Love's Horrid Fruit

Hermione

I waited in the Room of Requirements, the room as close to how it usually is when I visit as possible. The chair that I sat in was dreadful, the straight back provided no cushion for me as I sat in front of the fireplace. I added a clock on the mantel for my own purposes. I didn't want to wait for hours if he wasn't going to show. As of right now, I have been waiting for one hour, thirty minutes, and fifty seconds.

Not that I'm counting.

I shifted in my seat and sighed, thinking, again, about why I was doing this. I could find no logical reason as to why I had invited Draco Malfoy to meet me in the Room of Requirements, where we would both be alone. Normally I went out of my way to avoid him, now I was going out of my way to talk to him. We need to get a grasp on what's happening between us. My mind played images of us together in the hallway, our lips locked, unable to stop ourselves.

The last ting I needed was everyone watching my every move. I would never be able to get any work done.

While I waited for Draco, I pulled out a book I checked out from the library. The book was on royal wizards. I was hoping to find something about a Half-Blood Prince somewhere in here. The name came from Harry's potions book, and he didn't care. Sometimes I think being "The Chosen One" makes him think he's invincible to anything strange.

I, however, didn't trust this Prince, so I've made it my side mission to find out who he is.

No luck so far, however.

Looking at the clock I saw that another thirty minutes went by. I've been sitting here for two hours. My back hurt, so I believed it. Closing my book, I put it back in my bag and stood to leave, but found Malfoy at the door.

"I'm um... here." He said.

I nodded, "Y-yeah."

Another chair sprung up from the ground and he moved to sit in it. I sat back down in my chair and we were both quiet for a moment. I sat rigid in my chair while he fidgeted in his.

Finally I said, "What's happening?"

"No idea."

"Um... these... feelings... what are they to... you?"

Draco looked at me like I had sprouted an other head. but he managed, "I dunno."

I nodded, "Okay."

"I don't know what... this feeling is."

I nodded again, "Right."

"I've never felt this before."

"What is it exactly?"

He got up angrily, "I don't know! I told you that I've never felt this before.... Every time I look at you I can't look away. I want to be the only one next to you.... I want... to hold you."

He was leaning against the desk now, I continued to sit, turned so I could see him around the back. His head hung miserably, his figure hunched. The way his head hung moved his white blond hair to hand messily over his face. I looked at his being which was so tortured. I felt a twinge of pain in my heart as I looked at him.

Getting up, I went over and stood in front of him. He was much taller than me. Not as tall as Ron, but very close. I hesitantly reached out for him, but stopped half way there. I was going to let it drop, but Malfoy stepped into it, letting my hand touch his chest through his shirt.

He was firm under my fingers, my hand laid spread out on his chest. I took my eyes from my skin to his face, surprised to find him looking down at me.

"What are you doing to me?" Draco's voice was soft, but his eyes were rigid with fear and confusion.

I stayed silent as I looked at him, afraid of what my voice would sound like if I spoke. We stood there for a moment, me with my hand on his chest and him looking at me. Then, he reached out and cupped my face with his hands like he did in the library, and I stopped breathing.

"My mind is telling me to push you away," he said, "To curse you.... But I don't want to. Why?"

I shook my head, a movement that proved to be difficult with my face trapped in his palms. "I don't know," I replied, "I've been thinking the same about you all day, and I still have nothing."

"God, the things I want to do to you."

My insides clenched shut and I gasped, "The things I want you to do to me."

He brought my face up to his and we kissed. Our hands were the only thing we moved, both afraid to let our bodies touch. My hands wrapped around the back of his neck, my fingers playing with the small hairs. His were tangled in my thick strands, using his hold to keep my face to his.

He didn't have to force me, I stayed there at my own will.

It was only after I let him force his tongue over mine that he pulled away.

"We can't do this," he said, "We can't." He dropped his hands from me, and I did the same. "I'm a pure-blood. A Slytherin. A Malfoy. I should be with someone like Daphne Greengrass or... or Millicent Bulstrode, not you."

"I should want to hit you for saying that, but you're right. I should want to be with someone not in Slytherin, but-"

"But what?"

"What's not what... I want."

"What do you want, Granger?"

I shook my head, "I don't know."

"What do you want?"

"What do you want?"

He took my hand and said, "Although I shouldn't... and although it would bring shame upon me... I want you."

"You want... me?"

"Yes."

I was shocked. To hear him just come out right and say it was too much,

However, it was how he phrased it that upset me. "You're wanting me would bring shame on you? You're worried about the shame your father is going to put on you?" I took my hand out of his grasp.

"At least you know what I want," he said, "Why did you ask me to come here if you didn't know you felt?"

"I thought that I would know when you walked through the door?"

"And?"

I shook my head, "No... I don't know if I can trust it." I turned to walk away, but he stopped me.

"Grange - er - Hermione... I basically just told you I... have feelings for you, and you're going to walk away?"

"I need one more day to think... I just wanted to make sure."

Draco sighed and held me to him, his front pressed against my back. His arms wrapped around my stomach, and his hand stayed clear of inappropriate places. Although by the way they twitched, I could tell he was trying very hard.

"Hermione," he whispered, "I don't think I can last another day." He brushed my hair away from my neck and moved his mouth to barely touch my skin, "I don't think I can wait another minute." His hand slid across my stomach as he held me to him, "I want to hold you." He moved his hands so one was right under my breasts and his other touched me along my pelvic bone. "I want to touch you." He ran his lips up my neck as he breathed on me, and I shuddered, "I want to kiss you."

I moved my head to face him, and we looked at each other, his cold green eyes into my warm brown ones. His expression was different when he looked at me. His face was warm, wanting, loving... not the usual cold sneer I've grown accustomed to over the years. It was a different Malfoy that what I was use to.

I kept my face close to his, close enough to kiss and asked, "If I should say yes to you... that I wanted to be with you the way you want to be with me... will you respect me? Will you respect me,,, for what and who I am? And not let your family's prejudice get in the way?"

He didn't break our stare, and didn't hesitate when saying, "I promise, to treat you with respect, and with all of the love I can afford to give."

I looked at him and nodded, "Okay."

"You made up your mind?"

"Not yet... but I'll let you know." I placed a kiss on his cheek and left the room.

~

"That's all for today," said Professor Snape, "Tomorrow we will continue our lesson on how to properly identify and handle a skin walker."

I packed away my belongings and stood from the table, but not before I pushed a scrap of parchment across to Draco. He looked up at me and I smiled before walking away. Meeting up with Harry and Ron at the door I felt a small weight on my heart lift.

"Why are you so smiley," asked Ron.

"Just excited about going to the library." I replied. It wasn't a lie.

"Blimey you're weird."

I nudged Ron's arm, "I like looking for the Half-Blood Prince," I replied, "Makes u[ for all of the free time."

Harry and Ron scoffed at me and I left them on the stairs to go to the library.