Disclaimer: Not mine, just the plot.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, even so few, they make my day brighter! Anyways, on with the show.

Chapter 2 – Slughorn's Party

Draco had been trying to talk to Hermione for weeks, ever since their last escapade in the Room of Requirement, but she always seemed to evade him. He didn't know what to do or who to talk to. Not to mention the fact that Snape was always breathing down his neck, asking him what he was going to do about the Plan.

Christmas was coming up soon and he wasn't sure whether to buy her something or not. He thought back to when they used to actually talk and go places.

Flashback

Hermione and Draco were strolling down the muggle area of London, to escape the stares of witches and wizards and to avoid any rumors getting back to his father or anyone else that could potentially cause them problems.

It was a beautiful day and they walked casually around, stopping in shops when they felt like it or just walking and holding hands. Draco was overwhelmed with a sense of blissful peace, something he hadn't felt in years. When he was with her he felt as though nothing could possibly go wrong.

They stopped at a fountain to relax and perched on the edge.

He looked down at her, still towering over when they were both sitting and stared at her a long time until a faint pink tinge rose to her cheeks. He gave her one of his signature smirks then pulled her into a passionate kiss. She gave his tongue entrance easily, letting him explore her. Draco had never felt this way kissing another girl. There was passion, and a fiery heat, mingled with romance and tenderness. It was devastatingly wonderful, yet terrible because they both knew their time together would be short lived.

He smiled into their kiss mischievously then suddenly swept her up in his arms and tossed her into the fountain. She came up sputtering in shock and joy and grabbed him by the wrist to try and pull him in with her. He grinned and held back resisting her attempts. Suddenly she started tickling him and he couldn't help but flail and lose grip. She pulled him in with her and he came up gasping. She didn't give him long though, before she jumped on top of him and started tickling him. Drat my ticklish weakness he thought.

They finally collapsed in giggles in the fountain. He looked at her closely. She was so beautiful and sexy, with her clothes skin tight form the water and her hair messed up and soaking. It was all too perfect to be true.

End of Flashback

He decided to try the Library to see if on the off chance she was there. He peered in slowly, it seemed deserted, but there was the sound of rustling papers from a corner far back in the library. He walked on and sure enough it was Hermione looking tired and extremely busy. There were papers scattered all over the place, and ink smudged on her cheek. It was extremely cute.

He looked around then sat down. "I've missed you."

She gasped quietly in surprise then a stony look came over her face, "What do you want Malfoy?"

He looked around in surprise wondering if there was someone around to explain the change and the use of his surname. The library was deserted.

"I've wanted to talk to you…" he said tentatively and reached for her hand.

"Isn't that what you have your girlfriend for?" She spat scathingly.

"What? Oh! Pansy, you know she means nothing to me," he said reassuringly and tried to reach for her hand once more.

She ripped it away, "Look, we can't keep doing this anymore, I really can't take it. You have Pansy, there are other people interested in me too you know."

He chuckled softly, "Give it a rest Hermione; I know Weasley is obsessed about you but you've been dodging him for years."

"I'll have you know thank you very much that I'm going with Cormac McLaggen to Slughorn's party," she snapped at him and gathered up her scattered things quickly.

Hermione practically ran out of the library, leaving a shocked Malfoy in her wake. She turned the corner and collapsed against the wall.

Why, why WHY had she done that?! To make him jealous? Partially. She was hurt, extremely hurt, after watching Pansy and Draco make out all over the castle. She knew they couldn't be together but she still thought he cared about her. Harry foolishly thought that she was going with McLaggen to make Ron jealous, but she had raised her voice at the table hoping that Malfoy would overhear her, not Ron.

She tried to mentally collect herself and headed back to the common room, feeling even more upset than before.

Draco sat in shock. It was one thing for him to keep up pretenses by being with Pansy, but Hermione? He felt as though she had physically hit him. Was this what she felt like every time she saw him and Pansy together? Well this just wouldn't do. He couldn't have that McLaggen scum touching her. He knew he wasn't invited to the party, and before he hadn't cared, but now he had to go. To keep an eye on her.

It was the night of the party and Draco was pacing back and forth trying to decide how best to get into the party. He decided to just try and sneak in, with or without an invitation. He swiftly made his way up the halls trying to remain undetected. He was in the hall leading to Slughorn's office when a giggle made him slow down. He recognized that giggle.

He peered around the corner to the doorway leading into the party. Underneath the mistletoe he made out Hermione, and the back of whom he could only presume was McLaggen. He appeared to be eating her face. His hands roamed up and down Hermione's body and she appeared to be making an effort to push them away. He gagged to himself, feeling sick. Hermione was his, he made her giggle, only he got to kiss her. His blood started to boil and he looked back at them. They seemed to have disappeared into the party.

He bolted down the corridors feeling sick and empty. He didn't even notice where his feet were taking him until they stopped right outside of the Room of Requirement. This was their place, their place to be together. He just sighed and kept walking slowly, not realizing that there was someone right in front of him until he bumped straight into him.

"Well, well, what have we here? A prefect out of bed past curfew?" Filch cackled evilly at him.

Draco made up some lame sounding excuse about going to Slughorn's party and getting a late start. He barely registered the fact that Filch was taking him there to see if it was true or not, and didn't even pay attention to the conversation with Slughorn. It wasn't until he realized that it was Snape who was now steering him into an empty classroom that he snapped out of his reverie.

He vaguely listened to what Snape had to say and tried to come back with witty replies but they just came out sounding lame and angry. He didn't care about the Plan and he didn't give a damn about what Snape had to say. He couldn't get the image of Hermione and that dungbomb that called himself a person kissing. He stormed out of the room quickly and headed back to his room.

The next couple of weeks he avoided Hermione just as much as Hermione avoided him. They didn't even keep up their charade of calling each other names; they just walked past one another, and avoided each others eyes. Finally Draco couldn't take it anymore and went to hunt her out once again, checking the library where he had found her before. No such luck. He was just about to leave when a small body collided into his.

"Oh, sorr-" Hermione started then noticed who it was and lowered her gaze quickly.

Draco just looked down with contempt, "Hermione, how could you do this to me?"

"Do what exactly Malfoy, I don't have time for this."

He grabbed her roughly by her shoulders and practically shook her, "You know what! You're driving me crazy, I can't stop thinking about you. But now every time I do all I see is you kissing that piece of shit and I end up breaking things!"

She tried not to blush at his mention of her little escapade under the mistletoe, and tried to remain emotionless, even though every molecule of her just wanted to grab him and kiss and apologize. She wanted to tell him to never let her go, and to run away with her or forget everyone else and just do what they wanted. But she couldn't. It would never work, and she had to reconcile herself to that fact.

"Now you know how it feels," she said icily and turned away.

A/N: So, well there's not all that much plot yet, tons of angst though. Please review! Thanks so much.

Much Love

Ci Ci