*Disclaimer: I own nothing. I claim to own only the plot of this and nothing more. All the rest belongs to the fabulous JK Rowling. Even the lovely Draco, which I really don't think is fair as I think she should share a bit better when it comes to him, after all I would love to have partial custody…
Anyway, thanks to all of my reviewers you all mean the world to me. It means so much to receive all the feedback from you that I do. Just beware that you all are inflating my ego so we all shall have to live with the consequences of that XD Glad you all are liking what you are reading!
"Malfoy!" Running to catch up with him as she departed from Muggle Studies Class, a class no one could quite understand why she took as she was muggle born and knew all there was to know about muggles and their lives, she grabbed his arm. "What's up with you lately? I know that this whole… er…" trying to say all she needed to say in the crowded halls began to prove to be a bit of a challenge as she grabbed his arm and towed him into a nearby abandoned classroom "with this whole change over and everything but that does not mean you can shirk your duties! Mcgonagall is ticked, you missed your rounds last night and prefect duties stop for no one, not even for the order or an ex death eater."
Groaning Draco smacked his head, scrounging for a good excuse as to where he had been as he could not exactly tell her he had spent all night before the Mirror of Erised mooning over how beautiful she had looked in her street clothes the last time they went to Hogsmede with her long brown hair swinging down her back in time with the subtle movements of her hips, the way her green jumper made his heart skip a beat, he had never been able to resist a girl in his house colors, or how it brought out the green and gold flecks of color in those big brown eyes he longed to drown himself in.
"Malfoy, this is the third time I've had to cover for you. Now spill. Where. Were. You." Hands on her hips, with that toe tapping she waited impatiently for him to come up with a story. She was beginning to regret putting so much faith and trust in him, the constant gibes from Ron and Harry about Draco being a no good death eater of a ferret starting to get to her. He was not being trustworthy, how could she believe that he was not just taking all their information and running off during those times he was supposed to be on duty to inform daddy death eater and uncle voldy of their doings like the good little pureblood supremacist he had always been before. What had happened to make him change, if indeed he had at all?
Draco was lost. Lost in the passion in her eyes, even if it was not exactly the passion he would have preferred to have had rolling off her in such delicious waves. Lost in the scent of her. And more than a little turned on by how she took control and even now, even with that touch of doubt and fear in her eyes she stood her ground and demanded answers of him. He wanted to tell her, to make his excuses and soothe the fear and frustration with promises it would never happen again but he had nothing he could even say. He was all around screwed and at the moment a little too distracted to come up with a good way to divert her attention or make a plausible excuse. And it didn't help that they were in most of the same classes so she knew he didn't have any extra work that he was catching up on or anything. Instead of making a bigger arse of himself than he already had he kept silent, leaving on his passive face he had managed to prefect in all his time of being a Malfoy.
Wand pointed at his jugular she advanced. "Now tell me you ferret what have you been up to. What the hell is going on and why in the world should I trust you now? I took a big risk giving you a chance and I thought I made the right choice but right now you look more like everything Harry and Ron claim you are than ever. Now tell me."
She hadn't realized that she had gotten so close as she spoke, that as she threatened she had moved toward them until their toes nearly touched. That dark gleam in Draco's eyes was there again as he looked down at her, ignoring her slight squeak of protest as his hands came up to cup her face once again, "just trust me, you just have to. I can't tell you where I was or what I was doing. It is nothing important and isn't anything that could hurt you. I couldn't hurt you." Lowering his head he brushed his lips across her, so lightly as to be barely noticeable, gauging her reaction before leaning down to capture her lips with his again, once, twice, three times. Her arms coming up to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer as her fingers lost themselves in his downy blonde hair as she lost herself in the kiss. It wasn't as greasy as she once thought it would be, but then again he hadn't slicked back his hair for some time. One of his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her body closer into his, as his other tangled into her own hair, cradling the back of her head as he kept it right where he wanted it. The pair of them only breaking for air, when Hermione realized exactly what she had just done.
One hand touching shocked lips swollen from the kiss she took a step back, untangling herself from his arms as he stood there in shock at her horrified expression. This was what he had feared the most, the absolute rejection from her.
"What was that supposed to prove?" She all but shouted at him, tears filling her eyes as her body and mind rebelled, no longer thinking or behaving as one. But rather in conflict with one and other. Wand at the ready again she stared him down hurt and confusion in her eyes at his sudden actions. How does someone go from daily announcing his complete disgust for the Mudblood witch he abhorred to kissing her? "What game are you playing?"
Hurt was mirrored in his own eyes along with dejection as he stared at his feet, only looking up to answer. "This was no game. It wasn't supposed to prove anything, I just got carried away, again I apologize. It will never happen again." Refusing to stay or to answer any of her questions anymore he pushed past her, out the door with his cloak whipping out behind him. Leaving Hermione standing all alone in the classroom, a million questions racing through her head.
…..
He raced through the halls, pushing back through the throngs of students as he headed for his sanctuary. Shoving an eagerly snogging and groping couple out of the way before they could steal the room from him for their… extra-curricular activities to sink into the floor of the Room of Requirement. "Why, why did I have to be such a fool. Why did I have to do that?" He looked up at where the Hermione of the Mirror of Erised gazed at him with pity, he couldn't take it from her. Not today. He couldn't stand the pity of the fake Hermione a mirror had created. "This is all your fault!" He shouted, picking up the beater bat that the room had conjured up as he smashed the mirror, watching as fine spiderweb cracks broke out across its surface, only to slowly heal themselves and disappear. "Why. Did. You. Have. To. Make. Me. Love. Her?" Before sinking back to the floor, exhausted but no more satisfied than he had been before. "Why?"
"Because Draco, it was the only way to make you see the mistake you were making. And no one made you love her. You already did, the mirror cannot show you what is not already there. You had just been too blind and prejudiced to see it."
Shocked by the sudden new voice in a room that was typically silent of all but his own Draco looked up to see none other than Professor Dumbledore standing there, calm as ever with the usual benevolent expression on his face. "You bastard you did this to me."
"No, Mr. Malfoy, you did this to yourself. No one made you kiss Miss Granger. Yes, now put that shocked expression away, I know everything that goes on in this castle, I happen to be sneaky that way. Though I have to thank you for your timing of arriving here, it stopped me from having to… er… now what is that rather youthful phrase? Ahh yes, cockblock that rather charming couple who were going to use this room for rather inappropriate purposes had you not taken it over." His words though did nothing to distract or deflect Draco's rage as he launched himself at the old man for the first time with an actual desire to fufill the Dark Lord's orders, but this time it was for himself. It was in revenge for the broken heart that seemed to be crushing him slowly from the inside out. But that too did no good as with a flick of Dumbledore's wrist Draco found himself petrified and stuck awaiting Dumbledore's orders as the older man paced back and forth in front of him, trying to find the best way to get through to the young man. Teenage romance, while something that often served to amuse him greatly, was not something he usually concerned him with but if that was what it took to keep Draco in line he would, after all in the grand scheme of things how much he needed Draco on his side was only succeeded by how much he needed Harry Potter himself, without these two the world would fall into darkness. Sometimes a headmaster had to do what a headmaster had to do and right now that was to make everything turn out well between Mr. Malfoy and a certain Miss Granger.
"Now the only problem here Mr. Malfoy is that you seem all too eager to rush things. My boy, the most foolish thing any man can do is to try and move to fast, and while things might not seem to be moving too fast for the boy who has been sitting here making love to the image of the object of his affections it is for the young woman who has seen nothing from you besides that you didn't like her, and from what I can tell you offered her no reason behind this rather sudden change of character. So Mr. Malfoy I would think about… sharing a memory with her. Or maybe a few to let her know you mean no harm and that your affections are sincere and are not some game you are playing for the Dark Lord. AS yes I know you have no loyalties to him anymore but it might not be so clear to someone as in the dark as those three are, but I would just concentrate on persuading Hermione of your loyalty right now as she is your true goal. And after all she can always make the boys listen to her later on. Now this spell will wear off just in time for breakfast tomorrow so you might as well get some rest and use this time to consider what I have said. As always I have high hopes you will make the right choice. Good night Mr. Malfoy."
My especial thanks goes out to Asgaurdian93 as you have been absolutely amazing and I just really appreciate all of the support. ^-^ You are fabulous and don't you forget it!
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Clairerichardson711: I know, I hate knowing exactly what is going to happen in a story. What fun is that? I like to learn along with the reader and any surprises that occur along the way are so much fun. A lot of the greatest writers I have ever read weren't ones to plot out the whole thing, it can make you lose interest in the story. I am glad you like it, you are too sweet!
DramaQueen95: I am sorry that you didn't like the story, but unfortunately it seems like I cannot please everyone. As far as the strait jacket, yup I escaped that one, as after all white it turns out is just not my color – washes me out a bit too much, and as far as giving up goes I don't think I will. That has never really been my style, and as there are others who would like me to continue I would hate to disappoint them or leave myself hanging with the story. So, sorry.
Sorry it took me a bit to answer all the messages, I really wanted a real full chapter for you guys before I answered as I hate that feeling of reading something and it is two paragraphs of actual story and ten pages of notes to readers so I try and spread it out a bit and give you the word counts and stories you deserve. Thank you all for messaging me I appreciate each and every one of you and to everyone who has asked me to update I most definitely will!
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