Love and Hate Collide

Rushing through the bustling hallways of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Trio was lost in conversation. Hermione smiled as Ron was talking about Malfoy's mix up in Transfiguration that day. He had turned his quill into a pig ... somehow, instead of a bird. It was all quite hilarious at the time. Harry made a crack about how it would have been bettered suited had it turned into a ferret instead. It was all Hermione needed to snort with laughter and lose balance. She tripped as she chuckled and bumped into someone passing through on the other side of the hallway.

He knew they were talking about him, the whole bloody school was! Malfoy was so angry with them, that only when Granger ran into him, he realized he was in the wrong side of the school. He had been so distracted with his thoughts, until Granger ran into him.

Her eyes caught his and for only a moment, she was lost in them. She knew she shouldn't keep his gaze too much longer, or Harry and Ron might become suspicious.

Her eyes were a honey colour that he had never noticed before. It's the mud in her blood, Malfoy. There's nothing special about her. He had always been able to convince himself of this, for ages now. But now, it just didn't seem to work. He didn't hate her as he had always played off as he did. Actually, it was quite the opposite, and he knew that she would never feel the same. And he was okay with it.

It was no secret to Hogwarts that Hermione Granger absolutely despised Draco Malfoy. And who wouldn't? His arrogance could astonish you. His prejudice was enough to drive someone insane. Then the fact that he was so dashing, mysterious and such a gentleman to some people completely drove them off the edge. He was so seemingly perfect on the outside, and so cold on the inside.

You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind
Instead of slamming down the phone girl, for the hundredth time
I got your number on my wall, but I ain't gonna make that call
When divided we stand baby, united we fall

That night, Hermione found herself in the library. Alone. The way she liked it. Even Madame Pince wasn't around. She had left for a staff meeting and told Hermione to lock up for the night, as she often had. The silence was heavy, but comforting. Hermione found salvation in solitude.

The silence was broken when a swish black robes entered the library door, only thirty minutes until closing time. Malfoy. Hermione's body tensed. She hated to be alone him. She didn't trust him at all.

Hermione inwardly groaned when he looked her direction and brought a book from the section on Transfiguration over and sat down beside her. He studied her face and Hermione dodged his eyes nervously. Why didn't I let Ron or Harry join me, as they asked? Why do I have to be so stubborn? Now I'm stuck here--alone--with Malfoy. Why was it always her?

Hermione let her eyes graze over his book. She smirked and bit back a laugh. Transfiguration Troubles and How to Fix Them by Wendy V. Rockwell. Hermione briefly wondered what the "V" in the author's name stood for and brushed it off. She remembered the situation she was in, stuck in the library with Malfoy. Hermione knew she couldn't close the library thirty minutes early; Madame Pince would throw a fit.

So she stayed. Reluctantly.

Maybe it was just Hermione, but was Malfoy still watching her? Shouldn't he have been studying? Her eyes rose, and to her surprise, his eyes were still on her. Why does she have to be so beautiful? He wondered and realized she was watching him too. He briefly wondered how her lips tasted and cursed himself silently. She's a mudblood. Father would have my head. She's forbidden. But forbidden things were always the best things...

Got the time got a chance gonna make it
Got my hands on your heart gonna take it
All I know I can't fight this flame
You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind
Cause I'm crazy 'bout you baby, time after time

Hermione didn't look away. She found herself becoming more interested in him. Given, she still hated him, but she was curious as to what he was thinking of, why he was watching her, why he was here... Absent-mindedly he licked his lips when his eyes grazed over her own.

"Malfoy, What-" She was interrupted by a disillusioned Malfoy, brushing his lips against hers. At first, she was tempted to pull away, it was so wrong. This was wrong; she didn't love him. Hell, she didn't even like him. But it felt right.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Draco was slightly surprised by Hermione's reaction, her lack of being repulsed. Hermione deepened the kiss, causing him to moan. They were only broken apart when they heard the door of the library open and the creak of the floors as footsteps entered a few paces only to stop. Hermione knew then, she was caught.

Without you
one night alone

Is like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone
without you
can't stop the hurt inside
when love and hate collide

Harry and Ron stood at the library door, finally having decided to check up on Hermione after Ron beat Harry at seven games of Wizard's Chess. Wondering what was taking her so long to join them, they walked down to the library.

Ron's face contorted with anger and Harry had to hold him back, in utter shock at the scene that was playing before him. Hermione was kissing Malfoy. Harry tried to rationalize this in his mind, but nothing seemed to fit. Malfoy couldn't be forcing her into this because ... she would have hexed him. She couldn't be under the Imperious Curse, because Dumbledore had enchanted the castle so that it repelled the Unforgivable Curses.

Then why was this happening?

And why was she bloody acting like she was enjoying this?

Harry glanced at Ron wearily. Ron's heart was breaking at this instance and he knew it. Everyone knew that Ron had always loved Hermione. Except for Hermione, herself. This isn't supposed to happen! Ron thought to himself. Harry himself said that Hermione and I would end up together. Yes, I know that this is our seventh year and I haven't tried anything yet, but Hermione can't be in love with Malfoy! He tried to pray that this would end soon.

When the two broke, the two-thirds of the trio saw Hermione's face fall into realization of what had just happened and what was soon to happen. She gave Draco a confused glance then felt her heart fall. Ron and Harry were standing at the doorway of the library.

The worst feeling in the world washed over her. Her heart broke in half and sunk to the deepest pits of her stomach when the two just turned and walked away without a word or a hint of emotion. They weren't going to question what has going on. They weren't going to demand an explanation.

All of these years of wishing and hoping the two would lighten up a little actually came true. And she hated it.

I don't wanna fight no more, I don't know what we're fighting for
When we treat each other baby, like an act of war
I could tell a million lies and it would come as no surprise
When the truth is like a stranger, hits you right between the eyes

"I--" Malfoy began. Hermione watched as he nervously bit his lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I wasn't thinking. I don't know what I was thinking..." Hermione had never expected in her whole life to hear him--Draco Malfoy, of all people--apologize to anyone for anything, let alone to a mudblood. It was far from comforting now. A rambling Malfoy was not a sight to be seen.

"What happened?" Was all that Hermione could spit out?

"Okay, Granger, I know you don't care about me and, to put it quite simply, I know you hate me." He paused only to see a look of mild agreement pass over her face. "And I have always hated you. But..." Hermione's eyes widened. There's a 'but'? "This is going to sound crazy... I think I'm falling in love with you." Hermione almost laughed.

"What." She quirked up one eyebrow with this statement of disbelief. This can't be happening. He's lying. We hate each other. It's just the stress from the end of the year, that's all. It's a temporary loss of sanity. There is no way that he can love me.... Hermione took a deep breath. "You are kidding, right Malfoy?" Only when Draco shook his head and let out a defeated sigh of 'no' did she take him seriously.

Hermione unconsciously swallowed a lump in her throat. "Well... err... I..." Hermione glanced at the clock. Damn, she thought, there's still ten minutes until closing. "I really should start cleaning up, Madame Pince wants me to close up for her." Hermione jumped up and started to pretend to clean up. Picking up a few scattered books from tables on the opposite side of the library from him, she wondered if he had left yet.

Hermione's eyes scanned the room for the clock. When she found it, it read one minute until closing. She quickly put the books that she had in her hands in their rightful places and hurried to the front of the library. She was in the process of locking the doors when she saw a shadow move from the corner of her eye.

"Hermione, I know I shouldn't have done that, it was incredibly stupid..." Malfoy started, stepping from the shadows, startling Hermione. Hermione closed her eyes and prayed he would just go away. Leave, just leave, Draco... She demanded over and over again in her mind before realizing that she didn't really want him to leave. She hated herself even more. "I... I..." Draco started once more, stumbling over his words. He had never felt so much like a floundering fish; thank the gods that none of Slytherin could see him now.

"Listen, Malfoy, I honestly don't know what just happened. I need to think about it. Are you sure that you-you know-sort of like me?" Malfoy's heart sunk. She couldn't even bear to say that he loved her. Hermione saw the fall on his face, and she knew he hadn't been lying. "What I'm trying to say is, are you sure it's not just the stress that's coming with the ending of the year?"

"I'm positive." Her eyes fell to the floor and she nodded.

"I, er, I'll see you tomorrow--in Potions. What an awful potion we have assigned, huh, Malfoy?" Hermione felt guilty for not trying to comfort him, but for all she knew, this was a hoax. After all, Slytherins and Gryffindors never fell in love with each other... never.

There's a time and a place and a reason
and I know I got a love to believe in
all I know got to win this time

The next morning, Draco looked as if he had simply fallen out of bed and worn the same clothes as he had the night before. And he had. He wasn't going to attempt to fix himself up. As soon as he found himself in the common room, Pansy Parkinson basically attacked him. He wasn't in the mood for her and her lack of modesty. She threw herself up against him and started purring in his ear. "Go away, Pansy." He barked and shoved her across the room. She looked a little ruffled up and whispered something to herself about playing hard to get. He rolled his eyes and quickly left the common room.

Breakfast took its precious time ending that morning. Shifting nervously, Hermione fidgeted with the food on her plate. She wasn't hungry. She was nervous. She couldn't eat. It was impossible for her to eat now. There was a feeling deep in the pit of her stomach that wasn't quite hunger but she knew it was insatiable. Hermione hadn't been able to get Draco off of her mind all night.

Harry and Ron watched as Malfoy's eyes would cautiously drift over to the Gryffindor table every so often, every time Hermione would have her back turned seconds before their eyes met. There had to be something done. There was no way that these two could have any sort of relationship with each other and the Trio still remain as one.

Hermione left breakfast early. She prayed Draco wouldn't follow her. She just needed to think, and it was quite impossible when you were stuck in a hall full of jabbering teenagers. And when your thoughts kept straying from the current conversations to a certain grey-eyed someone...

Draco obviously hadn't noticed that she had left the Great Hall because of him, because only seconds after Hermione left the room, Draco stood up and told his fellow Slytherins that he had wanted to get to Potions early, and not to worry; that their precious Slytherin Prince would be fine alone. Though he hoped he wouldn't be alone.

Draco found his lips contorting into a sort of a smile when he found Hermione. His eyes strayed to her lips then her hair when she brushed a stray hair from her eyes as she studied in the dungeon. "Morning, Granger." He said without the slightest hint of emotion. Hermione's skin crawled. She hated people shutting her out from their emotions. "Listen, Hermione..." His tone of voice changed as he sat down beside her.

"I'm listening..." She replied in a monotonous voice. Praying she didn't reveal that she was truly eager to hear him speak.

"If I offended you in anyway last night, I am truly sorry. I just felt like I had to do it. I know that you already hate me, so if your feelings were greatened any by last night's events, I apologize." Hermione drawled in a sharp breath.

"I don't know how I feel about last night." She replied plainly. "I feel a little guilty for the fact that my two best friends witnessed the kiss, but, I couldn't help by think about it all of last night and...." Hermione trailed off as Harry and Ron stormed in the room.

Without you
one night alone

Is like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone
without you
can't stop the hurt inside
when love and hate collide

Draco and Hermione both released exasperated sighs when the remaining two-thirds of the Trio entered the dungeon. "You're early." Hermione groaned inwardly as Harry gave them an accusing look. Don't do this, don't do this, please, don't do this now! Hermione pleaded with him in her mind. "Well, I don't think I should like to know what is happening or what has happened. Hermione, we expected better of you." For a moment Hermione's mind was comparing his tone of voice and choice of words to her mothers. What a sad thought.

Ron's knuckles cracked and Harry nudged him slightly. Hermione caught the movement in the corner of her eyes. She swiftly stood up. "Ron! Harry! Don't do anything irrational." She ordered them.

Harry snorted with laughter. "Irrational? You? Telling us what's irrational? Dear gods, what has this come to? First, you lie to us and tell us that you're going to the library to study, completely lying to us, and then we find you snogging a Malfoy. Tell us that that isn't irrational, Hermione!" Hermione watched in fear, as Harry's face turned from it's normal tan self to a contorted burgundy. Ron looked equally as fearsome.

"Harry, Ron! Honestly! You aren't even giving us a chance to explain!" The classroom had started to fill up. Students walked in the class in sparse groups of two or three students.

"Snogging calls for no explanation, 'Mione!" Ron shouted. Draco swiftly stood up so he could rival the two. He was about an inch or two taller than Harry, but almost three inches shorter than Ron who was a towering 6'5". Hermione groaned. She knew where this would lead.

"We weren't snogging." She pleaded with her best friends. "Please, just let me explain." By then, the three teenage boys were preparing to throw punches. It was completely unfair that they outnumbered Draco two to one. They couldn't fight fairly like this.

"Then, explain it to us Hermione. Why were you sucking face with Malfoy when you should have been studying like you told us you were!" The classroom gasped. Tears stung behind Hermione's eyes.

"You know what? I don't have to be perfect. I don't have to live up to your expectations, Harry! Ron!" She gave them both cold looks. With that she turned to Draco. "I'll talk to you later." Finally, with a billow of black robes, Professor Snape entered the classroom and ordered them all to silence themselves.

You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind
Cause I'm crazy 'bout you baby... Crazy... Crazy

After class, Hermione watched as the two boys that she had been befriended to and battled with for the last seven years stalked out of the classroom. "I'm sorry." Draco started once more. Hermione felt her body tense once more. They started out of the classroom.

"Don't apologize, it's not appealing on you." Draco donned a confused face. Hermione smirked. "It's all right. It was bound to happen--the falling apart with Ron and Harry that is. It happens every year, it doesn't hurt as much as it should, you know? I ought to just let them be and not even talk to them because they seem to believe that they rule my life. They don't. And honestly, I think I can handle myself." Draco smirked. "I could have very easily hexed you into oblivion last night. But you're still here fine and well."

"As well as I can be." He murmured. Hermione frowned.

"This is going to sound crazy..." Hermione started. Draco followed her gaze as they came across an empty classroom. He smirked and they entered the room and Hermione found herself in Draco's arms. "I think I might be falling for you." Draco's lips came down hard on Hermione's. "And I think I like it." Hermione smiled and knew that she would be getting herself into a lot of trouble for this. Quite frankly, she didn't care any more.

Without you
One night alone
Is like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone
Without you
One night alone
Is like a year without you baby
If you have a heart at all
Without you

Hermione and Draco proceeded with an affair that lasted for the rest of their year at Hogwarts, both knowing that they were hurting each other more than loving each other. Finally they decided they would end it. Their love would never be accepted, if even that.

On the last day of school Hermione and Draco met in the third floor corridor that was so familiar to Hermione from past years. They smiled weakly at each other. Falling into the other's lips they both murmured their goodbyes and choked back tears. This was probably the last time they would ever be able to tell each other how they felt. They spent the entire morning in each other's arms and tasting each other's lips. They never wanted to be apart--but they could never be together.

Draco was to be an initiated Death Eater at the end of the summer. Hermione was to begin her job in the Department of Mysteries in two weeks.

Draco and Hermione exchanged glances as they boarded the train, both of their hearts dropping simultaneously. They knew that they could never be approved of. Their love could never be. They would just have to accept it.

Can't stop the hurt inside
when love and hate collide