A/N: Sooooooo sorry for the delay in writing this chapter, but, I started high school, so I had to get into the swing of things, and then, with four honors classes I was simply swamped. As it is I have math homework I should be doing, but this fic is nagging my brain, so I'll try for a few chapters and see if that calms it.

Chapter 10: More than It Already Is

Suddenly I found Ron to be the outcast, instead of me. I was correct in my assumption that someone had heard the fight between Ron and me. Lavender Brown. Of course, she, being one of the school's major gossips, had promptly told Parvati, who, upon finding out he loved another girl, promptly dumped Ron, and turned all of the seventh year girls against him. Since many of the seventh year boys wanted to keep their seventh year girls, most of the boys were against him as well. The boys who remained unattached to seventh year girls, sided with their friends, who did have girls. Since most of the younger years looked to the seventh years, and did what they did, Ron found himself in a sore spot with nearly everyone in the entire school.

I remained unbothered about it for the time, as I still bitterly recall the stony silences that greeted me from everyone during that particular time.

"Hermione?" I looked up from my sandwich.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" I asked, feigning no warmth in my voice.

He looked about ready to cry. "Imsorryhermioneigottagobye."

Did Ronald Bilius, hahahahha, Weasley just actually apologize to me? It's possible, but I made have misheard seeing as he said something that would require five seconds of normal speaking time in about point five seconds.

I decided I was not ready to forgive him yet. I had endured three months of exile at his doing. I was not going to forgive this easily. I hugged my resentment and anger close like a baby blanket. He had gone to far that time. And besides which, I had ball planning (and Draco) to get back to.

"Slithering Lioness"

Before I could even register what was going on, a pair of hands dragged me into the room, and I felt lips on my neck. "Hey babe" Draco murmured in between having a go at unbuttoning my blouse.

"Draco!" I said, slapping his hand away, although not entirely wanting him to stop. "Draco, we, we have to, plan the Christmas ball," I managed to gasp. His kisses on my neck were making it very difficult to string together proper sentences.

"To hell with the Christmas ball..." he murmured, still kissing my neck, and going lower.

I slapped him away again. If this went any further...well, let's say I doubt any ball planning would get done. I ran my fingers through his hair, then tugged back. "Ball planning now."

He gave me the sulky baby look, but went to sit on the couch. "I don't know why we can't snog now and plan later."

"You know that if we snogged now, we wouldn't ever get around to planning," I said with a suggestive gleam in my eye. His jaw dropped. I should really do this innuendo thing more often, I'd pay to see that look on his face again.

I got out my supplies with renewed zeal (snogging sessions can really be a mood improver). Lets see: parchment; check; quills; check; ink; check; neck snogging: HUGE check. OH HELL planning can wait.

I whirled around, pushed him down on the couch, straddled him, and shoved my lips on his. Hormones can be a killer you know. And a saint.

"Draco, Draco we have to stop now." This being the tenth time I had interrupted this snogging session. Sometime during the kissing I had failed to notice being shifted beneath him.

Reluctantly, he crawled off of me, his blond hair falling across his face.

A grimace of pain caresses his beautiful features. He plucks a fruit off of the table, and walks into the bathroom.

Presently, I hear the shower running, matching the storm outside. I sat in the cozy window nook, a book lay forgotten on my lap as I pressed my face against the cold glass, and watched the rain run in rivulets down the pane. Lightning flickers across the dark sky, momentarily illuminating the forest. Nothing moves within but the leaves rustling in the furious wind. The deep crack of thunder chases the lightning into the void. The rain lashed against the pane, and I could hear the howling of it between the towers in this ancient castle.

He has not left the bathroom since our meeting earlier. I waited for a while, hoping he just had to use its facilities. But he did not come out. He has missed, dinner, as have I. I did not want to miss Draco, nor was I even hungry.

The shower stopped. I looked towards the door, hoping I was sufficiently concealing my eagerness, and my hurt. The door cracked open. He peered around anxiously. Relief spread across his face when he saw me.

He crossed the room, and looked deep into my eyes. I could see myself in his eyes, clouded dark to match the storm outside. "I did not leave because of you. All I can say right now is that I had to wash a spell from me. Telling you more will endanger your life more than it already is. You'll have to trust me." The pleading in his voice is more than I can stand. But I cannot help wondering, 'More than it already is?'

A/N: So many things I wanted to put in this chapter, but they did not fit properly. Sorry for the shortness. Don't you hate nagging plot bunnies? The shower scene was begging me to have Draco kidnapped, but it so did not fit in with the story I have outlined. Right now its looking to be about 24-25 chapters, maybe more. PLEASE as always, REVIEW! Thanks so much, you lovely, lovely people.