Disclaimer: I'm not claiming any sort of ownership to Harry Potter. Although I'm sure he'd love to belong to me and make me rich.

Sorry I've kept you all waiting! I had a major case of writer's block, and might have given up if it wasn't for your reviews…Hope you like my final effort!

Red Handed

The moon controls the tides, when they come in and go out, when they beat the shore with froth, making curved patterns in the sand. That night it washed over the grounds like a cool calm sea wave, making patterns on the trees, on the lawn, on the only two people standing out there that night. The air was almost salty, dense with a kind of awkwardness, mysteriousness, a bittersweet night. And though it was silent except for the faint echo of the world outside, the silence was thick, overpowering like it wasn't real. The kind of silence in which you just know – something has just happened.

After the game, all the players but one had left the pitch. One scarlet figure, Ginny Weasley, remained in the skies, weaving through the goal posts on her Comet 260, diving and swooping through the cold night air. Her red hair flew out behind her like a candle in the wind as she flew out in the grounds alone. Or so she thought.

As she hurtled across the pitch towards the changing rooms, she saw two figures standing outside of it, having some sort of argument. As she flew in closer, one of the figures was unmistakable; the silver blonde hair could have been identified miles away. Draco Malfoy seemed to be striding away from a dark haired girl, who Ginny couldn't identify because she could only see her back, and then stop in his tracks completely. Something was said, and suddenly the two figures were close again – closer still as Malfoy slid one arm around the girl's waist.

Ginny giggled as she saw their lips meet, wondering what bimbo Malfoy had snagged this time. Out of curiosity, Ginny deftly flew around the couple at a distance and squinted at the girl. She could just about spot a red scarf around her neck, and began to wonder what Gryffindor girl in her right mind would kiss Draco Malfoy! Suddenly, it hit her like a sledge hammer, as she recalled a conversation with Harry only weeks before.

"It's Malfoy, isn't it?" Asked Harry, inwardly dreading Ginny's answer.

Hermione and Malfoy. Sure enough, Ginny could see the bushiness of Hermione's hair. Unmistakable. Her mind swam with confusion – Ron had to find out about this, didn't he? She narrowed her eyebrows in consternation and decided on her own plan of action.

Breathlessly, Malfoy and Hermione pulled apart. For a few seconds they stood there, breathing heavily, like the world had paused for a second, so did their lives. Her dark haired form contrasted almost eerily against his silvery one, the breeze rippling her hair, while his remained perfectly still. They remained perfectly still and for those few seconds there was nothing else. But since when does that ever last.

Hermione blinked, and as she closed her eyes to Malfoy and the events of that evening, she opened them again to reality. Ron. Sneer. Hate. Mudblood. Suddenly her breathing was regular; suddenly everything was all too clear. Her hands abruptly pulled themselves from his neck and she stepped back from him, still staring into his eyes, except this time with an expression of pure horror on her face, her lips still tingling.

Malfoy's breathing was having trouble slowing down. His chest rose and fell quickly like he had a knot in his windpipe. He couldn't seem to muster a witty comment or a smirk, everything just seemed so distorted. His mind raced with what just happened – with what he did, with what she did. He noticed vaguely that her arms had left his neck as where there had been a comfortable warm patch was now replaced with the cold of the evening. And then just as quickly as the warmth had left his neck, he saw the expression on her face. Her eyes wide with horror.

"What did you do that for, Malfoy?" She hissed, her cheeks flushing angrily.

"I could ask the same of you, Granger." He replied coolly, smoothing back his hair with one hand as a small wisp had fallen into his face.

"Ron's in there you know. He'll be out here any moment." She said, pretending not to hear his reply, pointing at the changing room door.

"Don't tell me you're worried abut that git." Malfoy retorted sarcastically, a note of bitterness in his voice. "We wouldn't want to break Weasley's big fat bleeding heart now would we? Don't worry Granger I wont tell your boyfriend what I – I mean we – did."

Hermione chewed on her lip tentatively as she looked at the door. It was a nice door, scarlet for Gryffindor house with a lion painted in the centre. And it was then that she realised that the door excited her more than the person behind it. She looked back from the door to Malfoy, and her pulse steadily began to increase. Angry with herself she tried to come up with some sort of retort or scathing reply, but she couldn't come up with anything. What was the point?

"Aren't you going to tell me how horrible and evil I am?" Asked Malfoy amusedly, smirking down at her.

"No. I was just thinking." Hermione replied softly, not looking at him.

"Hah, stranger things have happened I suppose. What about?" He inquired, one eyebrow raised.

"The irony of this situation."

Malfoy chuckled gruffly, "I suppose you never saw yourself kissing me while your boyfriend not to mention close friend is right next door. Right?"

"Never even crossed my mind." Said Hermione.

The two parted ways quickly, guiltily, hoping that they hadn't been seen. Hermione rushed up towards Hogwarts, when suddenly someone stepped out of the shadows in front of her. Hermione let out a shriek of alarm, but then relaxed when she recognised the petit redhead standing in front of her.

"Ginny, you gave me a fright!" Hermione exclaimed, clutching her heart. "What are you doing still out here?"

"I could ask the same of you actually." Ginny replied slightly coldly, one eyebrow raised.

"Well…I was waiting for Ron, obviously." Hermione answered, trying to look nonchalant, a little taken aback at Ginny's coldness.

"Really? And you thought the best way to pass the time was to stay attached to Draco Malfoy's lips?" Ginny bellowed, her face glowing scarlet, so red you couldn't tell where her face ended and her hair began.

Hermione's eyes were wide for a second. Her heart hammered, but seemed to stop at the same time. She tensed up, trying to think of an excuse, an explanation – something – but nothing came to mind. She was caught.

"You…saw?" She finally managed to stutter.

"That's right. I saw. What were you thinking?" Ginny bellowed again, more loudly this time.

"Will you keep down your voice?" Hermione hissed, looking around wildly to check if anyone had heard.

"Why? Worried Ron – your boyfriend ­ might hear that his supposedly loving girlfriend cheating with on him with his nemesis?" Ginny spat, disgustedly.

"And you think you're going to help things by telling the whole world?" Hermione retorted angrily. "If you want to talk about this, can we do it somewhere else so I can explain? Will you let me explain?"

"I don't see that there's much to explain. It looked pretty straightforward from where I was standing. I don't think I could have fit a piece of parchment between you two. That's closer than I've ever seen you with my brother." Ginny replied coldly, but sighed

"Please, Ginny…don't tell Ron. Let me explain." Hermione pleaded eyes wide with fright when Ginny mentioned Ron again.

"Alright. But this had better be good."

Draco Malfoy made his way up to the Slytherin Common Room, his mind not really focused, his feet taking him a familiar route up the winding stone stair case. Up the stone stairs into the flickering light of the common room torches, light reflecting eerily from the silver spangled Slytherin banners hanging from the walls. Empty bottles, cans and mess everywhere were all that was left of the Slytherin celebrations after the match, even though no one had officially won yet. Draco sat back in one of the large green sofas his mind blank as he stared at the large portrait of Salazar Slytherin on the wall above the fireplace. It might have been the heat of the room, or Draco's exhaustion, but he could have sworn he saw Salazar mouth the words 'Pureblood Traitor' at him.

"Draco? That you?" Came a husky-sounding voice from behind him.

"Yeah." Draco turned around to see Pansy standing behind him, wearing what seemed to be a very small green slip, which he supposed she wore in bed.

"Want some company?" Pansy asked with a suggestive smirk on her face, tugging on the lacy rim of her slip.

Draco thought for a second. "Yeah. Yeah I would." And he watched as Pansy walked round the sofa and sat down next to him.

"Are you OK? You look stressed." She asked silkily, sliding one hand up his arm.

"I don't feel like talking." Draco replied shortly, with a quick sideways glance at Pansy, who smiled a sickly sweet smile at him.

"We don't have to talk, Draco…" She whispered, leaning towards him.

"Look, it wasn't what it looked like." Said Hermione, once she and Ginny had found a secluded corner in the Library to talk.

Ginny raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"OK, point taken."

"Hermione, I've suspected something for a while if you want to know the truth. I suspected, but I never thought…"

"It just happened, Gin, I didn't plan it. It's like I got dragged along in some cosmic undertow or something, and it's getting harder to get out." Said Hermione breathlessly, inwardly wondering what exactly had happened.

"But it's Draco Malfoy. Things don't 'just happen' with him. Besides – you're with Ron. What's going on? Do you even like Ron that way?" Ginny asked. There were just so many questions to ask.

"Yes. No. I mean, yes. I don't know, Gin. I thought I might, I mean, we've been friends for years and all that…but…"

"Shouldn't you have broken up with him? Told him how you feel? Or, I don't know, not have started dating him?" Ginny retorted, gesturing emphatically with her hands.

"It just seemed like the natural thing to do, I mean, we'd sort of been moving that way for a long time now. I think everyone was expecting it, and I didn't have a reason to say no…except that I didn't feel the way I thought I did about him." Said Hermione, with a sigh.

"And Malfoy?"

"I don't know. It's hard to explain. It's such a bizarre and slightly horrifying situation; sometimes I think I dreamed it all up. I mean, I wish I had, I really do. I don't like him anymore, he's still a foul ferret, but sometimes I'm just drawn to him. I can't explain it. He'll say or do something, and I won't be able to help myself. It doesn't make any sense at all, but there it is." Hermione rambled, talking very quickly, her mind in a fug.

"What are you going to do, Herm?" Ginny asked, her tone a lot more gentle.

"I don't know. I think…I think that I should talk to Ron. I think I'm going to have to end it…he shouldn't have to put up with this anymore." Hermione said, her voice sure-sounding.

"You're probably right. Be gentle with him." Said Ginny "So…you don't have feelings for Malfoy?"

"Merlin, no."