sorry for the delay guys, me and my beta (XXRoseDawsonXX)(check out her one shot! it's hilarious!) had a bit of trouble getting my chapters to each other, so here it is chap 14!

A/N: to all those, oh like, Oro4, boredaurorchick, kichou, I-Lurve-Harry, and everyone in between, who want cho, that slut, to get her ass kicked! oh it's coming! believe me!

thanks for reading, and review please!

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Chapter 14: Walk Away

After dinner that night, Draco came to find Hermione as she was going to the library. "Come," he led her away from the doors, "let's go work on our potion, Snape said we can use his classroom tonight." Hermione raised her eyebrows but didn't question it any further.

They walked down a few corridors, and into the dungeons, to Snape's classroom. When they entered, Malfoy went to the front row where he sat and started to get out the ingredients from his book bag. "Bring the cauldron, by the supply cabinet."

Hermione looked over to where he had nodded and when her eyes saw the cauldron she turned around and faced Malfoy again, "are you kidding! That thing is huge. I can't carry it." She complained.

"Where is your head! For the smartest witch, you sure are stupid–"

"Malfoy I told you in the beginning, insult me and–"

Draco sighed, "Levitation Charm, Granger." Hermione shook her head. Where is your head, Hermione! AARRGH! She quickly muttered the spell and the cauldron stopped swiftly in front of them.

Wheew! After adding all the rightful ingredients, stirring at all the right moments, the potion was ready to go. It only needed to simmer for a bit, but at least they were done with all the more important things.

Hermione put a hand on the table and leaned in, tired and sighing. She had already put her books in her book bag. The potion steam had left her face shining slightly from sweat. Draco looked at her and suddenly felt a hunger for her again. He wanted to drag his lips all over her graceful neck...He could only just imagine what it would feel like...the taste of her sweet skin against his lips...if only...

But Hermione quickly turned away and went walking towards the door. Draco knew he probably shouldn't go after her, but after the feeling she had just given him, he had to.

"Gran – Hermione, where are you going?" He asked as she was about to turn the door handle. He heard her sniff, though she didn't turn around to face him. Her back remained rigid. She let go of the doorknob. "Is something the matter?" He asked nervously, not really knowing what to say, or wanting to point out the something was wrong. She sniffed again, and it sounded like she was trying to hold in her breath...

Draco looked away from her back, hopelessly knowing what was the matter with her. She send pangs of hurt and pain straight to his heart. He knew it wasn't acceptable to feel like this, especially for someone like Hermione. But he couldn't help it, it was remarkably different from his ways.

It was a couple moments until she turned around, and the sight that faced him was struck with tears, still making there way down her cheeks. Her face glistened with tears that had already rolled there way down.

"Hermione...don't think about him, just forget it..." He said softly. Then his voice turned hard, "you should after what happened. He doesn't deserve anything from you." Hermione bowed her head and shook it.

"It's odd..." she began to talk before falling into a brief silence. "You're civil to me...in times like these...but you're...the same...the rest of the time." She said quietly, not meeting his eyes and still looking down.

"What do you mean?" He said in a low voice.

"Oh Draco, look around you!" Her face was still shining wet as she howled. "This place is what it is because of people like you–!"

"What do you mean? People like me? Slytherins?" He said, his face looked furious. This couldn't be leading to anything good...

"Yes Slytherin! Who else makes fun of me and my friends. Of everyone in this school. Who else thinks they are better than everyone else? Why can't the people like you just come down of that stupid cloud they've spent centuries on!" She shouted at his face.

"What the hell does this have to do with Potter cheating on you!" He said in a cold and hard voice. Wasn't that why she was crying! He didn't know why he was being mean to her once more after he had felt hurt and pain from her despair. It was incredible how she changed his mood with the speed of light. Not one minute ago he was feeling horrible for her, and now he felt furious.

"Malfoy, we're not talking about Harry, we're talking about us. I was feeling horrible about Harry, I still am, but now I'm talking about something completely different. Draco this is what I mean. Your hot one minute, cold the next–"

"Don't give me that bullshit Hermione! If you want to tell me something, just say it. Don't play around!" He said looking hard down at her.

"Don't play around!" She fiercely repeated, "Draco I suggest you take your own advice! Tell me why you've decided to be so nice to me! Aren't I just a common mudblood, someone people like you don't associate with!" She was angry, and Draco just gaped at what she was saying.

Processing what she had said made him want to shout out the truth. But the gods forbid he did. He didn't think he could tell her he loved her.

Hermione didn't know what she wanted to hear from him. She had an idea of what was bothering him. She knew he couldn't figure out his feelings. She could see it in his eyes. He was battling with himself. And as she looked into him Draco felt that similar sensation that she could read his thoughts. He felt a fleeting urgency to run away, but he didn't, instead as naturally as he could he walked away.

Draco never looked back as he went to his Malfoy Room. He started realizing he was there a lot. And every time he did his thoughts were on Hermione. She gave him a lot to think about. Why did he have to love her so! It killed him. He was never this confused. Not ever with a girl. They were always so easy to handle. Besides they always just threw themselves at him.

What was it about her that killed him so. Was it her beautiful haughty laugh. Her attitude. Perhaps her superior intelligence. She wasn't spectacularly beautiful. But she was pretty, perhaps too much so? Nah...

She was just one of the few people who were themselves...

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thank you! to both Megans! You're both awesomely GREAT!