Because I Love You: Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Anything sane that has been read in this fiction belongs to, non other than the great author who created the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling. Anything off from the real series belongs to non other than my peculiar mind.

I do need a few more review though guys. It's quite hard to be kept motivated knowing so few read my fic.

Read on, faithful readers and please review, I shall be very grateful.

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Draco knocked on Hermione's door to see if she was ready yet. He needed to pick her up every morning so they could go to breakfast and classes together. As Hermione opened the door, she first saw the bite mark she left on Draco's neck. "Don't you know that you still have the bite mark I gave you last night?" she asked as she placed her bag down. She stepped closer to Draco and tried to fix his collar to hide the mark. She undid his tie, and tried to redo it.

"It looks more like a love mark to me," Draco answered with a sly grin. "Jeez Granger, if you wanted so bad to give me one, why didn't you just tell me? I'll show you every part of my body you can mark on." Hermione tightened the tie on purpose, making Draco choke a little bit.

"If you just didn't make a move on me, you wouldn't get that bite mark, and it's not a love mark," Hermione told him sternly. "Stand straight so I can finish this right away."

Seeing that Hermione was shorter than he is, Draco just looked straight ahead of him as she fixed his tie. His lips were the same height as her nose and he didn't dare move closer, knowing what the Gryffindor was capable of doing, he might end up in a heap on the floor. However, Hermione moved closer to fix his collar to cover the mark she made, so his lips were barely touching her nose, but only a hairline was between them. Draco could smell her sweet and light vanilla perfume once again and it made him dizzy, in a nice way.

Hermione could smell Draco's fresh breath and his spicy cologne. She couldn't help but just breathe deeply and take in all his scent. She loved it. After she finished fixing his collar to cover up the mark, and the tie to make the collar stay in place, Hermione took one last breath and stepped away from Draco. "There, all done," she said with a smile and picked up her bag again. "Come on, I'm famished." She grabbed Draco's arm and led him down the stairs and out the portrait hole.

At breakfast, Hermione sat between Ron and Harry, and Draco sat between Crabbe and Goyle, their usual places. Before they parted, she had to bring herself to kiss Draco on the cheek, not that it was hard to do, but she did feel a bit embarrassed about it, but not in a humiliating way.

"Hermione, I'm a bit worried about this thing involving Malfoy," Harry started, concern showing in his bright green eyes. "Loads of girls are cursing you ever since you started to "go out" with Malfoy, and they're not just any girls. They're the Draco Malfoy Fan Club," he said the last part as if he was going to die, "and who knows what these girls can do?"

Just as Hermione was about to answer, Ron interrupted her. "Yeah Hermione, we're worried about you. We can't afford to lose someone as smart and as patient and as kind, and of course, as beautiful as you," he said with the most charming smile he can show her. "But really, Hermione, we don't want you to get hurt just because you're "dating" Malfoy. These girls, they look at you like they're amazons prowling at their prey," he said, his face scrunched up.

"Thanks for the concern, you two, but really, I can handle those girls," she started, looking at both boys beside her. "Anyway, they've started to attack me with loads of letters last night. But really, I can handle it, don't worry," she assured both of them, holding their hands in hers. "Now you guys let me eat first or else I won't be smart, patient, kind and beautiful as you want me to be." The Golden Trio laughed and started with their breakfast.

Draco Malfoy watched as Hermione laughed with her best friends. He would always see them that way. He rarely saw them fight. Scarhead and Weasel-bee would always be on each others' backs, and Hermione, who may appear annoyed with the two, would still have a smile on her face as she followed them. Now, Draco had never really had friends like Hermione had, and he often wondered what they laughed about. He looked at both his sides, Crabbe and Goyle, the two probably dumbest students in Slytherin. And then in front of him was Pansy Parkinson, smiling sweetly at him as he ate his breakfast. They dated during their fourth year, according to Pansy, that is. For him, she was more of an acquaintance… with benefits. He was not into the whole going steady drama. First of all, he didn't like commitment and secondly, he didn't like love.

Growing up in a family where only the wife showed her love towards her husband, Draco found it hard to love. He pitied his mother, and he didn't want to be treated like her. Yes, he did hate his father. He never felt love from the older Malfoy, all he felt from the man was expectance, disappointment and cruelty. He was often beaten up by Lucius, ever since he was a little boy. There was no one else who gave him sympathy except his mother. She often told him that Lucius was tired, or was stressed, or having problems at work, but little Draco didn't understand any of that. All he could hear was his mother singing to him while she healed his wounds, softly kissing him, hugging him tight, and lulling him to sleep as she stayed beside him. Narcissa Malfoy was the caring mother and the loving wife. He promised himself he wouldn't be like his father. That he would show love, he would treat a woman the right way, and yet he couldn't help but be like him. Cold and insensitive. Afraid to be treated like his mother, Draco always had his guards up. Slowly, he built a wall around his heart, and he hadn't realized that he has become like Lucius Malfoy.

When Lucius died, he didn't know what to feel. Sad or happy. He pretended so much, he tried so hard to hide his emotions that he himself forgot how to truly feel. He watched his mother grieve. It hurt him to see her still in pain even though Lucius had already died. He would never fully understand his mother. He would never fully understand why she, despite of the way he had treated her, would still lament over his death. Draco was afraid to leave his mother and return back to school after the holidays, the year before. He was afraid she might do something that would cause him to lose her. Before he left, his mother had assured him that she would never leave him, that she would always be there waiting for him to come home.

He watched as Hermione left the Great Hall with her best friends. Although he didn't want to admit it, his childhood lacked friends. And this he wouldn't truly admit to himself, but he envied Potter for having friends like Granger and Weasley, and all those icky Gryffindors who seemed to always have each others' back. He looked to his right, down the long table and then to his left. With who did he ever laughed with? With who did he ever had a good conversation? He honestly couldn't see anybody. Draco Malfoy had realized he was alone in this school.

He followed her out the Great Hall, when someone grabbed him before he could go any further. Hermione was waiting for him by the door. "Don't do that, Hermione," he said, his heart raced a bit because of the surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Hermione saw his face and tried to stifle a laugh. She had seen him once again, surprised. The last time she had seen that face of Draco Malfoy was when she slapped him during their third year. She tried to cover it by looking away, but he saw her already.

"Stop laughing," Draco said, trying to stop himself from smiling at Hermione. This was the first time someone laughed at him, and he didn't feel insulted. Instead, a picture of how his reaction was popped into his head, and he found it amusing as well. "Stop laughing," he said once again when Hermione finally let out her laughter, and he covered his mouth to stop her from seeing the smile forming on his lips. "Stop it, Granger," by this time he was trying hard to stop himself from laughing with her, but he failed, because Hermione Granger finally saw a genuine smile break through Draco Malfoy's face.

Students coming out of the Great hall were now looking at the couple. Some were laughing while some were looking at them oddly. They could hear them talking between their laughs.

"Stop laughing, I told you!"

"I can't help it. I'm sorry."

"My stomach hurts. Stop laughing!"

"You stop first. I can't do it."

"Hermione!"

"Draco. Alright, alright, alright. Let's stop."

The two prefects stopped laughing then looked at each other. Hermione couldn't help herself. A smile was forming on her lips and was to break to a laugh when Draco covered her mouth with his hand. "Don't, Hermione," he said, smiling. After a few deep breaths, he removed his hand from her mouth. She was smiling at him. "Don't even try. Come on, let's go." And they were off to their first class with Prof. Babbling.

The day went well for the both of them. Every time one of them remembered the incident earlier by the Great Hall, they would try their best to suppress their laughs, however that day, the professors would always call their attention.

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Hand in hand, Hermione and Draco went inside the Three Broomsticks that Hogsmeade weekend. It was her very first time without her friends and with Draco. She ordered Butterbeer for the both of them. He was reading the book he borrowed from her when she arrived and sat down across him. Hermione watched in amazement as she saw him so into the book. He looked so peaceful while he read. His bluish gray eyes weren't as steely as they usually were as he read on. She also noticed that he would brush his hand over his hair before he would turn a page and let out a sigh. She liked how he did it unknowingly. He looked much more handsome when he does it that way.

Draco looked at Hermione as he noticed her eyes on him. His eyes were tired from all the reading, so he stopped. He saw her staring at him with a pleased smile. Smiling at the sight of Hermione, he laid the book down and snapped his fingers in front of her. "Grange… Hermione? Earth to Hermione?" he said as he placed a hand over hers. This startled Hermione.

"Oh sorry, I didn't think I was staring into space again," Hermione lied and took a sip of her Butterbeer. "What did you want?" she asked when she saw her book laid down on the table. "Do you want another Butterbeer?"

Smiling at Hermione, Draco placed the book in his coat pocket and got to his feet. "I was wondering if you'd like to buy something, rather than watch me while I read," he told her, offering his hand to assist her.

Blushing, Hermione took his hand and accepted Draco's assistance. "Yes actually, now that you've mentioned it. I wanted to buy some Sugar Quills," she said with a smile as they started to walk out of the Three Broomsticks. Just as he opened the door, Draco bumped into Harry and Ginny. Hermione quickly squeezed his hand, praying in her head that both boys would put their differences aside, just for now. "Hi Harry! Hi Ginny!" she hastily greeted her friends to stop Draco from talking.

"Hi Hermione!" Ginny greeted with a smile, as she too, squeezed Harry's hand. "Where are you going?" she asked seeing the discomfort between the two men. They were talking, or rather, insulting each other with their eyes.

Hermione pulled Draco with her and stepped out the Three Broomsticks. "We were just going to buy some Sugar Quills. We'll see you later," she answered and hurriedly staggered away. Once they were out of sight, Hermione stopped and faced Draco. "Thanks," she said as she breathed heavily, her nose all red. Draco gave her a what-do-you-mean look. "For not insulting Harry and Ginny," Hermione smiled. He rolled his eyes at her and started to walk to Honeydukes.

"Come on. Let's just buy those Sugar Quills you want."

She looked through the flavors of the Sugar Quills in front of her, with Draco waiting patiently, still her hand in his. She saw the cashier was looking at them with a tiny smile. 'So we really do look like a couple,' Hermione thought and started to blush. She then shook her head feverishly. 'Stop that Hermione, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about,' she scolded herself. She finally found the flavors she wanted, cookies and cream and blueberry. "Would you like some?" she asked Draco, holding up the Sugar Quills she chose. Draco swayed his head no. "Don't you want to buy anything?" she asked him again.

"Give me those and I'll pay for it after I buy the Chocolate Frogs," Draco answered and got the Sugar Quills from Hermione's hand. But she insisted on paying for her Sugar Quills. "Hermione, we're a couple," he said, moving his fingers in a quoting motion, "so I'll pay for those Sugar Quills you want, alright?" He saw Hermione about to say something but he silenced her by putting his forefinger on her lips. "I insist, and I won't use it to get back at you." She nodded quietly. While he paid for the sweets, Draco noticed Hermione reading a book at Tomes and Scrolls which was connected with Honeydukes. "Come on," he said and Hermione placed the book back and followed Draco out.

They went out the shop and just walked around the village. They were talking about the book Hermione lent Draco when he suddenly stopped dead on his tracks. Hermione looked around, then to Draco. "Is something the matter?" she asked him.

Draco faced Hermione and stooped down a little to give her a hug. "Do you feel cold, Hermione? Is there anything I can do to make you warm?" he asked in the sweetest tone he could collect.

Without any idea what was happening, Hermione just hugged Draco back and patted his back. "I'm fine, Draco," she whispered, still bewildered to what happened to her partner. "Thanks for the hug, I do feel warm now," she added when Draco still didn't let go of her.

Finally, Draco pulled away and cupped Hermione's face in his hands. "That's good, sweetheart. I don't want you to catch a cold now." He told her and gave her his most entrancing smile as he touched her nose with his finger. By now, Hermione couldn't help but just be lost in his eyes, which were boring into hers. He said those words as if they were a real couple, and he said it in front of a lot of people. He even called her different sweet names a couple would usually call each other, and it felt really weird but sweet at the same time. "Shall we go back to the castle?" he asked and Hermione could only nod in response.

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After a meeting with Arnaud and Leigh…

"This is great. We don't risk our candidacy as Heads next year and we have extra fifty points," Draco said as they walked through the corridors to go outside. It was already two weeks before November and snow will start to fall soon. "Then once those bloody students stop attacking each other and be civil, we can end all this."

As they turned down the corridor, Draco stopped which made Hermione collide into him. "What is it?" she asked, searching for the reason why he had stopped. Just then, Draco faced her, grabbed her by the waist with his left hand, and pressed his lips against hers. Hermione of course was in complete shock and tried to push Draco away, but he was too strong for her and he embraced her tightly. She felt his other hand rub her back as if trying to calm her down but she couldn't and she wouldn't. This was her first kiss, for the love of Merlin, and it was with someone she despised, well not despise much anymore but still she didn't love him. She was saving her first kiss for Justin and here goes Draco Malfoy stealing it. Moments later, he pulled away and grabbed her into an empty classroom, and by the look on his face, he was ready to take in everything she'd say or do. "What the bloody fucking hell did just happen?" Hermione screamed, fuming with rage.

"So-sorry," Draco said quietly. "I wasn't thinking. I meant to… er… ask you first." He stuttered at a loss for words. And that's the whole truth. He panicked once he saw her on the corridor.

"You. Weren't. THINKING?" Hermione was glaring at him, her cheeks were red, her lips were a bit swollen and her almond colored eyes were flashing with fury. "This just proves that you're a self-centered bastard! You never think!" she yelled at him as she punched his arm. "You bloody stole my first kiss, you bloody idiot! My first kiss!" Hermione stopped when she realized what she just confessed to Draco Malfoy. "I HATE YOU DRACO MALFOY!" she yelled, and with a last punch on his arm, she sat down on one of the chairs in the classroom.

By this time, Draco had a simper on his face. "First kiss?" he asked. He kneeled down beside Hermione and took hold of her hands. Her punches were quite strong, he had to admit, and he was hurting. She was trying to remove her hands from his, but Draco held them firmly. "I'm really sorry, Hermione, I swear," he tried to appeal.

"Let me go, Draco! I hate you!" she bellowed at him, trying with all her might to remove her hands from his grip. She had to get her revenge, she had to hurt him again, but he wouldn't let her. She could hear him still trying to apologize. When he still didn't let her go, Hermione thought of the other things she could. She kicked Draco Malfoy where it hurt and yes indeed, he was in pain. Hermione started for the door in a hurry before Draco could grab her. For now, all she wants was to get over this problem she has about Draco stealing her first kiss.

However, Draco was still too quick for Hermione. After all, he didn't become the Slytherin seeker just because of his father's money. He hugged her from behind before she was out the door. "I'm sorry, Hermione. Please just listen to me. You can't hate me, our hundred points will be gone if you hate me again," he pleaded with her. By then, Hermione stopped struggling. They just stood like that for a few moments. Draco buried his face slightly in Hermione's hair. He could smell the sweet coconut scent of her hair. He heard her ask him a question, but it was a blurry sound for him. He was snapped back to reality when he felt her move his arms.

"Why did you kiss me?" Hermione asked. She was still in Draco's arms, and he hadn't let her go yet. "I'm absolutely sure you didn't kiss me because you're attracted to me. That's bogus," she continued and with a last deep breath, she removed his arms around her. She liked that hug, well, that fake hug. There was some security being in his arms.

Draco cleared his throat before answering. It was a good thing too, that Hermione didn't face him. "Louise Phillips," he answered in a low voice, as if he was shameful.

Hermione looked at Draco, she was clearly annoyed. "That Ravenclaw girl? You kissed me, out of nowhere, because of her?" she asked through greeted teeth. "Why?"

He sat on the chair, his back to Hermione. "She wanted to go steady, when this school year started. I told her I didn't do things that way," he started. "I offered to bed her, and she turned me down." Hermione rolled her eyes when she heard this. For her, it was a low thing to do. "She turned me down. She wanted to go steady first, and then she'll go to bed with me," he continued. His brows were furrowed and his fists were in a ball. Evidently, Draco has never been turned down in bed when he offered it. "So I figured if she saw us together like that, she would come crawling back. After all, that girl isn't just all beauty." And by that he didn't mean brains, instead, he meant other sexual things. He turned around to see what Hermione's reaction was but was surprised when he didn't see her behind him. He stood up and searched for her. Outside the classroom, the corridors, the Great Hall, the prefects' dormitory, the library but Hermione was nowhere to be found.

Annoyed at how immature Draco handled things, she left him at the classroom and went to relax by the lake. Yes, that place was her sanctuary, second to the library, of course. She sat there, her legs stretched out to her front and her hands behind her, leaning her back and facing towards the sky. She hated what she was feeling. Yes, Draco did steal her first kiss, but it would've been nice if it really did mean something. But then, she couldn't do anything about that now. The damage was done. She still hated Draco, though, for doing that to her. She didn't want to get annoyed at the moment, so she tried to imagine different things. She closed her eyes and imagined her getting the Head Girl Badge from Dumbledore then graduating from Hogwarts with Ron and Harry, and taking a break from the Wizarding World in France. She could already imagine herself meeting a nice French bloke when it suddenly got dark. She opened her eyes and found Draco standing over her with a single rose in his hand. Hermione sat up straight and brushed her hands against each other to get rid of the dirt. She took a deep breath and grabbed the rose from Draco's hand. "Is this a peace offering?" she asked him, smelling the rose. Roses were her favorite flowers. He sat beside her and looked at the lake.

"Look, Hermione. I know what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry," he started to explain, but he was cut off by Hermione.

"I'll help you," she said to him, still admiring the rose. "I just thought I wouldn't get those fifty points if it weren't for you, too, so, yes." She turned to look at Draco. "I just hope the kiss won't happen again."

Draco looked at Hermione uncertainly. "I can't promise you that, Hermione," he said to her. Yes, he couldn't promise that because, how could they make Louise jealous if they didn't snog, but that was only the second reason. The first reason was… he liked kissing Hermione. He saw her about to punch him again, and he caught her hand in time. "Because she won't get jealous if I won't kiss you in front of her, but I'll try my best not to," he explained in a hurry.

"Ouch!" she yelped. Hermione accidentally pricked her hand, on the single thorn that Draco forgot to remove, on the rose.

"Let me see," Draco said, holding Hermione's hand and looking at the cut. Hermione looked at Draco while he looked at her hand. She could smell his hair. "I forgot my wand at the dormitory, we should have your hand washed first," he said, looking up to look at Hermione. He was surprised at how close, once again, their faces were to each other. Draco, with all his might, tried not to kiss her again.

Hermione pulled her hand away from Draco's touch and looked down at it. "Yes, I should go," she said, standing up.

"I'll come with you."

And they walked silently up to their dormitory.

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