A/N: This is the key that makes us wind up...wait...So don't you ever for a second get to thinkin' you're irreplaceable...wait...LADY MARMALADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...Sorry.

Hermione rubbed her head and tried to focus on the recap of last year ,but thoughts on Draco invaded her mind. She looked across the table too see him with a serious, focused look on his face, even though he wasn't concentrating on Binns. He seemed oddly interested with something across the room. 'I can't help but to admit he looks handsome when he's focused...' Hermione thought. She gave a small smile, then, frustated about her feelings, frowned.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" Ron asked lazily, picking up his head.

Hermione sighed. "I have a lot on my mind, Ron."

"Don't let the pressure get to you, that's what I do." Ron said. 'Yeah, and maybe I'll get the same test results as you.' Hermione thought, rolling her eyes. Before they knew it, students were filing out.

"What? Class is over?" Draco asked, looking around.

Ron smirked. "If maybe you were paying attention, Malfoy, you would have remembered al 1st hour proffesors said that our day's been cut short, that all our classes are a half hour shorter because it's our first day back."

Hemione saw a glint in Draco's eyes. She knew what was coming next and held her breath.

"I'm sorry, Weasley, I would have heard it if I wasn't busy comforting your girlfriend. What a great boyfriend you are, huh?" Draco said. Ron's ears turned red as he pulled his wand onto him.

"Don't you ever go near her, Malfoy!" he said, forcing his wand hard into his neck, mamnging to back him up against the wall. (A/N: How many times is he going to do that?)

"Stop it, Ron, don't hurt him!" Hermione said.

"Ron, let him go already." Harry said.

"Why shoulden't I?!" he said through gritted teeth. Harry seized his by the shoulders while glaring at Malfoy and tried pulling his back, but he woulden't budge.

"Because you're acting like a freakin' psycho!" Draco said, trying to breath. Ron gave one last glare, then let him go.

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"So, giving up, Weasely? Granger, why were you interested in him again?" Ron growled and turned back around, a fist raised. Malfoy was shocked, for what happened next happened quickly. He closed his eyes to take the punch, heard a blow, a scream, but didn't feel anything. When he opened his eyes, Ron stood with a slightly bloody knuckles. Harry and Ron stood staring in shock at the ground, and Malfopy look to see Hermione slumped on his feet. Draco's eyes widened in realization.

'Granger took the punch for me. Granger...saved me.'

"Ron...what have you done?!" Harry exclaimed. But Ron just stared, his mouth opened wide.

McGonagall walked into the room, saw what had happened and took immediate action, walking briskly.

"What is going on here? I heard a scream!" McGonagall said, but then noticed Hermione on the ground. McGonagall leaned down next to her, then looked up to Harry.

"Tell Poppy Pomfrey were coming." Harry nodded and ran. Draco coulden't do anything but look down in realization, the same thought repeated in her mind.

'Granger took the punch for me. Granger saved me. Granger took the punch for me. Granger saved me. Granger took the punch for me. Granger saved me. Granger took the punch for me...'

Hermione eyes were closed. She was in a sitting postion, slumping to the right.

"Mr. Malfoy, you're going to have to move." Draco was snapped back into reality.

"Oh, yeah, ok." Draco said, moving. Ron was in a chair, shaking his head is disbelief that he had just punched his girlfriend. Draco held his breath when Hermione's eyes snapped back open.

"Wha.." she said, trying to talk. She slowly got up with the help of McGonagall. Draco would never forget the look of Hermione's face when she got up. Her left cheek was covered in blood. Hermione looked over at Ron.

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"Ron...are you okay?" But Ron was almost in a comatose state, staring.

He shook his head. "Hermione , I am so sorry." 'What is he talking about? I'm fine!'

"Do you remember anything, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked. Hermione shook her head. She looked at Draco, who was also staring.

"Your face...dear, girl, we must get you to the Hospital Wing!" McGonagall said, taking her arm.

"I'm fine." Hermione said. Ron and McGonagall looked at each other.

"Mr Weasley, we need to go down to the Hospital Wing, Potter's probably waiting, Mr. Malfoy, watch Miss Granger." she said briskly.

"I'll stay!' Ron said. Malfoy rolled his eyes. Hermione looked confused and sat down at a chair, looking as if he was trying to remember something.

"This isn't optional, Mr. Weasley. Let's go!" she said sharply. Draco watched helplessly as they walked out, leaving him and Hermione alone. He walked up to her.

"Granger, you've been punched. By Weasley. You stepped in when he punched me and-" He choked on is words,not being able to get the rest out. "Granger, why did you do that?"

"What are you..." she started. Hermione felt a throbbing in her left cheek. She put her hand up to feel it and loked at her hand. She didn't even hear Draco's pleads to go to the Hospital Wing. She saw blood, deep red blood that dripped off of her face. Her mind went blank.

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Hermione woke up in a hospital bed. She lifted her head, looking around. Her mind was fuzzy on details, but saw a cup of water on her nightstand. She tok a sip and everything cleared instantly. She shook her head.

'Must be some sort of short-term memory reviver..' Hermione thought, getting ut of bed and looking into a nearby mirror. There was a smal bandage taped to her cheek. It throbbed with small amount of pain.

"I was hoping you were up." she heard a voice said. She turned around to see Ginny walking towards her. Hermione walked, then almost ran to Ginny, hugging her.

"Did I pass out after Ron punched me?"Hermione asked. Ginny looked outraged.

"RON PUNCHED YOU?! WHAT THE HELL?!" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione shushed her.

"No, you see.." she explained everything up to her blackout.

"Ohh, that's why-" But Ginny stopped.

"Why what?' Hermione asked. Ginny looked over to the side.

"When I was going to the lavatories, I saw Draco running," Ginny said.

"So what?"

"He was carrying you." Hermione's eyes widened.'Malfoy...carrying me to the Hospital Wing?'

"Oh. Well, I have to thank him for that, then."Hermione said, turning her head and blushing. Ginny gave that signature sly smile.

"What a sweet thing to do.." Ginny said, circuling her like an animal's prey.

"It means nothing, Ginny," Hermione said with a small sigh. Ginny waved her finger.

"Ah, ah, it means something, Hermione Jane Granger, it means something..." she said. Hermione just gave a her a lame look and sat back down at her bed. She looked over at her nightstand, wher a card sat.

"What's that?" Ginny asked, sitting down next to her. Hermione shrigged and opened it and it said:

Hermione Granger

You have been invited to dinner at 7:00. I will be in the last classroom in the 7th floor. if you are not there before 7:10, I will have accepted the fact that you have declined.----A Undeniablebly Secret Admirer

"Wow..I...Ron must feel horrible. but, God, why did he have to resort to violence?!' she said angrily.

"I would know, living with a bunch of hormonal boys...maybe it's Malfoy." Ginny said.

"It's not him,it's...so, do you think I should go or not?" She asked sharply. Ginny shrugged.

"Let's say you go, and it's Malfoy. That's an offical date, which means.."

"Which means I'm cheating on Ron. Oh, Ginny, what will I do?" Hermione said.

"Well, first things first. Do you have feelings for Malfoy?"

"Yes." Hermione blurted. She covered her mouth. "No." she said on her usual buisness-like manner.

"Hermione, tell me what you feel deep inside. Here, take a sip of water." Ginny said, pouring her a cup of water from a nightstand. Hermione sipped it.

"So, what do you think of Malfoy?"

"Oh, he's handsome, so very handsome. And smart, can't deny that. He's really nice now too." Hermione said again. She covered her mouth.

"GINERVRA MOLLY WEASLEY, DID YOU PUT VERITASERUM IN MY WATER?!" she yelled. Ginny giggled and took a vial of clear potion out.

"Snape better watch his desk when he's claening the boards.." she muttered. She turned to an outraged Hermione.

"How much did you put?!"

"Just enough so that you would tell me the truth about that one thing. I made this Veritaserum, we we're making some in Potions. I poured two vials, then accidently put both on the desk, and managed to get one back." Ginny said.

"Getting back to the subject. So we've established that you have feelings for Malfoy. The next step is to-"

"Oh no!" Hermione looked at the clock to see it was 7:05. "Gin, I have to go!" Hermione put the water down and ran. She ran from the room and saw that the corridors were mostly empty. She ran down to the 7th floor on the moving staircases, having to stop several times because of the movements. When she reached the last empty classroom, she opened the door.

There was a single table with a table cloth on it, plates with covers on them. There was candlelights in the middle of the table and flowers. She looked around. There was a smal sofa also. She walked in.

"Hello?" she asked quietly. She turned around to see Malfoy. He was wearing Slytherin robes and stood there with his back turned in silence.

"Uh...Malfoy?" she said louder. He was startled and turned around.

"Granger, take a seat." He said. He pulled up a chair for her which she hesistantly sat in and looked at him from across the table.

"Uh, what are we doing?" she asked.

"You took a punch for me, so I made you dinner." Malfoy said simply.

"Oh, that? That was nothing, really." Hermione said.

Draco sighed. "It wasn't just nothing. It's the first time anypne's ever sacrificed themselves for my sake. I am forever in your debt."

"It wasn't-"

"Your face was covered in blood, and you didn't even realize it. Thank you." Draco said, taking the cover from his and her food. Hermione looked down to see a slice of baked lasgana. She looked at their goblets and took a sip. It was white zinfandel. (A/N: It's a type of wine, and it seriously tastes good.) She took her fork and knife and cut a piece off, putting it in her mouth. She had lasagna at home, but not if it wasnt a T.V Dinner. She thought it tasted delicious. She wiped her mouth and looked up at Malfoy, who was enjoying it just as well.

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"Malfoy, this is delicious, you made this?" Hermione asked after taking another bite.

"I can cook, after all." Draco said in his normal smug demeanor. "I heard it comes with being absolutely and deftly sexy."

Draco was suprised when she didn't roll her eyes. "Why do you do that?' she asked.

"Do what?"

"Say," Hermione did a well imitation of him, putting her hands through her hair. "I am so incredibly sexy, my sexy is sexy."

Draco laughed. "I don't know. You can't say that I'm not a little handsome."

Hermione blushed. "Yeah...maybe..a little.." she murmured. Draco smiled.

"I knew it!"

"Whatever. I guess you have nothig to say about..me?"

"Well,I guess you're cute for a brave-hearted, all up and mighty Gryffindor. Honestly, this is you," Draco tried doing an imperssion of her. "I'm brave and smart! I get all Outstandings, but that's not good enough!" He looked back at her who had a saddened look on her face.

"I didn't know I acted like such a nerd." Hermione said, finishing her food and moving to the sofa. Draco got up and sat down next to her.

"Hey, Granger, I was just joking, really, you're not a nerd." He said. She looked up at him.

"Why were you mean to mean all those years?" Hermione asked.

"Uh, what?"

"You heard me."

"This is going to sound stupid but...I was kinda jealous of you. You got such good grades and you were a Gryffindor and a.." He gulped.

"Muggleborn."

"Exactly. And I always thought that if a Muggleborn could get good grades, why aren't I? Anyways, you and Potter and Weasley were all such close friends wityh such loving relatives and parents and the only thing I had going for me was the fact that I was born into a...fully..." Draco pondered on the words to use.

"Born into a family of wizards."

"Right. So, you can see why. And I've changed, I guess." Draco shrugged and looked at Hermione, who's eyes were watery and was looking straightfoward, tryin not to look at him. She looked like she was trying her hardest to keep everything in. She turned to him.

"Granger, what-"

"Malfoy, what would you say if I said.." she whispered. He leaned closer.

"What?" He asked quietly. Draco could feel a bunch of emotions rising up from him, emotions he pushed down like usual.

"If I liked you?" Hermione's face was now a coule inches away from his.

"Then I'd have to say that I liked you too." he whispered. "What would you do to that?"

"I'd do this." She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. She put her hand on the back of his neck and deepened the kiss while Draco put an arm around her waist. The kiss seemed to last a couple of minutes or seconds to Draco.

She let go. His arm was stil around her waist, holding her close. Draco shivered as Hermione's warm breath blew past his cheek. Draco wasn't sure what she was going to say next.

"And this time, I sure as hell meant it."

A/N: Oooh, steamy chapter! What do you guys think? I didn't want to make this fluffy, like the last couple of chapters, I had to make one that was...hot, the type that would fry fluff. Hehe...if you thought this chapter was hot, tell me. I need to know for future refrernece 'cause I don't want to slip back into a that fluff depression. Whatever.----The Werewolf Fomerly Know As Moony..Who Doesn't Have Hair Like Prince-----

And by the way, have a Harry Christmas(which HedwigandHermes7 came up with acutally) a happy last night of Hanukkah, a happy Ramadan(tommorow, I think)...uhh, and a Happy Kwanzaa. I know there are many, many more,but hell, I ain't getting sued.