Outcasts | 5 Slytherins 1 Hermione

VI

A fingertip gently lifts her chin, prompting her to look up. His silver gaze pierces into hers. "If you were only trying to get me worked up, Granger, there are much better ways to do that," he jokes, and then he kisses her.

The world seems to stand still. The initial contact is soft, questioning almost as if he's seeking permission she's already given. It's a gentle exploration, a tentative greeting between two souls who were once enemies and now, something very different. Hermione feels a warmth spread through her along with a cold chill, starting at her lips and cascading down, igniting every nerve in her body. She closes her eyes, allowing herself to get lost in the sensation, her heart pounding against her chest as if trying to escape.

She had spent so much time fantasizing about what it would be like. After years of longing for him and hating him at the same time, she feels a surge of vindication, a sense of pride that he is now kissing the "filthy little Mudblood" he always labeled her.

A moan slips through her lips, and the kiss deepens. Hermione's mind, usually so cluttered with thoughts and worries, empties until there's nothing but the feel of his lips on hers, the taste of him, and the heat of his breath mingling with her own. Her hands rise tentatively to rest against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart through the fabric of his shirt. At this moment, all the barriers between them dissolve.

Draco's hands find their way to her waist, a shiver courses through her spine, an electric spark that leaves her craving more. Encouraged by the intensity, her arms glide up his chest, fingers weaving into the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer, if such a thing were possible. The kiss evolves, from tender exploration to a passionate devouring. Their hearts beat in a frantic rhythm, perfectly synchronized in the dance of intimacy that feels like a forbidden discovery.

Draco backs her into a bookcase. The slight jolt from the contact only serves to intensify their passion. He lifts her effortlessly, and she instinctively wraps her legs around his waist, gasping into his mouth. Their joining swiftly becomes ravenous and aggressive, unlike anything Hermione has ever experienced. She bites down on his bottom lips and he hisses into her mouth in response. They exchange nips and sucks until their lungs burn for the need of breath.

He breaks the kiss to trace the line of her jaw, descending along the column of her neck. He explores her with his mouth, discovering sensitive spots that ignite pleasure straight to her core.

She bites her lip to hold back her moans as he makes his way back up towards her mouth. Instead of resuming their kiss, he pauses, pressing his forehead against hers. They both take a moment to catch their breath. A wave of worry suddenly hits Hermione, fearing that he has come to his senses and regrets his actions. She braces herself for the moment he might push her away, hurling every vile insult he knows at her.

"Granger-"

A tapping sound jolts her awake from a deeply intense dream, causing her to sit up in surprise. As the vivid remnants of her dream start to fade, reality takes hold. She suddenly recalls details of a night she had long forgotten. Rubbing her face, she attempts to banish the lingering memories.

She realizes that day was the first time she let her desires take control. Does she regret it? Not really, but it has put her in a tricky situation. She grazes her fingers across her lips remembering how the first time their lips met felt.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

She turns to spot a familiar owl at her window, her eyes widening in surprise. Quickly, she rolls out of bed rushes to the window, and gently retrieves the letter from the fierce-looking bird. She lavishes the owl with pets and treats, deliberately not dwelling on why she's so keen for the owl to take a liking to her. She stares at the letter in her hands, what are the odds? She looks towards her clock, only a few hours since Riddle walked her to her dorm this morning. With trembling fingers, she carefully opens the letter.