Falling

Softness, and a strike of lightning, Hermione became lost in the sensation. She let herself go and kissed him back with what seemed to be desperation, but nothing short of passion. The feeling of his lips forming into a smile provoked a smile of her own. Though as soon as it dawned on her that she was kissing Draco, the boy who had taunted her in the cruelest ways, and for the longest time, her facial expression hardened and her smile slowly receded as she pushed him away from her, breaking the kiss. A tear escaped her eyes as she looked at his face. She could see the hurt in his eyes, and his face was full of confusion. Hermione felt as if the four walls of the already tiny Potion masters classroom were closing in on her making her feel terribly claustrophobic, and if that wasn't enough, something felt as if it were slowly crushing her chest making her heart feel heavy. She didn't know what this feeling was, as she had never felt pain like this before.

At last, Hermione managed to mouth the words I'm sorry, and the best she could do was hope. Hope that he wouldn't let this hurt take control of him. He looked at her for a moment, searching her brown eyes, before his expression went blank and he profoundly exclaimed "It's okay, what was I thinking anyways? Something is seriously wrong with me for wanting to kiss a filthy little mudblood like you."

His words pierced her heart like a thousand daggers. The tears she was holding back treated to escape; she did not know if it was either from her being called a mudblood or the unusual sharpness of his words. Though just as she was about to crumble, Professor Snape walked in, explained that he needs his classroom and dismissed them with a sneer promising that they will serve their detention another time.

As soon as they entered the hallway, the door behind them closed and Hermione's knees gave way causing her to crumble to the floor. She watched him as he turned and walked away, not even looking back and continued watching him as his figure disappeared around the corner. Hermione had no idea why all this was getting to her, she was perfectly fine all the other times he had hurt her before. Why was this any different?

Was it the kiss? She wondered. It couldn't have been Hermione reassured herself shaking her head to rid the vile thought. But then why did it hurt so much? Why did his sudden change of actions cause a stinging to well up inside her throat? She quickly pulled herself together, got up off the floor and pushed all thoughts of Draco Malfoy out of her head while walking back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry and Ron were waiting for her once she got back.

"How was the detention with Malfoy? I bet he let you do all the work while he just stood around throwing insults at you." Ron said, showing his anger towards Malfoy, not even trying to conceal his obvious hatred for the boy.

"It went okay, nothing I couldn't handle. I mean, I did punch him in the face earlier this year." She forced a smile, while attempting a pitiful chuckle.

Harry gave her a puzzled expression and asked with a tone of sympathy in his voice "Hey Hermione? Is everything okay? I mean, you don't sound quite like yourself. Something seems to be a bit off since you've walked into the room."

"What are you guys talking about? I'm fine, really. Actually I'm probably just tired, so I think I'm going to just read the assigned pages for Transfiguration and get an early start on the night." Wishing them a good night she trudged up to her room.

Draco collapsed on his four poster and let out a huge sigh. He had no idea what came over him today, no idea why he kissed her, and no idea why he acted so coldly to her afterwards. He doesn't mean to be so cold towards her, he just couldn't help it. He could remember the very first day he laid eyes on her, and how his heart skipped a beat when she entered his train compartment.

It was his first day at Hogwarts, and Draco could remember that he had a train compartment all to himself. The truth was that he wasn't that good at making friends, and whenever he tried to be nice it usually just ended up a mess so instead he resorted to being like his father. He was just minding his own business when he heard the compartment door slide open, and as he turned his head the first thing that caught his attention was a mane of big bushy brown hair, and then the girl who the mane belongs to. His heart sped up while he admired the beauty that was staring him in the face. Draco couldn't quite understand this feeling as he had never experienced it before, though that didn't bother him because he just wanted to continue feeling this way.

"Is this compartment full?" She asked.

Draco desperately wanted to say no, and tell her to take a seat but what came out of his mouth next shocked him and was the contributing factor as to why he would later spend hours pondering over this very mistake. "No, but I'd never share it with the likes of a frizzy haired, bucked toothed freak like you." The words just slipped out of his mouth, and it was already too late to correct his mistake, the girl gave him a look of utter loathing and slammed the compartment door shut with a bang. He could have sworn he saw a tear run down her cheek, and he couldn't get over the fact that he had hurt her. He didn't even know why he was so worked up about all this in the first place; he never cared about what people thought of him, nor what horrid things he had said to those people. Why would he care now? Why DOES he care now?

Draco hated that memory; he despises it like he despises Potter. It was the first time he had met someone he actually cared about, but because of the environment he was raised in, and of the fact that he had a hard time communicating with people, he made her end up loathing him instead. And over the years the cycle continued, the insults kept sliding out of his mouth, making her despise him even more. He remembered when he first found out that she was a muggleborn. That took first place in being the worst day in his life since he knew it was impossible to actually be with her now. Draco's parents would kill him if they found out he was getting cozy with a mudblood, because he had to keep the future generations of the Malfoy family "pure".

He had no idea what came over him when he had kissed her. Something inside him just broke down and all the built up impulses took over every inch of his body. He was sure that he had even a slight chance when she returned the kiss; though from one moment to the other she pushed him away. And then he did it again, he had hurt her, but only because she had hurt him. That was a fair excuse right? Draco turned over and eventually fell asleep with thoughts of Hermione whirling around in his dreams.