The Kindling Fire Between Us

The trio talked rapidly about their summers, recollecting on days at water parks, sandy beaches, and even a girl Harry had met. When Harry was telling his story about her, Ron had a look on his face like he understood something that Harry was saying, like it was a secret between the two. Hermione assumed it was a guy thing. In their first year, they never had that problem. But as the guys got older they always acted like they knew something that Hermione would never understand. But she knew she never would, and would never really want to.

A hush fell upon the crowd and students. A voice rang out above them all. It was Professor McGonagall.


“ All first years board the train in the front. Everyone else board the trains you were assigned to over the summer. Prefects make sure everyone is boarded then take your seats in the last train.


The three friends smiled at each other. They each received a letter during the summer stating they would be prefects for Gryffindor. Hermione was especially excited. She was pretty certain she’d become Head Girl, which was to be announced some time that day.


After helping everyone on board, they boarded the last train. As Hermione stepped inside, she looked around. Again she spotted Draco (he had become a Prefect too), but he wasn’t making eye contact this time. He was slowly inching his eyes up and down her body, almost with a look of confusion and appreciation. Once she realized what he was doing, she sat down quickly between Ron and Harry and tried to cover up anything Draco might be looking at. His eyes quickly shot up to meet her eyes. He could sense her discomfort and grinned again. She gave him a cold stare then turned her head and tried to make conversation with Harry. He began to ramble on about all the time he had spent with Sirius then touched on the subject on the mystery girl again. Ron then joined the conversation, asking him questions behind Hermione’s back, trying not to let her hear. She would have, but at the moment she lost in her own thoughts...

‘Was Draco actually checking ME out?...No, he’d never check out a Mudblood...God, I hate it when he calls me that...Maybe he was checking me out, I mean he is a guy...He’s never done it before though...Maybe I changed...Maybe he changed...Oh no, I think he’s looking at me again...Hermione, don’t look up! Don’t look up!...’

But her eyes betrayed her again and she looked up. As she expected he was looking at her, making his steady way up her body. He made his way up her legs ( Hermione now regretted wearing a skirt), which he spent quite a bit of time on, then her stomach, then her chest. This is where his eyes haulted. His mouth parted slightly and he blinked slowly. Hermione had had enough. She crossed her arms across her chest and coughed. He looked up at her face. This time he didn’t smirk or wink or do anything suggestive. They just stared at each other. Hermione with a cold/confused lookher her face. Draco looking slightly embarrassed. He then adjusted himself and looked away. But Hermione did not. She stared at him, trying to figure him out. This was really strange behavior for Draco. He never looked at her like that. Hermione was more confused about why he had turned red. She had only seen him turn red once. Was he embarrassed? Draco was never embarrassed about anything he did. He took everything in stride.

Hermoine’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden whispering in her ear...

“ Herm-iiiii-one......Is anyone home?” Harry then knocked her softly on the head.

“ Jerk” Hermione then punched Harry in the arm.

“ Wow, she talks!” Ron grinned.

Hermione shot him a don’t-go-there look, which wiped the smile of his face as quickly as it appeared.

“ Geez Hermione, someone’s a little grumpy today,” Harry said teasingly

Hermione sighed and looked out the window. She wasn’t sad, but she definitely wasn’t happy. Maybst cst confused. She really wanted to know why Draco was looking at her like that, but she knew she couldn’t ask. Or could she? No, he would just make fun of her and ask why he, a pureblood, would ever look at a Mudblood like her.

She hated him so much. For always making fun of her, making her feel bad about herself. He was scum in her mind. Sexy scum, yes. But that didn’t change that he was scum.