Second Time Around

The Tri-Wizard Tournament

"I got a funny feeling

The moment that your lips touched mine

Something hot shot right though me

My heart skipped a beat in time"—You shouldn't kiss me like this, Toby Keith

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Hermione was so tired. Her eyes were drooping as she leaned her head against the cool glass of the train window and listened to it gently rocking from side to side.

She hadn't been sleeping well since the night they'd faced the werewolf and the Dementors. But she didn't want anyone to know that she was having sleeping difficulties, she didn't want the boys to know she was scared. It would only worry them. Instead she'd taken to reading herself to sleep every night with books even she found boring.

So even though she said it was a bad idea, secretly she was very glad to get Draco's suggestion of sitting on the train together. She'd wanted to see him, she knew she needed to explain things so he wouldn't be worried, but it was more than that. She wanted to see him. When he sent that swallow flying towards her, she'd suddenly gotten excited. She wanted to ride with him. It would be the first time since that first day when they met on the Hogwarts Express. She smiled as she leaned on the glass.

"Are you tired?" Draco suddenly asked from where he sat across her.

"Huh?" she said rubbing her eyes. "Oh, a little."

"You can sleep you know. Later, I'll leave first." He smirked.

"I'm not that tired!" but even as she said that she yawned and Draco smirked. She leant down properly on the bench and closed her eyes.

Almost instantly she fell asleep. It seemed all the playing and talking with Draco had put her at ease enough to drift off. Why was she always so comfortable with him? Whenever sad things were happening around her, he was always the person she thought of first. Even that time when Ron was being an idiot over Scabbers, it was Draco who had calmed her down and sat with her while she cried. It was thanks to Draco that she was able to realise that her short lived romance over Ron was nothing more than a crush since she was always with him.

For the first time in ages, Hermione slept well. When she awoke the train was still rocking gently from side to side, indicating that they had not yet arrived. But Hermione felt so comfortable she just couldn't be bothered to move.

The carriage was silent except for Draco's quiet breathing. It was soothing in a way. Draco was often like a ghost, he could be so quiet you sometimes forgot he was there, that was why she didn't mind when he watched her study.

Then there was a sound from his side and suddenly she felt him lean over and rest his head on the part of the seat near her head, but to do that wouldn't he have to be kneeling? Why? She wanted to open her eyes and ask, but was too surprised.

He smelt clean. Most boys didn't, they all carried some sort of smell with them. But Draco, being the little sir he was, always smelt clean and tidy. Even his breath which slowly ruffled her fringe every time he exhaled had no odour. How the hell was he doing that? Suddenly, Hermione was very conscious of how her breath smelled. Wait, did she smell? She had bacon this morning, he was so close, could he smell it. Did she smell like pork?

Her heart felt like it was slowly speeding up. Then suddenly, she felt his lips on hers.

He was kissing her.