Forbidden

By:Leah

Chapter 7

Bittersweet

Draco looked down at the girl in his arms and let out a soft sigh before beginning to lower his broom. Once on the ground he began the task of maneuvering her off the broom and into his arms without waking her.

He couldn't even begin to fathom a reason as to why he even bothered to be as careful as to make sure her slumber wasn't disturbed. He felt that further thought on that subject would lead to questions he rather not address at the moment...or ever.

There was one thing he was sure of though, somewhere in the past few days his feelings for the bushy haired know it all had somehow shifted. Albeit the shift was minute and he was adamant on continuing his life as if it never happened, the point was there was still a change.

A change to what...he didn't know.

The next morning Hermione groggily opened her sleep weighed eyes. Her eyes swept around the room and a groan escaped her lips.

"How does this keep happening to me?" She raised her head only to slam it back down onto the black goose-feather pillow of the black and green four poster bed.

Once again she had awoken in Draco Malfoy's room...in Draco Malfoy's bed; and once again, Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be found.

This morning however, unlike the last, she didn't have the time to ponder her periodic appearances in Malfoy's bed. Instead, she sprinted out of the comfortable bed into the bathroom where she hastily peeled off her clothes and jumped into the shower.

Minutes later she stepped out of the shower clean and refreshed. Wrapping herself in a soft white towel she made her way to the door connected to her bedroom. She turned the knob, but the door refused to budge. She pulled the door a few more times before muttering a few choice words after coming to a realization.

She locked her door...from the inside.

Grumbling to her self at her own stupidity of forgetting her wand in her room also, she re-wrapped the towel around herself more securely before walking through Malfoy's room into the common room. Her brown eyes scanned the room before landing on Malfoy's form, surprisingly sleeping in what could not be a comfortable position on one of the couches. Hermione sighed silently and quickly (but quietly) walked to her room. No telling when the boy would wake up, but then again, maybe he wouldn't be as much of a prat as he always was. Over the past few days he had shown her a different side of him, a more mature, human side.

"Oh Granger...is that little outfit for me?" Then again, maybe Snape would wash his hair one day.

Hermione sighed to herself and stopped in her trip to her room. Her mind furiously debating her only two options. Either she could:

A- Keep going; be the bigger person and not play into one of Malfoy's childish arguments. Or...

B- Not break the cycle and spew a myriad of insults at the little mood hopping ferret.

Hermione shook her head and sighed for the umpteenth time in only a matter of minutes. She didn't even glance back at the boy as she kept walking to her room. She had more important things to do than exchange empty threats with a petty prat.

"'Cuz if you wanted to shag Granger, I'd be more than happy to comply." But really, who was she to deny Malfoy the ever so necessary verbal blow to his ego that he so desperately deserved.

"Sorry Malfoy, but I'm not into shaking up with ferrets. Although I did hear Parkinson has a bestiality fetish. Guess your impending marriage won't be so bad now, will it?" Hermione cast the boy a smirk much like his own before marching to her room with her head held high.

Hermione dropped into one of the seats in the back of the Potions room. Instantly her head dropped onto her folded arms on the table, tears flowing freely down her pale cheeks. She was thankful that she would be alone in the dank room for a few more minutes before students began piling in for class.

Breakfast had been pure torture. The news of her breakup had spread through the school faster than she had expected. She guessed that Ron was overheard telling Harry the whole affair in the Gryffindor common room and the news was swept through the school from there.

When she first stepped into the Great Hall that morning the low rumble of talking was replaced with deafening silence. She shuffled nervously for a moment, staring at the wide eyes staring back at her, before darting to the Gryffindor table. As soon as her bum hit the bench a low murmur of gossip spread through the Hall, slowly escalating loud enough for her to catch a few tidbits. Most of which went along the lines of a love tryst between Malfoy and herself, and Ron walking in on them snogging passionately.

Were it any other situation she would have rolled her eyes and maybe let out a snort of laughter or two at the utter stupidity of the comments. But as it was, it wasn't another situation, and right then she wanted nothing more than to get up and yell at everyone in the hall for spreading those lies, and yell even more at Ron for believing such absurd tales.

She never did that. She didn't even sit with Ron and Harry as she normally would. Instead she ate silently with Ginny, who sent her sympathetic glances, often just telling her how much of an idiotic git her brother was. Thankfully Ginny didn't open her mouth about Malfoy once as she did every other day at breakfast. Hermione was more than grateful to the girl for being so considerate, even occasionally yelling at a few people who kept staring at her.

All through breakfast Hermione found her eyes of their own accord wandering to Ron, who looked as bad as she felt. He truly looked heartbroken. All the while Harry was speaking rather animatedly with him and every once in a while she would catch some exceptionally loud snippet like:

"She would never!"

"Do you really believe Parkinson?"

"It's bloody Malfoy and Hermione we're talking about! Blimey Ron! It's just not true!"

Though being so near to Ron without being able to talk to him and the stares and constant whispers were taking its toll on Hermione, she finally reached her breaking point when barely 10 minutes after she walked into the Hall Malfoy entered. His entrance was also received with the same silence as hers was. But being who he was he stayed aloof for the most part, and did nothing more than roll his eyes, sigh and continue to his seat.

It was then, for the first time since she entered the Hall that Hermione felt Ron's burning gaze on her, boring holes into her. She didn't dare look in his direction to feel the pure loathing and betrayal rolling of him in waves.

With a muttered excuse to Ginny that was barely decipherable she shoved her things into her bag and ran from the Hall. A loud rumble of gossip spreading was the last thing she heard as the doors of the Great Hall closed behind her.

With nothing to do and much of breakfast left before classes were to begin, Hermione made her way to the dungeons, hoping the door wasn't locked. The library, her safe haven, didn't feel that way to her any longer. She knew that the memories of times she spent with Ron would assault her in her old sanctuary. She just needed to be alone and settle her raging thoughts.

And that was what led her here, sobbing into her arms, wondering how something so perfect ended so horribly.

She was so engrossed in her heartache that she missed the door to the room opening minutes later and didn't even hear the scrape of the chair next to her.

"What's the matter with you Granger?" The familiar voice sliced through the silence that was only shattered by her sporadic sobs. She lifted her tear stained face the last person she ever expected to see, but somehow knew he would be the one to find her.

Malfoy sighed loudly running a hand through his silver hair. "Don't tell me you're still crying over the weasel." He muttered, their earlier agreement of him not calling Harry or Ron any names temporarily forgotten by both.

Hermione's watery brown eyes stared into Draco's guarded silver gaze before she unwittingly launched herself at his chest, surprising them both.

Malfoy's facade of indifference was broken by a look of pure shock as he stared down at the girl sobbing openly into his shirt. He was completely unfamiliar with this situation. He had never comforted a female -or any other human being for that matter- before in his life. So he sat awkwardly and stared wide-eyed with arms hanging limply at his sides and the girl who mourned into his shirt, waiting until she calmed down.

He was more than amazed that this girl, this strong fiery spirited girl who never backed down from a challenge and would spit out witty retorts to his harsh words, was now reduced to a sniveling mass all because of one lousy Weasley.

It wasn't long before Hermione gathered her wits and pulled away from the relieved boy, mentally reprimanding herself for showing such weakness in front of Draco sodding Malfoy. She sniffled loudly and attempted to clean her face, muttering a soft "Sorry" to Draco, who only responded with a nod before staring at his once crisp white shirt that was now marred with tear stains with an expression of disgust.

"Oh...thank you." She whispered to him after a few moments of tense silence.

Draco arched a curious eyebrow and looked over the girls tear blotched face. "For what?" Their poor excuse for a conversation unnerved him slightly, this had to be the longest they were ever alone without hurling an insult at each other.

Her eyes met his gaze nervously for a moment before she looked away quickly, a few tears still rolling from her eyes. "For last night...it was...nice."

Draco shrugged slightly, "Yeah, it was kind of hard to carry you into school though. Next time, I'm waking you up."

Hermione's brown eyes widened at his last comment. 'Next time?' She let out a nervous laugh to cover her surprise before speaking. "I'm still surprised you didn't drop me." She gave him a weak smile before reaching her hand up to try and dry her face once more.

To both their surprises Draco grasped her chin between his thumb and index finger, turning her to face him. Hermione's eyes were wide at the intimate gesture but Draco didn't notice. His eyes were closely following the decent of a tear down her pale cheek, slowly his thumb trailed up her porcelain skin and wiped the tear from her cheek. But he never removed his hand.

"The thought was there." His voce dropped but he didn't even notice, his attention was no longer focused on their conversation. The words seemed to just spill from his mouth without his mind registering a thing. He didn't know what had come over him. All he knew was that the weasel didn't deserve her tears, and before he knew it his hand had lifted itself to wipe away the stray tear. But once he touched her skin, he couldn't stop. It was as smooth as the finest silk and he couldn't help but stare with the utmost interest at his finger as it trailed across the soft planes of her cheek, to her warm pink lips, her breath coming out in short puffs as she stared wide eyed at the boy who was so entranced with her.

Hermione mentally shook her head and willed her heart to stop pounding loudly in her ears, she wondered if Malfoy had heard it himself. "I- you even gave me your bed, very chivalrous of you. I figured you would have dropped me on the couch." Her voice cracked and wavered so much it was a wonder she was even able to get out the sentence.

Draco didn't even look to met her eyes as he responded, it seemed as if he were intent on burning every centimeter of her face into his memory. His words came out by themselves in a low mumble through his inexplicably chapped lips. "I was thinking more along the lines of the floor...but I'm a gentleman first, and a prat second."

If Hermione weren't in such a state of shock at the complete disregard for her personal space she would have rolled her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night Draco."

Then, for the first time since he dared touch her, Malfoy rose his gaze to meet hers. What Hermione saw in those quicksilver orbs made her mind scream for her to pull back, made her heart yearn to lean forward, but her body chose to do neither. She seemed to be frozen in time and her eyes didn't dare to look away from his. Want, desire, confusion swirled in the gray depths of the windows to his soul.

Draco's face was barely an inch away from her own, she could feel his warm breath cascading onto her skin but despite the large amount of yelling in her head about how wrong this was, she couldn't find it in herself to pull away. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and the quick action caught Draco's attention. His gaze flickered down to her mouth. Her perfect mouth with cherry colored lips that begged for a kiss.

A real kiss. Not one of those sloppy things he's had the displeasure of seeing Weasley place on her. Oh no, he could do better, so much better. He could show her what it was like to be really kissed...and show her so much more.

"That'd be you." He heard himself respond, the utter cliche-ness of the line didn't seem to matter to either of them as they fell into the lust that permeated the air.

His lips barely brushed over hers gently for the shortest of seconds, her breath quickened and his eyes darted to hers before he leaned in again, intent of holding true to his internal promise. Intent on showing her a real kiss.

The door flew open and a loud BANG echoed through the dank room as it connected with the wall. The two jumped apart before anyone would notice and the room filled with wonderfully oblivious students.

Draco quickly removed himself from the seat next to the girl, making sure not to draw attention to himself, and dropped into a seat at the table across from her. The seat next to him was quickly filled by Blaise Zabini who gave him a speculative glance.

Hermione sighed and shook her head to clear it from her treacherous thoughts and focused her attention on the board, even though Snape had yet to arrive. Entirely of their own accord her eyes wandered to the head of red sitting only two seats in front of her with Harry next to him.

'Why is this happening?' Her mind screamed as she glanced Malfoy out of the corner of her eyes.

She was thankfully snapped out of her thoughts by Neville asking to sit next to her.

Seconds later Snape entered the room in a flourish, slamming the door behind him, his black robes billowing over-dramatically in his wake.

"Can anyone tell me the uses of the leaves of the Bohun Upas tree? Anyone other than Ms. Granger." Snape received no answer and shot a glare around the class. "It's used in some rather deadly poisons, which means if you're not careful Mr. Longbottom...the affects could be...life threatening." Snape didn't even try to hide the smirk of pure sadistic glee that spread across his gaunt face at the thought before continuing on about the plant.

Draco glanced at Hermione once sure everyone who mattered had their attention focused on the scowling potions professor. As expected Granger was busily scribbling whatever nonsense was spewing from Snape's mouth.

But as he looked to the board, their thoughts unwittingly traveled along the same path, as one thing rang through both their heads.

'Something's happening.'

The week dragged on much to slowly for Hermione. The professors began to pile on the assignments (especially horrible for her since most of her classes were advanced ones.) in preparation for the N.E.W.T.S. She spent most of her free time in the library, not only because she needed to study as much as she could, but she also needed to be away from Malfoy. Their near kiss still shook her to the core.

Things with Ron were still going horribly. He hadn't even glanced in her direction since the day in the Great Hall, but it seemed their separation was taking its toll on him. He looked haggard and his messy red hair was messier than ever. Of course, she didn't look her best either.

Her eyes had dark bags and seemed eternally bloodshot from lack of sleep and too much crying. Her skin seemed much paler than usual, and there was never even a ghost of a smile on her face.

All of that along with Head duties, Hermione Granger felt as if she were drowning...

"Ron look at yourself!" Harry bellowed at the other boy who showed no outward signs of hearing him. That didn't stop Harry from trying to pound some sense into the boys' head though.

"You're pathetic without her! Just ask her back!" Ron still remained tight-lipped and aloof, his gaze sticking to the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room.

Harry sighed and shook his head, turning from his friend. "You're my best mate Ron, but right now...you're being a complete moron. You plan on loosing the girl you've loved for years over a rumor that you heard from Pansy Parkinson!" Harry looked at Ron and shook his head before heading to the boys dormitories. "You're an idiot Ron. A bloody idiot."

Another voice broke the silence of the common room after Harry departed. "He's right you know."

Ron didn't look up, but a spark of surprise flickered in his blue eyes. Ginny had not once said a word to him since the end of his and Hermione's relationship. Of course prior to that she made it well known that she thought Hermione could do so much better than him, but she would never wish their relationship to end. She knew that for some reason her dolt of a brother made Hermione happier than any other boy, and her friends happiness made her hold her tongue.

"You know how I feel about you and Hermione," she sat in one of the over-stuffed couches across from him and didn't continue speaking until she was comfortably seated.

"She can do better, but for some reason, she loves you. And I know Hermione, and I know that she would never throw away something like that for a tryst. I just went to the library to talk to her, but I couldn't. And do you know why Ronald?"

He didn't respond.

Ginny was getting aggravated with the hardheaded prat. "Because she was crying! Over you!"

Ron finally moved his blue gaze from the fire to his sister's face. "How are you so sure it wasn't over her new boyfriend?" Malice laced his every word.

"Don't you dare Ronald! Don't you DARE!" Ginny was on her feet now, her eyes and face ablaze with anger.

"You may have a pity party here but I will not be a part of it! You are being a selfish prat! Hermione loves you- although the reason as to why escapes me- and she would NEVER do that to you! Her feelings for Malfoy are non-existent, so you get your ass out of that chair, stop moping about and go APOLOGIZE TO HER! And if you're lucky she may even accept you back." With that said Ginny turned and stomped to her room, leaving her brother alone with his thoughts.

Hermione stood on the balcony in her room, her breath coming out in puffs of fog in front of her face. The chill of the late autumn air sent her lithe frame into a fit of shivers, but she didn't care. Her mind was busy trying to grasp everything that had happened in the past few days.

From the gossip she heard in the hallways and from some of the Gryffindor girls, she learned that Ron's "source" had been Pansy Parkinson. Of course it angered her to no end that he would take the word of a Slytherin and not her own, but she also learned that he had become a pathetic version of who he once was.

She did feel a little better knowing that he too was suffering, but her mild happiness was not of the vindictive sort. It just eased her dreariness slightly knowing that he did care for her even now. Still, he should know the idea of she and Draco being a couple was utterly ludicrous and blatantly fictitious.

Then again, even she had to admit there was something going on between Draco Malfoy and herself. What exactly that something was though, was the million-galleon question.

There was definitely no relationship in the sense that the school thought. Honestly, their feelings for each other only stretched to tolerance, understanding, and at the most a small sense of respect for one another. Their little...thing, in the potions room was nothing at all. She was only feeling depressed and he was just there. And those emotions she saw in his eyes, those were only a figment of her imagination.

But Hermione couldn't help but feeling it was something more. Maybe...just maybe, it was a slight attraction brought on by his showing that he's not a complete toad. Or maybe it was his looks finally getting to her, as they had so many of the other female students of Hogwarts. Or maybe it truly was just a dumb thought brought on by her grief stricken mind.

But despite all her theorizing and logical thought, Hermione was always brought to one conclusion. Despite their past and his digressions, she was drawn to the silver haired Slytherin, and that thought alone shook her to the core.

Her musings were interrupted by muted knocking coming from the entrance to the head dorms. With a sigh she stepped off her balcony and closed the glass doors. Very few people actually knew the location of the head dormitories, so who would be knocking baffled her. She knew for a fact that Ginny was with Harry today, so the only other possibility she could think of was that it was someone for Malfoy, although that seemed highly unlikely.

Even though she had taken to avoiding the boy like the plague and what little time she spent out of the library was spent in her room, she knew when he was in and out and she hadn't heard a sound from him all day.

Her mind briefly entertained the thought that it could be Ron, but she tried to dismiss the thought. He would never come and apologize. Besides, it could still be a prefect needing help with something or a professor.

The knocking became more insistent and she hurried to open the door, only to be pulled into a pair of strong arms and her lips were feverishly covered by another's.

Draco yawned loudly and swung his long legs over his bed. He'd been awake for hours now, but had not left his bed once. It was incredibly unlike him to just laze about, but he had a lot on his mind and needed to just lay down and think.

Unfortunately the brunt of his thoughts were focused on the annoying mousy Granger. She had been obviously avoiding him since their little...rendezvous in the potions classroom on Monday. In the few classes they shared she would blatantly ignore his presence. Even in the halls when he would walk past her she would press herself so close to the walls one would think she was trying to become part of it.

That girl, who was so bossy and studious, the one he taunted for years. She was the same girl that intrigued him like no other. She was a mystery, a mystery wrapped in a riddle surrounded by an enigma. And that was what was best about her.

She never ceased to amaze him with her ability to spout out knowledge from nearly any book ever written.( Although he would never say it.) And her maturity far succeeded her age, sometimes making her seem stuck up, and yet, she was still so innocent and childlike, scared by a simple thunderstorm. Of course there was her unabashed bravery and her unmatched temper and wit.

She was so unlike him, so innocent, so pure. Somehow untainted by all the evil that surrounded her childhood years. While he was ruthless, cunning, and least of all innocent. He knew the horrors of the world and had grown too compliant to care.

They were horrible for each other complete opposites, and yet he couldn't deny the pull he felt towards her. He had even given up- as of a few days prior- his "extra curricular activities" per se. Of course it killed him on the inside but for some God unknown reason he felt as if he were betraying her. He knew for a fact that she would do nothing to help his raging libido...at least not now. He was more than sure that she would be his, Draco Malfoy always got what he wanted.

With a sigh he pulled on some pants and a shirt and walked out of his room just in time to see Granger being snogged senseless by none other than...

"Ron!" The word escaped Hermione in a breathless gasp after he pulled away from her lips. "What-?" Before more words could be voiced Hermione found herself once again being pulled to her redheaded ex. Although this time instead of a kiss it was in a loving embrace. She felt him bury his nose in her hair taking in the scent of her shampoo that he had missed so.

"Oh god Hermione." She heard him mumble as he ran his hand through her hair.

Hermione could do nothing but stand still and stare wide eyed at the boy who held her.

This could not possibly be happening, it just couldn't be. She spent days wishing something like this would happen but knew it never would. Ronald Weasley was a lot of things, but he was not spontaneous nor was he romantic. And yet, here he was, pulling her into his arms and showering her with kisses.

Something definitely had to be wrong with him. A potion backfiring in class maybe, a curse, possible trauma brought on by a Quidditch accident. But outwardly he seemed to be perfectly normal and healthy.

Maybe something was wrong with her.

"Hermione," his voice drew her from her thoughts. Looking up to his face she realized his blue eyes were fixed intently upon her. "I-we...can I come in?"

For a moment Hermione only stared at him before realizing that he was still standing in the doorway to the dormitories with her body blocking his path. Nodding nervously she stepped out of the way and allowed him in. "Of course."

He sat on one of the comfortable couches in the common room and hesitantly she took a seat next to him, but not close enough to be touching.

"'Mione," his callused hands grasped her soft ones, "I-I'm sorry." Ron looked up to meet her shocked gaze before continuing, his voice shaky and soft.

"I don't know what I was thinking. I-I should have known not to believe a witch like Parkinson. I just-it's...well you two have been spending so much time together, and we- well you know I get jealous sometimes and-" Hermione placed a soft kiss on his lips ending his mindless ranting.

"I forgive you." She whispered to the wide-eyed boy and sent him a loving smile.

"So...are we...um...are we ok now?" He couldn't hide the hope in his voice and a pink tinge spread across his cheeks. Hermione smiled brightly and nodded

Ron's face broke into a wide grin before he pulled Hermione to him planting kisses on her cheeks and forehead. "I love you 'Mione." He muttered before capturing her lips in another heated kiss.

Seconds passed and before they pulled apart, both with wide grins on their faces.

"Hermione, I have to go...you know Quidditch practice and all. But I'll see you later." Hermione's smile faltered slightly but she nodded anyway and walked him to the door where they shared a long kiss and a short goodbye.

"Well that was just lovely Granger." A voice as cold as ice sounded once Hermione had closed the door behind Ron. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the all too familiar drawl that belonged to the one person she'd been trying to avoid more than anything.

"I see your standards have dropped back to nothing and you've accepted Weasley with open arms." Malfoy continued, strolling down the stairs from his room.

"Shut up Malfoy. You don't understand." Hermione said, though her words lacked much of their usual fire.

"It seems that you are exactly correct." Draco said coming to a halt a few feet away from her. "You see, I don't let worthless slime stomp on me and then take them back because they say 'I'm sorry.' And for that I am extremely grateful that I 'don't understand.' " Draco spat with enough ferocity to make her visibly wince at his words. All the while, he fought his own internal battle. This wasn't his place to interfere, if she wanted to destroy her life like this, he should do nothing more than sit back and watch with an 'I told you so' ready.

Hermione sent him a frosty flare. "He loves me!"

"Bullshit Granger!" Draco ferociously countered barely a second after the words were out of her mouth, he slowly began to approach her. "If he loved you so much then why would he take Pansy's words over your? Last I checked Granger, trust comes with love."

Hermione was speechless as to why Ron would believe Parkinson over her, but she knew he loved her. He said so himself.

"He loves me Malfoy! I know it!" Hermione fired back after a few seconds delay, but doubt flickered in her eyes, doubt that Draco of course noticed.

"Keep repeating that and maybe you'll start believing it also." He murmured to her, he was only inches away from her now. His hand slowly reached up and his finger gently trailed down her neck, coming to her collarbone. He felt her swallow thickly and heard her breath quicken. He brushed his lips over her cheek in the barest of touches before whispering in her ear, his hot breath caressing her skin.

"You deserve so much more." He felt her shiver. Soon...she would be his.

"Malfoy," her voice was shaky and her words came out in a breathless whisper. Draco smirked and moved his face inches from her own.

"Yes?"

"Get your disgusting hands off of me." She bit out, shoving him away from her. "And stay the hell away from my life!"

Draco's face contorted from shock to rage in seconds. "My pleasure. However you choose to throw it away is up to you!" He snarled before storming out of the common room, never seeing the tears trickle down Hermione's cheeks.

Days passed and Hermione's relationship with Ron was back to how they had been before. Though this time he seemed to parade her around like a trophy instead of respecting her like a girlfriend. But it was better than being ignored she figured.

True, their relationship was not one of fairy tales as she had dreamed up for herself when she was a child, but what was she to do, she couldn't exactly throw some dragons and castles into the mix. (Even though it was all a possibility in the world she lived in.) She told herself daily that she was in love and happy, not to appease herself but more to quell memories of Malfoy's words that echoed through her head every moment of the day. Nevertheless Malfoy's words still rang through her head, if anything they only became louder, drowning out her own thoughts, and turning her happiness bittersweet.

She had yet to willingly speak a word to him since their confrontation after Ron's departure. They did see each other in the common room, but those few meetings were awkward, short lived, and filled the air with tension. One thing still did not sit well with Hermione though, why did he seem to care about her relationship?

That was definitely not the same Malfoy she had known for the past seven years. She knew a Malfoy who was snobbish, had a superiority complex, cared only for himself and used others for his greatest profit.

But somehow the new Draco, the one who took her flying, and let her cry onto his shirt, and held her when she was scared was the one that was beginning to get ingrained in her mind. That was the Malfoy that would haunt her dreams.

Dreams... a window to the subconscious. A window that showed unwanted images of she and Malfoy...together.

Her dreams came nearly every night, each more vivid than the last. One such dream came to her after a particular meeting with Malfoy in which he had apparently forgotten about their feud and let his libido take over.

Hermione sighed loudly and stepped out of her late night bath. Her nerves were being worn thin with all the work the teachers were piling on and she desperately needed a long relaxing bath. Seeing as how Malfoy was nowhere to be found that night, it was the perfect opportunity for her to take that long bath completely uninterrupted.

As soon as she finished wrapping her towel around herself the door connecting the bathroom to Malfoy's room burst open and in waltzed Draco Malfoy with an overly pleased look on his face. Whatever he had been doing before appearing at their dorms Hermione would much rather remain a secret to her.

He stopped mid-step once he realized exactly what he had just walked in on, and of course instead of apologizing and leaving like the proper gentleman that he claimed himself to be. He let his gaze slowly rake over her towel-clad form for the second time that month.

"Do you mind removing yourself from the bathroom until I am finished?" Hermione ground out, her temper flaring just at the sight of him.

"Actually I do mind." He smirked, satisfied with himself and continued to stare at her legs without shame.

Hermione felt herself turn red in the face, from anger or embarrassment she wasn't sure. "Get out!"

Instead of listening to her words Malfoy moved closer to her, making her take a step back. He smirked coming to a halt a few inches from her. She never knew why she let him so close to her without cursing him back to whatever part of hell he came from.

"I always get what I want Granger. And currently you're number one on that list." His voice was husky as he whispered into her ear, but Hermione would not be shaken.

"Well sorry to disappoint Malfoy, but I have a boyfriend who I happen to love very much!" She responded, her tone clipped and her head held high.

Draco merely shrugged, his hand playing with a stray strand of her brown hair. "So?"

Hermione balked, but then again she didn't think dissuading Malfoy from his goal of ruining her life would be easy. "So? So I'm not going to cheat on him for you Malfoy! It's called honor and decency! Oh Merlin! Look who I'm talking to, I forgot those two words aren't even in your vocabulary."

"You know Granger, with all that honor and decency crap you just spouted I never heard the words 'Because I don't like you' ever slip from those little lips of yours." Draco countered with a smug smile.

Hermione grimaced slightly before biting back. "Fine I didn't say it, but I hope you know that on the day of your funeral I plan on showing up in a yellow sundress and dancing shoes ready to throw a bloody party on your grave! How's that for an I don't like you!"

Hermione was positively livid by the time she finished her rant. Her eyes almost glowed with fury and her cheeks -like Draco's- were tinged pink with rage. Her breath came out in short ragged pants and her body was stiff, waiting for Malfoy's retort, which never came.

Unexpectedly he wrapped and arm around her waist and pulled her to his body. A loud gasp escaped her and her eyes widened dramatically when she realized he was leaning in to kiss her!

A loud smack echoed through the room as her hand connected with his pale cheek. She pushed herself away from him and stomped into her room slamming the door with all the force she could muster. The slap was bound to leave a mark.

That would show him for trying to kiss her again!

That day there was just something else there. Hermione didn't know how to explain it, but for the briefest of moments she just wanted to give in. Give in to Malfoy and drown in all the pleasure a single touch from him could bring to her.

Ron- she would always say to herself- held her heart, but as the days wore on and the dreams became more frequent, she wasn't so sure anymore. Though she was positive Malfoy in no way had any grip on her heart, he exerted a certain hold on her body and had wormed his way into her thoughts and borrowed deep into her traitorous subconscious.

That was the only way she could possibly explain those nightmares of him she had been so constantly plagued with- though nightmares wouldn't quite be the term one would use to describe dreams of that nature, Hermione was sound in her decision to term them unwanted nightmares.

The girl let out a sigh and heaved onto her bed, intent on settling in for a dream free nights sleep.

Draco tossed his covers off himself and stared at the top of his four poster bed. Sleep would not come to him tonight. Just like every other night that past week since the argument with Granger.

With a huff he dragged himself out of bed and walked to his balcony. It was useless to try and sleep and he knew it. But oh, what would he do for sleep, his days had been plagued with thoughts of the bushy haired Gryffindor who would not even give him a second glance.

Before it was all a game to him, get the Gryffindor princess into bed and tell everyone. It would be his greatest conquest, he would be the one to take the virginity of picture perfect Hermione Granger. But now...now it was something more. Something happened, somewhere something went terribly wrong and he began to develop feelings for the girl.

He wanted to punch something, and hard. Where was Potter or that annoying spawn of redheaded evil when he needed them.

He took a deep breath of the crisp night air, trying to clear his mind. But peaceful thoughts would be the last thing he would be getting that night.

A soft knock echoed through his room and his eyes locked on the door to his room...

Granger.

Hermione sat up in bed and threw off her covers. Strands of her hair were stuck to her face by the sweat that drenched her forehead.

That dream...oh god...it was so real so erotic so...perfect.

She hated to admit it, oh how she wished she could deny it, but she knew for a fact that she didn't want that dream to end. She would give anything for that dream to continue.

It scared her, but aroused her, and lit a flame in her that burned every part of her body.

Her body began acting without the consent of her mind, as soon as she realized what was happening it was too late.

Something had driven her out of her bed, out of her room and to Malfoy door, and then she raised her hand and knocked three times.

There was no response, not even a sound from inside the room, she sighed, with relief or disappointment, she wasn't sure. But just as she was about to turn away and leave the door opened, and there stood Draco Malfoy.

He looked almost unreal.

His hair was messy, but still perfect, and his pale skin practically glowed from the moonlight emitting from the open balcony doors in his room. Hermione heard herself gasp as her eyes raked over his body, blazing the picture into her mind.

Of their own accord her hands rose to his chiseled chest, feeling the muscles contract under her touch. His skin was soft, unmarred by even a single scar and surprisingly warm to the touch.

She stared at her hands with the utmost wonder as they slowly glided up his chest, stopping over his heart for a moment to feel its speedy beating. Her gaze ran ahead of her hands to his parted lips, she could hear his breath coming out in ragged uneven puffs.

Then her eyes met his, quicksilver with flecks of ocean blue stared down at her with such intensity it made her want to hold onto him forever. So many emotions swam in the stormy ocean depths of his eyes, so many things she wanted to know were concealed in the swirling pools of silver but they were his secrets to keep, and he kept them well.

Her hand wound into his hair and pushed his head down to hers, and she stood on her toes.

She felt his arms slide down her sides to her waist and he pulled her body to his.

With one last glance to his eyes Hermione leaned up and closed the distance between them in a kiss that she would later say opened her eyes and truly began her life.