Thanks to: Moonstone, missindependent1127 (I want a kiss like that too…), rizahawkeye, LadyJaye, Secret Murderer (you'll find out about Blaise and Lavender…), angieanaconda (yes, I'll include harry and ron), HiddenOperaAngel, debarie, marajade64 (thanks so much for reviewing ALL chapters!), and hermionegranger2007.
"Hermione! HER-MI-O-NE!" Lavender yelled.
Hermione jumped out of fright at Lavender's voice in her ear. "What?" she asked, still startled.
"Where did you and Malfoy go?"
"Well, I've been here the whole time," Hermione lied, "but what about you and your hot new obsession…Blaise?"
Lavender flushed horribly. "What? Where's Blaise?" Parvati asked hurriedly, skipping the last three stairs.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Lavender. "Um—what do you—Blaise? Why would I know where—why do you want to know?" Lavender stuttered.
Parvati had a look of disappointment in her eyes, but also a knowing smile. "I told you that you were out of your mind not to like him."
Lavender seemed to ponder her possible answers, then after a few moments, she let out a confessional sigh. "Alright, you win! He is completely and utterly charming and handsome and plainly delicious!"
Parvati and Hermione smiled happily. "I told you!" they both said. Lavender seemed to cheer up a bit after that.
"Well, now we just have to find me someone. Since obviously Hermione is afflicted with Malfoy, and Lavender with Blaise…" Parvati got glaring looks from the other two, but they couldn't deny it. "What do you think about Adrian?"
They stared at her in shock for a few minutes, but Lavender broke the silence. "He is cute. And he's Quidditch captain. Chaser, isn't he? And, hey, you'd be going with our Slytherin trend!"
Hermione nodded slowly. "He's alright, I'll give you that. But wasn't he the one that cursed Alicia? I don't know if you should date him, Parvati." She said warily.
"Oh, hush, Hermione. Lavender and I,—" she put her arm around Lavender's shoulders, "—are experts at getting what we want."
"If you're sure. Well, guys, I'm off to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." Hermione said, yawning.
She did go up into her dormitories, but not without waiting a few minutes to see what her two friends would talk about. She left almost immediately, however; all their conversation had to do with was talking about various body parts of both Adrian and Blaise. She lay down on her bed, trying to go to sleep, but all her mind could think about was his kiss…
"Malfoy! Wait up." Blaise said after he watched Lavender go inside. "Mate, I know you're there, even if you are Disillusioned. Just stop where you are; I know the counterspell."
Malfoy did indeed stop, but to alert his presence to Blaise, he took pleasure in punching him hard on the shoulder. "Oh really." He said disbelievingly.
Blaise rubbed his shoulder, but didn't wince. He smirked, but muttered, "Appareo."
Draco felt a warm sensation go through his body, and, looking down, found himself in his jeans and Slytherin robes. "So do you have a thing with Gryffindors, Zabini?" he asked cynically.
"What? No thanks?" Blaise replied, his voice drenched with sarcasm. Malfoy gave him a glare. "And what do you mean by 'do I have a thing with Gryffindors'?"
"Well, first Weasley, then Brown…and who knows who else you've charmed." Malfoy listed off.
"Hey! I never said I liked Ginny!"
"You said you thought she was—and I quote—'stunningly beautiful'. How poetic, Zabini."
Blaise blushed lightly, though it was evident in the orange glow of the candles. "Now that's unfair. She is pretty gorgeous. Even you have to admit it."
"Do not."
"Well how about Granger then, hmm? What's so special about her?" Zabini said as a last resort, but pleased that he had struck a nerve.
"Shut it, Zabini." Malfoy said, walking briskly away.
Blaise laughed hysterically at Malfoy's retreating back. "I KNEW IT, MALFOY! YOU'LL NEVER GET HER!"
Malfoy shrugged it off, but couldn't help thinking, "What if Granger does forget about tonight? Will she be back to annoying and insulting me? Will I be back to my stuck-up self?"
He fell into a fitful sleep once he got back to the Common Room, but his mind was still plagued by those disturbing thoughts.
Hermione groggily got up, just to find out that she had overslept. She had only about 20 minutes to get dressed, eat breakfast, and get all the way down to the Ancient Runes corridor. She ran down to the Great Hall, where she found Harry and Ron avidly discussing various Quidditch supplies.
"—new 'oom! 'Oo 'ave to get it, 'Arry!" Ron said through a mouthful of eggs.
"I dunno, Ron. Mine is fine, don't you think?" Harry said apprehensively.
"Yeah, well, maybe. So have you tried out the Wronski Feint thing yet on your Firebolt?" Ron asked, fascinated.
"No, not yet. I'm afraid I'll swallow the Snitch again. That wasn't very fun." Harry said, coughing.
"Hey guys!" Hermione greeted, still catching her breath.
"'Ermione!" Ron replied, this time spilling orange juice down his front.
"RON! Is it really that hard to not eat and talk at the same time?" Hermione scolded, her hands on her hips.
"Don't push it, Hermione." Harry said, just finishing his bacon, though she noticed he had waited until after he swallowed to answer her.
"I can't eat much, but would one of you want to hand me a piece of toast?" Hermione asked, sitting down.
She reached out her hand when Ron picked up one, but she gave him a disgusted look as he just bit into it. "Here, Hermione." Harry said, trying to head off an argument he knew would happen and handing her one.
"Why, thank you, Harry." Hermione replied, still glaring at Ron. "I mean, is it so hard for you to be nice for a change?" she directed at Ron.
Harry threw up his hands in frustration, retrieving his bag and getting up. "I'll see you in Divination, Ron." He said, but no one noticed.
"You can just get it yourself!" Ron defended.
"Oh, really? And I suppose the fact that I'd have to reach over the table is of no consequence?"
"Yeah! Just Summon it, if you're so good at spells!"
"Maybe I will Summon a Shrinking Potion to deflate your huge head!"
"I wouldn't be talking!"
"Oh, now what is that supposed to mean? Nevermind. I'm off to a useful subject, Ronald Weasley! Good luck with the old fraud!" she said in a huff, storming away, before she realized they didn't have Trelawney this term, but she couldn't go back now.
Draco took his chance. "Later, guys." He said to a smirking Zabini and a pining Pansy, of which the former saw where Malfoy was going.
"Hey! Granger, wait up!" he called after her.
"Save it, Ronald!" she said, quickening her pace.
"I'm not Weasel, Granger. Can't you tell?" he said, trying to emphasize his voice.
She whirled around, brushing a stray hair out of her face. "Malfoy?"
"Now is it so hard to call me Draco?" he asked mockingly.
"Yes." She answered truthfully. "Six years I've called you Malfoy. It's quite a hard habit to break."
"True. Hey, come here." He said, the ghost of a grin on his face.
She frowned at him, but followed. "I don't have time, Malfoy. I have to go to—"
He had covered her mouth with his, cutting off her excuse. It was a quick kiss, but she still felt her lips burning, despite his cold exterior. "—to class." She said breathlessly.
"So? Say you had to go to the Library."
"Malfoy. Do you realize what we are doing? You're like a pureblood, son of a Death Eater, Slytherin. I'm a muggle-born, know-it-all, Gryffindor. Has it ever occurred to you that this is defying all laws of everything?"
"Sure it has."
"Well, then, what are you doing?"
"You can't tell me you haven't enjoyed this." He said, smirking.
"I—well, I—" she stuttered, then blushed crimson. The bell signaling for first period rang, and her eyes widened. "I have to go!"
"Saved by the bell." He muttered, going in the opposite direction to Transfiguration.
"What is up with Hermione?" Ron said quietly. They were supposed to be telling each other's immediate futures by analyzing the stars of the enchanted ceiling. They were happier this year with Divination, since they were not taught by Trelawney this time, but instead with Firenze, the centaur. However, in their view, Divination was a useless subject.
"Ron." Harry said exasperatedly. "It's simple. You annoy the hell out of her."
Ron opened his mouth and closed it twice. "I do not!" he said indignantly.
"What have you found, young ones?" a low, slightly misty voice said from behind them.
Ron jumped in surprise at the centaur's silent approach, knocking over a startlingly real (but enchanted) bush, and Harry had to stuff his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing. Firenze shot him a look. "Well?" he said irritatingly.
"Well, Mars is parallel to Jupiter's moon, so that means—" Ron made up pathetically as Harry let out a stream of snickers even through his hand.
Firenze shook his dark head and stamped a hoof in impatience. "I see Professor Trelawney has narrowed your minds, young foals. You ought to pay attention more in class, for you are reading the Heavens completely wrong."
"Did we just get dissed by a centaur?" Ron asked amazedly.
"I think so." Harry agreed, staring at Firenze smiling at Lavender and Parvati.
Harry tore his gaze away at Ron's voice. "You know, I almost enjoyed Trelawney more. At least she accepted our made up dreams and such. He's just being a stickler."
"Yeah. I guess." Harry replied, though in all actuality, he thought Firenze had an aptitude for Divination, despite his strict demeanor.
They could hear a bell sound dimly in the distance, and started to get up, but were stopped by Firenze's stamping of hooves. Everyone looked up at him. "I would like you all to practice reading the stars, and I expect one foot of parchment on interpreting them correctly." He emphasized, looking directly at Harry and Ron, who swallowed in fright. "You're dismissed."
Ron was still rambling about Hermione and Malfoy as he and Harry headed off towards the Forbidden Forest for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry had, truthfully, long since lost interest in Ron's voice, andhis impossibly green eyes werenow completely riveted at the leaf he was kicking. It was brown.
"Draco, we can't do this." Hermione whispered intimately.
"Sure we can. If you've noticed out position?" Malfoy replied seductively.
Even Hermione had to admit that she was enjoying this. He had his hands on her waist, and she had, for a while now, her hands roaming around on his muscular stomach. They had been kissing unceasingly for the past couple of minutes now, and as Malfoy knew both he and Hermione had a free period during this time, he took advantage and pulled her in to a secluded corner. He brought his lips up to hers and as hit a sensitive part of her mouth, she giggled. He arched a pale eyebrow (uncannily like his smirk), as he gently but firmly took their kiss to the next level.
He felt her gasp in surprise, but she seemed to enjoy it, because she was undeniably good at returning it. He ran his hand up her back and her neck, and she shivered in response. Without warning, she pulled away, though her hand never left his stomach. He looked at her with confusion, and she returned his stare with an odd combination of happiness and apology.
"I'm sorry, Draco, but I really can't go through with this. It just doesn't feel right. I—I'm really sorry." She said, her voice mimicking her words, as she pulled away.
She started walking the opposite direction, when Draco grabbed her hand and swept her in for a last harsh, earth-shattering kiss before he let her go. She had a dazed look on her face, but she left just the same, if a bit more dreamily. He rested his head on the wall behind him, mulling the past wonderful minutes over. Much as he didn't want to, he did have to confess that it was odd for him and Hermione to be in infatuation with each other. It defied just about every single magical law set down—not to mention his family's rules. He sighed as he again headed off towards the common room, awaiting his ever exciting Double Potions—with the Gryffindors.
Sorry for the wait in getting this out, but it took me forever to write, and, truthfully, I'm not very happy with it but it'll have to do. This one will probably have maybe 3-4 chapters left…I know, it's tragic, but it's kind of dwindling itself down.