The book was right where Harry said it would be. Outside, beside the lake, and under the large willow tree he had been lying under earlier. I scooped it up out of the tall grass, and frowned. That would definitely be the last time I lent him one of my books, I thought to myself. I stuffed it into my bag, and was walking away, but with the crunching sound of the undergrowth, someone caught my wrist in a vice-like grip, and I turned around. Malfoy.God, I should have known. He placed a hand over my mouth, scooping me up and carrying me in to the forest. I squirmed around, but no avail. I never knew how strong he was before, probably because I had never been carried by him. I kicked my foot out hard, and I felt it connect. I smirked proudly, and he released me abruptly, and I dropped to my feet. I looked down at him, and he slowly got up, wincing.

What a baby, I thought to myself. He was annoyed, I could tell. But hey, you don't sneak up on a girl, and carry her away, into a forest crawling with man eating creatures. Talk about first impressions. He was still quite a bit taller than me, but I kept my chin up.

"What was that for Malfoy?" I demanded, drawing my wand. I really didn't like the idea of me, being all alone with Draco Malfoy, son of a death eater, in the forbidden forest.

He didn't answer me right away. He just stared. It was kind of freaking me out, so I repeated my question. He ran his fingers through his white blonde locks, and I calmed down a little. Surely, if he was going to do anything really horrible to me he wouldn't have put it off. I kept my wand arm up all the same. Just because I didn't think he was going to hurt me, didn't mean I exactly trusted him either. When he finally spoke he sounded, well, sort of unsure. Not like smirking, arrogant Malfoy at all.

"I need to ask you something, Granger." He said politely.

I raised an eyebrow in his direction, and lowered my wand. He was being actually kind of…civil. Well, if you ignore the whole kidnapping me and carrying me into the forest incident. I frowned, but let him continue. I was interested in the reason behind all of this. I folded my arms as he went on.

"I'm asking you to come to the Halloween dance with me."

My jaw must've dropped about a meter, because he smiled. Not just any smile either. My breath caught in my throat, and my knees turned to jello kind of smile. Seriously. This had never happened to me before. Not even when I around Viktor, and he was my boyfriend for almost six months. He waited quietly until I, at last, remembered how to speak.

'Did you hit your head or something? I thought I was just a filthy little mudblood to you. Why the sudden change of mind?' I demanded, still kind of grumpy about him carrying me and all.

He looked taken back for a moment, probably because every girl in the school would give just about anything to go to this dance with him, and here I was, asking why he chose me, instead of falling at his feet.

'Listen,' he said stepping forward and placing a hand on my arm, setting off fireworks in the pit of my stomach. 'I'm asking you to give me a chance here. I know I've never really been, well, all that nice to you, and I'm sorry for that." His stormy eyes bore into mine, as I did some very quick thinking. He was being genuine, and he did apologies…but I was still very suspicious.

'What do you say?' he asked me.

'I'm not sure.' I answered, in all honesty. What were Harry and Ron going to say when they found out? I could pretty much imagine, and I didn't like the odds of them taking this very good. But they didn't have to be okay with it, I didn't have to check with them! I had finally come to my decision, but there was one more thing I had to know first.

'Why did you ask me?' I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. 'Of all people Malfoy, god there's like a thousand other girls in our school-'

'Would you rather I ask one of them then?' he said smoothly.

Damn. He had me there, and he knew it too.

'No…' I said slowly.

He bent just low enough to whisper his next word in my ear.

'Please?'

He was dangerously close to me now, and I could feel his breath on my neck. I took a reluctant step backwards.

'I want proof that you're going to start treating me differently.' I said, but no sooner were the words out of my mouth, when he brought his lips down to mine, and pulled me closer. I was so shocked by this that the next thing I knew my arms were around his neck, and his; around my waist. Until I came to my senses that is. I quickly pulled away, and he was smiling. Well, it wasn't really what I had in mind but I guess that would do for the proof I had been after. I couldn't help but grin back, something Malfoy and I had never done to one and other, but it was kind of nice.

He sighed, and lent back against the tree behind him and I became aware for the first time that it was dusk; any later caught out of bed, let alone outside the castle and I would have a detention, and that was one of the last thing I wanted right now. Head girls don't get detention. I picked up my bag and the contents that had fallen out during the little fiasco, and I began to walk away. Malfoy called after me, and I slowly turned around.

'Hermione?' he said, 'what about my offer?'

I thought for a second, then, 'I'll meet you at eight.'

He looked pleased, and I hurried out of the forest and up into the castle. The unpleasantly cold autumn air nipped at my exposed legs and arms, and I wished I had thought to have worn a sweater. A sweater wasn't the only thing I got. Though just as that thought swam through my mind,one was draped around my shoulders.I looked up at owner of it beside me and uttered my thanks. Malfoy assured me it was nothing, and I wrapped his sweater tighter around my arms. We walked the rest of the way in silence. But there was only one thing on my mind as I made my way to the common room, after leaving Malfoy at the dungeons. Asides from that kiss. For the first time in my life, Draco Malfoy had called me Hermione.