Mixing up

chapter 2

(Walking together)

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Hermione looked up at Draco, confused. ¡°Why did you do that? I mean, what¡¯s going on? You don¡¯t like me. You never liked me. That kind of kiss was not even for people who ¡°liked¡± each other. It was more of a ¡°love¡± kiss. But we don¡¯t love each other. I can¡¯t stand it when people do that kinds of stuff. I mean, just kissing people with no-¡± She was cut off by Draco¡¯s laughter.

¡°Relax Granger. Jeez! Still uptight and loudmouthed as usual. I¡®ve been waiting for you, Let¡®s go in?¡± He smiled down at her and all she could think of was What the hell is he doing?And she almost forgot about the embarrassing incident that had happened to her before, but, she didn¡¯t.

¡°No, it¡¯s ok Malfoy. Wait, I¡¯m confused. Why were you waiting for me? You know, if I didn¡¯t know you better, I would say that you had feelings for me.¡± Hermione joked. She firmly believed that he was still a muggle hater, but didn¡¯t care; it was still fun to play around with his ego. She looked up at him to see his smile gone and his infamous ¡°Bad boy¡± sneer appeared.

¡°Don¡¯t forget, Granger, It disgusts me to even touch you, but I do anyway because our society is so bent out of shape to become ¡°Politically correct.¡± ¡°Oh, come off it Malfoy,¡± She said mockingly¡¯ ¡°We are not that young anymore, don¡¯t listen to EVERYTHING, your father says. Not all of us are bad.¡± Draco looked mystified for a second, but seemed to have understood what she had said and his smile came back. ¡°My father? I haven¡¯t been living with my father for the past four years. Haven-¡± But he never got to finish what he wanted to say because Ron Weasley had come out of the room for a breath of fresh air, and had seen them together.

¡°Hermione and MALFOY? What? Is that really you Hermione? Why are you with Malfoy?¡± Ron looked flabbergasted. He didn¡¯t know what was going on, but then again, when did he? Not knowing what to do, and having to keep up his ego, he quickly thought of a clever way to cover up the reason for them to be standing so close together, and he found the perfect way. ¡°Ugh! Get off me Granger! I don¡¯t want you! Jeez, Granger, I would have thought you would hate me, after what had happened, but I guess you didn¡¯t get enough of me.¡± Draco regretted saying those words as soon as he said them, for Hermione looked less than pleased. Her look of disappointment over took him and Draco quickly realized that he had seen that look only once before that night 5 years ago.

¡°Granger? Where the hell are you?¡± Draco had looked for her, but she was nowhere to be found. ¡°Oh Gods...Where the hell is she?¡± He searched for her near the Gryffindor tower, knowing that she wouldn¡®t have gone in, but she wasn¡¯t there. He tried most of the classrooms but, as he suspected, they were all empty. Giving up, he walked to the dance hall to find Hermione there, leaning against the sidewall, waiting. Draco sighed, ¡°Here we go.¡± He ambled to her and when she didn¡¯t lift her head up, he put his hand on her chin and lifted it up himself. She pushed him away from her and turned her back to him.

¡°What do you want Malfoy?¡± Hermione¡¯s voice sounded so hurt. It twisted Draco¡¯s heart to hear it. ¡°Why? Did you have fun? Ridiculing me in front of the whole school?¡± Draco tried to get in a word but she wouldn¡¯t let him. She spun around, her hair flying in his face and her finger pointing at him, ¡°No, You are not going to get the last word. I¡¯ve had it with your stupid little jokes and pranks. You don¡¯t seem to understand that being half muggle has problems of it¡¯s own. It doesn't help when there are certain OBNOXIOUS people who think that being muggle born is some disease.¡± He started to say something but yet again, Hermione wouldn¡¯t let him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is about you. How could you do a thing like that? Why?¡± She seemed to stop, and Draco used it for his benefit.

¡°Can I say something now?¡± She gave him a nod, and he apologized. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this just because old McGonagall told me to, well, maybe. That¡¯s not the point. What I was going to say was, I¡¯m sor'so'sor.. why is this so hard?¡± He put his hands on his head then tried again. He sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There, I said it. Is that better?¡± He gave the impression of relief but quickly scowled. ¡°Why do I have to say sorry? Why don¡¯t you say sorry to me? Do I have to lower myself to say sorry to a Mud-Blood?¡± Hermione couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She didn¡¯t like it when he said sorry, but when he called her, well you know, the M-word, that caused her blood to heat up. she gave him a look of disappointment while his heart wrenched.

¡°Unbelievable! How dare YOU say sorry to ME? I think the question should be how dare I enjoy a kiss from YOU! Gods, Malfoy! We are not 11-years-old! You don¡¯t have to act like I am dirt. I know how you think about me. You don¡¯t have to point it out every time I see you! You don¡¯t have to be foul mouthed. You can get your point across without the swearing! Why'why are you looking at me like that?¡± Draco sauntered right up to her, putting his arms around her waist and leaned in. Hermione squealed as he pulled her close to him. ¡°What are you doing? Get your filthy Slytherin hands off of me!¡± But he wouldn¡¯t let go.

¡°Am I to understand that you found my kiss, enjoyable?¡± He felt Hermione stop resisting and let her go. She felt a some inexplicable feeling come about her. He had a sly look on his face and he slowly slid on of his hands to her neck and pulled her closer. Closing her eyes, Hermione didn¡¯t struggle and gladly tiptoed to accept his kiss. He pressed his lips against hers and her hands went around his neck. Teasing her lips to open, she willingly gave herself to him.

¡°Hermione?¡± Ron looked at Hermione, and then at Draco. But before she could say anything, Draco turned his back to her and walked into the dance hall. Glaring at the back of his neck, Hermione followed with one very confused Ron behind her. ¡°Hermione?¡± Ron tapped her shoulder. With a quick turn, she faced him, scaring the daylights out of him. ¡°What, Ron?¡± Looking very annoyed, Hermione sighed. He stepped back, looking around for somebody, then looked back at her. ¡°uh...I was going to say, You look great!¡± He tensed himself for any attack Hermione might give him, but fortunately, she smiled sadly and hugged him.

Draco had no clue what was going on inside his head. Everything was scrambled. That kiss had taken so much out of him that he was dizzy for a minute, and then she had to ruin the moment by talking. But then of course, he didn¡¯t like her. Gods no! Not a muggle. Right? Of course, no one was righter then he was. Not even that big headed nerd of a muggle. So why was his heart wrenching as he saw her hug Weasley? ¡°Damn her!¡± The room was still. Everyone was looking at Draco. The corridors were still resounding with the yell. He eyed everyone staring at him, and found his eyes set on Hermione. Her eyes had gone round and large. She mouthed out ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± but before he could answer, a much older and much wiser Dumbledore came out.

¡°Being that it has already quieted down, we will start the reunion. Welcome back to Hogwarts!¡± He raised his glass and drank from it. Everyone cheered and clinked glasses with each other. ¡°I hope everyone has matured, and for those who haven¡¯t - Crabbe, meet me in my office.¡± Laughter filled the room. Even the other professors seemed to laugh, including one very pale Snape. Draco, who was still looking at Hermione found himself next to her as Dumbledore¡¯s speech went on. She had gone back to chatting with old friends when Pansy slid in front of Draco¡¯s way.

¡°Oh Draco! I¡¯ve missed you so much. You never did call me back!¡± She came toward him with her arms stretched out in front of her but Draco moved back. Hermione stopped discussing with her friends and was listening to the conversation that was talking place behind her. Although her back was turned, she could imagine what his facial expression would be: the annoyance, the rolling of eyes, and the constant biting of his lip when he was put into a position he didn¡¯t like. Hermione stifled a laughter.

¡°Sorry Pansy, I¡¯m looking for somebody right now.¡± Draco pretended to be looking for someone, or something with his hand right above his eyes and squinting his eyes. Pansy crossed her arms and glared at him.

¡°You mean, Hermione?¡± Draco stopped pretending and gaped down at Pansy. She stared right back. ¡°It¡¯s true then, you have a thing for a muggle born?¡± And not just any muggle born, but her?¡± Before Draco could respond, Hermione was well on her way of choking the life out of her. Her coughing fit scared everyone around her. There were shouts everywhere.

¡°Somebody get her water!¡±

¡°Ok!¡± Where¡¯s the water?¡±

¡°I.....I don¡¯t know! Just get it!!!!¡±

¡°AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!¡±

¡°Hermione? Breath!¡±

¡°Oh my gosh! What are we going to do! Ahh!!!! Will somebody save us now?¡±

¡°Hahaha! Where is your god now!¡±

During all this, Hermione had already stopped coughing and found herself being pulled by her hand away from the crowd. Draco was pulling her, making sure no one was looking, and all Hermione could do was smile. But what they didn¡¯t know was the Ron and Pansy were very much looking. And when Pansy started following them, so did Ron. But the odd thing of it, was that there was someone else following them.

Outside of the chaos, Draco and Hermione were silent for a second. They just stared at each other, not knowing what to do. Draco smiled, and that set off their laughter. Still holding hands, Hermione had her head on his chest and he had his forehead on the top of her head. They were filled with amusement until their sides started to hurt and their laughter turned into a gleeful ¡°Ow.¡± Hermione was the first to realize how close she was to him and quickly she pulled back, looking at the carpet with great interest. Draco, with his smirk, came closer to her, and grabbed her waist. Hermione¡¯s eyes enlarged. ¡°Get your arms off of me!¡± But quickly seemed confused. Draco, knowing all too well why, he pulled her closer.

¡°Does it seem like Deja Vu? Because, we have been in this position before.¡± He loved her look of shock. She stared at him wide eyed and he in turn laughed. He leaned in to kiss her when there was a shriek behind them. Pansy had seen the whole thing, and she had just fainted. Ron was right next to her, his hands grabbing onto the railing right next to him. It seemed as though if he let go, he would collapse right there. Draco and Hermione quickly went towards them. Draco tried to help Ron get a grip on himself but Ron Yelled at him, saying rubbish and things of that nature, while Hermione tried to help Pansy up. Pansy got a load of Hermione¡¯s hair and yanked it to the ground.

¡°How dare you try and take him away from me? You...You of all people. You have the nerve to touch him. He¡¯s mine! All mine! You....MUDBLOOD!!!!!!¡± Pansy quickly covered her mouth as she said it. Ron seemed to get a hold of himself and stared at her. Draco looked shocked and sneered at her, and Hermione seemed to be on the verge of tears. Furious, Draco grabbed Pansy¡¯s arm pulled her up. Taking her by the shoulders, he faced Pansy towards Hermione.

¡°Why don¡¯t you say that again?¡± He shook her until she began to cry. Leaving her there, Draco pushed her to the side and walked towards Hermione. She was still glaring at Pansy with tears in her eyes. Draco turned Hermione around and together they walked out of the corridor.