Dedicated to my BFF Miranda :) hope you enjoy your present to the fullest!

And congrats are in order to Amanda! The first to figure out Lynndsey's motives! ;) plus part of her purpose to this story! I hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything :( Sad I know, but I do own this plot!

Chapter 2 – The Bet

Hermione

Still a little dazed, I made my way slowly up to the heads dorm. Granted, I shared it with Malfoy, but he usually wasn't in it. So I saw very little harm in running into him after our 'encounter' after Potions.

I was considerably wrong.

Stepping up through the portrait hole, I heard the most bizarre thing. Music – muggle music. Coming from Malfoy's room?

I shook my head and headed up my staircase, throwing my bag down on my bed and tried to make myself comfortable. Only there was one tiny problem. Malfoy turned up the stereo so that I had a perfectly wonderful earful of Linkin Park blasting away throughout the commons.

I groaned and rolled off my bed and dragged myself to the door and down the steps.

Stomping across the common room in hopes he would hear me and turn it down, I stomped up the stairs in vain, coming to his door. I frowned, trying to decide whether to ignore it or confront him about it. His behavior has been way off lately – all year in fact. He's been… nicer? I guess that would be the word for it. Last year he was perfectly normal. Really himself, the one and only Draco Malfoy everyone loves to hate. It just wasn't logical. Was it?

Gathering my Gryffindor courage, I knocked loudly on the door.

Getting nothing, I sighed in frustration and knocked even louder. The music got louder as well. Gee, I wonder…?

Even more frustrated, I kicked the door and screamed, "MALFOY!"

It opened, finally. All I had to do was bruise my foot to get him too, but hey, at least it's opening.

I gulped when the door flew open and there stood a half dressed Draco Malfoy – who looked pretty scary right about now.

"Yes?" He hissed, trying to control his temper.

Trying not to anger him, I said very softly, "Uhm… I was just wondering if you would kindly turn down your music. It's a bit loud and distracting." I finished off lamely looking down at my feet.

He chuckled darkly. "Really? Granger, you should learn to talk to people better."

I snapped, "Talk to people better? Me? You've got to be bloody kidding me! I'm kind next to you."

He stepped closer, towering over my pitiful 5'2" height. I stepped back, stumbling a bit before the wall was behind me. Was that even there before?

He stalked closer, apparently not deterred by my steps back, and my wide doe eyes. He was less than two inches away from me when he next spoke. "Kind? You want me to be kind, Granger? Fine, I can be kind." His cologne filled my senses, startling me into silence.

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"I'll make you a bet Granger. I'll be kind, to you, and only you, and if it makes you feel better, Weasel's sister, too."

I gritted my teeth. "Ginny. Her name is Ginny."

He smirked. "Right, Ginny, but I'll only do this if you be kind as well – which means my music is acceptable."

I nodded, "What's the catch?"

He smirked bending down to whisper in my ear, "Wouldn't you like to know, Granger." He nipped my earlobe and disappearing into his room before I could register what he had done.

Shocked and dazed, I lifted my hand up to my ear, almost as if to confirm or deny it, but I couldn't really think, his cologne was still wafting around me. It smelled of him, expensive and definitely male. Harry or Ron never smelled anything like Draco Malfoy.

"What have I done?" I whispered to myself as I walked back to my room, forgetting my homework, and just changed for bed. I lay between the sheets, staring at the ceiling, begging sleep to take me into a realm of no tomorrow.

Done! Sorry I'm starting off short, but I'm just trying to get it started. It will hopefully get longer chapters, later on! Reviews are always welcome! And I hoped you liked it! Repost!