A Reason To Be

‘I still cannot believe he kissed me! I didn’t even see it coming! One minute we were talking and the next I have his incredibly soft lips on mine. Holy shit that was a good kiss!’ Hermione was still thinking about the kiss Draco had laid on her at the dance, which was now three days ago. Before that she had only entertained a few silly daydreams about what it would like to kiss Draco Malfoy. Even though she had little to compare it to, she knew that it had been an exceptional kiss. Viktor Krum had kissed her twice, but each time had been awkward and with very little feeling. Hermione lounged on a sofa in the Gryffindor common room and sighed deeply, reliving the night of the ball over and over.

Harry came out of the boy’s dormitory with his broom. He was due at Quidditch practice in fifteen minutes. When he saw Hermione on the sofa, staring into space, he paused and decided they would survive without him if he was a little late.

“Hey Hermione.” Harry spoke clearly enough to bring Hermione back to reality. Hermione jumped a little at the sound of her voice and looked up.

“Oh…Hi Harry.” Hermione replied. Harry went over and sat on the sofa next to her, leaning his broom against the chair that was opposite.

“What are you up to?” Harry asked casually, taking his glasses off and wiping them off with the hem of his shirt. Hermione looked over at Harry and then back at the fire blazing in the fireplace.

“Just thinking.” Hermione answered with a sigh. Harry leaned back against the back of the sofa and put his glasses back in their place. He waited for Hermione to say something but it soon became obvious that she wasn’t going to say anything about what was on her mind.

“Alright, I am just going to take a shot in the dark here and say you are thinking about the ball and Malfoy.” Harry stated, waiting for a response.

“Particularly that…display of immense affection that nearly gave Ron a stroke.” Harry added. He was really grasping for reaction from her. He had a feeling that some of that was directed towards them that night to make them jealous. Hermione and Draco had succeeded extremely well in that arena. Harry did also suspect that all of that wasn’t for show.

“It was just a little kiss between friends.” Hermione replied haughtily. She knew it was a ridiculous answer and that Harry would see right through it but she could not think of anything else to say. Every time she thought about it, she found herself hoping a little bit more that there was a chance that it just wasn’t a ‘friend’ thing.

“There was nothing little about that, and you went right on past friendly and well into ‘I want to shag you silly.’ I can’t say I have ever kissed my friends like that but that’s just me. I would like you to know that I did have trouble putting Ron’s eyes back in his head after he saw that.” Harry snorted in reply. He thought her answer was complete and utter bullshit. He saw and knew what kind of kiss that was. Of course that had made Harry a little jealous, Hermione was one of his best friends, he didn’t like the idea of any guy getting close to her like that. Ron’s jealousy existed on many levels though. Harry and he had talked about it after the ball. After listening to Ron’s angry rant for a while, Harry stopped him and told him that what he had basically just said that he himself didn’t want Hermione but no one else could have her either. Especially Draco Malfoy. Harry had also pointed out that it was he and Draco that were supposed mortal enemies, not Ron. At that point Ronald Weasley wasn’t interested in anything resembling logic or reason.

“Alright, we have established that Ron was insanely jealous and upset about Draco and me spending time together. What about you Harry? What do you have to say about all this?” Hermione asked, turning the tables on Harry now. Harry opened his mouth to speak but found he had no clue as to what to say. Hermione looked at Harry expectantly; she wanted a good answer for this one.

“I don’t like him; I probably will always hate his guts. Though I know he isn’t the same Draco as before, and the more I think about it I think he has earned a chance to be with you. If you like him, do whatever you like. I won’t give you any grief for it.” Harry concluded after a few moments of intense thought. It was hard for him to say that, he really didn’t like the idea of Hermione with Draco. He also knew however, that wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Even Harry had to admit that Draco was a good enough wizard to make it extremely difficult for anyone who wanted to cause trouble of any kind for Hermione.

“I do like him, I love spending time with him. I like who he has become very, very much. Not that I need your approval to do anything, but thank you Harry.” Hermione said confidently. Harry didn’t say anything but he did nod to show he understood. Presently he stood up, grabbed his broom and said he was off to Quidditch practice. Hermione said goodbye to him and went back to staring at the fire, thinking about Draco.



“Malfoy, I want to talk to you!!” Ron shouted when he saw Draco moving down the hallway. Draco turned with a frown on his face to see who addressing him so rudely. He rolled his eyes and let out a sound of disgust when he realized who it was.

“What could you possibly have to say to me?” Draco asked disinterested when Ron approached him. Ron narrowed his eyes at the taller, blonde student and his mouth tightened.

“Why don’t we go somewhere less crowded?” Ron said, gesturing to the abandoned classroom just a few feet away. Draco narrowed his eyes right back at Weasley and then spun on his heel and entered the classroom. Ron followed him and then shut the heavy wooden door behind him. Ron walked to the center of the room and drew out his wand. Before Draco really knew what was happening, Ron said a locking enchantment as he pointed his wand at the door he had just closed.

“What the fuck are you playing at?” Draco asked angrily, he had no intention of sitting and letting someone like Ronald Weasley lock him in a room. The fact he had left his own wand in his room made him even angrier.

“I was going to ask you the same thing! What is it with you and Hermione?!?!” Ron asked, gradually getting more and more courage since Draco had not killed him on the spot. Draco clenched his fists and his jaws. He could not believe that this was happening.

“What makes you think I would grace you with an answer? Not that you deserve one. What business is it of yours what I do and with whom I do it?” Draco growled in response. He could feel his blood coming to a full boil, he was so angry.

“It is none of my business but I will tell you one thing that is for damn certain. You aren’t leaving this room until you swear you will never go near Hermione again. I am not going to let you do whatever awful thing you have planned for her after you have lulled her into thinking you really like her! Swear it!” Ron shouted. By now he was getting really gutsy and quite stupid.

“I would never give you the satisfaction. And what makes you think I would allow you to keep me in here?” Draco growled. He was so mad his voice was barely above a whisper. He was very intimidating and he knew he was scaring Ron but still the red-headed fool didn’t back down.

“Because you don’t have your wand with you.” Ron said smugly, he had figured that had Draco had his wand he would have pulled it by now. Draco’s eyes flashed with anger and an evil smile spread across his face. Draco raised his hand and curled his fingers slightly.

“Accio wand.” Draco whispered. In that instant Ron’s wand flew out of his hands and was caught in Draco’s waiting grasp. Ron’s eyes widen and Draco’s smile did.

“How did you do that?!?!” Ron asked, all his courage vanishing as he reverted back to his cowardly self.

“Magic.” Draco replied in a devilishly smug voice. He then brought his hand down and grasping Ron’s wand with two hands, he snapped it in half. Ron let out his signature terrified cry and pointed his finger at Draco.

“But you didn’t have a wand!” Ron stated the obvious in a shaking voice. Draco laughed softly and evilly at this.

“And neither do you. Now listen carefully, you worthless pile of shit. I will do whatever I want and whenever I want with Hermione, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. In fact, now that you have me thinking about her I may just go and get myself another one of those kisses. I will swear one thing to you Weasel though. If you ever threaten me again I will snap more than your wand, you have the word of a Malfoy on that.” Draco said as he dropped the pieces of what was left of Ron’s wand to the floor. He didn’t even care that the Weasel thought he would do something to Hermione. He was infuriated by Ron’s audacity to even attempt to threaten him and tell him what he could and could not do. Without another word he spun around and strode back to the door. Ron watched him walk away and wondered what Draco thought he could do, the door was still locked magically and he had destroyed the only wand in the room. He found out what Draco planned to do.

“LET ME OUT!” Draco ordered loudly as he walked to the door. The heavy wooden door was then blown off its hinges and fell flat on the stone floor. Just on the other side of the entry way was an extremely surprised Professor Snape. Draco didn’t even look up at his Potion’s teacher as he walked over the door and went down the hall. Snape watched the youth go with slightly widened eyes and then averted his eyes into the room from where Draco had come.

“The door…he just…” Ron mumbled as walked to where there was once a door. When he did, Snape grabbed a hold of Ron’s collar and pulled him back into the classroom. He grabbed the front of the boy’s shirt and pulled him closer so that he could hear Snape whispering.

“I will say this once, Mr. Weasley. No doubt, due to your lack of intellect, you have not noticed it but Mr. Malfoy is not one to fuss with. His parents and theirs before them were very powerful witches and wizards; Draco has inherited their intense capabilities. He is extremely powerful for a wizard of his age. Once he realizes it and hones his skills he will be able to do many things wizards of any age cannot. Given his fiery temper, if I were you Mr. Weasley, I would not give him a reason to do something to you. Because I assure you he easily can and will.” Snape let go of Ron just as roughly as he had grabbed him and sailed out of the room without a word, leaving behind a confused and terrified Ronald Weasley.