A/N: Harry Potter and everything thereof belongs to JK Rowling, Othello belongs to Shakespeare. Thank you for your feedback on the last chapter, and especially h/t to Honoria Granger whose local knowledge is proving invaluable. Hope you enjoy!

Hermione woke up on Wednesday morning feeling sick and shaky, and cursed herself for not having eaten any chocolate before going to sleep. She clambered out of bed and over to her washbasin, splashing cold water on her face and then scowling at her reflection. Her eyes were ringed with dark circles and she looked pale and drawn. She sighed, gripping the cool porcelain in her fingers and burning with shame as she remembered how she had treated Draco. Merlin's beard, she'd been awful – just as cruel and quick to judge as she had always accused him of being, and with even less excuse.

What was more, she could no longer deny what was between them. Hermione could just imagine how it would feel to have his bare skin against hers, to hear him whisper filthy things in her ear, his lips on her neck – she stopped, heart beating loudly in her ears and warmth in her face. It wasn't just the thought of kissing him again, though that did send a thrill of heat through her. But it was also the way he had looked at her as he'd held her in the library; like she was precious and breakable, and the thought of her breaking terrified him more than any other.

Hermione remembered the hurt on Draco's face when she had questioned his patronus charm and shuddered. She owed him an apology. More than that, probably, but an apology would be a good place to start. She bit her lip, considering her appearance in the mirror. Maybe best to have a shower and do something about the bird's nest currently masquerading as her hair before anything else, though. She checked the clock: three hours until her supervision, and then an afternoon of lectures before the evening's rehearsal. Plenty of time to panic about what on earth she would say when they saw each other again…

Hermione stood at the edge of the stage in the large, brightly lit auditorium the directors had managed to finagle for the evening, watching Freddie pretend to kick Toby as Draco, in character as Iago, looked on from the sidelines, his eyes glittering with gleeful malice. For a moment she was struck by uncertainty; he looked so like the Malfoy that she had known at school; but then he looked away from the brawling pair and caught her watching and his eyes softened fractionally. They held each other's gaze for a moment, and Hermione felt hope bloom in her chest before he turned away, returning his attention to the stage as Blaise rushed on, his expression thunderous: "What is the matter here?"

The scene continued as Othello quizzed his officers about the brawl, Draco expertly affecting an expression of innocent horror, spinning Iago's embroidery of lies with so little flourish that it was almost chilling. Hermione stepped onto the stage, looking in dismay at where Jack, who was playing Montano, lay on the ground, "What's the matter?"

Blaise caught her hands in his and raised them to his mouth,"All's well now, sweeting; come away to bed." She returned his smile, catching sight of Draco over Blaise's shoulder. He was watching the two of them closely, and she directed her smile at him too, hoping he would see the genuine warmth in it before Blaise led her offstage.

They stood together and watched as the rest of the scene played out. Draco seemed to inhabit the character of Iago like a second skin, and his manipulation of Cassio (played by Freddie) and Roderigo (a Toby who still couldn't quite stop grinning) was wholly believable. Draco could turn a glittering smile cruel with the barest quirk of a lip and had a genius for intonation that managed to wring every ounce of meaning from the words. "He's brilliant, isn't he," Blaise breathed beside Hermione, and she nodded without thinking,
"Yes, he's wonderful."

Blaise cast her a quick glance, a small smile playing about his mouth, but he didn't say anything more as they continued to watch Draco.

"So will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net That shall enmesh them all." Draco delivered the line thoughtfully, his smile twisting his mouth into a parody of joy. He caught Hermione's eye again and she shivered in spite of herself. Draco's face clouded, and he turned to greet Toby's return with an expression rather more sour than necessary, "How now, Roderigo!" Hermione cast her eyes down to her feet, fidgeting in her battered Converse.

Blaise slung an arm around her shoulders, "What is with you guys?"

Hermione gaped up at him, caught off guard, "I…er…I don't know what you mean?"

He grinned at her, "You're a terrible liar. Which is weird when you're such a good actress." He shrugged, "But whatever. I guess if you don't want to talk about it I should just let you know that I'm going out with Ed this evening, and so young master Malfoy," he inclined his head towards the stage with a dramatic wink, "Is going to be home all alone."

Hermione swallowed, "Um. Thanks?"

Blaise sighed, dropping his arm from her shoulders. "Obviously there's something going on that you're both refusing to talk to me about. But," His voice turned uncharacteristically serious, "Go easy on him, Granger, he's had it tougher than you probably realise." Hermione felt another wave of guilt wash over her as she remembered her behaviour in the library yesterday.

Before she could respond to Blaise however, Draco was stepping away from the stage area and coming to stand with them. "So, you two plotting behind my back then?"

Blaise's grin returned to its habitual megawatt radiance and he shook his head, "Nah mate. I was just asking Granger whether she had any plans for after this."

Draco's eyes moved to Hermione, "And? Do you?"

She met his gaze, smiling hopefully, "No, I'm free this evening."

Draco seemed to consider this, then shrugged. "Well I'm sure you've got an essay to work on, or a supervision to prep for, right?"

Hermione winced to hear her own words turned back on her, and though she couldn't blame him for doing it neither could she deny that it stung. Her shoulders dropped, and she scuffed her toe dejectedly on the wooden floor, "Yeah, guess I'll just have a quiet one." She forced a smile and affected a bright tone, "See you both tomorrow!" She turned away, hoping they hadn't spotted the tears welling in her eyes. She rushed quickly from the auditorium, waving to Ed as she slipped out of the door and into the moonlit night.

Blaise looked at Draco like he'd gone mad, "What the hell was that?"

Draco snorted, "It's not fair for her to get to treat me like shit and expect me to play nice the whole time. I might be trying to better myself but I'm not a bloody saint."

Blaise smirked, "Believe me, no one's about to accuse you of that." His tone turned sombre once more, "But seriously, Draco, it's Granger. You've been practically in l-"

"Don't say it." Draco's voice had turned deathly quiet, a sure indication that Blaise was on thin ice.

Blaise met his glare with raised eyebrows and Draco was the first to turn away, pulling at his hair in frustration. "You're right. I mean, of course you're right, but that just makes it worse." He turned back, his expression so uncharacteristically earnest that Blaise took a step towards him, but Draco waved him off. "Look, I can't let her win the whole time, because then she'll expect it, and what happens when I really do want my own way?" He glared at Blaise, eyes glittering, "She's far too used to being the smartest in her little holy trinity; obviously Potter and Weasley could never really stand up to her. So you see, I've got to if I'm going to have any chance at all."

Blaise nodded thoughtfully, seeming to mull Draco's words over. "So, how long are you going to let her stew for?"

Draco checked his watch; 8pm. "I reckon another three hours or so."

Blaise barked with laughter and Draco's face relaxed into a wicked grin, just as Ed sidled up behind them and slipped an arm around Blaise's waist, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You ready to go?"

Blaise's eyes lit up and he beamed back at Ed before glancing at Draco, "You're OK?"

Draco nodded, smiling at the pair of them, "You kids have fun!" They turned away, walking to the door. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he yelled, and was rewarded with a one-fingered salute from Blaise. Draco turned and waved to Toby and Jack, who seemed to be having a very involved discussion with Pia as to exactly how to go about beating one another up, and then he followed his friends out of the door.

A/N: Sorry this is shorter again - it was part of a longer chapter but it was starting to get a bit unwieldy so I've chopped it up. I promise I won't keep teasing you much longer though, so here is an official warning, there WILL be smut just around the corner. Please let me know if you liked this!