poem before I even thought of the story. Oh, well, on with the story!**
Why I Hate You
I hate the way you look at me
Hermione was ecstatic. She had finally stood up to Draco, and she felt good about it, too. But a part of her couldn't believe the response she had gotten from him. Of all people, the formidable Draco Malfoy was putting up a façade. It was almost surrealistic. But as she thought about it more, it did make a bit of sense. No one could really be that cold-hearted and mean all the way through, she thought. This newfound information made Hermione even more curious about Draco than before.
She had so many questions in her mind; they were tumbling around in her brain, begging for answers. Why did he put up a front? What does he have to hide? She sighed as she sat down on her bed in the common room. After just closing her eyes for a moment, she decided to do some last-minute touches to her Arithmancy essay. She had five feet of enough charts and numbers to last her a lifetime.
At first, she didn't realize her paper was missing because her mind was still on Draco. But before long, it was as if somebody turned on her brain. She frantically rummaged through her bookbag again, knowing that it wasn't in there. She racked her brain for the place that it could be. She knew where it was, and she was dreading retrieving it. For a moment, she seriously considered just redoing it, but she reasoned with herself- she had worked way too hard on that particular essay.
Finally she went outside to the place where she had seen Draco. She had been foolish enough to toss her folder on the ground, not knowing that of course, she wouldn't be doing any work. She knew Draco wouldn't be there, but she was livid to see that her folder was missing as well. Before she knew what she was doing, she ran up to the library, hoping to find Draco there.
As luck would have it, he was sitting in the far side of the entrance, writing on a piece of parchment. "Malfoy, where is my folder? I know you have it so don't bother giving me some codswallop story that you don't know. So just hand it over." Without saying anything, he pulled the folder from under the book that was opened. The folder had a piece of paper on it, and before Malfoy could get it off, Hermione had grabbed the folder and walked away in a huff.
"Granger, wait!" Hermione didn't slow down, but was satisfied to hear Madame Pince screaming at Draco for yelling in her library.
When Hermione had gotten back, the common room was full and very noisy, so she decided to work from her dormitory. Still a bit miffed about Malfoy stealing her paper, she at first didn't noticed the piece of parchment lying on top of her folder. But before long she saw it. Figuring it was some trash, she was about to throw it out when she got a feeling that she should open the paper.
Granger, before you think I was being a git for taking your folder, I want to set the record straight that I was bored and felt like correcting your Arithmancy essay. Yes, that's right, I said I corrected the paper. I would really appreciate it if you didn't say a word to anyone or anything about what I said to you earlier. Fact is, I'm not some lost soul who needs love and understanding. And I don't need anyone, especially you telling me who I am or what I'm hiding or not. I've been this way for as long as I can remember and I'm surviving quite well. This world is just a bit too cruel to be soft and be torn down. In my world, it's like hunt or be hunted. I can't believe I just wrote this to you. Well, I'm going to dispose of this as soon as I'm done writing, so I guess it doesn't really matter.
Hermione was flabbergasted. Draco Malfoy, talking about his problems or whatever to her. Then she reminded herself that he didn't want her to see it in the first place so it didn't really count. She looked at her Arithmancy paper was shocked to look at the many mistakes she had made. She was also astounded at how detailed, neat, and concise Draco's corrections were. It was as if a teacher had corrected her work.
She was quickly brought back to reality at how he had practically said something to her that he probably didn't tell anyone else. She really felt for Draco as she reread his note. '..I've been this way for as long as I can.' Did Draco honestly think he could make it alone in this world? Hermione couldn't believe it. It was almost as if he was begging for a friend-a true one, that is. Before she even thought about what she was doing, she picked up the note, fixed herself up a bit, (hey, it's all about presentation), and left the common room. She had to look for a while to find Draco sulking by himself in a corner of the library even she had never thought to go.
"Um, Malfoy, before you say anything to me, I guess I should give this to you." Draco turned his head around and glanced at the note, shocked. "Why bother, Granger? You've read it. You know what it's all about. Even though you weren't supposed to see that, I still stand by what I wrote, I'm not looking for sympathy of any kind. Especially from the likes of a mudblood bookworm like yourself. Hermione let the insult wash over her. It took almost everything she had not to slap his face until his head spun. Calm down, she thought. This is Malfoy. He doesn't know any better. Hermione got a horrible memory of Draco's father when she was about be in second year at Hogwarts. Anyone would have been even a little bit evil if they grew up with a father like that.
"Draco, I don't want to give you any sympathy, because to be perfectly honest I don't think you can handle it. I'm actually surprised at you. You of all people should know what the dangers of prejudice can do, and yet you still continue to call me by that name. It's as if you want to be your father or something-" "Granger, never compare me to my father. You seem to be under the impression that I idolize him. If you ever bothered to notice, all I ever did was ask him for things, and he gave them to me. You have no idea what my life was like at home."
Hermione looked into Draco's eyes. And for the first time, she didn't see blatant defiance and coldness. She saw something so raw and cut down, it was almost as if she were looking at a stranger. She couldn't handle his penetrating glare, so she broke the gaze. But when she looked back, his eyes were trained on hers once again, as if there was no other place in the world they'd rather be. It was like a dream. A dream she had no intention of waking up from anytime soon.
She almost felt as if he was stripping her down, layer by layer. Until she was in a state of mental nakedness, feeling heat all around her, but a strange icy feel in his eyes. 'What kind of magic is this?' She thought. Surely this feeling couldn't be in her mind alone. She even felt tempted to see if she had any clothes on, but suddenly, it didn't matter.
Draco broke the gaze first. Without saying a word, he got up and left. Hermione was strangely out of breath, as if she had been making out for and hour. She felt strangely empty, though. She wanted that kind of no-nonsense serious eye action. Perhaps… something more as well? She shook her head. She was not in her right mind. Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger making out-or doing something else? The idea was laughable. But, she thought. His eyes, and everything in them were just so amazingly real.
**What do you think? I'm actually kinda proud of this chapter, especially the ending. I've never written like that before