With A Kiss

Her collection of knowledge was always something she prided herself on. She could figure out anything. Hermione knew why Ron was upset with Harry for stupid things like dating his sister, or running off without him. She understood how boys acted and why. It seemed simple to her. If she didn't know something, then Hermione could go look it up and be that much smarter than everyone else. Only it didn't seem to be working this time around.

She was eighteen years old and she'd been kissed once when she was fourteen, but other than that she had done her best to stay out of the dating game. It was such a waste of time to her. Harry and Ron were both dating people at the moment, Harry was with Ginny, and Ron was still with Lavender.

Hermione didn't mind being single, it was how it had always been. Why change a good thing? Apparently what Hermione thought didn't matter and her problem escalated to new bounds. It was quickly getting out of hand and she didn't know how to rationalize it. He wasn't acting like a normal school boy. Plus he had always hated her. Was it some power trip for him to control her like that?

She replayed their first encounter in her head, trying to piece together what he wanted and how he planned to get it.

Hermione gently closed the library door, so she wouldn't wake any teachers. It was just after one in the morning on a Thursday night so it was technically Friday but she didn't care. Passing her Charms practical tomorrow was more important that being in bed at a certain time. She turned around slowly, pulling her bag onto her shoulder. It was pitch black in the hall so her eyes couldn't warn her, but her ears could and did. Heaving breathing and soft footsteps were mirroring hers and if only she could see! She lowered her bag and reached for her wand but a forearm blocked her hand and laughed.

She didn't recognize the voice at all, but it deep so it was probably a seventh year.

"Let go, whoever you are." She hissed and winced as he voice echoed all around the hall. The arm disappeared and she thought he'd left. She was wrong though.

A pair of full warm lips pressed against hers so softly she barely felt it. For about two seconds those lips warmed hers and then they were gone and so was the boy.

Hermione had been over the encounter a million times but couldn't place the voice or anything about the man. She knew it was silly but she'd been looking at the lips of every seventh year in the school, trying to see if maybe she could recognize them. It was a failing plan but she couldn't sit and do nothing. Another option was that the man had been meeting someone else and she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It didn't seem likely since he kissed her after she'd said to let go. The second encounter was even more bizarre than the first and even more confusing.

Dinner had just started but Hermione wasn't really hungry enough to go sit through a Gryffindor dinner. They were always so loud! So she grabbed and apple and shoved into her bag before making her way outside to the lake. The black lake had a bad reputation but she always found its strange color soothing and welcoming. She settled herself against the big oak tree and rested her head against its rough bark.

She hated to admit it but she was tired. She had been trying to find this mystery man and studying for newts all at once. It wasn't good for her, she knew. Hermione needed some sleep.

A branch breaking had her jerking awake, only having been asleep for a few moments. It was still light out but she couldn't see anyone around, either way she looked. Everyone was still inside for dinner. She rested her head back against the tree and closed her eyes.

Another branch broke followed by a whispered spell but she didn't hear what it was. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't no matter how hard she tried. Hermione struggled to her knees, scraping them on the rough ground. Warm hands stopped her from trying to stand.

"Shhhh…" He whispered and she gasped angrily.

"Who are you? Give me my sight back!" Hermione urged but he didn't say anything. She had heard his voice before she knew but just couldn't remember where. A hand stroked her cheek and lips pressed against hers before she could scream or run. Not that either would help since she was blind and everyone was at dinner.

She had another thought, a panicked thought. She had to know who this was. Hermione pressed her lips against the mystery mans in desperation. She didn't want to but what else could she do to make him speak or give himself away?

But he didn't say anything, only kissed her with more passion, which she pretended to return. She feared she made a huge mistake.

"Who are you?" She said after successfully pulling away. She's breathless but so is he.

"You'll see." He whispered before disappearing. A few moments later her sight returned and she realized if she had kept him there longer she would have found him out.

What Hermione couldn't understand is who it was. All the immediate men in her life, Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean and even Michael had never shown any interest in her romantically, sometimes not even a friendly interest in Michael case. So she turned to the strangers that had never been a part of her life and one in other house. Ernie Macmillan and Zachary Smith were her first suspects but Ernie was too short and Zachary didn't really have any lips to speak of.

So she was stumped, good and truly. Hermione also wanted to know what they were after. She had been at their mercy twice now and they could have easily taken sex if that had been what they were after. The school offered no protection against that, mostly because it hadn't even been an issue. She didn't think the man was after sex, though he certainly desired her. His main goal was to kiss her.

Hermione guessed she would just have to let him until he was ready to reveal himself. Strangely she hadn't ever been truly terrified when he kissed her. She had been confused and maybe angry but never afraid he would hurt her.

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch so she placed her book into her bag in some kind of order. She couldn't stand if one book was digging into her back while she was walking. Today was Friday so the rest of her afternoon was free, just how she liked it. It made doing homework so easy on her schedule. She had full classes all week except for Wednesday and Friday's and then she got out after lunch, leaving the rest of the day to do homework from classes.

Hermione headed to the library, like she did every Friday. She hoped that all this work wouldn't take long. She didn't want to be stuck in the library after hours. Madam Pince was getting on in her years and forgot to lock the doors just about every night these days but she always remembered to put out the lights.

Dinner time came and went quickly and she was only halfway through her second essay. Charms and Potions were her hardest subjects and seemed no matter how much she studied it was always a challenge.

She was reading the same sentence over and over so she put the book down to rest her eyes. She didn't even react when she realized she couldn't open them again. She just sat there and waited.

"Well?" She called in a whisper. She didn't have all night. He pulled out a chair and sat down across from her. Hermione turned to face him as best she could when she couldn't see a thing. He wiped something off her face with his thumb in a soothing gesture. That was something that also puzzled her. He was always so gentle.

The man leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead and breathed in. It was something else entirely. It was like something you would see in a movie, a man kissing the woman he loved on the forehead before heading out to war, or maybe just before his wife died of cancer.

It was also confusing. He was kissing her as if he cared for her. Almost as if he loved her. But how could a stranger love her?

The man pulled away, his jaw brushing hers lingeringly. The spell wore off and she knew she could open her eyes and see who it was but something held her back. What was all the secrecy about?

His hands took hers for a long moment and she could hear his heart beating loudly in the empty library.

"Who are you?" She asked, unable to just open her eyes and see for herself. She was too afraid.

"No one." He whispered lowly and she still couldn't make out his voice exactly. The warm hands were gone and so was he in the next second, leaving her alone facing an empty chair.

The next week went by slowly for her. A least until Harry and Ginny stormed into the common room fighting.

"You're such a boy, Harry! Sorry if I thought you were ready to go further. I thought you were a man!" Ginny screamed harshly, following harry into the common room. It was almost midnight so Hermione was the only one still up.

Harry turned to face her, "And I thought you weren't a slut, but I was wrong. I want to wait until I'm married. I don't want to give it away like it means nothing!"

Hermione coughed to let them know they were alone, not that it matter because they were yelling so loudly.

"You didn't even get hard Harry!"

Whoa now! Hermione started to pack up her things as she really didn't need to hear this.

"Maybe because throwing yourself at me isn't a turn on, Ginny. It's actually disgusting!" Harry snapped, refusing to blush. Hermione couldn't help but side with Harry on this one, though it was wildly inappropriate for her to even listen to any of this.

"You're such a bastard. Are you sure you aren't just gay?" Ginny snarled and Harry didn't say anything.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock.

"Guys!" She called before things got out of hand. Harry turned to face her, flushing horribly.

"Hermione what are you doing here?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck. Ginny was flushed as well.

"I was studying when you both came in. I know more about you both than I ever wanted to thanks. I suggest you take this somewhere else and tone it down." Hermione offered helpfully.

"No, I want your opinion. If he doesn't get hard around me then he's gay right?"

Hermione chocked on air, "Ginny! Maybe he just wasn't in the mood. I don't think Harry's gay but there only one way to find out."

Harry glared at her, "I'm not gay. I'm just stressed out and not really thinking about having sex with you, Ginny. I also don't really like that you've included Hermione in this. Ginny you're not even an adult yet and were both still in school."

Harry seemed to lose any anger he had and went up to his room without another word.

"Don't say anything. I know I messed up. I was hurt that he didn't want me." Ginny said softly and wiped some tears that had fallen from her eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mione." She said and ran up to her dorm. Hermione sat back down on the couch, feeling drained. People were so tiring.

Monday morning dawned brightly in the girl's dorm. Hermione and Pavarti were both blinded by the sunlight an hour before they needed to get up.

"What the hell is that?" Pavarti moaned and covered her face with her pillow. Hermione smiled and spelled the curtains shut.

"Someone left the curtains open. Probably Lavender." Hermione said with a yawn. She was tired but knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. It was a curse of hers. Hermione couldn't just sleep after she had woken up.

"Great. Well I'm going back to sleep." Pavarti warned and sure enough was asleep within ten minutes. Hermione didn't mind, she knew the other girls craved their sleep, mostly because they stayed out so late. It was as if the curfew didn't exist for how many people broke it on a regular basis.

Hermione hopped out of bed silently and headed for the girls showers. She usually got one the night before, so her hair could dry by itself during the night. It was easier to tame that way but last night was interrupted by Harry and Ginny so she hadn't felt up to it.

The shower rattled to life, spewing lukewarm water onto the tile. Hermione let down her hair while she waited for the water to warm up. Her hair really needed to be cut but something was stopping her. Her hair had always been her worst physical quality and she supposed there were worse out there. Plus her hair managed to stay healthier when it was longer because she had no choice but to wash it every day. Short hair would make her lazy.

She stepped under the water and titled her head back enjoying the warmth of it. Maybe showers in the morning were the way to go.

Hermione was ready to go almost a whole hour early so she went down to breakfast, something she rarely did. Now that she thought about it she hadn't been eating a lot lately. Maybe that's why she was so tired all the time.

The girls were just getting up as she was leaving so she bid them goodbye and raced down the steps and out of the portrait.

Hermione laid her bag down on the floor beside her and looked at the array of foods lined on the tables. Only a few students were up this early but the food seemed fresh and the boys never complained about it being cold. She guessed they replaced it with fresh food when the rest of the students came down to the great hall.

She picked up a pastry that had strawberry jam all over it and some apples and peanut butter. It'd been a long time since she'd had them.

The great hall swarmed with students within the next twenty minutes, among them, Ron and Harry.

"Mione? You never come to breakfast!" Ron said, sitting down next to her. Harry sat across from Ron, avoiding her gaze. Hermione smiled at him and turned to Ron.

"I've been really tired lately and I guess it was because I wasn't eating enough. I definitely need my energy this year."

Silence met her statement and she didn't realize what she said. "What?"

Ron started to pile food on a plate, "It's just you haven't been around much at all. You've never really cared about taking care of yourself. It's always been about me and Harry. You used to always make sure we were at breakfast and did our homework. Do you know that you haven't once done that this year? It's almost the holidays too."

Hermione blinked in shock, "I've been really busy. You guys always hate when I do that anyway." She said feebly. The truth was she'd forgotten. With homework and studying ….and the mystery man she'd completely forgotten about her friends.

Ron smiled, "No, we actually think it's funny. It's alright, Mione. It's just good to see you."

Hermione's eyes started to sting. She was a horrible friend!

"Aww don't cry!" Ron pleaded worriedly and she laughed.

"Alright. I'm fine. I have to go but I'll see you guys at lunch alright?" she said and left with a smile on her face. She felt better than she had in weeks.

Hermione headed towards the charms classroom, knowing she'd have to wait outside until Professor Binns arrived to unlock the door. She rather liked the extra time to think. Only today she wasn't the only one waiting.

Draco Malfoy sat against the door reading a book with an engrossed expression. Hermione frowned at him, seeing something familiar about him, but she couldn't place it.

He looked up and then seemed to tense up. She signed and made herself comfortable against the wall farthest from him. She could sit here if she damn well pleased.

"Granger, I'm trying to read and I cant if you tap away over there."

Two things happened at once. First Hermione stopped tapping her foot and secondly she thought it was strange he was whispering.

It clicked in her head then, the voice she hadn't been able to place. Draco Malfoy was her mystery man. His low voice was exactly the same and sent warm shivers all over her body. Malfoy didn't seem to realize he'd been found out and continued to read.

Hermione on the other hand was panicking inside. Why was he going around kissing her? He was a gorgeous man. He could have any girl he wanted, she was sure.

It was too bad his personality wasn't as beautiful as the rest of him.

"Is there a reason you're staring, Granger?" He asked sharply, looking up from his book.

Hermione didn't blush but kept looking at him. "I just…there's something familiar about you."

Malfoy flushed a pink color and shook his head, "Well I don't see how that's possible."

"You're right. I'm just being stupid." She agreed just as Professor Binns showed up to unlock the door.

Inside, Hermione was celebrating. She'd figured out half the mystery.

Charms passed easily and she tried not to stare at Malfoy but as it turned out he was staring at her. It seemed liked he'd been doing it for a while, maybe the whole year. How hadn't she noticed? She tried to remember what classes she had with him. Charm, Potions and Arithmancy. She didn't have either of the class until Thursday and Friday so she would have to wait and test her theory then.

It didn't matter though because later that evening while she was in the library he came to her. Her eyes closed once, maybe to blink or rest them, and wouldn't open again.

His hand took hers and intertwined their fingers. She noticed how well they fit. Knowing that it was Draco Malfoy holding her hand didn't make the sensation any different, like she thought it might. She still was afraid.

Hermione let out a deep breath, "What do you want? You cant hide forever." She warned.

"I know. I just…this is all I'll ever have and I want to make the most of it." He spoke lowly, like every time, but she recognized the whisper from that morning. Draco Malfoy was holding her hand and whispering sweet nothings into her ear. A smile crossed her face and she laughed. He tightened his hold on her hand and then his lips touched hers.

His hands may have felt the same but his lips felt very different. She could picture his face in her mind perfectly and Hermione kissed him back. The kisses were still innocent, not open mouths, or tongues, just sweet touches of each other's lips. His lips left hers and placed kissed on her cheeks, nose, eyelids and then her forehead.

She felt like he was worshiping her. There wasn't any anger or fear, just sweetness.

"Tell me why?" Hermione whispered against his kisses. He paused, "I like you. I couldn't stop thinking about you all year and every day you're the first thing I think of. Now, I'm pretty sure I love you. Maybe it's stupid but I thought maybe I could make you fall in love with me too. With a kiss."

The spell keeping her eyes closed wore off that exact second and her eyes opened instantly. Malfoy didn't seem to notice, he was staring at her hands. The look on his face was troubled but joyful. It wasn't a look she had ever seen on his angelic face. Hermione felt she'd been missing out.

"You give the sweetest kisses, you know." She said and closed her eyes. He wasn't ready to tell her who he was and she didn't want to let him run away. He laughed, "That's the first I've heard that. My last girlfriend said they were sissy kisses."

"Then your last girlfriend was stupid." Hermione said and grinned.

"What?"

"I'm closer to figuring out who you are. You stopped whispering."

Malfoy let go of her hand and pressed one warm kiss on her forehead.

"I don't think you want to know."

She opened her eyes in time to see his retreating back leaving the library door.

So Malfoy was crushing on her? Why? Maybe there didn't have to be a reason. She was crushing on him as well it seemed if she didn't mind his kisses knowing it was him doing it. It made it that much more pleasing actually. She grinned widely, anxious for more. Malfoy wasn't going to get away from her now.

Potions was the next class she had with Malfoy and it was her first class on Thursday morning. Malfoy was seated in the row across from her.

Professor Snape had been different this year, maybe because the war was over or maybe because was just normally this way. She didn't know but he wasn't harsh when he didn't need to be. Today was an exception though. Neville, bless his soul, blew up a healing salve. The most basic potion in existence and one that even the new first years could brew easily.

Neville was at the desk in front of Malfoy and his partner, Blaise Zanbini. Seamus and Neville were thrown with the blast of the explosion and Blaise was hit in the head with the ladle hard enough to knock him unconscious. Snape ordered Neville to levitate them both to the hospital wing and to not bother coming back to his classroom until next week.

Neville did as he was told and didn't even cry. Hermione was about halfway through her own potion when Snape paused at her desk.

"Work with Malfoy." He snapped and moved away to clean up the mess Neville had left. Hermione frowned after him but motioned for Malfoy to come over to her table. His potion had been ruined by the accident anyway.

"I'm almost done." She said, turning the potion counter clockwise. Malfoy took his seat and crossed his arms across his chest nervously. Hermione bit her lip so she wouldn't smile.

"Do you want to help?" She asked once she'd finished stirring. He looked up at her, eyes narrowing, slightly. She held up her hands innocently.

"What are playing at? We're not friends." He said harshly, but even she could tell it was faked.

"I thought maybe you would like to do some of the assignment. You don't have too." Hermione offered, taking a seat on the bench next to him. He moved away from her and tensed up.

"Malfoy I don't bite, Merlin." She breathed. Why was he so jumpy? He really wasn't acting like himself. Hermione paused. What did she know about how he acted? They weren't friend, like he said. She didn't really know anything about him. Except that he gave sweet kisses. She flushed thinking about them and he was sitting right next to her!

"Granger?" He asked curiously, watching her flush under his gaze. She had never noticed before but he had grey blue eyes, they were truly striking. For a long moment she just stared in them, lost in the swirl of life and color that lived there.

Then her potion needed to be stirred and the moment was gone as she stood to tend to it.

"Calm down." She heard him mutter to himself. How had she been so oblivious to this all before? It was so obvious to her now.

She bottled the potion and took it to Snape, "All finished, Professor." She said and he sneered at her.

"Obviously, Miss Granger. Go keep Mr. Malfoy company, if you please."

She smiled at him and went back to her seat. Malfoy was still sitting near the edge and so tense she thought his muscles would break in half.

"Are you alright? You seem tense." Hermione said with concern. She hoped it was just nerves that were making him so uneasy around her.

"Yes… I'm just stressed out at the moment. My father is choosing a bride for me soon and…Merlin why am I telling you?" he trailed off and then buried his head in his hands.

Hermione's heart froze. Oh no. God, no. This wasn't fair.

"Why? Why would he do that?" She asked, her voice losing all pretense. She didn't care if he knew she knew his secret anymore.

"Because I have to carry on the Malfoy name. It's all that matters to him. He knows I could never find a bride on my own. He's not the same you know. He knows that blood purity is long gone from our world. That doesn't matter to him anymore. All he wants is a grandchild. I'm his only son. He doubts that I could secure a wife before his lifetime is over." Malfoy sounded too bitter for her to take.

"Well surely you've got your eye on someone. Go after her and make her fall in love with you. I'm sure you have a good quality buried in there somewhere, Malfoy." Hermione didn't know what she was doing. Was she trying to get him to ask her to marry him? Did she want to marry him? She couldn't even admit she enjoyed his sweet kisses!

Malfoy looked over at with an unguarded expression, one of joy she'd seen that day in the library.

"I do want someone, she's…but I couldn't ever…not… No she wouldn't." He stammered and then he looked at her, really looked at her. Horror dawned on his face.

"You…I never thought you'd been so hateful. Even to me." He said fervently and raced from the room.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Snape called after him, but Malfoy was long gone and his hurried footsteps could be heard.

"Miss Granger what is going on?"

Hermione looked up at Snape and cleared her throat, "He said he was going to be sick."

Snape shook his head and turned back to the lesson with a sneer. Some things didn't change.

Hermione went out the late after lunch feeling horrible about potions earlier. It was obvious he'd figured it out and he thought she'd been playing with him. Hermione was just confused. This was Draco Malfoy and he loved her? How could she know for sure?

She sat down under her tree and rested her chin on her knees. It was too much to think about.

"Why did you play with my head like that?"

Hermione closed her eyes impulsively when she heard his voice. He sat down next to her but didn't take her hand and didn't give her a kiss. Hermione didn't know why she wanted him to. She didn't know anything anymore really.

"I didn't do anything. This is your fault." She huffed and refused to open her eyes. Malfoy gasped.

"What! My fault? This morning-

Hermione turned and faced him, "You're the one who kissed me that first night by the library. You're the one who kept coming back. Alright? You got what you wanted."

Malfoy looked at her with sad smile, "What have I gotten exactly?"

Hermione bit her lip, hesitating, "You made me fall in love with you with just a kiss."

He met her eyes and in a split second his lips were on hers, giving her those sweet kisses she loved so much. Only they were so much more now.

His lips parted ever so slightly and she parted hers as well, letting him devour her. Warmth raced through her blood deliciously as he pulled her onto his lap, kissing her with such need that she thought she might explode.

"Malfoy…is what you said earlier true?" She asked, resting her forehead against his. He didn't tense up but he nodded against her head.

"Yes but I can delay him if he thinks I'm in a relationship that might go somewhere. And…maybe this will go somewhere." Malfoy seemed sure enough of his theory and Hermione thought maybe he was right. What did she know of what would happen in the future. Maybe this relationship they had would amount to more than a teenage fling. She hoped it did.

"I just can't believe it. I didn't know it was you for the longest time. When I figured it out I could understand why you wanted me."

He pulled away from her forehead and leaned against the tree. "I think it was because you've always been a part of my life, even though it was a small part. I always teased you and you always fought back. You didn't let me win and this year after everything that happened during the war, at my own house. I saw you. The real you. I've never met a girl braver than you, except maybe my mother. You were stuck in my head from then on."

Hermione smiled, "Well I think I'm starting to see the real you too."

She reached up and pressed a kiss to his forehead, loving him, with just a kiss.

A/N: This was so much fun to write. I hope you all love it as much as I do. Reviews! This is a one-shot.