Disclaimer: I do not own HP…or Draco.

Thank you to all of you who read and reviewed. This chapter is a little shorter than the previous two, so I apologize for that, but I really couldn't see to lengthening it, however I do plan to post the next chapter by Wednesday as compensation, or at least try to.

Special thanks to my BETA KR1571AN

Now on with chapter three…

Chapter Three

Fate

Draco thought it rather funny how twisted fate could be. Potter, by some miracle that only he could pull off, once again ended up on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as Seeker. The team had apparently been so desperate for players they were given permission to allow first years to try out. With Ron's encouragement, Harry gave it a go, and like flying, quickly found he was a natural at the game.

The rest of September, as well as October, flew by. Hermione spent most of her free time with Draco. She had even been introduced to his friends Vincent and Gregory, who for some reason, insisted on being called by their surnames. They were a little leery around her at first, and she suspected it was her blood status that bothered them. After a while, they seem to get used to her, more rather her willingness to help them with their homework.

She had begun a tentative friendship with Harry and Ron- well mostly Harry- Ron still had a tendency to tease her. He was being particularly nasty on Halloween Day. She had simply been trying to help him with a spell and he mocked her and said she had no friends. But she did, she did have friends, at least she had Draco. So instead of letting his taunts get to her as she often did, she gave him a taste of his own medicine.

"Excuse me for trying to help you, Weasley," she hissed his surname like it was a dirty name, "next time I will simply leave the task to your minuscule brain that for some reason, up to this point, has only able to hold information pertaining to Quidditch and crude jokes."

Harry couldn't help but laugh, though he was quickly silenced by a glare from his best friend.

"And for you information I do not need or want your friendship, and for the life of me I'm still trying to figure out why Harry does."

And with that she flipped her bushy hair over her shoulder and stalked off.

The troll incident went without confrontation and Dumbledore and Hagrid were able to lure it back into the Forbidden Forest.

XXX

It was a Saturday morning when Draco received his weekly letter and package from her mother. She had, for some unknown reason, doubled the usual amount of sweets she sent him. He passed the majority of them out to Crabbe and Goyle, and tucked the Sugar Quills away for Severus knowing that he likes them. He then pulled out a Chocolate Frog from the remaining sweets and headed over to the Gryffindor table.

"Hello, Mione."

Hermione smiled at her friend as the majority of the Gryffindor students glared or looked uneasily at the Slytherin.

"My mum sent me more sweets than usual. I gave most of them to Crabbe and Goyle, but I thought you might like a Chocolate Frog."

"Thank you," she smiled as she took the chocolate. Normally she wasn't much for sweets, it came from being raised by dentists; but Draco had offered it, and so she happily took it.

"No problem. Well, I've got to go see Professor Snape before class, but we're still on for studying for Transfiguration later tonight, right?"

"Absolutely."

"Great. See you then."

Just as she placed the chocolate in her bag a voice called out to her from down the table.

"You may want to test that before you eat it," Percy Weasley said as soon as Draco was out of listening range, "You never know what he put in it. Can't trust a Slytherin, you know."

Hermione's eyes instantly narrowed.

"I wouldn't insult Malfoy in front of Hermione, if I were you," Harry spoke up, "she's rather…protective of him."

Percy scoffed, "What on earth for? He's a Malfoy. He's no good, rotten to the core."

Those were the last words the prefect spoke for twenty-four hours, his lips having been magically glued together.

Hermione had learned the hex from Draco. He had actually taught it to her to use on Ron, but Percy was a Weasley too, so…close enough.

Severus raised his head at the knock on his office door, "Come in." A small smile pulled to his lips as his godson entered.

"Hello Severus. How are you?"

"Well enough. Please sit," he motioned to the chairs in front of his desk where Draco then sat, "You know, I have been hearing some very impressive things from your teachers about your skills."

Draco smirked knowingly, I bet you have.

"You are consistently receiving the top marks in your year in most all your subjects; that is very impressive."

"Thank you. Hermione's a good study buddy, I think we help each other out pretty well."

"Ah, yes," Severus leaned back in his chair, his folded hands moving to rest in his lap. "Miss Granger. You have been spending quite a bit of your time with her."

"She is my friend, and one of the few who can keep up with me…intellectually that is," he quickly added.

"Which is quite extraordinary, considering her… heritage," Severus was attempting to be careful with his words. He was quite curious about his relationship with this Muggleborn know-it-all.

"Yes, well, she is an exceptional witch, despite her…unfortunate birth status."

Severus leaned forward, moving his hands to rest on his desk, he cocked his head slightly, his dark eyes focused intently on his godson.

"Draco, if you don't mind me saying your… views towards blood purity seem to be…swaying a bit."

Draco knew how his godfather truly felt about blood status, that he had loved Potter's Muggleborn mother so deeply that he gave his life to protect her son and avenge her death; but he had to act his part, the part of a double agent. He would never be able to let Draco know the truth which lies deep within his heart, and would, regrettably, carry his true feelings to the grave.

"I…Hermione is an exception to the rule."

Severus gave a small laugh and leaned back in his chair once again, "I see. Well, as long as you don't end up making friends with Potter and Weasley, I don't see a problem with it."

Draco gave a snorted laugh, "You don't have to worry about that. Weasley's a git and Potter, well, I think…I think he has trust issues. Anyway, I guess he'll grow out of it as he matures."

"Let's hope."

Draco never did understand Potter. He was always so reactive, even more so then the average Gryffindor. He supposed his unfortunate upbringing, which had been less than ideal, had a major part in his odd personality. Although he had tried to keep his past quiet from the public, it was later revealed that his Muggle relative had all but used him as a House Elf until he received his Hogwarts letter, and even after that they were less then friendly with them. Shaking his mind from thought of Potter's depressing upbringing, he turned his attention back to his godfather.

"Oh, I brought you something," the blonde pulled out the two Sugar Quills, which he had wrapped in a napkin, and handed them to Severus, "Mum sent me extra sweets, and I know you're fond of these."

"I am, thank you," he said taking the sweets.

"You're welcome. Well," Draco stood from the chair before pulling his pocket watch from his pocket and checking the time, "I better get going. I have Charms in ten minutes."

"You…you brought your watch," Snape's gaze focused on the gold pocket watch which still rested in Draco's palm. When he had first given it to him, his reaction had not been what he had hoped. He didn't think he had cared for it, that it wasn't special enough.

"Of course I did. You gave it to me. It…it belonged to your grandfather and you gave it to me, of all people. It's a family heirloom and you…"

Draco slowly ran his thumb over the engraving of the eagle.

"…sometimes when I look at it, I…I don't feel like I deserve it. It should go to your own son…I mean if you have one, one day."

He knew he never would.

Severus rose from his chair, slowly making his way over so his godson, who he then wrapped his arms around in a hug. Snape rarely hugged, but when he did, it was always Draco.

"To me…you are my son."

With the onset of November so came to cold weather, as well as the fist Quidditch match of the season: Slytherin verses Gryffindor. Of course Draco already knew what the outcome would be: Gryffindor would win, despite Potter almost being thrown from his broom and practically swallowing the Snitch. If he wasn't worried about his housemates hexing him if they found out, he'd place a substantial bet on Gryffindor.

With the help of his binoculars, Draco gazed over to the Gryffindor stands, he quickly located Hermione: she was sitting next to Weasley and Hagrid, waving a gold and crimson banner proudly.

As the game began, his attention was drawn back to the air as he watched the two teams play.

Hermione didn't want to believe that Professor Snape was jinxing Harry's broom, he was after all Draco's godfather, but she knew a curse when she saw one, you have to make eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking. So, quietly she left the Gyffindor stands, crept around the stadium to the Professor box and lit the tail of his robes on fire.

This of course caused pretty much every Professor in the stand to draw their attention away from the game momentarily, including Quirell.

When the game was over, Gryffindor cheered with exuberance, while Slytherin grumbled about the unfairness of it all.

XXX

Several days later while Hermione and Draco studied in the Library, he hinted to his Muggelborn friend that he was aware of what she had done. He didn't say it outright, but he didn't need to.

"Funny thing during the game, one minute you were sitting next to Weasley, the next Potter's broom started going mad, and then…you were gone."

"Uh…"

"Oh it's okay. I'm sure you were in the loo or…practicing conjuring Bluebell Flames."

Hermione bit her lip, and ducked her head, "Yes, I…I was in the loo."

"Sure you were," Draco gave a small laugh before quickly going back to his reading. He never brought it up again.

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter but I could see putting much more in. Next up the Christmas Holidays begin. Thank you for read and please feel free to leave a comment.