Hello and welcome to my new story: Betting on Love. This a Dramione story, so if you aren't into that ship and don't want to read about it...well...don't. Sorry I have not updated my other stories in so long. I do plan to keep this one updated quite regularly. My beta reader, A Happy Little BumbleBee,is there to remind me of that. Speaking of which, I would like to thank her for doing an awesome job. You should really check out her stories, especially if you are into Draco/Harry fics. She has a particularly adorable Valentine's day one that I believe she is redoing. Now then, onto the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own the sexy Harry Potter, but I do own this plot. Don't steal it, or the boogeyman will get you!

Chapter One: A Clever Bet

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had reopened its doors after all. The governors had realized that the students were as safe there, if not safer, than in their own homes. Therefore, they had letters of a slightly different brand that year. Each one told the students that they were welcome to come back to school. Alternatively, it told them, they could be home-schooled, and the school would send their lessons each week. Rumors flew among the students who came back about who was on which side. Of course, many Slytherins were thought to be future Death Eaters. It is one of these students that we must turn our attention to.

This would be a young blonde who we would have found sitting in a black leather chair in his common room. He was staring into the fire, his hair falling into his eyes. The boy was a seventh year, and he was thinking intently on a somewhat morbid subject: his fate. He knew the likely-hood of surviving to the age of 19 was slim; he had just informed his father a day before that he would be resigning his role as a Death Eater.

Ironically enough, a large owl with dark coloring flew in (how it managed this is unknown, there are no windows in the Slytherin dungeons), dropped a letter in he boys lap, and immediately left. The Slytherin's pale fingers opened the envelope slowly and took out a letter written in his father's hand.

Draco,

I am vastly displeased with your decision, as is the Dark Lord. However, for whatever reason it is not in his interest to punish you at this time. I am doubtful that this will last long, but rather think that my Lord must simply be preoccupied with matters concerning the war.

Of course, this letter is not just to inform you of that, but more to tell you this: I refuse to consider you my son any longer. At the start of Christmas Break, Krinky will meat you in Hogsmeade to give you your things.

Lucius Malfoy

Draco was not shocked at his disownment, but rather relieved that he would be allowed to live for the time being. At any rate, he was still considerably angry at Lucius.

"Bastard" he muttered as he threw the parchment into the fire. It was after this that Blaise, who had declined the choice of becoming a Death Eater, walked in, noticing his housemate's anger.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"So what did he say?"

"Let's go for a walk."

And so they left the Slytherin dungeons and found themselves aimlessly walking the castle.

"He's disowning me. Plans to send Krinky with my things the start of Christmas break.

"Whoa, wait a minute. What about—"

"No, he doesn't want to for some reason."

"That's certainly unexpected."

"Father mentioned that he reckons the old git's too busy killing mudbloods."

"So what do you plan to do?"

"I dunno. Find a place in Hogsmeade I suppose. Of course, I don't have any money now."

"I'd offer my place, but my dad's kicking me out after I didn't want to be one."

"Hey, you want to see if we can find a place together?"

"Sounds good to me." After this there was a somewhat long silence. It was a bit awkward, but Slytherins were supposed to be comfortable with silence, so they stuck it out. Draco thought of what it might be like, sharing a dwelling with Blaise. He was about as close to a real companion as Dray had ever had, but he still didn't know how it would work out.

They must have both been thinking the same thing, because the air got suddenly incredibly tense. Finally, it was impossible to hold to Slytherin tradition, and Blaise broke the silence.

So...are you going to the Halloween Ball?

"Well, yeah."

"Who are you taking?"

"I dunno."

"Wait. You mean to tell me the great Draco Malfoy doesn't have a date?"

"No, not yet. I don't really know who to go with. I'm a bit tired of the usual girls I take."

At that moment they were passing the library, and Hermione Granger was entering it. This gave Blaise a brilliant idea for a bet, but he would have to play his cards right.

"What about Granger?" This suggestion stopped Draco in his tracks. He was almost speechless.

"Why on earth would I go with the Mudblood?"

"Because she's hot, and it would be a change."

"It'd be a change, alright. Sometimes I think you're a bit touched in the head."

"Oh well. Doesn't matter anyway, right? You couldn't get her anyway."

"I don't want her."

"I know. Good thing too, because you couldn't have her."

"I could have her, I just don't want her."

"Could not."

"Could too."

"Could not."

"How dense can you be? No, you really couldn't."

"Of course I could!" Draco was getting angry at the idea of not being able to have something. He could have anything, and anyone he wanted.

"So prove it."

"What?" Draco was now utterly confused. Did Blaise just ask him to go out with Granger?

"Prove you can get her. I bet you that you can't. If you can't, you have to date Parkinson for 6 months, and I that time you have to do anything she wants."

"And when I do get Granger?"

"I date Parkinson." Pansy had been after Draco for years, and while he toyed with her when he felt like it, he would rather not have her around in the next 6 months, and our clever blonde knew she wouldn't mind Blaise a bit. That would be fun to watch.

"Done. I can't wait to watch you and Pansy together," and with they shook hands and Dray started to head toward the library.

"Just one more thing, Draco."

"And that is?"

"There has to be a kiss. An obviously mutual kiss. With tongue."

"I-I have to kiss Granger?"

"Yes. Oh, and you may want to try calling her Hermione. Just a thought."

Damnit. I thought he was just talking about the ball. But to get Granger to snog me will take a lot more than that. Shit.

However, our Slytherin knew he couldn't turn back, and so into the library he went.

A bushy-haired Hermione Granger sat looking studiously into books for the Potions essay she was looking for. Her and the rest of the Golden Trio had returned to Hogwarts while Harry worked out where the final Horcrux was hidden. However, today she though not of Voldemort, but of her studies. That is until a certain someone popped in.

"Hello," came the low drawl she had become so accustomed to hearing.

"What do you want?" she didn't even look up. She didn't need to, she knew who it was.

"Nothing. Sorry, I didn't think it was a crime to talk to the Head Girl." There was something in his voice that was different. It was something Hermione couldn't place. Whatever "it" was, it sparked her curiosity.

"Wait," Draco looked as though he was about to turn, but stopped, "No, really, what do you want?"

"Nothing much really. Just thought I'd say 'Hi'." The Gryffindor raised her eyebrows.

"You wanted to say 'hi' to me?"

"Yeah. Something wrong with that?" Hermione was at a loss for words.

"Well-no-but aren't I supposed to be the wretched, filthy Mudblood?" Draco had a pondering look about his face.

"Yeah. You are."

"Then-why would you want to say anything relatively nice to me?"

The Slytherin shrugged, "Just felt like it I guess. Hey, mind if I sit down?"

"It's not like I can stop you."

"I know, but I asked if you would mind. There's no point in sitting down if it will make you uncomfortable."

"There isn't?"

"No. So, do you mind?"

"Er-no, I guess not."

He has to be up to something. There's just no other explanation.

"What are you doing?"

"Potions Essay," Hermione stated, remembering her work. She returned to writing notes.

"Why all the books, then?"

"I thought I'd do it from a more historical angle. I'm including discoveries from the medieval period."

"Really? You might want to try this then." The blonde plucked a book off a nearby shelf and handed it to her: Concoctions of the 16th Century and What They Did.

"Thanks…" she reluctantly took it from his hand.

"You're welcome. I read it recently out of fun. I've always had a thing for Potions."

"Malfoy?"

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Well, I always thought my skin was too pale, but every girl I ask tells me I wouldn't look good tan. I don't know though, what do you think, as a woman? Would I be sexier tan?"

"No, I mean—"

"So you like me better pale?"

"That's not what I meant—"

"Oh, so you think I'd be better in between?"

"No—"

"Well, then what do you think?"

"I think you seriously misunderstood my question. I think that I was asking 'What is wrong with you that would make you talk to me decently?' rather than 'What's wrong with your appearance?'"

"Oh. Nothing. I told you, I felt like it. Besides, whatever I do for a living is going to require contacts with Mudbloods, right?" The Gryffindor scowled.

"I somehow doubt your line of work requires decency to them. I'm sure your father taught you that much."

"Actually, my father and I have had a—er—parting of ways."

"Parting of ways?"

"He kind of….disowned me."

"What for?"

"Because—well let's just say I resigned from said career."

"Oh…I'm sorry. I just assumed—everyone does—but that's no excuse—"

"It's fine. I understand. I'm Draco Malfoy, spitting image of Lucius Malfoy—Death Eater Extraordinaire."

"I guess, even if it's just in that respect, I misjudged you."

"I told you, it's fine. Now, back to the subject at hand. Be honest, am I sexy pale or should I go tan?"

"Are you completely self-absorbed?"

"Well, I can't be completely so, now can I? If I was, then I wouldn't have given you that book. Now are you going to answer me or not?"

"No," she replied flatly.

"Why not?"

"Because then I'd have to look at you as possibly being attractive, and I don't plan to."

"Well, how do you look at me?"

"As the slimy Slytherin git who hates me and my best friends and is obviously confused as to who he's talking to, as he would never talk decently to me while in his right mind."

"Oh." There was a silence for a few moments, and then he added, "I don't hate you."

The entire conversation Hermione had continued her work as they bantered back and forth, but this was too much. She sharply looked up in shock and then dropped her pencil. This was the first time she had made eye contact with him. His icy silver orbs pierced her warm chocolate ones, and she found there was something almost mesmerizing about it. However, even this did not avert her shock at her rival's words.

"You—you don't?"

"No" He stared back at her seriously as he said it. It felt to our Head Girl as though they stayed that way for an hour, but in truth it could not have been more that a minute. Their gaze was only broken when her watch alarm went off.

"Oh…I have to go." She quickly gather her things and went to leave, but something made her turn back to ell him, "Malfoy—if—if you want to…talk or something…I'll be here tomorrow after lunch for a while. Okay?"

"I'll keep that in mind. See you later, Granger."

"Yeah—you too." She then turned to leave the library, still wondering what had gotten into him. However, even though he didn't say, she had a feeling he'd be back tomorrow.

What did you think? No, don't talk to your screen like a crazy person, REVIEW! Those are after all the little things that keep me writing.