Draco couldn't help but feel something rise up, something a little more than hate, and just as strong, if not stronger, whenever he saw that mudblood, that Hermione Granger, walk down the hallway, laughing with her friends, what few she did have. It wasn't his fault that she was a mudblood! Why should he care about her? Why should he care for her?
His fingers tightened around the books, and he whipped around icily. He'd be in Arithmancy next, sitting right behind her in class, able to watch her all the hour, be able to sniff her hair that smelled like cinnamon (probably just her shampoo, stupid muggles, he thought). It was no surprise, he guessed, that he liked someone that Hermione Granger.
Love that's forbidden, like Merlin and Nimue, like the Dark Lord and his Aunt Bella, it was always attractive. It was like telling an innocent toddler to not eat the cookies on the counter, practically dangling it in front of his face. Draco guessed that Lucius while he was on holiday telling Draco to stay away from a mudblood like her was the very first thing that influenced him.
It wasn't just that, Draco thought, as he sat behind Hermione in Arthimancy. It was that bushy, curly hair, so beautiful, just like his mother's, except it was such a fiery, warm shade of brown. It was her innocent, somewhat naive brown eyes that tried to see the world optimistically and for what it really was. Her pale hands, which were always holding a quill, scribbling down notes like mad.
Her personality was attractive, too, Draco decided, as he made neat, conformed notes about the Theory of Seven, barely listening to Professor Vector go on about how some Hufflepuff (the only good one, in Draco's mind) had come up with the Theory of Seven, and nearly mailed it as a letter to a friend. Draco liked a girl who was smart, not like Pansy. After hanging around Pansy, as being in her gang was the only a Slytherin girl in his year could survive, most of the girls his father would actually approve of him dating were half brain-dead, with no common sense.
Hermione had common sense, and logic, and oh, she was just so damn smart! He couldn't stand her beating him, yet she always did. Narcissa once confided in him that it was alright for a crush to be smarter than him- it gave him a challenge, and there wasn't a thing that a woman liked more than a man who viewed her as an equal, someone who challenged her, and someone who she challenged.
Plus, although she wasn't the most outstanding in her beauty, she had lots of heart, which was what Pansy Parkinson, the girl Lucius and Narcissa had been trying to set him up with for forever and a day was missing. Hermione, Draco could tell, valued bravery and heart. That was why he got slapped in his third year, right? Because she had a heart, and he didn't, not yet. Draco absently put a hand to his cheek. As much as he refused to admit, not even under Veritaserum, he liked a girl that could fight dirty, like a muggle.
Draco sighed. She'd never like him back. He'd done way too much to ever get there. He started going down the stairs, back to the common room, when he bumped into someone, a third year Slytherin girl.
Slytherins look out for their own, Draco reminded himself as he gathered up her spilled books, and helped her to her feet. She looked familiar to him... How? Then he put his finger on it. She looked like Daphne Greengrass's little sister!
"Aster, right?" Draco asked the third-year.
"Astoria." The third-year said shyly, her cheeks turning red, highlighting her pale skin and her dark eyes and dark brown hair, which looked similar to Daphne Greengrass.
Draco looked over, to see Hermione talking to Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown.
"You really like her, don't you?" Astoria asked sadly.
"Why should I tell you?" Draco asked, returning his attention to little girl.
"Because I hate to see love die." Astoria said.
"Then fine, yes, I love the mudblood, happy?" Draco spat. He didn't particularly care if Granger heard that. He just wanted to get over with this conversation with that annoying little twit.
"Love doesn't always make you happy." Astoria noted, and she turned around, then stopped.
"What now?" Draco complained.
Astoria's shoulders heaved, and she whipped around, and she kissed him. No fuss, just all surprise, and Draco was surprised to discover that the shy little third-year girl was actually a pretty good kisser.
All too soon, it was over. Astoria's eyes widened, having realized what she'd done, and the three Gryffindor girls were gawking. She smiled awkwardly.
"See you in the common room." She said, and she hurried off, probably late for Charms or Transfiguration.
Hermione Granger marched over to Draco, having saddled Brown and Patil with her books.
"Draco, what was that about?" She whipped her wand out.
"Granger, do you mean to say that you care?" Draco didn't try to hide the delight writhing in his voice.
"That's not the point." Hermione said stubbornly.
"Granger, I can explain." Draco said. Where'd those words come from? Some opera?
Hermione suddenly smiled. "That's all I needed to hear."
Then she kissed him. And Draco was surprised to find himself putting his arms around her, really getting into it.
Then they broke away. "You can explain it to me at the Three Broomsticks." Hermione said slyly, and she smiled mischievously, and strode away with the gawking Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Draco himself grinned, he'd finally gotten the girl. Although he would always wonder what might have happened with Astoria...