Chapter two: what is this

"Where were you drake? I didn't see you in the great hall for dinner. I did see those two idiots that follow you around." Pansy remarked as she entered through the slytherin common room. Pansy has been friends with Draco for so long that it is expected of them to be wed. Both their parents have been pushing the young slytherin together for a pure blood marriage. "What's it to you Pansy?" Although Draco knows about the arrangement he refuse to go along with it. It's not that pansy doesn't look good, but he wants to make some decisions got himself. His parents has always had a strong influence over the choices in his life.

"I heard that the mud blood did quite a number on you." Pansy said as she playfully flicked at her nose. Knowing exactly what Hermione granger did to him. "Shut it pansy. No mud blood laid a hand on me. I am Draco Malfoy. " Draco said as he got up and stared down at Pansy. "Whatever you say. Your parents are going to throw a fit when they hear about it." Pansy smirked as she left the common room and headed to the girls dormitory. Draco sighed as he gently touched his nose. He can kinda feel the new bones forming but it still hurts. Draco was debating if he should go get some potion to get rid of the pain. However he decided against it. He didn't want to hear the remarks from his godfather, Snape.

Draco walked out of the common room. Even on cold nights like these he is use to the cold. He walked out not even caring that it's almost an hour to curfew. It doesn't matter if he gets deducted points because there's other things on his mind. To avoid being seen Draco decided to head down towards the lake.

He walked along the edge of the lake feeling the gravel under his feet being crush. Malfoy started to kick a rock around while thinking about the only girl that stood up against him. He never thought that Hermione granger. The mud blood. The brightest rich of her age. To punch him. She can be so infuriating when she asks so arrogant because of her intelligent. But Draco never seen a girl so confident. Knowing exactly what to do next. She could have hex him but instead she did the one thing no one expected. She truly is a gryffindor for standing up against him. Draco looked up to the moon and for the first time actually smiles when thinking about hermoine.


Hermoine felt odd for the next couple of weeks. She felt like she was being watched constantly. But whenever she checked there was no one doing it. Perhaps she is still caught up with what Pettigrew did to his best friends. She doesn't understand how a man can betray his friends like that. It amazed her that a gryffindor can do that. I guess that shows that people are not exactly like their house. That they can change.

"Blimey hermoine we been here for three hours already. Can we go now?" Ron whimpered as he had his head on the table. Hermoine rolled her eyes and smile. Ron was always like this. " Ron you need to finish that essay or Snape is going to deduct points on gryffindor. Or worse lower your markings." Hermoine had already finish the essay the day it was assigned. She was currently working on other class's homework. Ever since she had the time turner she's been doing more and more work. Which honestly she didn't mind.

Harry on the other hand was working on the essay. Trying to reach the required 15 inches that Snape assigned. Ron kept playing with his pencil. Hermoine sighed and smile at her best friends. They were not like her: academic or studious. But hermoine enjoyed speading time with them. They were like the brothers she never had. Hermoine continued working until Ron slammed his book on the desk. "I tried I really did maybe I just need to relax before I finish it." Harry looked at hermoine " yeah I tried to but I just can't fill up the space. You okay with staying here?" Hermoine nodded. She didn't mind she would be able to work faster without distraction. With a wave of her hand she said goodbye to her friends.

Hermoine was working on her essay when a very energized ginny Weasley came running through the door. "HERMOINE!" at age 12 ginny wasn't the shy girl she once was. Hermoine looked up from her work at the red headed girl. It was amazing how all the Weasley looked aliked. "What I'd it ginny?" Hermoine said smiling at ginny. "Happy valentine's day!" Ginny said as she took out a small pouch of candy and presented it to hermoine. "I already gave one to Ron but he just laughed at me calling me a little kid. And I gave one to Harry too ... I hope he likes the chocolate frogs." Ginny said as her cheeks turn into a shade of pink. Hermoine smiles. "Thank you ginny." Hermoine got up and hugged the young Weasley. She always saw her as a little kid. Ginny smiles as she let go "I have to go finish delivering. Happy valentines." At that ginny left and hermoine returned to her seat.

Draco Malfoy looked up from the corner he was sitting in the library. The gryffindors didn't see him because he easily blended in the background. He knew if they saw him they wouldn't have stayed. Draco noticed that the weasel was still in his cast. The wonder boy was still his usually self. And after all these weeks Draco heart flutters whenever he sees hermoine. There were times he attempted to make a move but he always felt awkward. He wanted to do something before the year end. Malfoy was glad the weaselette came because she made the timing good.

Draco Malfoy was dressed in his black attire but he had a long coat on top. He was reading a newspaper attempting to look casually. But little did the slytherin knew that he was so occupied at looking at hermione. That he failed to realize the newspaper was upside down. What will she say? I am a slytherin I think I can get her to say yes. But should i. The plan seems foolproof. I'll only need a few weeks to get her to like me. Malfoy plucked up the courage and stood up to go but then at that moment hermoine looked behind her. Malfoy quickly ducked behind a bookshelf hyperventilating. Hermoine felt like someone was behind her. She shrugged and continue working. Time for plan B. Malfoy thought.

Malfoy took out his wand and said the spell that he learned in first year. Wingardium leviosa. A single rosed with a note began to levitate across the library to its was busy writing away when she felt something touch her head. As she looks up she saw a rose with with a note gently landed in front of her. Hermoine was surprised and shock. She looked behind her and saw no one. She opened the note and read it to herself. Meet me by the lake in 30 mins. Yours truly, secret admirer.

Hermoine blushed and smile. Wondering who could it be. She smelled the rose and smile. No one has ever given her a rose. She look up at the clock. 7:30. There's still an hour before curfew. Hermoine began to pack up her things to head down to the lake. Draco stood behind the book shelf watching everything through the books to see her reaction. When he thought that she accepted the invitation. Malfoy smiles and accidentally bump into a smaller book shelf knocking down all yhe books. He was glad no one was there to see him. When he saw hermoine left, he quickly left to go prepare for tonight.

Draco ran down to the dungeons of slytherin. He managed to not be seen by anyone. He was Draco Malfoy the epitome of calmness and professionalism. But he couldn't help it he was too excited to behave. As he got to the common room he leaned against the wall to catch his breathe. He needed to change. He needed to take down the decorations. "What's with you draco?" Pansy seen aid interrupting Draco train of thought. "Nothing to you. Shouldn't you be out with blaise?" Draco said arrogantly. "How did you know?" Pansy said as she blushed. "Pansy I known you since we were babies. I know when you like someone." But this time Draco said it softer because he knew the exact same feeling. "Please don't tell mother. She will be furious with me." Draco sighed. Even though he was furious about the engagement. Pansy was still his best friend. Both of them were forced into something neither of them wanted.

" I'll tell you what I won't say anything about blaise. Under two conditions." Pansy perked up and nodded. Draco lifted one finger "one. You will help me end this engagement. I do not wish to marry you. It's not that I have something against you. But I would prefer someone of my choosing." Pansy nodded as she understood. "What's the second condition?" Draco smirked as he looked at pansy. "You're going to help me for my date tonight."


"Must I wear this!" Malfoy complained as he stood by the lake wearing a tuxedo. With the help of pansy, he was able to arrange a small two person table by the lake. There was a few floating lanterns over it. There was a simple dinner of lasagna and a salad on the table. To help him Malfoy made sure the color theme was gryffindor. Even though Malfoy came from a prestigious family. He still didn't like having to wear a tuxedo.

Pansy scoffed "quit complaining. Girls like it when guys dress for the occassion. And be happy I'm helping you. I had to push my dinner date with blaise a little later. And who is this girl we are waiting for?" Pansy said as she passed Draco a mask. "It's none of your concern." Draco barked back as he started to blush. He quickly tied the mask onto his face. He came up with the mask the last min. It was all part of his plan. "Do what you want. I done my part. I'll be with blaise." At this pansy left the lake and walked back to hogwarts.


"Hey pansy!" A excited blaise yelled out as he ran down the hill towards pansy. He confess his love to her a few months ago and they've been secretly dating. He knows about the whole engagement but he knows he can't make pansy go against her mother. "You told me to meet by the lake...WHOA!" Pansy pulled down blaise into a bush that surrounds the lake. "Quiet blaise I need to know the girl." Pansy whispered as she crouch closer to the romantic scene. Blaise was about to say something when pansy covered his mouth. "Here she comes." Both slytherins turn their attention to what's in front of them.


Hermoine wore a simple blue dress with a bow on the back. She had a black overcoat. Judging by the note she assumed it was going to be fancy. Hermoine didn't know why she trusted the note so easily. Part of her told her to not go but her curiosity got the best of her. She attempted to comb her frizzy hair but gave up and stayed with her gryffindor mane.

She did notice that's she's been getting little gifts and clues but she never pick them up. When she entered her classes she noticed that the materials were already there on her desks. When she was in Hagrid class she noticed that she felt a protective barrier around herself. But she assumes each student had one. When she was in Snape class she notice that there was a small note on what the lesson was going to he about with a small book marker in the text. Hermoine didn't really paid attention to those clues until now.

She walked down the hill wand in her hand. Just in case this whole thing is a fake. I won't be caught off guard. Hermoine stopped walking and stared at what was in front of her. The small dinner table by the lake. Lanterns was above the table giving off a romantic feeling. It was sort of cliche but hermoine love it. Then she saw the mysterious boy.

Judging by the height, it must be a third year or fourth year. Hmm blonde hair...nah it couldn't be. Hermoine lowered her wand but she didn't put it away. She finally approach the table and looked at the boy. Why was he wearing a mask? "Umm hi" Hermoine said nervously.

Malfoy couldn't believe what he saw. Hermoine looked so beautiful. She wasn't the dirty mud blood he once thought she was. Malfoy decided to wear the mask at the last minute because he knew she wouldn't easily stayed if she knew who it was. So he thoughtbof hiding his identity. Draco stammered "uhhh hi. You look pretty." Really pretty that's the best I can come up with?

"Why thank you" Hermoine smiled. Draco quickly pulled the seat for hermoine. And he resumed to his own seat. "Uhh I really wanted to thank you for coming today. I wasn't sure if you would accept my invitation. But I'm glad you did. Go ahead and dig in."


Two hours have passed and they odd couple was laughing and enjoying each other company. They enjoyed that they could easily connected academically. "Well I must be going now. It's way past curfew and I don't want to get caught." Hermoine said as she got up. Draco quickly walked next to her and place his tuxedo coat on her. "Allow me to walk you back".

As they passed the bush Malfoy excused himself and went to pansy. "Clean it up please and I'll make it up to you." A drowsy pansy and blaise were sleeping on the grass together. Already getting tired of watching the date. Pansy was half awake but nodded as she cuddle closer to blaise. Malfoy smiles at his best friend and quickly went to catch up to hermoine.

"I had a great time today." Hermoine said as she smiles. "You know I never expected to see this side of you." Malfoy was nervous and happy that he wasn't realizing what hermoine was saying. Hermoine took that chance to sneak a kiss on Malfoy cheek. "Good night malfoy" and hermoine went inside the gryffindor tower. She stood against the portrait and smiles. Who knew?

Malfoy stood frozen on his spot for a moment as the blush rush to this pale cheeks. He took off his mask and yelled out happily. All the portraits yelled at him to shut up. Malfoy didn't care he was the happiest thirteenth year old boy ever.