He had been wandering the halls for what felt like hours, left alone with his thoughts bouncing around in his skull unbearably, threatening to crack it in two. He focused on the scuffing of his shoes against the corridor floor, he was working on mapping out every inch of the castle trying to occupy his busy mind.

He was wandering farther down halls he didn't even recognize, doing anything to keep himself from having to return to the dormitory. He carefully avoided the passages often traveled by professors on watch and had barely noticed the annoying, stuck up, know it all, wild haired Gryffindor girl until he practically tripped over her.

He stopped suddenly when he caught sight of her, his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets. She was leaning with her back up against the stone wall, facing towards a tall window that let in the silver moonlight, illuminating her figure perfectly. She had her head tilted down as her gaze was trained on the ground. Draco wondered if she had seen him or not. He contemplated turning around and leaving, pretending he had never seen her here at all.

Her mass of curls were surrounding her face, framing it, as the pale light shone against it, making it gleam in the surrounding darkness. The light made her look pale, but her skin was smooth, her lips set in a manner that made her seem indifferent to everything around her. It made her look like a carving of a stone angel.

Suddenly, he had the urge to walk over to her, he wanted to trace her bottom lip with his finger, to memorize its texture, to see if it felt like the cool, flawless marble it looked like. He recoiled at his own thoughts, blaming his tired mind. Surely, if he had half the sense he did when he was well rested, he would never think of doing something so disgusting. Draco just sneered at Hermione viciously.

"Perfect." He said, his voice penetrating through the cool air, almost sounding too loud as your voice often does when you know everyone else around you is sleeping.

"Running into a sodding Gryffindor, just my luck. Going to run and snitch on me now, are you?" He was looking for a fight and she was the perfect candidate.

"Leave me be, Malfoy." She said on an exhale. She had none of the usual sharpness in her tone, there was no inclination that she was up for their usual banter, she didn't even bother to look up at him when she spoke. His heart sunk at the thought. But he quickly rebounded Since when had the occasional quarrel with the mudblood witch become something he looked forward to...?

"As if I'd waste my time with you, Granger." He snarled, his lips twisting his sneer deeper, but it too was halfhearted and lacked its enthusiasm, he was so damn tired.

Draco allowed himself a better look at her then, his brain to heavy with sleep to feign his normal extreme indifference towards her, normally he wouldn't spare her a passing glance.

Dark circles around both eyes left her face looking hollow in the dim light. Just looking at her sagging shoulder made him want to curl up into a ball on the floor and give into his exhaustion even more. Hermione looked as though the only thing keeping her upright was the wall itself, she felt that way as well.

She brought her gaze up then, locking eyes, holding them across the darkness. The act itself should have been uncomfortable, here they were, enemies. On two different sides of the battle field simply waiting for the signal to let the first shot be fired and they both knew it. Instead, she felt nothing, not even the usual annoyance he evoked, towards her blonde haired antagonist.

The moonlight caught and pooled in her eyes, making Draco unable to look away. His breath caught in his throat. Her hair was tousled and he had an annoying inkling to swat the obscene curls out of her face. He stood like that for a while, wondering if he could remember a time he had ever seen the Gryffindor this quiet.

The silence didn't last too long however, It was Hermione that finally spoke.

She scoffed harshly, her throat cracking, as if she hadn't used her voice for a hundred years. "Shouldn't you be running off to kiss daddy's arse Malfoy?"

Hermione knew, even before it passed through her lips, that she should not say it, but she couldn't stand being near Malfoy and not fighting. The companionable silence was threatening to break her down. She watched his expression change, watched the sleep flee suddenly from his eyes and she saw the flash of anger and spite that flew across his features, hardening them.

In an instant he was there, in front of her. He had moved so fast Hermione had barely seen the movement at all, like a snake striking. Suddenly. she was upright, Draco's solid body creating a cage, trapping her against the stone. His hands, on either side of her head pressed hard against the stone wall. He was inches from her face, their noses almost touching. Draco was breathing heavy, almost panting with rage.

She drew a sharp intake of air, nearly holding her breath waiting for his next move. The hand closest to where her wand was concealed in her robes itched and was ready and waiting. Hermione had expected him to scream at her, to yell in her face and she was ready to yell back. She silently begged him to lash out at her, so she had an excuse to shout at him until her voice was hoarse.

On the surface Hermione Granger was staying composed, for Ron, for Harry, for Ginny, for everyone. She was the calm that anchored everyone when they were agitated and on edge. But it was wearing her down, keeping up appearances, keeping her studies in order, trying to talk the boys out of anything bloody idiotic. She wanted to break, she wanted to crack and splinter. She wanted the facade to come tumbling down so she could emerge and show what ridiculous mess she actually was.

What Draco did instead was much more frightening. She had to steady her own breathing to hear him, her heart beat thrummed in her ears. His voice carried on the still air between them, barely a whisp of breath between his lips.

"Don't you ever talk about my father, you filthy mudblood." He spat the words at her, sharp as knives.

She flinched at the sound of that word, more out of habit than anything else. It should have hurt, Hermione thought. But how many times could she hear the same thing, the same insult and still really be affected by it? Her heart had become calloused, people like Malfoy, their opinions didn't bother her anymore.

Draco's heart dropped when he saw her recoil at his words, but he didn't care, his blood was boiling. His skin prickled with the intense desire to hex the pompous Gryffindor. His teeth ground together, as he tried to rein in his temper, his jaw ached from the effort.

Hermione squared her shoulders, refusing to let him see her be effected by his ignorance. She stared Draco Malfoy straight in the eyes, she didn't back down from his silver glare. Draco couldn't help the flames of jealousy that started in his stomach. She was so brave and confident, never faltering, even now when glowering into the face of the enemy.

Then he noticed it again. How her skin seemed to call the moonlight to it. How it made the creeping blush across her cheeks look so inviting, it made him want to push his cheek against hers to feel the heat radiating off of them.

It caught in her eyes and hair and made them shimmer like a lake in the day. And suddenly his skin was prickling for another reason, suddenly he was all too aware of their proximity, of how he could feel her chest heave against his, how he could feel the wisps of her breath, stir his hair across his forehead. He moved his gaze down to her mouth, it was slightly open and those lips….

Oh merlin those lips he thought as he let out a huff of breath.

They looked so comforting, so soft. A deep ache formed in his chest as he silently pleaded for her arms, that lay limp at her sides, to come up and reach around him and pull him in. He could almost feel her hips flush against his. It sent heat up his legs, a tight coil in his stomach beginning to form.

He was so, so tired. His eyes stung with sleep. All he wanted was to forget about his family, his duty and this bloody war. He wanted to run, he wanted to loose himself in something, in anything.

Hermione could see the countless emotions play across Malfoys face. She saw when his gaze slipped from her eyes to her mouth. It made her breathing come harder and her stomach tighten. She clenched the fists at her sides until her knuckles turned white, but she did not move, she would not show weakness to him.

She could feel him shift, moving closer to her, his chest pushing against hers, his arms roped with lean muscled on either side of her head. Hermione took in the sharp features of his face and for a brief moment thought she could see how any woman might find him attractive.

Her eyes fluttered shut as she took in a rasping breath, willing her body to calm, preparing to throw another insult out at the infuriating Slytherin. Instead Hermione felt the stroke of his nose against hers. It sent shudders racking down her body. Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked up into the silver eyes out of shock.

He couldn't tell you now, even to this day, how or why it happened. But without even intending to, and without warning his nose stroked along hers. Doe eyed, she looked up at him in wonder, her mouth parted slightly. He could taste her breath, it sent a tingle down his spine. He looked back at her with lidded eyes before his lips were grazing hers. The blush from Hermione's face making them warm, he wanted to memorize the taste of them.

This is what sunshine tastes like

Every muscle in Draco's body was exhausted, but the soft contact of her lips made his body jump with electricity. He felt fire ignite in his blood and pulse through his veins and all he wanted was more. Involuntarily he groaned as he felt her gasp, heat pooling relentlessly in his lower stomach. He shifted as his trousers became uncomfortably restricting.

Draco's soft lips were against hers, so lightly she thought she might be imagining it. But heat pooled in her stomach as her breath stopped all together. She felt as though he was stealing the air from her lungs. Heat danced across her skin, throbbing with want to feel his long, slender hands dance across her flushed skin. colors danced across her eye lids.

Heat burst across his face and down his neck almost violently. Draco pushed his arms harder against the wall to keep them from shaking.

Hermione could taste the desperation and need on his lips and for a moment, let herself savor it.

His head was swimming. Hermione's lungs burned with the need for air, Draco could feel her chest rise against his and it made a tight knot coil in his stomach. He wanted to dip his head into the crook of her shoulder, to really taste her. To worship her swelling breasts, but he was consumed with feeling of his lips against hers.

Draco felt her relax against him. She moaned in content and it vibrated through him, arousing every one of his nerves, filling his ears and all he could think about was coaxing more sweet noises from her. He wanted to hear her breath in his ear, to make her plead and beg for him with his teeth against her pulse and his body wrapped around her. He needed it.

Hermione willed her body back under her control, but couldn't stop the mewling he evoked from deep within her. He felt so God damn good.

Not even Viktor had made her body respond like this. Hermione felt like she was on fire, she could feel her core throb with want. Her thighs rubbed together involuntarily, trying to find any kind of friction for release.

When the need for air became to great they broke apart. Hermione could feel Malfoy's forehead pressed against hers, holding him steady. Neither of them dared to open their eyes. They both panted heavily, their hearts racing, as Hermione stopped to feel their breaths mingling in the dark.

She brought her hand up to tangle it in his blonde hair. To take all he had to offer. Before she could lose herself completely, Hermione's brain kick started on…

What the bloody hell are you doing Granger…

Draco's head was wretched to the side. Gone was the addicting sound of Grangers moan, it was replaced with a loud ringing of the slap she had promptly delivered. He stepped back still with his gaze to the side, not watching as she ran down the corridor, away from him. As he listened to her footsteps fast retreating he knew he had made a mistake.

He could feel the red mark from her palm searing his skin. She had left his entire body buzzing. He licked his lips and tasted her and groaned wishing he could chase after her.

Draco shook his head. Don't be a stupid git

He turned on his heels and headed back towards the dungeons, towards his dormitory to his waiting bed. No sleep would come to him that night as he tossed and turned, his thoughts consumed with messy curls and the taste of tea that lingered on his lips.

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