I am so so so sorry you guys.. i know it took forever but i hope it was worth it.. thank you to everyone again.. i'll get started on the next one so it doesn't take as long.. in my defense i've written it a while ago it was just being beta'ed for a while :)

love you all, please review.

Chapter 27:

"Do you want to watch the Gryffindor team's practice?" Ron asked Hermione, during breakfast the next morning.

"I can't, I have... umm homework to catch up with. Tomorrow is Halloween and I won't be able to do it then with all the school's celebrations," Hermione stumbled upon her excuse, she couldn't tell Ron about the detention because that would lead to why she was caught out with Malfoy well after they were dismissed from their detention.

"Oh, ok I guess," Ron looked disappointed.

"I'm sorry Ron," Hermione smiled a sad smile. Things between her and Ron were pretty much back to normal, but they still felt a little uncomfortable with each other. In a way Hermione felt guilty, as if it was her fault that things didn't work out between them. Although she knew it was silly, she felt like she was betraying Ron when she was with Malfoy.

"It's alright Hermione, don't worry about it. Do your homework," Ron smiled back; he then got up and walked out towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Do you have plans with a certain Slytherin?" asked Ginny smiling mischievously.

"Well, you could phrase it like that," blushed Hermione.

"What is it now?" asked Ginny in an amused tone, Hermione has been blushing a lot lately.

"I got another detention with Malfoy," Hermione gritted angrily.

"What for?" Ginny asked, bewildered.

"Filch caught me and Malfoy out on the staircase after hours," whispered Hermione.

"What exactly were you doing on the staircase after hours, young lady?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrows.

Hermione blushed and kept quiet.

"What happened to the Hermione that wasn't giving in to Malfoy, remember how made up your mind was yesterday?" Ginny asked; she still remembered how hard she had laughed when Hermione told her she was resolved to stop whatever madness she had with Malfoy just the previous night before detention.

Hermione glared at her friend but still kept quiet. She wasn't going to answer because she didn't know what was going on herself.

"It's ok Hermione, having fun isn't against the rules," winked Ginny.

"Well, I don't know how much fun I'll be having with all of those detentions. I barely have time to catch up with my homework, let alone study for my N.E.W.T's," sighed Hermione.

"Well stop snogging Malfoy after detention and get to work," suggested Ginny in a whisper, stifling a laugh.

"I wish I could. It would have been so much easier if I could just stop."

"Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is," shrugged Ginny.

"Because you're not the one who's snogging him," Hermione pointed out.

"I'm with Zabini, same difference."

"Not really Ginny. Zabini didn't try to murder Dumbledore," that was the first time the girls mentioned that fact since the first kiss Hermione shared with Malfoy. It was like the both of them tried to stay far away from that fact, to act as if it never occurred.

"Hermione, he's young and stupid. Plus he never went through with it so why stress over it?" asked Ginny.

"He didn't go through with that, but only Merlin knows what he did go through with."

"Hermione, McGonagall would have never allowed him back into Hogwarts if he were a cold-blooded murderer."

"I guess you're right. But it's not only that, that is one of a million excuses. Me and him don't work, as simple as that. He is a prejudiced pureblood while I'm a muggleborn. I don't know what he wants from me, but I'm sure it isn't something that will get serious, so why bother?"

"How about you give it a chance and think about what happens later when you get there. Why are you pondering over that right now? Just live in the present," advised Ginny.

"I have to go now," Hermione pointed out, Ginny's words made sense but Hermione didn't want to admit it. Besides the detention gave her a good excuse to drop that subject for now.

"Have fun," smiled Ginny, wiggling her eyebrows.

Hermione rolled her eyes in reply and walked out of the Great Hall, making her miserable way towards Filch's office.

Malfoy stood outside of his office, leaning against the wall in a bored manner.

"Morning," Hermione greeted him.

"Morning," Draco smirked in response, eyeing her appearance. She was dressed in tight fitting bootleg jeans and a black, cotton turtleneck. Her hair was loose; its brown curls were bouncing playfully over her shoulders and back. She didn't wear any make up, in fact her flawless skin didn't need it. She was beautiful, beyond the shadow of a doubt.

"There you two are," Filch grinned his maniac grin, walking out of his office. "Follow me," he grunted, walking towards the staircase.

A short walk later Draco and Hermione found themselves in the Dungeons, facing a very unorganized Potions ingredients storage cupboard.

"You are to organize all the ingredients in here. Put everything away into its jar, tag the jars, and place them back on the shelves alphabetically after dusting the shelves. Did I mention you are not to use magic?"

Draco and Hermione groaned in unison.

"I'll be back in two hours time. You better be finished by then," he cackled to himself. "That will teach you to be more appreciative to the storage cupboard's neatness next time you brew your bloody Potions," he added as an afterthought. "Let's go precious," he addressed his cat, walking out of the cupboard and closing the door behind him.

Hermione grabbed a pair of gloves she found on one of the shelves and started putting them on when she noticed Malfoy taking out his wand.

"We're not allowed to use magic," she reminded him.

"Filch is a squib, how would he ever know whether we used magic or not?" Draco asked her, swinging his wand in every direction and putting all the ingredients back into their jars.

"Are you sure about this?" Hermione asked, eyeing him skeptically.

"Positive, it's not the first time I landed myself in detention with Filch, you know."

Hermione sighed and took her own wand out of her robes. She dusted all the shelves using the scourgify charm that Mrs. Weasley taught her while she was at the Burrow over the summer. Within half an hour she and Malfoy were done with the task Filch left for them.

"So I believe it was my turn to ask the questions," said Draco ten minutes later, breaking the silence that settled between them.

"Are we still playing that?" Hermione asked, eyeing him skeptically.

Draco shrugged. "Sure, why not? We have an hour and a half to burn. Unless you want to do something else?" he asked, coming closer to her.

"No, truth is fine with me."

"Okay, but that offer still stands, in case you change your mind," he smirked, caressing her cheek with the back of his finger.

"I'll keep that in mind," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Have you ever tried smoking?" he asked Today he wanted to know about her dark side, if she had one.

"Nooo!!" Hermione answered, bewildered. Her, smoking? How deluded could Malfoy be to ask her that question?

"You want to try it?" he asked.

"No, I don't. I'd like to keep my lungs healthy thank you very much."

"Just try it, one time wouldn't kill your lungs you know," smirked Draco, taking a pack of Sherman's out.

"No, I'd rather skip," Hermione eyed him curiously as he took a cigarette out of the pack and placed it in between his lips, lighting it with his wand tip.

"Suit yourself," he said blowing out smoke in ringlets.

"You know you're forcing me to second hand smoke right?" asked Hermione, frustrated by the smoke that started irritating her throat.

"You might as well grab a cigarette and enjoy yourself," he suggested, smirking.

"No thanks," said Hermione, covering her nose with her hands. After a torturous minute Draco was finally finished.

"I didn't know you were a smoker," Hermione commented.

"I'm an occasional smoker, I can control myself quite well," he answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Are you an occasional drinker as well?"

"Who isn't?" he answered with a question.

'I'm not,' Hermione thought to herself.

"Have you ever gotten really drunk?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her in a sexy manner.

"It's my turn to ask the question," Hermione remarked.

"Granger, you just asked me if I'm an occasional drinker as well, your turn has past," smirked Draco.

"Ugh," Hermione sighed. "No, I've never gotten drunk," she answered, feeling like she's never done anything that would be considered as "typical teenage behavior" really. "Have you ever been grounded?" she asked.

"No, what for?" he asked arrogantly.

"I don't know, parents tend to ground their children at times."

"Have you ever been grounded?"

"I have," admitted Hermione, giggling.

"What for?" Draco asked, his brow raised.

Hermione blushed.

"Come on, spill it," Draco urged, he was very curious about why the innocent angelic goodie two shoes Granger would ever be grounded.

"I kind of harassed, for lack of a better word, one of my muggle teachers when they marked my exam an A-, which will be something similar to an E in our grading system," she admitted giggling.

"I should have guessed it would be something know-it-all-ish," Draco rolled his eyes. "I can think of a better reason for you to get grounded over," he suggested.

"I bet you can."

Draco smiled in his most charming smile. "I am talented after all," he smirked.

"Well, I'm seventeen, so I doubt my parents will ground me now, but it was very funny at the time. What is your favorite holiday?" she asked

"I'm not big on holidays; I think they're over rated. Why did you lie to me yesterday?" Draco asked, coming dangerously close to her.

"About what?" Hermione pretended like she didn't know what he was talking about.

"About this," he whispered, pecking her lips with his in the most gentle manner.

"I didn't lie," Hermione melted into his kiss. She was afraid she was too weak to battle with him today. Not when he smelled so seductive and stood mere inches away from her.

"Oh yes you did," Draco argued further, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss.

Hermione didn't wait for him to grab on to her waist and push her against the wall. She decided that today, for once, she would be the one to make that move. She placed her arms around his neck and forced his body to press against the wall, as she herself placed her body in front of his.

Draco didn't hesitate to wrap his hands around her back and pull her closer, making their bodies crash as they kissed deeper, indulging in each other's taste. He caressed her back with his hands, sending shudders to run through her body in the act. He left her in control for another minute, before he grabbed onto her waist and turned them both around. Now she was pressed against the wall while he was pressed against her.

Hermione felt reborn when she felt his hard body pressed against hers. The fact that she had this weird control over him, that she could make him feel such heated desire intrigued her beyond imagination. She wanted to find out just how far she could push him before he went over the edge. She wanted to know how he would react to her touches. How would he touch her in return. She didn't know where those sudden thoughts came from, she'd never experienced them before, but they felt so natural to her. Like what she was doing now was the right thing to do. She couldn't fight with herself any longer.

She placed her hands around the collar of his shirt and deepened the kiss, taking her time in undoing the buttons on it. Draco felt her hands on his back, as she softly slid the shirt off of his shoulders. He deepened the kiss, giving her hungry mouth that what she secretly desired. Awaking every nerve in her body, spreading the all too familiar tingling sensation inside of her. She held back a moan by placing her fingers on his shoulders and digging into them, with more passion than she thought she possessed.

Draco groaned in satisfaction, her response to his kisses was beyond his wildest imagination. Without a second hesitation he went for his next move. He swiftly placed his hands on her buttocks and raised her body, pushing his engorged member against her. Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist instinctively, greeting the peculiar sensation that ran through her body with a seductive moan of pleasure.

Draco thought he would burst from the feel of her body against his. He had his share of women, but never has he craved any of them as much as he craved that damned Mudblood. He bent his knees slightly, so that she could slide down against him and sit on his thighs. He then brought his hands to her sweater and slid it up and off of her body, leaving her dressed in a thin tanktop. He trailed kisses down to the sensitive spot on her neck and started sucking on her velvety skin, causing Hermione's head to fall back in ecstasy.

Hermione closed her eyes, indulging herself in feelings she knew she would later regret. She wanted to do something, something that would make Malfoy as hungry for her as she was for him. She wanted him to feel as if his insides were burning. As if nothing else in the world mattered, nothing but what they shared right there, right now. She acted on impulse and pushed her pelvis forward, making sure to stay still for a few seconds and then slowly moved it back. She repeated that movement, pushing a little harder with every growing second. A few strokes later she started moving her hips in a circular motion as she squeezed against him.

Draco raised his head from her neck and looked into her determined eyes, fire burning down in his pants. He thought he was about to explode. The way she moved her hips against his erection staggered him, he was going to do something that would stagger her just as much in return. Smirking he placed his hands underneath her tank top and moved them up. Caressing her smooth belly, making circles around her ribs until he finally gripped her waist and pushed against her with all his might.

Hermione moaned, taken aback by his sudden thrust. She could feel her insides warm up to him. Warm up to what her body wanted to occur. Draco's pants felt more uncomfortable than he could have ever remembered them being. He wanted to feel relief from the tightness; he wanted to feel relief from the desire of her. To have this all over with once and for all; and as if on cue, Hermione stretched her arms over and reached for his belt.