The next forty-eight hours were the most interesting of Hermione's life. She was given proper lessons on this thing and that way to behave and such, and what really surprised her was that all the Malfoys remained civil to her throughout the whole process.

After both Narcissa and Draco claimed she was as ready as she would ever be, they practiced calling her by her new name so she would be used to it, and wouldn't give Draco's grandparents any strange looks when they were trying to get her attention.

But the real test came on the night before arrival when Narcissa invited Pansy to dinner. Pansy took one look at the person Hermione had become and smiled, as if she was willing to be friends with her. They had dinner and pleasant conversation, and finally, during dessert, Draco informed Pansy of "Daphne's" true identity.

"Are you kidding?" Pansy asked, looking at each Malfoy in turn with a slack jaw and wide, unbelieving eyes.

Narcissa shook her head. "No, I'm afraid we're not, but we've done such a good job that I sometimes forget myself." She laughed a little.

"Why'd you do it?" Pansy asked, wiping invisible pudding crumbs off the hem of her robes.

Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other, slightly nervous. Of all the people to ask, why did it have to be her? They couldn't tell her the absolute truth because it would make them look like traitors. Draco finally broke the silence.

"Some of the boys and I made a bet, Pansy and the loser had to pick a mudblood to fix up and go out with for the rest of next year. Unfortunately, as you can see by the state of this, I lost the bet."

After he supplied the explanation, Hermione gave him a look that could've frozen over the Atlantic Ocean. He looked at her for a few seconds, then stared down at the table. Something was stirring inside of him and he wasn't sure whether he liked it or not.

It wasn't that he was in love with Granger or anything, he just felt bad about calling her a mudblood and he had no idea why. It used to make him feel so good to see her be shot down. But now…

Later that night, he knocked on her bedroom door. When she answered it, she seemed more then a little surprised to see him standing on the other side.

"Can I help you?" he looked at her in her dressing gown for a minute, then turned away from her.

"I need to speak with you, but I can come back when you're properly dressed." He started to walk away, but her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't be silly. You can come in right now; I mean we are fake engaged, aren't we?"

He turned around and gave her a true smile. "Yes, I guess we are."

He followed her into her bedroom and sat at the foot of the bed while she sat up at the head. After he had settled in, she waited for him to speak and he didn't disappoint her.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what I said today. We were all nervous about what to tell Pansy and it was as good as I could come up with on the spot."

She sighed and hugged a pillow to her chest. "I'm a little surprised that you came all the way down here to apologize, but I'm glad you did. Thank you. And I'm sorry I gave you the look. I guess I was so comfortable with how well we were getting along that when you finally let the word slip, it sort of shocked me."

He nodded, then looked at the clock above her dresser. It was almost two in the morning.

"We should probably get to bed. Trust me when I tell you that you don't want bags under your eyes when my grandparents show up."

He was almost off the bed when he felt her hand lightly touch his arm.

"Do you know where some sleeping potion is around here? I think I'm too riled up to even attempt getting to sleep on my own.

He nodded. "Of course, I'll be right back."

"Thank you."

As Draco closed her door behind him, he felt a light tug on the end of his robes. He turned around and found a house-elf staring at him.

"Is there something Mistress is requiring sir?"

He nodded. "Sleeping potion, immediately."

The house-elf nodded and scurried away. Draco stood in the hallway by Daphne's bedroom door until it returned, then he took the potion in to her and watched her take it.

Then, he left for his own room, feeling very strange and disconcerted. Even sleep was difficult because it kept being interrupted by new emotions and strange visions he never thought he would have.

Throughout that next day, Draco acted strange and he didn't know why. His parents noticed as well, and Narcissa especially looked as if she wanted to send him straight to Saint Mungo's.

"What is the matter with you? You've been acting very odd." She pointed out to him when she managed to catch him alone. "Your grandparents will be here in three hours so you better figure out what's wrong and fix it."

He frowned and put his hand on his forehead. "I didn't get much sleep last night. Maybe I need to spend some time in bed."

Narcissa nodded. "All right. Just be down in the sitting room before seven."

Draco walked slowly up to his bedroom and collapsed on the floor. He truly didn't know what was wrong with him. He didn't feel sick, but there was definitely something wrong with him.

He got into bed and tried to relax, but like the night before, sleep and relaxation seemed nearly impossible.

After about half an hour, he heard a knock on his door, and to his surprise, it was Daphne carrying a tray of little treats.

"Your mother wanted to have one of the house elves bring these up to you, but I told her I'd do it. Are you still having trouble sleeping?"

He nodded.

She set the tray down, and came over to sit beside him.

"I had a lot of trouble sleeping at night when I was little. I was afraid of the dark and used to think that there were witches in my closet who would jump out and eat me as soon as my parents turned out the light."

Draco laughed a little bit.

"I know, isn't that ironic?" she smiled. "Anyway, when it got really bad, she would sing to me and it would help me sleep. Would you like me to do it for you too, or would that be below your dignity?"

He shook his head. "At this point, I'll try anything."

So he shut his eyes and she began to sing. He had to admit that she had a very soothing voice, and before he knew it, he was asleep.

He had some good dreams and was right in the middle of one where he was trapped in Honeydukes and consuming pound upon pound of sugar quills when all of a sudden it shattered and he found himself looking at his mother's very tense face.

"Dress quickly Draco. Your grandparents are here."