She couldn't remember the last time she felt relaxed. It wasn't really a feeling of dread or that frazzled feeling you get when you have to meet a deadline. No, this was a feeling of numbness. There was almost an absence of emotion or feeling. Things suddenly became dry, simple, and painfully obvious. It was like walking into a crowded room and everyone just couldn't fathom the idea of one plus one. She always felt a bit older than her peers, but that was hidden away inside; shoved behind generous amounts of modesty and humility. Now that feeling lurked out in the open. She felt it when she sat through meetings and even when she sipped tea with Ginny. She realized she was just more logical than these people and it made her even more tightly wound. Tonight's meeting was no exception.

She looked over at Harry who was frantically scribbling down ever word Kingsley said. His tongue was poking out through his lips every so often. She smirked to herself a bit at this. He was always too focused on the wrong thing. Ron was to her left slouching in the oversized arm chair. He was staring at his nails as if they just grew in this morning. Every freckle was bunched together on his nose and Hermione just knew he was in another world.

"What do you think Hermione?" Kingsley stated. Everyone turned curious to hear her take on things.

What were they just talking about? Raids..something about snatchers in Diagon Alley. She looked over and saw Draco Malfoy with a look of utter amusement played on his face. That bastard.

"Clearly we should send our spies in undercover. They have a reason for being in Diagon Alley, and it's not for a bit of light browsing. The fact that they are lingering clearly states they expect us to show. Why they expect us to show is our true concern." She smirked at Draco.

Everyone in the room nodded and murmured in approval while Draco just glared at her. She watched as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. He tipped his wand and the end glowed brightly then faded. He slowly pocketed the wand all the while keeping eye contact with Hermione. His hair was growing a bit long so his usual slicked back hair looked less styled and messier. The hair and the hints of facial hair gave him an almost edgy look. He seemed almost damaged…well he seemed that way at least. Oh bloody hell. What is he on now?

Draco took a long drag then turned his face toward Kingsley. He exhaled the smoke and it glided gently through the room. There was almost an eerie magic to the silver smoke as it hung in the air. The smoke silently grabbed the attention of the room. Hermione was curious, truly. He rarely opened his mouth in these meetings, so what was so important now.

He turned back toward Hermione and narrowed his eyes. She felt them burning into her and she shift slightly. A small smirk danced on his lips for a second. She thought perhaps she had imagined it.

"Wrong again Granger," He smirked. Everyone's attention was fixated on him now. There seemed to be a staring match going on between Draco and Hermione, and everyone knew this could get ugly. Snape rolled his eyes and plucked the cigarette from Draco's hand. He vanished it into the night and strutted to the center of the room.

"Ignore Draco. I will be looking into this…situation. We will report back next meeting."

Draco shook his head and relaxed against the wooden chair. The tension in the room slowly evaporated and everyone shuffled out of the crowed drawing room. Ginny latched onto Harry and her brother, quickly escorting them to the kitchen for some left over treats. Hermione watched all the adults file out of the room little by little. Snape and Kingsley were in deep conversation in the back corner. She tried to strain to listen, but Snape looked up. He met her eyes and quickly threw up a sound barrier. There was no use trying now. She looked over and saw Draco lighting another cigarette. He was leaning against the back wall with a serious scowl on his face. He was clearly a million miles away while he took long drags of his cigarette. Bloody Bastard.

"Just come over and talk to me Granger, staring is no very becoming." He never even looked over at her. He knew. He always knew. She huffed over to his spot on the wall.

"What the hell was that! I'm so sick of your condescending remarks Malfoy. What were-" Her words were cut off by a cloud of smoke in her face. She coughed violently to get her point across. Of all the muggle inventions to enjoy…

The smoke settled and he smiled genuinely for a brief moment. His pale hand gently grazed her neck while he inched closer. She hated when he did this. To her, this draw to him was similar to a love potion. She didn't have a prayer as she melted into his hand. He placed his mouth right next to her ear. She could feel his breath and she relaxed for the first time that day. She knew he sensed this.

"I hear your thoughts Granger. I know when you're talking out of your ass," he smiled. He placed a warm open mouthed kiss on her neck.

Hermione reacted immediately. Her body seemed to run on a higher collaborator. Her nerves and senses were heightened and her need, no thirst, for him took over. She could feel his smirk as he kissed her neck. She heard a low moan in the background, and it took her a few seconds to figure out it was coming from her. This seemed to egg him on, and his lips traveled lower down to her chest. Just as soon as she felt his lips traveling lower they were gone and she was shoved against the wall. Draco's back was to her and there was a blueish shield around them.

"I get it Snape. You hardly need to send a jinx at me," he drawled like it was the simplest matter. The shield lowered and his smirk returned to his face. He turned to Hermione and watched her face heat up, while his face was void of emotion. He simply had one aristocratic eye brow raised. He placed his cigarette back in his mouth and took a quick drag.

"While I do enjoy that ass; try not to talk out of it quite so much. I know the other idiots won't know, but I unfortunately do. I don't like my time wasted Granger."

With that he swatted her ass and shoved her toward the exit. Hermione muttered curses under her breath as she stormed out. He knew he would pay for that later but he couldn't resist. He flicked the last bit of ash and butt onto the Wesley's rug. It wasn't as if the house could get much worse. There was dirt everywhere.

"That was disturbing. I do enjoy keeping down my meals but that seems more and more impossible with her in the picture." Draco could tell Snape was only somewhat joking. He looked up quickly and glared at his Godfather.

"Then try not to look next time," he stated rather smugly and headed toward the exit himself.

Snape had taught him many things, and how to make an exit was indeed one of them. He could hear the two dunderheads with Weaslette as he headed toward the kitchen. Oh how the mighty have fallen.