Disclaimer: I own nothing. All props to JK Rowling.

Chapter 14 – Rejected Love

"Disgusting? I'm disgusting!" Hermione shouted. "How can you say that I'm disgusting? You're the one who's… who's making a move on someone else's girlfriend!" Hermione shouted. She was panting, out of breath.

"Obviously someone else's boyfriend isn't giving her what she needs!" Draco shouted back.

"How do you know what I need?" Hermione spat. "You know nothing about me. All you see is a Mudblood!"

"No, I see a girl who's wasting her life being with that prat!"

"That's rich, coming from you! You're nothing more than an arrogant bastard! And I suppose you think I'd be better off with you?" Hermione glared at Draco.

Draco looked her in the eye.

"Yes."

"You what?"

"I-" Draco started, stopped by Hermione's backhanding him.

"I've changed my mind. I do not have time to deal with your roller coaster emotions, Draco. I have a boyfriend. And I love him. And now, I'm going back to him. Stay away from me. Please." Hermione rounded on her heels and walked away from Draco.

Lucius Malfoy sat at his dining room table, eating dinner with his wife, Narcissa.

"The plan is infallible darling," Narcissa said dryly, continuing their conversation of the newest move from the Death Eaters.

"Now it's only a matter of when, exactly," Lucius said, taking a sip from his wine glass.

"When, dear?" his wife asked, uninterested.

"Of course. We can't wait too long. We know dearest Dumbledore" he sneered, "is in position, and we need to know what it is. The Dark Lord believes that Potter and his friends know and are included in Dumbledore's plans."

"Why not just take Potter?"

"It's impossible. Dumbledore has him so well guarded, the Dark Lord can barely break into the boy's mind," Lucius answered.

"And why both of them? Wouldn't it be easier and less perilous just to take one?" Narcissa asked. She snapped her fingers to call a house elf to the dining room. "Clear the table," she commanded.

"We need both. One may be more informed than the other. And if we return them under the Imperius Curse, then it will be harder to tell. If the Mudblood came back acting strange, Potter and Weasley would notice in an instant. But, when Potter asks why they are acting strange, they will just say, 'We're in love.' And there again is why the timing will be ideal."

"Oh yes, right after they make love. Doesn't seem ideal..." Narcissa started.

"They will be alone, won't they? Potter won't be anywhere near them. Even Dumbledore turns off his… student vision when they get naked. It is the best time for a kidnap. The spell is set. As soon as they both experience 'pure happiness' we will know. The Dark Lord has thought and planned this to perfection."

"He has indeed," Narcissa said, unconvinced of the plans 'perfection'. As far as she was convinced, the plan would only land her husband back in Azkaban.

"Oh my!" Hermione thought. She reached up and touched her lips again. They still felt warm from the kiss. She could not believe that Draco had done that! How could he invade her like that? Disrespect her? And good Lords was it amazing! Hermione couldn't help it. Every ounce of her wanted Draco right now. He was a damn good kisser.

But she felt awful. Sure, he had kissed her. But she had liked it. What did that mean? Did it mean she loved Ron any less? Did it mean-

Hermione gasped.

Did it mean that Draco was her Prince?

"No, no, NO!" Hermione said out loud. No it did not. It meant that Draco was a womanizer and had kissed lots and lots of girls and eventually gotten good at it, right? Ron wasn't a bad kisser. Draco was just… well, amazing.

Ron was her Prince. She was sure of it.

Wasn't she?

Hermione slid back the curtains on Ron's four-poster bed. She smiled. Ron was twice as adorable when he was sleeping as he was when he was awake.

It was long after midnight. But Hermione did not care. She needed Ron right now. After that… incident with Draco, she had to remind herself who her Prince was.

She climbed through the open curtains and sat on his bed. She gently placed her hand on his arm.

"Ron," she whispered. Ron didn't budge. Hermione leaned over him and softly kissed his cheek.

Ron's eyes slowly opened. They widened when they saw Hermione sitting in his bed wearing a very thin nightgown.

"Hermione!" Ron gasped. Hermione silenced him by placing her finger on his lips.

She leaned in and tenderly kissed his lips.

It took Ron a few moments to realize exactly what was happening. Was Hermione in his bed, kissing him? When he finally accepted that it wasn't a dream, he wrapped his arms around her slender body, bringing them closer together.

His tongue invaded her mouth. Hermione moaned faintly as his hands began claiming her body. One found its way to her hair and the other to her hip, pulling her even closer.

Slowly, Hermione began to pull her nightgown over her head.

Someone in the room rustled in their sleep.

"Hermione, we can't," Ron said in a breathy voice, pushing her away.

"What, why?" she asked, very confused.

"Harry's right there. And so are Dean, and Neville, and Seamus. It's just… we can't. Not here."

Hermione looked taken aback. Ron was refusing to sleep with her. She understood, but he was still a boy, wasn't he?

"Hermione, please understand that I want to." He looked her in the eye. "I really, really want to. But something's tell me that we shouldn't. Do you-"

"I know what you mean. I do. And I understand," Hermione said comfortingly. "I'll be going to bed now, I suppose," she said hoisting herself up off Ron's bed. "Goodnight." She kissed him on the cheek and left his dormitory.

Once she was gone, Ron sighed and flopped onto his bed.

"Oh man," he said out loud. He had just refused sex from a healthy, attractive woman. What was wrong with him?

He couldn't explain it, but he knew there was some reason why they didn't have sex. He definitely had a feeling that something bad was going to happen if they did.

(A/N: Look, no form what so ever of a cliffhanger, right? As always special thanks to my OFFICIAL beta Elsa! And forever thanks to Erin and Melissa, who put up with my constant harrying. (No joke! I just looked up the meaning of this word.)

And here's a round of hardy thanks to my reviewers!

Elsa – YOU HURRY WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER! I'M IN MAJOR NEED OF SOME THREE:-)

Dumdumditz23 – I'm not evil. Chris Gaines is evil.

Usagigreenleaf657 – Part of me thinks maybe you're not. But you'll have to wait until the next chapter is out to know for sure.

Tinka Shimmer Belle – A gignormous thanks to your for the kind review! I like that word. Methinks I'm going to have to start using it now.

Europolarist – Don't kill me. It was the other Chrissie.

Jesus4ever – Not quick enough, was it? I'll try really hard to get the next chapter out super fast, ok?

Erin – Ah, my darling Erin. Thanks for all you wonderful fabulous help!)