Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story.
Special thanks to c'109 for making my day. Thanks so much. I will work harder.
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(The next day)
"Hey, Granger! Had a nice bath yesterday? I must admit you have a nice body!" Malfoy yelled across the Great Hall, making everyone stare at her.
Hermione blushed but retorted, "Well, at least I am ok with my body! Unlike someone who refuses to take off his clothes and get wet!" Immediately, everyone's head turned to Malfoy. Hermione chuckled and went back to her food.
Ron, who was halfway through his pancakes, choked. "What did that ferret mean by that? Don't tell me both of you…"
"Oh, Ron, do you seriously think that I will do that with that little white ferret?" Hermione asked.
"Then why did you…"
"Ron, you are really dense! Even Harry knew that I was saying all that just to infuriate that ass! I mean, someone told me to just ignore his comments or make him feel embarrassed. I heed and look at that little ferret! He is being surrounded by Pansy's gang!"
Ron looked and laughed. Harry smacked Hermione at the back.
"I didn't know you are brilliant in this type of stuffs!" Harry commented.
Hermione gave a smile and caught sight of Luna looking at her. She caught her wink and after breakfast, she went to the Ravenclaw's table to plot with Luna.
"Here is the plan. Can I rely on you to spread rumors about me and Malfoy? You should know what to spread I guess. And I will do the others myself."
Luna nodded and said, "I might even give you a pair of Nikkle-finners. It is something that couples have in common. That will show the others that you both are indeed couples."
Hermione looked away.
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Within the next few days, the whole school seemed to know about Hermione's and Draco's scandal. Draco was frustrated when people cornered him and bombarded him with questions. He wanted to get back at Hermione and get her into trouble. But he did not get to do so.
Draco found Hermione one day, with a bunch of Gryffindors surrounding her. He approached her and sneered.
"Well, Granger, you have gotten your house to spread the rumors eh? I am not scared of you!"
Hermione gave a smile and swooped at him, giving him a light peck on the mouth. Draco, taken aback, looked confused.
"Oh, darling! You don't want the others to know about our relationship? Ok, I will keep it secret! By the way, we have a date today at 9pm remember?" Hermione waved goodbye and blew a flying kiss to Malfoy. When she and her friends went off, Malfoy thought to himself.
"That Mudblood kissed me right in front of the Gryffindors! My reputation is ruined!" He touched his lips, which was still tingling. "But her kiss wasn't that bad after all. I could almost feel the softness of her lips!" He shook his head and hit himself for having those thoughts. "I must go back to the common room to disinfect my lips."
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Hermione was also thinking about her kiss on the way back. She excused herself to go to the toilet where she stood over the sink, replaying it. She had in fact, enjoyed the kiss. His eyes were so close; she could see the titsy bitsy bit of warmness in it. However, she refuses to admit that she has fallen for Draco. She was also not looking forward to their date; night patrol as she knows that Malfoy will get her.
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(In the Slytherins' common room)
"Hey, Draco! You lost your bet! You didn't make that Mudblood hate you! She likes you instead!" Zabini shouted.
"But what I need now is more time!"
"Enough talking and hand over the twenty Galleons." Zabini smirked.
Malfoy took out twenty Galleons and threw it at Blaise, but it hit Parkinson instead. She turned round and glared at Malfoy, and started towards him.
"Oh-ho, Malfoy! After you ditched me for that Mudblood, you threw money at me, what do you treat me as? A one-night stand prostitute? And I thought you love me whole-heartedly!" Pansy sobbed and ran off to the girls' dormitory.
"Girls! Why are they so troublesome? One of them hates me like hell, while the other is going gaga over me! Oh well, after all, no one can resist the charm of Malfoys, especially me!" he caught sight of Zabini eating his treats and he felt the anger rise in him. "So Granger thinks that she can just flirt around like that then she is wrong! I will show her the real meaning of flirting!" And Malfoy stomped off to meet Hermione.
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When Malfoy saw Hermione already waiting for him, he rearranged his face from an angry one to a lovesick face. He walked down the stairs, looking miserable. Hermione saw him and asked with caution.
"What is wrong with you, you ferret?"
Malfoy would love to snap back but he swallowed and answered, "Can't you tell that I am lovesick?"
Hermione's eyebrow shot up but she continued walking. Malfoy, not wanting to let go so easily, pestered her.
"Aren't you going to ask me who I am lovesick over?"
"Why should I? It is none of my business. I just pity the girl you are lovesick over."
Malfoy bit back his first answer and continued.
"Well, I will just tell you if you want to know." When Hermione did not answer, he replied, "Well, the girl I like had brown wavy hair, a figure that most girls will die for, witty."
Hermione froze in her steps. Can this git be talking about me? No, it can't. He wouldn't fall in love with a Mudblood like me.
Hermione thought it over with mock concentration, acting like Goyle who is trying to add 1 and 10.
"Let's see. Pansy? Lavender? Parvati?"
"No, no. Forget it, I will just tell you! It is you, Hermione Granger!"
There was a moment of silence; one could even hear the rustling of leaves. Hermione looked at Draco. His skin so contrasting with his eyes, looked really forlorn.
"I really like you. Since I don't know when."
"Oh yeah, yeah. If I believe you, I am a big buffoon. Then what is it with me getting pushed into the lake?" Hermione demanded.
Draco suppressed a laugh and answered, "Well, I have no idea how to express my love for you! My first intention was to get you sick, and I can look after you in the hospital wing. But it backfired. I was too engrossed in looking at your body."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Then how do you explain the Mudblood thingy? You also don't know how to express your feelings?"
"Partly because of that. I want you to notice me. You always hang around with Potter and Weasley, and you hardly notice me. I am just dying to get your attention! I just want to act cool as if I did not yearn for you but deep in my heart, I wanted you so much! Gryffindors and Slytherins do not mix. And we will never be together, I know. But I just wanted you to take notice of me more!"
"Well, you can't expect me to believe you, can you? I highly doubt your words, Malfoy. Unless you could prove to me, I will never like you."
Malfoy felt anger beneath him but controlled himself. Who is she to choose whether she likes him or not. Only Malfoys get to choose who they like and not the other way round.
He looked up and gripped her wrists. Hermione tried to pull away but to no avail; he was much too strong. They wrestle until the first tree of the Forbidden Forest, where Hermione had nowhere else to run. Malfoy look into her eyes and saw only fright in them. He moved his face in until their lips nearly touched. Hermione chose to close her eyes and so did Malfoy.
He gave her a quick kiss and was surprised that a flow of warmness came from her mouth and he had enjoyed it. He opened his eyes and saw that Hermione seems to be enjoying it too. He pressed his lips harder onto her lips and realized she did not resist at all. He also pressed his body closer to hers and felt her shiver. He was about to go further when Hermione gave him a nudge. He stopped and looked up.
"I didn't know you kiss that well, Malfoy."
"I guess after that kiss, it means that we are in a relationship?"
"No. As I said, you will have to prove that you like me and it is not some dare or what." Hermione answered cheekily, and walked off.
Malfoy looked at her retreating back and felt a sudden urge to prove to Hermione that he did love her.
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A/N: I think this chapter is pretty bad. But I still hope you enjoy the story!