Draco- I mean Malfoy woke up briefly again the next day. And the next day after that.

I was very sure during those days to keep my hands to myself. Not that it was hard, or so I told myself.

Finally, after three days passed since his very, erm, surprising comment, Malfoy came fully conscious around lunch time.

"Granger?" I heard him ask hoarsely from his room.

I was in my bedroom changing, so I quickly tugged on a shirt I had just bought the other day and went to him.

"Malfoy." I said from the doorway. "You're awake."

Great, Hermione, I thought to myself, state the VERY obvious. So clever you are.

Malfoy looked at me with a frown in his eyes. "I'm damn thirsty too."

I nodded and hurried to a pitcher of water I kept on the nightstand. I poured him a cup and handed it to him, making sure that I didn't accidentally touch his fingers.

Hey, a girls got to preserve her sanity, you know.

"Should you be sitting up?" I asked, eyeing his naked chest.

I know, that's not really conducive to preserving my sanity, but it wasn't as if I could help it. I was going to work my way up to his eyes eventually.

Malfoy shrugged bad-temperedly and continued to drink his water, his eyes closed and a thread of tension running through his hands.

I tore my eyes from his chest and bracing myself inwardly, I laid my palm on his forehead.

And the weirdest thing happened.

I felt a tingle up my arm, but since I had braced myself, I managed to keep the façade of being unaffected by his touch, but Malfoy on the other hand, actually flinched. As in, flinched away from my hand. Like my touch was too much for him to handle. Weird, right?

"Are you all right?" I asked, bending down slightly to look into his eyes. I was seriously worried that perhaps his bound magic was already affecting him.

Malfoy returned my gaze for a second and then his eyes unexpectedly dropped.

To my cleavage. Cleavage that was currently slightly revealed by the gaping neckline of my new shirt.

Malfoy reared back just as I quickly stood.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Granger?" Malfoy snapped. "And where did you get that shirt?"

"I was just checking your temperature. And making sure you're feeling all right." I replied defensively.

Malfoy just looked down my shirt. That was, well, I don't know, downright strange. Since when was Malfoy interested in my breasts? Since when did he even notice that I had them?

Malfoy frowned at me just like I was frowning at him. "You didn't answer my other question." he said, narrowing his eyes. "Where'd you get the bloody shirt?"

"I went shopping a few days ago. I've got an entire suitcase full of shirts like these." I crossed my arms underneath my chest and sure enough, Malfoy's eyes once again dropped from my own eyes.

Okay, what was going on? That was the second time. Weird.

"An entire suitcase."

I nodded.

"With necklines just as low as the one you're wearing?"

I frowned at Malfoy again. Why on earth was he asking about my necklines? "The neckline of this shirt is hardly low. I've seen a lot of women around here practically hanging out of their shirts."

Malfoy muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Nothing." Malfoy shook his head and looked at me as if he were trying to figure something out. "So you went shopping while I was here on my deathbed?"

I snorted. "Hardly your deathbed seeing as how you're awake right now and looking healthy enough."

"I could have died while you were out shopping your little heart out, Granger."

"But you didn't, so stuff it."

"You wouldn't have even cared!"

"Of course not!" I shouted. "It was your bloody idea to portkey, so why should I have? You got what you deserved!"

Malfoy stared at me stonily. "I see." he shrugged a bit, "if that's that case, I hope you can find it in your kind heart to provide a starving man with lunch or something."

I glared at him a second before turning away and going into the kitchen.

And okay, so maybe I did care about his dying. I mean, the poor guy was going slowly insane even if he wasn't showing it. Which must mean he must have some awesome willpower.

But anyway, I did leave him something to eat and drink while I was out. It wasn't as if I left him with nothing. And I did care about him, I suppose. I mean, normally I wouldn't, but these were highly unusual circumstances. And I was attracted to him. Which was… I couldn't even think of a word that described how strange that was.

But yes, I did care about Malfoy, at least a little bit. But it wasn't like I was going to tell him now. I mean, what was his problem anyway? Oh wait, he's Draco Malfoy. I guess that is his problem. But I mean, it was almost as if he had woken up to be another person.

He had looked at my breasts. Twice. In the space of five minutes.

I didn't think he even noticed I had breasts during our years of Hogwarts.

When I brought the sandwiches back into Malfoy's room, I found him sitting up, the bed sheet riding dangerously low on his hips, and yes, his chest bare in all its glory.

Was he trying to drive me crazy with him? It would so be like Malfoy to be one of those 'misery loves company' sort of people.

"Would you put some clothes on?" I asked grumpily, putting down the plate of sandwiches on the table with a slight crash. So a naked Malfoy turned me on as well as made me grumpy. I didn't want to be attracted to the damn prat.

"Does it bother you?" he asked snidely, not moving from his position on the bed, not even to get the sandwiches.

I straightened and gave Malfoy my best glare. "No." I turned to leave. "By the way, I'm going out, so I hope you can manage alone."

I heard him mutter something behind me, but I didn't bother turning around. Bad-tempered prat. I hoped that he would choke on his sandwiches.

After I shut his doors, instead of going out, like I said I was going to do, I sat in the living room. What I needed was peace and quiet to think about things.

So, first thing on the list was my incredibly screwed up life.

I was a jilted bride. I had lost two of my closest friends. My family was probably worried sick about me. I was probably breaking numerous contracts on this extended vacation of mine. My self-esteem was in tatters, and my own identity was a mystery to me.

Great. Wonderful. What a perfect life.

Second thing on the list: my incredibly screwed up libido.

I was attracted to Draco Malfoy. Rat-faced, poncy git Draco Malfoy. The enemy of my childhood. My most despised nemesis. A man who was slowly going crazy. A man with an already crazy man on his tail. A man, with a most sexy body.

Oh, Merlin. I'm losing it.

Could I please just stop thinking about his body?

It's pale, I told myself, and white, and… and… yummy.

I groaned loudly and buried my face in my hands.

I needed professional help.

I was still bemoaning my loss of sanity when I heard the bedroom door creak open. I looked up and saw Malfoy framed in the doorway. Wearing nothing but his sheet.

Which reflexively made me want to kill myself.

I was almost drooling.

Which was wrong. Wrong.

Rule Number One: No drooling over Draco Malfoy. It's undignified. And wrong.

"What do you want?" I asked him tiredly.

"I thought you were going out."

I shrugged. "I'm tired."

We stared at each other, I with eyes hopefully not too obviously lustful and he with eyes that were just plain confused.

"Did you want something?" I asked again.

Malfoy shrugged and padded forward a few steps. "Clothes, for one thing."

I closed my eyes slowly. "Of course. I'm sorry." I said without opening them. "I'll get on that soon."

Malfoy sat in the arm chair across from me. "I don't mind. The sheet's quite comfortable."

"Are we going to be nice to each other now?" I asked bluntly. I mean, I was tired. Just plain tired. And I wasn't in the mood to fight with anyone. Least of all, Malfoy.

"I suppose." Malfoy looked away. "Was I a tiresome patient?"

"Not really. You slept most of the time."

"I…" he paused, "I didn't say anything, did I?"

My heart leapt into my throat. "No." I choked out. "Nothing. Why?"

He met my eyes. "I have a tendency to mutter strange things. Or so my mother said."

"I see." I stood and brushed my imaginary lint off of my pants. "Are you still hungry? Because I can go and make some more sandwiches."

I know, I was being uncharacteristically nice, but I was desperate the change the subject.

"No." Malfoy made to stand up but seemed to think the better of it since he was still wearing a sheet. "Granger…"

I turned wholly against my will. I did NOT want to see more of bare-chested Malfoy, I swear.

"Yes?"

"I…"

My heart began to pound a little harder. "Yes?"

"I wish…"

I drew in a deep breath. "Yes?"

"I wish," Malfoy paused, then shook his head slightly, "that I had some decent clothes." he finished.

I literally felt myself deflate. "Right." I nodded decisively. "I'll take care of that as soon as possible."

"You do that."

I stumbled into the kitchen, closed the door, and leaned against it.

What was wrong with me? Why did I get so nervous and excited when it seemed as if he would say something important. What did I want him to say?

I took a deep breath then pushed away from the door. I was leaning into the refrigerator and looking for the lettuce when I heard the door open.

"Look, Granger." said Malfoy.

I clenched my eyes shut and kept my head in the refrigerator in order to hide my expression. "What?" I asked.

"I just wanted…" he paused. "Well, just thank you. I wanted to thank you for all you've done for me."

I felt my stomach drop. "No problem." I said in as normal a voice that I could muster. "I'd do it for anyone."

"Of course you would." replied Malfoy. "Good, altruistic, Granger." he muttered.

I closed the door of the refrigerator with a bit of a slam. "And what of it?" I snapped.

"Nothing." Malfoy shrugged bad-temperedly, "not a thing."

"You know, I don't understand you." I waved a head of lettuce at him. "One second you're being excruciatingly polite, and the next you get all," I paused and tried to think of a sufficient word, "all agitated."

"Agitated?"

"That's what I said."

"Riiight." replied Malfoy sarcastically.

I glared at him. "Oh, go put some clothes on."

Malfoy smirked. "I would if I had any."

I glared at him. "I hate you."

"I thought we had a truce."

I hefted the lettuce and thought about throwing it at his head. "Truce over."

"So soon?"

"Yes." I stared down at the mess that was supposed to be a sandwich. Globs of mayonnaise hung over the edges of the slices of bread.

Malfoy was shooting my concentration to hell.

And I was, well, agitated.

Stupid prat.

I looked up to see Malfoy leaning nonchalantly against the door. He looked like a bloody Greek god in his sheet. And that only made me more upset since I knew that I had to be looking like a mess right then.

How bloody unfair.

"Stop staring at me." I said irritably.

"Stop staring at me." replied Malfoy.

I blushed since I was doing exactly that.

"You know," I said, brushing my hands on a dish cloth and abandoning my attempt at making a sandwich, "you get bloody annoying."

Yes, that was a desperate attempt at changing the subject.

Malfoy grinned. "My sentiments exactly."

I grimaced. "I'm going to get you clothes soon, you know." I said, my eyes dropping down to his bare, delectable chest. I mean… Merlin I just thought his chest was delectable. "Shoot me now." I muttered.

"What was that?" asked Malfoy.

"Nothing." I said quickly. "Just thinking out loud. I do that, you know."

"You seem a bit flustered, Granger." Malfoy studied me with perceptive eyes. "It's not my state of undress is it?"

"Course not." I answered a bit too quickly because I was, of course, flustered. What female wouldn't be? "You're, um, physique is hardly that impressive."

"Liar." said Malfoy in a low voice.

"What?"

"I happen to know I look good."

I gaped at him, I couldn't help it. "Of all the conceited things to say, I can't believe-"

"And I know you think I look good." interrupted Malfoy.

"Are you mad?" I asked in a shocked voice. Because really, the only reasons why he would say that would be because he was either mad or he could read my mind. And since I knew he couldn't read my mind, he had to be going mad. Which he was. But I didn't think it would start to show for a while longer since Malfoy had already exhibited a strong sense of self.

"Not mad." replied Malfoy. "Just hopeful."

"Are you… I can't…" I shook my head. "You aren't… You're not flirting with me… are you?"

Malfoy shrugged. "Maybe. Or I could just be going crazy."

"But you just said you weren't mad." I pointed out in what I thought was a reasonably calm voice.

"I could be wrong. After all, how do I know if I am going crazy." Malfoy paused. "Do YOU think I'm going crazy?"

"Well, according to what happened to Jared, you're on the road. As to how far gone you are, I wouldn't know." I answered truthfully. And really, I didn't know whether I'd prefer a mad Malfoy or a flirtatious one, because a mad Malfoy would mean more trouble but a flirtatious one would mean the world had gone mad. How was I supposed to pick one over the other?

"I suppose…" Malfoy said slowly, "I suppose the answer as to whether or not I'm mad lies in you."

"In me?"

"In you." confirmed Malfoy. "Was my assumption about you admiring my body true or false?"

"I…"

What was I supposed to say? Admit that I had been secretly salivating over him? Never. Lie and make him think he was mad? What was a girl to do?

"I… Why are you doing this to me?" I cried.

"Yes or no, Granger. You're one of the greatest minds of this century, so a yes or not question can't be too hard."

"Yes. No. I don't know." I said, completely flustered. "You're behaving strangely. Why?"

Malfoy looked at me thoughtfully. "I suppose it's because I don't have much time left. I haven't really thought about it until now, but it's been almost two weeks since I lost my wand."

"So then…"

"When its too quiet or I have no one to talk to, I can feel my mind deteriorating." said Malfoy quietly. "It's a hard feeling to describe, sort of like something on the edge of my consciousness that tells me that I'm forgetting something, and as time goes on, it gets harder and harder for me to remember what that is."

"Your magic."

"Yes."

"So what are you saying?"

Malfoy took a step forward and instinctively I took a step back. There was something predatory about his eyes that made me distinctly uneasy.

"I haven't much time left."

"We'll find a way out of this for you."

"But if we don't…"

"We will." I assured him.

"But if things go wrong, I don't have a lot of time left, so it seems to me I should make the most of the time I do have."

"And?" I asked hesitantly.

" And you have to know, Granger, how much more attractive you are now then when we were at Hogwarts." said Malfoy quietly.

"I don't…"

"And these past few weeks, you've been much more stimulating than the women I'm used to." he said taking another step forward.

I snorted derisively even as I took another step backwards. "Sick of empty-headed bimbos are you, Malfoy?"

"Utterly."

I swallowed nervously. "So what?"

"So I find." Malfoy paused and looked at me seriously. "I find that I'm attracted to you."

Another step forwards for him and another backwards for me.

I took a deep breath. "Well, that's nice of you to say so, but-"

"And you're attracted to me."

"That's…" I took another deep breath since I felt like hyperventilating. "that's a pretty big assumption."

"Yes," said Malfoy, his gray eyes predatory, "but true."

"How do you," I broke off when my lower back hit the stove. "Stop stalking me!"

He grinned. "I'm not stalking you."

I waved my hand agitatedly. "Then what do you call this?"

"Conversation?"

"I don't think so."

Malfoy stepped closer, making him so close that I could feel the heat coming off his body. Needless to say, my knees were jelly.

"Then what do you call it?" asked Malfoy.

"Seduction?" I answered weakly.

Malfoy chuckled and the deep sound made me shiver like the heroines in cheesy romance novels.

"If I were bent on seduction," Malfoy lifted a hand and ran a finger lightly down my cheek, "you wouldn't have to ask to see if you were being seduced." he cupped my chin. "You would know."

"Oh."

"I'm going to kiss you now." whispered Malfoy.

"Whether or not I want you to?" I whispered back.

"That's right."

"Okay."

And yes, Malfoy kissed me. The kind of kiss that the cheesy romance novels always rave about. It made my knees weak, my heart thunder, and my head spin. His kiss made me feel possessed in a way that Harry's never made me feel. The lips, the teeth, the tongue, they were all used with expertise and Merlin help me, I responded in a way that I never responded to Harry. Desperately, longingly, fiery. Inhibitions were incinerated and I all but leapt into his arms in an attempt to get closer to him. Malfoy's kiss was more intimate than sex.

When he finally lifted his head, my eyes were glazed and my knees were no longer holding me up.

"Well." I finally said. "Well."

"You aren't going to apologize are you?" asked Malfoy seriously. "Because if you apologize for kissing me I might strangle you."

"You kissed me." I pointed out. "So if anyone is doing any apologizing it'll have to be you." I paused. "You aren't going to are you?"

"No, I'm not."

"Good. Did I…" I searched his eyes. "Did I apologize last time?"

"Yes." answered Malfoy shortly.

"Oh. Well, I was flustered. I mean it was sudden. There was no warning that time. Not like this time. Since this time you said ahead of time that you were going to-"

"You're babbling." interrupted Malfoy.

A very bad habit I needed to stop, I admonished myself. Now was not the time to act like an idiot.

"Well, I'm a bit flustered right now. After all, we are, I mean were, mortal enemies." I looked down at his arms around my waist. "And now we're in each other's arms. Not exactly mortal enemy behavior."

Malfoy grinned and his arms tightened. "I think I like it better this way."

"I… me too." I admitted. "But what now?"

"Now?"

"This changed things." I pointed out. "We can't exactly go back to the way things were."

"Well," Malfoy looked at me thoughtfully, "I suppose we could just jump into bed now and become lovers."

I reared back in alarm. I admit, I admired the man's body, but that didn't mean I wanted to just jump into bed with him and have sex. I wasn't made for casual sex.

I took a deep breath and got ready to tell Malfoy that, but when I looked into his eyes, I saw the mischievous look in his eyes, so instead I smacked him against the arm. "You're teasing."

"Maybe." Malfoy leaned down and gave me a brief, hard kiss. "Maybe not."

"Well." I took a deep breath. "We can't really afford to mess around. After all, you don't have much time left."

Malfoy nodded. "You're right. But first…"

And he kissed me again. I enjoyed every second of it.

Sorry this took forever guys. School was swamping me. I'm finally on summer vacation, but unfortunately its only a month of freedom. Then it's back to school. Updates are going to be fewer and even farther between, but honestly, this coming year will afford me no time to write. So i apologize in advance for my slowness. I hope this chapter was entertainging enough to make up for it. Thanks for all the reviews, i really appreciate them!