Beautiful Disaster

Disclaimer: The characters held within are not mine but belong to warner brothers and jk rowling. I\'m only playing with them for a few minutes and will give them back virtually unharmed. There is also no profit being made off of this, so please don\'t sue.

*~*

Seamus and Harry were walking beside her down the corridor. They were all heading to advanced Charms and the two boys were in a conversation about the changes in certain people over the last year. It was only natural that Draco be brought up, and that’s when she began listening to the conversation.

“It’s strange. He hasn’t once provoked any of us.”

“I know. It’s unnerving.”

“You’ve got that right. I think he’s trying to put us off our game. Make all of us nervous.”

“Or maybe he’s just trying to be nice,” Hermione said from beside them.

Harry and Seamus both looked at her oddly, “Are you defending him?”

She sighed, “Well, no, not really. But listen to the two of you. You’re giving him too much credit.”

“What do you mean?”

“Malfoy being nice to you just to put you off your game. He’s Head Boy, but he’s not that smart.”

Harry watched her for a moment, “You may be right.” He sighed, “But still. It’s strange.”

She nodded, “I know.”

“I wish he’d go back to being the prat he’s always been...”

“You know, you should really make up your minds. Do you want him to be the nasty little rodent he’s always been, or do you want him to continue on this path towards hostile but friendly terms?”

Seamus and Harry looked at one another, Seamus smiled, “The rodent he’s always been. At least then we know what we’re dealing with.”

Hermione shook her head. “Boys,” she said before she stormed off towards Charms without them.

*~*

She found more and more people making Draco the topic of their conversations for the rest of the week. It didn’t help that when the Slytherins were tormenting someone, he was the one to break it up.

She had been walking with Harry again and when they rounded the corner they stopped short, finding Draco chewing out a couple of third year Slytherins for abusing their power and terrorizing the younger students. The other two boys tried to argue with him, but it only took a look and they were silent again. And then he did the most uncharacteristic thing anyone had seen him do in the years he’d been at Hogwarts. He took points from his own house for their behavior.

Hermione and Harry had both stood there with their mouths open as the two boys marched past them and Draco tilted his head at them, “Potter, Granger, do you two have a staring problem?” They both shook their heads and watched as he walked away in the opposite direction.

Harry looked to Hermione, “All right, now even you have to admit that’s strange ”

She nodded, “It is.”

“He took points from his own house. I...I wouldn’t believe it unless I’d seen it and I still don’t know if I believe it.”

Hermione sighed, “Maybe...he’s trying to set a good example.”

Harry looked over at her, “What’s with you?”

“What?”

“You heard me. What’s with you? You’ve never been one to defend Malfoy’s behavior...”

She sighed, “Being the one that he refers to as Mudblood, I’m happy for the change in his personality,” she said as she started walking again. Harry quickly caught up, “I’m not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. If he wants to be nice to people, then let him.”

“Something’s going on with you.”

She looked over at him, “What?”

“Yeah. Something...is definitely different.”

She shook her head, “Nothing has changed, Harry.”

Harry stopped walking and she turned to look at him, “You’re lying to me.”

“I am not.”

“You are too. You’re not a good liar, so why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

She sighed, “I...I didn’t tell you this because you’d only complain about how unfair Snape is...but I’m...partners with Malfoy in Advanced Potions. And he’s been really pleasant recently. Even to me. So why would I want to disrupt that by looking into it. I don’t know why, but he hasn’t called me a derogative term the whole year, so I really don’t want to do anything, such as gossip about him in the middle of the hall where anyone could hear, to make him stop.” She knew he didn’t believe that, but he was going to for now. She would see to it, “And I really have to go to the library. I’ll see you later,” she said with a wave behind her.

Harry stared at her retreating form, wondering what it was that going on.

*~*

Draco had offered to allow her to choose what they were to do. The only condition was that it couldn’t require a book. He’d given her the message ahead of time, giving her the chance to bring or prepare whatever it was she wanted to do. She’d brought a deck of cards, normal playing cards that didn’t shout at each other or give away what she was holding. This was rather disconcerting for Draco who was used to listening for what cards a person had.

She’d taught him a few simple games such as gin and go fish. It had been Draco who had asked how to play Black Jack, which she was a bit reluctant to teach him, wondering what exactly it was he had in mind. They’d played a few hands, two that Hermione won and two that Draco had won. Before she could deal out the cards again, Draco grinned mischievously. She didn’t like that look, at all.

“Let’s make a little wager.”

She sighed willing to go along with his idea, “Okay, what?”

“Well, what do you want if you win?”

“What do I want?” She was quiet as she thought about what she wanted from Draco Malfoy when she won the next hand. She suddenly smiled, realizing what it was that would put him off more than anything, “I want you to be nice to the Hufflepuffs for an entire week.”

He sneered, “That’s it? That’s what you want?”

She nodded, “Yes.”

He nodded in return, “Fine. And if I win...” he grinned, “I want a kiss.”
She raised an eyebrow, “A kiss?”

He nodded, “And I get to say when the kiss is over.”

She sighed, “That doesn’t give you the right to grope me.”

He shrugged, “Fair enough.”

She dealt the next hand and almost sighed with relief when she saw she had a king with the card laying face down and a queen showing. Draco had a seven showing, and seemed to be thinking hard about what he was going to do. She was going to take such joy out of seeing him be nice to the Hufflepuffs.

His grey eyes met hers as he said, “Hit me.” She turned over the next card and revealed a six of clubs, “I’ll stay,”

Hermione smiled as she set the deck of cards down, “Show.”

“Why don’t you go first?”

She rolled her eyes and revealed the King of Hearts to him, “That’s twenty.”

He nodded, “I know how to count.” He grinned, “And I hope you do as well,” he said turning his other card over revealing an eight, which gave him twenty-one.

She blinked several times, “You cheated.”

“I did no such thing. You’re the one that dealt the cards.”

“You...I’m not kissing you.”

“You can’t back out That’s cheating.”

She shook her head, “It’s not going to happen.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to kiss you?”

He moved to perch on his knees, and frowned, “You don’t?”

She frowned, “I don’t know.”

He smirked, and began crawling on his hands and knees towards her, and Hermione began scooting backwards away from him, “I think you’re lying.”

“I’m not lying,” she said before her hand slipped on the stone floor and she was laying flat on her back. Draco used that as his opportunity to move over her, one knee between her thighs as his hands were propped on either side of her head.

He leaned down and hovered just above her, “Afraid of me?”

She shook her head as she laid completely still, “No.”

He smirked as he brushed his lips against hers, “Then why don’t you want to kiss me.”

“I...I don’t know.”

His grey eyes stared into hers intently, waiting for some sort of assurance that she wouldn’t slap him, and he found it. She wanted him to kiss her, whether she would admit it or not. He pressed his lips to hers, softly at first, wanting her to adjust and feel comfortable before he gave her a kiss she wouldn’t soon forget. He felt her sigh against his lips, and he moved his tongue along her lower lip before he slipped inside.

It was as if this dam was crashing down around him. He pressed his body against hers and her hands came up to clutch at his sides, balling up the white shirt he was wearing in her hands. She hadn’t lied when she’d told him she didn’t want him to kiss her, but now that he had started, she never wanted him to stop. She instinctively moved her tongue to touch his and received a groan from him.

He was using every ounce of self-control he could muster by not tearing her clothes off and fucking her into the ground. She wiggled beneath him, rubbing her hips against his. That little action broke some of his self control. He couldn’t believe that just a kiss had him yearning for her. He pressed his erection against her as his lips dominated hers. He moved to his elbows, his fingers moving through her hair as she opened her legs a bit wider. He moaned into the kiss as his hips were cradled between her thighs and rubbed himself against the thin cotton of her panties. He received a gasp from her. She dug her nails into his sides as she shivered beneath him, relishing in the feel of his erection rubbing against her.

A thrill went through her at knowing that she brought that out of him, that he wanted her. She couldn’t find it inside of her to tell him to stop. She didn’t want him to, either. It felt so good, he felt so good, and telling him to stop was the furthest thing from her mind. His lips moved to her neck, nipping at the pulse as one of his hands moved downward, and stopped on her rib cage. His thumb stroked the side of her breast, waiting for some sign that he could continue without any sort of repercussions that would make him stop what he was doing.

But the pecking of an owl at the window interrupted them. He didn’t move off of her right away, just stared at the offending bird that had interrupted the nice snogging session they’d quickly gotten into. He slowly got to his hands and knees and stood, as she sat up to watch him move to the window to let the owl in. It landed on the sill and Draco took the letter from the bird with a groan. This wasn’t one for him, but rather for their headmaster.

He looked over at her where she was now sitting on his floor, a slight blush to her cheeks as he frowned. “We have to cut tonight a little short,” he said taking a piece of parchment and scribbling the name of a candy on it before sending the owl back out the window.

“Okay,” she said a bit uneasily. She ran a hand through her hair and pulled her skirt down. She watched him as he stood and held out a hand to her. She took it and stood in front of him, “So...poker is a bad idea.”

He smirked, “It’s actually a very good idea, but...upping the stakes isn’t a good idea.”

“You...well...” she said glancing at the obvious bulge in his pants, and blushed a color red that he saw on the Gryffindor crest, “I mean...you...”

He smirked as he leaned forward, “I’ll live.”

She blushed a bit more, “Yes...well, it is getting late...”

He sighed, “I’ll walk you back.”

She put a hand on his chest and shook her head, “No.”

“Why not?”

“You can’t go wandering around the halls like...well, in your condition.”

He smirked, “School robes are rather bulky...”

She released a frustrated breath, “Yes, but I’ll know it’s there.”

He chuckled, “It’s always there.”

She shook her head, “You know what I mean.”

He nodded, “I do. I just like seeing you all flustered.”

“Well, stop enjoying yourself so much.”

He smiled and pulled his robe on over his clothes, and walked her to the portrait hole, “Honestly, Hermione, it’s not that big of a deal.”

She frowned as she walked along beside him, “I know, it’s just...strange.”

“Why is it strange? It’s the way things happen.”

“I know...”

He rolled his eyes,. “Honestly, stop being such a prude about it.”

“I’m not being a prude.”

He glanced over at her and made a slight scoffing noise, “I can’t help that you do that to me...and I won’t apologize for it.”

“You want me to apologize?”

“No, but I don’t want you to avoid me or the conversation either.”

She shook her head,. “I’m not.”

“You are.” He pulled her into a near by deserted classroom and sighed, “Sex is a part of life, Hermione.”

“I realize that.”

“I can’t help that I want you, or that you want me in return,” he cut her off when she opened her mouth to protest, “After the events of the night, why deny it? The simple truth is that desire and need are part of what we feel for one another, and it’s never going to go away. Honestly, if I had my way about it, I would stay in a bed with you for the rest of my life and never come out.”

“That hardly seems logical.”

“Not the point. It’s just the way I feel. It’s how it works. I want you. I want you to the point where I feel like I’m going mad. I won’t apologize for that.”

She shook her head, “I’m not asking you to.”

He captured her upper arms in his hands. He smiled at her as he moved his hands over her robe and sighed, “I’m asking you not to treat me like I have the plague if I happen to get a little excited while I’m kissing you.”

She sighed, “I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you,” he said as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of her hair. He sighed as he pulled away, “So, are we all squared away? Not going to run from me anymore?” She shook her head, and he smiled, “Good. Let’s get you back to Gryffindor tower.”
*~*

Draco found Dumbledore seated at a table in the Room of Requirement. He still wasn’t fond of the older man, but he realized that without his help, he wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to be with Hermione. In a way, he respected the man for allowing his students the opportunities to make mistakes and live their lives. But it bothered him to know that Dumbledore usually knew everything about what was happening in his school. That could be a bit discouraging.

“Ah, Mister Malfoy. Good evening.”

“Headmaster.”

“You’re well, I hope.”

“Fine.”

Draco reached into his pocket and removed the letter. He handed it to the older man who smiled politely at him. “And Miss Granger? Is she well?”

He eyed him cautiously, “She is.”

“Splendid.”

Dumbledore opened the envelope and his expression turned grave, “Thank you, Mister Malfoy,” he said, standing quickly and set the letter on fire. He looked back at Draco, “You should get back to your room. I would hate for Filch to catch you and give you detention.”

“Yes, sir.”

Draco watched as Dumbledore left the room, wondering what could change the older man’s expression so quickly. He decided that whatever it was, he was probably better off not knowing.

To Be Continued...

*~*

A/N: Thanks go to my beautiful beta readers...I adore you guys!