Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters in this story. Wish I did though.

Chapter One
NO


'What's wrong, Hermoine?' Ron asked stuffing a scone in his mouth. She glared at him through bloodshot eyes, and then hung her head in her hands again. Ron and Harry shrugged at each other, and Ron tried offering her the other half of the scone.

'No thank you,' she snapped, giving him a disgusted look.

'More for me then,' he grinned.

'No really, what's up with you Hermione? You look...well, you don't look too good,' Harry said.

'Yeah, you look like you woke up next to a Blast-Ended Skrewt,' Ron laughed. Hermione shot him a McGonagall Look and thundered off, leaving him and Harry in stunned silence.

'Did I say something off, mate?'

Hermione was seething. It was so like Ron and Harry to not understand. She possibly had Malfoy, the slimy little git, stalking her or something and all they could do was make sick and perverted jokes. The only thing she could think of was going to the library, but she was afraid to go there and run into Malfoy. She definitely wasn't going to the Room of Requirement. She had taken to going there to study lately, since the books she needed were always there. The library was so huge; sometimes it was impossible to find what she was looking for. It would have been simple to just go and ask Madame Prince for help, but the old bat scared her senseless.

She doubted she would be going there anymore, though, since she found it was Malfoy's thinking spot or whatnot. Finally, she decided to give it up and go take a nap in the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione gasped out loud as she felt someone grab her arm and twist it into an unnatural position. She tried to see who it is from the corner of her eye, but she could just as easily guess. Sure enough, and split second later she was pinned to the wall and Malfoy was just inches from her throbbing head.

'Malfoy, I swear, if you don't release me this instant'-

'You'll what?' he smirked. 'You'll lecture me? Bore me to death?' She squirmed and clenched her eyes shut, as if that would make him disappear. But she felt his grip harden, and his nose brushed against her brow.

'Malfoy, we are in sixth year! Why can't we act a little more mature?' she panted, moaning as he drove her further into the wall.

'You told Potty and Weasel, didn't you,' he hissed in her ear. 'They were looking a bit...disturbed at breakfast. You told them.'

'No I didn't, now get off me Malfoy!' she cried.

'Malfoy, get off her!' another voice yelled. Or was it two voices?

'Ron! Harry!' she yelled, almost crying in relief. Not only was the pain blinding her, but she shuddered to imagine what Malfoy would have done if they hadn't shown up.

'Relax, don't make a scene Potter,' Malfoy drawled lazily, dusing off his robes. 'I wasn't planning on touching your little mudblood friend.'

'And what do you call that you were doing right now?' Ron spat, advancing on Malfoy. His red head shot up a foot over Draco's freakishly blonde one, but Draco still appeard to be looking down at him.

'I call it intimidating,' he replied coolly. 'Now if you'll excuse me...' He ducked under Ron's weak punch and strutted off, but only after pausing and adding, 'And don't flatter yourself Mudblood! That wasn't meant to be you anyway!' As soon as he was gone, Hermione dropped to her knees and stifled a sob. She hadn't realized how terrified she had been.

'Hermione, are you okay?' Harry asked, helping her to her feet. He looked over her with concern. Ron tried to look concerned too, but he was feeling angry rather than worried. How dare Malfoy touch her? How dare he? He had tainted Hermione, lovely Hermione, if only he was still here he would make sure Malfoy wasn't so damn cocky-

'Yes, I'm fine,' she muttered, snapping Ron out of his violent fantasies. 'I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me...no really, he didn't. We were...discussing.' Harry and Ron didn't look so sure, but she said an anxious 'bye' and hurtled off. Harry and Ron still stood there a while later, each caught up in his own thoughts, but both massaging their fists.

Meanwhile, Hermione was laying on her bed, using a purring Crookshanks as a pillow. No matter how she tried to stop it, her traitorous brain wouldn't stop thinking about Malfoy. He said that it hadn't been her, but did she believe him? He was Malfoy. Of course she didn't. But then again, he was Malfoy. Malfoy was a total jerk, but still, he was finely chiseled and the hair wasn't bad either...and those eyes. Her stomach tightened as she remembered how close they had been to her own. But that was gross. He was Malfoy, for God's sake. She firmly told herself she'd already established that, and then told herself to shut up. Sure, he was hot, but what he made up for in sex appeal he lacked in manners. What she would give to see him turned into a ferret again, bouncing all over the great hall for everyone to see, bouncing up to the Gryffindor common room and up to her bed...

She shook her head and mentally slapped herself. No. NO. But then again...day dreams never hurt anyone. She lay back on her bed grinning and sighing, when she realized someone was watching her. Someone smirking at her.