Chapter 3: Realizations Unwoven

Draco sighed heavily, wondering what in the bleeding hell he was getting himself into. He'd suppressed his urges for so long... he didn't know if he could do it any longer. Not after he'd tasted heaven. He'd dreamt of that kiss thousands of times, but they were fantasies in comparison to the intense reality of her sweet yet passionate lips. He closed his eyes, her scent still lingered on his clothes, the heavenly aroma of sweet roses and fresh rain overpowering his senses and---was that sage?

"Draco, darling...I missed you terribly at supper. What were you doing?" Ugh... Pansy. She plopped down next to him in front of the Slytherin Common Room fireplace, which she no doubt thought as graceful, and the putrid smell of sage threatened to overpower Granger's still lingering scent. "Maybe I can help..."

He rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the floor. "None of your bloody business. And no, I'd prefer my women clean." He picked up his wand as he heard Pansy let out a loud huff from his rejection, getting up and stomping past him roughly.

"Fine, but you obviously don't know what you're missing!" She hollered back as she made an ascent to the girls dormitories.

"Oh, I'm sure he knows exactly what he's missing...don't you Draco?" A soft, yet seductive voice said from behind him. He turned to see Astoria's glistening platinum hair attached to her equally suppulent body sitting atop a desk, porcelain legs crossed and giving him a devilish smirk. "He has another on his mind...isn't that right?"

"I wouldn't be so quick to assume, Astoria. One might think you were watching them." He said carefully, not answering her question directly. He leaned on the arm of the couch as her smirk grew into a lilting chuckle.

"Oh, Drake...you know you can't hide anything from me. I've seen you watching her for months, only...It's been longer than that, hasn't it?" Her delicately trimmed eyebrow raised at his sudden change in demeanor.

He crossed to her in two strides and grabbed her arm pulling her with him as he dragged her to a secluded corner of the common room. "Watch your mouth, Greengrass. I have no patience for games. You know nothing. And it's going to stay that way." He glanced around the common room, noticing a few pairs of eyes watching them, and made a hasty decision as he kissed her roughly to dispel any curiosities the onlookers may have. He turned again to look around the room relieved, they had turned away, no doubt thinking it a lover's quarrel.

"I don't appreciate your hostility, 'Drakey-poo' ", she said mockingly. "I thought we were friends." She looked dejected at his rough treatment of her and he sighed, instantly regretting his actions.

"I'm sorry Tor...we are friends, but..." He looked away, furrowing his brows in frustration, "This is one thing I can't talk about. It's too complicated." He turned to walk away, but felt a soft hand on his shoulder, and was instantly reminded of when he was in Grangers common room, only hours prior.

**********

He had pulled back from the kiss, distraught that she hadn't responded in the least, and stepped away muttering his apology and striding towards the portrait hole.

"Draco, wait..." she whispered, barely audible for most to hear, but he heard it none the less and stopped before he reached the opening. She walked tentatively toward him, and he felt a delicate hand touch his shoulder. As soon as her hand reached his shoulder, he whirled around and pulled her flush against his chest and meshed her lips with his desperately. She wound her hand in his hair and brought the hand holding his shoulder to grip the fabric at his heaving chest.

**********

He fumed in annoyance that Potter and Weasel had interrupted them and even more at himself because he had let it happen.

"Don't tell me I wouldn't understand. You know you can tell me anything, and I won't judge you." She looked up at him from her beautiful white-blond tresses and smiled sincerely. "I'm not your parents, Drake. I don't loathe what I don't understand." She squeezed his shoulder and cocked her head in mock of him. "Just do me a favor?"

"What is it?" He looked at her inquisitively, "What do you need?"

"Be careful. Potter is smarter than he looks. If he figures out what's going on, he won't be happy for the two of you." She squinted her hazel eyes at him and jabbed her finger in his chest harshly.

"Ow! Geez, Tor, a little harder next time!" He grinned at her as he rubbed his chest protectively.

"He'll think you've put a spell on her and he'll hex you into oblivion, the weasel right alongside him." She crossed her arms and tried to look as menacing as possible. "Then I'll hex you, and you won't like it!" She smiled and strode past him, getting many heated looks by the males of Slytherin and a few glares from the females as she sidled up the stairs seductively. "Ta-ta." And a kiss was blown his way.

He smiled and shook his head as he exited the common room, ascending two floors toward his own Head Boy domitories, silently thanking Merlin he had a true friend. Sure Blaise was fun to hang around with but truthfully, he couldn't tell the man anything with him telling the she weasel, his latest 'conquest'. He knew it was more than that, or Blaise would've moved on by now, but Blaise refused to admit he was falling for a Gryffindor, and a Weasley at that. He also wondered if Granger knew, the two being best girlfriends, or whatnot.

Theo was also a good friend, but the man slept with anything that walked, including Bullstrode. And that...was frankly disgusting. It was the main reason why he hadn't fucked Pansy since he found out she had been fucking Knott for the past six months. In his mind, fucking Pansy would've been like fucking Millicent. It made him sick to even think of.

He sighed groggily as he made it to his portrait hole, mumbling the password, tiredly rubbing his eyes. He no doubt had a night full of dreams of Granger awaiting his slumber, visions of her naked body sliding against his as she sighed his name in ecstacy. He should only dream, for the fantasy could never, and should never become a reality, lest his father find out.

"I say, good man, you do look frightful. May the dear maiden who awaits your appearance be able to put a smile upon that mask of yours!" The portrait held the Atlantean prince Kastor, who held him up annoyingly every time he tried to enter his rooms.

He swung the portrait eagerly, and Draco frowned as he entered the portrait hole and glanced back at the painting, still walking to his common room confused to say the least. "Maiden...?"

"Draco..." He heard a soft feminine voice, recognizing it instantly as his gaze shot to Granger's hesitant expression. She was wringing her hands nervously, no doubt trying to decide what to say next, but nothing came. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and walked slowly toward her...