Disclaimer: We all know HP belongs to J.K Rowling, although it's nice to dream about Draco being yours.

(A/N): Thanks for deciding to check out this fic… before you read on further, just wanted to acknowledge that this story is a repost (since I hadn't updated to chapter 21 in almost 2 years…) so as to invite new readers. I also wanted a chance to take into account all the suggestions and critiques I got from the reviewers to improve the story (some characters were too OOC, some bits of the story were a bit exaggerated etc…), and of course to break up the chapters into smaller chunks so I don't have people reading 10 000 word chapters at any time . Lol… besides the suggestions given to me, all I can say is reading back on the story I find some of my writing to be quite cringe-worthy and so have refined it as much as possible. Anyway, that is all for now. My sincerest apologies to those who've been waiting or who have given up on the story because of the huge delay.

Overview/Setting:

For those who want to know more about what they will be reading, here it is: Draco and his suffering. That's pretty much it… lol… I am quite cruel to him in this fic but yes, the suffering will be definitely worth it because a little somebody will finally notice him This fic is set in 5th year (still keeping it to when I first wrote it). It will be set a couple of weeks before the Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor (what month is that? shrugs)

As for the characters, the only really OOC thing is the way Draco falls in love with Hermione too quickly… I wanted to focus on his suffering and journey to win Hermione' heart, rather than have him hate her at first and by some flurry of events (detention etc.) begin to like her… which has so been overdone. The little blow kiss and exposing of shoulder can be interpreted any way you like… as for me, I believe Draco is on too much caffeine and is having hallucinations…lol. Another OOC thing: Ron. His crush on Hermione is rather non-existent because I wanted Harry to be the evil and jealous one. I'll make him a little more concerned and protective though. I've fixed Snape up so that he's not longer that giggling idiot he was previously, lol.

Lastly, the title of the story is so because I got the idea for this fic when listening to the song by Kylie Minogue.

All in all, I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue to read on.

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Chapter One: The Encounter

The corridors are bustling with students, both eager and reluctant to get to class. Draco brushes off a couple of first years with a swipe of his arm, eyebrows furrowed in one thick wave. His strides are firm and meaningful, those of a tyrant who knows no mercy. It is clear that getting on his nerves would spell fatal.

Draco stomps into the mass of students filling the corridor, weaving his way through a maze of students. He doesn't attempt to swerve out of the way or pardon himself for crashing into anybody.

He is fuming with rage.

Stupid Potter. Does he really think he can make fun of my hair and get away with it? I'll just have to make sure he won't have the guts to do it again...

Spotting a fallen girl picking up her books and pens off the floor, Draco deliberately steps on her hand and listens to her yelp, trying desperately to pull out her hand from under his rock-solid pin. He walks on, turning around for just a spilt second to sneer at her. She stares after him, eyes burning like coal, tears streaking down her stricken face.

Shadows drawing over his eyes, Draco pushes and shoves until he finds himself at the end of the corridor. With a swift snap of the neck from left to right, he scans both directions for any signs of Harry Potter. Draco curses under his breath.

Why does this stupid piece of pottery have to play games all the time? I have better things on my mind, better things to do, things like...

Hermione Granger?

She passes him, her shoulder barely grazing his. For a spilt second Draco feels his heart fall into a foreign rhythm. What on earth? It's only Granger. He brings a hand to his chest, knowing for sure there's something wrong with his heart. Must lay off the caffeine. Bombup…bombup..bombup.bombupbombupbombup! He comes to a sharp halt.

Bloody hell, just Granger and her annoying existence... she's nothing special... c'mon Draco, get your act together, you're just about to assassinate her best friend...

Draco's breaths become deep and heavy. He breaks away from his frozen stance, turning around slowly, watching Hermione drift away, into the depths of crowd. It seems as though the students around her are stepping aside for to pass. He watches her intently, taking in the sight of her with a deep, satisfying breath, even if it is only her back he sees. A jolt brings him harshly back to his senses. He gives his head a good shake. It must be sleep deprivation.

Suddenly, almost as if on cue, Hermione spins on her heels so that her side is facing him. Draco watches her every movement in slow-motion; the awfully playful grin stretching across her face, her fingers reaching up to those red, lush lips. When she lowers her hand so that her fingertips are aimed at his face, Draco's jaw drops as she blows the kiss directly at him.

Now that was too bold an action. She was going to get it, certainly. How dare she! How dare she do such a… ahhhh… a…

Draco subconsciously flashes her a dreamy smile. His eyes trail from her pretty features to her petite figure, the poised way she holds herself. Closing his eyes, Draco outlines her body, mentally tracing her curves with a lone finger. Afraid that his hands would work against his will, he slips them into his pocket.

An icy, frosted voice creeps into his head, driving out all good thoughts of Hermione. Momentarily he returns to his true, coldly Slytherin nature.

Hermione is a friggin' Gryffindor...forget about her! A bit of a smile and a bit of a blow kiss isn't gonna change anything, it isn't gonna change the fact that a Slytherin and a Gryffindor can never be. And what would Father think? His son, in love with a mudblood? Not in this lifetime.

Draco's drifting thoughts snap back to the present. A beefy hand dips in and out of view. A second later another tubby form appears before him, cutting off his view of Hermione.

It is Crabbe and Goyle.

The buggers.

Draco growls. He swats Goyle's hand out of the way and shoves Crabbe to the side.

"Get your fat arse outta my face."

Before he can catch the rest of Hermione's angelic face, she is gone, melding right into the swarm of students. Draco cranes his neck further to a side, hoping to catch sight of where she is heading before he'd entirely lost her.

Nothing. Heads bobbing about, all in a straight unbreakable line. Draco stomps back to where his two friends stand, mumbling under his breath. Crabbe and Goyle share a knowing look before turning back to him again. They know they've done something, and by the look of things it wasn't going to be a friendly brawl.

"You two maggots!" Draco spat. Goyle stumbles back a step, falling into Crabbe's arms. Draco, however, doesn't seem to notice the crowd drawing around them. "Had to drag your butts along, didn't you? Can't I have a damn moment of bliss without you two thinking up plans to destroy my fun?"

Crabbe and Goyle stare back at Draco, their faces a blank. Seeing the question marks on their faces, Draco lets out a frustrated sigh and turns away.

"God forbid," he says, eyes sparkling with admiration. " A girl as...as, as...as mesmerizing like as that...it's a sin."

The crowds begin to disperse with nothing happening. Behind him Goyle and Crabbe begin to shuffle towards him, brows furrowing in confusion. They cling to each other, as though scared to face Draco alone. Suddenly, Draco spins on his heels and jams his face right up to theirs.

"Guys, you're in this with me, aren't you?" Draco asks sternly, the look on his face making defiance unthinkable. They nod their heads without hesitation. Crabbe rubs the bridge of his nose in eagerness. Goyle draws himself up, to a formidable height. Draco's face clouds over, but not exactly becoming the sinister mask he's so often seen wearing. It is one of great purpose and commitment.

"Strap on your seat belts boys. It's gonna be a long ride."

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Draco lies in bed, plunging in and out of sleep. It has been one of the longer nights, mostly because of his sudden spring of feelings for Hermione. The dormitory is pitch black, apart from the weak beam of moonlight struggling to creep through the curtain cracks. He begins to contemplate on the coming Quidditch match, wondering about the sorts of unmerited tactics and devices that could be used to Slytherin's advantage. But all that fades away as Hermione's face begins to fight its way into his head.

Lying on his back, arms tucked beneath his head, Draco closes his eyes gently. It has been hours since that magical corridor moment, but he can still feel the intensity of the atmosphere. A smile plays at the corners of his lips as Draco remembers that cheeky smile she'd flashed him. He can't remember the last time a girl had been so willing to do something remotely as audacious. It sends spiders tingling up his spine.

Everything had been cruising along just fine until his two pea-brained friends stepped into the scene. And then she'd disappeared just like that.

Hermione Granger, he thinks, eyes still closed. An enemy. A mudblood. Harry's friend. Then what had caused the butterflies in his stomach? The tingling up his spine? And the unsteady heartbeats? It doesn't make any sense.

He goes over all the things he'd do during the next couple of days. He ticks them off with each finger, and ends up with his fifth digit. He isn't exactly comforted with the idea that he'd be asking Crabbe and Goyle to fill out on one or two of the missions. They'd already screwed up enough, and he certainly does not need another big time screwup.

Maybe I'll do them all by myself, he thinks. I'm good enough, right? Or will that piece of pottery and weasel get in his way like they did every time?

As Draco sinks into sleep, the sounds and sensations of the day's events fades out.

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Hope you enjoyed it… please review and read on!

I'll be posting a new chapter at earliest a week, the latest two weeks.

fr3ddi3fan