Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! They really mean a lot. Keep it up and enjoy this next chapter and as always let me know what you think.

Oh and did anyone see half Blood Prince yet!??!!!?! soo good. I swear to God Draco gets better looking every movie. It was awesomee!

"Master Malfoy?" A tiny house elf appeared at Draco's bedside.

"What?" Draco asked wiping sleep from his eyes.

"You're Father requests your presence in the sitting room, he says dress proper, you have a guest Master Malfoy."

Oh shit. "Can you get me clothes?" He asked rather politely; in his terror he forgot to be mean and ruthless to the house elf. The elf nodded and Draco ran to the bathroom. He ran his fingers through his hair and gelled it back just like he liked it. He changed into his robes when they were brought to him but not before he threw a handful of cold water in his face. Shit, shit, shit. He knew who the guest was and he knew that this was not going to be good.

He made his way downstairs and knocked on the sitting room door. "Enter," drawled Lucius. Mr. Malfoy hadn't seemed to have moved since the last time he wanted Draco in here. Draco didn't look to the chair by the fire because he knew what he would see; the answer was made clear when a cold voice addressed him.

"Is that any way to greet your master, Draco?" Draco kept his face turned to the ground and bowed in respect to Lord Voldemort. You could practically feel Narcissa's terror from where she stood at the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry Master, please forgive me," Draco said and cringed when he heard the merciless laugh. He already felt pain coming.

"Ah, forgiveness is something awfully hard to come by these days, right Lucius?" Draco didn't dare look up because it wouldn't be far from the Dark Lord to kill him right there. Lord Voldemort's thin lips curled into a cold smile, "Crucio!"

Draco fell to the floor in pain and writhed around like he got thrown into a pot of boiling water. His limbs felt as if they were being sawed off and all he wanted to do was die. The nerves in his brain were all short circuiting and it took every ounce of will power to not scream. Narcissa was crying silently in the corner and Lucius was watching with a sick look on his face as his son was tortured right in front of him. Voldemort lifted his wand and Draco stopped squirming.

"Are you ready to prove yourself Draco?" Draco didn't dare look into the Dark Lord's face so he pulled himself into a more dignified kneeling position and nodded his head. "Good, now let's talk about the task I'm am going to need you to perform for me." Voldemort flourished his wand and Draco found himself in a chair. He didn't dare speak. "You have a simple task to perform if you wish to find yourself in my ranks, do you understand?"

"Yes sir," he said with the utmost respect in his voice.

"You are to kill Albus Dumbledore," he said simply. Draco forgot about not looking at his Master and when he realized his mistake he recoiled instantly. His snakelike eyes were blood red with vertical pupils. If you looked at him from the side you would think that he didn't have a nose but in reality it was just flat on his skull. His lips were practically nonexistent and were as white as his skin. He looked like a walking corpse especially because he was only illuminated halfway by the firelight.

Lord Voldemort was the face of every single child's nightmare.

"Master, but-"Lucius tried to say but with a flick of Voldemort's wand Lucius was silenced.

"Can you do this for me Draco?" The Dark Lord asked and it became apparent to Draco that when he asked this in an overly nice manner and you could tell that he was becoming increasingly more dangerous.

"Yes," Draco breathed.

"Good boy," the Dark Lord said, "Lucius we will attend to our matters later. You need to make arrangements and be sure to do something right this time or face my wrath. You have no idea how angry I still am with you. You disgust me but apparently you did something right." He said pointing a long, white finger at Draco, "The boy knows how to be supportive of his master." And with that statement and a loud crack he was gone.

Narcissa had held in her sobs long enough. She fell to the floor and cradled her head in her hands. Draco was still so sore; the aftermath of one of the most powerful wizards in the world throwing a Cruciatus curse at you, that he was forced crawled over to his mother in the corner. She threw her arms around him and he put his head on her chest. She cried for her son, she cried for her husband, she cried for herself, she cried for the world. She cried and Draco had to use all the will he had left to not cry with her.

"I'm… s-sorry… honey, I… ju-just… love you… and I d-don't… want… anything… to ha-happen… to you… I d-don't… know… wha-what I'd… do…" she finished with a heart wrenching sob and she clutched Draco tighter to her, too terrified to let him go.

"Narcissa," Lucius started but she glared at him and put her face back into Draco's hair.

"Mum, I'm going to be okay," he said, putting false confidence into his silky smooth voice. She let him go and nodded while she wiped the salty tears that were staining her pale cheeks.

"Draco, I wish to speak with you, alone." Lucius stated with a look at his wife. She started toward him and went to walk out the door. She made it halfway there before she turned around with a new determination in her eyes and walked up and stood nose to nose, well figuratively seeing as she was incredibly short, with her husband and she slapped him across the face. He took it like a man and watched her walk out the door for real.

Draco watched the scene unfold and was internally proud of his mother for finally standing up for herself… and him.

"Father?" he asked as he stood in front of his father's desk.

"Sit son," he said motioning with his hand to the seat in front of him. Draco waited until Lucius was seated before sitting himself. Things were always done properly and formally in the Malfoy Manor. "I need you to understand how important it is that you succeed. If you won't me, your mother, and yourself will be killed. Do you understand that?"

"Yes."

"Good, now go." Draco walked back to his room with a hollow feeling in his stomach. This was going to be an interesting year indeed. He didn't see his mother on his way upstairs and he figured that she left the house for awhile; she did that when she was upset. Draco opened his door and found Blaise's owl on his bed and with a big sigh he went and collapsed on the covers before untying the letter.

It was an invitation to the party for his sister. He groaned when he saw that his parents were invited also. Awesome, he thought. The 'unveiling,' for lack of a better word was the day after tomorrow. He didn't really have anything to do with his free time and because he was so exhausted he fell back on his bed and fell asleep in his clothes and shoes.

Draco spent the next day in the manor library and lost himself in the words of the hundreds of books available to him. He really did love to read but that wasn't something people knew about him. He had a rep to protect, ya know?

His mother came in to inform him that they were attending the party with him and that he was to be ready the next day at six.

"Mum, wait. I was going to go a little early and help Blaise." She looked surprised but nodded. He went back to his book before it was time to find sleep again, or try to. It was getting hard to come by these days, he was struggling to accept the mission that he was given. Clearly, it was punishment for his father for even the Dark Lord couldn't kill Dumbledore.

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The day of the party had arrived and Draco was woken up to an own pecking him in the face. "Ow!" He said and he woke up to see Blaise's own again. "Ugh, you stupid animal, you're just as bad as Blaise," he scolded it.

Yes, Draco Malfoy was so stressed that he was talking to animals.

Good morning your highness, get your pale, skinny ass out of bed and be at my house at 3. Get it? Got it. Good.

Draco shook his head with amusement in his eyes and scribbled a note back.

I'm glad that you address me with appropriate respect. See you then.

He tied the letter to the owl's leg and sent it on its way before making his way to his favorite place in the house. His shower was simply calling his name. He threw his dirty clothes on the floor because he knew when he came out a house elf would have picked it up and put clean robes in their place. He wasn't intending of wearing dress robes until about 10 seconds before the party started so when he peeked out and saw his regular robes he smiled. He trained the little runts right.

After he finished and dressed he went downstairs to where the fireplace and floor powder was. Narcissa was waiting and she kissed her sons forehead, "Have fun sweetie, we'll see you later." He took the floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. Green flames enveloped his body and he yelled, "Zabini Estate!"

The world was spinning and he closed his eyes so he wouldn't throw up. You would think that after all this time he would get used to the sensation but that wasn't the case. He exhaled in relief when he found himself back on solid ground.

"Hello Draco, how are you?" Peter asked as he looked over his book to the boy emerging from the fireplace.

"Good Mr. Zabini, you?

"Fine thanks, Blaise is in his room." Draco nodded in a polite goodbye and made his way through what seemed like his second home. He was at Blaise's more than he was at his own house. He entered without knocking and found the room empty. Weird. Draco wasted no time in making himself comfortable and was about to take a nap on his bed when the door opened.

"I see you made yourself comfortable," Blaise said.

"I did, quick question though why am I here so early?" Draco asked his best friend.

"Because I'm bored," Blaise said simply and he pulled out a game of wizards chess and they played that before Blaise's house elf came and told them that were needed in the ballroom in 30 seconds. This gave the boys ample time to get their clothes on and go downstairs. Getting ready wasn't really an issue, they knew they didn't need to do anything to look good.

They raced down the stairs like five year olds and came to a screeching halt right before the door to the ballroom.

"Beat you every time," Blaise said and Draco punched him in the shoulder.

"Let's go," he said and they opened the double doors and went in to mingle with their parents friends.

They found their way back to each other and sat in the corner observing the hilarious scenes unfolding in front of them. People were arguing and flirting and fighting and getting drunk. It was fun to watch.

"So are you going to tell me who she is?" Draco finally asked the question that was on his tongue all day.

"Nope," Blaise couldn't pretend that he didn't know who he was talking about.

"Come on man, it's not like I know who she is," he said.

"You'd be surprised," Blaise said darkly under his breath. He knew that if he told Draco that his sister was the one person he hated above all others and the smart part of the golden trio, he wouldn't accept her. It was better for him to find out for himself.

All of a sudden everyone's attention turned to Peter who was standing up on the podium where the band was playing.

"Okay well Hello everyone, thank you for coming. I have invited you all here to night for a very special reason. I was recently reunited with my daughter and I would very much like for all of you to meet her. I know that some of you remember my relationship with Antoinette Randolph," he said inclining his head in her direction, "well this is our beautiful daughter and I would hope that you will accept her into out family as Blaise and I already have. So, everyone let me introduce my daughter, Hermione."

Draco was actually severely curious about this whole matter so he listened to the mini speech with rapt attention. He was understanding it until he called her Hermione. The name alone made him angry but even though it wasn't a common name there was no way on the planet that it was Hermione mudblood Granger.

His statement seemed accurate and then all his thoughts went out the window when he saw the pure beauty that graced the top of the stairs. A girl with dark hair and blue eyes seemed to have graced them from Heaven. She was beautiful, stunning, exquisite; her blue dress clung to her in the front and fell loosely to the floor. Her neck was wrapped with the blue strap of her dress and adorned with a silver locket. She lifted her dress to descent the stairs and revealed a pair of strappy silver heels.

Pure and utter perfection was what had just looked him in the eyes.

He shook his head and looked back into her eyes. They seemed distantly familiar, he had seen that look in someone else before but he couldn't really put a coherent thought together at the moment.

Actually, basic life functions were proving difficult.

Blaise beamed at his sister and took her arm in his. Draco felt an unfamiliar and completely unwarranted twinge of jealousy because 1: he didn't know this girl from adam, and 2: Blaise was her brother.

He caught his best friends eye and when Blaise started to laugh he realized he was standing there gaping like an idiot. Hermione's mother, it looked like, came over and embraced her. Then a little red headed girl in a green dress followed suit.

"Blaise!" Draco scream-whispered. Blaise bowed gracefully away from the family and came over to him.

"She's hot, huh?" he said with a smile.

"Why the bloody hell is the weasel princess here!?" he said recognizing that mane anywhere.

"Well, er, mate, I need to talk to you about that later but," he couldn't continue because his father, who was dancing with the guest of honour, was motioning for him to dance with someone else. Blaise exhaled and took his mother's hand. Draco was going to go yank him outside and demand answers but his own mother was already dragging him onto the dance floor and to be honest he was wrapped around her finger and vice versa.

The song slowed down and Peter gave Blaise a look and he nodded with a smile. Blaise walked behind them and swung an unaware Hermione out of his father's arms and into his.

Draco watched the scene unfold and then someone put a hand on his shoulder, he turned to the faces of his father and his mother soon after as she followed him off of the dance floor. His father was smirking and Narcissa was smiling wide.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Narcissa asked with a knowing look in her eyes.

"She'd be a good match for you," Lucius continued. He seriously wanted to believe what they were saying and at least respond to them but before he could do anything Blaise was motioning for him much like Mr. Zabini motioned for Blaise.

"Excuse me," he said to his parents and walked behind the dancing couple.

"What?" He mouthed so Hermione couldn't see but before he could react Blaise spun the poor girl around and she fell right into Draco's waiting arms.

Draco smiled and helped right the beautiful girl. "Thanks," she said with a red blush staining her cheeks. Draco frowned, she seemed familiar. Blaise bumped into Draco's shoulder and he looked down at Hermione to see her looking at the floor, "Will you dance with me?" he asked and Hermione nodded without meeting his gray eyes.

He put his hand with hers; palm to palm without tangling their fingers. She looked up briefly but found Draco staring at their hands. He brought his gaze down and she put her face into his chest. Smiling to himself, he laced their fingers and reveled in the feeling. He felt something inside him changing but he didn't know what it was.

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Hermione felt something change and she didn't know what it was. The locket on her throat burned and she put the hand that was on Draco's shoulder to her throat.

"Are you alright?" he asked noticing the sudden change in her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said before taking her hand and placing it back on his shoulder.

"You're name is very uncommon," Draco said trying to make small talk.

"Yes," she squeaked. She liked the way his deep voice rumbled in his chest and that she could feel it when she was close to him. No!? What!? Hermione was horrified at the fact she just thought something about Draco Malfoy was anything less than repulsive.

"I only know one other person by that name, she goes to my school," he said.

"Oh." Hermione really didn't know how to respond to Draco talking about her.

"She's … unique… I guess you could say. Infuriating, brutal, smart," he trailed off apparently realizing what he was saying and chastised himself, "Sorry." He said this with a look down that Hermione couldn't see because she was too busy burying her face in his chest so he couldn't see her reaction.

"Hermione," he asked after a few minutes.

"Yes?" She breathed.

"Will you look at me?" The question startled her so much that she obliged. Even though this whole situation was supposedly for amusement only, the look on Draco's face was anything but funny.

Blaise saw the exchange and the change in his best friend. Hermione cringed away from him and let him go. Her brother ran over and put a hand on Draco who was staring blankly at Hermione like he wasn't sure which emotion he wanted to settle on but some unnerved Hermione.

Anger, pain, disgust, and the last few; longing, desire…

But mostly a lot of anger. He was bloody pissed.

"Granger?" he hissed. Hermione looked at the ground and played with her fingers, the hand that was in Draco's was tingling. Ew.

After a few breaths she had the courage to look into his eyes. She wasn't scared of him but no matter how much she denied it, the things he said to her hurt.

"Malfoy." Draco's face would have been comical in any other situation. But they were there, so it wasn't. His eyes flew to his best friend.

"You're kidding me right?"

"Surprise?" Blaise said rather anticlimactically. Draco glared at him then turned his stormy eyes on Hermione.

"You have got to be kidding me!" He said putting his head in his hands. Ginny, Blaise, and Hermione all looked shocked at his reaction.

"Draco, mate, what's up?" Blaise asked putting his hand on his best friends shoulder. Draco shook his head and walked away without another word.

"Maybe I should go talk to him," Blaise said and was horrified to see his sister's eyes brimming with tears. "Honey, you know him, he's a prat."

Hermione allowed a small smile, "I know, I'm not crying," she said.

"You lie," Ginny said and took her best friend into her arms. She inclined her head to Blaise and he went to find Draco. He was outside at the mini Quidditch pitch looking up at the stars. This was very uncharacteristic Draco.

"You okay mate?" Blaise asked.

"Do I look alright?" he asked venomously.

"Relax man, I told her to dance with you, I wanted to see your face when you figured out who she was, it was for laughs," he finished lamely.

"That's not even why I'm pissed," Draco whispered so low the Blaise didn't even know if he really heard it.

"What happened?" Blaise asked pulling his best friend onto the grass with him.

"I had a meeting with… people," Blaise knew what that meant and Draco knew that he knew so he continued. "He gave me a mission and uh… I don't know if I can do it. My Dad told me the consequences but I don't know man. You know what I mean; I don't know who I am anymore Blaise." Draco was trying very, very hard not to cry and Blaise saw that.

"That sucks man," he said. Draco nodded and laughed bitterly.

"Yeah, and on top of all of that I just danced with a mudblood and liked it," Draco's hand flew to his mouth and Blaise's jaw dropped. Neither could believe the last three words that came out of Draco's mouth. "I didn't mean to say that man, I uh… I'm tired and …"

"Whatever mate," Blaise said waving his hand, "but we have to go back inside."

"Do I have to?" He asked.

"Yes, and you better get your swagger back or everyone's going to know the Slytherin prince isn't feeling like his egotistical self tonight." Blaise clapped his best friend on the back and they went back into the party.

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Hermione was on the verge of tears when Blaise went to go find Draco. Ginny saw this and dragged her best friend into the hallway.

"'Mione what's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing," Hermione said wiping her eyes.

"Hermione Jean Granger, I am your best friend in the entire world and I know you better than you. What is wrong?"

Hermione hiccupped and looked at Ginny, "I know he's a stupid ferret but the things he says to me hurt!" She cried. Ginny was shocked but was determined not to show it.

"He's not worth it Hermione," Ginny said. Hermione cried harder because her biggest fear was that he was worth it. "Let's go back inside but wait," Ginny used a spell to make Hermione look just as good as before, you couldn't even tell that she'd been crying. "Now you better work your hips tonight girl and get every guy in the room to forget about that stupid prat."

Hermione chuckled and took her best friends hand.

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Both pairs walked back into the party at opposite doors. Brown eyes met gray and something changed that could never be taken away.

Hermione stalked toward Malfoy and Malfoy stormed toward Hermione.

"Outside," she said but he had already grabbed her elbow and dragged her into the hall.

"Don't touch me ferret."

"Let's get something straight mudblood, I hate you."

"Not nearly as much as I hate you and just for the record I'm not a mudblood."

"Whatever Beaver, no matter what your last name is you'll never be good enough for anyone."

"That's so hilarious because I was just about to tell you the same thing."

"You're quick with the witty responses tonight loser."

"Sod off, and I haven't heard the insult loser since the like fourth grade."

"Watch your filthy mouth Granger and what the hell is a grade?"

"I'm going to hex to so far into-"

"OKAY OKAY OKAY!" Blaise yelled stepping, with difficulty, in between the two because they had gotten to close to each other. "Well, I see this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship," he said with a smile but only Ginny smiled back.

Peter's head stuck into the hallway and looked at the scene in front of him with confusion. "Come on back guys, there's a party going on in here you know."

With one last glare at each other they followed one another back into the ballroom with their best friends tailing along behind them with smirks both equal to the Slytherin house.

Ending Note: So little Draco Hermione going on. Too fast? Too slow? Feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys love you!