In The Library

Hermione was silent as she watched Draco's face. He looked so worried and stressed, as if he had no idea what he was going to do about the situation he had found himself in. She felt so sorry for him and wished she could help him escape so that he wouldn't have to do anything. But she had promised she would not attempt to stop him.

"I'll help you." Hermione said gently.

"What?" Draco asked, shocked. "Don't be stupid! You don't have to become any more involved in this than you already are. I just asked you not to try and stop me, so now you can leave and everything can go back to how it was before!"

Draco wrung his hands together, a crease in his forehead as he was already worrying about what Hermione had said. He didn't know why, but he kept thinking about how guilty he would feel if she got herself killed. It would be all his fault. But why did he keep thinking about that? Hermione was more than capable of looking after herself.

"Draco, I can't just stand back and watch this mission slowly kill you!" Hermione protested. "I'm going to help you so that you do it right and don't get into even more trouble than you're already in."

"Don't be stupid!" Draco repeated, looking up at her angrily.

"You can't stop me." Hermione said stubbornly, folding her arms and glaring at him. "Besides, I know how to fix it."

"You shouldn't lie." Draco snapped angrily.

"I'm not!" Hermione said, her arms falling to her sides and clenching into fists. "Just trust me and I'll be able to help you."

Draco looked doubtful and was silent for a few moments as he watched her face, then he lowered his eyes and turned away, running a hand over the door of the cabinet. Hermione heard him sigh quietly and she slowly loosened her fists, trying her hardest to be calm.

"Sometimes I feel as though I really hate you." Draco said in a low voice without turning around.

Hermione swallowed nervously, hardly daring to move in case he turned and struck her. It wouldn't have surprised her if he did due to his current mood and all the stress that was holding him down like chains.

"What possessed me to tell you?" Draco asked himself. "You're a mudblood, for goodness sake!"

"If it helps," Hermione said softly. "I think I love you."

Draco turned around sharply, his eyes staring accusingly at her. He stepped towards her and she found herself backing up into some of the other objects which had one day been hidden in the room, fear taking hold of her.

"You say that so easily. How can you?" Draco asked bluntly.

"It's true!" Hermione replied, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

"I don't believe you." Draco raised his chin slightly and looked away again, clenching his teeth together firmly. He didn't step back though and Hermione felt the blood rush to her face as she realised how close they were standing. If she reached forward a few inches she would...

Hermione suddenly found her right hand clinging to Draco's shirt desperately and looked up to find his eyes boring down into hers, although they were now more curious than anything else.

"You're blushing." Draco murmured.

"I'm embarrassed." Hermione replied softly.

"Why?" Draco asked, slowly moving his arms around her waist and pulling her even closer than before. Their faces drew close and Hermione closed her eyes, feeling her heart beating furiously in her chest.

"Because I love you."

Their lips met anxiously and Hermione felt as if she couldn't get close enough, no matter how hard she pulled him towards her. She felt as if she were breaking a million rules all at once and the thrill of it was intoxicating.

Oh gosh, she was kissing Draco Malfoy again!

It only took her a few more seconds to gather her thoughts and gently push him back from her. She didn't think she'd be able to speak right away but decided to try anyway, as there was something she really wanted to say to him.

"Draco," her voice came our croaky at first so she paused to clear it before continuing. "I do believe I'm-"

Draco silenced her as he moved forward and captured her lips again, refusing to allow her to finish her sentence. Her throat itched with the desperation to get the words out but she was soon swept up completely and entirely in the thrill of kissing Draco again.

Draco was terrified of Hermione's words. She truly believed she loved him, but that would only get the both of them in trouble! She had told him that they would never work out, so why was she now so convinced that everything would be fine so long as they knew they loved each other? That was why Draco was now standing firm with his new resolve to not tell her he loved her ever again. It would only give her false hope that something more might one day become of them.

And that would definitely not happen.

Not once she found out he was still keeping something from her - something which would break her heart and most probably cause her to turn and curse him.

"Hermione, go now before Potter starts worrying." Draco murmured as he pulled away. She blinked slowly and looked up at him through her lashes, the love as clear on her face as a cloudless sky.

"I lo-"

"Go!" Draco urged, cutting her off and pushing her towards the door gently. Hermione's eyebrows frowned slightly and Draco knew she was hurt by the fact that he would not allow her to say what she wanted to, but then she slowly nodded and turned to the door, walking away from him.

"Don't tell anyone what I told you." Draco warned quietly as Hermione put one hand on the doorknob. She paused and glanced over at him over her shoulder, tears clinging to her eyelashes.

"You still don't trust me." she whispered, before pulling the door open forcefully and disappearing.

The closing of the door sounded loud to Draco's ears and it took all of his mental strength to turn back to the cabinet and once again set about trying to fix it. There was no need for him to go chasing after her to wipe her tears if he would only turn her away again the next moment.

Besides, after his mission was complete she wouldn't want his comfort ever again.

And to think, it had all started with his need for comfort.