A/N: THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL REVIEWS! I. Love. You. All.

I don't feel that high right now, but whatevs, I'll still write this because I love you :)

This is for dessy98, cos she FORCED me to finish this ;)

OH, and this is back to Hermione's POV, just so you know…

DISCLAIMER: Yes, I own Harry Potter. Deal with it.

*virtually-crucioed*

OW! Fuck. Fine, I DON'T own Harry Potter!

Chapter 8:

I must've drifted off sometime, because when I woke up the sun was starting to show, giving everything a pale, almost ethereal look. I was nestled into something hard and warm and a strong arm was wrapped securely around my waist. I turned my head over my shoulder carefully so that I didn't wake up the person behind me, and saw Draco Malfoy.

He was still asleep, giving me time to stare at his face without him knowing. Asleep, he looked completely peaceful, as if there were absolutely no faults in the world. His face was wiped clean of all frowns and lines, and the only emotion shown was the small smile that tugged at one corner of his perfect mouth.

I slowly turned all the way around in his arms so that I could admire without straining my neck. I lightly rested my hands on his chest, and I could feel his heartbeat, along with his steady and even breaths. I let one of my hands trail up over his chest so that it was positioned on his hip, feeling every muscle under the shirt he had on from yesterday, and lowered my head to his chest, just under his chin.

Why was I being so bold? I never would have thought that just a day after I had confessed to myself that I liked Draco, I would be letting myself melt into his arms. Maybe it was because he was asleep.

"Good morning." He whispered all of a sudden, making me jump. I hadn't even realized he had woken up.

"Draco! I'm sorry; I didn't realize you were awake." I said, lifting my head off his chest to stare at his face. His once closed eyes had snapped open.

"Don't be sorry, isn't it me with my arm around you?" he asked, looking pointedly at his arm, which was still holding me close to him. "And anyway, I would love to wake up like this every morning." He smirked at me, making me blush and I rested my head under his chin again. I felt him pull me closer, so that there was hardly enough room for a piece of parchment to slip through.

"Oh really? And why is that?" I whispered back to him, settling into a comfortable position once again. He smelt like freshly mown grass, but that probably had something to do with the fact that we were still lying in the Zabini's garden, surrounding a bonfire that hide long since died out.

"Who wouldn't want to wake up with a beautiful witch in their arms?" I blushed even harder, something I seemed to be doing a lot of.

"You're finally awake! Come inside, you gotta see this." Blaise bounded outside, shouting the whole way.

"What are you talking about Zabini? It looks like it's only 7. That's WAY too early to be up!" Draco called back, not moving from his previous position.

"Maybe, but the Daily Prophet just got here… If you catch my drift…"

My eyebrows must've shot up and into my hairline; I had completely forgot about the reporters from yesterday!

"Oh Merlin…" I muttered, pulling myself out of Draco's embrace. He pouted ridiculously, but followed me into the house none-the-less.

Pansy was also awake, smirking at something in the paper laid out in front of her while nibbling on some toast. She looked up when Blaise sat down next to her and smiled shyly in his direction before grinning in ours.

"Ooh! I see the lovebirds are up? Have a good sleep?" she teased.

"I had a great sleep, thank you very much." Draco responded haughtily, sitting at the table.

"Likewise." I chimed in, taking the seat next to him. "So, did you guys sleep outside as well?"

Pansy and Blaise nodded. I popped a grape from the platter in front of me into my mouth, just as Pansy shoved the Prophet at me.

"Read." She instructed, jabbing the front page; a picture of the four of us in the ice-cream parlor. I cocked an eyebrow at the words and moved the paper so that Draco could read as well. My eyes widened as I read the article.

IS LOVE IN THE AIR?

By Laurie Vorisen

Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson have been spotted at a popular ice-creamery in Diagon Alley. The four 'enemies' seemed to be quite close, laughing and having a good time, despite the fact that they have been nothing short of hateful toward each other at Hogwarts.

Draco and Hermione in particular seemed to be enjoying each other's company. The two enemies, or should we say, former enemies, were firstly photographed with Miss Granger wiping something from Mr. Malfoys face, in a very 'friendly' way, as it seems.

The two were also snapped leaving together, in a very tight embrace. The two teens seem enraptured by each other's company, both staring lovingly at the other. Miss Parkinson and Mr. Zabini also commented that the two were "Just short of dating." Will there be a new couple on the scene somewhere in the near future?

I finished the article and studied the two pictures on the page. In the main we all really did look like best friends, which in a way, we were – save for Draco of course, that situation was still unclear. I saw his shy smile after I wiped the ice-cream from the corner of his mouth. How had I missed that?

The second photo was off us as we were pushing through the paparazzi. We did seem to be in a 'very tight embrace' and I even saw us glance at each other a few times. I watched as it replayed, over and over again. Walk, push, grip, glance. Walk, push, grip, glance. I couldn't help the very large twinge of happiness I felt when I realized we did look like an actual couple; and a damn fine one at that.

"Hermione?" Draco asked, placing a hand on my arm that was resting on the table. I turned my attention back to him and saw worry in his silver eyes. "Are you pissed by what it says?" He looked down as he said this, and I realized that I had spent a long time staring at the Prophet. I also realized that he probably thought I didn't like him that way.

"I'm only pissed that they are interfering in our personal lives. Speaking of which, I can't believe you spoke to the reporters!" I turned on Pansy and Blaise, who raised their arms in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry, but it's not like it's a lie or anything." Pansy said, arms still raised.

"Yeah, we just wanted to prepare them for when you start actually going out." Blaise elaborated, smirking at the both of us.

"I- He- We- I mean..." I stuttered hopelessly.

"I think what Hermione is trying to say is that she doesn't see me that way." Draco said, looking very interested with the apple in his hands.

I turned to him. "Why don't you think I see you that way?" I asked, confused. Hadn't we just been blissfully lying on the grass outside, wrapped up in each other? Or was that just me?

"Are you saying you do see me that way?" He asked, and is that a trace of hope I detect?

I hardly even registered Blaise and Pansy leave the room whispering, wearing identical smirks. "I don't know… I mean I do know… I just don't know how you see me." I explained lamely. This whole 'I see you this way, that way, every fucking which way' thing was starting to confuse me.

"This is starting to get confusing." He mumbled and I let out a soft chuckle of agreement. "Okay, so to recap, you may or may not like like me, but you won't tell me because you don't know whether I like like you?"

"Yep, pretty much." I said with a nonchalant shrug, trying to act like a whole cage of butterflies had NOT just been opened in my stomach.

"So what would you do if I said that I DO like like you?"

My mouth seemed to go dry, and I opened and closed to at least seven times before I took a sip of pumpkin juice and tried again. "I would probably say that I like like you back."

His eyes widened. "Really?" he seemed shocked by my answer and I immediately felt embarrassed. What if he was just being hypothetical? Oh Merlin, I've just made the BIGGEST idiot of myself!

I looked down, sure that my face was bright red. "I need to go." I muttered quickly, running from the room before he could protest.

I ran down the hall, passing the living room, where Pansy and Blaise were sitting and giggling. I stopped quickly and stepped into the room.

"Nice joke. Y'know, the 'Draco likes you' one. It was hilarious." I said flatly to them, before turning on my heel and walking back out and towards my room. I could hear Blaise and Pansy get up and follow me, jogging to catch up.

"'Mione! Wait!" I heard Blaise call, but I started sprinting up the stairs. So close to my room! Just a… few… more… steps…

BAM!

Before I knew what was happening, I was tackled into my room and the door slammed behind me. Instead of the inevitable pain I thought I'd feel when I hit the floor, I felt only the soft cushy-ness of my mattress. I spat my hair out of my face and saw Blaise lying on top of me, placed so that I was pinned under him without feeling his weight. Looking over his shoulder I could see Pansy walking towards us.

"What are you talking about, Mia?" Pansy asked softly as she sat down on the bed next to Blaise and me.

"Can you get off?" I ignored Pansy's question completely and squirmed under Blaise.

"Not until you tell us what you meant back there." He grunted.

I looked down, avoiding both of their eyes. I could feel tears building in the corner of my eyes, and immediately felt angry at myself for getting so attached to a guy I was supposed to hate.

"Draco doesn't like me. You can stop pretending now." I snapped, but it my voice cracked at the end, letting on to how upset I really was.

Oh, I was upset. I was upset. I was angry. I was confused. I was everything that I wasn't five minutes ago. How ironic, the day that starts the best, turns out to be the worst.

"What do you mean? Pretending?" Pansy asked, lifting my face up so I was looking at her. She didn't look amused, like she should. She looked confused, even a little bit pissed.

"It was obviously a joke. Draco doesn't like me. I have to say, I'm impressed with your acting. You kept up the whole charade; the Daily Prophet must've been in on it too. Did you pay them to turn up yesterday?"

Hurt flitted across Pansy's face. Her eyebrows furrowed and she let go of my chin.

"What would make you say the Draco thing was a joke?" Blaise asked softly.

For the second time that day, I was saved from responding. Draco burst into the room, looking like he'd run a marathon with his hair all mussed and taking deep breaths.

"Get out." I murmured. "Please. Just go." I didn't want him to see me cry.

Why was I crying? I had hated this boy – no, man – since I was eleven, and all of a sudden I have a few dreams and all of a sudden I forgive him? I wanted to deny it, but it was true. I couldn't be angry at Draco.

"Hermione…" He whispered, coming closer to the bed. Blaise slowly eased off me, giving me enough room to sit up. "Hermione, you didn't let me finish…"

I glared at the blonde bombshell. "What was there to finish? It was just a big joke." I snapped angrily, wiping away the few traitorous tears that had slid down my cheeks.

"What? No, Hermione… Guys can you give us some privacy?" he directed this to Pansy and Blaise, who both nodded and left my room, murmuring quietly.

Draco walked forward and sat next to me on the bed with his body turned so he could look at me. He tucked one leg under him and stared at me for what seemed like days. I refused to look at him, and focused on my door.

"It wasn't a joke."

My head snapped to the side as I stared at him staring at his hands, his white-blonde bangs almost hiding his eyes entirely. "Sure it wasn't." I mumbled, glaring daggers at him when he met my eyes. He cringed outwardly and looked back down at his hands.

"It wasn't. You didn't let me finish. You took off the second I replied." He murmured, and when I didn't respond, he glanced at me through his hair and continued. "I didn't get to tell what I wanted to tell you…"

"Which was…?" I asked, intrigued and confused.

He looked up at me fully, with a look so intense I thought I would melt. He grabbed my hands out of my lap and leant forwards so his nose brushed mine.

"How about I show you?" was all he whispered.

And then he kissed me.

FINALLY IT'S DONE! And it's short...

SORRY, but Sav was right up my ass like 'UPDATE BITCH!', so I did...

ANYWAY, sorry again for the very late update, and especally for the Lemon Soap fans, because I haven't even STARTED that yet...

REVIEW? Plez? It actually does motivate me. Gets me off my ass :)

Love you all!