Hermione awoke to the sound of someone opening the shades to her window. She blinked a few times before sitting up to find a familiar blonde.
"Malfoy?"
At the sound of her voice, Draco turned and raised an eyebrow at the scenery. He looked her over once and absently licked his lips. It wasn't all the time that you saw Hermione Granger like she was.
"Good morning. I just thought I'd stop by to see how you were doing," he drawled lazily as he made his way over to the side of her bed, "Sleep well?"
It wasn't long before Hermione realized that she wasn't exactly in her most modest attire. A small yelp escaped her lips as she grabbed the sheet and pulled it over herself to keep from his wandering eye. She dismissed his question, and replaced it with one of her own.
"Why are you here?"
A simple smile spread across his thin lips as he took a seat next to her on the bed.
"Haven't we already covered that?"
She blushed slightly and looked around the now well-lit room and bit her lip in thought. It seemed odd for some reason.
"What have you done?" She asked without thinking.
Draco didn't answer right away, but instead ran his fingers down her collarbone, and past the sheet. He hadn't ever felt skin like hers. Smooth, soft, warm. She still smelt strongly of vanilla, and the way she looked at him in disgust when he touched her was enough to make him lose himself in her.
"You know, this little act we're putting on has caused a lot of gossip around the school. Honestly, I've heard so many twisted tales about the romance of Draco and Hermione," he reached out to stroke her cheek, "But not one is even close to the truth."
Hermione sneered in disgust, and reached for her robe that was on a chair next to her bed. She maneuvered under the sheets, until she was covered and stepped out from the bed.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked curiously.
"I can't run around the school in the nude can I?"
Draco rolled his eyes and stared at her as she started grabbing items of clothing from her closet. A weird feeling was found in his stomach for a brief second. He shook the thought from his mind as he continued to watch as she slipped on her school attire. She had creamy white skin that glowed in the dim light of her bedroom. Perfect curves in all the right places. Those gorgeous chestnut curls fell softly down her shoulders and rested on her back. She reminded him of something out of a storybook.
"Are you alright Malfoy?"
Her voice broke him of his trace. He shook his head, and rubbed his eyes before staring directly at her.
"I'm fine... why?"
Hermione shrugged slightly, and fastened the buttons on her cloak.
"You seemed sort of dazed," Hermione said as she walked over to her vanity and fixed herself up in the mirror.
Draco watched her with curiosity. In his second year if you told him that he'd actually be 'pretending' to be in love with a mudblood, he would have snapped. Now... he didn't know what it was, but there was something about her.
Something special.
Once Hermione had finished, she headed over to where he was sitting, and placed her hands on his thighs.
"Ready?"
Draco cocked an eyebrow at the brunette.
"You sound like you actually want to go down."
"Why wouldn't I?"
A small smirk made its way onto his lips as he placed his hands over Hermione's, and pulled her closer to him. His tongue darted it to trace the shell of her ear and he ran his hand up her arms.
"Well... we could always stay here," He whispered huskily.
Hermione fought the urge to take any part of his antics. This was only an act. Nothing more... at least that's what she was telling herself.
"You're playing a wicked game, Malfoy," She said before pulling back.
His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as he stared at her. With a groan, he got up and grabbed her hand before she could protest.
"Malf-"
"Shut up, Granger."
Draco pulled Hermione through the hallways and down staircases as if she were some kind of rag doll. Not once did the brave lion protest though, she kept quiet, and found pleasure at looking of the faces of her horrified peers.
It wasn't everyday Hermione Granger let Draco Malfoy push her around.
When they saw the natural light from the windows in the Entrance Hall, Hermione started to get butterflies in her stomach. This was going to be a challenge. She wasn't at the Slytherin table; she was with her own peers this time. People she had grown up with. She only hoped they loved her enough to try and understand.
Draco let go of her hand as they reached the oak doors leading to the Great Hall. He turned slowly to her and raised an eyebrow.
"You look pale," He drawled.
Hermione glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I cant' help it. I-I'm worried," she finally got out.
She stared into those gray eyes for comfort; anything really, but there was nothing there. Usually his eyes gave away what he was truly feeling, but this time... she couldn't read it.
Draco stared at her in disbelief. Not once since they had met each other had he seen her worried. Placing a firm hand on his shoulder he leaned down slightly.
"Don't be."
She nodded as if taking an order from her father or a professor.
After a moment of letting Hermione catch her nerves, Draco slipped his hand around her waist and opened the door to the Great Hall.
The room immediately got quiet, as he led her down the Gryffindor table to where Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat.
Not one eye was looking anywhere but to the mismatched pairing. Each person held their breath, and wondered what really was going on. The only people who dared to say anything at all were her own friends.
"You two are here... why?" Ron asked coldly.
Hermione stared agape at one of her best friends. Harry refused to look at her, while Ginny nibbled away at his ear. The only person that actually seemed to care was Draco, who was tightening the grip around her waist.
"I thought that Draco and I could sit with you guys today... you know... to talk to you ?" Hermione wasn't sure of what to say, but she tried.
Ron sneered and stood up. He had grown a lot since the sixth year. A tad bit taller than Draco. Draco on the other hand was more refined then Ron.
"Hermione, the second you started whatever you have with," Ron looked to Draco and glared, "Him, is when you stopped being our friend."
Harry looked up at Hermione for a split second, and what she saw in those brilliant green eyes was something she'd never seen Harry express towards her.
Hate.
Not bothering to take a second glance at her friends, Hermione released herself from Draco's grip and ran out of the Great Hall as fast as she could.
Everyone looked towards the Gryffindor table, and started muttering things about Hermione.
"You're a bastard for doing that to her you know?" Draco stated coldly.
"Oh, and you weren't a bastard for all that you put her through?" Ron answered back.
Draco shook his head, and cursed under his breath. Weasley was right, but Draco knew he hadn't caused her that much pain.
He turned his direction to Harry, who had remained quiet the whole time.
"And you Potter? I thought you had a lot a lot more regard for her."
It was intense as scarlet and gold; silver and green collided.
But in the end, Draco walked out to leave the other 2/3 of the trio thinking about exactly what they had done.
"I do not have any feelings for her," Draco muttered sternly to himself as he headed down the hallways in search of the Gryffindor.
Are you sure?
Draco shook the little voice of his head out and turned a corner, his cloak billowing behind him.
Ron was right though. Draco had treated her like dirt over the years, not giving a damn about what she felt. Now he did, and why he did was beyond reasoning.
Small whimpers could be heard from inside a classroom. Draco cautiously walked towards the door and peeked inside.
There she was, sitting on the floor with her head in her hands. She was so beautiful when she was crying... Draco had always thought it.
"Hermione?"
Draco hadn't even caught himself saying her real name.
She didn't look up, but stopped her crying.
"Yeah?" Without thinking about it, Draco started over to where she was and took a seat beside her. He placed a finger on her chin, and lifted her head gently to face him. Just as he thought, her eyes beautiful with all the paint that was hidden inside them.
"Please, stop," he said softly.
Hermione couldn't help but notice his gentleness. Not once in her entire time at Hogwarts had the Slytherin Prince been... gentle.
She brushed it off, and shook her head at him.
"Why are you doing this?"
Draco didn't answer the question right away. He thought about it first, before answering. One reason was because not even he knew why he was putting her through this. Finally an answer came to him. He locked his eyes with hers and made sure not to show emotion.
"I wanted to see you crumble."
Hermione didn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. She pushed his hand away and stood up, before pacing in front of him.
'I wanted to see you crumble.' Kept running through her head over and over.
That's all he wanted.
Destruction.
All the emotions running through her were enough to make her scream, but she kept herself contained. Her slender fingers ran through her hair as she sighed and looked towards him, making sure to take in each detail.
"Crumble?"
Draco stood up, and casually leaned on the desk behind him.
"Why else would I be doing this? Doing this with you, mudblood?"
At that statement Hermione's warm brown eyes turned into daggers. Stopping in front of him, she kept her hand at her side to keep from slapping him.
"Don't you ever call me that again," she spat.
The sides of his lips twisted into a smirk as he watched her.
"Really? And what will you do if I say it again? Huh?"
She had been defeated.
"I...."
"You?"
Hermione turned her back towards him and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I told you before... you're playing a wicked game..."
Draco took a seat on the table and stared at the back of her head.
"Well you're playing too."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked as she turned to him.
"Your on my side, and with you, anything is possible."
Hermione stared at the blonde with disgust. She took a couple of steps towards him, and shook her head.
"I never said I was on your side."
At this statement Draco stood up and hovered over her. He wrapped his hands around her arms and dug his fingernails into them to drive a point home. Her trembling at his grip only made him want to push her farther than he already was.
"You never said you weren't."
Author's comments: Wow, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers. You guys seriously inspired me to keep writing. I didn't realize my writing was good. Ah but, I'll try to get Ch. 4 up as soon as possible. Thank you guys. Eeek and sorry about the delay because of all the HTML problems...I have no idea why it was doing that.
"Malfoy?"
At the sound of her voice, Draco turned and raised an eyebrow at the scenery. He looked her over once and absently licked his lips. It wasn't all the time that you saw Hermione Granger like she was.
"Good morning. I just thought I'd stop by to see how you were doing," he drawled lazily as he made his way over to the side of her bed, "Sleep well?"
It wasn't long before Hermione realized that she wasn't exactly in her most modest attire. A small yelp escaped her lips as she grabbed the sheet and pulled it over herself to keep from his wandering eye. She dismissed his question, and replaced it with one of her own.
"Why are you here?"
A simple smile spread across his thin lips as he took a seat next to her on the bed.
"Haven't we already covered that?"
She blushed slightly and looked around the now well-lit room and bit her lip in thought. It seemed odd for some reason.
"What have you done?" She asked without thinking.
Draco didn't answer right away, but instead ran his fingers down her collarbone, and past the sheet. He hadn't ever felt skin like hers. Smooth, soft, warm. She still smelt strongly of vanilla, and the way she looked at him in disgust when he touched her was enough to make him lose himself in her.
"You know, this little act we're putting on has caused a lot of gossip around the school. Honestly, I've heard so many twisted tales about the romance of Draco and Hermione," he reached out to stroke her cheek, "But not one is even close to the truth."
Hermione sneered in disgust, and reached for her robe that was on a chair next to her bed. She maneuvered under the sheets, until she was covered and stepped out from the bed.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked curiously.
"I can't run around the school in the nude can I?"
Draco rolled his eyes and stared at her as she started grabbing items of clothing from her closet. A weird feeling was found in his stomach for a brief second. He shook the thought from his mind as he continued to watch as she slipped on her school attire. She had creamy white skin that glowed in the dim light of her bedroom. Perfect curves in all the right places. Those gorgeous chestnut curls fell softly down her shoulders and rested on her back. She reminded him of something out of a storybook.
"Are you alright Malfoy?"
Her voice broke him of his trace. He shook his head, and rubbed his eyes before staring directly at her.
"I'm fine... why?"
Hermione shrugged slightly, and fastened the buttons on her cloak.
"You seemed sort of dazed," Hermione said as she walked over to her vanity and fixed herself up in the mirror.
Draco watched her with curiosity. In his second year if you told him that he'd actually be 'pretending' to be in love with a mudblood, he would have snapped. Now... he didn't know what it was, but there was something about her.
Something special.
Once Hermione had finished, she headed over to where he was sitting, and placed her hands on his thighs.
"Ready?"
Draco cocked an eyebrow at the brunette.
"You sound like you actually want to go down."
"Why wouldn't I?"
A small smirk made its way onto his lips as he placed his hands over Hermione's, and pulled her closer to him. His tongue darted it to trace the shell of her ear and he ran his hand up her arms.
"Well... we could always stay here," He whispered huskily.
Hermione fought the urge to take any part of his antics. This was only an act. Nothing more... at least that's what she was telling herself.
"You're playing a wicked game, Malfoy," She said before pulling back.
His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as he stared at her. With a groan, he got up and grabbed her hand before she could protest.
"Malf-"
"Shut up, Granger."
Draco pulled Hermione through the hallways and down staircases as if she were some kind of rag doll. Not once did the brave lion protest though, she kept quiet, and found pleasure at looking of the faces of her horrified peers.
It wasn't everyday Hermione Granger let Draco Malfoy push her around.
When they saw the natural light from the windows in the Entrance Hall, Hermione started to get butterflies in her stomach. This was going to be a challenge. She wasn't at the Slytherin table; she was with her own peers this time. People she had grown up with. She only hoped they loved her enough to try and understand.
Draco let go of her hand as they reached the oak doors leading to the Great Hall. He turned slowly to her and raised an eyebrow.
"You look pale," He drawled.
Hermione glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I cant' help it. I-I'm worried," she finally got out.
She stared into those gray eyes for comfort; anything really, but there was nothing there. Usually his eyes gave away what he was truly feeling, but this time... she couldn't read it.
Draco stared at her in disbelief. Not once since they had met each other had he seen her worried. Placing a firm hand on his shoulder he leaned down slightly.
"Don't be."
She nodded as if taking an order from her father or a professor.
After a moment of letting Hermione catch her nerves, Draco slipped his hand around her waist and opened the door to the Great Hall.
The room immediately got quiet, as he led her down the Gryffindor table to where Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat.
Not one eye was looking anywhere but to the mismatched pairing. Each person held their breath, and wondered what really was going on. The only people who dared to say anything at all were her own friends.
"You two are here... why?" Ron asked coldly.
Hermione stared agape at one of her best friends. Harry refused to look at her, while Ginny nibbled away at his ear. The only person that actually seemed to care was Draco, who was tightening the grip around her waist.
"I thought that Draco and I could sit with you guys today... you know... to talk to you ?" Hermione wasn't sure of what to say, but she tried.
Ron sneered and stood up. He had grown a lot since the sixth year. A tad bit taller than Draco. Draco on the other hand was more refined then Ron.
"Hermione, the second you started whatever you have with," Ron looked to Draco and glared, "Him, is when you stopped being our friend."
Harry looked up at Hermione for a split second, and what she saw in those brilliant green eyes was something she'd never seen Harry express towards her.
Hate.
Not bothering to take a second glance at her friends, Hermione released herself from Draco's grip and ran out of the Great Hall as fast as she could.
Everyone looked towards the Gryffindor table, and started muttering things about Hermione.
"You're a bastard for doing that to her you know?" Draco stated coldly.
"Oh, and you weren't a bastard for all that you put her through?" Ron answered back.
Draco shook his head, and cursed under his breath. Weasley was right, but Draco knew he hadn't caused her that much pain.
He turned his direction to Harry, who had remained quiet the whole time.
"And you Potter? I thought you had a lot a lot more regard for her."
It was intense as scarlet and gold; silver and green collided.
But in the end, Draco walked out to leave the other 2/3 of the trio thinking about exactly what they had done.
"I do not have any feelings for her," Draco muttered sternly to himself as he headed down the hallways in search of the Gryffindor.
Are you sure?
Draco shook the little voice of his head out and turned a corner, his cloak billowing behind him.
Ron was right though. Draco had treated her like dirt over the years, not giving a damn about what she felt. Now he did, and why he did was beyond reasoning.
Small whimpers could be heard from inside a classroom. Draco cautiously walked towards the door and peeked inside.
There she was, sitting on the floor with her head in her hands. She was so beautiful when she was crying... Draco had always thought it.
"Hermione?"
Draco hadn't even caught himself saying her real name.
She didn't look up, but stopped her crying.
"Yeah?" Without thinking about it, Draco started over to where she was and took a seat beside her. He placed a finger on her chin, and lifted her head gently to face him. Just as he thought, her eyes beautiful with all the paint that was hidden inside them.
"Please, stop," he said softly.
Hermione couldn't help but notice his gentleness. Not once in her entire time at Hogwarts had the Slytherin Prince been... gentle.
She brushed it off, and shook her head at him.
"Why are you doing this?"
Draco didn't answer the question right away. He thought about it first, before answering. One reason was because not even he knew why he was putting her through this. Finally an answer came to him. He locked his eyes with hers and made sure not to show emotion.
"I wanted to see you crumble."
Hermione didn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. She pushed his hand away and stood up, before pacing in front of him.
'I wanted to see you crumble.' Kept running through her head over and over.
That's all he wanted.
Destruction.
All the emotions running through her were enough to make her scream, but she kept herself contained. Her slender fingers ran through her hair as she sighed and looked towards him, making sure to take in each detail.
"Crumble?"
Draco stood up, and casually leaned on the desk behind him.
"Why else would I be doing this? Doing this with you, mudblood?"
At that statement Hermione's warm brown eyes turned into daggers. Stopping in front of him, she kept her hand at her side to keep from slapping him.
"Don't you ever call me that again," she spat.
The sides of his lips twisted into a smirk as he watched her.
"Really? And what will you do if I say it again? Huh?"
She had been defeated.
"I...."
"You?"
Hermione turned her back towards him and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I told you before... you're playing a wicked game..."
Draco took a seat on the table and stared at the back of her head.
"Well you're playing too."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked as she turned to him.
"Your on my side, and with you, anything is possible."
Hermione stared at the blonde with disgust. She took a couple of steps towards him, and shook her head.
"I never said I was on your side."
At this statement Draco stood up and hovered over her. He wrapped his hands around her arms and dug his fingernails into them to drive a point home. Her trembling at his grip only made him want to push her farther than he already was.
"You never said you weren't."
Author's comments: Wow, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers. You guys seriously inspired me to keep writing. I didn't realize my writing was good. Ah but, I'll try to get Ch. 4 up as soon as possible. Thank you guys. Eeek and sorry about the delay because of all the HTML problems...I have no idea why it was doing that.