Chapter Eight

"Hey, Hermione?" Draco asked feeling very, very nervous. It was the first time he'd seen her since she went to visit Helen in Paris. He'd missed her like crazy this past summer.

"Yes, Draco?" Hermione laughed. She'd missed his questions.

"Have you ever kissed anybody?" He mumbled the question while studying his shoes. If she had, he really didn't want to see her face when she answered.

"You mean like my dad?" Hermione was being purposefully obtuse. She knew exactly what he meant but couldn't understand why he was asking.

"No," he muttered, still looking anywhere but at her. "I mean, like a real kiss. With a guy. Like me."

"Oh," was all she said.

"Oh?" Draco finally caved and looked up.

Hermione was biting her lip again. She wasn't sure she wanted to answer this question. How do you tell your best friend that you could have been kissed — by a very good looking boy, no less — but refused because it wasn't who you wanted to be your first kiss? This was a very, very tricky question.

"Well, there was a boy in Paris," Hermione started, but quickly went quiet when Draco's shoulders drooped.

"Oh," was all he said.

"His name was Ronald," she continued, worried about Draco's abrupt mood swing. "He tried to kiss me, but I turned my head at the last second."

Draco's head snapped up and he looked at Hermione almost incredulously.

"You didn't kiss him?" He practically demanded. Draco really, really hoped she didn't kiss him.

"No," Hermione whispered and hid behind her hair to hide the blush that burned across her cheeks.

"Why?" He urged, scooting closer to her.

"Because," Hermione said quietly. "I didn't want him to be my first kiss."

"Who do you want it to be with?" Draco asked just as quietly.

But this time, Hermione didn't answer.

"Hey, Hermione?" Draco tried again, leaning over and brushing the hair out of her face.

"Hmm?" She responded, glancing at him briefly.

"Can I kiss you?" He completely ignored the way his voice cracked that time.

"Yeah," Hermione breathed and Draco smiled.

He leaned forward and bumped his nose against hers, at which they both laughed quietly. Draco didn't let it stop him though, instead, he tilted his head a little to the left as Hermione tilted hers a little to the right. When their lips met for the first time, they both had the exact same thought.

Best first kiss, ever.