A/N: Thanks again to the amazing Squid (or Fippets as she's known on here) for being such a good beta reader. Go check out her story Worth the Pain. It's an incredible one shot, and is so good! Also thanks for the reviews. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside :)

Chapter 4: Wandering Thoughts

Hermione walked into the Great Hall, glancing with just a little envy at Ron and Padma seated at the head of their respective tables. Squeezing in between Ginny and Neville, she cast around for Harry. On the ride up to the castle she'd had a quick think - what Hermione was best at - and decided she would ignore what had happened, and wait for Harry to bring it up. She caught sight of him near the head of the table, next to Ron, Seamus and Dean. His head went down as soon as she looked in his direction. Hermione guessed they wouldn't be discussing this anytime soon.

"So guys, what you get up to during the holidays?" a pale, blonde girl whom Hermione did not recognize interrupted her thoughts.

"Just sat at home as usual." groaned Ginny. "What about you Mione? Any more conquests?"

Hermione blushed, but before she could say anything, Professor McGonagall walked in carrying the Sorting Hat. The hall hushed and the Sorting began.

The feast was, as usual, splendid, and by the time it was over everyone was more than full. Waiting until Harry had gone, Hermione left the hall and made her way up to the Gryffindor common room. But as she approached the portrait hole she saw Harry standing with Ron, obviously saying goodnight before Ron went to the Heads' quarters. Not wanting to face Ron, and not being able to face Harry just yet, she turned her back on her friends and walked back towards the Great Hall, going through the day's events in her mind.

First finding out she was not Head Girl, then that decidedly strange meeting with Malfoy, then that spell -'Oh great. I've got an enemy to contend with as well,' she thought to herself - and then Harry...ugh. She didn't even want to think about what happened there. He was like her brother. And he'd KISSED her. And more! Ugh!

"So you following me now, mud...Granger?"

And now Malfoy was back.

"What are you on about now Malfoy? I'm allowed to walk around school just as much as you."

"Are you blind as well as dirty?" he sneered. "You've been following me since I left the Great Hall. And now I'd like to go to my room if you don't mind." Hermione glanced about her. She was standing in the middle of the near empty Slytherin common room.

"How the hell did I get in here?" but she could guess how she got in here. It was an unfortunate habit of Hermione's to, when she was thinking particularly deeply, to follow whoever was in front of her. This wasn't the first time she'd been caught in an embarrassing situation. And this was not by far the most embarrassing...

"Now now, don't get moody on me. You may actually make me start to want you." Malfoy was advancing on her. She backed up against the wall and inadvertently closed her eyes as she felt his warm breath on her face.

"So you do want me?" Her eyes snapped open at the softness of his voice. She watched in fascination as his eyes hardened suddenly.

"Well I don't want you!" he pushed her out the now open door into the corridor. She was speechless with shock as the gargoyle sprang back into place, sealing the hole in the wall.

"Bloody Malfoy," she muttered to herself as she returned to her own rooms.

Malfoy grinned to himself as he headed towards his rooms. Being in his final year, he was at least allowed the dignity of privacy. As he threw himself back onto his bed he thought about Hermione. He'd certainly run into that little bitch a lot today. Or rather she'd run into him. And had she really wanted him to kiss her? That was certainly not hate in her eyes when he'd got so close. He'd seen more than enough girls with lust in their eyes...he chuckled softly at her innocence.

His eyes flicked lazily over to the open door at the sound of a female step on the stairs. With a wave of his wand the door slammed shut and he heard a girl whine as the lock clicked shut. He wasn't up for anything tonight. Well, not from whoever that was.

He laid back, hands behind his head and continued thinking. How come that whore was invading his thoughts so much? With any other girl he thought about this much, he'd have got her into bed and that would have been the last of it. But with her...well, firstly he could never betray his family like that. And secondly, he tried to persuade himself, he was definitely not interested in her in any way. At all.

He sighed before rolling over and tried to cleanse his thoughts of her and sleep.