Hermione wasn't really looking forward to going back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. It was her 7th and final year and it was going to be boring for her because she had already practised this work last year. She boarded the train and looking around for an empty carriage. Not only were all the carriages occupied but she couldn't find her best friends Harry Potter, Ron Wealsey or Ginny Weasley. After walking around with her trunk for 15 minutes, she gave up and decided she'd just fit in the one nearest to her now. She turned, opened the door, and sat down on the cold seat. She didn't look up to see the other person who was in the compartment but she didn't need to because before she could even take a book out of her bag, he spoke to her.

"Ah, Granger. I was wondering when I would see you again." His voice leered and was like a purring cat which was unusual for Draco Malfoy because his voice was normally like nails on a chalkboard.

"Look I'm sorry Draco, everywhere else is full, and you can call me whatever you like for the whole train trip because I have earplugs in my bag and I'll most likely just put them in." She said all of this while fiddling with a rather curly piece of her hair that was hanging down just below her shoulder. She didn't know why she couldn't look at him, maybe it was because he hadn't been outright mean to her yet.

"It's fine Granger. We are in 7th year now, I think it's time to grow up and put our differences aside. So what do you say?"

He held out his hand, waiting for her to shake it. But she didn't, she'd known Draco for 6 years now and there was no way she was going to believe this. He hated her. His whole family hated her.

Draco sighed and looked up so their eyes were locked together, she couldn't look away. "I'll even call you Hermione if you like. I just want a fresh start to school and I know I'm 6 year late with the peacemaking but honestly I never disliked you that much. It was just because you hung out with Weasley and Potter."

Hermione was stunned. It was a prank, a Slytherin joke. She was sure of it. "I need to – loo- now." She stammered and stood up. When she reached the bathrooms she splashed water onto her face. She had taken her shoulder bag to the bathrooms with her because she didn't trust Draco if she left it there. She took out black eyeliner and applied some. She didn't know why but she had a sudden urge to look good, like she didn't look good enough next to Draco.

"Well it's not my fault he's so damn good looking..." She mumbled to herself. "No he's not. I mean he's not good looking like dateable good looking. He just... ugh he's stupid!"

She stormed out of the bathroom angrily but she didn't know who she was angry at, herself for thinking those thoughts or Draco for ... being himself."

Hermione sat back down in the compartment on the seat opposite him without looking up or speaking to him. She did, however, sit just a tiny bit closer to him than before. Just enough so hopefully he wouldn't notice. He was reading a copy of The Daily Prophet and didn't acknowledge her until she scooted over in the seat a little more so they were directly opposite each other.

"What are you doing?" He asked. It wasn't an annoyed tone but more of a curious one. He had a half smile playing on his lips.

"I'm bored" Hermione replied.

He squinted at her in the dim light of the compartment. "Are you wearing makeup?" His smile grew a little bigger.

She flushed pink and looked away from him. When Draco saw that she wasn't going to talk anymore nudged her knee with his, since their knees were only a few inches apart. "Well what do you want to do Miss Granger?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well I have to say that I don't really trust you."

"Okay so we'll play a game. We'll tell each other secrets starting with the smallest ones. If i'm completely honest with you then maybe you'll grow to trust me alright?" Draco gave her another half smile. Hermione nodded and told him to go first.

He sighed. "Okay. Pansy is super annoying." Hermione tried to hide her smile.

"That's hardly a secret." She told him.

"Secret's, in my opinion, are things you don't tell people. I don't tell people that Pansy irritates me. Therefore it's a secret, your turn."

Hermione shook her head at him, smiling. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Smiling with Malfoy?

Sitting alone in a compartment with Malfoy?

Laughing with Malfoy?

Insanity...

"Okay, my secret is that I have no idea where Ron and Harry are." She sighed or rather pretended to sigh because really she was glad they weren't here. She was having fun with Draco.

"My secret is I'm glad they're not here." Draco smiled down at her, not looking the tiniest bit embarrassed. It was like he'd read her mind.

They continued playing the secrets game until it was down to very even sillier things like what vegetables they liked and didn't. The train had left the station at 4o'clock in the afternoon. Hermione didn't know why the train was so delayed at the station but it was now 8o'clock and they wouldn't get to Hogwarts till 6am.

Draco looked lovely in the moonlight. It made his white blonde hair turn a new shade of silver. His eyes were a shimmering grey in the moonlight and he had not yet changed into his Hogwarts robes, he was wearing a black cotton v-necked shirt that clung to his muscles. Hermione never noticed how good of a body Draco had but now she couldn't look away from it. He had a pair of fitted dark blue jeans on and black sneakers.

Hermione bit her lip as he stared out the window, her eyes glued to his chest.

"hmhm." Draco cleared his throat to get her attention. She snapped out of her daze and looked up to find him smirking at her.

"Now really Granger, you could touch them in you like." He laughed "sometimes I do." He was making fun of her, but in the usual way where he called her horrid names like 'mudblood'.

"Sorry... I was just... I didn't mean to." Hermione was looking at the floor, face flushed pink.

Draco laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "I like seeing you nervous."

"Why?" Hermione asked only looking at him once.

"Well usually you're so perfect and confident. It's nice seeing you be human for a change."

Hermione smiled at him and flushed once more. They talked about anything that came to their minds that evening until it was 10pm and they were both tired.

"Are you sleepy yet Granger Danger?"

"Yes I'm afraid I am, and don't call me that." She narrowed her eyes at him playfully and took off her jacket. She had a light pink singlet top on. It wasn't cold on the train because of the heaters so she decided this would be enough to sleep in. She pulled her rolled up jeans down so that the cuffs covered her feet and she curled up on the seat.

"Goodnight Draco." Hermione mumbled to him with her eyes closed.

"Goodnight beauty." Draco replied. Hermione screamed in her head...

After several minutes, Hermione fell asleep, Draco however couldn't. He sat there across from her and watched her. Occasionally she would change position or murmur in her sleep. He didn't know why he was being so nice to Granger but from the second she stepped into his compartment he felt electricity between them. He noticed she had grown up a lot since he last saw her, her hair was long and her face was fuller.

"No, Harry. B- Black ... Sirius ... B-black" She murmured in her sleep. She was getting awfully worked up so Draco got off the seat and crouched down next to her head.

"Shhhhh. It's okay beauty." Her caressed her face and comforted her, blowing his minty breath onto her face. He looked down at her. She was truly beautiful, 7th year was going to cause him so much mayhem. He sighed, he wondered what the soft skin of her cheek that he was still stroking, would feel like on his lips. The wonder was over powering, but he knew he had to resist. He couldn't, she'd freak out, run away from him even...

"Draco... Draco... Malf... oy..." She sighed his name with such happiness. He shook his head, he couldn't believe it. She was dreaming of him. And that was it, the last nail in his coffin.

He bent down so his lips were an inch away from her cheek. He was panting; he'd never wanted anything like this, anyone like this...

Draco pressed his lips, softly, onto her rosy skin. He smiled while he kissed her cheek, her skin smelt like strawberries and makeup. Not a overpowering scent but it was certainly lovely. He drew back and sat down opposite her once more.

Granger... he never thought that he'd fall for Granger. But he had, in the course of 7 hours, he had fallen in love with her... or at least he thought he had. He couldn't take his eyes off her, couldn't get her out of his head. Isn't that what love is?

Her eyes slowly blinked themselves open and there she saw Draco. Her heart gave a thump as he, once more, lowered down on the ground next to her. "Sorry, did I wake you?" He whispered to her.

"No. I was just dreaming..."

He nodded and went to sit back on the seat. Was it the dream of mine that woke her?

Did she remember the dream?

"Will you sleep with me?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well alright but let's wait till we get to Hogwarts because there isn't much room in here." He smirked at her.

"Very funny, I meant will you sit here with me please?" She sat up and patted a space next to her on the seat. "I was having a bad dream before. It scared me a bit..."

He obliged and sat down with her. As soon as he sat down, she laid her head in his lap. "Thank you." She whispered to him. "You'll keep my bad dreams away now."

He laughed softly and stroked her hair. "I think I'm probably the star of your bad dreams."

"Not anymore." She turned so she was looking upwards at him. She took his hand in hers and linked her fingers through.

"Do you mind?" She asked with a bit of worry. He was nothing like the old Draco, he was perfect now but she wasn't sure how far she could take this. What did this sudden romance mean?

Draco shook his head, showing that he didn't mind and watched her close her eyes.

"Want to play the secret game once more?" She asked him softly.

"Sure. You first" He wasn't sure he had anymore secrets; he had already told her more about him than anyone else. Not even his own family took this much interest in him.

"I was awake."

"And when were you awake Miss Granger?" He stroked the side of her face with his free hand. He couldn't help himself.

"When you kissed me" she whispered to him.

His hand froze on the side of her face and she half smiled.

"Your turn" She told him.

"I meant it."

"Meant what?"

"That kiss, I'm sort of glad you were awake for it."

She smiled and held his hand closer to her.

"Goodnight again Draco."

"Goodnight again beauty."

Draco laid his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Only to be filled with the image of the girl resting on his lap once more.

*********************

Review :)

Please.

I changed the names of the chapters because this was originally called Chapter 1. and it didn't fit in with

the other titles.

mmk?

I love you. D: