Chapter 8 - Snow Fights and Confessions

Several weeks passed without incident, besides Lavender shooting Hermione dirty looks when she saw her. It was early December now, but just because it wasn't winter yet didn't stop the snow from covering Hogwarts' grounds in a thick sheet of it.

Draco, Blaise, Hermione, and Ginny were in the snow under the low afternoon sun, the four had become good friends despite their past and differences. They were organizing a snow fight, boy vs. girls, insults were thrown back and forth as much as snowballs, snow forts had been built with a simple flick of the wand. Hermione giggled as she saw a snow ball she had thrown hit Draco square in the face.

Shocked, Draco stared at the giggling Hermione for a minute before scooping up a huge armful of snow and charging at Hermione. Hermione tried to escape, but she couldn't outrun Draco's long legs and she gasped and the armful of snow was dropped onto her back. she grabbed a snowball and whirled around to throw it at him and froze.

Draco and Hermione were chest to chest and neither could move or talk. Draco was staring at Hermione intensely and Hermione couldn't move her brown eyes from his grey ones. Draco took a breath as if to say something before Blaise cut them off, "Drake! Come on man, lets beat these girls at this snowball fight!"

Draco glared over his shoulder at Blaise momentarily, the spell on both him and Hermione broken, before he was hit in the chest with the snowball Hermione has previously been holding in her hand. He whipped his head back to the grinning Hermione who took off again. He chased her down and tackled her into a snow bank. Hermione was giggling as she wiggled beneath him trying to get free before freezing again as she realized fully where she was and she looked at Draco wide-eyed, who was staring at her in such a way that her soul felt naked and bared to him.

Draco cleared his throat and stated quietly, "I have something I need to tell you."

Hermione stared at him, barely managing to choke out a, "What is it?", due to the intensity of his gaze and the butterflies flapping wildly in her gut.

Draco said in a low voice, not wanting to be overheard by Ginny, or worse, Blaise, "I, I think I'm falling for you, Hermione."

Hermione stared at him, unsure she'd heard him right, him a pureblood fall for a 'lowly' muggleborn like herself, "What?"

"I think I'm falling in love with you, Hermione.", Draco repeated, minorly embarrassed.

Hermione stared back up at him, the butterflies in her stomach going nuts as she whispered back, "I think I'm falling for you too, Draco."

Draco smiled widely and whispered into her ear, "Can I kiss you?"

Hermione nodded and whispered back, "Please do."

Draco grinned again before placing her lips on her's. He kissed her gently, but feeling her respond enthusiastically he deepened the kiss, kissing her hard and passionately, but somehow still gentle. All too soon they heard someone clearing their throat behind them and Draco turned, scowling to glare at whoever had interrupted their kiss.

It was Ginny, hands on her hips. Hermione lowered her lashes, embarrassed at being caught like this by Ginny. "What happened to trying to get Ron back, Hermione?", asked Ginny.

Hermione stated shyly, "Draco happened, also Ron being a total git at the Three Broomsticks convinced me I didn't want him back, even if he crawled back to me begging for forgiveness."

Draco looked back at her startled, but before he could speak Ginny said cheerily, "Ok, just wanted to know, come back the the snowball fight when you're done."

Draco stared after her for a minute before getting up and helping Hermione up, "What did you mean, 'Draco happened'?", he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

Hermione laid her head on his chest as if they had done this before, "I meant that I fell for you and realized I had no feelings for Ron anymore."

Draco kissed the top of her head, "Well, I'm glad for that. Lets get back to the snowball fight, shall we?", he said taking her hand in his as he took a step back.

Hermione grinned, "We shall", she stated, pulling Draco back to the forts.