Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long, please enjoy… and review!! X

"So I was thinking, if I talked to Draco away from his friends, he might reciprocate more. Maybe I could like, accidentally end up in the potions cupboard with him." Lavender giggled, Hermione looked up from her book, blushing red,

"No!" She caught herself, "I mean, erm, that's way too obvious, I think he'd be the kind to go for subtle. Maybe. I mean, not that I know. It's just- well-" She thought fast, "It's an approach you haven't tried yet, isn't it?" Lavender, to Hermione's inner horror, actually looked thoughtful,

"Not bad Mione, I might give it a shot. Subtle? Hmm…how do I be subtle? Parvati, you're good at subtle, aren't you?" Hermione tucked her book firmly under her arm and stood up to leave, not sure how she felt about hearing this.

"Shall we go for a walk Mione?" Ron's soft, deep voice sounded in her ear, causing a now familiar stomach churn, "Just you and me, talk, and stuff…" His hand rested on the small of her back. Hermione jumped away in surprise,

"Er, um, no I think, erm, maybe no. I should- I'm tired- bye Ron." She fled from her poor excuse and made hurriedly, somewhat clumsily, towards the dormitory stairs. She noticed Ginny stand to follow, God damn it Gin, leave me alone.

She made it to the cluttered bed room and flung her book across her bed, gripping the pole of the four poster to maintain her grip on reality.

"Hermione." She jumped, even though she'd known Ginny was coming. "What's up? You and Ron…I thought you were, well, you were! Something's not right?"

"No. No, everything's, more than right it's just- not right tonight I guess. I just, I have this instinct that it's not." Ginny looked sufficiently weirded out to stop asking further questions, Hermione thanked whatever mysterious quality she possessed. "Ginny, are you in love? With anyone?" Ginny looked confused, but sat on her bed, kicking off her slippers.

"Not last time I checked. Why? Are you in love with my brother?"

"I don't know. Do you think Lavender is in love with Draco?" Ginny snorted,

"I think she's in love with herself." Hermione laughed,

"But yeah, if you were in love, how do you reckon you'd know?"

"Mione the cryptic is giving me a headache. I'll let you know when I've done it, how's that?" She could tell Ginny wasn't in a theological type mood.

"Sure. Sorry, I'm going to bed now anyway." She started to change into her nightwear, thinking, with a shudder, that Draco Malfoy's hands had been all over this body she was now undressing- it made her want to shower, real bad.

-*-

Hermione glanced over at Draco during breakfast. He hadn't touched his food and was staring rather obviously in their direction, more specifically, her direction. Hermione cringed as she saw him checking out her chest area, she shuffled her tie up her shirt and did up her top button for good measure. Ginny looked at her oddly and shook her head, going back to the colourful pages of her magazine. Hermione saw Ron coming in with Harry and decided to make a point, as the two sauntered along she rose from the table and bounced up to them.

"Hi Ron!"

"Mione." He smiled. Harry raised his eyebrows and waited patiently,

"Morning Harry," She gave him a rueful smile in return and he pulled her into a hug. When she surfaced Hermione looked around; Draco was still looking. She gave an inner sigh. "Well I'm going to go, I'm done with breakfast."

"Sorry we missed you." Ron replied, his eyes tracing her mouth, making her want to kiss him. I don't think here would be a great, or appropriate place. She thought, glancing round at the large table full of teachers. She placed a hand on his shoulder and stood on tiptoes, resting her lips on his skin for a moment. Hermione felt a flutter of happiness run through her.

"See you." She muttered embarrassedly to Harry, and edged between them towards the door.

Hermione got to the main doors and went and stood in the little nook just to the left. Heavy footsteps followed her, too heavy to be a girl's, though she could already guess who it was.

"Wanna go again sexy?" Hermione stepped hurriedly away from the wall,

"A whole world of no!" She said firmly. "What do you want? Oh, and don't call me sexy." She added as an after thought.

"Fine, ugly. I thought you wanted me, you were staring at me that whole time."

"You are infuriating." She took another pace away and looked into the distance, "I wasn't, and you know it."

"Oh please, that show with Weasley. It was entertaining don't get me wrong, but seriously? That's hardly putting out is it? Compared to what I got that was weak. Now, if you wanted to make me jealous you'd just have to-" He took a step towards her.

"You're an asshole. Back off! And stop hitting on me." She side stepped him and got into the entrance of the door, red in the face and fuming, "Look, you jerk, other girls might find this attractive but I find it creepy and annoying. I actually wanted a chance to talk to you anyway, and all I wanted to say was that you can stay away from me, and if you think the other night meant anything to me you are way beyond the realm of wrong." She turned and marched away. Then stopped an turned back, "Oh and never, ever wink at me in public again. It's not normal."

"Can I wink at you in private?" He called after her retreating bush of hair, a chuckle in his voice. She didn't deem reply.

-*-

Hermione was still in a huff as she walked alone between Charms and Potions, muttering to herself,

"Idiot, sleazy bastard, Lavender can have him, in fact I might throw her at him. Stupid, can he wink at me in private? Pfft, yeah right like I'm letting him anywhere- Ah!" She stopped and slapped her forehead stupidly. "Potions, with Malfoy, great." She tapped her foot and looked around, who would notice, or even care, if she cut just one class? She stuffed her potions book back in her bag, right at the bottom, and began ruffling for something else to read. "Aha!" She smiled happily, an hour or two of her favourite Magical Myths wouldn't be so terrible in replace for a class in a fume-and-Malfoy-filled-Dungeon. She turned smartly on her heel and headed to one of the class rooms she knew was always empty on the first floor, right by the entrance hall with a lovely view.

Hermione tossed her bag onto a desk and hitched herself up onto the wide window sill, she shuffled back to a comfier position against the wall and sighed, she was comfortable in these walls with a good book and was totally dreading how her life would be when she had to leave at the end of this year. She'd had a private fantasy in her head for some time now that her and Ron would have a little place where she'd feel this at home.

"Hey," A quiet voice entered the room and shut the door behind them with a creak. "Door was open so," Draco pointed out unnecessarily.

"Oh it's you." Hermione slammed the book shut with some force, hoping her glare would speak for itself.

"Didn't figure you for cutting class Granger?" She snorted,

"Didn't figure you for such an asshole- oh wait- yeah I did. Are you leaving yet, because I really-" She stopped mid-flow, "What are you reading?" She looked curiously at the volume clutched in his hands, more tatty than hers but in all other ways identical.

"Nothing." He muttered, "Just homework." He chucked it carelessly on the floor, Hermione winced.

"I didn't think you did homework." She raised an eyebrow coolly. Malfoy shrugged,

"I don't, but I need something if McGonagall turns up." Somehow she didn't believe him, and as she watched his eyes flicker back to the book he had 'carelessly' thrown, she knew she was right.

"So erm, what's you're favourite chapter?" She asked casually, looking back at her book to feign nonchalance.

"Pfft, my what?" He scoffed, walking over to stand against the wall and eye her up, she decided to ignore it and go for her best shot.

"Well I was just reading the Hogwarts founders one again, I like that it's mostly Griffindor's idea at the set up, you know the houses and stuff- he was exceptionally clever."

"You know, it's not really about Griffindor there, sure he ploughs on ahead with the planning but it's Rowena Ravenclaw who says they sort too soon, she knew there'd be enough segregation in the world anyway, she was a total pacifist before she joined the four founders- I've read up a little but it's not talked about in many books and I-" Draco caught himself and looked away, clearly irritated,

"Got you." Hermione muttered,

"What gave it away?" He asked grudgingly,

"You looked back when you threw the book down. I knew it must be a favourite. Plus, I've seen you around, reading when you think no one's looking." She smiled, "Where did you find the stuff on Rowena Ravenclaw? Because I was looking for a long time for something else to spice up my final History Of Magic Thesis. But Hogwarts is running out of things I haven't read."

"It's actually back at Malfoy Manor. But I can send for it? Say I want it."

"You would?"

"Sure. So what did you think the chapter's about?"

"I thought it was about the segregation already happening, it's inevitable, always has to be that way. People can't be as one."

"How do you figure?"

"Well they're already arguing, splitting decisions, making their own choices, even before they split into houses. That's segregation at its purest, it's just different people's opinions."

"Deep. Doesn't sound to me like your Thesis is gonna need much more spicing up." Hermione laughed shyly,

"Um well," She tucked her hair behind her ear, "It is massively long already. What have you got finals in?"

"Potions, Defence Against The Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration."

"I'm on Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, History Of Magic, Defence Against The Dark Arts and Arithmancy." Draco raised an eyebrow,

"And clearly a lot of coffee to stay awake that many hours a day." Hermione smiled ruefully,

"Well it helps." She swung her legs off the window ledge and hopped down, picking up her bag. "Nice talking, I don't really fancy cutting another class though, with my not-so-much-free-time and all."

"Sure I get it." He smiled.

"You coming?"

"Nah, don't fancy it." She rolled her eyes; no matter what he'd just said to her he was still Malfoy. As she walked out she put a hand to the back of her hair, to check how messy it was. Hermione could still feel him watching her, but when she glanced back, he was staring resolutely out of the window, definitely not looking. She stopped, shocked,

"Did we just have a conversation?" She enquired, thrown off balance.

"Not if anyone asks Granger, if you want to stay curse-free."

"Got it." She whispered, walking out.