A Time To Yourself (Crappy Title I Know)

[simply_me]

All right...here we go.

Chapter 5

"Give me your hands..." Hermoine spoke seriously, eying Draco with a curious expression.

"What?" Draco frowned, puzzled. Had he heard her correctly?

He wouldn't do it...he wouldn't give in to her...

Hermoine took his hands, and rubbed them together within her own. "Relax Malfoy, I'm warming them. They're icicles you know."

Draco snorted, feeling rather uncomfortable. "Oh really? How is this supposed to help then? I'm still freezing."

He shivered as if to prove it, and realized that the fire and blanket weren't really helping at all.

Hermoine rolled her eyes. He was just asking for it now. She continued to rub his hands together until she thought they were sufficiently warm. "There." She sighed, picking up her wand and casting another warming spell on the blanket draped around Draco's shoulders. "Better?" She asked, arching a brow and staring at him intensely.

Draco shuddered under her gaze, and looked away. "Uh...yeah?"

He asked, cringing a bit.

Hermoine smiled warmly. "Good."

Draco sighed, sniffling. His cold was just bothersome now. He didn't have a fever anymore, just the side effects that stayed a while after you recovered a bit.

That included sneezing.

"ASHOO! HEASHOO!" He sneezed abruptly into his cupped hands. It bent him at the waist, and he sat up again, rubbing at his nose with the back of his hand.

"Bloody cold..." He grumbled

Hermoine looked at him with a worried expression.

"Oh...how are you feeling by the way?"

"Just wonderful." Draco grumbled sarcasatically, emphasizing it with another sneeze. "ASHOO!"

Hermoine giggled. "Bless."

Draco looked over at her. "Why are you giggling?"

Hermoine grinned over at him. "I don't know. You seem different to me."

Draco arched a brow at her. "Different? How so?"

Hermoine was having a hard time meeting his gaze with one of her own. She was suddenly solemn.

" You're...not evil Draco. Not like I once thought. There is some good in you...deep down."

Draco turned away and stared at his hands. "I don't know if that's good or bad."

Hermoine looked confused. "What?"

The Slytherin boy sniffed wetly, still staring at his hands. "I want to be like my father...or at least I used to think I wanted to. But I'm starting to realize that things aren’t as black and white as I'd thought."

Hermoine was completely puzzled. Since when did Draco think so deeply about something?

"Hermoine..."

He said her name! This time he wasn't completely out of his mind either.

"I don't know what I want...what I am. It's confusing...I need some truth in my life. Anything."

Draco looked at her with pleading eyes, sad and tired. It was the complete and honest truth too.

Hermoine only frowned more deeply.

Silence enveloped the room.

"I feel the same way. I don't know what I want either..."

This time it was Draco's turn to arch a brow, but he stopped to sneeze suddenly into sleeve. "HEASHHH! Excuse me..."

Hermoine blessed him and continued. "I don't want to be 'Harry Potter's friend' for the rest of my days. I want to be someone, I want to be...remembered. Not as a side-kick, but as a witch who was rather fond of learning wizardry and discovering the truth behind it."

They looked at each other for a moment, not breaking eye contact. "We're alike Granger...you and I." Draco stammered, and fount himself inching a bit closer to her.

It was like he was hypnotized or something.

"I know...more than I thought..."

Their lips then met.

It was a small kiss, but it was still warm and soft. To Hermoine it felt almost right...Draco just couldn't believe he was doing this.

A Malfoy kissing a mud-blood...

But he didn't think of her as a mud-blood anymore.

The kiss ended abruptly as Draco turned away from her to sneeze. "Eshooo ASHOO!" He snuffled into his sleeve, looking rather embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry..."

Hermoine was sorry it had ended so soon. "N-No it's ok...really."

They stared at each other for the longest time. Hermoine had never felt more embarrassed in her whole entire life.

The two stood up, and headed for the door. The entrance hall wasn't empty, but neither was it crowded.

Draco looked back, the door to the room disappeared.

"Um...see you in class then?"

Hermoine bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah...see you in class."

The two turned away from each other. But found themselves turning around again. "Um...Hermoine..." Draco mumbled.

Hermoine turned around, her cheeks growing hot. "Hm?"

Draco smiled boyishly. "Um...thanks."

Hermoine smiled warmly, winking at him. "You're welcome Malfoy."

THE END

Ha, yes I know it was kind of a weak ending.

I just don't think they can really have a relationship.

Er...yeah.

It just wouldn't work.

But I had fun writing this.

There will be more sneezefics.

I have another Harry Potter one brewing...

It will probably be related to the Order of the Phoenix.

In the future of course.

Hope you enjoyed this...

-Simply_me

[chui]

awww....that was a wonderful ending! you kept them in character, and then used it with your own brilliant originality!! i just it.... i cant wait for your next one!!!

[simply_me]

You guys are so supportive.

Thank you.

[Vetinari]

Oh I have just found this and it's lovely. What an unusual pairing but it works really well.

[girl_in_love]

Hey,

Ah great fic, I loved it!

~*Jill*~

[BelieveInRollins]

Wow this was a great story good job