Author's Note: Sorry, sorry sorry! Will you ever forgive me? I just didn't get a chance to finish typing. But it's a rather short chapter. Five is longer...and more exciting. I think you'll like it when I get it up. But for now, this is filler. So don't expect phenomenal work!

"Goodbye Draco." Hermione said and turned on her heel to exit. Draco called after her. "Is he in Hufflepuff? You know I don't socialize with them much." Hermione stopped and let him continue, "All that love, peace, happiness, It damages my ego."

She laughed from across the room, "An ego that big? I didn't think it could be damaged!"

"Sore loss for them today. Tell him that I send my deepest sympathies."

Hermione exited and gave him a sarcastic wave from the hall.

Chapter Four

Refuge

When Hermione returned to the common room just a few minutes later, Harry was already waiting for her outside the portrait.

"Oh, Hi Harry." She said when she saw him. They hadn't returned to speaking terms after their fall out a few weeks previous.

"I need to talk to you." He said seriously.

Hermione pushed all thoughts of their fight from her mind, "Why? Are you okay?"

Harry nodded, "I'm fine, It's you."

"Me? Oh, Harry not this again."

He was brief, "I saw you in the library."

"Are you spying on me?"

"No," Harry said slowly, "Dobby."

"Dobby? Harry, listen-" she began, but was cut off.

"Hermione just tell me the truth. Were you there with who I saw you there with? Or was it just a chance meeting?"
Hermione inhaled, "I didn't actually plan it, nor did I go in there with him, but yes Harry, I was."

When Harry didn't answer, only stared at her, Hermione pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone. Even Ron, no, especially Ron. I need this to be kept." She said, grasping near her heart for a gesture.

"Look, I don't know why you're going around with him, and I won't pretend to. But it can't be good. Nothing, I mean nothing good and possibly come from this. I advise you to stay away, but I know you wont listen to me. So if you get hurt mentally, emotionally, its your own fault. I can't promise you I'll be here."

Hermione stared into the green eyes that implored her, "Harry, don't try to be such a damn hero. It gets old."

Both teenagers started at each other for a moment. Hermione turned swiftly to the portrait. "Ghouls." She spat before walking through to the common room.

"I'm only trying to help!" Harry hollered after her.

She didn't turn around, "Then find someone who needs it!" She stepped up to the stairs, but met Ginny on the way down. "Oh, Hi Hermione! Look," she told her as she went back upstairs at her side, "The trip has been cancelled for next week."

Hermione frowned, "Oh, okay. The next one then?"

Ginny nodded as she let her go at the dorms and turned to leave. "Where did you go anyhow, you missed quite the celebration."

"Library." Was all Hermione said before shutting the door for the night.

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The great hall was buzzing with rumors by the next weekend. Word was going around about a surprise for the school over the holiday. Saturday was supposedly the announcement night. And they were right. At the end of dinner, a sudden voice hushed everyone.

"If I may have your attention! Ah, good. Now, in response to recent events, the rest of the staff and I thought it would be entertaining to have a few extra nights this year for…fun. Should you agree, which I can see you already do, we will bring back the traditional dance, which you so enjoyed years ago. These dances," she paused, "Yes, Miss Bones, more than one, Will be held periodically through the remainder of the year."

The students were not hardly listening, their voices rose with excitement.

"However! Four seventh year students will be chosen to organize the dances, and will be entirely in charge and on their own. These students will be announced in a week's time, and the first dance will occur as soon as they decide. That is all."

Hermione spoke excitedly to her table, "Wonder who'll be chosen."

"You of course," Ginny laughed, "And perhaps a Ravenclaw. I'm sure they'll pick studious students who'll have more time to put into planning.

"Me? I don't think so. Four students…you think they'll do one per house?"

"Probably, seems logical. I mean, inter-house relations." Harry said, suddenly directing the answer to Ron.

Hermione sighed. As if she would have the time to plan dances all year. If she did get chose, who would be from the other houses? She pondered the though, with several names exiting and entering her mind.

"I won't hold my breath." She said after a moment, "There are plenty of people for the job better than me."

"Not in Gryffindor. We're loyal all right, brave too. But organization skills, not our best trait." Ron said as he and the rest of the group stood from the table. Him, Hermione, Ginny and Harry exited one by one until they were one line walking through the corridor.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Hero Harry and company." A cool voice rang from behind, "Surprised you haven't gotten matching scars yet."
Hermione looked away, she didn't want to get in the middle, or be put there.

"Lets not get into this today Malfoy, okay? Neither of us is in any position whatsoever."

"Harry, don't," Hermione whispered.
Draco eyed her and her eyes adverted quickly.

"Hermione, this doesn't concern you, just stay out." Ron spat quietly.

"But it does concern her." Harry said quickly before walking off, Ginny and Ron followed slowly behind.

Hermione stood alone in the hall, with the exception of Draco's presence. Once the others were out of earshot, he addressed her, "You told him?"

She shook her head, "He just found out. He saw us in the library last week.

"And you told him."

"What was I supposed to do? He saw with his own eyes…I couldn't deny what he saw."

"So then, what now?"
"I'm sorry." She whispered after a period of silence.

Draco looked around, the hallways were deserted. He crossed the hall until he was standing in front of her, his hands leisurely in his pockets.

"I told him not to tell anyone. I don't think he has."
Draco sighed, "How long do you think that'll last?"

Hermione looked up at him, "He's really not like that. I asked him a favor. Unless something bad happens…"

"Hey, I'm already the bad. How much worse could things get?"

Hermione laughed once. "I don't even want to think about that."

Draco sighed and turned to lean against the wall. Hermione followed and stood on his right, "I want to say here. Not go back, not go forward."

"Hmm…" he turned his head to face her, "Why's that?"

She paused a moment, choosing her words carefully, "Because I'm content. I mean, I consider you a friend. In an odd, strange, alternate universe, my-friends-would-kill-me-if-they-knew short of way." Another pause as she met his eyes, which were hovering above her. She laughed slightly, "You think I'm crazy."

"No. I don't. I suppose it could be true. In that odd, strange, alternate universe way of yours."

Hermione chuckled, a light pink color flushed her cheeks. But she was content. She didn't know what had happened since last year, and since the beginning of the year, and she didn't care. She was…getting along, better than ever with Draco Malfoy, and she was actually enjoying his company.

"Yes, well…" she drifted, looking briefly at her wristwatch.

She desperately wanted to stay. She felt an aching need to pour out her troubles, and at this moment she felt about ready to burst.

"I should go." So much for that. She thought, stupid brain. Never listening to me.

"Sure, me too."

Hermione pushed from the wall and walked off, but Draco's voice followed her momentarily, and she paused.

"Granger," he called down the hall, "Good luck with that planning position. I hear you're a shoe-in."

Hermione smiled, only partly to herself. Ha, heard from who? She continued down the hall toward the common room. Why was it so easy to be in his presence, yet so hard to actually reveal what she was hiding…all her troubles. Protection, Hermione. You know that. True, what she kept to herself couldn't hurt anyone…anyone except her.

A crowd was gathered in the center of the common room near a recently posted bulletin. Lavender stood in the center of the mess, standing on the table like she was some kind of royal, with a piece of paper in her hands. "Okay! Shush! 'Houses will be voting for one seventh-year student to represent their house. Voting will take place this week; winners will be announced next Sunday at breakfast. Please only vote once, as the box will close at the conclusion of voting. Please choose your candidate wisely.'" Lavender dropped the paper next to the box after hopping off the table. "Well, remember to vote for me!" she said with a toss of her blond hair and stalked off with her giggling friends in toe.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ginny approached her with parchment; "I'm putting you down Hermione. So are Harry and Ron, though Harry won't admit it."

"Oh Ginny!" Hermione halted her, "You know how busy I am? I won't have the time!"

And it was true, a seventh-year student, with major exams coming her way, having an extra chore to do, wouldn't be easy.

"Oh, relax." Hermione's heart pulled at her, she could hear the creaaaaking twinges, Ginny continued, "You'll be for the best for the job; suck it up." Hermione scowled at her red-haired friend and turned to head upstairs. Away from all the chatter, away from this sloppy, sticky mess that kept the cobwebs in her brain.

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Authors end note: So. Review? That would be great. Chapter 5 is one you don't want to miss, so don't freak out since this wasn't too great. Ummm. Yeah it hit me when Jess mentioned how sappy I was getting, so trust me she helped me, and the coming chapters are alot better. And don't worry about the Draco instead of Malfoy thing, that will resolve it self. I can't have Hermione call him Draco, its just too weird. (Another thing Jessca pointed out)

Hi to Jessca, & Samtha.