Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters nor do I own the song "Disease" which is by Matchbox 20.

Draco stormed angrily out of his dormitory, gripping a piece of paper in his balled up fist. He proceeded to storm the rest of the way down to the Slytherin common room stopping before the fireplace. He gave one last look at the wrinkled up letter in his hand.

Draco,

Once again, you have not failed in disappointing me. I'm not sure if you've noticed yet, but your grades are near failing…once again. Especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which I would have assumed you to be very keen on that subject. Let this be a fair warning Draco, I better not get another excuse saying it's that Granger girl's fault. I know you're better than that Mudblood, but you seem to be lazy in proving that to me.

Lucious Malfoy

P.S. You will not be coming home for the holidays. You'll be expected to stay at school and study.

Draco crumbled the letter back up and tossed it into the fire. His eyes narrowed, as the fire grew large for a moment then calmed back down. He then summoned his broom from his dormitory and headed outside.

It was a rather quiet Sunday afternoon in December when Draco decided his father was a bastard and that he would do anything to make him just as angry as he had him. It was bad enough that Draco had to admit that Granger was smarter than he was (although he wouldn't admit it to anyone else), but it was even worse to have his own father rub it in his face.

"Damn him," Draco said to himself as he walked out onto the frozen ground of the Quidditch pitch. He shuddered from the cold; despite that he was wearing his heaviest robes and a scarf. He surveyed the sky and noticed large snow clouds covering the sky and felt the harsh wind blow around him.

He smirked. Perfect day for flying, he thought to himself.

Draco then mounted his broom and took off. Contrary to popular belief, he was actually a very good flyer. He flew a couple of laps and performed a few dives to blow off steam. He then did a couple of freestyles before he decided to just flying around.

He was in the middle of coming up with how to foul Harry in the next Quidditch match when he noticed something out in the middle of the lake. With nothing better to do and done venting his anger, he decided to investigate.

As he flew closer, he groaned inwardly when he noticed it was Granger in a small boat.

"What the hell is she doing out there?"

Draco decided he'd find out. He flew in even closer and realized Granger was leaning over the boat with her face in the water.

"This should give her a scare," Draco thought to himself.

When he'd flown in close enough he decided to say, "Greetings Mudblood."

Hermione's head shot up from the water with a small scream and looked around to see who had spoken. She already knew it was Draco (who else calls her Mudblood), but she didn't know where he was.

Feels like you made a mistake

"Over here," Draco said when Hermione couldn't find him.

She turned around sharply to face him and Draco nearly fell off his broom when he saw her face. To his disgust and amusement, attached to Hermione's face was a pair of goggles with coke-bottle lenses.

"Goodness Granger, take off those ridiculous goggles."

You made somebody's heart break

"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione spat while taking off her goggles.

But now I have to let you go

"To know what you're up to," Draco replied, looking down inside the boat and noticing an open notebook and several textbooks.

I have to let you go

"An extra credit project for my Underwater Magical Creatures class. It's none of your business really," Hermione replied matter-of-factly.

For some odd reason, Malfoy decided she had destroyed his last nerve with that statement. She's wrong. It is my business.

You left a stain

On every one of my good days

"And why doesn't that surprise me?" Draco asked sarcastically.

"Sod off Malfoy," Hermione replied fiercely.

But I am stronger than you know

I have to let you go

"I just might do that," Draco stated.

He then flew fast over Hermione's head, scaring her so much she nearly fell out of the boat.

No one's ever turned you over

"Stop it Malfoy!" Hermione shouted. "Just leave me alone!"

"Oh, just?" Malfoy asked. "You don't want me to help you get a closer look?"

This caused a confused look to fall upon Hermione's face.

Draco smirked at this. Probably a first for her, he thought. He didn't waste time thinking about it though.

No one's tried

To ever let you down

He flew at her again and this time he succeeded in knocking her out of the boat.

Beautiful girl

Bless your heart

There was a cold splash of water on his robes as Hermione fell into the frigid waters.

I got a disease

Deep inside of me

"Help!" Hermione shouted out in a shaky voice.

Makes me feel uneasy baby

Draco just watched as she struggled to get back in the boat.

"You stupid prat!" Hermione hollered as the boat turned over.

This time what looked like a flash of sympathy crossed Draco's eyes and he flew towards her.

I can't live without you

Tell me what I am supposed to do about it

"Grab the end of my broom," he told her.

"I can't," she said as she tried to grab for it, but couldn't reach far enough.

Keep your distance from me

Don't pay no attention to me

"Here, grab my hand," he said reaching down to her.

I got a disease

Hermione succeeded in grabbing his hand and Draco pulled her up onto the back of his broom.

"Hold on and don't get my robes too wet," he stated sharply.

Feels like you're making a mess

You're hell on wheels in a black dress

"Oh shut up," was all Hermione could muster as she wrapped her drenching robes around her and put her arms around Draco's waist…which felt weird to her.

Draco then headed for shore and tried to shake the feeling he was getting with Granger in such close proximity.

"I never thought this day would end up with me helping out a Mudblood…Daddy would be so proud," Draco commented dryly.

You drove me to the fire

"Did you say something?" Hermione asked before laying her head against Draco's back.

Draco turned around suddenly and noticed that she had passed out. "Damn."

And left me there to burn

Draco finally made it to shore and dismounted from his broom while being careful not to let Hermione fall off.

Every little thing you do is tragic

He laid her on the ground softly and was horrified to notice how pale she was. What horrified him even more was when he noticed how pretty she looked.

"Bloody hell…" He searched frantically for his wand and finally found it under his piles of robes that he was wearing. He cast a Heating Spell over Hermione and she soon became conscious again with her robes being partially dry.

All my life, oh was magic

He watched as she sat up and moved the wet hair out of her face. She then sat up dusting her self off and looked down at Draco who was still sitting on the ground. Draco made a mental note that Hermione looked good with wet hair. He then made another mental note that it was because she looked better without her usual bushy hair. Then he even made another mental note to mentally slap himself later on for even considering that Hermione looked "good" in the first place.

Beautiful girl

I can't breathe

"What are you staring at? Are you expecting me to thank you or something?" Hermione asked as she wandered why he had that far-off look in his eyes.

I got a disease

Deep inside me

Makes me feel uneasy baby

Draco broke off his admiring stare and replaced it with a glare. "Yes, that would be a nice of you after I practically saved your life."

I can't live without you

Tell me what I am supposed to do about it

"Well, you're not getting any thanks from me. None of this would have happened in the first place if you hadn't knocked me out of the boat…and oh! All my books and research was in there!" Hermione exclaimed. This time it was her turn to glare.

Keep your distance from me

Don't pay no attention to me

"You ungrateful filthy…" Draco began while getting up off the ground.

"Don't even dare calling me that." Hermione warned, cutting him off.

I got a disease

I think that I'm sick

Draco stepped up to her and Hermione finally realized exactly how tall and intimidating Malfoy was.

"Make me…Mudblood," Draco spat in Hermione's face with a nasty sneer.

Hermione's eyes flared and she slapped Draco hard across the face making him fall to the ground. She then spun on her heel and began making her way across the front lawn to the castle.

But leave me be while my world is coming down on me

Draco grabbed his cheek and could still feel the stinging sensation. He grabbed his broom and began running after Granger. He didn't know why…but he had to catch up with her.

"Slow down Granger," he shouted, still holding his cheek.

Hermione spun around again with sheer determination to stand up to Draco. She was happy though to see he was still holding his cheek. Good, it hurt, she thought to herself.

Draco stopped in his tracks as he found himself towering over Hermione once again. This time, he was slightly frightened by the expression on her face.

"The name's Hermione. Not Granger, not Mudblood. Hermione," she stated, looking him in the eye.

You taste like honey, honey

Tell me can I be your honey

Be, be strong

Keep telling myself that it won't take long till

"Hermione," he repeated, dropping his broom to his side and taking his hand away from his cheek. He figured there was still a mark, but he didn't care at the moment.

I'm free of my disease

Draco was satisfied with the shocked expression that appeared on her face. Finally, I have a one up on her, he thought to himself. But for some odd reason, that didn't make him as satisfied as he thought he would be. It was like he was missing something…

Yeah, well free of my disease

Free of my disease

Hermione watched on, still in shocked amazement, while Draco's eyes once again got that far-off look in his eye. That looked seemed so familiar to her…like she'd seen it somewhere before. Finally, it hit her.

I got a disease

Deep inside me

Makes me feel uneasy baby

It was the same look Ron got in his eye when he looked at her…

I can't live without you

Tell me what I'm supposed to do about it

Hermione stepped back as she could only guess what could be going through Draco's mind at the moment…

Keep your distance from me

Don't pay no attention to me

But before she could get too far away without Draco noticing, he snapped out of his trance while reaching out his hand and grabbing her arm, pulling her back.

I got a disease

I think that I'm sick

"You know…" Draco began. Hermione stared at him with mute anxiety. "I'm sorry and I don't care if you don't thank me for what I did for you back there, even though I would appreciate it." This last part retrieved a look of annoyance from Hermione, but he continued. "And…" Then he stopped.

But leave me be while my world is coming down on me

The next part Hermione was NOT expecting…which could be considered another one up on her for Draco.

He kissed her.

You taste like honey, honey

Tell me can I be your honey

Hermione struggled against him, wanting to pull back, but he only persisted further.

Be, be strong

She wandered why her mind wasn't telling her to try harder to stop, but then she realized it was probably because she didn't want to.

Keep telling myself that it won't take long till

So she kissed him back.

I'm free of my disease

Draco was partially surprised when Hermione began kissing back, but then of course he had to remind him that nobody could really resist the Malfoy charm.

And Hermione was partially surprised when Draco stopped.

Yeah well I'm free of my disease

"So…" Draco said looking at Hermione.

Hermione could only shrug and wander if what just happened really happened.

"We should probably get back up to the castle," Draco suggested.

"Yeah…" Hermione replied somewhat hesitantly. She then looked around and noticed the sky had gone black and small flurries were beginning to fall. "Yeah, yeah we should," she added with more confidence.

"Are you cold?" Draco asked.

"Somewhat," was all that Hermione could really say.

Draco took off the cloak he had been wearing the whole time and put it around Hermione. She realized it smelt strongly of cologne and really didn't mind the scent. They then both began walking back to the castle together.

"By the way," Draco said, looking down at Hermione who was walking beside him.

"What?" she asked quickly, afraid of what he would say. So many different things that he could say were running through her head. "By the way, that didn't really happen" or "By the way, that didn't mean anything" or "By the way, I still hate you" or "By the way, let's just forget about what happened."

"I was just going to say I'll help you finish that extra credit project if you want me to," Draco finished. He noticed a soft expression appear on her face. It was almost like she was relieved about something.

"Sure, that'd be nice," she replied.

Set me free of my disease

Author's Notes: I set this when they were in their sixth or seventh year. It doesn't really matter. Also, I somewhat rushed the ending, so that probably made Draco and Hermione become a bit OOC. Please review and tell me what you think.