Chapter Four:

(A/N. Power outages suck. I lost power for two days but a lot of people still don't have power. I live in DC and the hurricane Isabelle hit us hard. There are trees and live wires everywhere. My school didn't have power for days so we lost like four days of school YEAH! LOL. A tree fell on my window and we had to cut it down the next day. Luckily the window didn't break. Well here's the new chapter which I can finally post! This chapter was very fun to write! You'll see why in a second. Well enjoy!)

The hallways echoed with the sharp rap of Hermione's black, high-heeled shoes on the stone floor.

"Hermione, slow down!" The calm voice brought her spiralling back to reality and she stopped and turned slowly her anger fading as she gazed up into Draco's cool eyes.

"Draco?" She said her voice trembling softly. He smiled down at her tenderly his eyes radiating with love.

"Yes, love?" He responded. She drew in a shuddering breath and stepped into his soothing embrace. She rested her head on his strong shoulder and let the tears spill out. His slim fingers worked deftly worked out the knots from her long, thick hair. She closed her eyes and gradually became tranquil. He slowly and tentatively lifted the hair from her nape and kissed her neck. She made a small sound and it was no the sound of someone being soothed. She ran her nails down his back and he shivered pulling her closer with one hand as the other ran over her body encouraging to have its way. Her small hands ran over the smooth skin of his back and the taught muscles that worked beneath it.

"Hermione?" A soft voice called. Hermione and Draco pulled apart reluctantly and quickly straightened out their clothing. Soon Ginny stepped into the torchlight and grinned at Hermione while shooting Draco a uncertain but friendly smile.

"Everything alright?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded and them glanced behind her into the darkness.

"Yeah, I guess. Harry dragged Ron off to Common Room but I came to make sure that everything was alright with you…two." She said shooting Draco another uncertain glance. When he gave her a tiny smile and inclined his head her doubt disappeared and she grinned.

"Thanks Ginny, we're fine." Hermione said and smiled at her friend. Ginny nodded and gave a small wave.

"Good. Well, I'll see you two later." She said and then disappeared. Hermione looked back at Draco who sighed longing filling his beautiful eyes.

"That girl has some bad timing." Hermione smiled. Draoc shrugged and took a step closer.

"Maybe not. I think I want to wait until we're married to…well…you know…wait to…"

"Make love?" Hermione whispered when Draco didn't finish. Draco gave a short laugh and nodded.

"Night, duck." He said and kissed the corner of her lips as if he didn't trust himself to kiss her mouth.

"Good night." She said and followed her friend back through the corridors and up the steps to the Gryffindor Common Room. When she got there, Ginny was reading on one of the couches in her cute pyjamas.

"You're all clear." The younger girl said glancing up from her book when the portrait swung closed. She shut the book and set it aside.

"All clear?" Hermione asked blinking in confusion. Ginny rolled her eyes and made clear what she thought of Hermione's confusion.

"Come on, 'Mione. Think. Aren't you supposed to be the Head Girl?"

Hermione thought hard for a second but shrugged. "Nope, can't think of anything. By the way being Head Girl doesn't make me a codebreaker."

"I mean you were all clear because Harry and Ron are upstairs in their room." Ginny explained crossing her arms.

"Oh."

"Come sit down." Ginny said patting the couch next to her. Hermione gratefully moved over and sunk into the plush seat.

"Is Ron still narked?" She asked hesitantly staring down at her hands witch grasped each other in a death grip.

"Yup. I think he's gone off his trolley. He was raving at Harry a while ago."

"How did Harry calm him?"

"I think he threatened to tell mum." She answered and Hermione chuckled softly amazed at her friend's audacity.

"So, how are things between you and Harry?" Hermione asked. Ginny's face brightened and she shot a look to the boy's dormitory.

"Wonderful. He somehow got the houselves to deliver a rose on my bedside every morning! Well considering his friendship with Dobby I guess it's not such a surprise…He walks me to classes a lot but we don't usually eat together so that we can spend time with our friends. At least that's what he says. I think it's because he doesn't want to leave Ron alone ever since…"

"We stopped being friends?" Hermione completed. She gave a second to muse over how easily she was completing these difficult sentences.

Ginny nodded. "Right. Well that's about it. He invited me to go to 'The Three Broomsticks' with him on our next Hogsmead visit. I think after that we'll go somewhere more secluded and…well…you know." Ginny said blushing furiously. Hermione smiled and patted her friend's leg.

"I know."

"I mean not that but that." Ginny said and Hermione laughed at the refreshing innocence of the younger girl.

"You mean you want to go kiss him?"

"Yeah…Well we've been on a few other dates and well bob's your uncle." Ginny smiled and Hermione chuckled again. "By the way, I didn't interrupt anything back there in the hallway, did I?" Ginny asked wagging her eyebrows. Hermione burst out laughing.

"Ah, Gin. I'm glad you came when you did." Hermione answered, successfully avoiding the question. Ginny, however, seemed to understand and she nodded.

"Well I have to get some shut eye. Good night, 'Mione. Don't worry about my brother. He's a big twat sometimes but he only does it because he fancies you." Ginny said and giving her friend a quick hug hurried off to her room. Hermione walked back to her own room. She glanced back and looked at the boy's dormitory.

"You're wrong, Gin. He doesn't fancy me. He loves me. That's the sodding problem." She sighed and stepped into her room for a good night's sleep.