Hey everyone! Sorry to keep you all waiting for this! I've been pretty busy (mostly lazy) these past couple of days. Before I start this chapter, I want to clear a few things up that might be confusing some of you:

1) Ron and Lavender started dating at the beginning of 6th Year, not in the middle of it.

2) Hermione and Draco started meeting in the Room of Requirement in October, now it's December, almost Christmas.

Hm, well that's all I can think of that needed to be cleared up right now!

On with the story!


Three weeks had gone by since Hermione and Draco had established what their relationship was. And what a great week it had been. Hermione met Draco every night in the Room of Requirement. They'd work with the cabinet for awhile, and then they'd just sit and talk on the couch.

Hermione couldn't believe it, but the more she talked to Draco, the more she liked him. She had learned that he had had a little brother who died when he was one and Draco was six. His mother wasn't actually blood prejudiced, only his father was. His best friends weren't Crabbe and Goyle, but they were Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott. She also learned that Draco's father, Lucius, uses force to teach Draco lessons. If Draco did something wrong, Lucius would literally slap some sense into him. Hermione didn't blame him for acting like such a bully all throughout their years at Hogwarts. Now she understood.

Draco learned just as many things about Hermione, as she did about him. Her parents were dentists and owned their own business. They wanted her to go to muggle school and give up magic. Draco thought that was insane. Didn't they realize Hermione was the best witch at Hogwarts? Apparently not. They wanted her to take over the family business once they could no longer work. Hermione didn't want to disappoint her parents, but she loved magic too much to give it up. Draco was glad that Hermione would never give up magic.

Hermione had become a little bit of normalcy for Draco. He looked forward to seeing her every night. He didn't know how sane he would be without her. She made him happy, something he rarely was nowadays. As crazy as it was, Draco was falling for her. He loved seeing her smile, hearing her laugh, and especially, kissing her perfect lips. He really loved kissing her.

Tonight was like every night earlier this week, except they didn't work on the cabinet tonight. They just talked. Hermione was sitting on the couch with her back leaning against the arm of it and her head lying on her knees. Draco was sitting on the other end of the couch with his legs spread out in front of him on the floor.

"Granger?" Draco asked.

"Yes?" Hermione replied.

"I need to be honest with you."

"Oh… alright. Go ahead."

"As odd as this sounds, I really enjoy spending time with you."

Hermione smiled as she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. She really enjoyed spending her time with him as well.


During lunch the next day, Ron was sitting on one of the benches with Lavender sitting on his lap. Ever since he had seen Hermione that night in the common room, he couldn't shake the anger he felt. He was lashing out at everyone. Where had she been that night? Her lips were obviously swollen, so Ron's only conclusion was that she was snogging somebody. But who? Ron thought Hermione didn't have a boyfriend, maybe he had been wrong. No. Harry would've told him if Hermione had gotten a boyfriend. Maybe Harry didn't know? Ron was getting angry again. He pushed all thoughts of Hermione out of his head and went back to listening to whatever Lavender was talking about now.


While Ron was outside, Hermione was sitting in the Great Hall with Harry. Every now and then, Hermione would glance across the room to find Draco's eyes on her. She quickly looked away before her cheeks flushed and Harry asked questions. But Hermione didn't know that Harry knew Malfoy was staring at her, again. Harry felt he needed to bring it up with her, anyway.

"Hermione? Malfoy's staring at you again," Harry said.

"Um, yes, I noticed. Maybe he fell asleep with his eyes open or something," Hermione was getting better at lying.

"Fell asleep with his eyes open? What kind of answer is that?" Harry laughed.

"Well that's the only reason I can think of!" Hermione smiled at him. She missed Harry. He was her best friend and lately it seemed like she barely talked to him anymore. Sure, they talked in class and at lunch, but it was always the same conversation. Hermione wanted to tell him about Draco, but she just couldn't. Harry would hate her, and Draco didn't want her telling anyone about them. She would just have to keep this a secret for awhile longer.


The bell rang for class. Hermione walked with Harry down to Professor Slughorn's room for Potions. As they walked into the room, they saw a large cauldron sitting in front of the room. They took their seats, Hermione putting as many seats between her and Ron as possible. Her eyes immediately scanned the room for Draco. When she saw him, he looked sad. He wasn't looking at her, he was just staring at the ground.

"Hello class! Quiet down, quiet down! We need to get started right away!" Professor Slughorn bellowed over the class. He walked up to the large cauldron at the front of the room.

"Now, can anyone tell me what this potion is? You should be able to smell it"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Ah, Miss Granger. Tell me, what this is."

"It's Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It's supposed to smell different for everyone, for instance I smell pine trees… and roses… and-" She stopped herself. Hermione felt Draco's eyes on her. Hermione had been describing things that reminded her of him. She stopped herself before she said that she smelt the smell of an old couch.

Draco knew that Hermione was talking about him. He looked at her as soon as she said "pine trees". Truth is, the things he smelt from the potion were all things that remind him of her: Daisies, spearmint, and vanilla. Draco's thoughts were interrupted when Slughorn started speaking again.

"Today, I want you all to brew me a batch of Living Death. Whomever makes the best, will receive this vial of Felix Felicis. Good luck!"

Hermione immediately began working. How on Earth was Harry doing so much better than her? It was probably the bloody book that belonged to the Half-Blood Prince. Ruddy cheater, Hermione thought. No matter what she did, she just couldn't get it perfect. Harry ended up winning the vial.

At the end of class, Slughorn asked Hermione, Harry, Blaise, and Neville to wait a little bit. He had something to do with the Slug Club to tell them.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I kept you after?" Slughorn asked the four students staring back at him. No one answered him.

"Well, I'll just get to it then. I'm going to be throwing a little get-together for members of the Slug Club for Christmas. It's going to be in about three weeks, leaving you plenty of time to find a date! Your date doesn't have to be from the club, though. Bring anyone you like! I hope I shall see you all there! Oh, except for Neville, my boy. You'll be serving drinks at the party."

That's lovely, Hermione thought. How was she supposed to bring a date? She couldn't bring Draco for obvious reasons, Harry was most likely going to ask Ginny now that she and Dean had broken up. She couldn't bring Neville since he was going to be serving drinks. Perhaps, she could just go alone.

Hermione walked with Harry and Neville to the common room. There were no more classes today. Hermione figured that she needed to spend some time with them. She needed to find Draco and tell him that she couldn't go to the Room of Requirement tonight. Hermione excused herself from the group as they passed the girls lavatory. She went inside for only a minute before leaving again in search of Draco.


She went to the Quidditch pitch, where sure enough he was sitting alone in the stands. Hermione didn't know why she thought he might be here. Maybe it was just an instinct. Draco was up in the Slytherin stands in front row, his arms resting on the rail in front of him, with his head on his arms. Hermione quietly crept up the stairs to where Draco was sitting. Within seconds she was sitting next to him.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" Draco asked, sounding put out. Hermione wondered what was wrong with him.

"I can't come tonight; I'm going to spend some time with Harry and Neville. I haven't in awhile," Hermione said. Draco hadn't looked at her since she had arrived. She was starting to get worried.

"Whatever, Granger," Draco replied in the same disinterested tone as before. What had happened to the Draco that had been with her all last week? She missed the Draco that would sit and talk with her for hours, with no worries.

"Draco? Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

Draco finally turned his head to look at her. The look in his eyes was so pained, so sad. Hermione was getting worried now.

"I'm fine, Granger," Draco replied in a hoarse whisper. He turned his head towards the pitch, completely ignoring Hermione.

"I… I'll see you tomorrow then," Hermione said as she stood to leave. She really wanted to know what was going on with him now. Why did he look so much sadder all of the sudden?


Draco sat in the Quidditch stands for another hour by himself. He wasn't getting anywhere with the cabinet. It was almost time for winter holiday. At least his mother was letting him stay at Hogwarts to work on his task. Even with Granger's help, he was getting nowhere. He needed to think of other options. There's got to be something, right? Wrong. He had strict orders to fix the cabinet. Why was it so bloody hard? But the cabinet was only one of Draco's worries; He still had to kill Dumbledore. But how? How was he going to look into the face of a man that he had secretly admired, and kill him? There was no way Draco could do that. Suddenly, Draco remembered the cursed necklace that he had seen at Borgin & Burkes before term had started. Maybe that could work. Draco quickly got up and went to the Owlery. He needed to send his mother a letter.

Passing no one on his way to the west tower of Hogwarts, Draco finally made his way to the Owlery. Taking out his quill and a piece of spare parchment out of his bag, Draco wrote to his mother, asking her to get him the necklace from Borgin & Burkes, and to be very careful with it. Draco called for his owl and attached the piece of parchment to it's leg. He led the owl to the window and let him go. Draco waited until the owl was out of sight before going back down to the Slytherin common room.


Hermione was sitting in front of the fire next to Harry, Neville, and Ginny. She was trying to participate in their conversation, but her mind kept going back to Draco. Maybe she shouldn't have told him that she couldn't see him tonight. He obviously looked sad, perhaps she could've helped him with whatever it was if she had just gone to the Room of Requirement. Hermione glanced at the clock sitting on the mantle. It was only half past ten. He was probably still there. If she could just leave now, she would probably be able to talk to him.

"Isn't there a trip to Hogsmeade coming up?" Neville asked.

"There's one next weekend, on Saturday," Ginny replied.

"You're going, right Hermione?" Harry asked her.

"Yes, I'm going," Hermione answered.

At that moment, the portrait swung open and in walked Ron, with Lavender draped all over him. Hermione looked at him for only a moment before looking away. Funny thing is, she no longer felt that twinge of jealously she usually felt when she saw Ron with Lavender. Hermione wondered when that had changed, but then quickly answered her own question. It had changed when Hermione had begun spending so much time with Draco. She was beginning to really care for Draco. Now, Ron hardly mattered.

Ron's eyes looked at the sight in front of him. He knew that Hermione was mad at him, but he never knew what for. He figured it had something to do with homework. Ron walked over to the chair he usually sat in by the fire, and sat down. Lavender immediately sat on his lap. He noticed that everyone was staring at him.

Clearing his throat, Harry finally spoke up after what felt like forever.

"Ron, did you finish your Transfiguration essay?" Harry asked.

"Uh, yeah. I got it done. Did you?" Ron asked back. Things hadn't changed between Ron and Harry, but it was just so much more awkward when Hermione was there.

"Yes, I… I finished." Harry replied lamely. Merlin, this was awkward.

"Excuse me," Hermione said quietly before standing up from the couch.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked.

"I just need to get some air," Hermione replied as she walked away towards the portrait.

"Hermione! You realize it's past curfew, right?" Harry called after her.

"So it is. I won't get caught, promise," Hermione said as she climbed out of the portrait hole.

"Well that was strange. Hermione never breaks rules," Neville said.

"Yeah, it is strange…" Harry said quietly.

"Maybe she's going to snog someone," Ginny said playfully. Harry and Neville joined her laughing, but Ron stayed quiet. Hermione didn't have a boyfriend, did she? Well, only one way to find out.

"Gin, does Hermione even have a boyfriend?" Ron asked.

The laughter stopped immediately.

"We were just joking, Ron. She doesn't have a boyfriend, that we know of…" Ginny replied.

"That you know of?" Ron asked.

"Well, she doesn't really tell us stuff like that," Harry answered for Ginny.

Oh was all Ron could say.


Hermione silently walked the corridors until she was standing in front of the stretch of wall concealing the Room of Requirement. Once the doors appeared, Hermione burst inside.

"Draco?" Hermione yelled out.

A crash of metal met Hermione's ears. She had startled him.

"Bloody hell, Granger! I was trying to concentrate!" Draco yelled back, irritated.

Hermione walked over to where the cabinet was. When she got there, Draco was standing close to the couch, looking at her expectantly. Hermione had no idea what she was doing. She marched up to Draco, and kissed him. Her hands were behind his head, holding onto his hair. Draco was completely shocked, but once he realized what was happening, he immediately kissed her back. Draco put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He began to walk them over to the couch. When the backs of his knees hit it, he slowly sat down, bringing Hermione with him, their mouths never losing contact. Draco was in a sitting position, with Hermione straddling his waist. After another four minutes of nonstop kissing, Draco pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers as he tried to get his breathing back to normal.

"You really know how to surprise a bloke, Hermione," Draco whispered between breaths.

"Hermione?" Hermione whispered back, baffled. He had never called her by her first name before.

"That's your name, isn't it? Hermione?" Draco said while still trying to control his breathing.

"Yes, it's just… you've never called me Hermione before," Hermione pulled her head away from his and looked him in the eyes. She saw something there that she had never seen before. His eyes looked like they were on fire. They weren't brilliant silver, or dull gray. They were like melted pools of pewter. Hermione had never seen such a heated look on his face.

"Well, I think it's about time I start," Draco said before capturing Hermione's lips with his once more.

His hands were no longer resting on her hips. Now, they were travelling up her side and under her shirt. His hands were cold but Hermione didn't care. His hands felt wonderful against her bare skin. Draco moved his hands to her back. Hermione didn't know what to do. She wasn't ready for such a level of intimacy, not yet anyway.

"Draco… wait," Hermione breathed out.

Draco stopped his hands and brought them back to her waist.

"It's not that I don't want to, just not… yet" Hermione explained.

Draco nodded and leaned back into the couch. Hermione crawled off his lap to sit next to him. Her legs were outstretched on his lap. Once Draco realized this, he let his arms rest atop her legs. He briefly wondered when they had gotten so comfortable around each other, but he figured it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was starting to really like Hermione.


Alright, that's Chapter 8! Thank you guys so much for all the positive reviews I've been getting! Chapter 9 will be up soon!

-kiwilynn13