The look of confusion that settled on her face must have been comical, she hadn't been expecting that. Why did all of the males in her life care who she brought to a lame party?! It was almost as if they thought that girls could not have platonic feelings for a member of the opposite sex.

Guilty consciences, maybe?

She did feel the anger that had been promised but there was also relief. This was an easy answer... "Because he asked me to go, neither of us had found dates and it was days away."

"Really?" He asked her incredulously. The fact that he didn't believe her explanation was plainly obvious.

"Yes, really. He cornered me in the hall and wouldn't shut his mouth about all of the different connections he could help me build until I agreed." She told him truthfully. It was hard for her to reconcile the fact that Draco Malfoy was jealous of Cormac McLaggen. Like they were even in the same league to make comparisons.

The tense set of his shoulders finally lifted and he smiled over at her. A real smile that set her heart a flutter. "So you do not have an interest in that infernally irksome idiot?"

She snorted and shook her head, a few curls falling down into her face. "No! I can barely stand the guy..."

"Well that definitely makes my night better." He said, stepping closer before he reached up and brushed the stray locks away.

"Why? I don't understand how me bringing an acquaintance to a party would affect your night in the slightest." Hermione asked.

"I... I don't know. It was like a rock had settled in the pit of my stomach when a little birdie told me you were dating the infuriatingly punchable git..." The hard set to his shoulders returned as he described his former thought process.

Her mind worked over his words, trying to decipher the meaning. Obviously her conversation with Pavarti had made its way to his ears. Something she had not accounted for when the decision to mess with Ron had been made. All that she had wanted to do was make him as uncomfortable as she had been the past couple of months. That was it. She hadn't thought of how it would look to anyone else. And then it dawned on her…

"Wait... Were you planning on party crashing so you could hit McLaggen because you thought we had started dating?" Her eyes widened at her epiphany.

"No. That wasn't my plan." He said, smirking down at her.

"Oh... What was your super secret plan then?"

His smirk reached his eyes as he cocked an arrogant eyebrow. "I was going to wait in the corridor until he came out and then punch him for stealing the only thing that makes me want to come back to this soul sucking shithole."

Her eyes widened even more, they felt like they were going to pop out of her head.

He was talking about her... He had just said she was the only reason he wanted to return to Hogwarts. She wasn't sure if he meant from Christmas break or in general. Did that mean he had come back to school since Voldermort's return for the express purpose of being able to see her?

Surely not... She shouldn't let her imagination and ego run that wild. He did have a magical education to get and appearances to keep up…

"Oh..." She whispered, not knowing how to respond appropriately.

In a weird way it was flattering that he would go to such lengths... At the same time, the Prefect in her shied away from any form of physical violence between students. Something she noted Draco never seemed to have qualms with, even when he had been given the same responsibilities.

"Do you have any idea the strength it took not to barge into that room while images of that loathsome bastard kissing you under the mistletoe or over the punch bowl or... or something equally as heinous were running through my head? Even now I am fighting with myself not to go back in there and hex the dunce for being allowed to lay eyes on you when you look so utterly delectable." His slate gray eyes ran from the tips of her toes all the way to the tops of her curls and back down again.

A small smile broke out across her lips. If anyone else had told her that she would have rolled her eyes, but she knew he was being sincere. While it was meant as a joke, there was an underlying hint of truth to the lines. The twitch in his jaw at the end did not help cover any lingering jealousy either…

"I do not understand what the big deal is... What if Cormac was a friend? Why would me taking him be such an issue... There are such things as platonic friendships, right?" She wondered aloud, almost sarcastically.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I distinctly remember stating that the word 'dating' had been thrown around. And I am the classic only child... I do not like to share. If it was truly platonic then there is no issue. Though I highly doubt his intentions remained pure after seeing you in that dress. Nor do you understand just how... Salacious a teenage boy's mind can be."

She scoffed at his answer but thought back to how McLaggen had tried to kiss her earlier. Maybe it hadn't just been the copious amounts of drink he had consumed…

Was she wrong in the thought that the dress she had picked for tonight was innocent enough?

A navy blue number that had three quarter sleeves and came to her knees, with a matching lace overlay that admittedly made it pop a bit more than if it had been plain. The neckline started at her collarbone to conform to her new found modest standards so there was no way for it to be deemed improper. She had decided to attempt the spell Ginny did to subdue the riot atop her head the best she could and she wore very little make up. The bare necessities of mascara, eyeliner and gloss adorned her face.

Hermione felt the blush start to creep up into her cheeks as she realized that the dress had gotten a bit shorter since the last time she had worn it. Her mother had bought it for dinner with co-workers over Christmas break last year. She had only grown an inch and a half since then... She hadn't given the hemline much thought but it did settle above the knee which could be considered indecent in certain circles. Plus, Draco's remarks about teenage mind's were true... She could attest to as much, having two boys as best friends.

Draco watched as her face turned colors. That antagonizing smirk still in place. "That color looks ravishing on you by the way... Brings out the honey flecks in your eyes."

"Thank you... My Mum said the same thing when we bought it..." She replied to his compliment.

.

Her mind was still wrapped up with the mortification at what Cormac's expectations must have been. It was no wonder why he had talked himself up so much to her. For all the talk of "making connections" he had spent most of the night trying to keep her attention on him, talking about his Quidditch prowess and the people he knew once they got out of school who could help her get S.P.E.W. the recognition it deserved.

That should have been the first red flag right there... No one gave a rat's behind about the house elves, least of all themselves. Why hadn't she been able to pick up on the fact that he had been interested long before he had gotten impaired?

"Smart woman." Draco responded simply, snapping her back to their conversation.

The nonchalance he used while kindly speaking about her muggle parent caused her to stop short. They had instinctively skirted around speaking about either of their parents until then and she had expected the usual avoidance. "Yeah... She is, both her and my Dad are actually."

"Doesn't surprise me. They would have to be to raise someone as quick as you."

"Why... Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked sharply. She had not intended to use such a harsh tone but she was frustrated with the stupefaction she felt that continued to pop up when it came to them.

"I am not being nice. I am being truthful. There is a difference... You just do not see yourself clearly." He told her as he reached up and brushed the back of his fingers along her jawline.

The effortless touch sent havoc through her nervous system. The need deep in her stomach was almost tangible and her breath left her in a shudder. She fought through the haze to respond. "I guess... That must be both of our issues, huh? We cannot see ourselves clearly?"

His fingers moved to her chin which he cupped so he could raise her face, that way he could stare down into her eyes, making sure he had her full attention. He leaned forward and barely brushed their lips together. Teasingly he pulled away, just enough so that they weren't touching anymore and whispered. "Ironic."

She knew he was trying to draw out the moment and prolong the tension but she could not stop the way her body reacted. Her lungs literally heaved as she tried to desperately moderate her breathing. A whimper fell from her lips when she shifted her weight from one leg to the other, the movement causing friction against her aching sex. Between the teasing and the heated kiss earlier her need was so strong she could feel pooling in her knickers.

Thankfully Draco chose that moment to press his lips to hers. It was gentle this time. So unlike the out of control frenzy previously... He held her still for a moment, letting them enjoy the feeling of their lips pressed together. It felt like an eternity before he let her go and kissed her in earnest. Their lips and tongues met in a dance that was quickly becoming familiar. She pressed herself against him, wrapping her free arm around his lower back.

His fingers found their way back into her hair. Once again he entwined them in her curls, but this time he gave a more lenient tug. The sensations sent down her neck were unexpectedly pleasant and only added to her already painful arousal. She pushed her body harder against him, causing him to fall back into the door. Which she took immediate advantage of by pressing her breasts into his chest and her stomach tightly against his hips.

And he moaned for her... Oh Gods! She didn't think she would ever get sick of the sound and the feeling it gave her. She deepened the kiss and felt herself grind against him, joining in on the moan.

Suddenly he slipped his hands from her hair and placed them gently on her shoulders. So quickly she almost wasn't able to register what was happening, he switched their positions so she was pressed tightly against the door. One hand hung uselessly at her side, still clutching their source of light, while the other clawed at the fabric of his cloak trying to draw him closer again.

He pulled their lips apart and leaned his forehead against hers. Breathing hotly into her face causing the scent of peppermint to overwhelm her senses, Draco whispered. "I will not rut with you in a dusty old broom closet."

He leaned back down and kissed his way from the crook of her neck to her ear before continuing. "Oh no. I have something much better planned for us. You will just have to be patient, Kitten."

After a few tense seconds passed he cleared his throat and stood up straight from his hunched position over her. "Besides, I have somewhere I need to be."

With that he wrenched the door open, abruptly pushing Hermione forward with the unexpected force and left. Leaving her there to gasp for breath as the tantalizing thoughts of what he might have planned played behind her lids. It had all happened in such a rush that she wasn't able to formulate an adequate response…

She hadn't even gotten to say Happy Christmas to him like she had wanted to…

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Ack! Soooooooo... I am really loving this chapter.

Let me know what you think with all that love (reviews, follows, kudos, etc). If you don't, I have no idea if y'all are liking the way things are going or not! Even if it's just a "great chapter" it lets me know I am doing something right and you are enjoying. Thank you so much for reading!

As Always…

Much love,

SlytherclawLuv