AUTHOR'S NOTE: Is it possible to become depressed from your own writing? I actually want to cry thinking about Draco and Hermione and this angst. Oh God. I can't.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: A GRYFFINDOR, A SLYTHERIN, AND A RAVENCLAW

Days passed and soon January arrived. New Year's was lonely for both Hermione and Malfoy, and things only turned to a normal, though numb state, when school had started again. Hermione returned to her dormitory and common room, though she walked past Malfoy whenever he tried to speak to her. She refused to look at him in the Great Hall and during classes, and kept close to Ron and Harry, though not confiding in them of what she had learned.

It was time for Hermione and Malfoy to patrol together again. She had switched duties with other Prefects previously, and so Malfoy was surprised to find them patrolling the halls alone together in mid-January. Malfoy longed to ask Hermione why she had not switched her shift, or whether she could not find someone to take it, but he kept silent. The two walked along the third floor, and when seeing it was deserted, moved up the staircase to patrol the fourth floor.

"Granger, I am sorry, you know," Malfoy said, as they entered their common room after their patrol, which was in silence. Hermione said nothing, and Malfoy felt disappointed, rather than relieved, that Hermione had not changed the password to the portrait. Anything would be better than this cold silence she was giving him.

Hermione turned to him. "Sorry that we're going to die in June or sorry that you've been lying this entire time while I trusted you?"

Malfoy said nothing. He deserved what she had said.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she said quietly, inches away from his face. He was looking down and finally looked up at her.

"I don't know," he said quietly.

Hermione snorted and nodded to herself, but he saw tears forming in her eyes.

"Grang-Hermione-"

"What is wrong with you?" she said again. And then she was hitting him - punching and clawing at his chest repeatedly while tears streamed down her face.

"How could you do this to me?" she whimpered, and Malfoy could do nothing but let her hit him while he stood, silently.

"I hate you. I hate you so much. You ruined everything," Hermione said. Malfoy felt a lump in his throat. He sighed and Hermione turned her head towards his suddenly and crushed her lips onto his, letting his sigh echo in her throat.

Malfoy knew he shouldn't kiss back; that he should've pushed her away and said soothing words. But he didn't. Instead he cupped her face and kissed her hard, while Hermione clutched at his robes, her tear stained face scrunched in a battle of pain and desire. Hermione pulled Malfoy's sleek white gold hair and he did not object: nor did he cry out in pain. Hermione approved of this: he did not deserve to portray any more weakness.

Just when Malfoy felt a wave of hope thrash through him eagerly, Hermione bit his bottom lip until she tasted blood. He pulled away and saw Hermione's eyes blaze with fury. She turned around and walked to her dormitory, leaving him alone in the common room like so many times before.

But a flash of anger hit Malfoy and he licked his bottom lip hungrily.

"Granger, let me in," he said, pounding on her door.

"I don't think so," she said behind the closed door. Malfoy whipped out his wand and blasted the door open. Hermione turned to face him and sat on her bed.

"Get out," she said.

"You forgot something," Malfoy said, and crouching down, brushed his lips against hers so she could taste his blood. He grabbed her hair tenderly and then gave it a pull so that she gasped.

"Get away from me," she breathed.

"Is that really what you want?"

Hermione slapped him across the face.

"No," she answered, and Malfoy threw himself on her on the bed, kissing her and sliding off her robes with ease. Hermione, underneath him, smirked. Malfoy grabbed her wrists and put them by the sides of her head, her chest heaving.

"Don't smirk at me," he said softly, and blew on her face lightly.

Hermione felt a cool rush on her skin.

"I'll do whatever I damn please," she said, and flipped the two of them over in one movement so that she was now on top of Malfoy. Malfoy's eyes widened in surprise, and then he closed them most of the way, so that he was squinting at her lazily. Hermione bit his chin lightly and Malfoy slapped the right side of her behind. Hermione ripped off Malfoy's shirt and then used a Vanishing spell on the rest of their clothes so that they were now both in their underwear. Malfoy let out a grunt and grinned at the spell, and pulled down one of the straps of Hermione's lacy white bra.

Hermione grinded her body on Malfoy's hard on through his underwear. Malfoy moaned. Hermione performed another vanishing spell and they were completely naked. Hermione dug her nails into Malfoy's chest as she rode him fiercely. Malfoy, in turn, slammed Hermione's tiny body onto his. Hermione moved up and thrust her cunt in Malfoy's face, and he began to lick her furiously, grabbing her behind while she touched her breasts and grabbed at his hair.

Malfoy slipped Hermione back on top of him and rolled over so that he was on top, and began to thrust inside her. Hermione's face was pink and he held her chin, raising it so that she was forced to look at him. Hermione did not look away, and their eyes locked while their skin, littered with drops of sweat, pounded against each other. Malfoy came and lowered himself. He kissed Hermione. He reached for her hand but she pulled away.

"Get out," Hermione said.

"No," Malfoy responded, and his fingers brushed against her cunt teasingly.

"You're still so wet," he said quietly.

"Don't flatter yourself."

Malfoy leaned towards her so that their foreheads touched. He took her hand and placed it on his heart. Hermione felt it beat hurriedly. She looked into his smoky silver eyes.

"I'm in love with you," he said, and got off her and left to the bathroom before Hermione's face revealed her reaction.

IIIII

Malfoy's words haunted Hermione that week. She could not tell if they were sincere or not, though she had an inkling that Malfoy had been serious. Had he changed? Had he grown from the boy who despised Mudbloods, who hurt, who had made the Unbreakable Vow with her as an innocent victim because he didn't care?

Hermione was unsure how she should go about talking to Malfoy now, and after his words, he seemed to shy away from her. That is to say, he left her alone, and Hermione wondered if that was how he reacted when telling someone he loved them only to not hear it back.

IIIII

Days after their night together, Malfoy mulled the incident in his head numerous times. He wondered how Hermione felt. Surely if Hermione had feelings for him she would've responded to his own confession.

Malfoy walked along the corridor on the third floor and stopped abruptly. Emerging from the men's toilets in front of him was Blaise Zabini.

Blaise seemed to notice Malfoy too, and made a movement as if to walk towards him, but Malfoy then noticed Blaise's body was contorted in an odd way, and he walked with his ankles crossed, while his left arm hung out limp, out of his body.

"The hell happened, Zabini?"

But Blaise threw his right hand into his robes and took his wand out so fast Malfoy barely had time to reach for his own when a gray vapour erupted from Blaise's wand and slowly turned into a long chain. It grew faster and threw itself at Malfoy, squeezing his body.

Malfoy returned the favour by flying dark blue flames at Blaise, each scorching his face and leaving tiny black marks. Blaise summoned a knife and pressed it to Malfoy's neck.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" a voice cried. Malfoy turned his head only to have the knife jab into him, leaving a trail of blood. The voice was Hermione's, and both Blaise and Malfoy's wands flew to her.

Hermione stunned Blaise and Vanished the chain and knife around Malfoy, as well as the dark blue flames which were now floating in the air softly.

"I'll take him to the hospital wing," Hermione said, motioning at Blaise.

Malfoy opened his mouth to speak when another voice interrupted.

"Ooooh, are we all duelling?" It was Luna.

Malfoy swung to look at Hermione, who threw him a look before levitating Blaise and taking him to the hospital wing.

"No, Luna- listen, I'm sorry, it's not a good time-"

"You like her, don't you?" Luna said dreamily, still standing in the same spot, looking very calm for someone who had just witnessed the end of a duel.

"Yes."

Luna nodded and smiled, "I'm happy for you," she said happily, and walked past him to get to the staircase. Malfoy hesitated, but then caught up with her.

"Luna, I'm sorry…if I was ever…you know, when we were together-"

Luna widened her eyes a bit. "Yes, you could be quite rude sometimes, but luckily, I felt no real emotional attachment to you. You should be nicer to Hermione, though. I appreciate your apology," she finished brightly, and walked down the steps. Malfoy was slightly taken aback by her honesty, but then turned to walk to his common room to wait for Hermione.