"I wanted him in the bluntest way. I wanted his lips, his hands, his arms. I wanted him the way the ocean wants the shore, constantly reaching and running back. I wanted him the way rain wants to fall, the way the sun wants to shine, the way words want to be read. I wanted him to infinity, to the millionth degree. No amount of rain could douse the fire I had for him within me."
Hermione had raced out of the hospital around the corner to a vacated wall, she leaned against it to catch the breath that had been held captive within her throat.
She placed her fingertips on her lips, reminiscing the kiss, how his lips were like the perfect missing puzzle piece. She bit in the slight swelling on her bottom lip and began to smile. Had she really just kissed Draco Malfoy? She dropped her head, and shook it.
Hermione felt as if she were on some sort of high.
She started her journey, lackadaisically, toward the Gryffindor Common Room, unaware of the curious eyes looking upon her as she was walking with a dreamy expression dancing upon her face.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked once Hermione made it to the portrait, she smiled sweetly, looking up, "Err." she replied.
"You look as if you've been kissed." the Lady said, knowingly.
"Wh-what?" Hermione asked, finally pulling out of her dream-like state.
"I said you look as if you've been kissed. Let me sing you a song. It's a song of love." she winked and cleared her throat.
Hermione widened her eyes, shoot, her kiss had removed any wits about her.
"AHH-MARILLI MIA BELLA!" The Fat Lady wailed.
"Oi! Mione! Give her the bloody password!" Ron exclaimed from behind her, covering his ears.
"I can't remember it!"
Ron looked at her aghast, "Quid Agis!" he bellowed.
The lady smashed a glass against the painted wall, "No, no. Let me finish this verse!"
"QUID AGIS!" Hermione then yelled.
"Oh. Fine." The portrait swung open allowing the two of them to pass through, but began singing once more as it slammed shut.
"You alright there, 'Mione?" "Not like you to be so forgetful."
Hermione glanced over to Ron, without catching his eyes.
"I'm not forgetful, Ronald. But yes, I've just been thinking about what subject to study tonight."
"You think you've got to study so much. Can't you just take the night off?"
Hermione then looked at Ron, annoyed. "Of course not!"
"Well why don't I come study with you?" Ron offered. "Can't be too much fun hanging out with that Slytherin twit, Nott.
"No... It's just, Theo and I have a schedule we stick to." This was lie. Honestly she didn't want Ron finding out her secret.
"Since when do you call him by his first name?"
"Since I've been studying with him! He's not all that bad. Just because he's a Slytherin doesn't make him evil."
"Alright." he said with a wave of his hand.
Hermione left it at that and headed to her dormitory. She had some time before her next class, and she grabbed her journal from her trunk, as well as her self-inking quill.
"Alohomora Colloportus" she whispered, unlocking it, revealing filled pages of most of her secrets, pictures and doodles. She grinned at herself once she made it to a blank page to begin to write.
"Dear Diary,
Merlin, things have been so weird lately. You know how I told you a couple weeks ago how Draco had actually talked to me as if I was a human being? Well we kissed today. YES! We actually kissed. And it was everything different from what I had anticipated. It was actually perfect. It was like we had some sort of connection. One I've never felt before. It wasn't anything like I had with Viktor. It was..."
"Hey, Hermione, McGonagall wants to see us." Harry called from outside the door.
Hermione looked up and rolled her eyes. He was the last person she wanted to see at the moment.
"I'll be out in a minute."
She started to write once more,
"It was almost as if it wasn't our first kiss. It was like, something from a dream... Anyway. I'll write again soon."
"Colloportus Alohomora"
Hermione tucked her journal back into her trunk, and glanced at herself in the vanity mirror the girls had shared within the room.
Her cheeks were still flushed, and she had a different look to her. Had she really looked as if she's been kissed?
Interesting.
She ran her fingers through her lioness mane, and dabbed a bit of lip balm on and departed from the room.
Harry was standing at the wall on the outside of the door, with his fists shoved into his pockets.
"Hey." he said quietly.
"Hi." she replied, moving past him. He didn't say anything else until they reached the staircase.
"Are you okay?" he asked finally.
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, and turned to him, whipping her hair around to one side. "Yes Harry. I am fine. Stop pushing."
"How do you mean?"
Hermione was already ticked at Harry, and his cause for unwanted concern lit the end of her fuse.
"You know, if you weren't so obsessed with knowing what is wrong or whatever someone else is doing all the time, you'd not have so much animosity towards you."
Harry was taken aback, "I'm - I'm sorry, I didn't realize you felt this way."
"Well I do. You almost killed Draco, you know?"
"I- I do know this and I feel terrible about it. I didn't realize you were...felt so...emotional about the situation."
Hermione pursed her brows together, "Of course I care, Harry. My best friend almost killed someone. Someone who YOU think is a Death Eater. And he's not, you know. You're so wrong about him!" she paused, "Also, you should probably apologize to him at some point."
She turned once more to head to McGonagall's office.
"How do you know?" Harry called, not moving from where he was standing.
Hermione marched back to him, "Because I've seen his arms, on multiple occasions, and there is nothing there, not even a freckle or a mole."
His skin was actually quite flawless, aside from the newly-scarred gashes on his chest.
Hermione felt butterflies growing in her belly, but realized quickly she was with Harry still.
Harry dropped his jaw, "I...I..."
"What? Don't judge a book by its cover, Harry Potter. You don't like it when people accuse you of being arrogant and uptight because you're the Chosen One."
"I thought you liked Ron?"
"Well Ron likes Lavender...and I never said I liked Draco." she added hurriedly, "And if you are thinking I've seen Draco...naked, then you are absolutely wrong! That is not how I've seen his arms. Goodness, Harry. You are making a complete arse of yourself."
Hermione was done with the conversation and turned once more toward her Professor's study and Harry followed begrudgingly behind her.
Her good mood was taken, and split into a million pieces.
Once they had made it to the first floor corridor, they turned toward the Serpentine Corridor to the right of the staircase and approached the wooden door.
Hermione knocked and Minerva called for them to enter.
Once inside, a warm fire welcomed them and McGonagall motioned for the pair to sit down before her desk.
Minerva was writing, leaving Harry and Hermione to sit in awkward silence.
Once she was finally done, she pushed her spectacles up the bridge of her nose, and crossed her hands in front of her.
"Miss Granger, Mister Potter." she greeted them. "I am sure you're wondering why you're here."
Hermione nodded, and began to twiddle her thumbs as Harry sat forward in his seat.
"Mister Potter is on the verge of being expelled for the trouble that was caused in the boys lavatory, with Mister Malfoy. So, I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to write on his behalf, since you are a Prefect, as well as an honored student here; a recommendation for his approval for him to stay. I am asking other students as well."
"Why are you asking other students?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Because the ministry wants to know that other students feel safe within Mister Potter's presence."
Hermione sighed, although she was angry with the level of stupidity Harry had achieved, he did deserve his education. Of course she'd write it for him.
Harry cast a sideways glance at her.
"Am I sensing a bit of trouble?" Professor McGonagall asked, observing the two.
Hermione shook her head, "No, Professor. I'll write for him. It's not a problem."
"Good, see to it that it's on my desk by Monday morning."
Hermione nodded, and she was excused, leaving Harry to finish his conversation with the elder witch.
Hermione went to her class, and sat at the back instead of her usual spot at the front, to which caused concern from Professor Flitwick.
When Hermione didn't raise her hand for every question asked, other students turned to her, shocked and with widened eyes.
Once class was dismissed it was time for dinner.
"Miss Granger?" Flitwick called.
Hermione gathered her books and walked to the head of he classroom.
"Yes, Professor?"
"Are you feeling well?"
Gods! Can everyone just stop asking that insufferable question?
"Yes, Professor. Just a bit of a headache is all." she lied.
Flitwick dismissed her and she went on to dinner.
Hermione sat down at her usual spot and ladled some soup into her breaded bowl. Really, she hadn't an appetite, but she knew if she didn't eat at least a little bit, she'd be too tired to study.
Harry sat down beside her, and she ignored his presence. Ron sat across from her and began piling chicken onto his plate. "You coming to the quidditch match tomorrow?" he asked, licking his fingers.
"Possibly. Who are you playing against?"
"Raphenclaw" Ron slobbered out of his stuffed mouth, causing Hermione to grimace.
Harry leaned into Hermione and whispered, "Thank you for writing for me." Hermione only nodded and began to eat her own food.
That night, just after dinner, Theo and Draco sat in the Slytherin common room, Theo propping his mate up into uncomfortable position after uncomfortable position with about a billion feather pillows. Draco had been released from the hospital wing but to Theo, him resting was more than just a suggestion at this point.
"Hey, what day is it today, Theo?" Draco asked after clearing his throat.
"Thursday, why?" Theo asked plainly.
"Don't you study for Vector's class in the library with Granger on Thursday's?"
"Yes but not this week, mate. Regardless of what Granger tells herself, we don't need to study so hard and I need to be here for you." he said, tapping Draco on the nose with a cheeky grin, "And I don't particularly want to take you along to the library because you need to rest, not snog the smarts out of Granger. If I am going to surpass her in class, I want it to be done fairly...although, that route would make Salazar Slytherin proud."
"Are you honestly just going to sit here and go on and on to yourself all night?"
"Do you want me to tell you the truth or do you want me to tell you no?" Theo said slyly. Draco groaned. Ever since that kiss with Hermione, he could not get her out of his thoughts. All he wanted to do was relive it in his pensieve, through the memories, the first chance he got.
"I want you to go to the library, Nott. Your...services," Draco cringed, "are no longer necessary." he said carefully.
"What are you playing at, Draco?"
"Nothing." he stated simply. "If you insist, you can help me to our dormitory, where I plan to go and read myself to sleep."
"You're not planning on sneaking off anywhere?"
Draco sighed. "I just want to be alone for longer than it takes to go to the bloody loo." When Theo only stared at him disbelievingly, he broke. "Alright! I want to spend some time alone...with my memories."
"Ah, so you didn't get enough Granger Danger up in the hospital wing?"
"Not even close." his lips forming a shy smile.
"Alright, mate. I'll leave you. I'll be sure to pester Granger about her feelings, too. Simply for research purposes, of course." he grinned, "And if you're a good boy, I just might share my findings with you." he said as he patted Draco's head and pulled him up to stand. Draco humored Theodore and threw an arm over his mate's shoulder so Theo could support him till they made it to their dorm and lower Draco to his bed.
"Now, don't stay up too late!" Theo joked as he gathered a few books from his bedside table and made for the door before stopping, turning and giving one final smile, then disappearing from the room.
Theo walked into the library, whistling a muggle show tune, to which Madam Pince hissed for his silence.
"OH, SORRY! THAT WAS INAPPROPRIATELY LOUD, WASN'T IT?" he spoke in a booming, monotonous voice. Madam Pince shot a look that would send the Bandon Banshee packing in fear. Hermione emerged from behind a bookcase and grabbed him, steering him to their table.
"He's very sorry, Madam Pince." she whispered embarrassedly to the woman.
When they were out of earshot, she swatted his shoulder with a nearby book and whispered fiercely to him. "What is your problem? Are you looking for a lifetime ban from the library?"
"Sorry, Granger. I don't know what came over me. It seems being locked away with Draco has caused me to bottle up a little too much sass. That was a bit of spillage, eh?"
She giggled and shook her head. "How is he? Draco, I mean."
"Wow, you asking about Draco? You've never asked about him before!" he implored, his voice positively dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh shut it! I'm serious. How is he? I haven't seen him since..." she trailed off.
"Oh, you mean, since you kissed him?" he finished for her with a wink.
Her face turned a bright crimson as she gasped. "He told you?"
"Now, Granger. How thick do you take me for? It was only obvious! Did you see your faces?" he tutted.
"Right. Well keep it between us."
"Your secret is safe with me, love." he winked. She blushed once more.
"So how was it?" he pressed.
She looked around for any wandering ears before whispering Muffliato.
"Now, that's an unfamiliar spell, Granger." he started, "Don't worry I won't tell Potty that you took some knowledge from that Prince person too." Her face reddened and she dodged his gaze as he added, "At least I didn't just about die."
"Alright, Theo!"
"Okay, so out with it. I'm assuming we can't be heard now?"
She nodded. "Well. It was...different."
"Different good, or different bad?" Theo rushed, suddenly flustered.
"Definitely good," she said shyly, "and definitely different from that vile...thing...we shared."
"Aww, Granger, you know you can be more honest about your feelings toward me. It won't completely shatter my heart." he said smirking.
"Sorry! It's just...wow!" she gushed.
"It was nothing like I had ever experienced in my life."
"Not like kissing a brother this time?"
"The farthest thing from it. I'm not exactly the most experienced but it was the best kiss I've ever had." her eyes glossed over as she stared at a random bookshelf. The two were silent for a few moments before she spoke once more. "You know, it was strange really. It felt like it had happened before. Just so...normal."
"Huh. Is that right?"
"It probably sounds stupid." she rushed.
"No, no, not at all. Just curious."