Shifting the Balance

Chapter 10

~ Once More ~

Morning went over into afternoon. The afternoon seeped into evening and Hermione was determined to work on the Christmas Ball.

Hermione retreated to the common room right after dinner.


On her way over she thought of what her friends told her.

Harry and Ron were very doubtful about the Ball. They weren’t that confident that Malfoy could work together with anyone. Let alone her.

Hermione did understand. But she was determined to make this work.


***


Inside the common room she settled on the couch.

Softly the portrait hole swung open.

Malfoy came stepping into the common room.
He looked up and then his face fell into a scowl.

Hermione knitted her brows in confusion. “What’s the matter?”

“I really don’t want to deal with you right now.”


Hermione felt the heat crawl onto her cheeks. “Well tough!”

She stood from the couch. Willing to take on the confrontation.

“We have an appointment tonight. We have to get things done for the Ball.”


“I don’t have to do anything.”

He shook his head to shake the locks of hair back. He looked back at her arrogantly.

“We can do it later.”

“Malfoy, it’s next Friday!” Hermione helplessly opened her arms. “We have a week. It’s not that far off.”


Malfoy sneered at her. “Then you better get started!”

Hermione’s eyes widened.

“You must be joking”. Hermione uttered. She looked at him expectantly.


“Why would I be joking about this, Granger?
You’re the one all in a huff about some stupid dance!”

“But yesterday..”


She was cut off.
“Yesterday had nothing to do with anything!” His voice was louder.

“I thought we had an understanding?” Hermione spat.

“We have nothing.” The blonde in front of her said.


Hermione’s face was red and her eyes burned into his grey ones.

“I can’t believe you’re being such a prat again! How can you act like this?”

Her fist was balled next to her body. Her breathing was raged.
Her chest heaved up and down and Malfoy followed the movement.


“You just can’t act one way yesterday and…” She shook her head.

She looked up at him again. She looked puzzled, her eyes questioning him.

“.. be like this the next.”


Her eyes sparkled and his own throat began to feel dry.

“How can you treat people this way Malfoy?”

He looked at her and her chest was still heaving. He quickly looked away again.


“Not people..” His voice broke and he cleared his throat. He cursed himself inwardly.

“…just you!”


“How can you still think of me the same after 6 years?”

Her eyes glittered and he pleaded with Merlin not to let her cry in front of him.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “ I can’t be..” He searched for a word.

“…nice, I can’t be respectful or remotely friendly to you.”


“But why?” Hermione’s cheeks were flushed.

“Because you are still the same mudblood you were six years ago.”


Hermione cast her eyes down. Malfoy had the tendency to lift her face, but instead balled his fist in frustration. Her shoulders gave soft twists.

When she looked back up her face was determined. She narrowed her eyes.

“I don’t think the same of you. You’re different this year!”


“No I’m not Granger. You just think that.”


“No Malfoy. Ever since the beginning of this year, you’ve been different. You’re still a complete ass to me, but sometimes your almost being nice.”


“Don’t kid yourself Granger.” He didn’t seem to look at her. He looked over her head.


Hermione stepped into his personal space and Malfoy took a step back.

What the hell is she doing now??


“Then why? Why did you help me? With Lenn and the bruise.”
She looked up at him again with a glitter in her eyes again. Her cheeks were still rosy.

Quickly he looked away again.


She wouldn’t back down and took a step closer to him. Dammit Granger. I don’t want you this close.


“Why would you help me. If you didn’t care..” Her words were cut off again.

“I don’t CARE! I told you already. You mean nothing to me!” Malfoy let his cool façade slip.

“How DARE you suggest that I would care to help you in any way!”


Hermione touched his hand for a brief moment.

He flinched at the contact.

Quickly she took her hand back.

He looked at her as if she was insane! Hermione looked down quickly.

Malfoy looked down on her. Her face was turned from him.
What the hell is she doing? She’s gone completely off the bend!
She was behaving in a strange way and it scared him.
He wanted to get away from her. As far away as possible.

“I’m leaving now!” He looked at his dorm.

Quickly Hermione grabbed her wand and levitated the large wooden study table in front of his dorm stairs.

“What are you doing?” Malfoy asked.

Hermione didn’t answer and got onto the desk, sitting in the middle. She glared at Malfoy from her position on the desk and put her wand away.


“I’m not moving.”

Malfoy looked at he portrait and within seconds the large wooden closet scrapped heavily over the floor in front of the portrait.

Looking back at her he narrowed his eyes. “Let me through Granger!”

“No Malfoy. We have work to do!”

Malfoy looked at her. Her face was set in determination. Her eyes sparkled darkly and her arms were folded over her chest. Malfoy gave an annoyed huff. When he glared at her again he saw something resembling a smirk on her lips. He began to pace in front of her. This is ridiculous!

He turned towards Hermione again. He looked at her darkly.


“Move!”


“No.”


“Move Granger! Or you will regret it.”


“This is all your own fault Malfoy. If you just try. I know we can work together!”

“MY fault huh? It has got nothing to do with a the nasty mudblood sitting in front of me?”

Her eyes burned into his own. But to his great chagrin she stayed calm.

Her lip was trembling a little and her cheeks were rosy again. But she did not speak.


Malfoy glared at her. His eyes rested at her skirt, it was riding up. He looked at her legs and made himself look away.

“Granger, I will make you move if you don’t.”


She didn’t answer.

She was ignoring him. She was fucking IGNORING him! Malfoy felt anger rise immediately.

Taking a few strides he stood in front of her. Hermione looked up and she looked a little shaken.
He grabbed her by both arms and Hermione closed her eyes, afraid of what to come.
Malfoy dragged her off the table and Hermione yelped.

“Why won’t you listen!” She heard him growl.
“I’m so sick of you!”


Hermione’s lip trembled and her eyes were shut.

Malfoy pushed her hard against the desk. He wanted to make her suffer. But beyond anything he wanted her to look at him.

He pushed her again. But her eyes remained shut.

Stupid arrogant little twat. Why won’t you look at me?
He pushed her in the table a final time.

“LOOK AT ME!” He bellowed.


Hermione her eyes flew open and she looked at Malfoy.
His face was hard and his mouth was a tight white line. His eyes were dark and he looked a certain way at her.

It took her breath away. His dark eyes raked over her form and lingered on her legs.

When Malfoy looked up she saw hunger in his eyes and he licked his lips before he came at her.

Malfoy dived in and claimed her lips once more.


***

Hermione’s brows shot to the ceiling. He was kissing her. KISSING her, again!

Hermione tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge.
He forced her to open her mouth and when she did his tongue dominated hers.

Hermione groaned and pushed against his shoulders. Her pelvis bucked against his, trying to created distance. He was too close again!


“Don’t resist!”
His voice rumbled in her throat and vibrated in her chest.

She closed her eyes.

He pushed his lower body into her own and Hermione groaned at the sudden heat.

His mouth was hot and his tong sent shivers down her spine. His hands were holding her face in place. While he consumed her mouth with his.
Hermione gave a moan and his hands moved down.
His fingers lingered on her neck and then his mouth moved from hers.

Hermione opened her eyes to look at what he was doing. She met his gaze and immediately her heart began beating faster. His eyes were dark and full of want.

His mouth moved to her pulse point and softly he bit down.

Hermione mewled and threw her head back. She closed her eyes again.

His hands rubbed her lower back and went to rest on her backside.
Suddenly he pushed her up and onto the table.


Malfoy stood in between her legs and placed his hands on her hips.
Sucking on her pulse point he shifted her near.

Hermione could feel his body heat seeping into her and it made her shiver again.

Malfoy pushed his hips into her own and that’s when she felt it.
He was turned on. God, she could feel him through his trousers!

Suddenly she became aware of a certain burning sensation at her core.
Ashamed Hermione buried her face in his chest.

She wanted to rub her thighs together, but she pushed him even closer and he growled back in his throat.

Hearing him growl like that did something to her. Her stomach did a small flip flop. She grabbed on to his back.


Malfoy let go of her hips and let his hands slide down her legs. He followed the pattern of her knee-high socks and then touched her bare skin. His hands burned against her, making her hot all over. He rubbed the inside of her thighs and got more close to her intimate place.

Realising he was going to touch her there, she panicked a little. Her hand covert his hand and he looked up at her.

Her pulse immediately quickened. He almost had a carnal look in his eyes.

His covered hand inched closer to her panties. Hermione wanted to protest, but only a low groan came out.

His eyes moved to her face. She could feel she was getting wet and she really didn’t want him to know that.

She squeezed into his hand with her own. He ignored her and felt her wetness through her panties. His eyes burned into her own.

He moaned and pushed his hardened erection into her inner thigh. “You’re wet”, he whispered.


He began to rub her over her panties and Hermione moaned loudly. She closed her eyes again. He wouldn’t stop looking at her.

Suddenly one hand grabbed one of her breast through her bra. The other hand pushed her panties aside, making her eyes fly wide open.


“You can’t.” She just stated.

Malfoy smiled wickedly and brought his head into her neck where he bit down.

Hermione hissed. In her ear he whispered; “You want to let me do this!”.

“No I ....aaahhhh.” Hermione was cut off again when Malfoy pushed against her inner folds without warning and his finger slipped inside of her.

His finger slipped back out again.
He rubbed his finger on the length of her sex and Hermione moaned loudly.

She trembled and closed her eyes. She just couldn’t look at him now.


Malfoy watched her face carefully while he slowly pumped a finger in and out.

She was breathing hard now. Her cheeks were a lovely shade of red.
Her brows knitted with pleasure of it.

He leaned in and his mouth touched hers. His tongue trailed over her bottom lip.

When he circled his thump over her nub she bucked her hips. She pulled her bottom lip in and bit at it. She tried to suppress another moan producing a rather erotic growl.


Malfoy almost came in his pants.

He kept circling her with his thumb while he pressed a second finger into her.

She leaned her head back and a thin sheen of sweat was visible in her neck. Her head lulled to the side. Her breath came up in short pants. She was making small sounds. Her head shut up and her legs began to buckle. Malfoy could see she was close.

“Open your eyes.”
Hermione shook her head.


“OPEN YOUR EYES!” Malfoy bellowed.


Her eyes flew open and she saw Malfoy’s face inches from her own. His eyes were full of lust.

Quickly Hermione looked away. She looked anywhere but at him.

Waves of hotness and electric shock washed over her. Her body gave a violent jerk.

“Look at me Granger.”

Suddenly Granger jerked and her eyes locked with his.

Her eyes were wide in shock and her mouth opened in a silent scream.
Small shocks went through her body, he could feel it.
Hermione made a growling sound deep in her throat and Malfoy started to jerk as well. H

ermione looked at him with her wide eyes and she searched his face. With a low grunt Malfoy came in his pants.
He slumped over her, leaning his head onto her forehead. They stayed there for a while.


Malfoy moved his fingers out of her and she stirred. He pulled back a little and noticed her hands were fisted in his robe. Her head was cast down.

“Granger....”

Hermione slowly lifted her head. A single tear made a path over her cheek.
They stared at each other.

Then Malfoy nervously got his wand out and cast a cleansing spell on his trousers.

Hermione looked from his pants to his face and felt her cheeks gone red.
“Oh..” She uttered and looked away.


Malfoy stepped out of her legs and Hermione got off the table.
“You are crying.”

Hermione looked up at him, an odd expression on her face.

“No, I’m not.” Her hand travelled to her cheek and she rubbed away the tear.
She looked at her wet fingers. “Oh… It’s nothing.”


Malfoy leaned from one leg to another. “Well, I’m going to..uhh,” He pointed at the wooden desk.

“Right!” Hermione quickly levitated the desk into his original spot.

She looked up at him again. “I’m going to..uh, as well.”

Both turned to their dorms and walked up the stairs. None of them looking back once.


***