It's back to school we go!

Chapter 14

Hermione's parents dropped her off at King's Cross Station on January fifth with many hugs and kisses, followed by promises to write often. She smiled at them as she made her way through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 at a brisk jog. When she saw the huge scarlet steam engine waiting on the other side, she let out a happy sigh. She felt the familiar tingle of the magic around her brushing against her skin, almost a physical touch, and it instantly filled her up with a sense of welcome and belonging.

She saw Harry and smiled at him toothily, happy beyond words to see her best friend. She raced up to him, throwing her arms around his neck and laughing when he lifted her feet right off of the ground with the huge hug that he gave her in return.

"Happy late Christmas, 'Mione!" he said with a grin. "It wasn't the same without you there. Oh! And thank you for the strategy book and all of the sweets!"

"You're welcome, Harry," she said with a smile, a slight flush staining her cheeks. "I missed you, too. It was weird celebrating Christmas without you, to be honest."

She looked up to see that Ron had moved over to where she and Harry stood and was looking sheepishly at her. His cheeks were mottled with red and he looked as if he were embarrassed about something but Hermione held her silence, waiting for him to speak first.

"Um…hey, 'Mione. I, um… Thanks a lot for the Cannons jersey, it was awesome! And for the Cauldron Cakes as well. We, um…we really missed having you there for Christmas at the Burrow. Mum asked about you at least 50 times on Christmas Day alone."

Hermione smiled timidly. Although it could in no way be considered an apology, she was big enough to recognize that Ron was trying to mend fences between the two of them. She was also honest enough with herself to admit that she missed him, missed their easy friendship. Just as she was about to reply, hoping that things might begin to go back to normal, she heard a shrill squeal followed by a very obnoxious shout of:

"Won-Won!"

Lavender barreled her way between them and into Ron's arms, almost knocking Hermione to the ground in the process. Harry actually had to reach out and steady her with a firm grip on her upper arm to keep her from tumbling to the platform floor. Hermione rolled her eyes, grabbed the trolley that held her trunk and Crookshanks' cage and with a mumbled "See ya, Harry," she began to make her way toward the train.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a shock of white-blonde hair and had to physically stop herself mid-step from turning in Draco's direction. Instead, she made her way into a compartment with Luna, Ginny, and Neville. After a few minutes of exchanging pleasantries and gratitude for the gifts that they had received from one another and small talk about how all of their respective holidays had been, Hermione grabbed a book from her bag and settled in for the long ride back to Hogwarts.

Draco had spotted Hermione the moment she had stepped through the barrier of Platform 9 ¾. He'd had to grit his teeth when she had hugged Potter and the other boy had picked her up so that her feet had left the ground, causing her to laugh loudly. He had watched them talk and found himself envious of the wide, happy smile that Potter was able to bring to her face.

He saw the defensive tension that settled in her shoulders, only to slowly ease away, as she spoke to the Weasel. He also did not miss the fleeing flash of hurt that very quickly turned to disgust as the uncouth Brown girl raced over to the ginger-haired git and nearly knocked Hermione to the ground in her hurry to all but jump down the Weasel's throat.

Most of all, though, he didn't miss the split-second moment when she had nearly walked over to him right on the platform; for some reason, it caused a catch in his throat. It would have been an unmitigated disaster if she had, but he quite unreasonably wished that he was able to embrace her right in front of everyone in the way that Potter had. He wished that he could run to her side, embrace her and spin her around, bringing a smile to her face and a laugh to her lips…but he couldn't. He also couldn't afford to examine why the realization disappointed him so much…

He made his way into a compartment with Blaise, Theo, Crabbe, and Goyle and sat in silence while the other four boys talked about their holidays. He mostly tuned them out as they talked, staring out of the window and lost in his own thoughts.

"…Drake? Drake!" He was brought back to the present by Theo's voice calling his name, followed by a quick shake of Draco's upper arm. He looked at Theo to see the other boy watching him with concern.

"Where are you at, mate? You haven't said more than two words the whole ride so far. Are you okay?"

Draco knew that his best friend was looking for assurance that Draco was okay, that everything was fine, but Draco couldn't give that to him. Theo had always been a better friend than Draco had ever deserved, and especially this year considering how wrapped up he had been in his own problems, and how ignorant he had become to the problems of those around him. It was, however, necessary: the only way Draco knew of to protect his friends from the Dark Lord and keep them out of his sights. Draco would not be responsible for putting his friends in the same position in which he had found himself. So instead of giving him the truth, Draco just nodded.

"Yeah, Theo. I'm good. Just had a long night last night. Tired…"

It was apparent that neither Theo nor Blaise, who sat across from Draco, bought his excuse. They did, however, let the issue drop for the moment, which Draco appreciated. At that moment, the trolley witch came by and everyone was distracted with purchasing their snacks and sweets, leaving Draco once more to return to his ponderings regarding the hell that had become his life, the nightmare that had been his holiday break, and the alluring conundrum that was a curly-haired, know-it-all witch.

That evening at the feast, Hermione sat facing the Slytherin table. She had eaten her entire steak and kidney pie and was now making her way through a treacle tart, neither of which she had really tasted all that much. She was just waiting for Draco to look up at her when Harry, who sat across the table from her, wasn't looking. Finally, when she had nearly finished with her tart, her brown eyes locked onto Draco's grey ones.

She quickly looked around her to make sure that no one was looking, then looked back at him, mouthing "Tonight?" He arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow at her and she felt that funny little flip in her stomach once again. Then he nodded and looked quickly down, smirking at his plate; Hermione hid her own grin by forking the last bite of her tart into her mouth.

Later, once everyone had gathered in the Gryffindor Common Room to compare Christmas gifts and bemoan the recommencement of classes that the next morning would bring, Hermione slipped up to her dormitory to grab Draco's Christmas present from her trunk. Tucking it into the pocket of her robes, she paused in indecision for just a moment before pinning her Prefect badge to her robes as well; it would give her an easy out for leaving the Common Room, should anyone stop to ask her where she was going. Then she made her way back downstairs.

Ron, as per his new normal, was occupied by a rather uncomfortable-looking lip lock with Lavender, and Hermione quickly averted her eyes.

Would it kill them to do that in a less public place? she thought, irritated. Some of us would prefer NOT to heave back up our dinners every time we walk through the Common Room. I mean, honestly!

Her eyes alighted next upon Harry, and a fond smile replaced the unknowing snarl that had manisfested itself at the sight of Ron and Lavender. Harry was sitting sprawled in his favorite armchair next to the roaring fireplace, legs draped over the arm of the chair. He was fully immersed in the strategy guide that she had given him for Christmas. He was so focused on it, in fact, that Hermione was certain he hadn't even realized that Ginny had seated herself on the arm opposite of his legs and was currently peering over his shoulder to read the book with him.

Not only did it make her so happy to see him enjoying something that she had picked out for him, but it also made her glad to see him reading something other than that blasted 'Prince's' Potions book. She waved at Seamus and Dean, who had looked up from their game of Exploding Snap to spot her from across the room, then turned and made her way over to and out of the portrait and down the Tower staircase. She then turned and headed for the seventh floor.

When she arrived at the Room of Requirement and opened the door, it was to find Draco already there. She smiled shyly at him and walked over to where he stood in front of the large fireplace.

"Happy Christmas, Draco," she said wrapping her arms around his lean waist. His own strong arms wrapped around her in return, and his hug felt good to her in a way that neither Harry's nor even Ron's ever had. It caused a swarm of butterflies to take flight in her stomach, in a way similar to, but more intense than, what had happened that evening at dinner when he had smirked at her.

"Happy Christmas, Granger," he said, voice soft and deep as his head lay propped atop hers.

"I missed seeing you every day during break, you know," she said, her Gryffindor tendencies too strong to allow her to act coy; she was used to saying what she felt, and she had decided that she wouldn't change that when she was with him.

Draco's heart warmed at the words that she whispered into his chest. Although he secretly wanted nothing more than to simply hold her in his arms all night long, he knew that such a thing would not be wise. As she had said herself, they were just friends, no matter how much he was beginning to wish for something, anything, more. He pulled away from her and led her over to their usual chairs, a hand pressed against the small of her back to guide her. Once they were seated, Draco began to ask her questions about her holiday. She answered every single one, all the while noticing that every time she asked him a question about his time at home, he would deflect it to ask her another. She decided to allow him his secrets for the moment and didn't push for more.

After sitting and talking for a while, she shifted in her seat and felt the box in her pocket, which she had placed there before leaving her dormitory, pressing up against the side of her leg.

"Oh! I nearly forgot. I got you something."

She could feel the blush creeping across her cheekbones as she pulled the box from her pocket, handing it to him.

"You didn't need to get me anything, Granger," he said, fingering the silver ribbon that held the black box closed.

"I know," she said with a smile, "but I wanted to. I get all of my friends gifts for Christmas."

She watched as he opened the box and pulled the necklace from inside, staring at it in silence for several moments. Her nerves finally getting the better of her in the wake of his silence, and she began to ramble.

"I know it's nothing fancy, nothing near the quality of what you would normally pick for yourself…considering your family…and your wealth, but I saw it and for some reason, um, it reminded me of you and I… Well, I just felt like you might like it but if you, um…if you don't want to wear it, you don't have to. It's not…"

Draco had stood up from his seat while she had rambled, walking over to the couch where she sat wringing her hands and sat down beside her. When she said that he didn't have to wear the necklace, uncertainty clear in her voice, he had leaned into her, cutting off her words by gently pressing his lips to hers. Hermione was startled, body still and unresponsive for just a moment. Then with a sigh she tentatively moved one hand up to cup the back of his head, his soft hair ticking her hand, and relaxed into him.

His mouth moved leisurely over hers, nipping and tasting. When the next soft sigh fell from her mouth, he was ready, taking full advantage and sweeping inside. His tongue battled for dominance in a primal, instinctual dance. After just a moment, Hermione finally gave up control, letting him take the lead and allowing the feelings he evoked in her to consume her.

Her first kiss, her first several kisses, actually, had been with Viktor. Those kisses, tentative and sweet, had held no real passion. Next had been the muggle boy, Jesse, whom she had met at the library over the following summer. They had gone out on a few dates, and he had kissed her at the end of the night a few times, but the thought of developing a relationship with someone who could never truly know who, and what, she was had ruined the moment for her every time. In the end, they had parted as friends.

None of those kisses came anywhere close to the feeling of Draco Malfoy's lips on hers. Never before had she been kissed like this, like she was the air that he needed to breathe. It was a heady feeling, and she basked in the heat that spread through her entire body from her cheeks to the tips of her fingers and all the way down to her toes.

Finally, both breathless, they broke away from one another. Draco leaned his forehead against hers for just a moment, breathing just as heavily as she was, then pulled away from her to reach behind his neck and clasp the necklace into place. Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand.

"That's not just a normal necklace, Draco," she said, idly stroking her fingers across the back of the hand that she held in her own. "I've enchanted it. If you ever need help, you can send me a message using that necklace.

Draco listened intently as Hermione described the charm that she had created for the necklace. It reminded him in many ways of the Protean Charm that he had read about in one of the advanced Charms books in the library at Malfoy Manor, but differed in intricately subtle ways. She explained to him that his necklace was tied to the one that she currently wore around her own neck. He listened closely while she described how the charm worked, how they would be able to send messages to one another, and found himself, not for the first time, totally in awe of her intellect and ingenuity. He was also humbled by the determination she had to keep him safe. Her gift reminded him of the one that he had gotten for her, currently in the pocket of his own robes.

"I got you something, as well," he said once she had finished showing him how to use the necklace.

"Really?" she exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement. He chuckled, amused by the fact that she apparently loved surprises and mentally filing that information away for later. He pulled a small box from his pocket, placing in into her outstretched hands. He watched as she opened the box and stared at the bracelet inside for a moment before lifting in from the bed of cloth that had cushioned it. Draco took it from her, slipping it onto her right wrist himself.

"Great minds think alike, I suppose. It's charmed as well. Simple protection charms to keep you safe. They wouldn't work against the Dark Lord or any of his stronger followers, but it should help to protect you from a fair amount of his underlings. I know it's simple, but I didn't want to get you something so flashy that you might be targeted by other Slytherins, Death Eaters, or the Dark Lord himself. Besides, I felt it suited you."

Hermione felt her heart warm even more towards the wizard who sat in front of her, still holding her hand from where he had grabbed it to place the bracelet on her wrist.

"Draco, it's beautiful," she whispered, then threw her arms around his middle and hugged him tightly to her for several moments.

Draco breathed in the scent that was uniquely her; sweet vanilla, peaches, and a flower than he was certain he had smelled growing in his mother's greenhouse but couldn't bring to mind. Altogether, it was inherently Granger.

"I'm so glad you're safe."

Her whispered words were muffled as her face was currently buried in the space where his neck met his shoulder, and he could feel her lips brushing softly against the sensitive skin there as she spoke, causing goosebumps to break out across his body. When she finally pulled away from his embrace, she leaned up to kiss him again gently…sweetly. A soft brush of lips in a barely-there pressure that made him think of raindrops falling on his skin. A few moments later, and much sooner than either of them would have liked, they parted ways, heading to their rooms so as to not be caught out after curfew.

Hermione made her way back to Gryffindor Tower where she lay awake in her bed for several hours. The events of the evening were on a constant loop in her mind, and she found herself smiling up at the scarlet draperies that covered the top of her four-poster bed. That kiss…

There was really no use in trying to deny it anymore, she decided with a soft sigh; at least, not to herself. She was pretty sure that she was falling for Draco Malfoy, if she wasn't halfway in love with him already. That thought didn't scare her like she thought it probably should. In fact, thinking about her feelings for the pale, blonde-haired boy with his tormented storm-blue eyes and strong arms that felt like…home…she thought that she could probably fly.

Song Inspiration: Can't Help Falling In Love – Ingrid Michaelson

Hopefully you all enjoy a little bit of lemons in this one! I know I did ;)

sbz