DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Harry Potter, or at least Draco Malfoy, but everything belongs to JK Rowling

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Days went on, and finally Hermione felt comfortable leaving the house which had confined her and Draco for so long. They still weren't able to leave or travel alone, but at least they could get some fresh air. On the first day they were out, Hermione decided to give Draco a shock, and led him towards the Muggle high school where her friends went.

"Where are we going, Granger, and why do you have that cocky look on your face?" Draco looked politely worried, which pleased Hermione to no end. It wasn't often that the Prince of Slytherin's mask came off.

"Oh, you'll see…your father would be horrified."

Draco's worry seemed to increase at this, for most things that horrified his father perturbed him a bit as well.

They were walking, because Hermione had never had the opportunity to learn how to drive a Muggle vehicle. The sun was out, and it made Draco look even paler. The light seemed unable to tan his skin, and his silver-blond hair shone like white gold. Hermione caught herself staring, and quickly looked away, oblivious to the smirk the appeared on Draco's face.

"OK, this is it." They had reached the school, a large brown building that was neither remarkable nor threatening. The only thing that made it stand out was the kids or every race and creed wandering about the premise.

Draco looked stunned. "Is this…is this a Muggle school, Hermione?"

"That it is. I'm going to catch up with some of my old mates."

"Why did you have to drag me along?" Draco looked around, his family's prejudices raging against his desire to rise above them.

"Because, Malfoy, I have to drag you around everywhere, remember?"

Draco nodded mutely, and followed Hermione in silence. Suddenly, he heard a shriek, and turned around, his hand already grasping for the wand Hermione had made him leave at her house. He half-expected a Death Eater to be hurtling towards them, but stopped short when all he found was a tall, attractive, red-haired girl who was sprinting to meet Hermione in a tight hug. He gaped as the two embraced, as he had never seen Hermione with any close girl friends before.

"Oh my god! Hermione! Why are you here! I thought you were never allowed to leave your boarding school during the term!" Hermione laughed at Draco's face, which held a mixture of amazement and disturbance.

"My parents are sick, Katie," Hermione saw the girl's alarm, and quickly added, "But they are getting better! It was pretty bad for a while, which is why I couldn't come see you sooner, but better late than never!"

"Of course! I'm so happy to see you!" Katie turned to look at Hermione's companion, and when she had, she spun around again. "Jesus, 'Mione…he's stunning! Are you dating him?"

Hermione nearly laughed at this prospect, but it was blocked by a sudden ominous feeling. "Oh, no. He's just with me to help me a bit."

"So…he's available then?" Katie's eyes shone. Hermione felt the feeling grow stronger – Katie always got what she wanted. But why should she care if Katie went for Draco?

"Um, I suppose so…but you don't want to go for him, Katie…he's a difficult one."

"Oh, I think I do…just look at him! I can't believe you haven't!" At this, Katie twirled around, facing Draco. Hermione bit her lip as she saw his eyes take in the full effect of her friend. She had to admit that Katie was gorgeous, with her shiny red hair, green eyes, and long eyelashes, which she was at the moment batting seductively at the equally striking boy. Hermione felt petty next to the two, suddenly aware of the unruliness of her hair and her petite height.

"Well, hello. Hermione didn't mention you name…?"

"Draco. And you are?" Hermione rolled her eyes as the flirting began. Katie was Muggle! Surely Draco wouldn't be interested…? But her common sense told her otherwise. Katie was beautiful enough to assist Draco in overcoming his background, a feat that Hermione had seen coming, one way or another, for a while now.

"Katie. How long are you two in town?"

"Only a few more days, I believe. It depends when Hermione's parents recover."

"Great! Would you guys like to come to a little party we are having tonight?"

Hermione hadn't even realized that it was Friday, and thoughts of the last party she had been to flooded her mind, along with thoughts of how behind in their Head Duties they were. Dumbledore had changed the Homecoming Ball to a Halloween Ball in order to help them have enough time to plan everything, and the prefects had taken over all of the other duties, but Hermione still felt like she abandoning her school.

"Hermione! Helllooo!" Katie was looking over at her, and Hermione snapped back to attention.

"Yes?" Her voice was colder than usual toward her friend, and she tried to lighten in with a forced smile.

"Draco was asking you if you would like to go to the party."

"Oh…um…maybe…he can go of course…"

"Granger, you know we have to go together if at all." Katie looked confused by this statement, and Hermione obviously couldn't explain that it was for protection, and so she just nodded her acceptance, knowing that this would appease the girl.

"Great! I'll see you guys at seven then, at my place. Hermione knows the way of course." Her words were sparkling, and Draco looked admiringly at her. Hermione felt the constriction that had been growing in her chest tighten even more, and turned away.

"Bye, Katie. I'll see you then."

"Bye, 'Mione! Bye Draco!" Katie walked away, her hips swaying, and Hermione saw Draco's eyes follow her.

"Like her much?" Her words were sharp, and Draco looked surprised.

"She's alright…pretty in a Muggle sort of way." The calm indifference in his voice didn't fool Hermione, and she just looked at the ground the rest of the way home.

When they arrived back at the house, Hermione shut herself in her parents' room and tried not to think of the obvious jealousy she was feeling. She shouldn't care.

When it was time for the party, Draco softly knocked on the door. Hermione looked in the mirror by her parents' bed. She had combed her hair a little, and put a little powder and mascara on, but that was it. She was simply wearing jeans and a fitted sweater, and she looked away from the mirror in distaste. Katie was probably going to be flaunting everything she had for Draco, and she was sure he wouldn't be able to resist.

She walked over to the door, and opened in, joining Draco without a word.

"Listen, we don't have to go if you don't want to, Granger."

"It's fine. I wouldn't want to keep you from your girl."

Draco looked as if he wanted to ask her about her attitude, but kept his mouth shut. Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry…just thinking about my parents is all…I'm sure the party will be fun."

Draco's eyebrow rose slightly and he looked as if he didn't quite believe her, but let it go – a gesture Hermione was incredibly thankful for.

The short walk to Katie's house in the cool night air helped clear Hermione's mind a bit, and her mood improved. They could hear the music almost from the moment they left Hermione's property, as Katie lived just down the street. The night was damp, and looked as if it was about to start raining.

When they got there, Hermione pushed open her friend's door and the music blasted as people enveloped her. Draco looked momentarily stunned before a hand grabbed him as well and pulled him inside. Once they had made it out of the entrance hall, the crowd had cleared a bit, and the two found each other again.

Hermione looked around, and laughed when she realized how similar this party was to the one they had held at Hogwarts. Kids were drinking, mingling, and playing party games, just the same as before. Magical or not, teens were the same everywhere. Her mood darkened when this insight caused a picture of Draco and Katie behaving the way Ron and Lavender had to form in her mind, and it only increased when Katie walked up behind them and started talking to Draco.

Hermione tried to melt into the crowd, but she couldn't keep her eyes off of Draco. Katie was running her fingers along his arm teasingly…he wasn't resisting…she leaned closer to him…he didn't pull away…

Tears sprung to Hermione's eyes as she realized ahead of time what was going to happen next. Katie leaned closer to the pale boy, and their lips brushed. She ran.

The rain had started to pour down outside, and as soon as Hermione was outside, it felt as if she had been encased in an icy grip, inside and out. The tears flowing from her eyes were indistinguishable from the rain that soaked her, and the thoughts dashing through her mind were scrambled. The only thing she could think of was Draco kissing another girl. He wasn't hers to claim, to hold, to kiss. Every thought that these feelings were wrong was gone, and all she could feel was how much she wanted him as her own.

When she had stumbled onto her lawn, she fell to her knees, knowing she couldn't enter her silent house in this inconsolable state. All of a sudden, hands grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to her feet.

"What the hell are you doing, Granger?"

"YOU! You kissed her!"

Draco stopped, taken aback. "Why do you care?"

"I don't know!" Hermione moaned, the presence of the boy consuming her normally acute mind. All she could feel were his hands burning through her clothes, and the icy rain that was making his pale skin shine.

His eyes bore into hers, and she saw in them raw confusion, mixed with a desire that she could have been imagining. "Granger…Hermione…I need to know…are you jealous?" His tone was almost pleading, as if he had wanted to ask her this for days…if she felt something for him.

Hermione's eyes lowered…she couldn't hide it any longer. "Yes. Yes, Draco. And I don't know why."

He dropped his hands, and tilted her head up. "I guess sometimes these things just can't really be explained. Who knew I would fall for the Golden Girl of Gryffindor?"

Hermione felt warmth run through her body at his words. "But…but you kissed her..."

"She kissed me. I didn't kiss her back, Hermione. I saw you run out…and here I am" Hermione grinned, and leaned in to kiss the lips that were so close…but Draco pulled back, and her smile was wiped away.

He looked into her eyes seriously, and she could feel the intensity of his next words before he even spoke them. "This is the point of no return."

She bit her lip and titled her head in understanding, and he kissed her, and it burned with passion as the rain fell down.

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