Author's Note: I believe in the quality of my story. For those dying to get into a full-on snog session, there are other great stories that I would be happy to recommend. I appreciate the comments and suggestions, and believe me; I am taking them all into great consideration. But the one thing that I want to keep consistent is the pace. Again, this is a DEVELOPMENT piece; i am developing Hermione and Draco from their adolescent characters at Hogwarts to young adults on the brink of a possible relationship. I PROMISE, you will not be disappointed.
P.S. I *did* add some snogs in this chapter. Taking your suggestions into consideration, like I said I would.
*~*
"You mean he just kissed you? Like you were some harlot standing around waving the 'snog me' flag around?! That absurd! I can't believe he would even DARE to try anything with you!"
"Shut up Ginny. Really, this whole 'Draco is a waste of space' act is getting pretty old. Just, I don't know, SHUT UP!"
Ginny glared at her brother as she sat down on one of chairs in Hermione's private sitting room. Harry and Ron were sitting on the couch, Hermione sitting speechless between them. After the incident in the atrium, Hermione had rushed into the ballroom to grab her friends and tell them everything that had transpired between her and Draco. She didn't know what to think of it.
"You know, " said Harry, getting up to walk towards the fireplace, "I think this may not be as bad as you think."
"Not as bad as I think?" Hermione shook her head, "My BOSS just kissed me. My boss who happens to be the man who tortured me mercilessly for seven years at Hogwart's. My boss who makes me the most confused I have ever been about men in my life! My boss who's-"
"A very good kisser?" The four people in the sitting room turned towards the door. There stood Draco Malfoy, along with his trademark smirk. He walked into the room towards Hermione.
"Now you wait a minute, Malfoy, you have no right barging in on a private conversation with our friend who you may have scarred for life." Draco brushed off Ginny's comment with a wave and nodded towards Hermione.
"May I have a word with you?"
Hermione looked to Harry and Ron, who merely looked in the other direction, Harry, suddenly occupied with the molding on the mantle, and Ron with the upholstery on the couch. Sighing, Hermione got up.
"Very well. Will you all please excuse us?" Her three friends looked apprehensively between Draco and Hermione, but left without a word, shutting the door to the sitting room behind them.
"Well, you said you needed to have a word with me, here's your chance."
Draco walked over to the couch and sat down. "I'm sorry. I believe I overstepped the boundaries a bit when I kissed you. But you have to admit, you didn't pull away as quickly as you normally would have if you detested me so much."
"I was surprised, and perhaps a bit curious. There were those rumors I heard constantly in the common room of your, let's say, *prowess* in the kissing department."
Smiling, Draco leaned forward, "Did our kiss prove the rumors right?"
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, scowling a bit, "I don't think I would like to discuss that right now. You apologized and I explained why I ran off. I believe you've gotten what you wanted."
" I don't think so. See, you're still standing by the door while I'm all alone on this couch. Lovely upholstery, if I may say so."
"You may, and thank you."
"Anyway, look, it's obvious that I have feelings for you. Can't we make this less difficult by having you admit that you may feel the same way?"
"The nerve of you, Draco Malfoy! To think that just because I didn't pull away immediately, that automatically means that I might be madly in love with you?"
"I never said anything about love. I merely said that you were as physically attracted to me as I am to you."
Hermione's glare didn't deter Draco's smirk. She walked towards him and leaned forward, so close, in fact, that Draco wasn't sure what was going to happen.
"I'll have you know Malfoy, that I detest you now as much as I did at Hogwart's. You've ruined my party, ruined our work relationship, and ruined everything. I am leaving for Corsica in the morning to make sure that you aren't in the office Monday."
Draco's smirk faded, replaced by a look of hurt, something Hermione didn't expect. "Very well. Let me save you a trip. I'll personally contact Donatella and put in my resignation. To think that the woman I might actually care about wants nothing to do with me. I have to admit, I am a bit shocked." Draco got up and pushed past Hermione towards the door. Hermione stood by the couch, turning towards him.
"Wait." Draco stopped, his hand still on the doorknob. He didn't turn around. Hermione approached his hunched over figure and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait. Look. That was a bit harsh, but please, listen. I...I never expected that. I expected it the night you took me to your flat. I expected it that night. But since then, I've come to expect nothing."
Draco slowly turned around, coming face to face with Hermione.
"So what now? First you're bloody mad, now you've come around full circle. I never understood women, but you have to be the worst yet."
"I'll take that as a complement. Look. I suppose it's just been a while since I've, well, felt this way. That and I can't shake the fact that i feel like this about...well, YOU, of all the people in the world, magic and non-magic. Draco Malfoy, the notorious bachelor, lady-killer, persona non grata, absolute cha-"
"I get it, thanks." Draco held up his index finger and placed it on Hermione's still moving lips. "I get it. Look, how about we try this again. Hello, my name is Draco Malfoy. I was horrid to you at Hogwart's and I'm terribly sorry. I find you absolutely stunning and I find myself at a lost for words to describe how much you've captivated me."
Hermione looked into Draco's eyes, then burst out laughing. It took her a moment to calm down before she followed Draco's lead. "Hello, my name is hermione Granger. You were horrid to met at Hogwart's, something that has scarred me for life. I am pleased that you find me so appealing, although I can't say the same for you. I think you just fed me a load of crap, but for now, I'll let it slide. if this *thing* is going to escalate into more than impromptu kisses and scathing remarks, i must warn you that I have a terrible temper, I am prone of long hours in the office, and occasionally pass up spending time with you to get my work done. You might need a better haircut, and I think your flat is terribly decorated....but I suppose this might be worth a shot." Without anything else to say, hermione took the lead this time and kissed Draco softly on his lips. He felt her eyelashes flutter against his cheek. A pang of guilt shot through, telling him that he was getting himself into a relationship with all the wrong intentions, but he slapped the thought away as he decided to concentrate on the kiss he was receiving at that moment.
When the finally broke the kiss, hermione didn't know which way was up and which way was down. All she knew was that she may have leapt into the biggest mistake of her life...but did mistakes kiss this well?
P.S. I *did* add some snogs in this chapter. Taking your suggestions into consideration, like I said I would.
*~*
"You mean he just kissed you? Like you were some harlot standing around waving the 'snog me' flag around?! That absurd! I can't believe he would even DARE to try anything with you!"
"Shut up Ginny. Really, this whole 'Draco is a waste of space' act is getting pretty old. Just, I don't know, SHUT UP!"
Ginny glared at her brother as she sat down on one of chairs in Hermione's private sitting room. Harry and Ron were sitting on the couch, Hermione sitting speechless between them. After the incident in the atrium, Hermione had rushed into the ballroom to grab her friends and tell them everything that had transpired between her and Draco. She didn't know what to think of it.
"You know, " said Harry, getting up to walk towards the fireplace, "I think this may not be as bad as you think."
"Not as bad as I think?" Hermione shook her head, "My BOSS just kissed me. My boss who happens to be the man who tortured me mercilessly for seven years at Hogwart's. My boss who makes me the most confused I have ever been about men in my life! My boss who's-"
"A very good kisser?" The four people in the sitting room turned towards the door. There stood Draco Malfoy, along with his trademark smirk. He walked into the room towards Hermione.
"Now you wait a minute, Malfoy, you have no right barging in on a private conversation with our friend who you may have scarred for life." Draco brushed off Ginny's comment with a wave and nodded towards Hermione.
"May I have a word with you?"
Hermione looked to Harry and Ron, who merely looked in the other direction, Harry, suddenly occupied with the molding on the mantle, and Ron with the upholstery on the couch. Sighing, Hermione got up.
"Very well. Will you all please excuse us?" Her three friends looked apprehensively between Draco and Hermione, but left without a word, shutting the door to the sitting room behind them.
"Well, you said you needed to have a word with me, here's your chance."
Draco walked over to the couch and sat down. "I'm sorry. I believe I overstepped the boundaries a bit when I kissed you. But you have to admit, you didn't pull away as quickly as you normally would have if you detested me so much."
"I was surprised, and perhaps a bit curious. There were those rumors I heard constantly in the common room of your, let's say, *prowess* in the kissing department."
Smiling, Draco leaned forward, "Did our kiss prove the rumors right?"
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, scowling a bit, "I don't think I would like to discuss that right now. You apologized and I explained why I ran off. I believe you've gotten what you wanted."
" I don't think so. See, you're still standing by the door while I'm all alone on this couch. Lovely upholstery, if I may say so."
"You may, and thank you."
"Anyway, look, it's obvious that I have feelings for you. Can't we make this less difficult by having you admit that you may feel the same way?"
"The nerve of you, Draco Malfoy! To think that just because I didn't pull away immediately, that automatically means that I might be madly in love with you?"
"I never said anything about love. I merely said that you were as physically attracted to me as I am to you."
Hermione's glare didn't deter Draco's smirk. She walked towards him and leaned forward, so close, in fact, that Draco wasn't sure what was going to happen.
"I'll have you know Malfoy, that I detest you now as much as I did at Hogwart's. You've ruined my party, ruined our work relationship, and ruined everything. I am leaving for Corsica in the morning to make sure that you aren't in the office Monday."
Draco's smirk faded, replaced by a look of hurt, something Hermione didn't expect. "Very well. Let me save you a trip. I'll personally contact Donatella and put in my resignation. To think that the woman I might actually care about wants nothing to do with me. I have to admit, I am a bit shocked." Draco got up and pushed past Hermione towards the door. Hermione stood by the couch, turning towards him.
"Wait." Draco stopped, his hand still on the doorknob. He didn't turn around. Hermione approached his hunched over figure and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait. Look. That was a bit harsh, but please, listen. I...I never expected that. I expected it the night you took me to your flat. I expected it that night. But since then, I've come to expect nothing."
Draco slowly turned around, coming face to face with Hermione.
"So what now? First you're bloody mad, now you've come around full circle. I never understood women, but you have to be the worst yet."
"I'll take that as a complement. Look. I suppose it's just been a while since I've, well, felt this way. That and I can't shake the fact that i feel like this about...well, YOU, of all the people in the world, magic and non-magic. Draco Malfoy, the notorious bachelor, lady-killer, persona non grata, absolute cha-"
"I get it, thanks." Draco held up his index finger and placed it on Hermione's still moving lips. "I get it. Look, how about we try this again. Hello, my name is Draco Malfoy. I was horrid to you at Hogwart's and I'm terribly sorry. I find you absolutely stunning and I find myself at a lost for words to describe how much you've captivated me."
Hermione looked into Draco's eyes, then burst out laughing. It took her a moment to calm down before she followed Draco's lead. "Hello, my name is hermione Granger. You were horrid to met at Hogwart's, something that has scarred me for life. I am pleased that you find me so appealing, although I can't say the same for you. I think you just fed me a load of crap, but for now, I'll let it slide. if this *thing* is going to escalate into more than impromptu kisses and scathing remarks, i must warn you that I have a terrible temper, I am prone of long hours in the office, and occasionally pass up spending time with you to get my work done. You might need a better haircut, and I think your flat is terribly decorated....but I suppose this might be worth a shot." Without anything else to say, hermione took the lead this time and kissed Draco softly on his lips. He felt her eyelashes flutter against his cheek. A pang of guilt shot through, telling him that he was getting himself into a relationship with all the wrong intentions, but he slapped the thought away as he decided to concentrate on the kiss he was receiving at that moment.
When the finally broke the kiss, hermione didn't know which way was up and which way was down. All she knew was that she may have leapt into the biggest mistake of her life...but did mistakes kiss this well?
