After Curfew Kisses

McGonagall continued to talk about the transfiguration process but Hermione wasn't listening. She continued to go back to the empty classroom in her mind and replay the scene that Draco and herself had made. She remember the look on his face when he touched her arm, and the feeling of his hand on her hip. Hermione had a dreamy smile on the entire rest of the class period. Several times Ron tried to catch her eye but she never seemed to be able to keep her mind focused on anything. Ron thought through the different possiblities. 'She is getting moved up to next year because of her outstanding grades. Or she saw Snape drop dead. Or her and Malfoy... No, she'd never. She hates him... But still... Why would Snape ask Malfoy to bring Hermione to his office? Malfoy would be in class, but he wasn't. Why is she so dreamy? She looks so pretty when she isn't wrapped up in a book.' The bell rang when Ron was half way through his thoughts, and it shattered Hermione's fifth replay.

Hermione seemed to float of class, while Ron seemed to wither and crawl out. Harry was stuck confused in the middle. "So what'd Snape have to say, Hermione?" Harry asked. He didn't know why she looked so happy or why Ron looked so completely confused.

Hermione blinked out of her trace, "What, Harry?" She asked, she had heard the question but she didn't have a good dance-around-the-truth story to tell them.

"I asked, what'd Snape have to say?" Harry repeated a little bit louder. Usually Hermione was a bit quicker then this.

Hermione's brain scrambled for something, anything to say. "Well he was really nice, and yea. He said that certain things have become apparent to him." 'Wow... where am I going with this?' "Yea, it was kinda weird."

Harry looked at her confused, "... So Snape asked you to his office and he was nice, and he said that certain things become apparent? Yup, that sound pretty weird. I swear, Snape gets crazier and crazier every year." Harry brushed it off but Ron looked determined.

"So, what'd he say exactly?" Ron asked, he stared intently at her. "'Cuse you came in with a really happy look on your face."

Hermione paused for a second, she couldn't see any way out of this. She couldn't stretch the truth, it was already stretched too much. She couldn't tell the truth, she had to lie. "He said that I got an A on my last potions test. I have to heighest grade in the class, he wanted to congradulate me." She swallowed hard, that was twice now that she lied in only one day. First she had lied to Filch, and now she was lying her best friends.

"Hmm, that weird. Why would he want to congradulate you? He's never liked Gryffindors. Why'd he send Malfoy, wasn't he in class?" Ron continued to press it, Harry looked to confused and Hermione had a flash of worry in her eyes.

"I don't know, I didn't talk to Dr- Malfoy. He just told me where to go, and I went. Why are you pushing this so hard, Ron?" Hermione asked, it was his turn to be on the spot.

"I just thought it was a little weird and your answers were really vague." Ron said, he turned and walked a little ahead of them. Harry and Hermione exchanged confused looks.

They continued without anymore mention of her visit to 'Snape's office'. The three went to the Gryffindor common room, they saw a pack of Slytherins on the way there. Hermione caught sight of pale blonde hair but they turned before she could see if it was Draco or not. Upon entering the common room Ron went straight upstairs to his dormitory without saying a word, Harry gave Hermione another curious look.

"What do you think's up with him?" Harry asked, they set their things down at a table and opened their bags taking out charms homework.

"I have no idea," Hermione answered. But she did have an idea, Ron was suspicious of her. 'This could be very bad if he found out.' Hermione thought, but she put it away from her mind. Harry and Hermione studied for a few minutes before one of the first years came up and handed Hermione a note.

"A Ravenclaw asked me to give this to you." She answered, the girl was pale and little. She had frightened eyes.

"Thank you," Hermione said, and the girl went away. Hermione gave Harry a confused look. "Wonder who from Ravenclaw would send me a note?" Then she saw the handwriting. It was the same that had been on the note that had been in her book. The note was from Draco.

"Are you going to open it, or are you going to just stare?" Harry asked, laughing. Hermione tried to smile but it only got halfway to her eyes.

"Oh, it's probably not important. I'll open it later, what did you get for question four?" She tried to change the subject fast, and Harry wasn't as suspicious as Ron was so he let it go.

"I got C, what about you?" Harry asked. They continued talking about charms homework until the common room started getting crowded.

"I think I'll go to bed. I'm really tired." Hermione smiled to Harry, he said good night and she went up to her dormitory. Hermione flopped on her bed and ripped open the letter. It read, 'Hermione. Hi, it's Draco if you hadn't figure that out already. I was wondering if you'd meet me in the east tower tonight right before curfew. Don't want to be caught out of bed and all. Hope you'll come, Draco.' At first Hermione was hesitate. 'This sounds very similar to the last one, I should't go. But then, what if he's changed? I won't say anything this time. I won't do anything, unless he does something first. Yea, that's it.' She smiled to herself and checked the time. She had about an hour before curfew so she decided she'd leave in about twenty minutes. 'I can read some of my book.' She though. Hermione opened the same book that had hit her in the stomach a few days prior. It was riveting. But twenty minutes passed and she put it away. 'What will be my excuse this time, just incase I meet someone.' She thought for a second and then picked up a book she had been intending to return for a few days. 'The library.' And she left the dormitory.

Hermione saw Harry before she left, "I have to return my book, I'll be right back." And she crawled out of the hole before he had a chance to suggest he go with her or that she wait until tomorrow. Hermione took the time to drop off the book before going to the east tower. There she stood hidden in the darkness until she heard a sound. It was footsteps, hesitate footsteps. But she didn't move until she heard him talk.

"Hermione? Hermione are you in here?" It was Draco, just like she suspected it was. Hermione stepped out of the shadows. Draco smiled, "Hi,"

"Hi," She felt awkward, why'd he ask her here right before curfew? "Um... You asked that I meet you here?" She tried to remind him of why they were there.

"Yea, that. Well I was thinking... 'Cuz you know... Well of course... Um... I think we should... Uh..." He tried several times but then couldn't find the words. 'Why can't ever talk around her?' He asked himself, but he didn't have a good answer.

"Yes?" Hermione asked, she was attempting to encourage him.

He sighed, then tried again. "I think we should date." He said it really fast as if he wasn't sure he could say it slowly. Draco looked away, he was prepared for anything. 'She'll probably be horrified, or shocked, or disgusted. Something like that.'

"I think we should too," Hermione smiled.

"But Hermione! Reconsider! I'm baring my soul here... wait... what?" He looked up, obviously he thought that she was going to say something totally different. "Really?" He smiled, his self-esteem went up twenty notches.

"Yes, really. But I have a question for you. Will you ignore me in front of your Slytherin friends? Are we actually going to be dating or are you just going to use me? Because if you are just going to use me, then no." Hermione looked at him. She wanted him to answer that he wouldn't just use her and would treat her exactly the way she is meant to be treated.

"I won't ignore you in front of my friends. You're worth more then that. And I'll treat you exactly the way that you should be treated, I promise." Draco took her hand and kissed her finger tips.

"Alright then." She answered, though she was a little breathless. There was something that she had to remember, but what was it? Something that she really had to remember. Draco began kissing his way up her arm, kissed her cheek then kissed her mouth. She kissed him back, but still something nagged at her. She was forgetting something. She locked her arms around his neck again, and he put his hands on her hips. She never wanted him to let go. Then it hit her, curfew!

"Oh crap! We have to be in bed." Hermione glanced at her watch, "Right now!" Draco swore but they ran hand in hand. They ran the same way and then almost ripped each other's arms out of their sockets when they tried to go to their own common rooms. They kissed each other deeply and then parted running again but this time alone. Hermione's heart was absolutely singing as she ran as fast as the wind to the common room. She came into the common room completely breathless, hugged Harry's head and kissed the top of it then ran upstairs flinging herself on her bed.

Hermione opened the window and whispered Draco's name into the cool breeze until she was sure that she had heard every single beautiful sound it could possibly make. She gazed out the window down at the pond, a smile on her face. Happiness had wrapped her in a warm blanket, she stayed staring out into the night until she could hardly keep her eyes open. Hermione was forced to go to sleep, but she dreamed of Draco.

Pansy stayed awake looking into the dying fire. 'Where was Draco? Was he with another girl? He had that same smile that he used to have when he'd meet me in the dead of night. Is there someone else? Who is she? Well who ever she is, I'll find her, and I'll set her straight. Draco is mine, no one else's.'