Hi All! I wrote this years (almost 10) ago and recently found it on another site. I'm not going to continue it, I'm sharing it because I hope others enjoy it too!

And nothings changed, I still own nothing. All I ask is you drop a review to let me know what you think!

He knew it was wrong, that everyone wouldn't see it as he did. But ever since that slap he'd thought about her. Wondered if she really was as perfect as she seemed. Her friends had all rallied around her when her hand made contact with his face, it was unbelievable, that a bookworm could pack a punch. He'd had that handprint on his face for days. Ever since that day, he watched her. Learning her schedule every year and following her. If she ran into trouble along the way, he'd go along with it, making fun of her or simply watch as tears formed in her eyes. She always tried to hide them and pull her friends away, but he saw. What was it about her? She was muggleborn, Gryffindor and a bookworm. Everything he wasn't, he was barely passing his classes, he was part of the supposed meanest houses and he was pureblood, as were most of his friends. He shouldn't 'be attracted to her' or following her around the corridors of this blasted school, but he was. Tonight was going to be different, though. He was going to talk to her, make her see that he was different from the rest of them; he wasn't a Death Eater in training. He didn't even like his father.

He'd make her understand. He left the common room and made his way to the entry hall. She always left the library around this time and passed through the entry hall to go see that oaf grounds keeper. Like clockwork she passed him, as he hid in the shadows, to walk to the hut. He didn't like her going to see the giant, but he would tolerate it until she became his. He knew it wouldn't be long until that time came; he just had to be patient. Start off as friends; convince her that he wouldn't follow in his father's footstep, all of the things she needed to hear from him to trust him. He stood in the same spot until she returned. She was smiling as she walked in the entryway but the smile soon vanished when he walked out from the shadows.

"Hermione."

She froze instantly and he cursed himself seven days to Sunday or however the phrase went. He never called her by her first name…never.

"What do you want?" she asked, as if she were unsure of his intentions.

"Please, all I want to do is talk." He rushed to assure her, showing her his hands, which had been stuffed in his pocket's since she'd left the castle, to let her know they were empty.

"Where are the other snakes?" she asked coldly. "Waiting in the wings to jump out at me?" she hissed.

"Hermione, please. I am all by myself; I just have to talk to you." He explained trying to calm her.

"Why would you want to talk to me?" she asked curiously, her head tilting to the right slightly, the way it did whenever she found a problem she found difficult.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry. For how I've treated you over the past seven years." He answered, relieved that she hadn't just ignored him and walked away.

"What?" she asked, her eyes going wide.

"I said I'm sorry."

She stared at him, making him very comfortable, before answering.

"Thank you."

"I'll be going now." He mumbled before turning to walk back to the dungeons.

He smiled as he walked into the common room. She knew he wasn't what he appeared to be, that he had a heart. That was the most important thing for now.

"Goyle!" Vincent called from the couch, making him look up in surprise. The common room had been empty when he left. "Where have you been?"

"I had to take care of something." He answered, smirking at Vincent's expression before his attention strayed elsewhere.

He'd talk to her again tomorrow. Same time, same place.