Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Warnings: Scenes of a sexual nature

Spoilers:SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OoTP

Summary: Before starting his 7th year of Hogwarts, Draco is given the challenge of ridding Voldemort of Harry Potter in order to join the Death Eaters. What unexpected surprises does his plan hold? DMHG

In the Eyes of the Enemy- Chapter Twelve Tears and Confusion

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Here she was thinking about what had happened over the last 24 hours. That maybe there was something more to Draco than what she had always known. After hearing Harry and Ron joke about him she had realized that maybe she did feel something for him. Granted the potion had made her do and feel things she could never imagine, but she wasn't going to regret it. Instead she was going to make the most of the door that had been opened and see what she found inside. Draco though had been unwilling to let her in. Hermione felt sad, confused, lost. How had she let him make her feel this way? The Slytherin Prat had returned and she was too proud to ask him to leave. She nodded and replied "Yes the potion …please tell Hagrid I'll be down in a moment."

Running his fingers through his hair Draco nodded and said, "Sure I'll let him know." Draco watched her turn, and run into the castle, she hadn't looked back, or said goodbye. A lump rose in his throat. He'd done the right thing hadn't he? Someone like Hermione would have been ashamed of the last 24 hours. She was part of the golden trio and he was the prince of Slytherin love was not in their cards. True according to his plan he intended to woo her, which would be easy since he was a Malfoy, and possessed a fair amount of charm. Love though, that had never been part of the plan. Despite the fact that the Love potion had wore off Draco knew that his feelings for Hermione hadn't changed. If he were to confess himself, it would be an embarrassment. It was better to keep these feelings to himself than risk being rejected. Running his fingers through his hair once more, Draco turned and headed in the direction of Hagrids Hut.

Hermione raced toward her room desperately hoping she'd make it before it was too late. She stumbled up several flights of stairs, and bumped into several walls, on her way to the Prefect meeting room. Turning the handle of her common room door she bolted inside. The portrait of herself and Draco's likenesses were still cuddling on her couch and this had been more than she could bear. With tears streaming from her eyes she sobbed "restricted section" and plunged inside her room. Once inside she collapsed on her bed feeling overwhelmed with waves of sadness and tears. Dobby who had been cleaning the room went unnoticed and disappeared with a pop.

Draco arrived at class to find groups of students hovering around cages holding what looked to be brown balls of long curly fur, which Hagrid called "Gribbles." Hagrid motioned for everyone to pick one up "They're quite tame these gribbles, so long as you don't shake them they probably won't bite you."

Pansy held up her gribble in front of her face and laughed, "Draco look it's Granger, just better looking." Draco snapped and grabbed Pansy hard by the arm causing her to drop her gribble, which rolled off, toward the forest.

He then shouted, "If you ever say anything bad about Hermione again I'll hex you bald, and you'll be begging that gribble for a transplant."

Pansy pulled her arm out of his grasp and spat "You bastard, how dare you threaten me. Since when have you cared about that filthy mudblood?"

Before she could react Draco raised his wand and shouted "relegare capillus" and smirked "since now." Pansy shrieked as her hair fell to the ground around her and dashed off toward the castle.

Harry and Ron were dumbstruck Draco Malfoy a known muggle hater had just been defending Hermione. The two exchanged looks, not knowing what to make of it. Their stares where broken by Hagrids bulking figure, which stepped in front of them, and said "I didn't see anything that happened. Did you?" giving a wink to the boys.

Smiling Harry and Ron both shook their heads "Nope we didn't see anything." Hagrid smiled at the boys and turned towards the castle following Pansy.

With a pop Dobby was standing in front of Harry and Ron franticly trying to grab at their hands. Harry kneeled down to speak to Dobby and asked "What is it Dobby? What's wrong?"

Dobby tried to tug the boy's hands toward the castle "It's Miss Hermione. Harry Potter and Weasley must come quick she is in a terrible state."

Hearing Hermione's name Draco moved toward the group and asked "What's wrong with Hermione?"

Dobby launched himself at Draco screaming "It is because of you, you is hurting sweet Miss Hermione." pounding fists all over Draco's lower body Dobby continued to scream "Dobby is warning you against hurting Miss Hermione, and now Dobby will be hurting you."

Draco managed to hold Dobby's fists in his hands only to find Dobby lunging at him with his teeth. Harry and Ron rushed over and asked, "What did you do to Hermione, Malfoy?"

Still struggling with a writhing Dobby "I didn't do anything."

Harry yelled "Dobby stop" Dobby reluctantly listened and relaxed. Draco set the house elf back on the ground but Dobby continued to stare daggers at the boy.

Harry and Ron started to run toward the castle and turned abruptly when they realized Draco was right behind them. With anger in his voice Ron asked, "Where do you think your going?"

Draco sternly replied "With you. You can't get into the common room without me and believe it or not I'm just as concerned about Hermione as you."

Harry placed a hand on Ron's shoulder and calmly said "Ron he's right we do need him, and once we see Hermione we'll be able to figure out his part in all this." Ron huffed and ran toward the castle entrance.

The trio had managed to knock down about a dozen students on their way to the Prefects meeting room but once inside they breathed a sigh of relief. Draco opened the door to his and Hermione's shared common room and dashed to Hermione's portrait saying the password and closing the door before Harry and Ron could enter.

Hermione jerked her head towards the doorway and was shocked to see Draco looking back at her, his eyes dancing with concern. She tried to wipe away the tears but it was too late, he had already seen the streams rushing down her cheeks. She did the best she could to smooth out her crumpled robes and bravely said, "What are you doing here?"

Draco slowly walked to the edge of the bed and taking a seat replied, "Dobby said something was wrong with you and I was worried." She turned and cast her eyes to the ground. Draco moved closer to her on the bed, and taking her "Hermione what's wrong?" Hermione merely shook her head still casting her gaze at the floor. Draco reached over and gently turned her head so that she was looking at him and tenderly asked, "Was it something I did?" Unable to control them any longer tears began to flow from Hermione's eyes.

Draco's heart was breaking she was upset and Dobby had been right he was the cause. 'What could he do? What could he say? What had he done to upset her so?' Unable to think of answers to the questions, he did the best thing he could think of, and pulled her toward him in an embrace. She sobbed into his chest, he let her, and when he thought she was done he whispered in her ear "Hermione I'm sorry for whatever I've done wrong, please forgive me." And after a moment he continued, "I think I'm falling in love with you."

Harry and Ron stood in shock staring at the portrait before them, which contained what looked to be Hermione and Draco snogging. It was Harry who finally spoke "that just wrong."

Ron fumed and growled, "Damn straight that it's wrong. I'm going to tear it down and then wring Malfoy's neck."

As Ron started to seize the portrait Harry reached out and pulled him back "It's only a portrait Ron it's not really them."

Ron jerked away from Harry and replied, "If he's in there hurting her I'm going to kill him."

Harry nodded in agreement and said, "If he hurts her I'll help you kill him and bury the body. But my question is how did he know her password?"

Ron shrugged "I don't know, and he said it so fast, I wasn't able to catch it."

Hermione pulled back from Draco's arms and looked directly at him before asking, "Do you really?"

With a bit of a frown he replied "Yes, but I don't expect you too feel the same way. I just wanted you to know." Hermione smiled and pulled Draco's face to hers placing a kiss firmly on his lips. With a look of shock across his face he muttered "What? I don't understand"

This time it was Hermione who raised her hand to stop him and said, "I think I love you too"

A/N Don't get too comfortable the ride has just begun, and with these two you know it's going to be a roller coaster. Please don't forget to review also anyone that's interested I've started a group on yahoo for the discussion of this story. Its drop me a line I'd love to hear what you think.