HPOV

Malfoy had been a particularly big git these past three days, and it was starting to irritate me. I'd come out of the shower just like I'd been doing, but today he said something to me.

"Do you have to come out in that towel everyday? It may not have occurred to you, but I don't want to see you half naked." he snapped.

I just rolled my eyes, "Sounds like somebody hasn't gotten any in a while. Pansy too busy?"

He scowled at me from his spot on the couch and said, "That was a one time thing." He paused, as if debating whether or not he wanted to say anything else. "And I'm sorry about her attitude."

I didn't have a response to that so I just shrugged. I was about to walk upstairs when I remembered something he'd said.

"Oh, as far as the whole 'one time thing', she doesn't seem to think so," he rolled his eyes in irritation, but I continued anyway, "And if you're in this foul of a mood because you haven't, I would rather you went ahead and did it."

He smirked and said, "Well if it bothers you so much Princess, I'm sure you could give me a hand."

I couldn't believe how rude he was, but that didn't stop a stupid blush from rising to my cheeks. I tried to cover it by rolling my eyes and saying, "Malfoy, must you be so crude all the time? And quit calling me Princess."

Over the past three days he'd picked up the ridiculously annoying habit of calling me Princess whenever he spoke to me, only because he knew it got under my skin. The way he said it was just so condescending - ugh he was insufferable.

His smirk widened and he said, "Yes, I do. And no, I think I'll continue."

"Why?"

"Because it makes you uncomfortable." he said smugly.

I scowled, "It does no such thing. And why you would even insinuate me...helping you with your disgusting little problem is -"

"Oh it's far from little -"

I ignored him and kept talking, "Is absolutely absurd."

He raised a perfectly manicured blonde eyebrow at me and asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Say what?"

"That it's absurd."

He looked genuinely confused, which was strange, all things considered.

"Because I'm me." I said simply.

He frowned, "So?"

"What do you mean 'so'? You -" I stopped, closing my mouth and taking a breath. "This is pointless. You're just trying to get under my skin, and it's not going to work Malfoy."

"I don't think so," he said with a smirk. "You're blushing Princess, do I make you nervous?"

I scowled again, I was beginning to get worried that I would get wrinkles early if I continued to spend time with Malfoy. It seemed as if I was always scowling around him.

"You most certainly do not. I've gone up against Death Eaters and Voldemort. You don't scare me." I tried to keep my voice as steady as possible, mostly succeeding.

He stood up from the couch he'd been sitting on and my heartbeat immediately sped up. Why, I had no bloody idea, but it bothered me.

"I think you're lying."

The smug expression on his face was the only reason I didn't show how flustered I really was - stop it! Malfoy does not make me nervous. He is an arse who has no effect on me beyond irritation. Extreme irritation.

"Since when am I supposed to care what you think?" I snapped defensively.

He chuckled, by now he was standing a bit too close, so I stepped back, my back against the bathroom door.

"Whoa, calm down Princess, no need to get your knickers in a twist...then again, you aren't even wearing any right now."

His smile was, I hated to admit, seductive. It was incredibly hard to think straight with him standing so close to me - because of how irritating he was and all - but I feigned indignation and pushed him back.

Was it bad that I noticed how muscled his chest was?

"That is absolutely none of your business. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get dressed."

"Don't change on my account Granger." he called after me with a smirk.

I ignored him and slammed the door to my room, irritated that I'd let him get to me.

The stupid git.

DPOV

I smirked and sat back down. I had no fucking idea why I enjoyed messing with her, but it was entertaining, and I had no reason to stop. If it bothered her, and I knew it did, I would continue to do it. I always had.

In the past week my mood was more sour than usual, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I hadn't shagged Pansy.

For some Gods forsaken reason I was dreaming about Granger, so if I had to be completely weirded out, so did she.

And I could deny it all I wanted - and I would - but she was hot, and she was probably the only person I could actually have an intellectual sparring with.

I couldn't deny that I had started an argument with her once or twice just to see her get all riled up, prudish little Gryffindor Princess that she was.

Then again she might not be as prudish as I had first thought, considering she did walk around in tiny little shorts, tight tank tops, and every bloody day she'd come out of the shower in a towel that barely covered her arse.

But it was a nice ars -

Stop it. This is Granger for fuck's sake.

I knew I made her feel something though, because she blushed a considerable deal whenever I said something she considered crude, which was just about everything that came out of my mouth.

I shook my head and stood up, grabbing my bag to head to class. I glanced up the stairs and was about to leave when for some reason I stopped and walked back over to the stairs.

"If you don't hurry up you're going to be late to class."

I heard a muffled curse and then Granger was walking down the stairs, her hair mostly dry, in a red skirt, black heels, and black button down shirt.

Damn it all, but she looked good.

"Thanks," she mumbled, picking up her bag from the floor.

"Here," I said, tossing her jacket at her.

She raised an eyebrow at me, as if trying to decide if I was up to something. I don't know what she decided, but she nodded, "Thank you."

I followed her out, closing the portrait behind me. We parted ways without a word, she went left, and I kept going straight.

By the time I got to class I was late, not that I cared too much.

The rest of my day passed in a blur of avoiding Pansy and catching up with "friends"...and the occasional torment of a First year or two.

Hey, I'm still a git, that didn't change.

By the time I got to my last class I was just ready to go and start on the multitude of homework assignments I'd already gotten, but this was the class I had with Gryffindor, and of course I saw Granger next to Potter and Weasley. As usual.

I was good at potions, so I was sure this class was going to be a breeze, but then again class with Granger was never easy.

Just then Pansy sat next to me, "Hey Drakey, I feel like you've been avoiding me."

Merlin, had she always been this irritating?

Probably.

I barely glanced at her and shrugged, "Sorry,"

"Well are you?" she pouted.

I forced myself to look at her, and said, "Pansy, I'm not avoiding you. It's called being in class. You know, that thing you usually skip."

Her mouth dropped open, "What is with you lately? Maybe you just need a good -"

"Can you just relax? It was a one time thing Pans. It's not happening again."

Just then Granger walked past us and Pansy must have seen me look, because she was talking again.

"You have got to be kidding me. Is that why we haven't been shagging like we did last year? Because of some mud -"

I was instantly struck by two things, one was that Granger had heard what Pansy had said, and second I interrupted Pansy before she could say that vile, disgusting word...and Granger noticed.

"Pansy shut up."

Granger walked back to her seat, but after a moment she turned around and our gazes locked.

"Thank you." she mouthed, before turning back around to talk to Potter and Weasley.

She was thanking me a lot today it seemed.

Pansy, on the other hand, didn't seem to be done talking.

"How dare you tell me to shut up. Since when did you start to stick up for muggles anyway?"

And she had a point, since when did I start sticking up for them?

Maybe when I found out their blood isn't dirty. Maybe when I noticed that the only person capable of besting me academically was a muggle, or maybe just because I finally grew up.

Either way it didn't seem like a bad thing.

Theo and Blaise had gotten over it too. I mean Blaise had even dated a muggle before we'd come back to school.

So why was Pansy the only one who couldn't - or wouldn't - let it go?

HPOV

I was surprised to say the least, and Harry and Ron didn't even believe me when I'd told them.

"Mione, there's no way Malfoy gives a damn about Pansy saying the M word." said Ron.

He hated Malfoy more than Harry did - not that Harry was all too fond of him either.

"He did though. I know what I heard Ron." I said defensively.

"Why are you trying to find any reason to believe he's changed?"

"Why are you trying to find any reason to believe he hasn't?" I challenged.

He grew quiet and Harry said, "Even if he did - and if he did that's great - but what's that supposed to change?"

"It's not supposed to change anything. I was just surprised is all."

Ron snorted, "More like delusional."

"I am not delusional." I snapped, a bit louder than I'd intended. I glared at Ron, and mumbled an apology to Slughorn.

Ron sighed, "I'm sorry Mione."

I rolled my eyes, I never could stay mad at him. "It's alright. And I wouldn't add that ingredient if I were you."

He stopped in his tracks and looked over at me, "Why?"

"Just don't." I said, busy working on my own potion.

Of course I should have known he wouldn't listen to me.

"Ron what are you -" But before Harry could finish, there was a loud bang.

His potion had exploded, and a green puff of smoke had gone right in his face. When the smoke cleared I couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled out of my throat.

Ron was green.

It took everyone a moment to notice, but when they did they started laughing.

I glanced over at Malfoy and he had a smirk on his face, "Great job Weasel."

"Oh shut up Ferret." snapped Ron.

I had a feeling if he wasn't green he would have been beet red.

"I told you not to do it." I said. I couldn't help the smug 'I-told-you-so' tone I had.

Just then class ended and Malfoy walked by, not even pausing to say, "Maybe you should listen to your friend next time Weasley. Green doesn't suit you."

Ron was too flustered to say anything, and Harry and I were too busy laughing to call Malfoy a git.

"This isn't funny!"

"It's pretty funny from where I'm standing." said Harry, putting a hand on my shoulder and steering me out of the class room, leaving Ron to get cleaned up.

"So what's up with you and Malfoy?"

I was so shocked - and slightly appalled - by the question, that I stopped walking and looked at Harry.

"Are you completely mental? There isn't anything going on."

He nodded, "Alright...good."

"Oh, and Luna sent an Owl saying she would be here tomorrow."

I smiled in excitement, I had grown rather close to her over the past few years, and I couldn't wait for her to get here.

After that he started prattling on about Quidditch, and after I'd walked halfway to Gryffindor Tower with him I waved goodbye and headed up to the Heads Common Room.

DPOV

I was sitting on the couch by the fireplace working on a paper when Granger walked in.

"Hi," she said, tossing her bag on the couch and walking into the kitchen.

"Hi," I said, watching her curiously. She always had the same routine. Come in, drop her stuff, go make tea, sit, do homework, read a book, and pass out on the couch.

When she came back out she sat down across from me, and took out her own homework. For a while we worked in silence, and I'd gotten most of my potions homework done before she spoke.

"Why did you interrupt Pansy?"

I looked over at her, putting an impassive look on my face, "Because she was bothering me."

"That's not what I -"

"Does everything have to be so serious with you?"

She closed her mouth and looked back down at her homework, and I actually felt bad.

"Granger I'm -"

"No you're right." she said with a shrug. She closed her books and slid them back into her bag. I expected her to walk over to the bookshelf and pick up a book, but instead she was walking over to the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

She paused, "What do you care?"

"I don't." I said easily.

She scowled, "Are you always such a git?"

"You didn't think that when you were thanking me."

She walked back down the stairs and stood in front of me, "Because for once you weren't acting like a complete arse. You actually stopped Pansy from calling me a mudblood,"

I flinched at the word, and I hated that she noticed.

She sat down on the same couch I was on, granted she sat as far away from me as possible, but still the same couch.

"Why does it bother you all of a sudden?"

"Because it's a vile word." I said automatically.

"Since when do you think that?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. She looked younger like that, less worried.

"Since the war I guess. I don't know."

I expected her to question me further, her undying need for information making her curious, but she didn't. All she did was nod and stand up.

I thought she was leaving again, but she picked up a book and sat back down on her couch.

For once it seemed like I'd said the right thing to her.

A few hours later I looked up from my own book and saw her sleeping.

I'd never really paid attention to her when she slept the last few times, but this time I decided to study her.

Her hair was different tones of brown and splayed around her face, her long eyelashes created a shadow across her cheeks, her pink lips slightly parted, and her cheeks slightly rosey from the heat.

Had she been anyone else - had we had a different history - I would have dared to call her beautiful. But she wasn't anyone else, and we didn't have a different history.

But damn it all - she was beautiful, in a weirdly natural sort of way. She looked older though, more troubled - but all of us looked like that now.

The war did that to people.

I'd heard her a few times during the night having a bad dream, but I'd never said anything, because I knew she wouldn't want to hear anything that I had to say.

Not that I had anything to say in the first place.

The feelings I had for her were strange, and I couldn't figure them out.

One minute I wanted nothing more than for her to shut up, and the next I was intentionally starting arguments with her.

Not to mention the damn flirting. I really needed to get a grip. This was Granger, and nothing good could come of any type of anything with her.

Despite that I put my book down on the table and walked over to her. At first I was just going to wake her up, but I noticed the dark circles under her eyes and let out a deep breath.

"Fuck,"

I ran a hand through my hair and looked down at her sleeping peacefully - more peacefully than what it sounded like she slept when she was upstairs.

Before I could think about it more I leaned down to pick her up, but the first thing I noticed was that she smelled like strawberries and vanilla - rather intoxicating - and the second thing I noticed was a drawing she'd sketched on a piece of parchment.

It was of Hogwarts during the final battle, how the castle had been practically destroyed. But regardless of how depressing the drawing was, she was a good artist. It was...unexpected.

I shook my head and picked her up, careful not to wake her up.

She felt so...real in comparison to Pansy - and every other girl I'd been with - and I had no fucking idea how I was supposed to react to that.

Granger was soft, and everything about her seemed too delicate to have survived a war, but I knew first hand what she was capable of, and she was anything but weak.

I shook my head, 'just put her in bed and then go back downstairs you idiot,'

I pushed open the door and was surprised by the amount of...emerald in the room.

I put her down on the bed, managing to not wake her up, and then took a look around the room.

Granted, there was plenty of red and gold in the room, but the strangest things were emerald green. Like her pillow, a little dragon stuffed animal she had on the bed, a few of the clothes she had strewn across the top of her trunk - it was strange to say the least.

I smirked. Who knew the little witch had a thing for my House colors.

I shook my head and looked at her one more time. She'd turned onto her side and was mumbling something I couldn't quite make out, but I could tell she was probably at the beginnings of a bad dream.

I let out a frustrated groan. Why was I helping her?

Before I could think about it too much I waved my hand and she stopped mumbling, falling into a restful sleep. I'd learned the spell from my mother over the summer when I'd had nightmares.

Before I could do anything else that was stupid I left the room, closing the door behind me.

Instead of walking back downstairs I decided to just follow Grangers lead and go to bed as well. I walked into my bedroom and sat down on the bed, running a hand through my hair.

I didn't know what was going on with me lately, or if it had anything to do with the girl asleep in the other room, but I knew that I needed to get a grip on it - and fast - before I really did something stupid.

Well there we go, leave me some reviews (: