Chapter 6 - Truths Between Once Enemies

Disclaimer: Alas, the world of Harry Potter is not mine. JKR dreamed it up before I ever had a chance. Any character you recognize belongs to her.

A/N: As always, RobisonRocket is the kindest beta I have ever had the pleasure of working with. It is because of her that this story isn't filled with errors. Thanks, RR.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ch. 6 - Truths Between Once Enemies

Hermione muttered the password and stepped into the common room, expecting to only use it as a passage to her own private room. Right before she reached the stairs, a voice interrupted her private thoughts.

"A little late to be out and about tonight, even for Head Girl, Granger. Pray tell, what were you doing out so late?" Malfoy asked with mundane curiosity.

Hermione stopped, but kept her back to him. "I had detention, Malfoy. I had to stay until I completed the task Professor Snape gave me."

"Really?" his voice sounded intrigued as he closed the distance between them. "Tell me," he whispered softly in Hermione's ear. "Did Snape have you cleaning cauldrons by hand all this time, or was your punishment something more along the lines of something like... oh, I don't know, dancing?"

Before Hermione could react, Draco had swept the witch up in his arms and was twirling her around the floor. He held her tightly, her back pressed to his chest as he turned her multiple times. The arousal she was already feeling from Severus' touches only heightened the sensation of Draco's bare chest pressed against the back of her robe.

When he finally loosened his hold on her, they were standing before the fire. His breathing labored in her ear as he ran his hands slowly over her curves. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to breathe slowly.

When Draco's hands stilled at the tie in her sash, Hermione's hands gripped his. "No!" she said firmly.

His hands stilled, but he moved to rest his chin on her shoulder. "Hermione," he whispered her name before trailing soft kisses along the exposed skin of her neck. "Do you know, I don't think I've ever wanted to shag anyone as badly as I've wanted you."

Hermione shook her head to clear her senses and stepped away from the hands that were beginning to work a bit of seductive magic over her already heightened senses. "Malfoy, that is the most absurd thing I think you have ever said to me!" She turned to face him. "You hate me! I'm the Mudblood, remember? Your father would probably disown you for simply touching me!"

Draco stood there, looking at her with an expression that made her take a step back. It was an expression she had already seen once tonight. Severus had worn it as he ravaged her on the library floor.

Longing shot through her at the thought of Severus and the ways he had touched her. She wanted this, but not with Draco. He may have been so much closer to her age and all, but he just wasn't the man who stirred her senses to life.

Draco seemed to recognize that the longing she felt wasn't for anything he could offer her, and his expression fell. Running his hands through his now longer hair, he turned and moved to sit on the couch. When he looked back at her, he asked, "Does Snape know how you feel?"

Bemused, Hermione shrugged. "I don't even know how I feel." Moving to sit in the chair across from him, she added, "I only asked him to dance because Ron dared me to do it." She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Either that, or kiss you."

When she looked back at him, he was staring at her in a dazed way. "What?"

Laughing, she nodded. "Yes! Isn't that crazy? I would have grabbed you, but Pansy was all over you that night! I didn't want to receive the Crucio just because I kissed you on a dare." She gave in to her urge to laugh hysterically for several minutes until she realized that Draco was still just looking at her with an odd expression. "What?"

He hadn't joined her in laughing and now looked completely miserable. Looking down at his hands, he muttered, "No... it doesn't sound so crazy to me. I wouldn't have let Pansy curse you for that."

She looked at him and found herself feeling rather stupid. Her mother had always suggested that one of the reasons Draco had always picked on her so when she was younger was because he secretly liked her. Suddenly, all those years of hateful remarks and dumb tricks made sense. "Oh, Draco." She shook her head. "I never knew. It never occurred to me that you..."

Draco raised a hand to stop her confession. "It wasn't like I held out a big sign saying, 'pureblood prince has it bad for Muggle-born beauty!'" He rolled his eyes. "I couldn't admit to it while Voldemort lived! My dad would have killed me!"

Feeling genuinely sorry for him, Hermione moved to sit beside him and placed her hand on his knee. "I guess I can understand you a bit better now. I'm sorry for not catching on earlier."

He shrugged, then turned to look at her, saying, "Why didn't you try to kiss me? What made Snape more approachable?"

Hermione looked away. "It wasn't that he was any easier to approach. I just expected him to say no!" Then she muttered, "He did say no."

Draco tilted his head before smirking. "That was the hottest nonexistent dance that did-- but didn't-- happen, that I've ever seen..."

Sighing, she said, "No, it happened. But only because Trelawney was trying to rape him. I stepped in, and as a result," she shrugged, "he danced with me."

Draco made a gagging noise before recovering. "Trelawney? Oh, my dear Merlin! That poor wizard! She's a nightmare!" He began snorting in laughter.

"No, I can think of one worse!" Hermione interrupted.

Draco stopped his laughing and looked at her for a moment before they both said in unison, "UMBRIDGE!"

He shuddered, whispering, "Gods! That woman was disgusting to look at!"

She nodded, adding, "She did some awful things, too."

The blond nodded before asking, "Granger?"

Turning to look back at him, she answered, "Yes, Malfoy?"

"Do you think... I mean if I would have been nice to you... Could you have ever seen yourself with someone like me?"

Hermione eyed him for several moments before nodding. "Yes, I think that if you had always been at least this nice, then I could have..."

Her words were cut off as Draco crushed her to him, claiming her lips in a passionate kiss. She could feel all the longing and desire there in his touch. She even felt something more coming from him: a desperate emotion that was begging to be recognized.

All the passion he poured into the kiss did nothing to her. Her heart didn't begin raging like it did for Snape. Her palms didn't get sweaty. She placed a hand on his cheek as he kissed her. He moaned dejectedly as he gave up and leaned back. His eyes searched hers. "Nothing?"

With a sigh, she attempted, "It isn't you, Draco. I think Severus has ruined me for anyone else. All I think about is him. Even when you kissed me just now, I was comparing you to him." She shook her head. "And that isn't fair to you."

Standing, he moved to stand before the fire for a moment before turning and giving her a rare, genuine smile. "Well, look at it this way. Now, if that weasel starts smarting off, you can always tell him you took both his damn dares!"

Laughing, she nodded. "You know, I think I may just do that!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning found Hermione doing some last minute studying for one of the many tests they still had to take. She knew that the detentions were going to take a lot from the time she had to prepare, so she tried to use as much time as she could to her advantage.

When Ron found her, she didn't even hear his approach until he was sitting across from her, watching her intently. Feeling his eyes on her, she looked up and met his gaze. "Yes?"

Looking somewhat surprised by her greeting, he sighed. "I was waiting for your apology." His expression let her know the words were not spoken in jest.

Giving him a baffled look, she asked, "Apology for what?"

He crossed his arms before him, answering, "For making such a scene with the git! You know I haven't had a moment's peace since that night? Everyone keeps asking me if you're shagging the bastard!"

Smirking, Hermione went back to her studies and prayed silently that he would just leave. When he didn't, she looked back at him and gestured at her books. "I'm trying to study here, Ron."

"Yes, I can see that!" he sneered. "You know, I pity any fool that decides to marry you. They'll have to accept that you're a lousy shag, 'cause you never took the time to learn anything else other than what could be taught by a book..."

As he spoke, a shadow had fallen over him, but he had paid it little mind, choosing instead to berate the girl who had once been his best friend. When the tears began glistening in her eyes, a hand descended on Weasley's shoulder, cutting him off.

"That's quite enough, Mr Weasley. I think you should leave the library, post-haste, as there is nothing for you here." Snape stared the redhead down and hesitated for a second before adding, "Only students that wish to excel spend much time here." He reached to urge the boy up and then offered, "Why don't you run along and find a nice underachiever to go play with? It seems even Potter has outgrown your useless prattle!"

Ron sputtered, but turned and stomped off, leaving the two alone in the quiet library. With a sigh, Severus sat in the seat he'd just boosted Weasley from and looked the solemn witch over. After a moment, he asked, "Has he been acting this way towards you for long?"

With a nod, she answered, "Almost all year. Ever since I refused his advances when I knew he had Lavender believing he was in love with her."

Leaning forward, he couldn't help but ask, "And do you love him, Miss Granger?" He waited, holding his breath.

"No, I care for him. But it is more like the love one feels for a sibling." Closing her book, she stared at its cover for several moments. "But I'm not sure I can even feel that for much longer. I just don't understand what's wrong with him. He acts like he hates me, but I didn't do anything to him."

Sitting back, Severus pondered this for a moment. Truth was, he had sensed something off with the Weasley boy. Something not quite right, but he wasn't sure what it was. He couldn't imagine that the boy would risk losing one of his best friends over something so trivial as her not wanting to be the other woman.

That didn't sound right. It wasn't something Ron Weasley, who was part of the Golden Trio, would do. Be selfish, yes. Hold a grudge until he calmed down, yes. Treat Hermione with such cold, cruel hatred? No. There was definitely something wrong here. Knowing he had to find out what the problem was, he stood and began to leave. Stopping, he turned back to her and bowed his head for a moment in silent salute. "I look forward to our time tonight, Miss Granger. Do be punctual as always, please?"

With a sweep of his robes, he was gone, leaving only a slight hint of his scent behind. Hermione inhaled and allowed herself a small smile before opening her book and resuming her studies. She looked forward to their time together this evening as well.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Yes, I know, short chapter. But I wanted to get Draco's moment in there, and then Ron had to be a git yet again. What's up with him, anyway? He's not usually a prat with Hermione for that long... (okay, maybe he is) but he's really being meaner than normal! Ah, well, please read and review!