Song of the Chapter: Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran

Hermione climbed anxiously up the stairs to the top of the Tower. She didn't know why she was returning, or what made her return. Her and Draco weren't exactly friends, but the most definitely were not enemies. And something inside her told her he liked her. It was probably that kiss. It was obvious how he talked his way around it, but he wasn't going to avoid it forever. She decided not to mention it for now, not wanting to step into something she would have no control over again. At the top, she saw Draco, waiting patiently against the wall. This time, he wore jeans and a black jacket, with his Slytherin scarf around his neck.

"Thought you'd come," he said.

"Only because you wanted me to," she suggested.

"I said I wouldn't care if you didn't."

"But you wrote the letter for a reason, didn't you?" No reply. She smirked and walked over to him, leaning next to him on the wall.

"Did it work? The excuse?" he asked.

"Yeah, thank you. I'm really terrible at lying," she admitted, causing him to smirk. A cold breeze flew into the room, chilling her. She had decided against wearing her robes since it was the weekend, and wore a white jumper and jeans. She suddenly wished she brought a jacket.

"You cold?" Draco asked.

"A bit."

"I'm not giving you my jacket, if that's what you're hoping for," he taunted. It was then that she shivered slightly, closing her mouth tightly so her teeth didn't chatter. With a defeated sigh, he unwrapped his scarf and handed it to her. And with his wand he muttered a heating charm around the two of them, immediately warming her up. She wrapped the scarf around her neck comfortably.

"Thanks," she said shyly. The pair slid down against the wall and sat on the stone floor. He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Don't mention it."

Then, there was silence. The two said absolutely nothing. What could they say? There was so much that needed to be put out there, but they simply couldn't bring themselves to say a word. A few minute later, Hermione felt obliged to start off the conversation.

"Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you come to the Tower?"

He sighed heavily, and shook his hand in his hair, "I don't know. It's a good place to think, I guess."

"And what do you think about?"

"A lot of things, I suppose. Quidditch, homework, exams. Things like that."

"Do you...bring other people up here too?" she wondered.

He looked up at her, smirked, and replied, "You think I bring girls up here, don't you?"

Her face turned a violent shade of pink before replying, "No! No, I was just wondering if anyone else knew we were here, is all."

"Oh okay," he said slightly disappointed.

"Not that I don't like being here with you, because I do!" she reassured, "It's just that, you know, we can't really let anyone find out what we're doing." He turned more towards her to face her completely. "And what exactly are we doing, Granger?" he challenged.

She looked down at her hands, which were clamped together nervously, and muttered, "I don't know. I guess I just like spending time with you. It's different."

"What's different?"

"Like, like I don't have to pretend. I don't have to pretend to be happy around you when I'm feeling absolutely miserable."

"Like the Weasel."

She scoffed slightly and replied, "Yes, like Ronald."

"I see." He stayed quiet for a few moments before saying, "So, I make you happy now, is that right?" with a roguish grin. She laughed a little before giving him a small smile back. "Yes, Draco, believe it or not, I like being here with you."

It was then he gave her such a genuine smile, one she hadn't seen before. It was then she concluded, she really liked his smile. It was much better than any smirk or scowl he had ever bestowed on her.

"And I guess you're not as infuriating as I'd thought you'd be," Draco almost complimented.

"Thank you, Draco. Slightly offending, but still very sweet," she commented.

Everything she said was true. She genuinely felt safe around him. Sure he was mysterious and she had no idea where he was half the time, but it helped to know that she had another person in her life who she didn't have to hide anything from. She had a feeling he wouldn't be telling her just exactly was going on with him, but for the first time in a long time...

She just didn't care.

The night went surprisingly well for them. Draco got Hermione to admit that she truly did like spending time with him, and to himself, he got to admit the same thing for her. He wasn't ready to say why he kissed her a few nights before, though, because he couldn't explain it to himself.

Or at least that's what he told himself to keep him sane.

A few days later, he got to see her again during Potions. In class, as they were brewing a potion, he got to watch Hermione work from a distance. She was very tedious when it came to this sort of thing. Spacing out her ingredients in the order of which to put them in. Eyes glued to the textbooks next to her on what to do next. She was so determined to get it just right.

"Granger's quite the looker, ay mate?" the voice next to him said. He turned his head to find Cormac McLaggen also watching her. He looked back at Draco and noticed his expression, "Come on, mate, I saw you staring at her."

"Why don't you mind your own bloody business and brew the potion?" Draco seethed.

"Hey ease up, she's not yours or anything, is she?" he asked.

"She's-" he started, but then said, "No, she's not."

"Good, cuz' asking her to Slughorn's Christmas Party would have been awkward."

"What? You're asking her?"

"Yeah, why were you?"

"No, bu-"

"Good. The bookworms are always the wildest, if you know what I mean," he suggested with a wink.

Before Draco could say a word, Slughorn announced, "Okay class, we can finish this up tomorrow. So class dismissed."

"Hey, cheer up, mate," he added with a pat on the arm, "You can have her afterwards." And then the bloody git picked up his books and sauntered out the door with the rest of the classmates. Half of him wanted to go and beat the living crap out of the guy, and the other half...well the other half pretty much wanted the same thing. But he stood his ground and watched the rest of the class leave, including Weasley and Potter.

He turned around to find Hermione picking up a few of her things and looking up at him at the same time. Being the only one left in the room, he walked up to her and said, "We need to talk."

"Now?" she asked.

"No, not now, later. Meet me at the Tower tonight, and this time, bring a jacket." And with that, he left the room.

"Cormac McLaggen is what?" she asked with her arms crossed. Draco asked her to come to the Tower tonight because he need to talk to her about something. It seemed to really irritate him during class, but she hadn't said anything until she would see him.

"The bloody wanker is going to ask you to Slughorn's Christmas Party!" he claimed.

"And why is it so bad a guy's going to ask me?" she suggested.

"Because it's him, Hermione! He's a tool, he said he's just going to use you!"

"Aw," she suddenly awed.

"What?!" he demanded.

"You said my first name."

"Hermione, this is serious!

"Well, he did seem a little forward at the Dinner Party."

"What? You already talked to him?!" Draco demanded.

"Yeah a little. He kept giving me these weird looks an-" suddenly, Draco grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly.

"Hermione, you can't go with him! Promise me, you won't."

"Why do you care who I go with?" That question seemed to stop his rant. "Because...well I...Oh stop smiling, Hermione!" he whined. Draco turned around and walked back towards the cold stone wall, he leaned his head and forearms against it. She knew this was supposed to be a serious moment in their relationship, or friendship, or whatever they had going on, but she couldn't help the giddiness that coursed through her body.

She sauntered toward him with her arms crossed and leaned her head and shoulder against the wall beside him. "I can't believe you're actually jealous," she glowered. "Don't flatter yourself, Granger," he added against the wall.

"Why can't you just admit that you like me, Draco?" she boasted, the grin never leaving her face.

"Why can't you just ever shut up?" he retorted.

"Come on, Draco, say it with me: I..."

"I..."

"Like..."

"Like..."

"You."

"Apples."

"Draco!" she whined with her hands in the air. "Ugh...this is ridiculous," she realized and started walking away. It annoyed her to no end of how stubborn he was. "Wait, Hermione!" he called out.

"What?" she replied, turning around, hopeful that he might say it. He looked at her for the longest time, before saying, "Are you still going with him?" She put up her hands and groaned in defeat before leaving the Tower.

A/N: Haha you guys aren't going to believe this, but as I was writing this scene, I was eating an apple. And it was only after reading again is when I noticed the slight Drapple comment I threw in there.

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