Reflections Of Sensuality

"Do you hear something?" asked Draco as they held candles to lead them through the forbidden forest. It was eerily dark, and seemed to give off an almost palpable tension. The trees whispered among themselves, and Hermione, acting rather strange, moved herself closer to Draco, under the guise of being scared. This was destroyed by her next words.

"No."

Draco looked at her intently. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I think you should be the one to know," said Hermione nervously, nibbling at her lip. She cheeks were flushed pink in the dim light, and Draco decided she looked quite stunning with her red lips and pretty blue eyes.

"Know what?"

"I kissed Harry." She blurted it out, wincing at her tactlessness.

There was such a long pause that Draco felt he couldn't breathe. She'd kissed Harry? He thought he'd feel like nothing, but it felt bad. He felt hurt. His heart sank.

"Oh?" he managed to choke out.

"Yeah. Draco, I know you don't think we're a couple or anything because only two people know about us kissing and everything but-"

Her voice was stopped when Draco kissed her. This time, Draco had planned it. Her lips were soft and warm, probably heated by the firelight of the dim candles. His hand clutched the back of her neck, smoothing the skin lightly. He felt her shiver underneath him. He didn't want to pull away; the hand wandered over to the back of her robes, and he let himself in, touching her bare skin.

Hermione released a strangled moan from her throat, dropping the candle in the dry dust. It landed with a thump, the fire going out and leaving more darkness. Draco's candle imitated the process, the darkness was now floating around, no more light to expose them.

"Mmm," she whispered as he trailed his lips across the sweet flesh of her neck. She squirmed a bit, trying to pull away from his tight embrace; they needed to control themselves, especially during detention!

"God," Draco murmered under his breath, trying to steady his hands as he rolled the robes off her shoulders. Hermione pulled back slightly, and turned around in mere fear.

Draco watched as she put her robes back on, and buttoned them slowly. Slowly turning around, she blinked at him. He pulled her back in his arms, and leaned in so their lips brushed against each other's once more.

But he regretted as he let go and blurted out, "Just a goodbye kiss."

"What?" she asked him, looking back at him blankly.

"Just a goodbye kiss, nothing meant. I mean, now that you and Harry are going together."

Hermione started to say something but nodded. "Alright," she said lightheartedly before they continued their journey through the forest.

He'd kissed her. Twice.

Oh lord, she thought. What is with kissing anyway? When she had kissed Harry, she felt love and care even though it was on the nose, but with Draco, it felt like heat and desire. She didn't feel uncomfortable with Draco, but with Harry, it was normal, like kissing him was a friendly and loving gesture.

She was about to tell him something she had never told a guy before, but he'd pulled away and looked at her sternly. "Just a goodbye kiss." He'd said, and her had heart sunk.

"What?" she asked, hoping what he said didn't mean anything. Hoping he was just rambling.

"Just a goodbye kiss, nothing meant. I mean, now that you and Harry are going together."

She was about to tell him she and Harry weren't going out, but she felt so much pain and sorrow that Draco thought their relationship meant nothing that she just nodded. "Alright," she agreed, continuing their punishment.

Why the hell had he said that? He thought to himself in the morning, as he woke up with the memory in his head. Why had he said it was just a goodbye kiss, gesturing that she meant nothing more than a lust partner to him? Draco shook his head in disgust. Why was he so stupid?

Maybe he didn't exactly love her, but he did like her a lot, and now he'd made a fool of himself, and Hermione had dismissed it like it was nothing, that she was thinking the same thing herself.

But was she? Things were so confusing now. How could Hermione kiss Harry?

Draco felt a tinge of anger through his veins. The thought of Hermione's lips touching anything that did not belong to him was infuriating.

He put a pillow over his face, refusing to get up.

He had hurt himself more than he hurt her.

What was she doing here? Sitting on Harry's bed, waiting for him to return back from class, waiting to talk to him. Why was she doing this? To get revenge on Draco? Or did she really like Harry?

What was she doing? How could Draco reject her so badly?

The door to the boy's dormitory opened and Harry entered, looking a little tired. His black hair was rumpled more than usual, as if he'd been running his hands through it. His robes were crushed from a long day of school, and his whole manner seemed rather downcast.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" he asked her with a blank look, obviously having no clue why she was there.

What am I doing here? She thought to herself. What is this going to prove?

Sure, Draco had been rude to her, but he made her think about him every single morning and night while her studies didn't occupy her. Or when they did. And that was saying something.

"I er- well yeah," said Hermione, speaking gibberish.

"What?" Harry asked. His voice was tired, but held some sort of unknown hope.

"I didn't purposely kiss you!" she exclaimed, loud enough to be heard.

"Oh?" he asked, disappointment in his voice.

"Let me finish."

There was a long pause.

"No, wait, I am finished." Hermione blushed.

Harry managed a chuckle.

"Okay." He lay on the bed.

"I- I am sorry," she muttered.

"I know," came the whispered reply. "Go."

"You're very polite, Harry," said Hermione rolling her eyes.

"No, I mean go to him." Harry clarified rather mournfully, his eyes eating her up even as he allowed her to leave.

"What?"

She clearly didn't understand. "Go. He won't let you leave him. He wouldn't make that mistake."

"Harry, are you actually talking about Draco Malfoy?" asked Hermione, her voice shocked. Her hair fall down over her shoulder, and her eyes reflected great surprise that Harry would even acknowledge Draco.

"He may be an idiot, but he's not stupid," said Harry, surprising her even more.

Hermione bit her lip, glancing at him warily, uncertain. "You sure?"

"Nobody would give up the chance."

"I hope you're right," she said, looking at Harry. She kissed him on the cheek. A friendly gesture only, Harry knew. "Thank you," she croaked, eyes filling up with tears, before leaving the room.

She was right there, in front of him. "I-I don't know why I am here," she said, her voice seeming to break down. She didn't speak to him, instead directed her comment to the floor.

"Thats okay," he said, waiting for her to speak. He didn't touch her. He wouldn't, he thought. Not yet.

"I-I-well. I hate loving you," said Hermione very quickly. For some reason that embarrassed her, and she blushed, her sweet strawberries and cream complexion becoming even more noticeable.

"I do too," said Draco, grinning. It would be okay. He could see that now.

"But I used to love hating you," said Hermione. Stupid thing to say, but cute, thought Draco to himself.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" asked Draco, losing his patience quite quickly.

"I don't know, okay!" Hermione snapped, then blushed again, her eyes refusing to look into Draco's. He smiled.

"No need to get all bitchy," he retorted, grinning. Hermione sighed.

"Look, I need to figure some things out," she said, before leaving his room.

Take your time, he thought. I can wait.

She was woken the next morning by Harry and Ron their faces looming over her bed. Naturally, she almost screamed, until she realized who it was. Relief rushed through her, but halted when she saw their faces. " 'Mione!" Harry cried, hugging her. Ron looked at them with a puzzled expression.

"Isn't this supposed to be good news?" he asked. Harry only shook his head.

"What? What happened?" Panic started to throb inside her.

"Malfoy-"

"Malfoy what?" she shrieked hysterically, wishing they'd just tell her.

"Malfoy was taken by his father. Dumbledore's just told us. They say his father found out he had this relationship with some girl and rumor has it he got the dark mark..." said Ron, gleefully. Hermione didn't wait to hear anymore. She jumped out of bed and hurried into the Slytherin common room, where everyone was crowding around Pansy, who was sobbing like a fishmongers wife.

She looked around and saw Draco's bed; empty. All of a sudden, Hermione felt empty inside, all her memories smashed up so badly she couldn't even feel her body. She felt herself go numb, go into pieces.

"Hermione!" Ron called as Hermione's legs gave away.

She didn't answer.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she lay with her eyes closed, and her mouth opened slightly, as if taking her last breath. She vaguely felt someone pick her up and put her into a bed. She only wished it was Draco.

One minute he was sleeping, when he was woken up by his father.

"Father? What are you doing here?" he asked.

His father's cold voice was barely a whisper. "How dare you kiss such low standards of what you call a muggle girl!" The threat in his voice was obvious.

"How-"

"How did I know? I have my ways, Draco. We had such good plans for you, Draco. Such good plans!" his voice was so cold and he had murder in his eyes, and Draco felt himself recoil in fear.

"Well, we may have to start a little more early." said his father.

"But-"

"No protests. Come along, this will hurt." said his father and before Draco knew it, something was drilling its way into his skin, and blood was leaking out. He whimpered. When it was finally over, his father led him out of Hogwarts. It was dark, but he knew just what had been carved into his arm.

He only wished Pansy had woken up and decided to bother him for once.

1 MONTH LATER
*************

It was nearly the end of 6th year when Hermione Granger was walking through the halls with her two friends when commotion around the whole school followed.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she heard the word, Draco and Malfoy from the rushing students that passed her. She looked around and saw a crowd forming but suddenly. The crowd parted and she saw him.

His arm was missing skin; it appeared as if he'd been trying to take something out of his arm. But his hair was the same, his face was the same. His eyes were now drilled into something different; as if he was old.

He walked toward her; ignoring the scared protests of the other students.

"I don't know why I am here," he told her, smiling. The faint recalling of his voice made her quiver slightly.

Hermione's eyes glistened with tears, and she was shaking vigorously, biting her lip.

"What are you doing here?"

She noticed everyone staring at them; focused at what they both had to say to each other.

"I wouldn't miss this chance for the world, Granger," he said, and she was startled to see his eyes with tears too.

"Shut up," she said.

"Make me," Draco answered, a smirk washing over his face languidly.

And she did.