A/N: I am so sorry it took over a year to get this chapter out. You might want to read the previous chapters to get caught up on what happened.

Chapter 6 The Kiss

Hermione tiredly made her way down the staircase to the common room. The image that she saw when she reached the bottom made her smile. Ron was passed out on one of the round tables with many books piled around him. Harry was at another table also with books all around him but he was awake. He let out a frustrated sigh as he tiredly ran his hand through his hair making it even messier then it usually was. Hermione walked towards Harry. She put her hands on the back of his chair and looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing. Harry jumped when he saw her from the corner of his eye.

"Hermione," Harry said tiredly as he tried to make his messy hair look presentable, "what are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," She answered as she sat down next to him, "I had a bad dream."

"Oh," Harry looked straight into her eyes. Hermione knew that he was thinking of something else. Like she had had a bad dream about Voldemort or something but he really had no idea. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's fine." Hermione smiled reassuringly, "I'll be fine."

"Ok. But just know that I'll always be here for you." He took her hands in his still looking into her eyes. To Hermione it looked as if he was holding something back from her. There was something different in the depths of his emerald green eyes, something she had never seen it before. It wasn't anything bad; it actually made her feel good. It made her smile as he continued talking, "If you ever need to talk about anything."

"I know, Harry. I greatly appreciate it too but this time you really don't have to worry about me." Hermione shrugged, "What are you working on?"

Harry groaned at the change of subject, "Potions essay. Right now I'm at about three inches."

Hermione moved closer to Harry to look at his essay. "Harry you need three feet by Tuesday!" Hermione explained the entire lesson over to Harry. She wasn't exactly sure if he was paying any attention but she didn't voice her concerns until he had stopped giving his responses of "yes" and "uh-huh." "Harry, are you even paying attention to me?"

Harry abruptly came out of his reverie. "Yeah, Hermione! Why wouldn't I pay attention?"

Hermione looked at Harry. "Because this is your least favorite subject, and you despise the teacher, there are many more reasons. Need I go on?"

"Ahh Hermione, one of my least favorite teachers may have taught me this lesson earlier but right now one of my best friends is re-teaching it to me!" Harry tried to smoothly wipe the sleep from his eyes but Hermione knew that he had fallen asleep. "How about you just give me your essay tonight and teach the class to me tomorrow?"

"If I give my essay to you then Ron will want to copy it. Neither of you two will learn anything from copying!" Hermione didn't want to give in again and let them copy. "Harry what will happen if you become an Auror? They have to fill out paper work and things of that sort. You can't copy anyone else's; you have to do it on your own."

"I know Hermione, and I promise this will be the last time I copy anything from you. Ron and I will be up and ready to get tutored first thing in the morning."

"Do you promise?" Hermione knew she shouldn't give in but it was too hard not to. They were her best friends and she didn't want to see them fall behind. "And you won't fall asleep… And you'll pay attention… And you'll ask questions when you don't understand something… And you won't talk about Quidditch…"

Harry interrupted Hermione before she could think of anymore regulations. "I promise to do everything you just said and anything else you come up with."

Hermione smiled as Harry took her hand in his again. It wasn't a smile of happiness, not that she wasn't happy, it was more along the lines of her holding something back. She could not stop thinking about her dream of Draco. Her mother had always said that she would know she had the perfect man by his kiss. In her dream, Draco's kiss was perfect, even if it was only a dream. "Harry, kiss me."

Harry looked surprised, "What?"

She stood up taking Harry's hand and forcing him up as well. "I want you to kiss me."

Harry was not sure what he should do. She had just told him to kiss her but he wasn't sure if he could. It just seemed too abrupt. But he put one hand on her cheek and his other hand on her waist and pulled her close. As their lips drew closer together Hermione closed her eyes. Once their lips met she opened them, this didn't feel right. She pulled away from Harry by taking a step back. "Harry, I…" she trailed off and looked at the ground.

"I know what you're going to say. It didn't… it wasn't…" it was Harry's turn to trail off.

Hermione smiled, "Friends?" she stuck out her hand.

"Friends." He took her hand and they shook but ended up pulling it into a hug.

"Did I just witness the end to the Harry-Hermione Saga?" Ron asked groggily from the couch.

Hermione laughed as she pulled away from Harry. "You might have. Well boys, I'm off to bed" She walked by the couch Ron was sleeping on, "See you bright and early tomorrow." She rubbed Ron's hair before making her way upstairs.

"Does she realize that tomorrow is Sunday?" Ron asked Harry.

"Well, that was your new potions tutor walking up the stairs, mate. She said we could copy her homework today only if she could teach us potions tomorrow."

Ron groaned and slammed his head back on the couch, "Harry, next time you decide to get me a tutor make sure that it's on a weeknight or something."

Draco,

The Dark Lord has decided that it was time you lived up to your heritage.

Since your 17th birthday is just around the corner He feels it is time that you

took your place among the other Death Eaters. You are to come home over

your holiday break to begin initiation. Your initiation will be completed after

the school year is over. I, and the Dark Lord, will not take no for an answer.

I will make arrangements for someone to meet you at King's Cross Station.

Make me Proud,

Father

Draco had read the letter several times before it sunk it. He was going to become a Death Eater. How could his father even imagine for one second that Draco wanted to be a Death Eater? He had made hints in the past that was what he wanted. However, that was when he looked up to his father, before he had started his first year at Hogwarts. Things had changed since then. He had made it clear to his father that things had changed since then. He pulled out parchment and a quill from his nightstand. He needed to write back to his father. He had a million things he wanted to write to him: How dare you think I want to become something as loathsome and foul as a Death Eater, or Thanks but no thanks, or the ever popular Bite Me! As the owl flew back out the window with Draco's letter attached to his leg all that was written on the inside was Yes Father. He had to figure a way out of becoming a Death Eater. If not by Christmas then at the very latest before his initiation was over next summer.

Draco had other thing on his mind now. He would figure out his dilemma later. Now he was thinking about Hermione. The next day was Sunday and he had a lesson with Hermione that night. For some reason unknown Draco a small smile crept over his face as he closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

Hermione sighed into her dinner. She had a long day with Harry and Ron. No matter how many times she had told Harry and Ron off they would still goof off or talk about Quidditch or in many cases fall asleep. By lunch she was exhausted. But now it was dinner. She was ready to pass out into her mashed potatoes. She kept working with Harry and Ron until dinner. She hoped things would get better after lunch but they didn't. She still had to work with Draco after dinner. Draco was the reason that Hermione broke up with Harry. Neither Harry nor Draco knew that of course and neither would find out any time soon. As Hermione's thoughts turned to Draco she glanced at the Slytherin table. She was somewhat disappointed that she didn't see him sitting there. She looked at the door just as he was walking in. Hermione's heart skipped a beat and she quickly started back down at her food.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked.

"What?" Hermione asked looking up at him, "Oh yea, I'm fine." She tried to act cool in case Draco was watching. She talked; she laughed and tried desperately not to look over at the Slytherin table. Well she tried not to get caught looking at the Slytherin table, she found herself glancing over quite often.

After looking at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time she decided it was time to go. "I'm gonna get going. I have a lot of studying to do for my Arithmancy quiz tomorrow." She grabbed her bag and walked out of the Great Hall.

Somehow by the next morning all of his father's friends children had found out Draco was going to be a Death Eater before the next school year. All of them wanted to talk to him about it. They thought he was the coolest. Draco found it difficult to get out of the common room for dinner. When he finally did make it to the Great Hall the first thing he saw was Hermione turning bright red and looking at her food. Somehow his eyes were drawn towards her. He wondered if she knew about his dream. He walked to the Slytherin table were many of the occupants gave him thumbs up and tried to have whispered conversations with him. Draco kept his eyes from looking between Hermione and Professor Dumbledore. They were the two that Draco wanted to know about him becoming a death eater the least. To his delight Dumbledore kept his eyes on his food deep in thought. Every time Draco looked at Hermione she was laughing and a twinge of jealousy would hit him deep in his stomach. When he saw Hermione get up and leave at 6:45 his stomach did a little flip and he knew it was time to leave. Draco quickly pulled himself away from the other Slytherins and followed Hermione out at a safe distance.

Once they were out of the Great Hall Draco wanted to be next to her, "Hey, Granger." He yelled. Hermione froze on the stairs. Draco caught up to her, "I saw you looking at me when I came in the Great Hall."

Hermione groaned, "It was purely coincidental I promise," and continued her climb up the stairs.

Draco followed Say something quick he said to himself. "Is there something wrong?" he inquired.

"Wrong?" Hermione stopped and didn't say anything for a minute. Draco climbed a few more steps so that he was eye level with Hermione. The only thing on his mind was the dream. He wanted to kiss her again. Again? He thought to himself, I haven't even kissed her for a first time. He kept steady eye contact with Hermione, his eyes never wavering from hers.

Draco watched as Hermione shook her head continued climbing the stairs again. To his surprise his arm flung out and grabbed Hermione's wrist and held her back. Draco's heart raced as she quickly spun around. He didn't mean to grab her but he was glad he did and didn't let go. "What's wrong?" He asked her. He watched as the fear subsided in her eyes. It hurt him to know that she was scared of him but it made him feel better as he watched the emotions change in her eyes.

"I didn't realize you were the type that cared." Draco's heart stopped at her comment. He didn't know why her statement hurt him so much. He dropped her hand and looked at the floor.

"Well, I guess there's a lot about me that you didn't realize." Now it was Draco's turn to walk up the stairs. When he didn't hear her coming up after him he turned around. She was standing on the same stair he had left her at looking up at him. "We should probably start studying," he said. Hermione nodded followed him up to the Room of Requirement.

When they reached the Room of Requirement Draco walked straight over to the coach and throwing his bag on the ground he fell on the coach with a grunt. He turned his head and looked at Hermione. She was standing by the bean bag chairs and looking at the books on the floor. He watched as she picked the book off the top and put it aside then she turned pale. "What's wrong?" He asked curiously, "You look pale."

Hermione quickly looked up at him, "oh it's nothing." She picked up the book and brought it over to him. "Did you read Chapter 6 yet?"

"Yes ma'am." He said childishly. "What's that?" He asked nodding towards the book.

"Something you should read." She handed the book to him.

Draco felt the color drain from his face as he looked at the book. Arithmancy Made Easy. It was the same book she had from the dream. From what sounded far away Draco heard Hermione say, "Now who looks pale?" Draco forced himself to look at her.

"Like you said, it's nothing." He took the book from her, "do you really want me to read this?"

"Yeah, it'll really help you out." She said trying to stifle a yawn. "By the way, do you have your test? I want to look at it and see how you did."

"It's nothing compared to your 124 but at least I passed." Draco really did not want Hermione to see his test but he wanted to do better in the class. He figured the only way to do that was for Hermione to know where he was in the class now.

Draco sat up on the couch while reaching for his bag. As he pulled out his test and handed it to Hermione yawned again. He laughed as she sat in one of the winged back chairs. "Are you going to make it through the class, Teach?" he asked laughing.

"I'm just tired that's all. I'll be fine." She settled back into her chair and began going through Draco's test.

Draco started reading. After what felt like an eternity of reading he looked over at Hermione. Is she sleeping? He asked himself. As quietly as he could, Draco put down his book and tip-toed over to the chair Hermione was sitting in. Her legs were tucked up underneath her, and Draco's test was on her lap. She's beautiful, he thought. He squatted down so that he was eye level with Hermione. How could I have ever been mean to her? He wanted to kiss her but thought better of it since she was sleeping. There was hair in her face. He gently brushed it behind her ear. Hermione slowly opened her eyes at his touch. She smiled and that made Draco smile. He hadn't moved his hand from her hair yet but now he brought it down and brushed her cheek gently with his thumb. He couldn't resist any longer. Draco slowly moved his face towards Hermione's and captured her lips with his.

Hermione was walking up the stairs after she left the Great Hall when someone yelled behind her, "Hey, Granger." She froze on the stairs and turned around. Malfoy was walking up the stairs toward her, "I saw you looking at me when I came in the Great Hall."

Hermione groaned, "It was purely coincidental I promise," she turned back around and started walking up the stairs again.

"Is there something wrong?" he inquired.

"Wrong?" Hermione stopped and didn't say anything for a minute. Nothing was wrong with Hermione except for the fact that she was in love with one of her worst enemies. Obviously she couldn't say that to him though.

Hermione shook her head continued climbing the stairs again. All of a sudden Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist and held her back. Hermione quickly spun around frightened. Draco didn't let go, instead he asked, "What's wrong?" Hermione calmed down. She looked into his eyes and he looked hurt. She didn't know what was wrong with him. "I didn't realize you were the type that cared." The hurt in eyes intensified. He dropped her hand and looked at the floor.

"Well, I guess there's a lot about me that you didn't realize." Now it was Draco's turn to walk up the stairs. Hermione felt bad about what she said. She didn't mean to hurt him. She didn't follow him up the stairs because she was deep in thought. She looked up at Draco's retreating back. He turned around. "We should probably start studying," he said. Hermione nodded followed him up to the Room of Requirement.

When they reached the Room of Requirement Draco walked straight over to the coach and throwing his bag on the ground he fell on the coach with a grunt. Hermione laughed to herself because of Draco. She stood by the bean bag chairs and looked at the books on the floor. She picked the book off the top and put it aside. As she read the title of the second book she froze. It's the book from my dream, she thought to herself.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked curiously, "You look pale."

Hermione quickly looked up at him, "oh it's nothing." She picked up the book and brought it over to him. "Did you read Chapter 6 yet?"

"Yes ma'am." He said childishly. "What's that?" He asked nodding towards the book.

"Something you should read." She handed the book to him.

Hermione looked curiously at Draco, "Now who looks pale?" Draco looked at her.

"Like you said, it's nothing." He took the book from her, "do you really want me to read this?"

"Yeah, it'll really help you out." She said trying to stifle a yawn. Why am I so tired? "By the way, do you have your test? I want to look at it and see how you did."

"It's nothing compared to your 124 but at least I passed." Draco replied. Hermione felt sheepish at his comment. She didn't want Draco to think she was a know-it-all. It was ok to be smart but it was something else to flaunt it. She learned that her first year from Harry and Ron.

Draco sat up on the couch while reaching for his bag. As he pulled out his test and handed it to Hermione she yawned again. He laughed as she sat in one of the winged back chairs. "Are you going to make it through the class, Teach?" he asked laughing.

"I'm just tired that's all. I'll be fine." She settled back into her chair and began going through Draco's test. Hermione circled some of Draco's answers fighting to keep her eyes open but it was a losing battle. Soon she was off in dreamland.

Hermione felt something on the side of her face. She was too tired to swat it away but she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Draco brushing hair from her face. She smiled and her heart raced as Draco smiled back. He hadn't moved his hand from her hair yet but now he brought it down and brushed her cheek gently with his thumb. Hermione looked into Draco's eyes. He seemed to be getting closer. Hermione's stomach was doing summersaults. Draco slowly moved his face towards Hermione's and captured her lips with his. The room seemed to dissolve around her. The only thing that mattered was Draco. As Draco pulled back Hermione let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Class dismissed." She said with a smile and Draco laughed.

A/N: Again I apologize. Between writer's block, school, and a change in my major, and a computer crash (That I lost EVERYTHING in) things have been pretty hectic. I will try really hard not to make it so long before an update. Please R/R. Keep Smilin' 