a/n i'm so so sorry for taking forever, i'm really nervous about your reaction to this chapter so please please please do read a review, i want to hear what you have to say

again cc is more than welcome, love you all :)

Chapter 22:

The owl post swooped down from the high ceilings, causing Hermione's head to jerk up. She searched through the owls frantically, hoping beyond hope to see the familiar snowy white owl swooping down towards either her, Ron or Ginny. After two minutes that proved to be to no avail, Hermione lowered her head down to her food and sighed deeply. 'Where are you Harry?' she thought desperately. She couldn't believe Harry has been gone for almost a month now and he didn't even bother to contact anybody. To be honest she found it kind of selfish; she knew that he thought he was protecting them, but leaving them in the dark wasn't the way to do it.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Neville and Ron in unison, distracting Hermione from her thoughts.

"Where?" asked Hermione, feeling temporarily confused.

"Potions," said Ron, giving Hermione a suspicious look.

"Sure," smiled Hermione, coming back to her senses. "Bye Ginny," Hermione got up, catching up with Ron and Neville quickly. Together the three of them made their way down to Potions, each dreading the long lesson that was ahead of them for different reasons.

"Look at that, the trio reformed," remarked Pansy, sneering at them as they walked into the classroom. "Now that Pothead is gone you decided to replace him with Nohead over here?" she laughed at her own joke.

"Remarkable humor you got there, Parkinson," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't you have anyone else to bother, like your boyfriend perhaps?" she asked, annoyed.

"Who gave you permission to speak to those superior to you, you filthy little Mudblood?" spat Pansy, trying her best to control her emotions and not show the hurt that was creeping up inside her.

"It's funny how you call me filthy yet you look and smell filthier than me," Hermione shot back.

A stifled laugh was heard from the center of the room, everyone turned their attention to the sound and saw Draco Malfoy hiding the smile that crept to his lips. All the students stared in shock; Pansy on the other hand looked like she would burst into tears as she turned around and left to the back of the classroom.

Potions class was a complete waste of time for Draco. Not like he even bothered concentrating but he was constantly distracted by the Mudblood that sat in front of him. 'Damn Granger!' he thought bitterly. He couldn't help and look at her, every move she made as simple as it may seem, made his insides stir. The way she tossed her curly hair back carelessly when it fell to her face, the way she tip toed to see what was written on the board, the way she bent over her cauldron when adding ingredients or stirring, and most of all, the way she bit down on her lower lip when she was concentrating hard on something.

Damn, he had to stop this madness immediately. Determined, Draco looked away and actually started on his work. Besides, Crabbe was right beside him, and as stupid as he was even he could notice staring. That was one topic he wasn't ready to be questioned about.

His self determination seemed to be working. He didn't look at Granger even once. He was working on his potion and it was progressing pretty well. This lasted for another three minutes. At the sound of clattering Draco looked ahead and regretted it immediately. Granger had apparently dropped her Potion's knife and ingredients, and kneeled down to pick them up. The hem of her school robe slid up and revealed her bare legs. It didn't reveal as much legs as Draco hoped it would, it was only up to her knees, but it was enough to drive him to the brink of insanity. He immediately looked away and huffed angrily.

'That's it! This obsession stops immediately!' he scolded himself. 'Honestly, I'm a Malfoy. I bet I'll get sent off to Azkaban for looking at a Mudblood! It must be against the rules. Damn Granger and her even more damned legs. What is she thinking anyway, not wearing any trousers underneath her robes?' he stopped his thoughts abruptly. He knew that thinking of Granger's bare legs would not help his situation one bit. 'No, this couldn't be healthy,' he thought to himself, 'maybe I should pay St.Mungo's a visit, just in case,' he wondered desperately. 'This obsession will stop, now! Why? Because I said so. I could have any girl in the school, I do not need her, nor do I need to want her.' he decided stubbornly and went back to his work. 'Bloody brilliant, a few more self dialogs and I will definitley find my one way ticket to St.Mungo's Psych ward.' He thought bitterly, no, he was a Malfoy and should know how to control his feelings, after all his family was famous for at least that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Your Lover boy is heading our way," Hermione giggled into Ginny's ear.

"What?" Ginny didn't understand what Hermione was talking about.

"Look right there," pointed Hermione. Ginny followed the direction of her finger and saw Blaise, making his way to the Gryffindor table.

"Merlin's beard," Ginny whispered desperately.

"Can I have a word with you?" Blaise asked, offering her his hand.

"Why do you want a word with her?" asked Ron, raising his head from his dinner.

"I believe I wasn't addressing you," said Blaise, glaring at Ron.

"Ron, I'll deal with Zabini, no need for your big brother act," muttered Ginny, scolding at her brother; who seemed to get even redder, if possible. "Sure," she added hesitantly, ignoring Blaise's outstretched hand and helping herself up. "I'll be right back," she whispered to Hermione.

Hermione just smiled at her friend and went back to her dinner, looking at the two of them as they walked out of the Great Hall, thinking they might actually make a cute couple.

"What is it you want Zabini?" asked Ginny when they were out of earshot. "Again," she added, muttering to herself.

Blaise opened his mouth to reply when Ginny beat him to it, "and please don't say "you", that line is getting old," she was the one smirking this time.

Blaise shot her a sexy smile before answering. "I want to speak to you."

"What about?"

"Us."

"There is no "us" to speak about."

"That is a pity and is exactly why I'm here," he smirked, coming closer to her.

"Zabini, I'm going to say this only once, so listen up," started Ginny, "There is no "us", there never was an "us" nor will there be an "us", so I suggest you get over your temporary insanity and leave me alone," she started making her way back to the Great Hall.

Blaise didn't take a long time absorbing her words, he quickly grabbed her by the arm and pushed her against the wall gently, pressing his body against hers. "What's so wrong about this?" he asked, leaning down and engaging her lips in a passionate kiss.

Ginny didn't hesitate to close her eyes and tremble into his kiss. She didn't know what it was about him, about his touch that affected her so much. She tried to pull away, she really did, but the feeling that the kiss shot through her body was undeniable. It was something she couldn't just run away from. Coming to her senses forty second later, Ginny broke the kiss and looked into Blaise's eyes, shooting daggers at him; regardless of how she felt inside.

"If you pull this stunt one more time, I will seriously hurt you. Now sod off and leave me be!" she said, running into the Great Hall while ignoring his loud protests.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Don't you wear any trousers underneath your robes Granger?" asked Draco, taking Hermione by surprise.

"What?" asked Hermione, not realizing where the question came up from.

"Do you wear any trousers underneath your robes?" he asked again, slowly, as if talking to a child.

"Why would you ask me that?" Hermione looked at him skeptically.

"Because when you kneeled down in Potions today, your robes went up to your knees and revealed your bare legs," he had to refrain himself from saying 'your sexy bare legs'.

"However did you notice me kneeling at Potions?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

Draco coughed uncomfortably, then mumbled something about how he got distracted by the noise she was making by dropping her table contents.

"Ok," said Hermione, in loss of a better word.

"So why don't you?" he pushed on, smirking.

Hermione blushed crimson before replying, "of course I do," in a low voice. That day, she happened to be wearing her most comfortable black Lycra shorts.

"It didn't look like you were," commented Draco, looking at her legs as if trying to see through her robes.

"Can we drop the subject?" Hermione asked, feeling this wasn't something she wanted to discuss at that exact moment, with that particular Slytherin.

"I guess you're not a brave enough Gryffindor to answer truthfully," said Draco, shrugging his shoulders.

"This has nothing to do with bravery," remarked Hermione.

"Whatever you say, coward."

"It's personal," Hermione blushed even harder.

"Oh, please excuse me; For a minute there I forgot I was talking to Miss Innocent," Draco rolled his eyes.

Hermione couldn't help but smile, and paid her attention back to scrubbing the trophy. Once again she found herself distracted by Draco's gaze on her.

"Why do you always stare at me?" she asked abruptly.

"I told you not to flatter yourself Granger," Draco said, hoping this would get her off the topic.

"I am not flattering myself. Believe me when I tell you that you staring at me isn't exactly my definition of flattery. I'm just curious because it's been happening a LOT lately," said Hermione, emphasizing a lot.

"I'm not staring at you, you must be imagining," Draco argued stubbornly.

"Yes you are, you were just staring a second ago," said Hermione, exasperated.

"Granger, I understand you want me, it's normal, even for a mudblood," he sneered sexily, "but don't let your fantasies delude you into thinking I stare at you."

"You are the most arrogant prick I have ever met."

"I've been told that before," Draco smiled at Hermione without even realizing he was doing it.

"I've been summoned for a very important meeting," McGonagall distracted Hermione and Draco from their conversation. "I have to leave now, I trust I can leave you two alone for the rest of your detention?" she asked, looking at them sternly.

The pair nodded.

"I will lock the doors to the classroom and they will magically re-open at Midnight, only then will you be dismissed. Once you arrive at your dormitories you will notice your wands laying on your bedside tables. Do not try to put any toes out of line," she warned as she got up and left the room, locking the door behind her.

"Great," sighed Hermione, "now what," she added as an after thought.

"We can always test the theory of what you wear underneath your robes," suggest Draco, smirking.

"No!" protested Hermione, when she saw that he seemed determined.

"You know Granger, it is not nice to lie; now we will find out whether you were telling the truth or not," he said brining his hands dangerously close to her legs.

"You wouldn't," yelled Hermione, jumping up as soon as she felt his hands on her legs.

"Come back here," Draco said, getting up after her, amused.

"No," screeched Hermione running to the other side of the room.

"Come on, it wouldn't hurt," Draco added, running after her.

"Stop it," laughed Hermione, running in the other direction, only to be caught onto by Draco.

"Arrghh," she screeched again, running in yet anther direction after being almost caught. Draco chased after her for another minute and finally caught her, cornered by the door.

"Where are you gonna run now?" he asked, looking down at her, panting.

Hermione tried to wriggle herself from the corner but his hands were rested against the wall on either side of her, blocking her means of escape.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, looking into his eyes, panting heavily; she wasn't used to running this much, she wasn't exactly the athletic type.

"Nothing," he whispered lowering his face down, for their eyes to meet.

"Doesn't feel like nothing," Hermione remarked the obvious.

"Do you ever shut up?" he asked, lifting her chin with his finger.

"No, not really," she admitted, trying to look away nervously. She felt a new sensation at the pit of her stomach when he touched her. A sensation she never felt with Ron nor Krum. She didn't know what it was and she could have guessed it was illicit, yet it enticed her, attracted her and left her wondering about what will come next.

She didn't have to wonder for much longer because at that exact moment, Draco brought his face even closer to hers and placed his warm lips on her surprised ones. He kissed her gently, tugging on her upper lip first, and then moving on to her lower. Hermione was hesitant to reply, but the vibes that his lips brought to her body entranced her. She felt like she had no control over her actions. He licked her teeth gently, asking for access to her mouth, which she granted absentmindedly. The meeting of their tongues caused strong tingling sensations that started at her core and spread all over her body, causing her to weaken underneath his powerful kiss.

Draco on the other hand couldn't believe that the kiss he was sharing with the Mudblood was the best he had ever experienced. He didn't know what caused him to kiss her, and at that moment he didn't really care. All he could feel was her soft lips against his demanding ones. She was so fragile when she was in his hands, so innocent, so forbidden. He kissed her deeper. Putting more into this kiss than he would normally put into a shag. He wanted that damned Mudblood, like nobody else in the past.

"Stop," Hermione mumbled into the kiss, getting her senses back. This seemed to bring Draco back to reality as well, because he broke the kiss abruptly and walked towards the door, hoping that it hit midnight already. Without a glance back, Draco opened the door and walked out of the detention room, praying to find a good excuse to his actions for the sake of his sanity; or else he knew he would spend another sleepless night, haunted by the Mudblood.