The Proposal

As Ron hit the ground, not expecting a spell to be flung at him, Hermione turned to see who had cast it. Draco stood there, looking more angry than she had ever seen him before. Draco stormed over, raising his wand as if he was going to do something terrible to the red head laying prone on the ground. "Draco, don't!" Hermione called, flinging herself around the blonde without thinking. Draco stopped and looked at her, unable to remember the last time - if at all- she had called him by his name. He kind of liked the sound of his name from her lips. "He shouldn't have hit you." He growled. "What do you care? You've hexed me plenty of times!" She argued, her eyes tearing up as it was only then that she started to feel the sting from her cheek.

"Hexed yes, but I've never physically hit a woman in my life. It's lower than low." Draco huffed. Hermione shook her head, "That's enough.. Just.. Just leave him here. Let one of the Slytherins find him." "What? Just like that?" "That's what he gets for cheating on me and hitting me." She sniffled, tears whelling up in her eyes. What was she going to tell the other girls? "Come with me." He muttered, grabbing her and dragging her towards the broom closet "What? Why!" She half struggled, but he was too strong for her. He forced her into the closet, closing the door behind him. "What are you doing?" She asked, fear in her voice, a hand reaching for where she kept her wand. "Relax, Granger." He rolled his eyes, lifting his hand and brushing her hair back from her face. She flinched away as the tips of his fingers glided across her cheek. He drew his wand and muttered a spell, causing the hand print to fade along with a bit of the pain. "Why would you..?" "Because I felt bad for you, okay?"

"Draco Malfoy, a pure blood feeling bad for a mud blood like me?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief. "Who are you and what have you done with the real git who hates me?" "Hey I can be nice, Granger. Besides, seeing you cry like that the other day.. I don't know. I like what we have going. This whole back and forth between us." His voice was soft and he actually leaned in towards her, gazing down at her. She stared right back up at him, her heart starting to beat more rapidly. "What? You actually like fighting with me? That's sick.." She said, trying not to let her breathing get out of control. Draco smirked at her, "No it's not. It's a competition between us, one I've been relishing since you punched me in the face. I told you, Granger, you're a smart person. That weasel doesn't deserve you. You can do much better than him." He grabbed her chin roughly. She tensed up, her almond eyes staring into his steel ones. "Malfoy.."

He leaned in closer, Hermione staring up at him. She could swear her heart was beating so loud and hard that he could probably hear it too. She started to stand up on her tip toes to reach him. His lips were inches away from hers, before he let go of her and leaned back. "Not yet." He said, taking a step back. Hermione stared at him, her cheeks flushed a strawberry color. "Excuse me!?" She demanded in half anger, half confusion. "You're still vunerable. The chase is no fun." Draco shrugged, leaving her alone in the closet after that. Hermione fumed. She was a chase to him!? What did that make him!? A tease, that's what! She can't believe she almost kissed him..again! Little did she realize in her anger, that Draco had been blushing too. Not only that, but she failed to grasp the fact that he might even be interested in her. She stormed out of the closet, getting far away from there as she could. Yes, she left Ron behind.

When she climbed into the portal, Harry looked up from some transfiguration homework. "Have you seen Ron?" He questioned, peering at her over his glasses. "No, I most certainly have not seen Ronald." She lied, her face still red from thinking about her almost kiss with Malfoy. "You sick Hermione? Your face is all red." "I'm fine. I was..well it's none of your business what I was doing." She said as she strode up to the girl's dorm room. Harry was left confused, blinking. O-kay then.
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Draco laid in his bed, his fingers touching his lips. He had almost kissed her, no, he should have kissed her! Damn his pride for getting in the way. He had also told her that she was nothing but a chase. Was that really how he felt? That kiss from the other night must have had him confused. He most certainly did NOT have feelings for Hermione Jean Granger. This was a game to him, nothing more. To see how far he could push her, and then he could break her. He shook those thoughts from her head. Those kinds of thoughts made him no better than the weasel. Why did he care? He had chased other girls before.. even had them easily. What made Granger so different? He drifted off to sleep, his thoughts still conflicted.

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Note: I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far. I apologize if it's been a little vanilla, but the next chapter is sure to have a bit more in it. I also wrote this chapter in math class so I'm sorry if the story is a bit repeatitive. I hope you keep enjoying it!!