Hermione tried to jerk back, hitting her head against the wall. It was effective enough, and Malfoy pulled away. There expressions mirrored one another, a mix of surprise and horror. After an instant, they both changed to looks of disgust and anger. Hermione turned away, and continued walking down the hall. Truly, she just wanted a moment when he could not see her face so that she could process what had just happened. The total silence was freaking her out, so she undid her silencing charm.

Draco was left standing there, wiping her off of his mouth. He had no idea what had just happened, he had just gotten so angry, he wasn't even thinking. It must have been a hex of some sort, or a ghost playing a prank.

He ran up to Granger, grabbed the back of her robes, and yanked her back, intending to tell her just that. But then, of course, he remembered that she had cast a silencing charm. He tried to do his best to communicate nonverbally, because he simply couldn't have her thinking that he would willing touch her.

Slowly, moving his lips very carefully, and hoping she would be able to tell what he was saying, Draco said, "that did not happen. It was a hex, or a ghost, or something. You disgust me. I hate you Granger. You're a stupid, ugly, pathetic mudblood bitch."

It seemed Granger got the message, because she glared at him, shoved past him, and continued on down the hallway.

He was getting real fucking tired of following after her.

Instead, he leaned against the wall and stayed there, glaring at nothing and plotting ways to make Granger's life hell. After a while, Hermione had walked to the end of the hall, turned and gone down another hall, and checked every room on the way. She reluctantly turned back, but she made sure to wipe away her tears before she turned the corner into Malfoy's line of sight.

"I suppose you're still ignoring me?" Draco asked, and Hermione was careful not to give any indication that she had undone her silencing charm, "fucking childish," Malfoy said, standing upright. He began walking the other way down the corridor, making sure it was her who was following him this time.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to think Zabini is playing a very elaborate prank on me," Draco carried on, talking to himself. He knew she couldn't hear him, but he was still angry and he didn't give a shit, "it'd be just like him to plant dreams of you in my head," Hermione's eyes widened at this, but Malfoy couldn't see her, "probably saw me carry you to the infirmary and thought it'd be funny to mess with my head. Not sure how he made me jump into that lake though," Draco had started rambling now. He'd had no one to talk to about the weird shit that had been going on in his head lately, and even though she couldn't hear him- only because she couldn't hear him- it felt nice to finally talk to someone.

"It's clearly not a love potion," Draco continued, grimacing at the word, "I still find you fucking revolting. Hm, that's not the right word. I find Weasley revolting. You're… vile? Repulsive? Nauseating?"

Hermione was about ready to Stupify him.

"Vexing. You're vexing," Draco finally said, decisively, "you give me a fucking headache. Even when you're not around! What the hell is that?" Draco was getting frustrated, but it felt strangely good, to get it all off his chest, "and that book you slipped me? Clever, I'll give you that, but it's not as if it's going to change my mind about anything. So a couple of muggles did something worthwhile, who cares? So you're smarter than half the fucking purebloods I know, so what? You're still weak. That book proves it. You can't stand that people hate you! That they hate people like you, like your parents too. You think you can fucking change me with some stupid little book? With a couple of sweet looks and those big brown eyes of yours? Good fucking luck. I'll always hate y-"

Draco stopped in his tracks. He saw Hermione's face reflected in a window. Her expression was a mix of too many emotions for him to decipher, but one thing was clear enough- she had heard him.

Merlin, what was going on with him? He was doing so many things lately that contradicted everything he thought he was. He was meant to be clever! He was meant to be in control, to try and keep his cards close to his chest and not let emotions influence his actions. And what fucking emotion had driven him to- to… He couldn't even think it, it was too revolting. Was it admiration? It had become a waste of time and effort to deny that he admired her intelligence, and her ferocity. Perhaps it was built up sexual frustration? Pansy and his exploits hardly ever managed to get him there, but even so how had he gotten so desperate that he'd kiss a Gryffindor?

Regardless of the cause (a hex? A forgotten brain injury?), Malfoy found himself exposed and vulnerable in front of Granger. It was his nightmare. He watched the witch in the window, as she looked at him in confusion, trying to figure out why he had stopped so suddenly. Eventually, she noticed the window, and their eyes met in its reflective face.