CHAPTER 2: A CHANCE

He knew this was the gym she frequented. He had been browsing the shelves at Flourish and Blotts when he overheard Weasley talking about her workout routine with that obnoxious brother of his, Perry? Percy? Porky?

"I swear she's gone mental, that one. Gonna drop from exhaustion, too," Weasley had whined and then added, in what Draco assumed to be his attempt at somberness, "She's just in denial."

"Denial? You're the one in denial, Ronald. She broke up with you, remember?" Whatever-His-Name-Was had retorted with a hint of smugness.

That was where he had stopped listening. Hermione Granger had come to her senses and dumped the Weasel. How long had he been waiting for this? Too long, that was for damn sure.

He had been going to her gym for two weeks. While not a fan of physical exertion, he found the workout to be quite satisfying and the lucidity of thought it afforded spectacular but he still had not seen her. He decided to take it upon himself to make sure their paths crossed. Fate could obviously not be trusted.

"My friend uses this gym and we had planned to work out together, but I forgot what time she said she usually comes. I wonder if you could help me?" He asked of the girl at the desk. She looked hesitant, so he sent a brilliant smile her way.

"Well, I'm not really supposed to… But since you had plans… What's her name?" she smiled conspiratorially.

"Hermione Granger."

"Let's see. Looks like Miss Hermione Granger comes in every morning promptly at 6 and leaves approximately at 8."

"Great. Thank you for being such an angel. I'll catch up with her then," he said with a devilishly handsome smile – if he did say so himself.

"Lucky girl." He barely heard her mumble as he turned from the desk.

The next morning he got to the gym at a quarter to 6. He watched for her to sign in and took care to catch her eye as she came out of the women's locker room. He flashed his best smile and winked in greeting. He caught the look of shock on her face and he most certainly did not miss the way her jaw dropped when she ogled at his bare chest.

He smiled to himself as he showered and dressed. Onto phase two in the plan to win Hermione Granger's heart.