There we go my readers, old ones and new…

As always read and let me know what you think. I love all reviews and I promise to reply to them all if you are a FF member.

Okay...where was I?

She had been sat here, out in the cold, by the lake for a long time. And by long time she guessed about 2 hours…maybe more. She could move and look at her wrist but her limbs felt frozen so she stayed where she was.

The whole time she had sat here Malfoy had said nothing to her, he had not even tried to get inside her mind. Not that there was much to see in there at the moment. Anybody would think that all the time she had sat out here she might have been thinking really hard. Well they would be wrong, as she has thought about nothing. If truth was told she had not thought of anything since Malfoy had said what he did. Of course she knew he was right, she had known that that's what she did for a long time. And yet for some unknown reason it hurt for someone to say it to her. No that's not right; Harry and Ron had said it to her before. It just seemed to hurt when he said. And that was just plain silly because why would she care what he thought of her. Sure he could turn her on when they were dancing, and sure he could get her blood and heart racing when he kissed, and so what if she would rather spar with him than not talk to him at all. Because all of that had nothing to do with…nothing.

Right that's a sure sign that I need to go in. I am no longer making sense, even to myself.

With a sigh Hermione straightened and slowly made her legs cooperate and stood up. Malfoy looked at her from where he was still sitting on the floor.

"You done sulking?" he asked not taking his eyes off of her face.

"Nobody said you had to sit out here with me." she said waiting for him to stand. She could have just walked away but she found that she was content to wait on him.

Slowly the Slytherin started to get to his feet, groaning slightly as his muscles complained. The sound brought a blush to Hermione's cheeks, although why was anybody's guess. It was sort of a very intimate sound.

"Nope nobody did, but I caused your huff, I might as well have to deal with the consequences." He ran his hand through his hair and started towards the castle. Stopping after a couple of steps when he realized Hermione was not next to him.

"What?" he asked.

"Deal with the consequences!" she scoffed at him. "You have spent most of you're time here at Hogwarts taking the piss out of me, and loving every minute of it. What makes this time any different from them?"

"You know that it is different now." he said turning away from her and headed to the castle.

Hermione ran to catch up with him. What the hell was he talking about? Did he think that just because she had that 'gift' that made all the difference? Wall if he did he was in for a surprise.

"Tell me you are not talking about our…'gift'."

She could see the huge burst of air come from his lips and hit the cold air making a cloud.

"Of course it has to do with that. It's not like before. I can no longer tear you down and find it funny. I have to deal with the consequences."

She stopped walking and grabbed his shoulder to make him stop and look at her.

"So what you're saying is that because I have the 'gift' you are going to be…for want of a better word…nice to me?"

"Yeah, that's what I am saying. You need me now." he said to her as if that was clear.

"I am such a dunderhead!" she snapped to herself and walked in front of him.

It was Malfoy's turn to run and catch up.

"Granger you have me a little confused here. Fancy helping out."

She spun to look at him, fires burning in her eyes. If he wanted help to understand then she was going to give it to him loud and clear. God, she was such a fool!

"Here was me thinking you had changed. I deluded myself; I should have realized Malfoy's are all the same! Let's face it, me having the 'gift' makes me useful, in fact I would not be surprised if you were using your powers to reach Voldermort. And then to rub it in my face you say that you have to protect me…'You need me now'… that's what you said! Well here is news for you mister…I don't need you, I never have done and I never will do! So go and take a run and jump off of a tower!" Hermione stood there her cheeks bright red, her breath coming in hard pants.

Now let's see what he has to say to that.

Malfoy started at her for a moment, and then bent over double in laughter. Okay so that hadn't been the reaction she had expected. She had never been very good at losing her temper. She always thought of good things to say after the fight had taken place.

"Can you hear yourself!" he laughed. "I really mean that…can you? First I am using you and your powers to help Voldermort, and then I am trying to protect you." He bent over and laughed again.

Hermione felt tears spring to her eyes. This was insane. He hadn't said anything she had not already known, but just like before she felt hurt.

"I have the 'gift' myself and get the second best grades, I would not need you. And as for the protecting thing…you called my name when you saw the dead elf…not the other way around. So you can lie and say you don't need me, I know otherwise."

The hurt upset disappeared and anger took over, good old Gryffindor courage. It had been missing recently but now it was back and in full force.

"Of course I called you! You were the only one that could help me right then. We both have the 'gift', as you said so yourself…things change."

"Oh, so it's okay for you to say that, but when I do, I get you shouting in my face." He snapped at her, laughter gone from his face.

"Damn right! Because it is different for me, I never meant it in the mean way you did." she shouted at him.

"That's right, you meant it in a nice way, that's why you stand less than a foot away from me and yet still felt the need to shout it in my face."

And then before Hermione had any idea what was going on her lips met his in a lip bruising kiss. She quickly pulled away from him and slapped her hand across his cheek as hard as she could. He merely pulled her back to him and kissed her again. Her arms were no longer free to swing at him again so she kicked her foot into his shin. He groaned and let her go.

Hermione should have wiped her mouth and stormed away. That was what she meant to do…promise. But he straightened again and looked at her just before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him again. But this kiss was different. It was not a slam of the lips together; it was a light brush, a tease. She found herself sighing before she could stop it and then his tongue was in her mouth duelling with her own.

She should kick him again, tell him he was scum and get him to leave her alone once and for all. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

Why did this boy…man…have to taste so good. Why did he have to know how to turn her on and inside out? Why? It was just so unfair. And yet as his arms pulled her as close as their clothes would let him, she knew that she felt that it was safe, warm and she would not want to be anywhere else but there having her lips kissed into oblivion!

Please Review and let me know what you think!

HC