Anmarie Island

Hermione flushed at his questions, wondering where to begin. "I was running through the rain and I guess I thought this was Harry's hut by mistake," she began.

"His hut is very distinguishable, my dear," Draco scoffed. "It's the one with the huge halo hovering over it."

The condescending "my dear" sent chills down Hermione's spine.

Rolling his gray eyes, Draco pushed her story forward with, "Go on."

Hermione debated as to if she should continue or just run away, but realized that she probably wouldn't get very far and thus decided to just finish her story. "I ran over here because lightning struck a tree--the clabbert's tree--by my hut and fell over. It ruined my common room and the second bedroom and I was really terrified." Remembering the events made her shaky, but Hermione suddenly thought of Draco's mention of Harry and grew frustrated with him. "Maybe I would have thought to look for that halo if I wasn't scared to death, Malfoy," she spat at him.

It was Draco's turn to experience chills now. He didn't like the way she referred to him by his last name. "I apologize," he said reluctantly. "This has nothing to do with Potter." Then his fierce eyes grew concerned as he contemplated the rest of her story. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I'm fine," Hermione sighed.

"Are you sure?" Draco's voice sounded almost tender.

"Yes, really. I'm just a little shaken. I'm sorry that I woke you at such an hour."

Draco shook his head. "I don't care that you woke me, but I am curious as to why you screamed for your life when you saw me and oh-so-lovingly referred to me as a 'bastard.'" He raised an eyebrow in curiosity, his anger subsiding at knowing Hermione was safe.

"I thought you were someone else," she answered quickly as she stood up.

"Who did you think I was?" Draco asked inquisitively, wondering who on Earth besides Voldemort could provoke such violent fear from Hermione Granger.

She handed Draco back his soft green towel and answered with, "Just forget about it. You're not him, so it's okay."

She attempted to walk away, to avoid confrontation, but Draco seized her arm and pulled her back to face him. "Who was it?" he asked impatiently.

Hermione hesitated, wondering if she should really answer him. She didn't know how he would react and feared the ferocity that mentioning Lucius's name could cause. "Draco," she began with a consenting sigh, "I thought you were your father. My eyes were blurry and I was having trouble adjusting to the light so..."

"Lucius?" the storm clouds began to reform in Draco's eyes.

Hermione studied his features carefully. He had grown stone cold and a look of pure hatred crept over his face; a perfect replica of the old Malfoy she knew. "Yes, Lucius," she responded plainly.

"Lucius terrifies you that much?" Draco asked.

Hermione did not want to admit to anything causing her fear, but she nodded slowly at Draco's question.

"Hermione," Draco started, anger shaking his voice, "I--I'm sorry. I'm sorry that he's so evil and I'm sorry for what you experienced tonight. Inside I am not Lucius. You do realize that right? Because..."

"Of course I realize that," she blurted out.

Neither spoke for a long moment. Draco opened his mouth, and stepping forward, softly spoke her name. "Hermione?"

"Yes?" she answered a bit too eagerly, also stepping forward.

"I--what the hell?" he exclaimed. He had just felt something brush against his leg. He looked down and peered into the face of the clabbert, who made a noise like a purring cat. "You brought that thing here?"

"Draco, its tree was destroyed. It was terrified. I couldn't have left it if I wanted to," Hermione explained.

"Okay, fine. I'll put up with it, I guess. Just try to keep it out of my site while you're here. That thing gives me the creeps," he shuddered involuntarily.

"While I'm here? You mean I can stay tonight?"

"What did you think, I was going to turn you out in the storm? I would never do that, Hermione," Draco said honestly.

Hermione surveyed his face. She decided he was telling the truth. She took a cautious step forward, her eyes never leaving his. Draco started forward, but stopped abruptly, his face distorting into a nasty smirk.

"What?" she asked defensively.

"Oh nothing," he said offhandedly. "It's obvious that you've been shopping in Weasly's closet."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, stepping backward.

He gestured to the glaring orange t-shirt she was wearing, which was emblazoned with the Chudley Cannons logo.

Hermione glanced down. "Oh, this?" she asked. "Yeah, I borrowed it from Ron over the summer and forgot to give it back. How did you know it was his?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Draco scoffed. "Apart from the fact that the Cannons are his favorite quidditch team, there are more holes in it than in Longbottom's cauldron. Not that I mind, of course," he said suggestively.

Hermione blushed, her pale cheeks reddening to a deep scarlet. "For your information," she began hotly, "the Weasleys' spirit is worth more than anything your precious daddy could ever buy you. Ron is ten times the..."

She was suddenly cut off by Draco's mouth on hers. She raised her hand in a half-hearted attempt to push him away, but he caught it with his own. She struggled for only a few moments before giving in and submitting herself to the kiss. This is...nice, she thought. Draco was taken aback as Hermione pulled him close and wrapped an arm around his neck. He dropped her hand and pulled her toward him in a tight embrace.

The storm raging outside was nothing compared to the one raging inside. Each second brought depth to their kiss. Hermione had temporarily pushed aside anything hurtful the Slytherin had ever said and he was ignoring all the annoyances she had ever caused him. They were only aware of the situation at hand and how right it felt. Hermione swam in Draco's warmth and he calmly breathed in her sweet scent.

Hermione felt as though she had been kissing Draco for hours when he finally pulled away, breathing heavily. Reality struck as soon as they were no longer interlocked.

Draco's eyes shot to the floor. Hermione fidgeted nervously, unsure of what to do or say next.

"Um," Draco began, absentmindedly scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry, I..."

Hermione placed a finger over his lips and shook her head. "Don't apologize. I knew what I was doing too."

Draco nodded as she withdrew her finger. "Well," he tried to speak again. "What, I mean, where do we, you know, go from here?"

She had never seen him so nervous. He looked like a confused little boy, which made her smile. "I don't know."

His lips curled into a slight smile too, but he became serious quickly. "You know we can't tell anyone about this, right? I mean if my father..."

"I know," Hermione sighed. "No one has to know, don't worry. And it won't happen again."

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

Shrugging, Hermione answered, "I just figured it was something you wouldn't want to repeat. Awkward, you know. It was a spur of the moment thing."

"Oh," he responded. "Yeah, you're right." Deep down a voice inside him was yelling, "No, you're wrong!"

Hermione's mind, despite her calm demeanor, was racing too. "Please disagree with me," had been her secret thought.

A yawn suddenly escaped her lips. "Maybe we should get to sleep," she said with disappointment.

Draco nodded and told her to make herself at home in the second bedroom.

As she turned around and began to walk away, Draco was compelled to stop her; to tell her that he was lying and that he wanted her. "Hermione," he called.

She spun around quickly. "Yes?" Hope plagued her voice. She wanted to run back to him and hold him again.

He froze on the spot, his heart thudding painfully against his chest. "Never mind," he shook his head. "I forgot what I was going to say."

"Are you sure?" she asked, giving him one more chance to say what they were both thinking.

He nodded solemnly and turned toward his own bed, leaving Hermione standing there expectantly. She sighed heavily before begrudgingly heading to her bed. Life was so unfair.