Author's Note: So... I'm thinking this isn't half bad for a first fanfic... but be sure to let me know other wise :) Tell me if you have any ideas, it could really help with this whole writers block thing... So. Yeah. Enjoy, Friends! :)

P.S... This is a disclaimer. I don't own any of theese characters, the lovely J. does. Mind you, if she's magically reading this and feels the need to give up one of her characters, let it be known that I wouldn't mind owning Draco. Not one little bit :)

Pheeeeeewwww.

Hermione exhaled loudly, wanting to break the silence but not wanting to seem particularly excited to do so.

What in the bloody hell is that supposed to mean? Oh, wait…

"Knocked you breathless, have I, Granger?" I said with my signature sneer. In these situations, I find that it's best to test the waters with your big toe, rather than leaping in and shouting "CANNON BALL!" I mean, I wasn't going to just come out and ask her about her 'feelings'. While we're going to have to figure this out eventually (Feelings included), I figured we'd start on common ground… insulting each other.

Clearly disgusted, Hermione looked across at him, (for the awkward couple had migrated to the love seat, where they each sat perched on opposite arms of the sofa, looking at each other in the stony silence.) her retort already on the tip of her tongue.

"Certainly not, Malfoy. There's enough hot air hovering around your head to inflate a blimp, so my lungs need not worry about a short supply."

"What in the ruddy hell is a blimp, Granger?" Draco inquired. He was starting to think he had wasted all of the niceties he had contemplated earlier.

"Humph! Don't even know what a blimp is! And you think you're the hottest thing since Tabasco Sauce…" She trailed off, feeling superior. I mean, who doesn't know what a blimp is? Except, maybe people who didn't grow up in the muggle world, stupid. Ugh. Even Hermione's inner voice decided to join in on this round of 'insult the ugly book worm'. What a joyous occasion. Allwell… hopefully ferret-boy wouldn't notice her flub.

"Excuse me, Buck-Tooth, but what kind of sauce? I don't even understand every other word out of your mouth! And you think you have the upper hand here? I could squash you like a bug, you little know it all…" Yup. Good thoughts, most certainly wasted on Granger.

"I'm not the bug in this situation! You're like a praying mantis, ready to rip someone's head off at their weakest moment! Well congratulations! You can kick a man while he's down, what an accomplishment!" Hopefully, Malfoy wouldn't know under what circumstances a praying mantis rips one of their kind's heads off…

"If I were a praying mantis, I would never even be in a moment of weakness with you! I wouldn't touch you like that with a ten foot pole, if we were the last of our kind on the whole bloody earth, you snaggle toothed, pathetic excuse for a girl!" He snapped. And lied. WOAH. Where did that come from? Sure, Granger was pleasing to look at… Wait. WHAT AM I THINKING! BAD THOUGHTS, GO AWAY!... Ahhh, that's better. Now, I better pick up my game. There's no way I'm going to let a muggle born best me in any way. After all, I am a Malfoy. And Malfoys always win.

Damn! She had really been counting on him not knowing that a mantis rips another's head off only after getting… well, busy, if you catch my drift. This made her cheeks blush crimson with indignation: Even though Malfoy was repulsive, it is still embarrassing to be told that you are too ugly for someone. Downright humiliating, in fact. She really had to stay on the ball, if he was going to hit below the belt like that.

"Yeah? Well at least I don't have to resort to petty insults about your appearance in order to get to you—your personality is so ugly that it manages to insult itself without any of my help!" she retorted, feeling her anger grow with every word, spitting out the last few.

"Or is it that you just can't insult my looks? On account of me being the most gorgeous being you've ever encountered? I mean, my face must be such a wondrous sight to behold after looking in a mirror with that mug!"

"You are such a self-absorbed git! All of these years I've been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt and see things from your perspective, but unfortunately, I can't seem to stick my head that far up my ass!" Hermione was seething with anger, it was like her emotion was a palpable substance, running through her veins and spilling out, scorching even her…. Oh! Shit!

Draco alarmingly fell off of the arm he was sitting on, and took shelter behind the sofa. "Holy Crap, Granger! Calm Down!" He ducked his head back in a safe zone, putting the sofa between them. In the recesses of his mind, he had always supposed that Hermione would one day realize that all his teasing was just a façade… but this flaming image of her ingrained in his brain now told him otherwise. No joke, though. Granger had literally been on fire… Now, though, her robes were only smoking, undamaged, and her hair had only little embers in it, tiny reminders of the hateful inferno.

"I think that… that you were just on fire." Draco stated. It's weird how watching her get that angry had immediately changed the atmosphere. Almost like the tangible fire had burned away all of the intangible feelings of loathing that at one time hung so thick it suppressed breathing. And, weirdly enough, Draco actually seemed to regret pushing her that far.

Hermione did not respond, and instead blinked rapidly and slumped back down on the love seat. Apparently, some time in her angry fiasco, she had stood up. Speaking of fiasco… What was that? Did she really get that angry? She most certainly did not feel so angry any more… in fact, the only thing she felt now was tired. Haha, you're burned out, stupid. Ought to teach you to lose your temper…

Looking at Draco's eyes, which were just peaking over the arm of the sofa, Hermione regretted her… outburst. His stormy eyes (Previously glinting with cunning and wile, glinting at the thought of new and unused insults ready to be thrown) now cast a hint of uncertainty, as if he thought she was going to combust again.

"Um. Hey… let's pretend it didn't happen?" She proposed silently, with a shrug of her shoulders. Sensing that she was finally worn down and that insulting her would do more, Draco got up and slowly moved to sit next to her. She eyed him as he moved, but made no further moves indicating he should stop. Relieved, he sat (As far away as the little couch would allow, mind you) and looked her in the eye.

"Not even a chance, Hermione. I know what those flames came from. Only an intense passion can bring out wandless magic like that. Perhaps it was love?" He suggested, this time hoping she knew he was kidding around. Based on the small smile and chortle she gave, she knew.

"Ma- Er, Draco. After years of you making fun of me relentlessly, I don't think I could ever make that mistake. However, there is another four letter word you could exchange that with." She raised an eyebrow and looked over at him slyly.

"Oh, sick, Hermione! You can't just lust after someone like that! Yeesh!" He looked back at her and was pleased to hear a real laugh… You know, those thoughts weren't entirely wasted, I suppose. When she's laughing like this her eyes do sort of sparkle and her face does light up…

However, his thoughts were interrupted by her gentle and blatantly honest reply. "Hate, Draco. What I feel for you is hate… and you just saw it consume me entirely" she said, with regret. It was not in her nature to let her true feelings show. She had just been caught up so much with the argument, and on top of what sent her to this room in the first place, the hate consumed her. Silently, she reviewed the events that sent her here… they weren't pretty. She could feel the exhaustion that had filled her start to be tinged with insecurity.

Draco watched her face go from open and happy too… a look that he could only explain as heartbroken. Watching the shift, his own heart started to break… please, don't let that look have been my fault—he hoped. Previously, in all his bullying experiences, he had only ever dealt with a mad or weak opponent, giving him cause to be relentless. Seeing the side after the fight, it was something he never intended on. Weakness included groveling, sobbing and begging…. But heart break is not weak. It's something that you pull through to make yourself stronger than before. Draco cast another look at Hermione's face and knew that he was going to pull her through this, make her a stronger person. Al though, if I make her stronger, she'll cross that fine line between us, and might actually win an argument for once… He decided it was worth the risk. The best way to open this conversation seemed to be reveal a piece of his heart, first, though.

Looking her square in those warm amber eyes, he said something that, if not perfect, was pretty damn close to it. "Hermione Granger… I'm sorry. For everything. I want you to know that every time I insulted you… it wasn't hate that fueled it. I'm not sure what it was, but I can guarantee it was never hate."