Where the Heart Lies

Author Notes: it's 1:37 in the morning and i can't sleep because i have the urge to write this chapter. i was upstairs laying in bed and i just started writing it in my head and i knew i had better start to actually write it down before i lost it. oh! and i would also like to apologize again for the terrible formatting of the bottom half of my previous chapter. i have no idea how that happened! well enough of my rambling, time to shout out to my reviewers!

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Bianca Heart: hehe i'm glad you liked it and i hope i get the same response for the rest of it!

Child of Decadence: lol i know, right!

litto-kitty: awe, thank you so much! there is no better compliment than that! here's the next chapter for you

oreo69not96: thank you again for telling me about the formatting error! and you're right, cal's acting like a jackass... but you never know... ;-)

Omani: hehe, thanks! and yeah, i also love the soft side of bad boys lol

misslaydeeg: haha i know, right?! i'd be flippin too! thanks for commenting and i hope you like this chapter.

Faith5321: so thanks

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Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I really hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fic at all, except for any original characters, or the poem. Use them if you want, but I think then you'd be crazah! ;-)

Chapter Six

Draco lay silently on his back, staring unwaveringly at the ceiling from his bed. Hermione had put up a good fight but her efforts to remain conscious proved to be futile as she lay slumbering next to Draco. His gaze fell on her momentarily as she exhaled deeply in her sleep before returning to their previous target.

Draco had been lying that way for at least the past hour, sleep unable to contain him. Too many thoughts were buzzing about in his head. The most puzzling of which was Hermione's dream. He knew that in actuality dreams were merely incoherent images and thoughts pieced together by the subconscious - hardly anything to worry about. But something in the back of his mind kept nagging at him, telling him that there was something strangely peculiar about Hermione's vision. It had to have been very vivid to put Hermione into the state of hysterics she had been in when she arrived at his door. He sighed audibly, mentally kicking himself when he realized that it was most likely his fantastic concoction that had brought on such a dramatic nightmare.

He switched his gaze over to Hermione's resting form again. He slowly pushed a strand of stray hair out of her face, marveling at how beautiful she looked asleep. She was so pure, so innocent. He sincerely hoped that she would never have to experience a nightmare like that again, although a small part of him was grateful that she did because, if she hadn't, he highly doubted she would be lying in his bed right now.

"Draco, what are you saying?" he whispered in exasperation to himself. "It shouldn't matter that she's here." But it did matter. He knew it mattered to him, but he refused to admit it. "She's a mudblood!" he said, desperately trying to shake whatever it was he was feeling for her. "Just imagine what Lucius would do if he caught you even being nice to Granger, let alone sleeping next to her!" But he knew he didn't care what Lucius would do. Let his father strike him dead right now, so long as he could catch one more glimpse of the magnificent being that was Hermione Granger.

Draco groaned as this last thought wound its way into his brain. "What are you getting yourself into, Draco?"

. . : . . : . .

Hermione's eyes fluttered open. The first thing she realized was that she was not in her own room. The events of the prior night came flooding back to her. Before she could think about it anymore, she felt something move slightly over her stomach. She looked down to find Draco's arm thrown over her and let out a tiny sigh of relief. Draco stirred again and Hermione held her breath unintentionally, afraid she'd wake him with her breathing.

When he had settled back down again, Hermione let her breath go soundlessly. Now that she was looking at him, Draco was quite adorable when he was sleeping, serene and childlike. Hermione smiled slightly as she commented to herself that the rest of him was definitely not childlike, her gaze now sliding down his perfectly toned body as a blush gradually slid its way up to her cheeks. Now was really the only chance she'd ever had to really study Draco. And she was glad she had been given it because, boy, was he gorgeous! It was as if every muscle in his body had been trained to perfection.

Hermione's eyes traveled back up. His platinum blonde hair fell casually over his face and Hermione longed to touch it, to run her fingers through it again as she had that night he'd been sick. In fact, to touch any part of him right now would satisfy her. That little voice in her head came back and warned her to keep her hands to herself, but she ignored it, as was becoming the norm.

Slowly and carefully, she ran the back of her fingers down his cheek and was amazed by how soft and warm his skin felt. Just as she was about to draw back her hand, Draco's eyes flickered open. She held in a gasp and quickly moved her hand away from his face before he noticed.

"Morning," she said quietly, not knowing what to expect in reply.

"Morning," he answered groggily, taking his hand off her and rubbing his eyes. Hermione let out a sigh of relief. He was still being friendly towards her. "Aren't you going to run away this time?" he joked as he stretched his arms over his head.

"Nah," she giggled, pleased that she could finally feel like herself in front of him. "You'd be surprised at how much energy that takes to do in the morning!" Draco let out a small chuckle that caused the smile on Hermione's face to become even brighter.

"I'll bet," he replied, tossing off his covers and getting out of bed. "And how are you feeling this morning, Granger?" Hermione, though somewhat disappointed that he was still calling her Granger, decided it was better than mudblood and made a mental note to get him to call her Hermione by the end of the quarter.

"Better," she answered cheerfully. "Thanks to you, of course." She winked at him before picking herself up out of bed as well. Draco felt his face get very hot all off the sudden, but brushed it off as coincidence.

"I'm going to get a shower," she announced as she made her way towards the door. Upon hearing this, Draco halted his search for a t-shirt and turned back to his bed.

"Well, if you're going to shower than I'm going back to bed," he said as he dove under his comforter. "Wake me when you're finished," he instructed before burying his head in his pillow.

Hermione smiled to herself as she watched him twist and turn in an effort to get comfortable. She confessed to herself that she had purposefully been flirting with Draco Malfoy and she honestly didn't know what to think about it anymore. She knew now that she liked Draco as friend and that he reciprocated those feelings, but... was she starting to like him as something more? 'God, Hermione, how do you always manage to get yourself into these unlikely situations?!'

. . : . . : . .

"Well, someone's certainly in a good mood," Marie observed as Hermione glided towards the Gryffindor table, a dreamy smile plastered on her face. Marie beamed as Hermione sat down next to her, dropping her books on the table and reaching for an apple. "Yesterday you looked like you were dying from sleep deprivation and today! Well, today you look like you just got laid!" Hermione choked violently on the apple that was halfway down her throat.

"WHAT!?" Marie laughed as Hermione inhaled a glass of water.

"I'm just saying that you seem a lot... better today than you have for a while. Any reason for the sudden change?" Hermione smiled again to herself, reliving the past 10 minutes. After Hermione had showered and gotten ready for school, she filled a cup of ice cold water and dumped it on Draco while he was sleeping. "Shower's open!" she had shouted over her shoulder as she ran for the door, wanting to get out before Draco got up. "FUCK! GRANGER!!" she heard him yell as the portrait swung shut behind her. "Ah, so there's a guy, huh?" Hermione was yanked out of her flashback by Marie's voice.

"Oh, rubbish!" Hermione replied, trying to act nonchalant. But Marie had far from given up.

"Who is it?" she asked, donning her i-know-i'm-right-so-don't-bother-trying-to-deny-it smile.

"It's no one!" Hermione said just a little too quickly. Marie kept smiling, though, and went back to her breakfast, still believing that she was correct in assuming Hermione had a little crush.

"Whatever you say!" Just then, Hermione remembered her dream.

"Oh, Marie! I had to most horrid dream last night!" By the time Hermione was done with her tale, she'd caught the attention of both Harry and Ron, who had shown up as she began to tell it.

"Wow, that's awful rotten luck, 'Mione," Ron apologized.

"Yeah," Harry added. "At least you can be thankful that it was only a dream." Hermione smiled gratefully at them both for trying to make her feel better. She turned to say something to Marie, who had been oddly silent after hearing about Hermione's dream, but was interrupted by Harry. "If that ever happens again, don't hesitate to come and wake Ron and I," he instructed.

"I know," she replied, grinning. "But, don't worry, Draco was there." The words were out of her mouth before she had even known she'd said them. Ron dropped his fork, which at the time had been carrying syrupy pancakes, along with his jaw.

"What?!" Ron asked her, his eyes wide in surprise and confusion. "'Mione, have you done mental??" She bit her lower lip, feeling like a fool for letting herself slip so easily.

"I'm perfectly well, thank you," she sighed in slight annoyance. "What I meant was that Dr-Malfoy," she stressed, mentally kicking herself for spilling again, "he helped me last night..." The dumbfounded and agape looks did not fade away.

"Hermione," Harry began, "Are you sure about this? I mean, he is Malfoy after all."

"I think I know that, Harry!" she snapped, in total vexation with the way the conversation was going. "Honestly! I think I'm old enough to choose my own friends!"

"What?!" Ron exclaimed again, pointing a finger at her accusingly. "So now you're friends with him?!" Hermione rolled her eyes angrily.

"Oh yes, Ron! You've got me! We're the best of friends," she said, sarcasm dripping off every word. "Pretty soon I was thinking about putting in an application for Pansy's position. Let's just keep our fingers crossed, though, shall we?" And with that, Hermione gather up her books and stormed out of the Great Hall.

"Hmm... somehow, I don't think you guys handled that very well," Marie commented as she watched Hermione stomp away. "Not very well at all." Harry and Ron sat in front of her, clueless as to what to say. "So...," Marie said, breaking the awkward tension. "Has anyone seen Cal?"

. . : . . : . .

Hermione quickly unfolded the note that Harry had passed to her seconds ago. She'd been the first to arrive at her Transfiguration class and had sat with her nose in the air as the others filed in, pointedly avoiding Harry and Ron. Draco, as he had taken his usual seat between Crabbe and Goyle, wondered briefly what had angered Hermione so.

Hermione-

Listen, Ron and I are sorry for upsetting you earlier. It all just seems... odd. But if you truly have become um- acqainted with Malfoy, then I guess there has to be some good in him. You wouldn't be civil towards him otherwise. Just please, be careful, alright? We don't want to see you hurt.

-Harry

Hermione fought back a triumphant smile. She'd hope that Harry and Ron would see things her way and now that they actually had, she couldn't have been more thrilled. She shot Harry and Ron, who had been watching her read the note anxiously, a forgiving smirk and went back to copying down her transfiguration notes.

Draco, who had been watching Hermione intensely since McGonagall put up the class notes, knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. 'What's going on between those three?' he thought curiously. Before going back to his schoolwork, he made a vow to find out what had gone on later that night.

. . : . . : . .

Hermione staggered clumsily into her common room, hindered by the weight of the stack of books she was carrying. She'd stopped by the library after dinner and now she was thoroughly regretting it.

"Watch it!" Draco warned, steadying her balance and taking most of the books from her arms.

"Thanks," Hermione said, enchanted by the slight touch of his hands as they brushed past her arms. The two made their way towards the table in front of the fireplace and dropped their books on it.

"God, Granger, did you leave any in the library?" Hermione stuck her tongue out playfully in response. Draco grabbed a small, thin black book with gold painted edges before plopping down on the couch. Hermione followed suit, eying the book he held conspicuously.

"What's that?" she asked, not remembering having checked it out. Draco shrugged and opened the book to the cover page.

"'Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts'." Draco raised an eyebrow in amusement. "My, my, Granger. I would have never thought you one for this type of reading."

"Oh shove off!" Hermione shot back, though she could feel herself flush from embarrassment. Draco laughed at her bashfulness as she tried to rip the book from his hands "I don't know where it came from. Honestly!"

"Maybe Potter or Weasley are trying to give you a hint," Draco continued, smiling coyly. Hermione gave him a repulsed look.

"That was maybe one of the most disgusting sexual innuendos I have yet heard come out of your mouth, Draco Malfoy," she scolded.

"Don't try compliments with me, Granger," he teased, hiding the little book behind his back. "They'll get you nowhere. I saw all the sexual tension flying around between you three in Transfiguration this morning, don't try denying it!" 'Transfiguration?' Hermione thought. 'What happened in Transfigur-' Hermione's eyebrows shot up as she recollected what had occurred earlier that morning.

"That wasn't sexual tension, you twit!" she responded, shooting her hand behind Draco for a grab at the book. "We just had a little disagreement previously and they were apologizing to me."

"Uh-huh..." Draco said, sounding not at all convinced and now holding the book up in his hand while he tried to fight her off with the other. "What about?"

"It's none of you concern," Hermione replied, giving him a look as if to say 'it's classified information'. And, oh, how Malfoy just loved breaking into classified information.

"I see," Draco said solemnly, lowering his hand so she could reach the book and receiving a strange look from Hermione. "They're fighting over which one gets you from the back again, huh?"

"WHAT?! NO!" Hermione practically screamed as she yanked the book out of his grasp, appalled by the very idea of it. Draco sat there, acting surprised and glad that his plan was working. "They were just upset because I accidentally told them about what happened last night."

"You mean the dream?" Draco asked, this time truly confused.

"No, not the dream! I mean what happened between you and me!" Hermione felt a slight blush creep over her face as she said 'you and me'. 'God, pull it together!' Realization suddenly dawned on Draco's face as he understood what Hermione had told him. He shook his head and took her hand in his (to the pure bliss of Hermione), giving her a look full of pity.

"I told they wouldn't appreciate us sleeping together," he whispered. Hermione broke out in laughter.

"Oh shut up already!" she giggled as she pushed him off the couch.

"Wow, you're really pushing your luck, you know that?," Draco said, getting himself up from off the floor. "First you pull that little water stunt this morning and now this? Are you trying to wind up with a raging engorgio spell? Cause if that's the case, just say the word." Hermione laughed at Draco's horrible attempt to frighten her. It was a little strange, though, because she knew from personal experience what it was actually like to be seriously frightened by Draco.

"Is that a threat?" Hermione asked, one eyebrow raised. "Because if it is, I must say, you're going soft because you've threatened me with much worse before!" Hermione instantly regretted having said this last comment though as she watched the wicked grin diminish from his face. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Hermione spoke up. "I didn't mean to... to..." Hermione looked up as she tried searching for the right words.

"Look," Draco cut in. "I know that we haven't really gotten along in the past and...," he inhaled before carrying on. "And I know that it's probably all my fault-"

"Draco, stop." Hermione couldn't stand listening to him anymore. She felt guilty, even though she really didn't know why. "It doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" She smirked before going on. "And as long as you never ever call me mudblood again, I guess we could be friends." Draco felt his heart skip a beat at her smile. And it both irritated and overjoyed him.

"Never call you mudblood?" he said, pretending to be hurt. "I'm not going to know what to call you then!"

"Hmm... most people usually go with Hermione," she answered, still smiling. Draco chuckled.

"Alright," he said softly. "Hermione it is then."

. . : . . : . .

The two had headed to their separate rooms almost immediately after Draco had called her by her first name. And it sounded so sweet. In fact, it was all she had been thinking about for the past four hours she'd been in lying restlessly in bed. Unfortunately, her insomnia had returned. 'I'm never going to make it through the year like this,' she thought in irritation. 'There's got to be something you can do about this. Think, Hermione. Think.'

And actually, there was something she had thought of but was too afraid to try. She'd remembered reading in a health magazine about people going through weird sleeping fits where they would only be able fall asleep comfortably and soundly in one solitary place. It doesn't seem like that big of a problem, but the dilemma lied in where Hermione's "special place" was. Draco's bed. Lying there had been the only two times she had actually gotten a decent night's rest since school began.

'You don't know for sure,' a part of her said. 'I mean, the first time, you fell asleep from sheer exhaustion and the second time you were probably still heavily sedated. Maybe you're just a full-fledged insomniac.'

'Maybe,' another part of her answered. 'But there's only one way to find out for sure.'

"Great," she said out loud. "Now I'm talking to myself. I'm a psychotic insomniac. Just great." She let out a frustrated breath and got out of bed. She guessed it was around 1 in the morning. Draco should be sleeping. She crept noiselessly over to his room and creaked open the door. 'God, this is starting to become a habit,' she thought sickeningly.

As the door swung open completely, Hermione held her breath at the scene before her. Draco was fast asleep, the moonlight illuminated his features and made him look like a fallen angel. Hermione almost didn't want to move for fear she'd disturb and ruin the amazing sight. Almost. It was either take that risk or go sleepless for another night... bring on the risk.

Hermione padded soundlessly towards the bed and gingerly crawled in, careful not to shift the mattress too much. She turned towards him, longing for a better look. He was lying on his back, his hands above his head and under his pillow. He was so handsome. Again, she felt a powerful yearning to touch him. She wanted to feel his smooth skin. As she drew her hand down his cheek as she had done before, her eyes landed upon his lips. They still looked wonderously soft. Without another thought about it, she swiftly brushed her lips over his, lingering there for only a second.

As she pulled away, her gaze still focused on his sleeping face, the severity of what she'd just done hit her. She'd kissed Draco. And what was worse, he didn't know. She laid herself back in bed with the intent of devising a plan to get out before Draco awoke the next morning, but instead found herself asleep the moment her head hit the plush pillow.

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Well, what do you think? i hope you all still like it! please leave your comments at the front desk, lol. Review!

SweetDreamsMuse