Disclaimer: I do not owe any characters in this story.

A/N: Thank you for sending in your reviews! I am so glad you enjoyed the story.

Prettigurl7: Thanks! Even I myself want to know what Draco can do to the stubborn Hermione!

C'22: Thanks for your review! You people make me want to go on writing this story, man!

Ok, without much further ado… Here is the fifth chapter!

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The Slytherin's common room was already empty by the time he got back. He sat down on an armchair and started to think. When he had answered Hermione questions regarding why he had pushed her into the lake and why he had called her Mudblood, he felt that he had just answered her in a moment, without thinking. But as he sat beside the fireplace, he felt that he had answered them most truthfully and sincerely. Since that day in the Hogwarts Express, Malfoy had wanted to know Hermione better and couldn't stop thinking of her, whether good or bad.

And the kiss makes him want her more. He had come so close to her. He could smell her scent and sense her fright and feel her smooth skin. He had also wanted more of the kiss until Hermione stopped. And Malfoy was positive that Hermione had enjoyed the kiss. She did not try to pull away and it was only till he made a move to go further, did she resist.

And when she had praised him of his kissing skills, her eyes were full of mischief and desire. Under the moonlight, her hair was no longer like that when she was in their first year. Malfoy also noticed that her front teeth shrunk.

Malfoy thought for a very long time, debating whether or not to continue flirting with her or get serious. He had no idea but decided to wait a little longer. He stood up and got ready to go until he caught sight of some powder by the fireplace. Surely, the fireplaces are not being watched by anyone? A smile crept to his face as he approached the fireplace.

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A sixth year girl sat by the fireplace of Gryffindor's common room, pondering over her homework, her legs swinging in rhythm as she hummed a little song. She soon gave it up. Hermione was all alone by the fireplace, as Harry and Ron had gone up to their dormitories. Just as well, Hermione thought. She had no inclination to tell them what had gone on between her and Malfoy. In fact, she wasn't even ready to tell her most trusted friend, Ginny. She knows how they will react upon hearing her encounter with Malfoy.

"What! You kissed the enemy?" That will be Ron's reaction.

"Hermione! I can't believe you did that with him!" Ginny would scream.

And Harry will most probably look at her in shock and disbelief.

She shuddered at the thought of their reactions. No, it is safer to keep it as a secret. Judging by their reactions, one would have thought that Malfoy and I made love or what, Hermione thought. Seriously, i think they will just make a big fuss over nothing.

She was still in shock over what Malfoy did to her. To her utter disbelief, she had enjoyed the kiss. In fact, she had wanted to go further but restrained herself. His face was so close to hers. She could see the eyes full of passion. And when he had gripped her wrists, it was as if an electric shock just passed through her. And when he had answered her all the questions, she felt that he was speaking the truth, for once.

When she had kissed him before, she had felt the exact same way. Could I be falling for Draco?

Almost as if her answer had just popped from the fireplace, Hermione caught sight of Draco's head in it. He was grinning from ear to ear, and expecting her to say something. Hermione gave a yelp and scrambled to the floor.

"What in the world are you doing here? Has it ever occurred to you that you might get caught or whatsoever?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I just thought I would check on you. The Slytherin's common room had no one."

When Hermione gave that disapproving look, Draco said, "Oh alright, I will go back." But as if he turned to go back, he was stopped by Hermione.

"No, don't go." Hermione pleaded. After realizing what she had done, she tried to find an excuse for him to stay.

"Erm, I am also feeling bored here, so we can just chat."

"Just admit it. You couldn't live without the sight of me, can't you?" Draco smirked.

"Gosh, you sure are thick-skinned and very egoistic." Hermione laughed.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh you are very funny." He spotted her homework and asked, "Are you the real Hermione Granger or what?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Hermione I know doesn't leave her homework lying around like that. And it seems to me that you have given up answering it!"

"No, I didn't give up! I… I was just thinking of… I was just thinking of something else!" Hermione murmured.

"Hermione," Hermione registered the new greeting, "You are so great in studies and everything, but you just don't know how to lie!"

"What do you mean by that, Malfoy?"

"When someone lies, they tend to stutter, just like what you did. Unless they are someone really good." Malfoy explained.

"Oh really? I didn't know that!" Hermione gave herself a small laugh. "How is it that you know those good ones will not stutter? I guess you mean yourself."

Malfoy nearly slapped himself. How could he give himself away just like that?

His shocked face very nearly gave himself away.

"I was just trying to impress you. But I guess it send the wrong signal, eh?" He tried to save himself.

Hermione gave a little smile. "Oh really? I don't really believe you. Anyway, it is getting late. I think you had better get back to your dormitory."

Malfoy silently agreed. His knees were getting sore from the kneeling back at the cold hard floor. He bade goodbye and disappeared, leaving the ambers of the remaining fire, and a light-hearted Hermione.

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The next day, during breakfast, Professor McGonagall made a grim announcement.

"I am utterly disappointed to find students communicating each other, in the middle of the night. Not just that, but they made use of the fireplace to communicate. It is obvious they are from different houses. I hope that the students involved will come forward and admit."

Almost immediately after Professor McGonagall step down from the podium, the chattering started. Everyone knew that the houses weren't very friendly to one another, so why would anyone want to communicate with people from the other house?

"Hmm, I doubt it will be anyone from Gryffindor will communicate with anyone from Slytherin right, Hermione?" Harry asked.

Hermione blushed but did not answer. She felt ashamed and when she glanced towards the Slytherin's table, she saw Malfoy looking abashed. They caught sight of one another and gave a small nod. Both of them understood that they will both approach Professor McGonagall to admit.

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"I am very disappointed with both of you. To trust that both of you are prefects! And I thought Miss Granger would know the right and wrong. For this, both of you will have detention with me every night for a week, starting from tonight. I shall be very kind not to deduct any marks from your house. At least both of you have the courage to come forward."

Hermione and Malfoy received a lecture from Professor McGonagall and Hermione had winced when receiving the lecture. When Professor McGonagall went off, Malfoy had put a comforting arm over Hermione.

Hermione felt comforted all of a sudden without Malfoy saying a word. She looked up and saw Malfoy giving her an encouraging smile, a genuine smile.

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That night, when they went to McGonagall's room, they had not talked much. McGonagall set them to correct some of the first years' essay, seeing that they are the top 2 students in their year. Hermione was almost driven crazy when she saw one of the essays; it reminded her of Ron's.

She decided to take a break from correcting the tiresome first years' essays. She looked up and saw Malfoy concentrating real hard; his brows furrowing. She stifled a giggle and Malfoy looked up. They stole a glance at McGonagall and saw that she was nodding off to sleep. They turned back but did not talk. They could simply tell each other in their mind without breathing a word.

"These first years stuffs are so boring." Hermione thought.

"I can't agree more. This is so cool."

"Yep. This is so cool. It is as if we can read each others mind, like we have telepathic connection or what."

"Tele… what?"

"Forget it. You don't have to know. Oh look, McGonagall's waking."

"Oh, who cares? We can just 'talk' to each other this way. She will never notice."

"We can't. It gives us this kind of blank look on our face."

"Oh all right. I should know better than to fight with you."

McGonagall stirred and looked up. She saw Hermione and Malfoy poring over the essays and looked very pleased.

"Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy, I think this is it for today. It is past 11. Get back to your dormitories and don't let me catch you communicating over the fire."

"We won't." They chorused and went off.

As they closed the door, they could hear McGonagall mumbled, "And I thought both of them used to hate each other, and now they are communicating through the fire. What is this world coming to?"

A/N: Hope you people enjoying the story so far...