The Thunder Rolls

Disclaimer: Don't own it… sigh… guess I never will…

He pulled away and grinned at her. Her eyes were wide with shock and in them he saw a multitude of emotions. She shook her head lightly and sat up, raking a hand through her hair.

"I- I have to… to go," she said, literally running out of the room.

Draco stared after her. Maybe that wasn't a very good idea…

That night Hermione lie awake in her bed, thinking of the previous events. Suddenly there was a great burst of thunder and she squealed, falling out of her bed. I hate thunder storms… she thought. Lightning flashed as rain and hail began pelting her window. Another burst of thunder shook her entire room and Hermione fled. She threw open Draco's door and nearly fell over. He was lying in bed, wearing green silk boxers –and nothing else- and glasses, reading. He looked up when he heard her enter.

He took his glasses off and placed them on the bedside table along with his book. "This will just be… our little secret," he said, "What do you want?"

"Um… the storm's getting pretty bad," she said, "I was just wondering how you were doing…"

"You're afraid of thunderstorms, aren't you?" he asked, teasingly.

"I most certainly am not!" she said defensively. Thunder crashed once again and Hermione flew onto the bed and hid her face in Draco's chest.

"Not scared, are we?" he teased.

"Shut up… I'm not scared… I'm- cold," she lied.

"Yeah, sure…" Draco smirked, "Then why don't you go be cold in your own bed?"

"Because…" she said, quietly, "I'm afraid of thunderstorms…"

Draco laughed, and she picked up a pillow and smacked him in the face. "Shut up! So what if I'm afraid? Got a problem with it?"

"No… I'm not laughing at the fact that you're afraid… it's the fact that you tried so gallantly to hide it and you made it seem painful to admit…" he said.

"Oh…" Hermione looked up at him, "Well, can I sleep… with you, tonight?" she asked.

Draco rolled his eyes playfully and lifted the covers over her. She smiled as he turned the light out and she snuggled into his hard chest.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Draco asked, surprised that he was so- nervous. She was just a girl!

"Stealing your heat," she said, "I told you I was cold."

Draco grinned and wrapped her in his arms, falling into a deep, Hermione filled sleep.

They woke the next morning to a loud knock on the door. Draco got up and, never thinking to shut his bedroom door, opened the portal. He rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus on his visitor's face. It was Harry. Draco greeted him groggily and ushered him into the Common Room. Harry glanced through the open door to his right and looked away, but his attention was drawn there again.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed.

Hermione was lying tangled in the covers in Draco's bed! She muttered in her sleep and her eyes fluttered open. She felt around next to her.

"Draco?" she called. Then she noticed who was staring at her. "Harry!"

"What the hell," Harry began, his voice shaking with carefully controlled anger, "is she doing in your bed, Draco?"

"Well…" Draco smirked.

Hermione was across the room and had smacked her hand over Draco's mouth. She growled at him menacingly. She smiled at Harry.

"I got scared… cause of the thunderstorm," Harry nodded in understanding, "And- well… I came and slept with Draco. NOT with him… just with him… y'know? Like I always would with… um- Ginny…"

Harry opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about. She had always slept with him or Ron. But she silenced him with a glance. "Oh… if you're sure that's it…"

"I'm sure," she said. "I'll meet you at breakfast, kay?"

Harry nodded and, with one last suspicious glance backwards, left them. Draco brushed her hand aside and looked down at her.

"Why did you lie to Potter?" he asked.

"What? I didn't lie," she denied, "I told the truth. I only slept in the same room as you because of the thunderstorm."

"You could have put a silencing charm on your room," he said.

"Well- I wasn't thinking," she said.

"Right," he said skeptically, "And what about that kiss?"

"What kiss?" she snapped.

"I could certainly refresh your memory…" Draco took a step toward her and she backed into the couch.

"No! I remember… it was nothing. It was just… we were messing around!"

"Are you saying there's nothing between us?" he purred, closing the distance between them and cupping her face in his hand.

Hermione fought to remain as frigid as was humanly possible- and it was a fight. She moved her face away his caress and side stepped him.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she said, in her cool, matter-of-fact voice, "My appearance may have changed, Malfoy, but I'm still the same person. Now if you'll excuse me?"

She walked over to her room and threw the door open. However, before entering, she turned back to him and said, "Thank you for the silencing charm idea… I shall be sure to employ during the next storm." And with that she slammed the door behind her.

Draco stormed into his room and slammed the door. He walked over to the window and punched clean through it. "Damn it!" he yelled. Why does she make me feel like this?

Hermione heard the window break and his exclamation and fought back tears. She couldn't afford to have a relationship with anybody… especially not Draco Malfoy. She got dressed and walked down to the Common Room. She picked up her bag and walked down to breakfast, hoping Harry hadn't told anybody what he had seen.

Apparently he hadn't, because if he had, Ron would be furious. They proceeded to classes and went on as usual. Hermione avoided Draco all week… and every time she was forced into the same room as him, she ignored him completely. He still got harassed by the other Slytherins, but it had lessened significantly by Friday. She guessed that they were getting bored. Her mind frequently wandered to Draco, and all the unpleasant things he had said to her… but then it skipped ahead to that- kiss. Hermione shook the memory from her head and reminded herself that she should not be thinking about boys at a time like this. She should be thinking about her plans.

You see, Hermione was doing some independent work for the Order, and it had to have her complete concentration. With that, N.E.W.T.s, Head Girl duties, and her advanced Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions homework… she was swamped! Plus… it was just too dangerous. Hermione thought back to that day…

FLASHBACK

"Hermione," Remus said, "Your parents have to go into hiding…"

"Why?" she asked. She knew she and her family were in danger because of her association with Harry, but she thought that having Moody and the others watch her house was enough.

"Because…" Remus looked over at Tonks, who stepped forward.

"Because," Tonks repeated, "We have something we need you to do for the Order…"

Hermione listened carefully to her assignment and stood in shock for a moment before recovering herself. "That's pretty big… and I'm to do this- independently?" they nodded, "Okay… I think- no, I can do it. I won't fail the Order."

"Good," Remus said, "And remember… you cannot- I repeat- cannot be involved with anybody while you are on this assignment. The danger to them would be too great… especially if they happen to be in the order. You cannot even tell Harry or Ron about this… okay?"

"I've got it, I know," Hermione said.

"Severus has some information that he thinks would prove useful to you in your work," Remus said, "And Hermione?"

"Yes," she said.

"Be careful…" he said. Hermione smiled and nodded, walking to where Snape stood. I can't screw this up…

END FLASHBACK

The more Hermione thought about it, the more Remus' words seemed, to her, like a premonition to Draco's sudden interest in her. 'You cannot- I repea-t cannot be involved with anybody while you are on this assignment. The danger to them would be too great… especially if they happen to be in the order.' Could it be that they knew something would happen when Draco asked to be in the Order?

The bell rang, wrenching Hermione from her thoughts. She gathered her things and walked out of the classroom. Friday… she thought, thank God! Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow… too bad I have to work. She walked into the Common Room to see Draco waiting for her. She tried to walk by him, but he grabbed her arm.

"Oh no… you're not getting by that easily," he growled, "You're going to talk to me if I have to… to…"

"To what?" Hermione challenged, and noticed her mistake when he ginned and leaned close to her so that his warm breath caressed her lips.

"If I have to kiss it out of you…"

Alright… thanks as always to those who reviewed! And to my inspiration fairies! I have decided to set a limit of sorts, and say that there is a minimum of 10 reviews before I will update again. Well, thanks again ya'all!