Second Thought - Chapter 3

It was the morning of the Hogsmeade trip and Hermione had gotten up early specially. She needed time to get ready. It was still early, and all the other girls were still asleep. Hermione crept into the bathroom, and put a silencing charm so she didn't wake them with the sound of her shower. As she let the hot water flow over her body she closed her eyes and her mind drifted.

She imagined herself in an unknown country house. It was beautiful. White exterior, with large Georgian windows, and hundreds of acres of gardens. It was beautiful. It was sunny, and could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin. She was wearing what she was planning for the trip. Her hair was straight and it shone in the radiant light. She decided to wander these beautiful grounds. Red squirrels were hopping around at the bases of trees searching for their hordes of nuts and other treats, and the trees were awake with the song of the robin singing away at the top of it's voice. She walked down the gravel path that lay in front of her that led down to the side of the house. The main door was closed, but one of the side doors was open. Hermione took a step to enter when a person came into the doorway. He stopped dead.

"What are you doing here?" Draco said.

Hermione instantly opened her eyes. Was she just dreaming of Draco Malfoy? Her heart was racing.

She turned the shower off and wrapped the towel around her and sat on the bathroom rug with her knees curled up. That felt so real, but it was not a place that she knew. Then a thought occurred to her. Was that his dream?

She had read in that book that people who are telepaths their minds are more open than others so it could be possible for others to access their minds, especially when relaxed. That made sense, Draco was probably asleep so he would be very relaxed. However, that would still mean that she was a telepath. Could that be possible? She could hear someone's thoughts, and now seemingly enter their mind. It was possible, but not an idea Hermione welcomed. Did that mean he can hear me now? That house was real. She knew it in her heart that it was although she had never been there before. However, she had heard the Malfoy Mansion described as beautiful, and similar to that, but was that where she was?

But why was Draco dreaming about home? It looked so peaceful, serene, a place he can escape to. His happy place. That was it. That house and grounds were his happy place. Hermione then laughed thinking of her happy place and how childish it was compared. He happy place was a neon green field with tall grass with a forest to one side. In the field were hundreds of rabbits of all different colours. There were brown, black, white, blue, orange, green, red, purple, all colours. It was a place her mother had invented for her when she was a little girl and she had a nightmare one night. From then on it had been her happy place. Draco's seemed to make sense. It was a happy house, maybe because Lucius wasn't there, and the sun was shining, but it gave him peace when he needed. Maybe he had had a nightmare. Hermione's dreams had been uncomfortable that night, maybe that was why. He needed his happy place a place he can relax by himself. Which probably explains his shocked reaction at her presence.

She was shaken from her thoughts by a banging on the door. She opened it up and there was Lavendar standing there tapping her foot.

"Are you deaf? I've been banging on the door for the last ten minutes."

"Oh sorry, I was in the shower," Hermione apologised as Lavendar pushed past to get into the bathroom. Hermione had not realised how long her had been in there. 'Whoops,' she thought to herself. She shook her head to get the thought of Draco out of it and got changed into her outfit.

When she was finished straightening her hair she looked at herself in the mirror. 'Not bad,' she thought. 'Who are you kidding? You look incredible,' another part of her head contradicted. Hermione blushed at her own thought. She never was good at taking compliments, even from herself!

The girls went down stairs to meet the rest of the year group at the front doors waiting to go to Hogsmeade. The attention Hermione was getting from the lads was amazing. All the lads turn their heads when they saw her coming. Lavendar was beaming like it was all her idea, while Hermione was just concentrating on not going bright red from the attention. They made it to the front door where Hermione met up with Ron and Harry.

"Hey guys," she said in a normal friendly tone. Harry and Ron looked her up and down.

"WOW," they both said together.

"Guys, please don't," she pleaded with them. She hoped of all people they wouldn't say anything. It was just weird. They were like brothers to her, she couldn't seem for anything but, and it made her uncomfortable when they were checking her out. It wasn't the only comment she heard either. Another wow came from another direction. It was Draco. She knew his voice by now. She could feel his eyes on her, but she refused to catch them. Her heart was already racing, and would stop if she caught those grey eyes.

"Gather round everyone," Professor Sprout could be heard shouting above the hustle of the group. Hermione started to move towards her to hear the usual safety precautions talk when she felt restricted. She turned round to see Professor McGonagall had hold of her in one hand and Draco in the other.

"Professor?" Hermione said confused.

"Do you mind?" Draco said rather rudely.

"I'm afraid neither of you are going on the trip today."

"And why not?" Draco said still being rude.

"Because you have a detention to attend," she informed the pair. Draco groaned.

"Come along," and she led them back inside the castle and back to her room on the first floor.

Hermione was disappointed especially since it was such a beautiful day to be stuck indoors. She had a quick sideways glance at Draco and noticed he wasn't that disappointed. 'Wonder why," she thought. They sat down again in McGonagall's room with the plans in from of them. McGonagall sat opposite.

"Well, let me see what you have come up with?" You could hear in her voice that she didn't expect much. Draco picked up the final copy of the plan and handed it to her, almost throwing at her. She glared at him, and then looked down at the plan. Her eyes widen and looked more closely at the plan. Her face became expressionless so neither knew what she was thinking. For several minutes she examined the plan until she finally put the plan on the table and leaned back in her chair. They both tensed up.

"I love it. It different, and bold. Certainly a change for this room." They breathed a sigh of relief. "I want you to get started on actually decorating it now."

"But Professor…" Hermione started to protest.

"Yes Miss Granger?" McGonagall said looked down at Hermione.

"I can't paint in these clothes," Hermione said quietly. It had taken her hours to get ready so she didn't want to just taken them straight off.

"Miss Granger, I am not expecting you to paint this room with conventional paint. You will use your wands to paint. It's far cleaner and quicker," McGonagall told her. "Your pretty clothes will not be ruined I assure you."

"Thank you Professor," Hermione said relieved.

Professor McGonagall left them together with the paint and the spells they needed to decorate the room.

"So," Draco said breaking the silence.

"So," Hermione imitated him.

"Where should we start?" Draco asked.

They got on with the painting. Still paranoid her clothes would get ruined, Hermione put an overall over the top, which wasn't very flattering, but at least it kept them clean. It was a good thing too, because Draco and Hermione ended up having a paint, throwing it off each other. It got in her hair and all over his shirt and trousers. It all started off when Draco painted a target on Hermione's bum. She then retaliated by throwing paint off him and escalated. Finally Draco pinned her down with her hands beside her head and his body over hers. It was the cliché moment, as Draco leaned in to kiss her. Hermione wanted him to, but before their lips touched another cliché happened: McGonagall was standing at the door.

"Ahem," she coughed. Draco instantly got off her and Hermione jumped off them floor brushing down her overalls. The smile on McGonagall's face was torture.

"I take it you've finished?" she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yes Professor," they both said quietly.

"Good. It's looks good. You may both go back to your common rooms. I'm sure you have homework to be finished."

"Yes Professor," they said and walked out of her room. Hermione walked off from her room without a glance at Draco. But she still could hear him.

"I nearly kissed her! Who am I kidding, that's what I've always wanted. But it almost happened," she heard. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribs, her body was heating up from her feet rising in her like she was standing in a pool of boiling water. She felt faint. She needed to get out. Instead of going to her common room she headed outside for some fresh air.

She had nearly kissed Draco Malfoy! She had wanted him too. What was the matter with her? But his words echoed in her mind, "What I've always wanted." Has he always felt this way for me?

Regardless how many times she told herself that it was Draco Malfoy, she couldn't see him as he once was. She had had fun painting, and knowing what she did, she realised that his front was not him. A Shakespeare quote came to mind, "look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't." But with Draco it was the opposite way round. He was the personification of the evil serpent on the outside, but an innocent flower underneath. Her feelings about him had changed. He was no longer the loathsome toad she spent her time plotting against. He was now the desperate innocent that she felt for. What she felt for him, she was still unsure.

In the distance she could her the joyful banter of the Hogsmeade group coming back from their excursion. Deciding she didn't want to talk to anyone, she ran up to the common room and locked herself in the bathroom, and ran herself a bath.

At dinner that night Harry and Ron spent what felt like explaining everything that had happened including Neville setting off a cosmic bomb in the middle of the town. It stank something rotten apparently, but Hermione wasn't interested. Harry suddenly stopped his story, and looked at Hermione.

"What?"

"You have green paint in your hair?"

"I mustn't have got it all out," she said reaching to see where it was.

"What have you been doing?" Ron asked just as confused.

"Painting McGonagall's room. Remember? My detention with Dra…Malfoy," she corrected herself. "I did tell you guys about it."

"Oh, sorry, must have forgot," Harry apologised, though she could tell he wasn't that sorry, especially since he went straight back to his story.

She could sense that Draco was just as bored as she was while Crabbe and Goyle retold the same story. His mind was wandering too. He was thinking of her, and their almost kiss.

"Why did I let myself get that close to her? I know I love her and all, but I've never shown it to her. But she was flirting with me." Hermione had to agree with him on this. She had been overly flirty with him, for a reason beyond explanation. "And she wanted you to kiss her. What would have happened if McGonagall wasn't there?" A thought Hermione had also chewed over in her mind. Oh how different her thoughts would be! "I'm so glad I didn't go to Hogsmeade. Oh go!" What? Hermione thought. What's wrong? She was worried for a moment. "He is going to be so pissed!" Who? Hermione didn't have to wait long for an answer as Lucius Malfoy barged into the Great Hall and stormed straight up to Dumbledore.

"Why, hello Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore said without lifting up his head and continuing to enjoy his evening meal.

"Dumbledore, I require a better explanation than this woman gave me as to why my son was prevented on going to Hogsmeade?" he said indicating that McGonagall was the woman he was referring to.

"He had detention Lucius," Dumbledore simply said.

"Draco here!" Lucius bellowed to his son. Dutifully Draco rose from his seat and walked over to where his father was standing. Hermione heard him say, "woof woof," in his mind, which made her feel concerned. A moment ago his thoughts were somewhat happy, now she could feel him going off the scale of depression.

"I want an explanation," Lucius demanded.

"Lucius, your son was caught fighting with another student in the corridors so was given detention. I apologise if he was meant to meet you there, especially since you are such a busy man, but the rules cannot be broken," Dumbledore explained it for him.

"This is riduculus," Lucius said raising his stick in the air. Draco flinched as he did so. He straightened himself straight back up, but it was too late, Lucius and everyone had seen it.

"Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!!" he swore to himself.

"What is the matter with you boy?" Lucius said with a slight threatening tone towards his son. Draco had to think fast, and fast he was.

"Potter's put a hex on me, and I'm waiting for it to catch up with me," he lied. Harry was about to protest, when he heard Hermione's voice in his head.

"Harry, please admit that it was you." Harry looked at her and her pleading eyes knew she had said and meant it.

"Is this correct Mr Potter?" McGonagall asked. Harry looked at Hermione again.

"Yes Professor," Harry lied.

Draco's head shot round and his face was full of confusion. He thought Harry would instantly deny it. However he looked at Hermione sitting next to him, and suddenly it all made sense. He turned back round and looked at Professor McGonagall.

"In Harry's defence Professors, Draco hexed Harry first," Hermione defended Harry. However, it was not for Harry's defence, it was for Draco to understand. He caught her gaze and understand he did.

"Is this true, Mr Malfoy?"

"Yes Professor," Draco mumbled.

"I have no choice but to award detentions to the pair of you for tonight," McGonagall said. Harry opened his mouth to protest but Hermione kicked him sharply in the shins to stop him.

"I still wish to discuss with you the matter of the Easter vacation being cancelled Professor Dumbledore," Lucius butted in.

"Of course, would you follow me to my office Lucius and we can discuss it there more privately?" Dumbledore invited him. Lucius slightly bowed.

"And you!" Lucius whispered to his son. "Don't embarrass me like that again, so I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Sir," Draco replied.

"Good," and he walked off to Dumbledore's office.

The usual chatter continued in the Great Hall giving Harry and chance to talk to Hermione.

"Why did you make me do that? Now I have detention!" Harry complained.

"It's OK, I'll do your detention," Hermione negotiated. Harry was taken back by her willing to do a detention.

"Really?" Harry asked her to repeat.

"I'll think of something to take the blame off you. Don't worry," Hermione said.

"Thanks," Harry said really appreciated it too. He couldn't get detention while captain of the Quidditch team.

Draco was sitting in McGonagall's office waiting for Harry to turn up. He was quiet for once, but he was too busy thinking about Hermione. Could she hear his thoughts? Was that why she was being so nice to him? Then it got him thinking about everything he thought about round her. He had a very good memory, one thing that was an advantage during exams, therefore he could then recall all his thoughts for the last few days. God, what if she heard me earlier? He would have blushed if he were not already very good at hiding his emotions. He really needed to talk to her. But first he had to deal with this detention. He didn't really care about the detention, even though it was a lie that got him here, he could not tell the truth no matter what. He heard the door click open, about three after the time they were supposed to arrive.

"About time… Hermione?" Draco said confused as Hermione came into the Office not Potter.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall said just as confused.

"My apologies for being late," she said and sat down beside Draco.

"An explanation is required Miss Granger as to why you have shown yourself and Mr Potter has not," McGonagall pressed her.

"Professor McGonagall, it was not Harry who hexed Malfoy," she explained. Draco was somewhat hurt by the use of his old nickname, but for the current purpose it was probably better. "It was I who hexed him. Harry was just trying to keep me out of trouble especially since I had just finished a previous detention for the same crime."

"So he lied for you?" McGonagall got her to repeat.

"Yes."

"So why did Mr Malfoy say it was Mr Potter?" McGonagall said trying to catch her out.

"Because I wanted get Potter in trouble," Malfoy added.

McGonagall looked at the pair clearly unconvinced by the story, but since there was two people willing to do detention, for what ever reason, she was not going to complain.

"You can take Mr Potter's place then, Miss Granger. Though I must say how disappointed I am with you. This sort of behaviour is not expected from an intelligent young woman such as yourself," McGonagall condemned her behaviour. Hermione hung her head in shame. McGonagall set them a writing task to be done in her newly decorated classroom. She liked the irony of the first people to have a normal detention in it were the ones who actually painted it!

Hermione sat down on the opposite side of the room to Draco and put her head and scribbled away on the piece of paper. They had to write an essay on why hexing other students was a bad thing. However, she was conscience of Draco looking at her. She didn't want to talk to him. She knew what was in his (and her) mind and it scared her. She wanted to help Draco and then did not want Harry to get into trouble so agreed to do the detention but did not know what to say to Draco.

"How long have you known?" she heard him say from across the room.

"Known what?" she said, hoping the conversation would die.

"That."

'Damn,' she thought. That was in her head. It was so common for her to hear it that it no longer sounded different to when he spoke normally. She lifted her head up and looked across at Draco. He got up and quickly came and sat beside her.

"How long have you been hearing my thoughts?" Draco asked, clearly concerned about what she had heard.

"A while. A few weeks maybe."

"I few weeks!! Oh God she heard…" he thought.

"… yeah I heard that." Hermione answered.

"So you really were in my happy place," Draco realised.

"Yeah that was me. It's beautiful. Not what I imagined," she admitted.

"At least it's not a green field with multicoloured rabbits," he quipped.

"You've seen my place?" Hermione asked suddenly very embarrassed.

"Yeah, just before I met you in mine, I was there." He said. "It's a nice little place," he added after seeing her embarrassed expression.

"How long have you known?" Hermione asked.

"Ever since I looked at you in the Great Hall earlier tonight," he admitted. "You knew that I had screwed up, and you bailed me out. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled. There was still so much that she wanted to ask, so much she knew was wrong for this moment, and would have to wait. But one thing she felt bold enough to ask.

"So you've always wanted kiss me then?" she asked. He smiled and nervously laughed.

"Err… yeah," he admitted. "Who would have thought it?"

"Certainly not me, but you're just full of surprises aren't you?" she said smiling.

Draco cupped Hermione's face with his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. They were beautiful eyes, deep and thoughtful. He quickly looked round at the door to ensure that McGonagall wasn't standing there again and then he kissed her. It was gentle and full of emotion. It sent her body on fire and she wrapped her arms rounds his neck to pull him in closer. His hands slid from her face to his waist where they rested comfortably massaging her back. When they broke apart they looked at each other and smiled. Draco kissed her forehead and sat back again.

"Always wanted to do that," he said. Hermione laughed.

"Well now you have, you don't have to do it again do you?" she teased.

"I didn't say that," he said leaning forward again and pulling her towards him for another kiss.


A/N – Sorry this has taken so long to write, but I've been busy getting ready for Uni. Now I have more free time so I can keep this more up to date. Sorry about the delay. Please review!! Love Snowflake Shona xXx