A/N:

I've decided to post this one right away. I'm one of those people who has a lot of started stories on my computer and never puts them on … it's probably my chronic laziness. Anyways … If people seem to like it, I might put some of the others up on here too.

About the story … I am a Dramione shipper. Therefore … that's who the story will be about. I'm thinking of a twist though … we'll see if you all like it or not.

In this one Harry's a bitch. I decided to give Ron a break from his usual role of antagonist, and make Harry the annoying, stubborn, mean friend. I'll explain it more in later chapters.

WARNING: There WILL be OOC characters. I don't like how Jo portrays Draco (and I never have), and anyways for Draco and Hermione to end up together it pretty much HAS to be at least somewhat OOC. If you're reading Dramione, you're probably used to this. Another warning is that I'm not sure exactly where the story is going (I don't plan specifically, just general plot points, etc.), but knowing me and the other fics I've done (the ones I might post if you decide you like this one), the rating might change later on.

Another important thing is that I love criticism. I may not use it, but I like to receive it. What I DON'T like is when people flame for the sake of flaming. IF YOU DON'T LIKE DRAMIONE, WHY ARE YOU READING THIS?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money off this fic. I know it's surprising, but it's true.

Now I will shut up. On with the story!!

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"Now, Harry! Be reasonable. I've never seen him cower."

"Why are you so protective of him all of a sudden?"

"I'm not protective of him! I just think that you should be logical and truthful when you're insulting him. It cuts deeper that way."

"It sure sounded like you were being protective of him. What is it, Hermione? Do you like Draco? Do you have a crush on him?" Harry's voice took on a taunting quality that Hermione didn't like at all. She realized that he wasn't going to stop, so she shrugged.

"Think what you'd like. I know that you won't listen to me no matter what I say, so I guess I'll just stop talking." She saw Ron cringe out of the corner of her eye. She knew that he knew what she meant. Harry seemed to think he'd won, but she was going to give him the silent treatment. He'd come back once his marks dropped below the passing grade. They always did.

She ignored Ron's pleas as she walked away. She knew that he was on Harry's side. She also knew that he realized that his marks were down the toilet until she forgave them. Damn boys!

She hit the wall in her frustration. She was quite the wimp as far as strength, but she wasn't afraid of pain. What surprised her was that there wasn't pain. She fell through the wall! She realized, too late, that it must be enchanted or something. She'd read all about the sections of wall that weren't really wall in Hogwarts, A History. She had actually gone searching for them in order to make her own observations, but she'd never found one before. Now that she had, she realized that it wasn't as exciting as she'd assumed it would be.

She was in an empty room. That much she could tell. There was no furniture, no people and … no door? She looked around frantically, but the walls were all the same and she couldn't even remember which she'd come through. She didn't panic, because she was far to logical and practical for that. She moved slowly around the room, poking the walls. Everywhere. There was no section of wall she didn't try. None of them opened. Suddenly she realized that her logic was deserting her. She felt tears running down her cheeks and broke down sobbing. Panic was overwhelming her and she didn't know what to do because nothing she could think of had worked and no one knew where she was and even if Ron and Harry noticed she was gone, they'd just think she was avoiding them and it was Friday, so even the teachers wouldn't notice until Monday and by then she might be dead because of dehydratio-

What was that noise? She abruptly stopped sobbing and looked around. The wall to her right began to ripple. It looked like water except that it was perpendicular to the way a body of water normally sat, and she'd touched it a few minutes ago. She knew it wasn't water.

Suddenly the ripples weren't even the colour of the wall. They were taking on colours! There was a prismatic effect, making the "wall" look as if it were iridescent. She couldn't resist crawling towards it and reaching out her hand. She was just about to touch it when –

She was in the hallway again. Her books and wand were scattered on the floor. She must have dropped them when she fell through the wall. She was disoriented. Her robes were askew and her hair was likely even worse than usual, and her face was probably a mess from all the crying she had done. She looked around to make sure no one saw, but was disappointed. There was someone leaning against the wall, watching her. She didn't like him, but she wasn't like her friends. She didn't hate him. He'd done horrid things to her, sure, but she knew how illogical it was to hold grudges. There was no sense in it in her mind. She didn't see a need for things like hate. Or love for that matter. She was nothing if not practical, and something based on absolutely no logic was completely alien to her.

"Why are you here?" She finally asked. She was tired of the silence.

"I suppose it would be too much for me to expect gratitude from a mudblood just because I let her out. Of course you'd skip the thanks and go straight into the inquisition." He had the usual drawl to his voice, but she didn't detect any malice. Strange.

"I didn't realize you had let me out. Thank you."

"Well I thought that I should. I heard someone in there crying. I checked and saw it was you … Don't expect any more favours. That was more than enough repayment. I owe you nothing now." He seemed to be rationalizing. She had no idea why, but she was willing to let it slide. Who was she kidding? She needed to know now!

"What are you talking about? What did you owe me? What is this repayment for?"

"Oh don't act like you don't know. I know that the only reason you were fighting my side today was so that you could get something out of it. Well I've paid you back! Whatever you wanted isn't going to happen!" He had started yelling. She was taken aback. After a pause, she replied.

"I am not a Slytherin, Malfoy. I don't weigh my actions for what I'll get in return before acting. I told them they were wrong because that's what fit into my values! Not because of anything to do with you." She spat the last word as if it were vile tasting in her mouth. She was already distraught enough, then he had to come and accuse her of such immoral behaviour! She wasn't going to take that.

"So … you were nice to me without expecting anything in return?" He looked perplexed, but when she nodded he seemed to come to a conclusion in his thoughts. "Potter was right, wasn't he? You like me. That's why you were doing that." She was surprised that he wasn't disgusted at the thought, but she stored that thought away for later. She didn't have time to dwell on it currently.

"What is with you idiots and thinking that a girl has to like a guy to be nice to him? You seem to think that you're God's gift to women, Malfoy. Let me tell you: You aren't. Not every female wants you. Some of us are just nice in general when we see the need for it. I may think my friends are in the wrong, but that doesn't mean that I want you or that I like you. I can't stand you! Thank you for letting me out of that room, but please leave now or I may have to hurt you. My gratitude is spent."

She glared at him for a moment, and when he didn't move she walked away. She walked slowly while she was still in his sight, but as soon as she turned the corner she ran. She ran quickly without even really watching where she was going. She knew that she was going to break down again, so she went where she always went when she broke down. She quickly climbed the steps of a tower that no one ever seemed to use. She ran into the room at the top of the stairs and knelt by the little pool. Once she was sitting in such a way that she wouldn't fall, she finally let the tears out. She just sat and cried for the rest of the night and well into the morning. She cried for her loneliness, as she was fighting with the only friends she had. She cried about everything she'd left behind at home, because she had to keep it in and not tell anyone. She cried about herself, and how illogical she was being, then she got mad at the little voice and told it to give her a moment to be emotional. Even after all that though, she still cried. She couldn't be sure why, and this was difficult for her because she liked to know what was going on in her head at all times. The only thing she could think of that would have her crying was so illogical, so unpractical …

Through her tears, in her own mind, she saw Draco Malfoy's hurt expression as she turned to walk away. She acknowledged it, and cried harder.