Chapter Four

H.P.O.V

My eyes opened slowly as I woke from a dream that, if I'm honest, I didn't want to wake up from. Draco had plagued my dreams from the moment I had closed my eyes, he'd been there kissing me, holding me sometimes just talking to me.

In my dreams it had felt right. Just like the kiss we shared last night. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face or the butterflies that suddenly fluttered in my stomach. What was wrong with me? Why did I feel like this?

Especially towards Malfoy. Ron didn't even provoke this kind of reaction from me! I was starting to think that I did feel something for Malfoy… but that's impossible. It was just me craving to have some passion in my life and Malfoy had been the way in which I had momentarily achieved it.

I needed to get rid of this feeling. This longing I had for Draco. Perhaps a shower would wash away the feelings as well as the dream. I got out of bed, stretched and walked toward the bathroom. Confusing thoughts of Draco and Ron swirled in my brain, momentarily consuming it. If my brain hadn't been in such a conflicted state it may have registered the distant sounds of running water…

I opened the bathroom door and got the shock of my life. Draco was in the shower. Draco was naked in the shower. And I was standing there staring at him. My gaze drifted over his body following the soap as it ran down his body…his very toned and muscular body…which must have been the result of years of Quidditch.

But, then again, Ron wasn't built like that and he played Quidditch. I followed the soap as it continued down his toned stomach and starting moving further down….

Damn! I could s why he was nicknamed the Slytherin 'sex-god'. I had felt him last night but that was nothing compared to seeing him.

"Hermione?"

My mind suddenly jolted back to reality and my gaze snapped up to stare at his face – colour flooded my face at the fact he had caught me staring at him. My teeth let go of my bottom lip which I must have caught subconsciously between my teeth, and answered with a pathetic, "Huh?"

"I said do you see something you like? But gathering by the way you've been starring there is. You could always join me you know –we could replay last night…" he trailed off and I could feel the heat within me rise as a moan I couldn't contain passed through my lips.

And at that moment, I wanted nothing more than to join him in that shower and kiss him and losing myself in him again. But I couldn't. Not now. Not ever, so instead of joining him, and possibly having the best experience of my life so far.

I took a step back shaking my head as I did so and exited the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I leant against the door and took some deep breaths trying to calm the thoughts that were now raging in my mind. I had just been about to get into the shower with Draco Malfoy!

Where was my cool logic, when I had stood their staring at him like a dementor? I am Hermione Granger -One third of the Golden Trio - who stayed calm and fought Death Eaters while using aforementioned logic to find seven Horcruxes!

What was happening to me? I couldn't stand Draco normally! And since when have you started calling him Draco? Since the kiss that's when. Come on Hermione! Think! You're supposed to be the brightest witch of your age! Use your head! Find a solution to this problem!

I heard a soft bang as Malfoy went back to his room. Finally, I could have my shower in peace! I hesitantly opened the bathroom, half expecting to see a naked Malfoy standing there. I was quite surprised at the feeling of disappointment that filled me when I realised Malfoy had in fact left the bathroom.

I quickly shut and locked the door that lead to my room before locking the door that lead to Malfoy's room. For some reason, knowing that he was on the other side of the door made me feel excited and I was suddenly overtook by the urge to unlock the door and walk into his room just to see him again…

What was happening to me? I wasn't like this; Hermione Granger wasn't like this; especially over Draco Malfoy. But deep down a part of m knew exactly what had happened to me.

A small part of my brain was screaming the answer but the rest of my brain won't listen because there is no logic to that answer. That answer didn't make any sense. The answer is that I have feelings for Draco Malfoy; romantic feelings… and their getting stronger.

I pushed myself away from the door and turned towards the shower turning it on before removing my clothes. I sighed as the jet of hot water hit my back and I felt the tension quickly fade from my body. I'd deal with the Malfoy problem later.

After all, it wasn't like I was going to act on my feelings and besides I had Ron. I grabbed my shampoo and began washing my hair as I pushed all thoughts of Draco out of my mind.

After I finished my shower, I hastily got dressed in my uniform and headed down the stairs to the common room, knowing that Ron was properly already waiting outside the portrait hole to take me for breakfast.

That was another sweet thing about Ron I couldn't see Malfoy waiting for me so we could go and get breakfast together. Speak of the devil, there was Draco already in the common room and he was just staring at me. Had he been waiting for me?

Probably to tease me about what happened in the bathroom. The way he was staring at me though…

He didn't look like he was going to tease me; there was no smirk on his face or evil glint in his eye. In fact his face looked softer than normal and his eyes seemed to glow with an emotion I had never seen him look so peaceful or kind. He looked beautiful.

"Look Hermione," he began. I felt the look of surprise that spread over my face at his use of my first name. I didn't want to hear what he was about to say, the real reason why he had kissed me. It had just been a joke, a game and the very memory repulsed him. I didn't want to hear that. So instead I cut him off.

"Last night was nothing, Malfoy" I felt a pain in my chest as I told the lie. My stomach fluttered as his face fell at my words. Had I thought wrongly about how he felt? No. I couldn't let myself hope. It was too dangerous to hope. He was Draco Malfoy after all.

I had to get out of here; Ron was waiting for me… but the thought of leaving Malfoy – especially now- made me feel sad. But I did move. I walked straight past him.

But he grabbed my hand – stopping me.

"Let me go, Malfoy!" I spat, shocked at the venom in my voice as I tried to tug my arm free from his grasp instead he tightened his grip preventing me from moving.

"Not until you listen to what I have to say." I felt slightly scared about what he had to say but also excited that he could be about to say what I longed for him to say. No matter how I felt, I was 100 per cent sure I didn't want to hear what he was about to say.

In an attempt to appear unaffected by his determination I answered with a "Fine" as I glared at him until he let me go and then crossed my arms in a faux attempt to look annoyed by his presence.

When he hadn't said anything for a few seconds I decided to break the silence with an impatient, "Get on with it Malfoy! I don't have all day!"

Malfoy's face brook out into that evil smirk of his. I had been scared about seeing it appear during the conversation, scared that it would confirm my initial thoughts and fears about why he wanted to talk to me.

"So snappy first thing in the morning, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Or just the wrong bed?" He said, the smirk getting bigger as he teased me. A flash of heat ran through me at the thought of waking up in his bed.

In an attempt to hide my reaction from him I retorted with "If you're going to talk to me like that then I'm going to leave," and span on my heel and strode across the common room in the direction of the portrait hole.

A flash of fear ran through me as Draco grabbed my arms, preventing me from leaving and pushed me against the wall, memories of the previous night flooded my mind at his closeness.

"Behave Granger. I have some nice things to say to you." I almost snorted at what he said.

Instead I managed to reply with a "I find that hard to believe".

"Just shut up and let me say what I'm going to say!" I did as he said stared at him waiting for what he wanted to say to me. I was surprised to see his eyes lower as he began what he wanted to say. "Last night was amazing; I didn't want it to end. I want what happened last night to happen again. The thing is Hermione, I like you a lot and I have for a while."

Ok. That I had not expected. I had hoped he liked me after what had happened last night, but I hadn't expected for him to actually have feelings for me too!

Even though a part of me was so happy about his confession a small part of my brain began to ask questions: Maybe he didn't mean it though. Maybe it was a game to get me into bed. Maybe he wanted to split me and Ron up. Maybe-

Draco finished my internal rant by leaning closer to me. I knew what he wanted and if I'm honest I wanted it to. He kept leaning in slowly and I realised he was giving me the time to pull back. My heart thudded faster as he got closer. His lips touched mine and I wondered how I had survived the night without having his lips against mine.

Against my better judgement I returned the kiss and found myself thinking he was a much better kisser then Ron. All too soon he pulled away from me. I kept my eyes closed as I tried to process the emotions that now whirled around inside me.

"See what I mean? You want me too. I know you have feelings for me," Draco whispered to me and I could hear the grin on his face. This was wrong though. I was betraying Ron. My boyfriend. My sweet, kind, caring, attentive boyfriend.

And for what? Draco Malfoy? No. No I wouldn't continue this. I would be a fling to Malfoy. Just a passing fancy. But to Ron I had a future. A certainty. I had made my choice. Now to make it clear to Malfoy. And stick to it.

Still keeping my eyes closed I whispered, "Yes Draco I do have feelings for you," I opened my eyes and stared into his before continuing with a conviction I was surprised I had, "Feelings like hate and loathing. I don't want you Malfoy and I don't believe you. You're just trying to get at me, Harry and Ron. But it won't work. I love Ron and if anyone gets to kiss or touch me it is him!"

Before he could say anything or I could start to regret what I said or my decision I walked the rest of the way to the portrait hole. I strode determinedly through it and came face to face with Ron. Guilt filled me as I looked at him and saw him smiling at me.

"Morning my beautiful girlfriend," he said and my guilt doubled in size at his words. How could I betray him? He was so sweet.

I found myself grabbing the front of his robes and pulling him towards me as I crushed my lips against his. But as our kiss continued I realised that his kiss was nothing like Draco's. It failed to envoke the same emotions that Draco's had.

I was forced to remind myself that a kiss is not the be all and end all of relationships and I thought I heard the sound of the portrait opening and closing followed by the sound of fading footsteps…