A/N Hey, all this is my first Harry Potter fan fic. please review and tell me what you think! And for all of you who agree with me that Draco is really a sweet guy deep down, YOU ROCK!! ( Peace, love and bullet-proof marshmallows!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and some of the characters. J.K Rowling owns the rest!



Chapter One - The Realization

"Joana, wake up! You're going to miss the train!" My mother, Jadelynn Amatoria shouted.

I jumped out of bed, looking at my clock. It was 9:30am, and I had to be at Platform 9 and ¾ in a half an hour! Thank goodness I showered last night and my packing was finished!

My mother and I quickly packed my things into the car after I threw my clothes on, and then we were headed off to Kings Cross Station and platform 9 and ¾.

"You excited, Jo? Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been sending you owls quite frequently."

"Yes, mother, I can't wait to see my friends again." Little did my mother know that there was someone else I couldn't wait to see. I didn't want to tell her, not yet. I don't think she would be happy, considering the family this person comes from.

"What are you thinking about, Jo? Your mind is off in space."

"Was just thinking about seeing all of my friends again. Mother, can Harry come to visit next summer? It was a little lonely, just you and I, and I'm sure he would appreciate the time away from the Dursleys."

"We'll see, Joana," My mother said in her "let's not talk about this right now" voice. "Well, now, here we are!"

I kissed my mother good-bye and gathered my trunk and Whiskers, my gerbil (she's kind of like a rat), and headed to the platform.

"JOANA!!!!!!" I turned my head, and saw Harry running towards me.

"HARRY!!!!!" We ran to each other, and threw our arms around each other in a tight embrace. "I missed you so much! How are you?"

"I'm wonderful now! It's great to be headed back to Hogwarts!" He kissed me on the cheek. "Now we just need to find Ron and Hermione."

"HARRY! JO! OVER HERE!" came the shout of Ron Weasley, another one of our friends.

"RON!" Harry and I shouted at the same time. We looked at each other and smiled.

I ran over to Ron, and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him on the cheek. "Next summer, we are all getting together. I missed you guys too much!" I said to Ron and Harry.

"Have you guys seen Hermione yet?" Ron asked us.

Harry shook his head, "No, afraid not, mate. Lets go look for her."

"Ok, you guys go that way, I'll go this way," I told Ron and Harry.

"K," they said in unison.

I started walking, and began thinking about him. His beautiful gray eyes, his gorgeous lips, and the way he smiled at me. I hope to see him soon, but it will be hard with Ron, Harry, and Hermione around.

Suddenly, I bumped into someone, "Oh, sorry," I said. I looked up to see who it was. My heart skipped a beat. It was Draco Malfoy, the very person I had just been thinking of.

"Well, hello there, Joana. How was your summer?" he asked.

"It was ok, I guess. How was yours?"

"It was ok."

"Oh." I didn't know what to say! I hope that I'm not making a fool of myself.

"I see you've decided to grow your hair. I like it. It looks very nice?"

I blushed. "Thank you, Draco."

"You are quite welcome," Draco sighed. "I'm afraid I must be off. Don't want Crabbe and Goyle to think that I've gotten lost. Good day, Joana, hope to see you again soon." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving my heart racing.

Why am I getting all worked up over Draco? Up until last year, he was a total jerk to all of us. Why am I letting his charm work on me? He's probably just using me as a prank or something. Besides, nothing will ever come of it. He would never date a Gryffindor, especially one that is best friends with his sworn enemy, Harry Potter.

Just then, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up, bringing me out of my trance. "HERMIONE! I am so happy to see you! I missed you so much!" I squealed, hugging her.

"I've missed you too, so much! Next year you have to come and visit!" She smiled, and well all linked arms and walked onto the train, knowing it would leave soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is now several weeks later, as I sit with Hermione in the girl's dormitory.

"Jo, what's up with you? You've seemed distant since we got here. I know you, and I know something is on your mind. Please tell me what it is. We are best friends, you know."

I sighed, "Oh, Hermione, it isn't that simple. It is so complicated, and I fear that you will hate me if I tell you."

"Could I ever hate you?"

"Well, I. No, you couldn't."

"So tell me."

I took a deep breath, wondering how I was going to start. "Well, I like someone, a lot." I stopped, trying to figure out how to tell her it was our sworn enemy.

"It's Harry, isn't it?"

"Well. No, it isn't Harry, or Ron."

"Well, who then?"

I sighed again. "Promise you won't hate me?"

"Promise."

"Draco Malfoy."

"WHAT?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?"

"No, Hermione, I'm not kidding."

"Oh, my goodness. Harry and Ron are going to freak! You know that Harry likes you, right?"

"Yes, I know he likes me, but I think of him as a brother. Please don't tell them. Let me do it, please. And I will only tell them if something develops between us. I don't want them to know if he doesn't like me and is a total jerk. If that happens, I'll drop it, and I'll stop being so distant. Please, Hermione, let me figure this out on my own. Please."

Hermione sighed. "Ok, I won't tell them. But if he hurts you, please don't let it ruin you. He's not worth it, Jo."

"Ok, I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"DRACO! Wake up!!!" Crabbe shouted in my ear.

"What time is it?" I asked, groggily.

"It's time to go and have breakfast. Come on, now. Get up!"

"Ok, I'm getting up. Go ahead without me, I'll catch up."

"Ok, Malfoy. Meet you in the hall."

I grumbled as I got up and got dressed. I had been in the middle of the most marvelous dream. She was in it. With her beautiful blond hair and blue eyes, and that amazing smile. Pull yourself together, man. She's just a girl.

I stumbled down the stairs and through the common room. I looked at the clock, and realized I'd better hurry if I wanted to make breakfast. As I was walking, I was thinking about her, dreaming of her, wondering if there was any chance that she might like me. And then suddenly, "Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I." My heart began to race. It was her!

"It's my fault, Draco, I wasn't watching where I was going," Joana said, blushing.

"It's ok. I wasn't either. Let me help you with this." I bent over and started helping to pick up the papers and books she had been carrying. As I did that, our hands touched, and she looked at me and blushed slightly. "What brings you to this area of the school?" I asked.

"I was actually hoping to speak with you," she said, blushing.

"S-speak with me? Why?"

"There is something I wish to discuss with you, but not now, later, in more private a place. Meet me after breakfast in the far left corner of the library. I know of a place we can talk. Will you come?"

"I. of course."

She held out a folded piece of paper, "Here, take this and read this. Think about what is said, and tell me your reaction later when we meet." With that, she was off.

Draco, You must understand that this is hard for me to write. I tend to be somewhat a shy person, especially with those who I like. Yes, that is what this is all about. I like you, Draco. A lot. I told Hermione last night, and she was surprised, none the less. But she told me that I should follow my heart, and that I am. I thought about you all summer, with your gray eyes and kind smile. I know I sound like a blubbering idiot, but I can't keep it in any longer. I've had feelings for you since last year, when you helped me to study for potions. You were so kind to me, when it was just us, you didn't poke fun at me, you were kind. I hope to see more of that side of you, more of the boy that you have become this year. Think about this, Draco, think about it long and hard, and I hope to see you later. If you don't like me, you don't have to show up. I'll understand. Fondly, Joana

I could hardly believe the words written on the page. Could it be true? Does she fancy me? I can't believe that this is happening, someone that I like, who I never thought that I would have a chance with because of her friends and who I am, likes me? I can't wait for later, and the moment I tell her my true feelings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hermione, I told him"

"You did? Really?"

"Well, kind of. I gave him a note, and told him to meet me in the library after breakfast. In the note I told him. If he doesn't like me, he won't show up. At least that is what I wrote in the note."

"What note?" Harry asked, sitting beside me.

"Oh, it's nothing Harry."

"Leave it be for now, Harry," Hermione said.

"Ok, ok."

Ron joined us shortly, and Hermione and I listened as the boys talked about the upcoming quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. As breakfast ended, I started to feel nervous. I knew that in only a few short minutes I would find out if there was to be a chance between Draco and myself.

"Guys, I'm going to go to the library. I'll be back in a little while."

"Ok, Jo, we'll see you later. Just don't turn into Hermione. She's there too much." Ron joked.

I giggled as I walked away, walking to my fate.