The Poker Game
Chapter Six: Of Denial and Beginnings

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter characters emotionally belong to everyone who cares about them, spiritually belong to all those who think about them and legally belong to JK Rowling. Alack for woe, that is not me. All I own is the plot...

AN: I answer reviews at the bottom. I know, isn't it exciting? I've never done that before. Just a warning though I only answered ones that seemed to merit some kind of answerif you just said, "NICE!" I totally appreciatethe review, but there isn't a whole lot to say to that.

DRACO'S POV

Things never seem to go as predicted with Hermione.

I was supposed to win at poker, yet I lost to her. I was supposed to leave her humiliated and at the mercy of the Gossip Empire, and instead I got chased down too. I'm supposed to be nonchalant and gloating right now because I manipulated her into kissing me—but, surprise, surprise!—I'm not.

Her lips are still on mine, and it just feels…right. Mystifyingly bizarre, but right. This is how it should be.

Well, maybe not always just like this. After all, creativity is a virtue. But enough time for that later.

After I can't even begin to imagine how long (too short a time to be sure—isn't it funny how time speeds up or slows down conversely according to what you want it to do? There's actually a Magical Theory about that, the Time Is A Sadistic Son Of A Bitch Theorem. It's all the rage at the universities right now) she slowly withdraws her lips, a small sigh on her lips and an utterly contented look gracing her features.

Then she opens her eyes and realizes what just happened.

Needless to say my little euphoric interlude comes to a crashing halt.

Damn it all.

She scrambles off me, stands up and proceeds to hyperventilate. From my sitting position I watch as she paces and works herself into a frenzy.

"Ok, gotta think clearly. I appear to have kissed Malfoy. Possible explanations: I have gone insane, this is a dream, my high-stress sleep-deprived state has led me to hallucinate….can you taste things in hallucinations? This is not good. Maybe the world is ending. Yeah, that could make sense…" Her incoherent mumblings continue although I stop listening.

I don't think I've ever affected someone to quite this extent just by kissing them. I think this is a rather impressive accomplishment.

However at this point a rather more constructive accomplishment would be fetching Hermione back to the World of the Semi-Sane. I would bring her to the World of the Sane, but sadly the World of the Sane doesn't exist, as anyone who is truly sane will be ostracized and/or hunted down by the far more numerous near insane masses. Most notable current example: the Feminine Mafia.

As tempting as it is to just kiss her I rather think that that action could have counter productive results. So I go with the less enjoyable 'talk her down' method.

Of course, less enjoyable is a relative term.

HERMIONE'S POV

"Hermione, everything is going to be ok." He says in the tone that adults use on toddlers who are panicking. Stupid Draco. How can he be so calm at a time like this? It's indecent is what it is. And I'm not a child. Or panicking. I am perfectly in control of the situation.

My comments about the end of the world and the Anti-Christ were purely…er…theological. Yes, that's it. They were the result of a deep theological fascination with the end of the world, despite the fact that I'm not actually Christian. But hey, it makes at least as much sense as a Wizarding School celebrating Christmas.

He's still talking in that soothing tone damn him.

And he's trying to sidle closer. Like I wouldn't notice that.

He's only about three feet away now and quickly enclosing. I can't seem to think when he's too close. He needs to be farther away. Now.

It might be time to take action.

"Back foul fiend!" I shriek as I draw my wand. I brandish it and attempt to look menacing.

Rather than being frightened Draco bursts out laughing. This is rather upsetting. I mean, so ok, maybe I do look more like an angry beaver than a dangerous witch, and maybe that line wasn't mine, but hey, he could at least pretend to be afraid.

"I'm sorry Hermione," he gets out between heaving laughs, "but you just can't pull that off. Not even a little bit…" At this point he dissolves into another fit of laughter.

Sometimes I really dislike him.

Abandoning any pretext at being intimidating I place my hands on my hips and glare at him.

"Look, I don't know how you can be so calm about all of this. Aren't just a little bit weirded out that we just kissed? I mean, you are Draco Malfoy and I am Hermione Granger. This isn't supposed to happen. Or has the world gone completely insane?"

Draco slowly straightens and looks me in the eyes. Only I can't seem to hold his gaze, and I look away.

"What do you want me to say? If you'd asked me a few years ago if I thought I'd enjoy hanging out and/or making out with you I would have hexed you and stalked off. So yeah, this whole situation is a little out of the ordinary. But I think you are exaggerating—I bet this wouldn't even make the top twenty for Weirdest Events Ever. I mean, how does this compare to the Crookback Snarky Dragons getting wiped out by twenty time traveling pixies wielding muggle short range nuclear missiles?" Looking at me reproachfully he continues, "That's right. It doesn't." Shaking his head sadly, "You lack perspective Hermione. You gotta take everything in context."

I will admit that next to the untimely demise of the Crookback Snarky Dragons makes my problems look substantially less all-consuming. I know that I should stop freaking out. I know that I'm being melodramatic and indulging in self-pity. But I really don't feel like behaving like the 'mature young woman' I always am. I am tired, stressed out and just I don't feel like being logical or generous right now.

Perhaps more importantly though is if I start being logical and fair about all of this I'll have to admit that I really enjoyed kissing Draco and that he's been right about everything that he's said so far. And once I've admitted those things…

"Draco," He looks at me, a curious look darting in his infamous grey eyes. "if I buy that kissing you isn't contextually speaking the end of the world, then what exactly is it?"

He flashes a rakish grin and I know that I've asked the right question.

"I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful scandal." And with that he offers me his arm, which after a momentary hesitation I take, and we begin the walk back to Hogwarts arm in arm.

The End


AN: Well canyou believe it? It ended. It kinda makes me sad, although when I originally sat down to write I envisioned this as a one shot. I am considering writing a sequal, but I'm not promising anything yet. Keep an eye on my author's page if you're interested and review! Oh yeah, and I'm seriously considering editing this whole story and putting it in the past tense? What do you guys think?

Fardeep: I was surprised by them kissing that early too, you'd be surprised how little control over this story I actually have...

Dismayed Critic: I'll keep the switching POVs comment in mind for when I edit this, thankx for the reviews

Future Movie Maker: wait, so you like or dislike my plots? And are you asking for subplots, or just other stories or new plots altogether?

Bookworm1214: glad you liked it

Molle-Rulz: wow, gotta say I'm impressed that you knew what defenestrate meant. I'm glad that you like my story so much!

FiRyFaIrY14: I have to say that after oooh cliffy! your review lost me. What are these sheep you speak of? Have they invaded my story without my knowledge? Or are they metaphysical sheep that only truly exist in the dark precepts of your mind...

Miss Ditzy: I'm sorry if Draco is a little OoC, I generally try to keep the characters fairly in character, although I'm usually also working within my interpretation of the characters. I'm aiming for a sort of superficially evil Draco, but I might not even be getting there.

Lady of the Realm: wahoo! It's nice to know that people do appreciate the time I spend editing, and it's a personal pet peeve of mine when authors don't edit.

Potterishotter77: well, I stuck snarky in, just for you. I was planning on putting somewhere actually in the context of a sentence, but then I was trying to come up with a good dragon name and snarky was just too perfect! Thanks! Oh, and consider yourself the first official member of the Feminine Mafia.

Emerald Kiwi: 1. A gauntlet historically speaking is a glove, and when you challenge someone to a duel you throw the gauntlet at their feet and if they pick it up that means they have accepted the challenge. The phrase 'throw a gauntlet' or 'pick up a gauntlet' actually also appear in modern English. There is a wonderful scene form Shakespeare's Richard II about gauntlets. 2. Actually I could totally see Hermione sneering in a snobby intellectual way. Also, remember she's been spending time with Malfoy.