Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

CHAPTER 7

The weeks passed and Hermione was feeling more and more comfortable in Draco's presence. He was no longer the sniveling prat he used to be, but a fun guy who didn't want to take anything much very seriously and just wanted to make her laugh. She did notice however that his attitude towards Harry and Ron did not change. He was still the same enemy to them, doing anything possible to make their lives difficult. Nowadays though, she often found herself laughing at the jokes Draco made towards her friends, which they certainly did not appreciate. She found it hard not to; she was on both sides now. Yes, she had been friends with Harry and Ron since first year, but she was now realizing that Draco wasn't so bad after all and he too, was quick witted. The truth was that she liked Draco, and she wasn't going to let Ron and Harry's feelings about him get in the way.

- FLASHBACK -

A few weeks ago she had cast a spell on her bedroom door before closing it for the night. The plan was, Draco would tap on her door in the morning as he usually did at some ungodly time of the morning, and would hear a loud 'popping' noise behind him. This was the spell. When he turned around to see what the noise was, the door would reach out with large wooden hands and grab him, pulling him backwards into it's woody clutches. At 7:30 that morning when Hermione opened her door, she would find Draco pinned, half naked, to the other side.

All she could do was laugh. She had known the spell would work, but she had not been able to quite picture just how helpless he would look.

"What the hell Granger? Get me out of this bloody thing!" She painted a mock-pitying look on her face.

"Sorry Draco, I can't. The effects don't wear off for at least three hours" She stood back a minute to watch him squirm needlessly. She found it adorable, his thin yet muscular body wearing nothing but his green silky boxers and his toes hanging only inches from the floor. She swung the door open (being careful not to slam him into the wall) and walked into her room, returning with a thick book which she placed under his feet so he had something to stand on.

"What time did you arrive?" He was thinking at which time he had come to wake her up.

"I think it was around 6:35"

"Right then. You have arithmacy first, right? This means that the spell won't wear off until 9:35 at least and you'll be almost an hour late with getting ready. I'll go now and get you some breakfast to speed the things along a bit." She turned to leave but stopped to take one last look at him hanging there. His head slouched in exhaustion but he raised it when he felt Hermione's eyes on him, his grey eyes glancing through his silky blonde fringe. He looked almost pitiful.

"It was the last time I was going to do it anyway" he said pathetically. She smiled and left for breakfast.

In the Great Hall Hermione found Harry and Ron eating breakfast. She was much later than usual and they looked at her expecting her normal explanation she gives when she's late. But she did not give one this time. She simply took two plates, filled them with food and walked out of the Great Hall. They sat staring in the direction she disappeared in; it was odd, she had a smile on her face.

Hermione got back to the room and approached Draco, still hanging from the door, still standing on the book, still half naked. She picked up a strawberry and held it in front of his mouth. He looked at her like 'as if' but ate it anyway, he didn't have any choice. And so it was. Draco hung there while Hermione spoon fed him his breakfast and waited with him until the spell wore off and he dropped to the floor. When the door let him go, it did so abruptly, causing him to knock Hermione off her feet and land on top of her. What an awkward moment! He lay there a moment, before apologizing and helping her up. They stood facing each other for while. He had leaned in as if to kiss her, so close his fringe caressed her cheek. But he thought better of it and changed his mind. He saw that she had picked up on it and ran down to his room. 'Oh I wish he had' she thought briefly before collecting herself and going to class.

- END FLASHBACK –

Today was a normal, boring day. Ever since it happened - the moment at the top of her stairs - she could not get off her mind. At first Draco had been somewhat shy toward her, but as it started to slip his mind he returned to normal again. She had often dreamt about that moment, each time it was the same up until the part where he leaned in, and then it changed. Sometimes he walked away as he had done; sometimes he did kiss her, a long and passionate kiss; one other time she had had a rather erotic dream in which they made their way into her room and onto her bed. Another time, when she had had a really bad day and was annoyed at everything, she dreamt that he had changed his mind, and she pulled out a dagger and stabbed him in the stomach. She woke up screaming and Draco rushed through the door. She was sweating all over, and he sat with her until she fell asleep again. She realized just how angry she was at him for backing away from the kiss, and all the aggression build it up and had to be let out.

He now walked into the common room and found her slouched on the couch, no book, just staring at the fire burning away. He sat down next to her.

"Hi" he said

"Hey. How are you?"

"Oh ok I guess, just had Herbology and Pansy wouldn't shut up! You?" Hermione hadn't heard anything he had just said. She was glassy eyed, watching his lips move and the lust built up inside her. She leaned into him, and paused at the same spot he had. Now she understood how much pressure there was resting in this spot. She wanted to back out, but she knew that she would be kicking herself later. She went the rest of the way, his soft lips coming into contact with hers sending shivers all through her body. She did not expect it, but his hands came up and held the sides of her face, stroking her cheeks as he kissed her.Eventually they broke apart and took a breath.

"Sor-" She went to say but he cut her off by putting his finger on her lips.

"No. Not sorry" he said playfully. They sat there for over an hour, just talking. They both knew they were entering into dangerous territory by getting involved, but there was comfort in knowing they had each other and given their private living quarters, they could easily keep it secret. For a while at least…