Experience

TITLE: Experience 8

RATING: R

PAIRING: DM/HG, HP/HG

SUMMARY: Love triangle between Harry/Draco/ Hermione. Virginal Hermione
decides to let Malfoy seduce her and enlists Harry\'s help!

DISCLAIMER: Only the plot is mine. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco and the rest all
belong to JKR. *sniffle*

********************************************************************************

Hermione and Ron walked down the staircase together. She had hurriedly
thrown on her school uniform and robes. Hermione felt like she was on overdrive.
Harry\'s very vivid dream last night had taken her by surprise. She knew that he had a
crush on her but she never imagined that her best friend could be so passionate.
Hermione wasn\'t quite sure how she felt about that.

Meanwhile, Ron kept sneaking looks at her. \"Um, are you okay, Hermione?\"

She swallowed reflexively. \"Fine, why do you ask?\"

\"You just seem. . .off,\" Ron said, giving her a once over.

\"Nope. Just fine.\" Hermione was grateful to see the Great Hall come into view.
She picked up the pace and so did Ron. They finally reached their table to find Ginny,
Harry, and Parvati already seated. Hermione and Ron took seats on either side of
Parvati. Hermione hoped that when they both had their mouths full of food, there
would be no opportunity to ask embarrassing questions.

But she underestimated Ron\'s concern for her.

Ron scooped some scrambled eggs onto his plate. \"Hermione, did you have a
bad dream? I had to knock on your door forever. And you were making these strange
little noises. Like you were moaning or something.\" His brow furrowed. \"I think you
said \'Harry\' a couple of times.\"

Hermione nearly choked on her toast.

Harry coughed loudly.

\"Were you having a nightmare about Voldemort? Were you asking Harry to
save you?\" Ron persisted.

\"Um . . .\" Hermione stalled, thinking of a plble ble lie.

Ginny patted Harry\'s b \"A \"Are you okay?\"

Hermione couldn\'t look away from Harry and his girlfriend.\"Actually, you\'re
right, Ron. I had a dream about Harry, well actually. . .I had *his* dreams.\" She smiled
at everyone.

Harry was seized by another coughing fit.

\"Professor Trelawney is making us share each other\'s dreams. We made these
dream catchers and it keeps your dreams in beads that you can share with another
person. Harry\'s was *very* interesting,\" Hermione drawled, catching Harry\'s eye.

\"What was it about?\"Parvati asked curiously.

Hermione and Harry continued to stare at each other. \"Oh, about flowers. . .and
other things.\"

Ginny frowned.

\"Harry had a dream about flowers?!\" Ron asked incredulously. \"Ohhh. . .what a
scary dream. Did the big bad flower come after you, Harry?\" he teased.

Harry glared at him. \"Yes, a big flower with big *spider* on it. Oh wait. . .no,
that\'s your phobia .\"

Hermione flushed as Harry met her eyes again.

\"What else happened?\" Ginny asked, watching the byplay between Harry and
Hermione.

\"Oh, um, Harry took something from me.\" Hermione couldn\'t resist kidding
him. . .or was it flirting?

A flush creeped up Harry\'s neck but his eyes were locked on hers. \"Ah no, if I
remember it right. . .you *gave* it to me.\"

\"That\'s right, I did,\" Hermione didn\'t want to look away.

\"Took what?\" Parvati asked.

Hermione ignored the question. \"And Malfoy was there too.\"

\"Ugh!\" Ron said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. \"That really is a nightmare!\"

Ginny asked, exasperated by the behavior of her boyfriend and his best friend.
\"What did you take from her, Harry?!\"

Neither Harry or Hermione would answer her.

**************


After breakfast, Hermione caught up with Harry in the hallway. There were
only a few students around them because classes started in fifteen tes.tes.\"Hi there,\"
she said, biting her lower lip. \"Can I talk to you?\"

\"Sure,\" Harry said, ducking his head. This was killing him. Why was he so
It was just Hermione. They\'d had a million little conversations in the hall. It
was no big deal. He followed her into a corner of the hallway. They were obscured by a
large statue and the meager light from the torches created a dim space that felt
protected. \"What\'s on your mind?\"

\"Um, about the dream-\"

\"Hermione, I\'m sorry about that. I didn\'t mean to make you uncomfortable. I
can\'t help what I dream about.\"

\"You\'re sorry about it? You didn\'t want to, um, have. . .the dream?\" Hermione
questioned, feeling a little hurt.

Harry\'s eyes widened. \"Oh no! Not that I. . .I didn\'t mind. . .you know.\"

\"I think ths mys my line,\" Hermione said, grinning at him.

It made Harry\'s heart beat faster. \"You\'re so beautiful, Hermione.\" It came out
before he could stop it.

She blushed. \"Thank you.\" Hermione felt beautiful when he looked at her that
way. Or when Malfoy looked at her in a very different way. . .woah! Malfoy. \"Um,\"
she paused to lick her lips.

Harry followed the movement with his eyes.

\"Here\'s you dream bead back. You should probably put it some place safe, Harry.\" She sighed, noting his look. \"We\'re obviously attracted to each other. But we already know that it
can\'t go any farther, right? We\'ve already talked about this.\"

\"Are you sure about that, Hermione?\" Harry asked, his voice dropping a little.
He looked around them, noting the empty hallway. Excellent. He moved a bit closer,
putting one arm on the wall over her head. \"I have *experience* too.\"

\"Harry-\"

He bent his head and brushed his mouth against hers. \"You won\'t regret it,
Hermione. I\'ll be-\"

\"Harry,\" she interrupted. \"Malfoy and I. . .um, the other night. We-\"

\"Did you sleep with him?\" Harry demanded.

\"No, I didn\'t! But, even if I did, that\'s *my* decision, Harry,\" Hermione
reproached.

Harry took in a several calming breaths and backed away from her. What the
hell was wrong with him? He felt so possessive of her. \"I\'m sorry, Hermione,\" he said
finally.

\"It\'s okay,\" she reassured him. \"I know you don\'t like him but I do.\"

\"No, you want to sleep with him. Believe me, it\'s not the same thing.\"

\"You slept with someone you didn\'t like?\" Hermione asked curiously.

\"That\'s not the point, \"Harry said quickly. \"I just don\'t want you to regret it.\"
And he knew she would. Malfoy would only end up hurting her.

\"I won\'t,\" Hermione said definitively. \"Draco\'s charming, funny and-\"

\"What did. . .what did you do with him?\" Harry asked tightly.

\"I don\'t think I should tell you that,\" Hermione said as she stepped away from
the statue. She was a little frightened by his jealousy but she was also a little thrilled by
it. It was proof positive that he didn\'t just see her as a friend and wasn\'t just concerned
about her welfare.

Harry\'s blood was boiling just imagining the two of them together. \"Hermione,
I-\"

\"We\'ll talk later Harry, \" she promised as she stepped from behind the statue.

Harry sagged against the wall, feeling like an utter prat.
***********


Later that afternoon, the three friends were standing in the field behind
Hogwarts once more as Madame Hooch bellowed orders into the megaphone. This
was their second lesson in physical self-defense. She had spent the better part of an hour
instructing them on more techniques.

\"I hope they don\'t make us partner with Slytherin again,\" Ron said, rubbing his
shoulder. \"The last time I ended up in the hospital wing.\"

Harry gave Hermione a sly smile. \"I liit bit better when we partnered with each
other.\"

Hermione\'s mouth went dry at his obvious teasing. No wonder so many girls
had a crush on Harry. \"I guess it wasn\'t so bad,\" she whispered. Ack! She really *was*
flirting with him.

Madame Hooch spoke into her bullhorn. \"Find an opponent from an opposing
House!\"

Everyone groaned except Hermione. She was busy searching the crowd for
Malfoy. And she found him sauntering towards them with an indolent smirk on his
face. He nodded at each of them in turn. \"Weasel, Scarhead,\" he said before his eyes
stopped on Hermione. \"Granger.\"

Hermione was having the hardest time keeping an impassive expression. She
cleared her throat. \"Need a partner, Malfoy?\"

\"As a matter of fact, I do. . .but not you,\" Malfoy smiled at her crestfallen look
but his features hardened as he looked over the top of her head to see Harry who was
glaring at him. \"I thought Scarhead I woI would have a go.\"

\"Why not, Malfoy?\" Harry returned. \"I kick your ass on the Quidditch field
often enough. Might be fun to literally do it here.\"

Hermione still stood between them. \"Stop it! This is ridiculous, you-\"

But they lunged at each other and Ron pulled her out of the way. \"Leave them
alone, Hermione, this has been coming for a long time.\"

Hermione struggled in his grasp. Poor Ron thought this was just because of
Harry\'s long standinud wud with Malfoy. He had no idea that this particular argument
was about her. \"Let me go! I have to stop this.\" He didn\'t release her. \"Madame
Hooch! *Madame Hooch*!\"

But she didn\'t hear Hermione\'s cries over the din. The field was full of sparring
partners and the sound of grunts and groans filled the air. She couldn\'t even see them
from her vantage point on the right side of the field.

Harry and Draco circled each other. Malfoy reached out and shoved Harry who
stood his ground and pushed back. \"That\'s all you got, Malfoy?\"

\"Not even close, Potter. I thought I\'d give you another scar or two. Just tell me
where you want them,\" Draco said angrily.

Harry took a swing at Malfoy but missed when the other boy backed away.
\"Why don\'t you just leave her alone?\"

\"You\'re missing the point, Potter. *She* doesn\'t want me to leave her alone.\"
Draco punched Harry in the jaw
H
Harry\'s eyes rolled back in his head but he managed to stay on his feet and
moved away from Draco. \"She doesn\'t even like you. You know that, right? She just
wants a quick shag and she thought you\'d do.\"

Draco was unperturbed -outwardly at least. \"Suits me fine. It\'s not like *I* have
a girlfriend or anything.\"

Harry took a swing at Malfoy and socked him in the eye. \"What the hell are you
implying, Malfoy?\"

\"Do you need me to use smaller words?\" Draco taunted.

Ron stared at Hermione questioningly but she looked away. \"Let me go, Ron. I
have to get Madame Hooch.\"

Ron released Hermione and she began fighting her way through the crowd to
Madame Hooch. Ron turned his attention back to Malfoy and Harry. It almost
sounded as if Malfoy was accusing Harry of cheating on Ginny. Ridiculous! Harry
loved Ginny. But who were they talking about?

Harry punched Malfoy in the stomach, bringing the other boy to his knees.
\"You\'re not good enough for her!\"

Malfoy glared up at him, blood seeping from his mouth. \"Maybe not but I\'m a
hell of a lot better than you!\" Draco swept his led under Harry, bringing him to the
grass as well.

\"Stop it this instant!\" Madame Hooch screeched as he came up to the group.
\"This is about self-defense, not beating the tar out of each other.\" Harry and Draco
were both sporting black eyes. They had various scrapes and bruises as well. She
glared at both of them. \"I\'m *very* disappointed in you both. Go to the hospital wing.
I\'ll mete outr pur punishment later.\" She swept away from them in a flurry of robes.

Harry and Draco sneered at each other. \"This isn\'t over, Potter,\" Draco snarled
before he began the long trek to the infirmary.

\"I hope so, Malfoy!\" Harry called as Hermione and Ron helped him to his feet.

\"What were you two going on about?\" Ron asked as they began walking back to
Hogwarts.

\"Nothing,\" Harry said tightly.

\"You\'re an idiot,\" Hermione reproved.

\"Oh yeah?\" Harry grated out. \"Well, *I*\'m not the only one.\"

\"What\'s going on?\" Ron tried again. \"What are you two not telling me?\"

Harry looked at Hermione who was silently pleading with her eyes and then
turned to Ron with a smug expression. \"Hermione\'s mystery man is Malfoy.\"

Ron grimaced. \"He is?\" He looked Hermione over carefully before turning back
to Harry. \"Is she under a spell or something?\"

\"Not unless you call \'lust\' a spell,\" Harry returned, eyes flashing.

\"Lust?\" Ron said, looking a little green. \"For Malfoy?\"

Hermione was trembling with rage. \"You promised me you wouldn\'t tell!\"

\"That was before I knew you were actually serious about this thing!\" Harry
shouted.

\"What thing?\" Ron queried, mystified by their anger and the hidden messages
they seemed to be sending each other with their eyes.

\"I\'m sure Harry can tell you all about it, Ron,\" Hermione snapped as she headed
back to the school ahead of them. \"That\'s what he\'s good at!\"



********


Madame Pomfrey was pacing in front of the window. She had twenty-seven
injured students and ten beds. Most of them had minor bruises and cuts but a few had
more extensive injuries that needed her attention, including three or four broken bones.
She really wished Madame Hooch had taken more magical precautions to prevent
injuries.

Madame Pomfrey managed to triage all the students. The less serious ones were
sent to the back room. She placed both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in the storage
room since they were also waiting for Madame Hooch. Neither of their injuries were
serious. She stuck her head in to check on them and found Ginny Weasley sitting on
the end of Potter\'s cot.

\"Miss Weasley? Could you patch these two up for me? All you need to do is put
on some that herbal salve.\" She gestured to a large round container. \"And bandage it.\"

\"Of course,\" Ginny said, shooting an uncertain look at Draco Malfoy who
sneered back at her.

Hermione came in just behind Madame Pomfrey.

\"Miss Granger, could you assist Miss Weasley in bandaging them up? \" she
asked..

\"I\'d be happy to,\" Hermione agreed readily.

\"I\'ll just see to the others,\" Madae Pomfrey said before she bustled out of the
room.

\"You can bandage Malfoy,\" Ginny asserted, grateful to be released from her duty
where he was concerned.

The storage room was stacked with various medical supplies both magical and
mystical. There were several wire racks that contained bandages, ointments, and
creams . Other shelves held herbs and spices that could be used to make medicines.
The cots were situated against opposite walls and tucked into the corners.

Hermione smilewn awn at Malfoy. \"Guess you\'re stuck with me.\" She had been
headed straight to her room when she decided that she should probably check on
Draco. Unfortunately, he\'d been put in the same room with Harry.

Draco\'s eyes had brightened up when she came in the room - especially when he
noted that she hadn\'t said a word to Potter. He leaned back on the cot and put his arms
behind his head. \"I\'m all yours, luv.\" His smile was downright sinful.

Harry snorted.

Hermione smiled at the endearment.

\"Did you come to see Harry?\" Ginny asked as she peered around a shelf at her.
She was confused by Hermione\'s behavior.

\"No, I came to see Draco,\" Hermione answered honestly. She didn\'t even look at
Harry. She grabbed up the salve and went back to her \'patient\'.

\"Why would you do that?\" Ginny asked, wrinkling up her nose.

Draco scowled at her.


\"Hermione has a crush on him,\" Harry said, attempting toarraarrass Hermione.

Ginny\'s mouth dropped in shock. *Malfoy* is your crush?\"

\"You told them you had a crush on me, eh?\" Draco crowed, pleased by the news.
\"Except for the part when I didn\'t tell them it was you,\" Hermione answered,
situating herself on the end of the cot.

\"Truth\'s out now, though,\" Draco drawled.

\"What? That you\'re an arrogant prat?\" Harry said, looking at him from his
unblackened eye. \"Because we knew that a long time ago.\"

\"Careful, Scarhead. You\'re almost beginning to sound jealous, what would your
girlfriend think?\" Draco smirked at Ginny.

\"Shut up, *Malfoy*.\" Ginny spat at him. \"Everyone knows their just friends.\"

\"Is that a fact?\" he returned. \"Then, why are we fighting over her and not you?\"

\"I see. The word \'friend\' must have confused you.\" She replied, nastily, trying to
keep a worried look off her face. \"There the people *you* have to pay to hang around
you, and the rest of us just make freely.\"

\"Good thing for you. Don\'t think the Weasley\'s would be able to afford to buy
anymore once they got through all your brothers,\" he sneered. \"Harry alone would
have emptied your bank vault.\"

\"Some of us aren\'t as cheap as others.\" Harry grinned.

\"Expensive *and* annoying. What a deal,\" Draco replied dead-pan.

\"Shut up, Draco,\" Hermione said, without rancor. She\'d never admit it but she
was secretly pleased that he was giving Harry and Ginny such a hard time. Harry
deserved it for revealing her confidence to Ron and Ginny. . .well, she just didn\'t like
her on principle. She stood beside his bed, the open jar of salve in one hand, and the
sticky contents on the other.

Draco reached over, placing his hands on her hips and pulled her closer.
\"Anything you say.\"

\"Didn\'t take you long to train him, Hermione,\" Harry jeered.

\"A gentleman will do anything for the right lady,\" Draco said with a smile,
catching Hermione\'s eye.

She began applying salve on his swollen cheek. \"Ouch, that looks like it hurts.\"

\"Not anymore,\" Draco said, soothed by her tender touch and the gentleness in
her eyes. She wasn\'t like any other girl he\'d ever met.

\"Too bad, I was going to kiss it and make it better,\" Hermione said with a grin.

\"In that case, there\'s a place due south that urgently needs your attention.\"

\"That\'s disgusting, Malfoy!\" Harry shouted.

\"In case you didn\'t notice, Potter, I wasn\'t talking to you!\" Draco returned
before he murmured to Hermione. \"And I was talking about my mouth.\" He leaned
forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. She smiled at him when he pulled back,
completely charmed until he added, \"No wonder you never get the girl you *really*
want, Potter.\"

\"You don\'t know what your talking about, Malfoy!\" Ginny said, nea
tre
trembling with rage. But she noticed that Harry didn\'t bother to deny it.

Hermione nudged Malfoy. \"You promised me you wouldn\'t tell anyone about
Harry,\" she whispered.

\"Yes, I promised I wouldn\'t *say* anything. I\'m just implying. I had no idea
SheWeasel would be smart enough to take the hint.\"

\"You heard her denial, didn\'t you?\" Hermione said.

\"What are you two whispering about?\" Harry called, craning around Ginny to
see them.

\"Why don\'t you worry a little bit less about them and a little more about me?\"
Ginny screeched, standing up and smacking him with the medical supplies. \"Bandage
yourself up, Potter. Or better yet. . .ask Hermione to do it!\"

Harry was immediately remorseful. \"Ginny, please don\'t-\"

But she was already headed to the door and she wasn\'t looking back.

Harry spared Hermione and Draco a glance before he bounded after her.

Draco sighed. \"Alone at last.\" He had a self-satisfied smile on his face. He\'d
managed to shake Scarhead up and, with any luck, he\'d be so busy making up with his
girlfriend he wouldn\'t have time for Hermione.

\"You\'re evil,\" Hermione said, quite seriously. And why didn\'t she seem to
mind?

\"What do you expect? I\'m a Slytherin.\"

\"I should be angry with you,\" Hermione tried to look upset but failed miserably.
\"I think you corrupted me.\"

\"Not all of you,\" Draco said, his eyes hot.

Hermione ducked her head. \"Not yet anyway.\"

\"I think we should take another tour of the third floor. What about you?\"

Hermione smiled. \"I\'m free tonight.\"

***********


Ginny Malfoy shook out Harry\'s robes looking for the dream bead. She\'d gone
straight to his rooms because that was the last place he\'d look for her. \"Ah ha!\" she
crowed as she found it. She snapped it into the dream catcher and threw herself on
Harry\'s bed. Ginny was desperate to know what Harry really felt about Hermione and
this was the only way she could think of to discover his true feelings. Ginny closed her
eyes and murmured a sleep charm she\'d learned from Professor Flitwick.

A/N: Please excuse me for not updating! I\'ve been a bit busy lately with another fic
and life too. I\'m aiming for a chapter every week or at least every two! Sorry for the
delay, please forgive me.


Acknowledgments:

auzora- Thanks! Here\'s more angst.

chibo- I love that descriptor for Draco - elegantly evil! Thanks.

Jenn- Thanks!

Shadow- sorry about the cliffies! I love \'em.

DreamingOne- I think I\'d take them both but, yeah, Draco is a hottie, huh?

HPfreak18 - I will do both endings. Although, right now it looks like its going more in
Draco\'s favor.

Steph- Thanks

Sarah -I really appreciate it! Thanks.

yam- Thanks. We\'ll see.

deedee - a little bit but not quite. But Harry is kind of a boy slut, huh?

Observer-We\'ll have to wait and see.

gin-thanks!

Sunnyday- don\'t worry, she will!

Indir- Sorry I forgot the knees! Those are important!

EvilOrangeCrayon- Yes, I think the five fold kiss is beautiful too. And, yes, its hard to
choose between Malfoy and Harry.

KarenaElizabeth- I think she should get both of them. I want both - it\'s only fair, right?
LOL. Thanks for reading. And, yes, like Draco. . .I\'m evil. Bwwwaahhha!