A/N: Hello everyone! I can't even begin to express how sorry I am for how long it took to update. Three months is a ridiculously long time to have to wait and you will have my deepest gratitude for reading this chapter if you've chosen to stick with this story. (To be honest, I would have forgotten all about it if it were me.) Anyway, maybe not giving you a set time as to when I'm going to update next will be more appropriate. I hope you all had a wonderfully Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy this chapter :D

Disclaimer: JKR owns Harry Potter. Lucky woman, or brilliant woman, depending on how you choose to see it. ;)

**Chapter 3- Having Sex Makes Things Complicated**

Hermione looked back at McGonagall, horror written all over her face and sputtered, "Professor, you cannot possibly believe that that's true! It's me we're talking about here."

"Indeed, Miss Granger. I am not a fool and it would not be very prudent of me to assume that these goings on are all your fault." She narrowed her eyes at Malfoy and continued, "In fact, I am just wise enough to know that there are events that have happened that neither of you have revealed to me," she paused, "and by the color of your cheeks, Miss Granger, and the smirk on your face, Mr. Malfoy, I'm not entirely sure I want to know what they are. Still, that's not my job so I shall press on. Would either of you care to tell me the real reason you two are behaving as such?"

Hermione looked at Draco, then back at McGonagall before saying, "I'm not really sure, Professor. We've always fought, ever since we've known each other."

McGonagall nodded, "Any particular reason the bickering escalated to school vandalism?"

Hermione cleared her throat and said, "That is my fault, Professor. I got in a rather nasty disagreement with Malfoy yesterday and I wanted to get back at him by humiliating him. I thought, what would be more humiliating to a pureblood than what I wrote. I didn't really consider the consequences at the time."

McGonagall said, "Oh, I see. Now, was this disagreement before or after you were seen being carried back to the castle astride Mr. Malfoy with your faces glued together?"

"Oh dear Merlin! They saw?" shrieked Hermione.

"Excuse me, 'they'?" asked Draco.

McGonagall shook her head, "No, not 'they'."

"Who, then?" asked Hermione.

"You?" asked Draco, pointing to McGonagall.

"No."

"Who?" repeated Hermione.

"Me." Said a voice from behind.

Draco shut his eyes, sighed and mumbled a very quiet obscenity that began with the letter f, for behind him was the last person on earth he wanted to find out.

He slowly turned around and in a voice of utmost respect said, "Good morning, Father."

Hermione had no idea what Malfoy's father was doing there but she knew it couldn't be a good thing for Draco. At that moment, she felt a twinge of pity for the blonde teenager sitting next to him.

Mr. Malfoy nodded curtly and said, "Son."

Just then, professor Snape glided in, his robes billowing behind him.

He drawled, "Minerva, I believe you asked to see me?"

She smiled and nodded in Mr. Malfoy's direction.

Professor Snape smirked and said, "Lucius! How very wonderful to see you. Unfortunate you had to miss our luncheon appointment yesterday."

"Likewise, Severus. Quite to my displeasure, there were things witnessed that required my immediate attention."

He glanced down at his son and Hermione watched as Draco actually cowered in fear.

Mr. Malfoy continued, "Perhaps we should reschedule."

Snape nodded, "Of course."

Professor McGonagall said, "Well, Severus, I called you in here because last night Mr. Malfoy here brought it to my attention that he witnessed Hermione and Draco kissing while walking up to the castle. There are no school rules that prohibit such behavior as long as it does not cause a disturbance to others. Lucius told me he followed them to their dormitory and of course, when he tried to get in, the portrait would not grant him access. This morning, Mr. Malfoy informed me that he went to your office last night and that you were not present."

Snape shook his head, "Last night was the first night of the full moon cycle. I was delivering the Wolfsbane Potion to Professor Lupin last night."

McGonagall nodded, "I thought as much. Well, this morning the whole school awoke to that horrible graffiti written on the wall. I presume you saw it?" Snape nodded and she continued, "So the only reason I called you in here was to discuss the issue of appropriate disciplinary actions."

"Of course," said Snape, "I believe one hundred house points, a week's worth of detention and a letter home would be quite appropriate. There was a profanity included in the graffiti."

McGonagall nodded, "That seems suitable."

At this point, Hermione was positively crying her eyes out. She'd never done anything so stupid in her entire life and now her parents were going to find out about it, too.

Snape then said, "I really don't know why Draco should be punished. As far as I can tell, he did nothing wrong."

"Well, I don't kn-"

"Minerva, unless kissing has suddenly become against the rules at this school, Draco was not in the wrong. I rather doubt he would write anything like that himself."

McGonagall looked at Draco and asked, "Was there any truth to what was written, Draco?"

He glanced at Hermione and slowly shook his head.

McGonagall said, "Very well. Miss Granger, I'm not sure what has gotten into you lately, but I don't like it. One hundred points shall be deducted from your house, I shall be writing your parents and I'll see you in my office, tonight, seven o'clock sharp."

Hermione sniffed loudly and nodded.

She was just standing to dismiss herself when Lucius said, "Your parents, Miss Granger. Muggles, aren't they?"

She nodded.

He stuck his nose in the air and said, "Hmm, pity." He turned to McGonagall and said, "Minerva, I'm going to require Draco for the rest of the week. Is it going to be a problem if he misses lessons for that long?"

Draco's eyes revealed terror to the room. He said, "I'm sorry, Father. This is a very crucial time. Lots of projects and things due."

Professor McGonagall said, "Well, Draco, if you're father requires your attention then it's not up to me to deprive him of it. Lucius, I'm sure I can work something out with the Headmaster."

Lucius politely tilted his head and smoothly said, "Thank you. Draco, come."

Draco stood and followed his father out the door but not before shooting Hermione a look that screamed 'I'm going to get you back for this.' Get her back for what, exactly, Hermione didn't quite understand. He shouldn't be mad. He didn't even get punished. Still, she didn't like the way Draco's father looked at him, or the way Draco looked when Draco's father looked at him. Something wasn't right.

She looked at McGonagall and asked, "So am I free to go?"

"Yes, Miss Granger. Remember, my office, seven o'clock."

Hermione nodded, "Seven o'clock. Got it."

She hurried out the door just in time to see Draco and his father disappearing behind a corner. She quietly tiptoed after them, praying to God they wouldn't turn around. Now, more than ever, she wished she had Harry's invisibility cloak. She saw Mr. Malfoy pull Draco into an empty classroom and shut the door. She sidled over and quietly pressed her ear to the door.

She heard Mr. Malfoy growl, "What is wrong with you, Son? You didn't honestly think you could get away with a stunt like that, did you?"

She then heard a spell being uttered, a loud crash and Draco whimpering quite loudly.

"I'm sorry, Father. I didn't do it on purpose. I was impaired."

"Impaired?" Lucius roared, "Impaired by what, exactly?"

Draco quietly answered, "Liquor."

There was a brief pause and then, "Liquor. Of course."

"Father, don't!"

Hermione heard the sound of flesh on flesh, presumably a hand to a cheek. Poor kid, that was the second time he had been slapped that day.

Mr. Malfoy shouted, "Don't you 'Father, don't' me, boy! I'll do whatever I please. Now, was there any truth to that statement written on the wall?"

There was a long pause.

"Answer me, Draco and do not even consider lying. Believe me, I shall know if you do."

This was answered by another very long pause.

Draco must have nodded or indicated in some way that it was true because she heard Draco's father say, "Disgrace, Draco. That's all you have ever contributed to this family. Let's go. We'll arrange the rest of your punishment at home."

Hermione heard the sound of footsteps quickly approaching the door. She looked to the left and to the right, trying to decide which way was best to go. Just in time, she ducked behind a statue not three feet from the door of the classroom and tried to make herself invisible.

As Draco and his father left, he said, "When I get back, I'm going to kill that stupid mudblood bitch."

"You have my full approval, son. That is, if you get back in one piece."

Hermione inhaled and Draco turned around. Their eyes connected and Draco shook his head in disgust before turning back and continuing after his father.

As soon as they were out of sight, Hermione got up and was intent on finding Ron and Harry. She needed to tell them what had happened, especially before wild rumors reached their ears. She heard the giant clock chime noon and she panicked. Much to her dismay, she had missed her first two lessons of the day and it was already time for lunch. That meant Harry and Ron would be in the Great Hall. She made it to the entrance to see a very upset Filch yelling at Professor Lupin and pointing at the still visible graffiti on the wall.

"Honest to Merlin, Professor. It won't come off. There's got to be some kind of spell on it. I've tried everything."

At these words, Hermione blushed. She had forgotten about the anti-removal charm she had put on it the night before. She very discreetly waved her wand and removed the charm, making it so that it could be cleaned.

"Watch, Professor. I'll show you."

Filch climbed up the high ladder and placed his brush on one of the letters and started scrubbing. The letters washed off with ease.

Professor Lupin turned around and walked off, but not before saying, "That's what I thought."

Filch stood open-mouthed and gaping.

He shouted after him, "Someone did something! It wasn't coming off!" He looked down at Mrs. Norris and continued, "You believe me, my sweet."

Hermione smiled, continued into the Great Hall and scanned the room for Ron and Harry. She found the two of them sitting with Ginny and talking animatedly.

She carefully approached them and said, "Hey."

Ginny looked up and said, "Hey! Where have you been? We didn't see you for dinner last night and Lavender told us you didn't turn up for lessons this morning. What happened?"

Hermione swallowed and felt her cheeks flush pink. She should have prepared a speech to inform them of these recent occurrences. It would be a right side better than just blurting to her best friends that she got drunk and slept with Draco. Unfortunately, Harry figured it out.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes and said, "It was you, wasn't it?"

"What was me?" Hermione sputtered.

"Don't play stupid, Hermione. You know what I'm talking about."

"Hey," Ginny intervened, "What's going on?"

Ron said, "Better stay out of this one, Ginny."

"Come on, Hermione," seethed Harry, "Just admit it!"

Hermione was close to tears as she blurted, "Yeah, well it's your fault I did! If you hadn't yelled at me yesterday in Hogsmeade, none of this would have happened!"

"Excuse me?" yelled Harry, incredulously, "How exactly did my yelling at you cause this?"

"Cause what?" Ginny shouted.

Harry pointed at Hermione and shouted, "She had sex with Malfoy last night!"

Hermione didn't look around to see who had heard, but quickly took a seat between the now choking Ron and wide-eyed Ginny.

She slammed her fists on the table and harshly whispered, "Say it louder, would you. I think there's a mermaid in the lake who didn't quite hear you."

"Whatever. It's not like the whole school doesn't know already. What I can't figure out is why Malfoy would parade it around like that."

Ginny chuckled, "You don't honestly believe Malfoy is the one who wrote that on the wall?" She then turned to Hermione and continued, "I can't believe you're the one who did that!"

Hermione blushed, "I… well… I was drunk. It was an accident. I really wasn't intending to sleep with him."

At this point, Ron was positively dying, and yet somehow, no one was paying him any heed.

Ginny, still ignoring her choking brother asked Hermione, "Malfoy, eh? So, how was he?"

If possible, Hermione turned an even darker shade of red. Harry was staring at the two of them open-mouthed and speechless and Ron was now blue in the face and looked about ready to pass out.

Ron managed to say, "Please don't answer that question."

Hermione and Ron had been a couple and they had engaged in acts of a sexual nature while they were together. Then, at the end of their sixth year, they had broken up after dating for only a couple of months, obviously making the topic of sex uncomfortable for them. Needless to say, they remained friends, but Hermione still harbored a few bad feelings towards him. He had, after all, broken up with her to get back with Lavender.

So, just to spite Ron, she looked at Ginny and pointedly answered, "Fantastic! Best sex I ever had."

"Why, Hermione? Why?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, how is that helpful?" asked Harry, "It's stuff like that. That's what's been irritating me about you lately. That isn't like you."

That's when Hermione snapped, "No, it's not like me, Harry, but a lot of things I've done in the past twenty four hours aren't 'like me.' Getting drunk isn't like me. Having sex with Draco isn't like me. Declaring it to the world isn't like me, Harry, but you know what? I don't care anymore! Seeing as my best friends hate me because I talk about Malfoy all the time and seeing as I have a week's worth of detention because I slept with Malfoy and seeing as McGonagall is writing a letter to my parents about it, I think the sex with Malfoy had better damn well have been the best sex I ever had, alright!"

Hermione did not realize how loudly she was shouting, but now that the entire Great Hall was staring at her, it was plainly clear to her.

"Great! Now the whole damn school really does know!"

She put her face in her hands and began to cry. She then felt three pairs of hands on her back and a gentle kiss on her head.

She heard Harry's voice, "I'm sorry, Herms. I didn't mean to be so harsh."

Ron asked, "You got a week's worth of detention?"

Ginny chimed, "And a letter home?"

Hermione nodded and miserably replied, "Yes. I don't know what's come over me. Everything just happened so fast."

Ginny said, "Well, then you stop dwelling on what has already happened and focus on making it right again. Do your Head Girl duty and just pretend Malfoy doesn't even exist, alright?"

Harry chimed in, "Yeah, and I'll get off your back about everything. I promise."

Hermione smiled at her friends and said, "Ron, if it makes you feel any better, he didn't last anywhere near as long as you could. I mean, he was drunk and I'm sure if he was sober he wouldn't have, you know… quite so quickly but…"

"Is that really necessary?" Ron interrupted.

She smirked, "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

Ron asked, "So, where is Malfoy anyway?"

"Oh my! I completely spaced it!"

Hermione then told Harry, Ron and Ginny what she had heard between Malfoy and his father.

"What do you think Mr. Malfoy is going to do?" asked Ginny.

"I don't know," said Harry, "but I think it's safe to assume that we now know why Malfoy is such a jerk."

"What do you mean?" asked Ron.

Hermione answered, "He means that maybe Malfoy is the way he is because his father is that way. That is to say, maybe Draco just wants his father's approval. I myself have a hard time believing that, though."

"Why?"

"Well, look at Harry. He's not a dick and he grew up with the Dudley's."

Harry chuckled, "Well, thanks Mione."

She smiled at him and said, "Personally, after what he did to me last night, I hope his father kills him."

Ron said, "I couldn't agree more, but I was wondering if we could just move off the topic of you and Malfoy getting busy. It makes me uncomfortable."

Ginny turned to Hermione and said, "So, a week's worth of detention, huh? Who with?"

"McGonagall. It shouldn't be that bad, right?"

Nobody said anything.

She continued, "What? I've only had detention twice. How bad could it be?"

"I don't know, Herms. McGonagall is pretty strict. I think you should be fine, though. She likes you."

Ginny nodded reassuringly, then said, "Come on. Our next lessons are near each other. We'll walk together."

Hermione stood, waved good-bye to the boys and followed Ginny out of the Great Hall.

The second they were out of sight, Ginny rounded on Hermione and said, "So, what was it like, really?"

Hermione said, "Excuse me?"

"What was Malfoy like, you know, in bed?"

"Umm, why do you want to know?" she asked, confused.

Ginny giggled, "You've become a member of an exclusive club. All the girls in this school would die to get it on with him and only a few actually get to."

Hermione was appalled, "I never wanted to sleep with him! Have you met Draco? He's a complete ass!"

She nodded, "Yeah, I've met him and he is an ass, but have you seen Draco? He's a complete fox!"

"Sure, he's a fox, but I'd rather have an ugly non-ass, then a good-looking ass." Hermione paused, "That didn't come out right."

Ginny chortled, "No, it really didn't. Seriously, though, how was he?"

Hermione sighed, "The sex was fine and I was just trying to make Ron feel better when I said he was quick but…"

"But?"

"He's mean."

Hermione proceeded to tell Ginny what he had done to her after he slept with her and why she had seen fit to write what she did on the wall.

All Ginny could seem to say was, "Oh. My. God. What a jerk."

"I know, right!"

Ginny continued, "I mean, you sort of expect that behavior from Malfoy but it's still shocking when he actually comes through and does it. Well, if anything else happens, let me know and I think you should tell Harry and Ron as well."

Hermione nodded, "See you later and thanks for listening."

She waved goodbye and headed off to her next lesson.

Hermione made it through the rest of her lessons, not without difficulty though. Everywhere she went, she got stares from random peers and she was finally beginning to realize what it was like to be Harry. Finally, seven o'clock rolled round and she headed off to her second detention of the year.

She knocked on McGonagall's office door and waited for the witch to answer. The door swung open and McGonagall invited her in.

"Miss Granger. You're quite on time. Have a seat."

"Thank you, Professor."

Hermione sat. She looked up at McGonagall and waited for her to speak.

Professor McGonagall removed her glasses, laced her fingers and said, "Miss Granger, you are one of the smartest students I have ever had the privilege to teach, which is one of the many reasons I recommended you as Head Girl this year. Quite frankly, your behavior this term thus far, has not reflected it. Surely you, of all people, could come up with a much cleverer way to get back at Malfoy than what you did."

"I know, Professor. I'm not myself at all. I really don't kno…. Wait, what?"

Professor McGonagall smirked, "Now, I myself would never advise you to behave in such a manner, but since the Headmaster has given me strict instructions to not revoke your post as Head Girl and since I know what a headache Draco Malfoy can be, I would not be remiss to say, if you're not going to give it your all, then don't even bother doing it at all."

Hermione didn't really know what to say so she stuttered, "Umm, thank you."

"Now, the issue of your detention. You did nothing deserving of great punishment so I thought it fit to issue you lines. I also have other matters occupying my time so the ink and parchment are waiting for you on your desk in my classroom. The door will open on its own when it is time for you to leave."

Hermione nodded, "What would you like me to write, Professor?"

"Oh, of course. I would like you to write 'I will not graffiti the school.' Understood?"

Hermione nodded, thanked her, and left for the transfiguration classroom. On her way there, she couldn't help thinking about what McGonagall had told her. That was the last thing she had expected to come out of her mouth. She couldn't believe her own luck, either. Lines weren't so bad. She reached the classroom and took a seat at her desk where the quill and ink sat waiting for her. The classroom door shut behind her and she began to write. The time went on and on and on. She must have written at least twelve feet of parchment before the door swung open behind her, indicating she could leave. She stood and looked around, wondering what to do with the parchment. All of a sudden, the parchment rolled up and placed itself on McGonagall's desk. Hermione smiled and left the room.

On the way to her dormitory, she heard the clock chime eleven. It wasn't that late either. On tope of that, Malfoy wasn't in the dormitory and Hermione found herself going to bed quite pleased.

After three more days of detention, Hermione was starting to get annoyed.

She sat at dinner complaining to Ron and Harry, "How in the world do you manage to complete your assignments whilst in detention?"

"How would we know?" asked Ron.

"Well, you two get detention all the time."

"That's not true. I've only gotten detention a few times. It's Harry here who usually gets detention."

Harry smiled, "Yeah, that's me. To answer your question, Hermione, I normally just get you to do it."

Hermione sighed, "Well, I would ask you to do the same but since you can't even complete your own homework, I wouldn't expect you to complete mine. I've got to go. It's nearly seven."

"Hey, Herms! Keep your chin up. It's only lines, okay?" Harry shouted after her.

She shouted back, "I'll try."

On her seventh and final day of detention, Hermione was sitting at her desk, still writing lines. It was a very dull punishment, not that she was complaining. There were far worse things she could be doing. Still, after six days of lines, her hand had an ongoing cramp, she had wasted an ungodly amount of parchment, and now she was beginning to think the hours of solitary time had rendered her mad.

All evening, she kept hearing noises to her right and she was starting to believe they were in her head because she was the only one in the room. Even thinking this, she couldn't help glancing to her right every time said noise occurred. She was nearing the end of her evening when she heard the noise again. Customarily, she glanced to her right and nearly jumped out of her skin in fright. She also started screaming bloody murder.

"Calm down! It's me!" said a voice amidst her hysteria.

"Me?" yelled Hermione, "Who the hell is me?"

"It's me, Malfoy!" Draco shouted.

Hermione screeched, "You're 'me?' You are the last person on this planet I would expect to be in here at a time like this. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I just got back from home."

"No shit, Sherlock. I meant, what are you doing here in this classroom?"

It was only now that Hermione was able to get a good look at Malfoy. He looked just dreadful. He had bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair and was rocking back and forth, just as mad people do.

After seeing his appearance, she said, "Never mind that last question, answer this one. What the devil happened to you?"

He seethed, "I can answer both questions for you. First, I just got back from home. Yes, my lovely little house where anything can happen. Anything from getting a broomstick every time a new one comes out to getting the cruciatus curse used on you daily because you slept with a mudblood. Second, I'm here because I wanted to let you know how much trouble that damn mistake caused me."

"That's what you're father did to you?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, that's not all." He turned around and lifted his shirt to reveal a bunch of red scars. "This is what you get in the Malfoy house when you fuck up."

Hermione wasn't in a sympathetic mood, "Why do I care?"

"I'm sure you don't, but you should. I'm going to make you pay for this."

"How is it my fault?" she asked, incredulously.

"You had to graffiti the damn wall! I could have gotten away with the kissing, but the sex… no, that's unacceptable, you damn bitch!"

Hermione wasn't scared so she said, "So what. What the hell could you do to me anyways. I'm not afraid of you."

Just then, the classroom door swung open and the parchment placed itself on McGonagall's desk. Hermione made for the door.

Draco shouted after her, "You're going to regret those words, Granger! Remember, we share a dormitory!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Hermione didn't know that Draco knew a quicker back way to their dormitory, which was why she was so shocked to see him sitting in the common room's couch.

"How did you get here so fast?" she asked.

"None of your business." He replied, smirking.

She looked around, "What did you do?"

"Nothing, Granger. Now, shouldn't you get to bed? You have a big exam tomorrow in Transfiguration."

"Good night, Malfoy."

She walked up to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and promptly fell asleep.

The next morning Hermione awoke and looked at the time. It was 8:18 a.m. Oh good God! Her exam was at 8:20. Hermione didn't even look in the mirror and just took off to her class. Damn it all to hell, that Draco slipped something in her water glass last night, she was sure. She never overslept, especially the day of a test.

She made it to her class and took her seat right on time. Ron looked at her and nearly choked.

"Hermione, your head. Hermione!"

"Shut up, Ron! The exam is beginning."

Two hours later and Hermione was the first to finish her exam. She waited outside the classroom and every time a student walked by they would look at her and almost die laughing.

Hermione couldn't figure out what everyone was laughing about. Harry walked out of the classroom, over to Hermione and his face was the darkest shade of crimson the world had ever seen.

He said, "Could you go look in the mirror, please?"

Hermione's eyes widened. She ran to the bathroom and when she looked in the mirror, she let out a scream in a pitch that only dogs could hear. Oh that son of a bitch!

There on her forehead were the words, I give head! 1 Galleon a pop!

Hermione didn't even attempt to get it off. She knew that the smartest male in their year had probably made it permanent, removable only by him.

Hermione stormed out of the bathroom and shouted at the top of her lungs, "DRACO MALFOY! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Draco could hear her screaming from their head dormitories. He sat down on the couch in their common area and waited for her to storm in.

Hermione stormed in the common room. She was so mad you could feel the electricity shooting off of her in waves.

At the sight of her and her forehead, Draco couldn't help but laugh.

Between chuckles and snorts, he pointed at her and said, "That's a good one, right?"

A/N 2: Well, I hope you all enjoyed it and I know after how long it took me to update I shouldn't be asking this but... Review, please??? MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!