A/n: Can you imagine me listening to Leann Rimes? Neither can I, but I did and therefore found inspiration for a one-shot! So, this is my first one-shot, kind con-crit is appreciated and taken into great consideration. Enjoy! Oh, and I'll have you know it finally decided to snow!
The Right Kind of Wrong
One-Shot By: A. J. Seawiel
"Ron, I can't... I... I don't love you in that way." A shock stricken Hermione announced to the Gryffindor common room. Ron had just professed his love to her and she couldn't return it, try as she might, she didn't feel the same.
Ron stood from his place next to her, "But... I thought," he began overwhelmed, "I thought..." Hermione bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
"It's Harry isn't it? You love Harry don't you?" he replied hotly staring at her with his watery blue orbs.
Hermione sat in thought for a few moments brushing the carpet with her toes. Did she love Harry? Memories of everything he'd done for her over the course of seven years flowed from her subconscious. No, it wasn't Harry she concluded and told him so.
"Then who?" Ron asked bewildered. He had thought if not him, it would be Harry. Sadly, he was mistaken.
For the second time that night, Hermione shook her head, "I – I don't know." Feeling she needed time alone, she gingerly stood from her seat and leapt out the portrait hole leaving an extremely disappointed best friend.
----
Hermione strolled down the third floor corridor, her arms crossed at her chest. It was very quiet at this time of night, the moonlight shone through the gothic style windows reflecting shadows off the silver suits of armor across the corridor. The dim torches flickered as she passed matching the glow of random ghosts that floated soundlessly by.
She hadn't lied, she had fibbed and said she didn't know, so why was she feeling so terrible? She wasn't in control of her emotions, you can't help who you love and who you don't, at least, that was her excuse.
Hermione passed the Charms classroom rounding a corner into the west wing where she found a familiar blonde head with his back turned to her. Her heart began to race and she ducked into the nearest classroom peering around the door frame at him. What was he doing out this late? Certainly he wasn't going about on Head Boy business? Being the curious person she was, she followed him down the corridor making sure he was oblivious to her whereabouts.
Malfoy led her down a couple flights of stairs to the west dungeons, but before she was able to cross to where he'd been, she lost him. Cursing silently, she checked down the corridor she'd just left for any sign of danger then slowly walked the way he'd previously occupied.
Hermione's screams were stifled as a hand came from around a bend and clasped her mouth. It gently let her go and she wrenched herself from the person's grasp turning to look at whom the hand belonged to. She gasped as a recognizable smirk met her twinkling brown eyes causing her heart to flutter.
"Surprised, Granger?" He asked her raising an eyebrow, "Gave you quite a fright didn't I? You, of all people, should know better than to follow a person down a dark, dank corridor in the dead of night; especially someone like myself."
"What makes you so sure I was following you? I just might have been heading the same direction." She retorted angrily placing her hands on her slim waist.
Malfoy shook his head, "Down to the dungeons? What would a good little Gryffindor, such as yourself, want down here?"
She had to admit he had a point, what would she have wanted down here?
"I was looking for Professor Snape. I wanted to discuss my latest essay." Hermione quickly lied.
"Right, well allow me to go and fetch him for you." He replied and started in the direction of Snape's office.
Busted.
"Alright, I admit I was following you, are you contented?"
"Not quite," Was his barely audible reply.
Before Hermione could protest, Malfoy had grabbed her neck and forced his lips on hers. A mysterious sensation flowed through her body as he kissed her making the moment almost surreal. She couldn't feel her hands, her legs felt as if at any second they could stop supporting her weight and she'd crash to the floor. In that one moment she was sure that her feelings for him were not just lust. Malfoy then ripped himself away from her and, stuffing his hands in his pockets, walked back towards the Slytherin common room.
When she came to her senses Hermione turned scarlet and quickly retreated up the staircases she'd come down earlier. She reached the sleeping portrait and whispered the password allowing herself entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was relieved that Ron, and most of the other students, had gone to bed while she'd been occupied downstairs. This gave her more time to think and not have to answer awkward questions from certain people.
Exactly what happened down there? Hermione wondered. I was under a sort of trance; I've never felt that way before. Maybe I... no I can't have liked it! Well, maybe I did but I shouldn't have! It's wrong for me to like it but... Hermione touched her lips and felt a rush of adrenaline remembering what he'd done. It just felt so right. I didn't want him to stop and when he did it felt as if my world came crashing down around me. What's the matter with me! This is Malfoy! I can't... love him... can I?
With these thoughts swirling around in her head, she rested her mess of curly brown hair on her hand and fell asleep by the slowly faltering fire.
----
The next morning Hermione was shook awake by a pajama clad Harry. She rubbed her eyes, yawning, and stretched before he spoke.
"Did you sleep down here all night?"
"I suppose I did. I got in late."
Harry looked at her in disbelief; she'd never got in late on a school night before. Then he smiled, realization dawning on him, "Ron told you huh?" He sat down opposite her still grinning.
Hermione sighed, "Yes, for once in my life I wasn't prepared. That isn't exactly something you can memorize an answer from a book for."
Harry chuckled and kissed the top of her head before climbing the stairs back up to his dormitory to change. Hermione yawned for the second time that morning, shivered involuntarily and rushed up to the girl's dormitories to change as well.
----
Potions was Hermione's first class on Monday, for two whole hours she'd have to keep her emotions under control in the presence of the only person able to set them off. She and Harry walked into class together and sat at the back table next to Seamus and Ron. Hermione smiled at Ron hoping he hadn't taken her rejection too painfully. She was truly thankful when he returned her smile and moved his things for her to sit down next to him. Nothing about the incident was mentioned and their friendship seemed to grow stronger because of it. Harry, grateful that his two best friends weren't bickering, planted himself beside Hermione and pulled his quill out from his bag ready for whatever Snape threw at him.
Malfoy was seated, as usual, near the front of the class next to Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. Hermione casually noted that he looked rather disgruntled at having to share a table with Pansy who was hanging all over him. Blaise appeared to be chuckling as Malfoy tried another feeble attempt to relieve himself from her grasp. Hermione nearly giggled but restrained herself as Snape announced his presence with a small cough. The room was instantly silenced and class began.
To Harry and Ron's great dismay, they would be working on the most complicated potion they had laid eyes on, Veritiserum. According to Snape's instructions, the potion took a full two months to mature and develop so they would only be finishing the first of many parts today.
Hermione opened her textbook to the correct page and was surprised to find a note tucked neatly between pages 404 and 405. She checked to see if either Harry or Ron were looking but both seemed to be absorbed with their potions. Snape was currently bullying Neville on the other side of the classroom so she assumed it safe to read it. Carefully slitting the magical seal with her wand, she opened and read to herself:
Hermione,
Meet me at eleven o'clock tonight by the entrance to the Astronomy tower on the seventh floor. Don't be late and remember your jacket.
Draco
She glanced over at Malfoy with amazement, how he had slipped her note without her noticing was unbelievable. Hermione thought she may have met her match. Wondering vaguely why he wanted to meet with her she felt another sudden rush of excitement as he quickly turned to smirk at her and return to his work. She noticed that this smirk however, instead of boiling her blood, made her turn pink and stare back down at her page.
I'll have to write a book one day, she mused to herself, "101 Looks of Draco Malfoy and Their Meanings."
Her mind wandering to eleven o'clock; she found she lost concentration on her potion and nearly singed Harry's eyebrows as he tried to stop her from adding the wrong ingredient. Apologizing endlessly, she focused only on her potion and finished it with two minutes to spare.
----
Hermione cautiously made her way up to the seventh floor later that evening, clutching her jacket, to find Malfoy questioning a portrait by the staircase.
"So, what you're saying is that I look like a buffoon?" Malfoy asked angrily, oblivious to Hermione who was standing right beside him.
The old man in the portrait stroked his long white beard and replied tonelessly, "Well, if you care to put it that way, I suppose I am."
Hermione giggled causing Malfoy to jump slightly finally acknowledging her presence. She felt herself go pink but pushed it from her mind as Malfoy smirked at her, although, she thought she could see a sliver of what could be a beautiful smile.
"I didn't know you were that crafty. I have to give you credit for accomplishing the task of sneaking a note into my textbook. No one has ever been able to do it." Hermione complimented him for the first time in seven years.
Malfoy gave her his infamous smirk again and stepped right up close to her so she could feel his breath, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me." He pecked her on the cheek and took her hand leading her down the corridor, fingering the portrait as he left.
He led her down to the entrance doors quickly and quietly pushing them open, squeezing himself through the small gap into the night. Hermione followed suit closing the door behind her.
"Where on earth are you taking me?" Hermione questioned but he held a finger to her lips. Malfoy took her jacket and helped her into it before putting his own on and wrapping his green and silver scarf around his neck. Bewildered but all together interested, Hermione followed Malfoy into grounds.
"I also didn't know you were so charming, helping a woman into her coat." Hermione whispered softly into his ear.
"The time to play twenty questions is later, now we must walk." Malfoy replied and dragged her towards the lake.
When they reached the beech tree by the lake, Malfoy sat down beneath it and hastened Hermione to do the same. As she sat she noticed the tree to have small insects caught in between the boughs. Malfoy whispered a charm and the tree lit up with small dimly coloured lights. Hermione breathed, being so inelaborate made it so breathtakingly beautiful.
"You like it?" He asked apprehensively, wondering if she was worth ruining his reputation over.
Hermione couldn't help herself, her emotions overflowing; she threw herself on his chest hugging him. "I love it, did you create it yourself?"
"As a matter of fact, I did. I'm not completely useless at Charms." He replied huffily.
Throwing caution to wind, she kissed him tenderly but passionately running her hands through his soft hair. The blissful sensations of kissing him creeping up on her again, she broke the kiss before they became unbearable. Hermione allowed him to lean up against the tree and sat herself between his legs, resting her head on his chest staring up at the moving, multicoloured lights.
Hermione shivered from the cold as light snow began to fall around them making the scene nearly picturesque in her eyes. Malfoy noticed her shiver and wrapped his arms tenderly around her.
"When did you know?" He asked her quietly.
Hermione didn't comprehend this question at first, being so lost within his warmth, but then realized what he was asking; when did she first have feelings for him.
"I... I'm not sure exactly." She replied, "In sixth year I started noticing that your eyes were absolutely beautiful, and I suppose I sort of became infatuated at that point. I didn't realize I had deeper feelings for you until..." She trailed off, should she tell him all her secrets? What if he was playing her and didn't love her at all? She couldn't let that happen.
Hermione sat up and kneeled looking him straight in the eyes.
"What?" Malfoy looked at her with a slightly bemused expression.
"Look me straight in the eyes and tell me... are you playing me?"
He could tell she wasn't fooling around and kissed her lightly before replying, "I'm risking my reputation here, do you think I'd be doing this if I was playing you?" He cocked an eyebrow waiting for her reply, still looking into her beautiful russet orbs.
Hermione thought about this for a second then came to the realization that his reputation meant more to him than anything. His eyes also seemed to be twinkling as he stared at her; she'd never seen him look that way at anyone before. Perhaps... his feelings for her were genuine. Feeling relaxed, she settled herself between his legs again and he placed his arms back around her.
"Until you kissed me last night," she continued, "I've never felt this way for anyone before. Consider yourself blessed."
"I count my blessings everyday, one more to add to the top of the list." He replied kissing the top of her head.
"I want to know two things Draco Malfoy; one is since when have you become so charming and caring?" Hermione teased.
Malfoy chucked, "Only for you, my dear."
Hermione snuggled closer into his chest before posing her second question, "When did you start feeling things for me."
"You aren't going to believe me, but the moment I met you on the train I noticed something different about you. I know it sounds cheesy but it's the truth." He replied.
"Then why have you always treated me like, well, a Mudblood?"
Malfoy shuddered at the word, "Because I was too cowardly to tell me father or you about my feelings. I'm a very prideful person; I'm not proud of it, but that what my father has always taught me to be. Too many years around him and his teachings will rub off on you, but there's always been a part of me that hasn't believed him. I'm not like my father, I hate calling you Mudblood, which is why I've been calling you Granger lately."
That was true, Hermione hadn't heard the word Mudblood escape his mouth since the beginning of sixth year. "I know... I've always known you weren't like your father. I've always believed that one day you'd come around." She replied looking up into his twinkling silver eyes. The twinkle he reserved only for her. As she looked at him, he cracked the first pure smile she had ever seen come from him. Hermione nearly melted; it was the most beautiful sight she had ever laid her eyes on. She couldn't help herself, he kissed him passionately and both became lost within each other as they rolled around in the snow.
When they finally broke apart minutes later, Hermione giggled and kissed his cheek before standing up, brushing the snow from her hair. "We should head back; it's probably been hours, though it seems like minutes."
Malfoy stood up and hugged her from behind kissing her neck, "Do we have to?" he whined nuzzling his face into her shoulder.
"Yes, stop that it tickles!" Hermione laughed as he blew on her neck causing her to shiver.
"Oh fine, but only for you. Have you ever seriously considered trying not to be so cute?" Malfoy asked as she knelt down in the snow.
Hermione stood up and crept up to him holding her hands behind her back, "Oh admit it, you like it!" She threw the snowball she'd been hiding at him and sprinted off towards the castle steps, laughing.
Surprised but invigorated he ran after her and caught up picking her up in his arms. Hermione screamed and clasped her hands around his neck as he spun her around laughing along with her. He stopped, letting her down slowly and kissed her forehead not letting go of her slim waist. Hermione attempted to free herself from his grasp but found it proved to be a difficult task.
"Draco, we really need to get to bed." She giggled breathlessly.
Draco held her tighter and with his arm still around her led her slowly up the steps into the entrance hall. He led her all the way up to the seventh floor where the Gryffindor tower entrance was located but went no further than the topmost stair. He turned to face her with twinkling eyes and kissed her tenderly, her returning the kiss with the same fervor.
In unison they both agreed, "I think we should keep this secret."
"It'll be our private fling. It's going to be so hard to torment you during classes, but I promise I'll make it up to you every night." Draco regretted wrapping his arms around her.
Hermione embraced him as well and nodded, "Yes, I'm not sure this will be the simplest thing I've done. How about we change our meetings each evening though, incase someone catches on? I vote ten o'clock tomorrow by the Transfiguration room?"
Draco kissed her, "Done. See you then." She gave him one last look of longing before watching him descend down the moving staircases to his common room.
Feeling lighter than air, Hermione bounded along the corridor to her portrait hole, whispered the password ignoring the Fat Lady's telling off.
"Do you know what time it is young lady?"
Hermione floated up the spiral staircase to her dormitory before stripping, changing into her pajamas and climbing into her four poster bunk. She smiled giddily to the canopy of her bed; He's the best kisser I've ever met. I miss him already.
Hermione rolled over to face the wall whispering, "Draco Malfoy, I'm in love with you." You're the right kind of wrong…
Sleep then took over, her dreams filled with snow, multicoloured lights and a handsome young Slytherin.
----
Know all about, 'bout your reputation
And how it's bound to be a heartbreak situation
But I can't help it if I'm helpless
Every time that I'm where you are
She hadn't finished her homework! Had he heard her right? Harry sat next to Hermione and felt her forehead.
"You don't have a fever. Something must be wrong with you!"
Hermione laughed, "No. I'm not ill, Harry. I just had one too many things on my mind last night."
Ron dropped his fork with a clatter onto the golden plate, "One too many things? This didn't include finishing your homework? To the Hospital Wing we go! Harry take her feet."
"No, I'm fine! Ron, Harry, I appreciate your concern but I assure you I'm perfectly well!" Hermione said and walked out of the Great Hall clutching her toast and book bag.
"I don't care what she says, she's up to something." Harry told Ron as he sat back down to finish his eggs watching her leave.
Ron swallowed his gulp of pumpkin juice, "We should find out what's been on her mind lately."
"Ah, playing detectives are we?" Harry smiled evilly matching Ron's grin. They finished their breakfast, grabbed their bags and followed Hermione out of the hall.
You walk in and my strength walks out the door
Say my name and I can't fight it any more
Hermione waited patiently in a disused classroom doodling a certain tree on the blackboard. A smile played on her lips as she drew the first insect, humming one of her favourite songs. She gasped slightly as she heard a small cough from the doorframe, her strength fading away when she saw who it was.
"Hermione," Draco whispered.
He closed the door walking casually over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist kissing her forehead, nose then finally her lips. Hermione's hands moved to his neck deepening the kiss. Their tongues became one as his hands ventured slowly down her back dragging her over to the teacher's desk. He laid her down gingerly as Hermione hastily ripped off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt feeling his chest muscles tighten at her gentle touch. Draco groaned within the kiss and she allowed him to move his hands up her skirt.
He had almost completely removed her underwear when a knock was heard at the door. "Hermione, are you in there?"
Oh I know, I should go
But I need your touch just too damn much
Draco quickly helped her to her feet before attacking his shirt and tie. Hermione straightened her skirt and hair then helped Draco fix his collar.
"Give me two seconds to clean up my books, Ron." She replied before shoving Draco into a chair with some paper on the desk.
She jogged to the door and opened it allowing Harry and Ron to enter. When she closed the door they saw a smirking figure at the desk copying what Hermione had drawn on the board.
"What the bloody hell is this?" Harry asked rudely scowling at the Slytherin man. Ron was glowering at him from the door fingering his wand.
Hermione hastily replied, "I'm helping Malfoy with homework. Professor McGonagal said it would give me extra Wizard Credits. I'm down by a few and I can't graduate without them."
Harry's scowl instantly vanished as he turned to face her. "Oh. What are you studying?" He was looking at the tree on the board.
"Bowtruckles, and why the like certain trees more than others. It's a diagram." Hermione lied. Quite gullible isn't he? She mentally noted.
Harry seemed satisfied but Ron walked over to Hermione and put his lips to her ear whispering, "Don't give me a reason to hate you." He and Harry then left the two to study closing the door behind them. When they were sure the two snoops had gone down the corridor, laughter burst from their mouths.
Lovin' you, yeah, isn't really something I should do
Shouldn't wanna spend my time with you, yeah
I should try to be strong
But baby you're the right kinda wrong
Draco stood from the desk and kissed her goodbye as the first bell rung signaling classes to start. Hermione sung the last part of the song before skipping off to class.
"Yeah, baby, you're the right kinda wrong."
----
A/n: I don't own the song "The Right Kind of Wrong" by Leann Rimes. I'm not sure if I should've ended it there but I wanted to put the song in and it seemed like an appropriate place. I was going to end it when she went to sleep but I wanted to put some of the song in. It's a really good song but the lyrics I put in are only the first verse and chorus. I highly recommend you listen to the rest. Please review and tell me what you think of my first one-shot. Should I have added more or kept it as I have it? I'm open to suggestions!