Draco kept looking at Hermione as they left the library, wondering how he could be so lucky. He'd, of course, acted all confident around her, as if he'd been assured she'd like him back. But in reality, he'd been terrified that she wouldn't, that she hated him and would be appalled by his confession in the library. So he'd disguised its seriousness with a joking manner and a smirk, as usual.

"Draco? Are you even listening to me?" Hermione's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Yeah, of course," he said, smiling at her. "Hey, I want to show you something. Come on!" He grabbed her hand and led her down corridors, up flights of stairs, and across hallways.

"Where are we going?" she said after a few minutes of this, laughing because she was totally lost, even though he seemed to know exactly where he was going.

"Patience is a virtue, Granger,"

She was just preparing to retort when they came to a final staircase with a heavy wooden door at the top. He pulled her up it and opened the door.

She found herself in a high parapet of the castle, round and made of stone with windows all around it. She made her way to a window, hair blowing in the wind, and looked out of it. "Woah...this is amazing! I can see everything from here."

He smiled and joined her at the window. "I'm glad you like it. It's just a spot I can come and think, be alone with nature."

She nodded. "I get that...life can be hard sometimes."

He laughed sarcastically. "Especially if you're me."

She looked at him, wondering if she should ask a personal question and deciding to just go for it. "What's it like, having a Death Eater for a father?"

She wasn't asking him out of petty curiosity. She was asking him because she truly cared about him, and that's why he answered honestly. "It's awful." He looked out into the distance, not wanting to meet her eyes. "It's like everything I do is never enough. And the things I want to do always go against everything he stands for." He looked at her and lowered his voice. "I'm scared of him. Terrified, actually."

Hermione didn't know what to say, how to tell him how much she wanted to help him. Then a thought struck her. "What if he found out about us?"

"He'd kill me," Draco said frankly. "But you know what, Granger? I don't care. Awhile ago I realized that I'm my own person. He can't control me." His voice shook with anger at the thought of his father.

Hermione smiled widely. Draco was disobeying his father to be with her. He thought she was worth fighting for. "We'll just have to keep it a secret, then," she said. "We can meet here, and no one will ever find out."

He grinned. "All right, Granger. But what about Potter and Weasley?"

"What they don't know won't hurt them," she responded, laughing. When he looked skeptical, she continued. "Believe me, Malfoy. I've got them covered."

"You're more than a match for them, huh?"

In the distance, she spied two figures walking back to the castle, one with red hair that was easily visible, even from a distance. "Oh, I've got to go! That's Harry and Ron coming from Quidditch practice."

He nodded. "We'll have to do this again soon, Granger."

She smiled. "Thanks for showing me this. I had a great time," she said, standing up on tiptoe and kissing his cheek.

"Oh, I think we can do better than that, Granger," he smirked. He bent down and kissed her lips.

She pulled away blushing and smiling. "See you around, Malfoy," she said, turning to leave.

"See you, Granger," he replied, a smile playing on his lips as he watched her leave.