Author's Note: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter not me, I just love the world. This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic, hope you enjoy. It will have some steamy scenes so be warned.

The Yule Ball her fourth year, that was the night that changed Hermione's life forever.

She had been so happy at the beginning of the night and then Ron had to go and ruin everything as always with his brainless behavior. After their brawl the only thing Hermione remembered was running away, tears streaming down her face as she sought to get away from everyone and everything. She ended up in the dungeons, down a hallway she had never seen before. Lost and miserable she sank to the floor, the sobs racking her body. "He had to ruin everything… even Viktor left…" she mumbled to herself.

How long she stayed down there she didn't know, she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even hear footsteps coming her way. She was still talking to herself when a familiar voice brought her to her senses, "Granger? What the bloody hell are you doing down here?"

"Sod off Malfoy, my night has been bad enough, I don't need your ridicule on top of everything." Hermione gulped down the tears still threatening to fall. She hated Malfoy seeing her cry. Bracing herself of insults, she straightened her spine and prepared for the worse.

Instead she got the shock of her life. She felt a warm cloak placed around her shoulders and when she looked into Draco Malfoy's eyes she saw concern rather than malice. Had the whole damn world gone crazy? "It's freezing down here," he said in way of explanation. Hermione could think of nothing to say, she just stared as if seeing the boy who tormented her for the first time. Adding to her shock, Malfoy sat down on the floor next to her, staring at her as well, though with kindness and something she couldn't place in his eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked tentatively.

"Would I be down her crying in the dark if I were alright?" She snapped.

"Weasel is an idiot. You shouldn't let him get to you like this. I can jinx him if you'd like." Malfoy offered a small smile.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Hermione whispered, confusion overtaking her mind. Draco Malfoy was nice to no one, let alone a muggle born like herself. And especially not if the muggle born in question was best friends with Harry Potter.

Draco tilted his head to the side, some of his ever so perfect hair falling into his eyes. "I don't honesty know. I saw you tonight with Krum and something clicked in my head. He's pureblood and famous, everything my family respects and he turned up with this beautiful witch. A witch it turned out was you. You were by far the most breathtaking woman in that room tonight. When I saw you and the Weasel fighting, I felt bad for you."

Hermione scoffed. "Malfoy's don't feel bad for anyone."

Draco smirked, "Apparently we do. After I ditched Pansy back in the common room, not an easy task mind you, I snuck back out to look for you. I saw you run towards the dungeons. I've been searching for nearly a half hour."

Still confused, "I still don't understand why. I'm nothing to you. Why waste your time making sure I am okay?"

"Dammit Granger I don't know!" Draco huffed. "I don't know," he said quieter. "Like I said, I saw you with Krum and started to question some things. My father told me to buddy up to Krum, that he was the sort of person Malfoys should associate with. Then there he was tonight with you. The two of you were laughing and having so much fun, he was the envy of every male in the room tonight, whether they are willing to admit it or not." He gave her a pointed look. "Weasel was jealous, that's why he acted like such a prat."

"Did you just attempt to defend Ron?" Hermione laughed just a little.

"Never! I just don't want to see you cry anymore over something that idiot red head said. And if you ever even hint to someone else I defended that moron I will…"

"You'll what?"

"Deny everything of course and suggest you be admitted to the hospital wing as you have clearly gone insane." Malfoy smirked before his face softened into a real smile.

Hermione laughed again. "They would probably listen to you as well."

"You know it!" Draco winked at her.

Now that her tears had stopped and she was feeling a bit lighter thanks to Draco, she studied the boy before her. He truly was good looking. Without his trademark smirk he was striking in fact. She finally understood all the girls from all houses chasing after him. So lost in her thoughts and perusal of the seemingly new boy in front of her, she startled and blushed when his voice filtered into her brain. "See anything that you like Granger?" His smirk was back but without the malice.

Still blushing she stammered, "I'm sorry. I don't know…"

Before she could continue, Draco placed on long, elegant finger to her lips. "Shhh, I know how you feel." Then before she could even think he had replaced his finger with his warm and soft lips. Draco Malfoy was kissing her, Hermione Granger! Her mind still reeling, her body decided to take over and respond to the kiss. Soon Hermione doubted her mind even functioned anymore.

At first their kisses were gentle, sweet, and exploratory. Neither seemed to want to push the other beyond their comfort zone. But a heat steadily grew between them. Hermione wasn't even sure who deepened the kiss first, but as soon as Draco's tongue was in her mouth she moaned and found herself straddling him, needing to be closer to him. He didn't seem to mind, his hands found her bum and pulled her closer to him as their mouths fought for supremacy over each other. Draco's mouth left hers and she whimpered at first, until he kissed and licked his way down her neck, causing delicious shivers to shake her body and heat to pool in her core.

She moved against the proof of Draco's desire and felt him tense. "Merlin Hermione, what are you doing to me?" Before she could answer he captured her mouth again.

When they came back up for air, "What are you doing to me Draco?"

"Kissing you senseless it would appear." They went on like that for what must have been hours, making out, touching, exploring, rubbing against each other until they both found a small measure of satisfaction through their clothes. Hermione had the feeling that Draco wanted to go farther, but kept it at a pace that she could handle and she thanked him for that. Physically she wanted more, but her mind and emotions were not ready just yet.

They were laying intertwined in each other on Draco's cloak, not speaking and only kissing gently when Hermione finally spoke. "What does tonight mean for us Draco? Tomorrow are you going to go back to calling me names and hating the sight of me?"

"I don't think that I can ever hate anything about you after tonight. I don't know what this means. If we are too nice to each other right away people may start asking questions, especially if anyone figures out we were both missing tonight for hours. But I can promise no more names. No more blind hate. It's time I started thinking for myself and not blindly listening to my father. Though he was right about one thing." Draco smirked.

"And what was that?"

"I certainly do want a life like Viktor Krum's if it means making out with you."

Hermione gave him a light smack. "You're terrible. I never did anything remotely close to this with Viktor. With anyone." She lowered her eyes, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm still worried about what the morning will bring for us. One night can't erase years of hatred between us."

"Whatever it brings we will deal with it. This is the beginning of something Hermione. We can work to move beyond the past, my past. Meet me tomorrow. There is an abandoned potions storage closet down the end of the potions hallway on the left. Will you meet me there at three?"

Still unsure Hermione nodded. "At three."