Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews so far. I know Hermione might seem a little bit down on herself right now (or a loser if you prefer laughs at the truth inJadziadaxx's review)but that's all part of the story. WARNING:The nextfew chapters onlyincrease in thier cornyosity (is that a word?) sowatch out.But there will be trouble later on. Pansy might get jealous and stir up some problems but you didn't hear it from me. HINT! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but I do own the ability to make them say corny things. (Nytel can vouch for that) ;-)

Love on the Rocks

Chapter Four: Kissing Your Enemy

"Hermione please come out…I really need to talk with you!"

"Go to Hell, Malfoy!"

"I'm already there," came the muffled reply from the other side of the door. The past week had been filled with students taunting her about Draco's 'joke' kiss and Ron giving her the cold shoulder so Hermione was glad it was finally the weekend. Harry had tried to get the two of them talking in the classes the three of them shared but Ron would have none of it. Today had been especially bad so, instead of going to dinner to face more ridicule, Hermione had opted to escape to her rooms for a nice soak in the bath tub and a good cry. Draco, the inconsiderate hypocritical self-serving little worm, had arrived halfway through her bath and had continued to persistently bang on her door for the past half hour demanding to speak with her.

Pulling her Spongebob Squarepants bathrobe tighter around her, Hermione sighed in defeat and pulled the door open for the distressed Head Boy. "Make it quick Malfoy or I'll rip your stupid lips off your face."

A look of real fear crossed Malfoy's face and words quickly poured from his mouth. "Hermione…I'm sorry for embarrassing you but you have to understand that the kiss wasn't a jo…" Cutting him off in mid sentence, Hermione rammed Draco in the stomach causing him to fall backward onto the bed behind him. Hermione lost balance and toppled on top of his solid form.

She felt muscular arms enclose her middle but Hermione struggled into a sitting position straddling him on the bed. Tiny fists jammed into Draco's ribs as Hermione let loose all her pent up frustration on the boy beneath her. Soft sobs escaped her mouth as Hermione gradually stopped her assault on the Slytherin and nestled her tear-stained face into his shoulder.

"Don't finish that sentence. I know damn well that it was a joke. I know I'm not pretty and I know no one could ever want me. Viktor made that quite clear. I just don't understand why your life's goal is to make me miserable." Hermione broke into a fresh wave of tears when she realized what she had just admitted. She had never told anyone, not even Harry and Ron, about her rocky relationship with Viktor Krum.

Most people assumed that after her fifth year Hermione had stopped talking to Krum but that wasn't really true. She had corresponded with the burly boy for a few weeks at the beginning of the summer before they both decided that he should come to visit her. At first he had been the perfect gentlemen but then Hermione had started to see a different side of the Bulgarian seeker.

When they were alone in the house he would break into her father's liquor cabinet, drink himself into a stupor, and yell drunkenly about all the things that were wrong with his girlfriend. His favorite topics to verbally abuse her over were how ugly she was and how she would never be good enough for him. Hermione, thinking herself in love, became convinced that he must be right and did nothing to defend herself.

The final straw came when her parents, having been at a dinner party, arrived home to find Krum trying to force himself on a very distraught Hermione. Her Father had left not a few bruises on the horrible boy and sent him back to Bulgaria after Hermione begged him not to press charges. The arrangement was that she would see a Psychiatrist if they left Krum alone but she had to depart for Hogwarts before she could complete her sessions.

By the time her sixth year was over Hermione had become adept at hiding her emotions and had easily convinced her parents that she was back to normal. The two dentists had no idea the deep emotional wounds that still ate at their daughter's heart.

The entire story spilled from her lips as if by magic and when she was finished Hermione felt emotionally sapped. Draco allowed her to rest on top of him for what seemed like an eternity before he turned them both onto their sides so that they were facing each other. Hermione felt warm finger tips wipe the last few tears from her cheeks and she opened her eyes expecting to see a look of contempt on his face.

Instead her eyes met a face full of compassion, concern, and some foreign emotion that Hermione couldn't name. His voice betrayed his anger as he whispered, "He's a jackass. You shouldn't believe a thing he said. You're beautiful and you deserve a lot better than the likes of him."

Draco raised one of his large hands to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and the skin he had touched felt like it was on fire. "I just want to apologize for everything I ever did to hurt you. I wish I had never been stupid enough to say any of it. You're smart, honest, kind, and absolutely gorgeous." Hermione started to speak at this but Draco put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"Don't say anything yet. When I came over to Dumbledore's side in sixth year, I realized how…good of a person you are. I realized that the only reason I had made fun of you was because I wanted your attention. I know I have no right to one but I have to ask for a second chance. Just one more chance to prove that I can treat you right. To prove that I'm not the ass I used to be."

The look in his silver eyes seemed to say that he was telling the truth but Hermione was hesitant to trust her own judgment. She had been wrong before, right?

"I can see the gears turning in your head. I know you don't believe me and I don't know what to say to convince you that I don't want to hurt you."

Hermione looked up into his pained face and answered, "I don't know that there's anything you can say."

A flicker of determination came into Draco's eyes and for the second time in a week Hermione found herself crushed to the powerful Slytherin's chest. "Well actions speak louder than words." With that Draco's mouth came crashing down onto Hermione's in a kiss filled with a heady passion that she had never before experienced. Her fingers tangled themselves in his platinum locks as her arms came around his neck and eager lips parted to allow him entrance.

Hermione's brain was screaming that this was all some plan of his but the rest of her body seemed to think differently. Her hands slipped down his chest and Hermione was amazed at the muscles she felt rippling beneath her fingers. She heard Draco groan low in his chest and suddenly her world was shifting. All of a sudden she felt Draco turn so that he was half on top of her and she instantly froze. Flashbacks of the night Viktor had tried to rape her rapidly flashed through her brain and she pushed at Draco's chest. "Stop…no…I don't want to." At her words the weight atop her body disappeared and Hermione came to herself as if she had been in a nightmare.

" 'Mione, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?" Hermione looked up and felt horrible when she saw the concerned look on Draco's face.

"Oh Merlin. I…no…it wasn't you. I…you being on top of me just reminded me of when Viktor tried to…and I just froze. I'm sorry…I'm just no good at this."

"Oh no sweetheart…don't be sorry. We'll take it slower from now on so you don't get scared. You…you do want to…do this again, right?" Hermione burst into laughter at the awkwardness in his voice and Draco soon followed. "Oh…you're laughing at me now. I'll have to see about that."

Draco, grabbing a pillow from above his head, laughed as he hit her softly in the stomach with his feather stuffed weapon. Hermione, giggling uncontrollably, scooped up her own pillow and stood up on the bed for better aim at her opponent. After both got in a few thumps with their pillows, Draco jumped off the bed, scooped Hermione into his arms, and swung the screeching girl over his shoulder. Pausing in front of the door leading out of her room, Draco swatted Hermione softly on the behind and laughed as she gasped in fake indignation. As he swung the door open to the common room, Draco laughingly said, "That'll teach you to laugh at me, Granger."

Hermione stopped giggling when she felt Draco's arms tense around her legs and grew still when she heard a familiar voice growl, "I'm going to kill you, Malfoy."

Author's Note: Who could it be? I know what happened in this chapter is unlikely but most things that happen in Fan Fiction are unlikely to happen. Please keep on reading my story and please keep on reviewing. The story is focused around their relationship but they are going to have to prove themselves to earn happiness.

Also, just in case, I would like to take the time right now to say that in no way am I trying to insult those who have suffered from physical or emotional abuse. It's a very serious issue and I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Just to make it clear, Krum did not rape Hermione. He tried to but did not succeed.

Lots of Love - Miss Dissendium