A/N: Just to clear some things up with people who have seen this same story elsewhere - this is the new, republished reversion, by the same author. Okay, well anway, this whole story is in Hermione's POV and there may be a few spelling/grammar mistakes here and there so please warn me if there is! And also, this was the very first fanfiction I'd ever written. And to all those people who read and don't review, please review even if it's just for the hell of it. Enough babbling.

'That oaf,' said a malevolent voice. 'I still can't believe he's a teacher. How, I don't know, for he hasn't the brains to fill an eggcup.'

Harry, Ron and I were walking back to the common room when we heard this voice. We instantly stopped, then turned around, realizing who the person was talking about.

It was Malfoy, of course. Malfoy talking to Crabbe and Goyle. Should have guessed.

'Shut up, Malfoy,' said Ron angrily.

Malfoy's gray eyes glittered. The same grey eyes that were worshipped by many girls around the school, but also the same ones full of malice. Story of his life, I suppose. Many girls liked him for his looks, but never dared to know the person inside. Because they surely would have been scared away. Well, I thought so, at any rate.

'Who's going to stop me?' he asked silkily. Crabbe and Goyle stood on either side of him, like bodyguards, sending us slow, blank glares.

I groaned. Must it always come to this? Why won't Malfoy finally just shut up and go away...?

'I will, Ferret' I answered, addressing him. 'So I suggest you shut your fat mouth and keep your lame-ass comments to yourself. It would help the lot of us.'

He turned his gaze to me, and smiled. A new emotion emerged in his eyes – one I couldn't place. 'You couldn't hurt me, Mudblood.'

A boiling rage splashed down in the pit of my stomach, and I felt angrier than I had before. Mudblood! How dare he?

Stepping towards him, my eyes flashing, I raised my hand and was about to slap him when he caught my wrist in an iron grip, an inch from his face.

Harry and Ron caught their breaths behind me.

For a few seconds, we stood immobile, then something extraordinary happened. Something that would change history.

Malfoy said, 'You're really cute when you're angry, you know.' Then he moved forward and kissed me straight on the lips.

I was frozen in shock. His lips on mine were so foreign, yet so good. I felt like throwing my arms around his neck and –

Then reality shook me and I came to my senses. I put my hands on his chest, then pushed away, hard. I then finished what I had started, and slapped him.

I was furious.

'You – you – ' I shouted at him, unable to get the words out in my fury.

'Holy shit,' said Ron behind me.

'No way,' said Harry numbly, stepping forward. 'Ron, pinch me.'

Malfoy just smiled. 'Not bad for a Mudblood, Granger.'

'You stupid bastard!' I shouted at him. 'Don't you ever do that again! Ever!'

He grinned. 'C'mon, I know you liked it.'

I made an exasperated sound from the back of my throat, opened my mouth to say something, then realized it wasn't any use, then turned and stalked off, Harry and Ron quickly running to catch up with me.

Back at the common room, I discovered just how quickly news spread. Apparently, those who had witnessed it had told all their friends, who told their friends. So in fifteen minutes, the whole school knew.

Abso-fucking-lutely perfect.

And like most other rumors, this one had been altered. Parvati marched up to me in the common room and demanded to know why I had hit on a Slytherin.

'Malfoy of all people!' she cried. 'And you hate him, Hermione! Remember?'

Lavender's shocked, yet excited face appeared behind Parvati's.

'So low, Hermione,' she said, a teasing smile upon her face. 'What happened to Krum?'

'We broke up,' I said from behind gritted teeth. 'And I did not jump on Malfoy, quite the opposite. Ask them!' I beckoned at Ron and Harry.

But it was not only Lavender and Parvati who had heard this particular rumor. Only everyone else in Gryffindor.

And probably the whole school.

And only one Gryffindor was jealous of me.

'You're so lucky!' Ginny squealed. 'I can't believe you actually kissed Malfoy. You never let on you liked him! You'll be the envy of every girl in the school!'

'Doubt it,' I said, fighting my way to my bed, anxious to get some sleep. Anything to take me away from this nightmare.

The next morning, even before breakfast, I was called up to Umbridge's office.

'You're here,' she said snottily, peering down at me from behind tiny spectacles. She was wearing her pink blouse again, the one she was so fond of. 'About time, to. Come in.'

She led me into her office, and sat me down on a seat next to a gold plate reading in minuscule writing; Dolores Umbrige. Headmistress.

A wave of annoyance washed through me. She won't be Headmistress for long, that's certain.

Across me sat Malfoy, who was surveying me with sly eyes and a smile to watch. I sent him my death look. But before I could say anything, Umbridge addressed me.

'I have heard a rumor, Hermione,' she said. 'I have just discussed it with Draco, here.'

I mentally groaned. God, not that again... and first thing in the morning too.

I waited.

'I think that it deserves punishment.'

'Yes!' I said, almost leaping out of my chair in agreement. 'Yes, Professor, so do I! Most definitely.'

Across from me, Malfoy sniggered to himself.

'Then I'm sure you'll feel most pleased when I inform you that...' a slow, toad-like smile crept across her face. '... I have assigned you a punishment project. You will spend a fortnight with Draco. You'll share a private common room, and do everything he says.'

My heart stopped. I assumed she meant punishing Malfoy... but she meant me?

'Professor,' I feebly protested. 'I didn't do anything.'

'Don't argue, Hermione. I saw what happened.'

I fumed with the unfairness of this, but kept quiet. She bloody well did not see what happened! But she had the power, after all, to make it worse.

'Why?' I asked instead.

She blinked. 'Because my best pupil wishes it. It's a great punishment, a great reward for the best pupil, and it supports inter-house unity.'

My mouth dropped open. Honestly, what a load of bullshit. Inter-house unity. As if. 'Can't – can't I do... lines, or something?'

She snorted. 'Lines, indeed! Off you go. Draco, show her where the common room is, won't you?'

I stood, still in shock. A fortnight... with Malfoy?

This. Is. Not. Happening.

No, no, please no.

As I was walking out the door, she made things worse.

'I will, you realize,' she said, calmly shuffling papers. 'Be checking with Malfoy to see how you're doing. Be good, now.'

Oh god, what did she mean by that?

Once out of earshot of Umbridge's office, I started on Malfoy.

'How dare you!!' I screamed at him. 'I can't believe you did that!'

He shrugged, the same lazy smile upon his stupid, stupid, stupid face. 'I know you're excited, Granger.'

'Go fuck your broom, Malfoy,' I snapped. 'Now show me where the common room is, and quick.'

It turned out to be in the Charms Corrider. The painting was a dwarf and his axe surrounded by his dead opponents.

Nice.

'What's the password?' I asked him.

He grinned. 'You're going to like it.'

'What?'

'It's; I love Draco.'

'No, you've got to be kidding me. Like I'm ever going to say that.'

He chuckled. 'You won't have anywhere to sleep then.'

Figuring that I could deal with this issue later, and decided to go to breakfast and heed the persistent complaining of my stomach. I could imagine Ron and Harry right now, stuffing their faces full of crumpets and toast and porridge...

'Just whatever,' I said, turning, but hitting my hand on the sharp point of the stair rail. I suppressed a cry of pain as a droplet of blood fell.

'Let me see it,' demanded Malfoy. 'I'll make it better.'

I was suspicious, yes, but I didn't see any harm it could do.

But instead of exclaiming my hand, he took it, then pulled me towards him, proceeding to kissing me again. And it was better than before. I couldn't help but kiss him back a little, before I wrestled my lips away, finding to my dismay, that I was sandwiched between him and the wall, and that he was still holding my wrist tightly.

'Let me go,' I ordered, attempting to wriggle away but failing.

'Granger,' he said in a half warning, half teasing voice. 'Do you want me to tell Umbrige?'

I froze. 'Tell her what?'

'That you're not cooperating. She'll make the punishment longer, you know. Don't you want to be back in your Gryffindor common room with everyone else?'

'Yes,' I said slowly, tense. I saw now where the trouble lay. Malfoy was going to make me do anything he wanted, holding the threat of Umbrige constantly over my head. For two whole weeks.

It was going to be the longest ever two weeks of my life.

'Then kiss me,' he continued, leaning forward again.

And I did.

Only because I had to.

A/N: Please review!