Chapter Ten: The Astronomy Tower

Hermione crept slowly up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. It was dark and she couldn't see anything – she wanted to see Draco but it didn't seem that he was there.

"A-are you there?" She asked, trying not to let her voice shake too much. Silence answered. Hermione glanced around, searching for his face, or at least his cold, gray eyes, but she couldn't find any.

He stood me up. She thought, feeling a huge lump in her throat. He was just playing with little Mudblood like me.

But somewhere deep in her heart, she knew that was not true. But it was too deep in; she couldn't reach in to grab it.

Hermione turned to leave, not wanting any Slytherins to come out, laughing at her for being so gullible when she heard a soft groan behind her. She froze and her heart literally stopped. What was that?

"Who's there?" Hermione called, plucking up her courage and tighten her grip around her wand. After all, I am Head Girl, I shouldn't be scared at all… unless it's wizard-eating beast!

No one answered and Hermione took a step back, feeling as though her heart would jump out of her chest any minute. She called out again, more forcefully this time, "Who's there?"

Suddenly, something flickered and she saw a pair of gray eyes in the darkness. Hermione gasped. She knew who it was immediately.

"Lumos!" Hermione whispered and her wand lit up immediately. Draco was leaning against the wall, bruised and injured. He didn't stand her up after all!

"Are you okay?" She knelt down next to him. Draco raised his eyes to look at her and tried to smile but winced in pain as there was a bruise next to his mouth.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"I… nothing."

"Tell me, Draco."

"No, it's nothing." Draco insisted and tried to stand up but winced in pain.

"Your arm's hurt." Hermione said, her voice shaking. Whoever did this to him? "Let's go to the Hospital-,"

"No!" Draco said a little too loudly. "Uh, I mean… no, I don't think I need that."

"Why not?"

"No reason, okay?"

Hermione sighed. "If you're not telling me, I'll take you to Dumbledore. Somehow, I'll have my ways." She said in a threatening tone.

Draco looked away stubbornly.

"Listen, Draco, somebody did this to you. Aren't you at all… angry?" Hermione asked. Somehow, she knew who did it to him. Judging by the way he didn't want to tell her who his attacker was and well, she wasn't the brightest witch in Hogwarts for no apparent reason, right?

"It was your father, wasn't it?" Hermione said softly. Draco's eyes widened as his head jerked towards her direction. "NO."

"I can tell by your actions."

"No, you can't 'cos your guess was wrong."

"It is correct." Hermione said, sighing and sitting down next to Draco, leaning against the wall. "You don't want to do him in or anything, eh?"

"Don't keep assuming, Hermione." Draco growled. "You may not always be right."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. He rolled his eyes, sighing impatiently. "I guess they don't call you the brightest witch for no reason." He muttered, giving in reluctantly.

"I know." Hermione smiled. "It's not like I can't keep secrets." She added softly. It was Draco's turn to raise his eyebrows at her. She ignored it, "Can't you tell me what he did?"

"And what? Let you raid on him? Then I'll be dead." Draco snapped. And you'll be too. He added silently.

"No, I won't. I just want to know why he did it to you…" she placed a hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes when her hand touched his face. It felt so comforting. But he stopped and jerked his head away. "If I do, you'll be in danger, Granger."

"Well, it's not going to help if you act all hot one moment and cold the next towards me." Hermione said. "And besides, I don't care."

"What?" Draco asked her incredulously.

"I don't care if I'm going to be in danger. Just tell me."

"Fine, you're never going to give up, are you, busybody?" Draco snapped at her.

"Glad you know that."

Draco climbed the steps to the Astronomy Tower two at a time. He would meet Hermione as he said he would – he wanted to. He had to tell he loved her. He had to tell her why even though he loved her, he couldn't be with her.

He reached the last step and peeped in to make sure there was no one in there. Good, there was no one there!

"Draco." A cold voice said behind him. Draco spun around. There stood his father, Lucius Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked coldly.

"I should be asking you that question." Lucius said simply.

"It's none of your business. You should be getting back to the Ministry, shouldn't you?"

"A few minutes off there wouldn't hurt, would it?" Lucius smiled. Draco felt his hairs on the back of his neck stand. He knew his father was up to something.

"I remember… sending you a letter. I warned you, Draco." Lucius said.

"I don't know and I don't care." Draco said, raising his voice.

"Oh, Draco." Lucius sighed, sounding dangerously patient. He made his way towards his son. "Do you remember what I taught you about being only in contact with Purebloods?"

Draco refused to look into his father's eyes.

"Look at me, son. What did I tell you? All that I had taught you was for your own good. You'll see why it'll help in future. Mixing with Mudbloods," Lucius said, pausing and sounding disgusted. "is disgusting."

"No, I decided that it isn't, at least not for the one that you love."

"Love! Love who? Granger?" Lucius said angrily. "Are you telling me-,"

"Yes I am." Draco took a deep breath and said. He felt great for once, standing up to his father. "It is my life, Father, and I should be the one controlling it. Why should it be you? I'm tired of you making all those damned decisions for me. I'm 17, I want to make my own decisions."

"What?" Lucius said, his voice dangerous. "You think you're old enough? I believe you must have been corrupted by those filthy Mudbloods! Listen, I'm your father; I'll make decisions for you until I die. And you will NOT mix with those Mudbloods, Draco. I'm warning you… Or you will pay terribly. The Dark Lord thinks very highly of you, do not let him down-,"

"I REFUSE TO SERVE HIM."

"Shut up, Draco!"

"NO I WILL NOT, I-," Draco was cut off by an attack his father made. "Crucio." Draco fell to his knees, injured.

"I will not allow my son to turn out like this. Will you or will you not leave the Mudblood, Draco? Answer me!"

"I… will not."

"Impedimenta!"

Draco felt himself hit the wall behind him. He slid off, sitting on the ground as he used up all the energy that he had left to glare up at his father.

Lucius glared down at Draco. "Take this as a warning, Draco. If you ever dare defy me, I'll make sure you both… you and the Mudblood die. Mark my words, Draco."

Draco squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore the pain. When he opened his eyes, his father was gone.

By now, Hermione had burst into tears and was crying her eyes out. Draco sighed. "I told you, now you're crying?" he said.

"I… I didn't know." Hermione sobbed. "Draco…"

"Oh, Granger, stop that."

"Are you sure you don't want to leave me?"

Draco laughed, "No, Granger, not yet. I'm not even dead yet."

Hermione laughed between her sobs and slapped Draco on his arm. "OW." He winced.

"I-I'm sorry." Hermione apologized. Draco smirked (and winced again due to the bruise.) He was actually glad he had told Hermione the story of why he was attacked. Now, she knew that he had, well indirectly, told her that he loved her.

"Don't worry about it, Granger." Draco said, hoisting himself up using his hands as he tried to get up. "I think it's late and we should go back…" With great difficultly, he stood up with Hermione holding onto his arm and supporting him.

"Thanks, Granger." Draco said, feeling himself flush for the first time ever in front of a girl.

"It's okay. You got injured because of me, I should be the one who's sorry." Hermione choked out, and then she started sobbing again.

"Oh, come on," Draco groaned.

"I- I can't help it!" Hermione said, choking back her sobs.

Then Draco started laughing. Hermione glanced up to see his laughing face – suddenly, she saw human in this cold boy that taunted her for years. She saw the Draco Malfoy that she loved.

He laughed, "Oh, Granger, you're so funny."

Hermione blushed, then without thinking, she let her heart control her body. She reached out and grabbed Draco around the neck, pressing her lips onto his.

He tumbled at first, but her lips never left his, then he held onto her waist for support. He was startled – too startled but he complied with kissing her after a while.

They both wanted it too much, for too long that the passion raged on between them. Hermione felt Draco's tongue at her bottom lip, begging for admittance. She opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to enter and explore.

She never felt so good kissing someone. She never ever dreamed of kissing Draco Malfoy… and now, this was more than a dream…

-------

"Miss Granger. Miss Granger? MISS GRANGER!"

Hermione jumped. She glanced up to see Professor Snape glaring down at her. She quickly removed her hands from her chin, as they were supporting her head up as she daydreamt.

"I- I'm sorry Professor." She apologized immediately, her cheeks reddening as she felt all eyes in the class staring at her – including Draco's.

"Pay attention, Miss Granger." Professor Snape drawled. "I don't think my classroom has an atmosphere of leading you off to a daydream, does it? Fifty points off Gryffindor. Tut-tut." He shook his head and walked away.

"Hermione!" Ron hissed into her ear. "What the hell do you think you were doing? You were supposed to gain points for us!"

"I… I didn't mean it." Hermione blushed.

"And I thought you always paid attention." Harry added, venom in his voice. Hermione sighed. She didn't feel angry at Harry for saying that – no matter how much she tried to – instead she felt sooooooooo dreamy.

"Hermione, could I have a piece of parchment from you?" She heard Neville whisper behind her.

"Sure." She replied, picking up a piece of her extras and turned around to pass it to Neville. She caught the eye of Draco Malfoy. He raised an eyebrow and smiled, his blond bangs falling slightly over his eyes.

HE SMILED! And sigh, those eyes!

She smiled back – not knowing how dreamy she looked and what she was doing – until Draco motioned for her to look down. She glanced down; she was squishing up the piece of parchment meant for Neville.

Neville was staring down at the parchment, open-mouthed.

"I'm sorry, Neville! Here's another one!" She pushed another piece into Neville's hands and turned back in her seat, shaking her head. "Keep cool, keep cool." She muttered.

How do I keep cool? He's too hot for me to do so!

Ron was giving her a weird look now. Hermione pretended to be busy doing something on her Potions textbook.

Ron looked away and Hermione went away from reality again… now those eyes… and the hair… and those lips! Mmmm, so irresistible!