Disclaimer: Potterverse belongs to JK Rowling, of course. I only own the plot.

crossing the lines

Tomorrow came all too soon, the bright dazzling sun washing the part of the Earth with its burning beauty. Draco Malfoy awoke, feeling the warmth of the sunrays filtering through the folds of his curtains. There he lay, quietly absorbing the morning through his closed eyes and open ears. The hearty chirrup of birds and insects alike which he never took much notice of before now pestered him for his attention. He took in a deep breath, the medley of morning scents teasing his nose and dissolving the final vestiges of sleep left in him.

After breakfast found him queuing up with the rest of the students who were allowed to visit Hogsmeade. He hardly ate, just swallowing a muffin and some juice and all the while without anyone noticing, effortlessly watching the Granger girl seated placidly at the Gryffindor table, mindlessly poking her porridge amidst bright conversation and lively laughter around her. His curiousity had peakened overnight and he became obsessed with understanding this new facet of his life.

He picked an empty carriage, managing this as he slipped away unawares from the stifling company of Pansy. Her momentary pause to look at someone and he was gone. He scowled at anyone poking their heads into the carriage as he sat there waiting. It must have been a peculiar thing to say, if he were to ever say it, that he was waiting for Her.. impossible even. And yet he was patient. She would be there, there was no doubt in his mind. He moved around in his seat, finding a more comfortable seating positing, then resumed his waiting.

And then there she was. She seemed to have entered without him knowing but yet he saw her slipping inside quietly, her movements fluid and gentle. His eyes took in the sight of her, a perfect picture of the familiar hatred he loved. How he studied her profile and how she blushed under his intent gaze, a rosy pink tinting her cheeks. Her small face half-hidden under the usual mess of thick brown curls in embarassment at being scrutinized. Her hands clasped, unclasped and fumbled upon her denim jeans-covered lap, her body, wrapped up in a loose green sweater fidgeted about ceaselessly. It was so easy to hate her and he knew he must be in love with hate. A smirk marked his lips. The carriages began to move one by one. He felt at ease.

They reached Hogsmeade and he, perhaps on instinct, perhaps acting on the fact that Pansy had just seen him and started walking over, helped Granger down from the carriage. He knew he would just love to see the look on Pansy's face but he had asked to spend the delicious Sunday with the wild-haired muggleborn Granger and Granger it was who would get his attention. He did not take his hand off her even long after she set her feet firmly on solid ground and not one word of objection leave her lips.

By midday the non-couple had progressed from sticky silences to choppy remarks to slightly civilised converations with the usual acidic sarcasm thrown in occasionally. He led them into Madame Puddifoot's for lunch. Now, seated across each other at a table for two on the edges of a delightfully-filling meal, they were talking like long-lost friends; shy and tentative yet brimming with stories to tell each other. He watched her as she spoke about elvish rights, a stubborn sparkle lighting up her face and that was when he knew. He knew why she had been constantly on his mind. Why she had been acting so curious around him. For ever since that night of All Hallows Eve, they became simply a boy and a girl in each other's eyes.

As realisation trickled into him, Dumbledore's words came to him and he frowned just a little. Oh, damn that Malfoy curse. Was he not even allowed to love someone just for who they were? The fact that love for a friend with a listening ear could quite possibly be fatal widened the rope of misery in him. It was amazing how it was only a tiny change in facial expression and yet she was receptive enough to catch it.

"I'm sorry .. I know how some people absolutely hate it when I talk about my views on elvish rights but it's just that I can't bear to do nothing when it is blatant slave lab-..."

"I'm just a boy."

She caught his eyes, puzzlement crossing her face. "Come again?"

He held her gaze, angry with himself for finally understanding why and angry with her for helping him understand without her actually realising she did it. "You're just a girl."

She let pass several minutes, just sitting there, fully facing him, trying to understand what he'd meant, knowing he was not critisizing her the way most people did when she ranted about house elves. She searched his eyes for the answer. And when she finally did, she swallowed. Hard. Guilt webbed over her face. Her voice became barely a whisper.

"Oh Malfoy..."

It was not the words floating through her lips that caught his breath. The way she had uttered them in such a gentle and caring manner would have been enough to send him into cries of shame but something else had stirred his heart. She had understood him, something that had never happened. He had been too much of a Malfoy all his life to ever have someone understand him without questions asked.

He blinked once, seized her hand and stared at it, fascinated by how soft and warm and good it felt in his cold and pale one. He looked back up at her, searching her face and finding the trust he had lost all faith in a long time ago. Right then he started to ache for that trust to belong to him. How he wanted to confide all his fears and problems, his worries and frustrations to her. It was inexplicable. His touch somehow sealed the shaky promise of trust that was carelessly built from Halloween night.

Slowly but surely, he moved closer to her. So close he could feel the heat radiating from her face where she wore a look of calmness but he was not looking at her expression. His eyes were locked with hers and right there in the deep brown orbs were pools so full of emotions it would be impossible to define her main feeling if not for the fear weaving a worried dance in her eyes. He whispered back, his open mouth so near her ear.

"I need this ..." he breathed, touching her earlobe with his lips.