Halfway There

by Erythros

He kissed her once, in sixth year.

Nobody knew, but he had pressed his lips upon hers in an empty classroom, and she had closed her eyes and let him.

Why she let him, she somehow knew: she'd caught Ron snogging Lavender a few hours ago, again, and it hurt. She was seventeen, for heaven's sake, and she'd run to the nearest classroom and cried her stupid heart out for sodding, stupid, clueless Ron.

Why he did, though, she didn't know, even until the present. Perhaps it had been the strain of his mission; perhaps he'd broken under the pressure. She really didn't know. All she remembered were her words slipping from her mouth, where she somehow admitted to him, of all people, how she wished she was a prettier girl, and how he'd said the nicest thing he'd ever, ever told her.

I'm only saying this as a fact, Granger, so don't let it get into your head. But you're far better-looking than that Brown girl.

And she hadn't known it was coming because all too soon his hands were at the base of her neck, and he had leant in and kissed her.

And for a boy who'd had only scornful words for her, this cowardly, proud boy, his kiss had been surprisingly soft. He had stood before her while she'd sat on the professor's table, her fingers clutching at his robes. He'd kissed her like he fancied her, and for a second she could believe he almost did, and he'd tasted like peppermint, and, slowly, she found herself leaning further in, stupid Ron had been momentarily forgotten, and then-

He was gone.

And she'd forgotten about that little incident in the midst of everything going on in the world then, that teeny memory she couldn't fathom, couldn't deem good or bad... until now.

Because seven years later, after that strange incident, he was at it again.

Draco Malfoy pressed his lips against Hermione Granger, and this time, she wanted to know why.

To be continued.

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Author's Note: AHHHH. I'm really only writing, again, to see if I've still got it. That, and for the past month, I've been going around and reading old stuff that never fail to make me feel giddy for the best ship ever. Let's see where this goes, yeah? I've always, always wanted to write an empty-classroom kiss. :D As for the title, it's taken from Maroon Five's Love Somebody. This prologue's a bit too short for anyone to review it, but ah, well. Review? Here's to writing!