Hello all...how are you...thank you very much for all the encouragement...it's really nice to see that I have 91 reviews...i love each and every review and reviewer...thank you...I also have a question for one person then everyone else...computer boy...are you really a boy...I know it sounds like a dumb question but...i'm dumb...so humour me...lol...if you don't want to answer it's fine I was just curious because i didn't think there were many guys on this sight...which brings me to the question for everyone...how many of you are of the male persuasion?...again if too personal don't worry about it it's fine...I was just curious to know how many men are reading my fic...thanks...

Disclaimer:...JK is a bloody genius...but I'm not her...

Birthday's

Then next morning Draco awoke later than he normally did. He lay in his bed for a moment just staring at the curtains around him. They kept out all the light from the sun that broke through the cracks in his thick dark curtains making sure that he was shrouded in darkness as he slept. He should have been thinking about going to see the Dark Lord that early in the morning, or maybe even thinking about himself since it was his birthday. But instead Draco was thinking about the night before, and everything that had happened right in that very room.

He had kissed Granger. He had kissed a Mudblood. He knew he would have had to at the wedding but that would have been forced. This was something he did willingly. Something he did on impulse. It wasn't planned and it was thought about. He just did it.

He remembered it had seemed so right at the time. He had felt her against him, felt the strange feelings coursing through his entire body. They were yearning for her, yearning for the Mudblood, to taste her lips to touch her skin. He had craved her.

Now all he wanted was to somehow erase the memory from both their minds. He didn't know how he was supposed to face Granger after doing that. She would most likely be smug about it. She would be happy with herself that she had kissed him. She would use that against him at a later time, a fact that he hated. He had handed her ammunition against him.

"Get hold of yourself Draco." He said aloud. "You could always play it off, pretend."

He thought of the look, Granger had given him right before that hug. She had looked so happy and surprised as her eyes showed with a new brightness. Then they had disappeared as she clung to him. She had seemed so relaxed in his arms, almost like she was glad to be there.

"Things have gone wonky since she's been here." Draco said aloud. "I never would have kissed her in my right mind."

Sitting up in his bed he pulled the hangings apart and slid down. He was quick to get in the shower realizing just how late it was. But no one had come to get him up. Normally if he was late his father would be in the room slapping him across the face to get him up. Draco wondered as the warm water cascaded down his body why no one had come.

But soon all the thoughts left his mind. The only thing he could think about was how marvelous the shower felt to his tense body. He could feel every muscle relax and loosen as the jet stream beat against his back in relaxing and rhythmic waves. He closed his eyes putting a hand against the wall to steady himself.

He stood under the shower-head for a few more minutes allowing the water to pound the frustrations from his shoulders and upper back. His mind was clearing and he was beginning to feel that he was going to have a great day…until he opened his eyes. That's when he remembered where he was and what was happening. He remembered what he had done and all the hard work the shower-head had just put in went right out the window. His body tensed up again and he stiffly got out of the shower.

He reached for a towel when he heard the sound of knocking on the door.

"Well I knew he'd come sooner or later." Draco said as he grabbed the towel and pulled it about himself.

He walked his hair still dripping wet towards the door. He reached for the handle, grabbing the towel for it had started to slip. He opened the door and turned to fix his towel but when he turned back he nearly dropped the whole thing. There before him stood…

"Malfoy! Oh my Merlin!" Hermione screamed turning away in embarrassment.

Draco's cheeks, he could feel were burning red. He fought to keep his towel on as he turned and hurried back to the bathroom. Hermione had reached out for the handle of the door and closed it quickly. She was standing in the hall her cheeks flushed her heart racing.

'Why is this happening to me?' she demanded of herself.

She was growing frustrated for she couldn't figure out what these feelings were. Her heart went and started beating like mad now whenever he was around, especially if he was touching her yet she still hated him. Last night was an accident. She had put that out of her mind. It hadn't been real; it had all been just one big forgotten accident. But these feelings that she couldn't explain or understand were driving her bonkers.

She paced the hall for a minute until the door was suddenly wrenched open startling her half to death. She fell against the wall barely catching herself with her hand. Draco stood in the doorway staring out at her. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a white polo with thin emerald green stripes. His hair was still damp and hung in his face. His icy eyes stared at her.

"What did you want Granger?" he asked stepping aside to let her in as she approached.

She walked into the room and sat down on a chair beside a desk. She was wearing a pair denim shorts that Draco noticed were fairly short. She was wearing a plain white T-shirt and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was watching him as he turned around to close the door.

"Again Granger, what did you want?"

"Happy Birthday." She said simply.

"What?" Draco was astonished. Of all the people he hadn't expected that from her.

"I said Happy Birthday. You're turning seventeen today you deserve it." She said giving him a small smile.

"Thanks." He said turning and sitting on the bed to put on his socks and shoes.

"What are you planning on doing today?" she asked him.

"I was planning on just sitting around relaxing, since there's nothing else to do." He said standing.

'She hasn't asked about the kiss. Hopefully it stays that way.' Draco thought as he started for the door.

Hermione stood and followed him.

"Are you hungry?" he asked waiting for her to catch up so they could walk side by side.

"Yeah actually." She said looking up at him.

The morning went smoothly for the most part. They went downstairs and had breakfast together. It had been going fine until they had gotten an argument over what they would have. Both were trying to suggest things to one another which neither wanted. They ended up moving to separate ends of the table and eating in silence. Draco had been done first and got up from the table. Hermione had jumped up after him and was right behind him as he walked to the billiard room.

"Why are you following me Granger?" He asked frustrated.

"I didn't want to be left alone." She said as she stood by the end of the pool table.

"And why is that Granger?" Draco asked. He was still a little annoyed at her for the breakfast incident but he was also interested.

"I think you know the answer to that Malfoy." She said softly as he picked up a stick.

"Granger I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Must you be so difficult?" she asked. Draco looked up from examining the top of the stick and saw that she was smiling at him.

"With you, of course." She shook her head her lovely smile still stuck in place.

Draco liked her smile. It was nice. He remembered making fun of her once because of her horrid teeth but now he saw that they were perfect. They were pearly white and straight. Her smile was a wonderful sight. Then Draco realized what he was thinking about. He shook his head and turned away.

"Are we getting along Malfoy?" she asked somewhat unsure.

"It's possible."

"Are you really going to play a game of pool by yourself?"

"Must you ask so many questions?" he asked looking over at her sitting on the edge of the table.

"Yes." She said nodding. He rolled his eyes and sat the stick down on the table. He walked about pulling all the balls from the pockets and tossing them on the table.

"I was planning on it. Why did you want to join me?" he asked taking the eight ball from the pocket before her.

"I don't know how to play." She said softly. Draco was not behind her taking the number one ball and the number two balls from the pocket. She was looking at him over her shoulder and they were very close.

Draco had the urge to put a hand on her waist and kiss her over her shoulder. He thought about running a hand down her side and over one of the smooth legs that dangled off the side of the table. The thoughts made his hand lift from the table where it had been.

He saw her lips before him. They were pouty and pink. Her white cheeks had the tiniest hint of red in them as her curly hair hung behind her head. He T-shirt was tight and clung to every curve of her slim body. Her remembered the kiss from the night before and his hand moved another inch toward her in mid air.

He realized what he was about to do and turned away. He couldn't understand where these urges were coming from. He didn't like Granger at all. He did care about her but that was only because she was his responsibility. He had to take care of her. He had to make sure that she was safe because if he didn't the Dark Lord would have his head. But he surely didn't like her. He could barely tolerate her. There had to be something wrong with him.

"You don't know how to play?" he said quickly as he wandered over to the next hole. He was trying t regain his composure.

"I never learned. I've watched plenty of people but it's never caught on." She said shrugging. He arched an eyebrow.

"I could teach you." He said in a throwaway manner.

"All right then." She said hopping down from the table.

He got a stick down for her and handed it to her. Then he grabbed all the balls and put them in the triangle leaving of course the all white cue ball out. He set up the triangle and took it away leaving the balls in the shape of the triangle in the middle of the table.

"The first thing you need to learn before I teach you the game is how to use the stick." He said walking her around the table where to where the cue ball sat. "Now what you do is try to hold the stick between two fingers to steady it. Then take aim and push it forward to knock the cue ball at the others. I'll show you."

He grabbed his stick off the table and lined up his shot. He hit the cue ball with enough force to break the balls sending them rolling every which way with a crack. Hermione nodded understanding perfectly. She walked over to where the cue ball stopped and bent over. Draco watched as she tried but the tip of the stick only tipped the cue ball sending it about a centimeter to the left.

"Here let me help you." Draco said walking around the table to where she stood.

He took her left hand and rested it on the table spreading her fingers apart lightly. She was bent over the side of the table as he moved to her other side and put the stick down, positioning it so it would strike the cue ball. He made her try again but at the last second she flinched and missed completely. Draco shook his head a this-is-hopeless smile spreading on his face.

"Let's try again." He said calmly.

He repositioned her hands and fingers again only this time when she bent down he did to. He leaned over her his arms against hers guiding them to the right spots. His chest pressed against her back his head just over her right shoulder.

He could smell her perfume as his chin brushed her shoulder. She was glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. His left hand slid up her forearm lightly and readjusted her elbow his fingers barely touching her. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other for he could feel her against him. His right left the table where he had been steadying himself to lightly touch her right elbow. His fingers skimmed her soft skin until they reached her fingers. His hand surrounded her smaller one as it grasped the stick.

When he finished his movements Hermione turned her head. Draco turned his as well and they were staring at each other for a moment. Draco's eyes connected with hers steely grey searching through chocolate brown for something, anything. He saw her unconsciously, lick her lips and he knew at that moment that he had to have them. He had to claim her lips for his own.

He leaned in, his left hand leaving her arm and wrapping about her waist as his lips almost touched. Hermione closed her eyes in anticipation of another accident. But just before their lips connected for the second time both heard voices, very familiar and close voices.

Voldemort and Lucius were coming down that very hall headed in their direction. They would definitely spot the two if they began snogging against the billiards table so Draco straightened and stepped away. Hermione straightened herself as well trying to hide the blush that was creeping up on her face.

Both heard the distinct sound of feet approaching. It was only a moment before the two men appeared crossing the doorway. They would have been safe had the Dark Lord not looked over at Lucius at that very moment to see Draco and Hermione in the room.

"Good morning Draco." Voldemort said entering the room, Lucius right behind.

Draco bowed. "Good morning my Lord."

"And a Happy Birthday as well."

"Thank you my Lord."

"And how are you Mudblood?" he asked smiling his evil smile.

Hermione felt shivers travel down her spine as she stole a quick look at Draco. He was facing forward but she could tell that he was trying to look at her. His head was turned ever so slightly toward her. She looked back at Voldemort holding the stick tightly in her hands before her.

"It seems you are feeling much better. That's good for your wedding is in only two days. Try and stay healthy child. Excuse us." Voldemort turned and started back down the hall Lucius right beside him as they started their conversation again.

When he was sure they were gone Draco turned to Hermione. She was staring at him. Her hands no longer clung to the stick like she was terrified but instead the stick looked ready to fall with a crack to the floor. He walked over and took it from her hand sitting it down on the table. Her eyes however never moved from him.

"Were you going to kiss me again Draco?" she asked.

"You used my first name." He said softly.

"I thought I should considering the circumstances." She said.

"I'm not sure." He said turning away. "So many things are happening. I'm all mixed up."

"What do you mean?" she asked sitting on a barstool over by the elegant serving bar. Draco walked over and joined her sitting beside her on his own stool.

"I feel things that I never felt before but I know they're not real. It's like someone's trying to force them. I feel like I want to touch you and kiss you but in my mind I know I don't. I don't like you like that, yet something inside me wants you." Draco said staring her right in the eye. "Take now for instance. A part of me wants nothing more than to snog you, but I know that I don't. I know I don't want to snog you because I don't like you in that manner. I mean we barely like each other in a friendship manner."

"I feel the same thing. Do you think someone's trying to make us love each other?" Draco asked.

"I don't think they want us to love each other because then we would be even worse. I think they just want us to be together physically."

"It has to be Voldemort. He wants me to be pregnant as soon as possible to get this prophecy over with." Hermione said. "That would make sense. He's the only one able to cast spells on me and we only want to physically be with one another not emotionally."

"But why would he do it? It's not like it will make a baby come much faster. It will still take nine months." Draco said rubbing his eyes. He was becoming frustrated.

"He wants the baby and to get me out of the picture as quickly as possible." Hermione said looking at her hands.

Draco didn't know what to say to that. He kept his mouth shut as she sat there staring at her hands then the floor. It was when she looked at him again that he looked up and their eyes connected. He began to feel those feelings again. The ones that made him want to pull her into his arms. He could feel them whenever he looked at her but they were extremely strong and almost impossible to fight when their eyes connected. He told her that.

"We just cant look into each other's eyes then." She said turning her face away but it was to late. Draco had to taste her.

Reaching out his hand he used his index and middle fingers to turn her face back. He leaned in quickly and claimed her lips as his own. She had been taken by surprise and just sat a moment as his lips touched hers but when that moment was over she was reacting. She kissed him back with just as much hunger as he.

"Happy Birthday!"

what in the world?...who could it be interupting the wonderful Draco Hermione snog fest?...oh no...will things be different for Starry after asking such a horribly personal question?...could I be way to excited about this?...tune in next time to find out...same bat place...same bat channel...lol

Starry...(not a bat)...(nor related to one in any way)...(Nor related to Batman)...(Robin's kinda hot though)...lol...j/k