Hi everyone, thanks to all of you who review.

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter, if I did I'd be rich

Chapter 4

It was the end of the second day of classes and Hermione entered the common room late that evening, having just come from the library, to find Malfoy waiting for her. She approached him warily. He had stuck to their truce so far and was usually quite civil when they were alone, though he was still a sarcastic womanizer and teased her often. In public he was his normal stuck up self, though she had noticed that he had stuck to his promise and never went so far as to call her mudblood.

"Hello Malfoy" said Hermione; she always made an effort to give him a polite greeting. If she was polite he would usually follow suit.

"Evening Granger. Have you been to the library already?" he asked sarcastically pointing to her bag "we don't even have any assignments yet?"

"I know that," she snapped "I just wanted to get a head start." She turned to go to her room but Malfoy caught hold of her arm to stop her. "What do you want Malfoy" she asked

"I wanted to ask you about the muggle medicine stuff." Hermione stopped and turned to face him. He hadn't mentioned his arm since she dressed it three days ago. "What do you need to know?"

"You said I would need to redo the bandages but you never said when?"

Hermione thought for a moment "how long be for term did you..." Hermione trailed off. She really didn't like to think about what he had done and couldn't bring herself to say it. He obviously realised this and answered softly.

"I did it about a week and a half before term. It took me that long to work out how." Hermione winced, she really did not want to about what else he had tried while attempting to remove the mark. Getting back to the matter at hand she thought about the time and the bloody mess she had seen the other day.

"You should get it redressed every two days at least. You can do it less often once it has healed more."

"So I should have done it yesterday"

She rolled her eyes; she was doing that a lot lately "yes you defiantly should have done it yesterday. Have you at least been taking pain killers?"

"Yes I've been taking the pain killers. I sent a mail order for some more pills and some medical supplies."

"Well that's good. Have you talked to Madame Pomfrey about it yet?" she was hoping he put aside his pride and asked the matron for help but she doubted it.

"No" he replied, confirming Hermione's assumption. He took a breath and looked at her cautiously "I don't want anyone else to no. Could you do it?" his eyes were pleading and Hermione caught a glimpse of the pain he was hiding.

"Please" he asked softly

Hermione gave in and nodded "I'll do it, I'd do it now but I exhausted my supplies I'll have to buy more."

"I have the supplies; I ordered more of everything you used on me."

"Ok then just let me put my bag down and I'll dress you arm."

"Thanks, I owe you one" the sincerity in his voice was unmistakable. He really was promising her one favour, which surprised her, she wondered if she would ever have to collect

*#*#*#

Hermione hurried down the corridor loaded with books. It was the third day of classes and she already had an assignment for Ancient Runes. The assignment wasn't due for three and a half weeks, but, like she told Malfoy, she wanted to get a head start.

Hermione entered the library and made her way to her table. No one else had assigned tables but since first year she had liked that spot and always sat there. In her third year a few of her year mates put a little sign on it saying 'Hermione's Table, disturb at your own risk', and although it had been a joke, the librarian had left the sign there and the table was always free for her. She smiled to herself, even the Slytherins knew to steer clear of her when she was stressed and studying.

Today, however, she was surprised to see the table was not as she had left it. On it there was a rose, made entirely of silver, floating upright just above the desks and a letter addressed to her in silver ink. Hermione warily opened the letter and began to read.

Dear Hermione

Please listen and believe, this is not some tactless joke.

For too long now I have been suppressing my heart.

I have admired you for years but I always lacked the courage to act.

I get the best feeling in the world when you say hi, or even smile at me because I know that, even if it's just for a second, I've crossed your mind. You never leave my mind

The rose is for you, its beauty cannot match yours but I pray that you like it. I have enchanted it to play music for you. Just say to the rose 'sing for me' and the song will begin to play.

The female voice is the recording but the male voice is me. I altered my voice with magic but it has not increased the quality. This song makes me think of you and I always imagine you singing the other half of the duet. One day I hope to sing it with you.

Forever For You

Your Silver Romeo

Hermione reread to letter twice before she actually believed it. She looked around the room cheeking the cost was clear before looking at the rose and whispering "Sing for me".

The rose began to glow softly and the petals gracefully unfurled and a shower of silver glitter spilled from the center. Then a soft melody filled the air. Hermione smiled as she listened, she knew this song, it was from a Disney movie Anastasia, she tried to recall the name, she remembered when it reached the chorus, it was called At the Beginning with You" it was about two people, who didn't realise they were in love when they meet, admitting their love.

Hermione couldn't stop smiling as she listened to him sing to her. She couldn't recognise the voice because of the magic but she could tell the singer was almost as good as the boy she heard with Ginny and Luna. Hermione had never admitted it but she loved it when people sung to her. She loved to sing herself and the singing flower was probably the most romantic thing she could imagine.

*#*#*#

Hermione arrived late to lunch, she had listened to the song at least three times before realizing that she was supposed to meet her friends in the Great Hall.

"Hey Mione" called Ron "did you get lost in a book again?"

Hermione shrugged. She had decided not to tell Harry and Ron about the letter. She still wasn't sure she wanted to tell Ginny and Luna yet, maybe she would if she got another one. She was hoping that another letter would come.

"It's been four days," said Harry "How's life with the Ferret?" Hermione shrugged again, Malfoy had asked her not to tell anyone about his arm and their bargain.

"It's fine, we haven't killed each other yet and we managed to sort out all the prefect patrol rounds, which by the way Ron, start next week."

"Who am I with" asked Ron

"All the prefects rotate" she replied "you'll have a different partner each week, the only people who don't rotate are us heads because we have to patrol particular areas and supervise the pairs."

"Does that mean you have to spend even more time with Malfoy?" said Ginny

Hermione nodded "I'll give it a week," she said jokingly "if something hasn't gone wrong by next week, it will be a miracle." They all laughed at this.

"So" continued Hermione "do you guys wanna meet up in the heads common room after classes, you guys haven't even seen it yet?"

"Sorry Mione" said Harry "the tryouts for the Quidditch team are today"

Hermione sighed, Quidditch was the one thing that everyone else did except her. She secretly agreed that it looked like fun but Hermione always steered clear of brooms. Flying was one of the few wizarding aspects that Hermione failed at mostly because she was afraid of heights.

Just then the bell for classes rang and the hall was filled with the scraping of chairs and voices.

"What have we got next?" asked Ron

"Double Defence Against the Dark Arts." answered Hermione without looking at her timetable.

"What do you think?" asked Ron smiling "Will we be learning anything new or will the new teacher just be refreshing what Harry already taught us?"

Harry and Hermione laughed. They hurried to the fourth for their class and took their seats at the front of the class. Looking around the room they took in the new displays. There were diagrams of ward spells and protective charms, blueprints of pyramids, and various artefacts and amulets. Many of the students were looking around unsure, wondering what Professor Whistler would be like. Hermione couldn't blame them, thinking back over the different DADA teachers they had had Hermione had to wonder if they would be better off just to run the DA again, but hopefully, now that there were less people trying to kill them, they would get a better teacher.

"Good Morning everyone" called a voice from the back of the room. They turned to see the professor walking through the door.

"Welcome to seventh year Defence Against the Dark Arts. I am Jareth Whistler. By for taking this job I was a curse beaker working in Egypt, Greece and Mexico. This term we'll be focusing on advanced wards and amulets. How to make and cast them, how to detect them and also how to break them. "

The rest of the lesson was spent studying the different forms of personal wards, both for protection and detection. Professor Whistler proved to be a good teacher, he defiantly knew what he was talking about and he managed to crack a few jokes while teaching. When the bell went for end of classes, Hermione packed up and followed Ron and Harry out.

"I actually enjoyed that." Said Ron in a surprised voice "looks like this DADA will be good this year." Harry and Hermione agreed

"Well guys I'll see you at dinner, I'm going to head back to my rooms."

"Ok Mione" replied Harry "but we might be late if the trials run overtime"

Hermione waved good bye to her friends and headed for her room. After she had dumped her bags she paused for a moment bring the letter and rose out of there hiding place in her robes. Carefully she charmed the bottom draw in her desk so that no one else could open it and hid them inside turning back towards the door Hermione noticed a piece of parchment on her window sill. She picked it up and felt her heart flutter as she saw the silver writing.

I knew at once that you were meant for me

Deep in my soul, I know you're my destiny

The way was once clouded by the fear in my soul

But now I realize, only you can make me whole

Forever For You

SR

Hermione felt her eyes fill with happy tears, the poem was so beautiful. Hermione was a romantic at heart but she hadn't let anyone know. She smiled re reading the letter before hiding it with the first one. Glancing at the rose she had an idea.

Walking out into the common room Hermione conjured a TV and DVD player and adapted them to run off magic. Next she did a distance summon on her DVD collection from home, remembering to cast an invisibility spell too. She caught the case and selected Anastasia from a wide variety of movies and put it in the player. However just before she could relax on the couch, Malfoy walked in.

"What are you doing Granger? And what is that thing?" he demanded waving a hand at the TV.

"It's a TV Malfoy, I'm going to watch a movie." She replied half smiling. He looked at her blankly

"Why don't you sit down and watch it. Your dressing needs to be redone anyway I'll doing while you're sitting here how about that?" he nodded and grabbed the kit from his room.

"Oh and Malfoy put your wand over there." She said pointing to the table across the room.

"Why" demanded Malfoy looking confused

"Because I don't want you to curse the TV when it makes a loud noise or something happens on screen." The first time her and Harry had watched a movie with Ron he had jumped up waving his wand at the screen because he thought they were being attacked. Admittedly it was in third year and they were watching Jurassic Park but it was better to be safe than sorry.

As the movie played Hermione finished redressing Malfoy's arm. It didn't take long for her to be engrossed in the movie and in think about her secret admirer. Between a secret admirer and a, sometimes, nice Malfoy, this week was proving to be a very interesting start to the year. This year might not be as dangerous as the last ones but Hermione couldn't shake the feeling that it would be no less complicated and exciting.

looks like Hermione's life is about to change. Please review and let me know what you think.

p.s I'm going camping for Easter so i won't be able to update until after the 6th