From Dreams to Reality

Chapter 11______________________________________________________________

Hermione couldn't understand why, but over the next couple of days, she began to regret the kiss she and Draco had shared. Not that she hadn't enjoyed it - Hell, it had been one of the best kisses she'd ever experienced, it was just that Draco had seemed distant about it ever since. Hermione didn't know why, but he acted as though none of it had ever happened. He acted cold towards her and even refused to go with her to see Dumbledore.

So right now, Hermione was heading down a deserted corridor towards Dumbledore's office alone, her thoughts of Draco and his odd behaviour becoming confused inside her mind. She was going to see Dumbledore mainly to tell him what had happened the other night by the lake (the murder attempt part, anyway). She also wanted to talk to him about her dreams.

Coming to a stop in front of a rather ugly stone gargoyle, she looked around to make sure no one was around. "Sugar Quill," she said firmly. The gargoyle sprung to life and hopped to the side as the wall behind it parted in two. She headed through the entrance and headed up the revolving spiral staircase, hearing the entrance scrap back into it's closed position. She stopped at the large oak doors of Dumbledore's office and knocked.

She only needed to wait a moment before the door opened to reveal Dumbledore, with his long, sliver-white beard and hair. Behind him (and Hermione's heart gave a very odd skip as she noticed him) was Harry, sitting at Dumbledore's large desk and staring at Hermione with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hello, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said kindly. "Why don't you come in and make yourself comfortable? Harry and I were just having a friendly chat about a particular dream he had last night involving Voldemort..."

"Er..." Hermione felt awkward. "Er, I came here to talk to you about something that happened the other night by the lake."

"Ah, Miss Granger, I already know about Lucius Malfoy's attempt of murder on his son," Dumbledore said as he turned and walked back to his desk.

"You do?" Hermione asked, bewildered. "How?"

"I have my sources," was Dumbledore's reply, as his eyes twinkled merrily. He looked at her closely. "Am I right in believing that you're here to talk to me about something else, as well, Miss Granger? Are you still having visions?"

Hermione looked from the aged Headmaster to Harry, who continued to stare at her with that same unreadable expression. "Yes, sir," she answered. "That's how I knew that Mr. Malfoy was going to kill Draco."

The Headmaster nodded. "The power of natural clairvoyance is very unique," he said in a calm voice. "You, someone with hardly any Divination experience -" Hermione saw a small smile come to Harry's lips at this. "- Are able to see things through dreams, and the power will continue to grow. After a while, you will be able to see the future merely by looking at something. It is different from crystal gazing, as it is not something you can learn through a mere class like Divination. It is a gift."

Hermione stared at the Headmaster and nodded. She looked sideways at Harry, who looked slightly surprised.

"Was there anything else you wished to talk to me about, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked with a smile as his blue eyes still twinkled.

Hermione bit her lip. "What do I do after I have one of these visions? I mean, what if I see Draco being killed by his father again, like I did the other night? I hardly had any time..."

"I shall work something out, as you can very well give good sources of information in one way or another." Dumbledore looked down at her carefully and she understood. She could help them with information about Voldemort, like whom he wished to kill next... "Well, if neither of you have anything more to say, I have to get back to writing this letter to Cornelius..."

Both Harry and Hermione stood up and turned around to leave. They exited out of the office, back down the staircase and out into the corridor together, until Harry pulled out his arm to make Hermione stop.

Hermione looked at him quizzically, though she was curious as to what he had to say.

"You're with him, aren't you?" he asked. Hermione frowned, not knowing what he meant. Harry chose to elaborate a bit. "You're going out with bloody Malfoy, aren't you?" Just asking the question hurt him greatly.

"Going out with Malfoy?" Hermione repeated. "Harry, I am not going out with Draco. We've - we've only kissed."

"You've only kissed?" Harry asked, looking deep into her eyes to make sure she wasn't lying.

Hermione thought a moment and nodded slowly. "I thought that maybe something was coming between us for a simple day or so, but then... I don't know..."

"He turned cold?" Harry guessed.

Hermione looked down at her feet and nodded. "The other night, I saved his life and we -" She looked Harry firmly in the eye. "- We kissed and I really thought that maybe he had changed, that maybe he really did like me and it had all been an act earlier, but... Once her was in the infirmary, he acted as though nothing had ever happened and acted really cold... It's all so confusing!"

Harry stared at Hermione's troubled face for a short moment before leaning forward, his lips brushed over hers and he looked at her to see a reaction, only to see her eyes closed. "Hermione?" he said, as her eyes slowly opened. "How much do you like Malfoy?"

Hermione stared up at Harry, feeling her heart beating frantically within her chest. She didn't know the answer to his question. She knew she liked Draco quite a lot, but after that quick little kiss from Harry, she knew Draco wasn't the only one that she liked. Looking up into Harry's bright green eyes, she searched her mind for some sort of response, but nothing came to her. She stayed silent.

"Hermione?" Harry asked after a minute or so. He looked at her questionably. Why wasn't she answering his question? It honestly couldn't be that hard ... could it...?"

Hermione continued to just look up at Harry as she searched for an answer to his question. How much did she like Draco...? "I don't know, Harry!" she exclaimed finally. She stared up at him and smiled slightly as she absently traced a finger along her tingling lips. She liked Harry, she knew it and at the moment, Draco was hardly even on her mind. Sure, she liked Draco, but at this very moment, in this very corridor, she wasn't sure if it was even possible to like him more than she did Harry.

Before even going over this idea in her mind, her lips were on Harry's, kissing him with a passion, an intensity more powerful than the kiss she had shared with Draco. It was fiery, sweet and meaningful all in one ... and yet, something just wasn't right. Something within Hermione said that this was wrong; that what she was doing was not smart. And then, her mind suddenly swam from one image to another.

First she saw herself, dressed in a summer nightgown, outside her house, in front of Draco as he fought to keep his balance and consciousness with his face bruised and bloody. Then, their brief kisses in Potions and the library, and then the one by the lake. Hermione's heartbeat grew harder and harder within her chest, as an odd sensation spread through her body and yet she continued to kiss Harry. She began to feel dizzy as a new image engulfed her mind, this time one unfamiliar to her knowing self.

Hermione lay sprawled on a bed she slowly recognised as Draco's, wearing only a pale blue skirt and lacy white bra. Draco soon came into the scene, looking down at Hermione's beautiful, yet petite body with both nervousness and want as he unbuttoned his shirt and discarded it to the ground. He carefully situated his body next to hers and placed a soft kiss on her already swollen lips.

This very image continued to swirl around Hermione's mind as the rest of her fell into unconsciousness, limply crumbling in Harry's arms as he looked down at her in both fear and surprise.

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Author Notes: Just so you know, the whole "Hermione's head filling with images of her and Draco" thing was a vision (so the whole D/Hr on the bed will probably happen in a future chapter!!!) Hermione's power is getting stronger. This will all be explained in great extent in a few chapters time!!!

I hope you enjoyed!!! Please review!!!

I'd like to thank my beta-readers Samantha and stephanie for their wonderful help, as well as Orla-Destiny, my very close friend, who is kind enough to take up a little bit of her internet access time and put up my review forums for me!!! She also introduced me to the D/Hr fic with her brilliant fic When Enemies Interact - read it if you haven't already!!!

Next chapter: Hermione sees a little more of her vision, Draco gives her some shocking news and they go off to see Dumbledore ... together! Stay tuned!!!

> Fiery Punk Princess <