Well this is a long one. Please review. I hope you enjoy.

I own nothing

Hermione POV

I pulled my jacket tighter around me. Fall was starting to set in and the drafty castle was chilly. I rubbed at her eyes again. There was no way I could let Malfoy know I had been crying. What had she been thinking? I had sworn to myself I wasn't going to date this year. This year was supposed to be about moving on. Somehow that ferret had wormed his way into my affections. I was acting like those frivolous girls who fretted over every misplaced eyelash. Crying over some guy was not the kind of girl I was. If Malfoy thought he could manipulate me so easily, he had another thing coming.

I plastered a smile on my face and rounded the corner to the Great Hall. Sure enough, Malfoy was lurking in a corner waiting for me. He raised a thin, blonde eyebrow at me.

"You came? I was afraid you wouldn't."

"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?"

His cool fingers laced through mine. "There's an abandoned classroom down the hall. We are less likely to get caught there."

He led me into a dusty room and locked the door behind us. A soft smiled curved on his pink lips. I would have mistaken it for genuine if I didn't know any better.

"I can't believe straight laced Granger, is actually sneaking out of bed to see me."His thumbs traced over my palm.

"I don't do this for anyone. You better make it worth my while."

"All those years of sneaking out with Pothead and Weasel and you are still afraid of getting caught?" he teased.

I just smiled at him. I didn't bother correcting him on my friend's name. I was just as furious at Harry and Ginny for their part in this.

"Are you alright? You seem a bit distant tonight." Malfoy pulled me against him. I wanted to resist, but then he would know something was definitely wrong.

"This is just the first time I have snuck out for a boy is all. Maybe I am a tad bit nervous."

He ran his fingers through my curly hair before tipping my chin up. His lips drifted over mine in a soft whisper of movement, yet it still sent tingles down my spine. His other hand traced down my spine and came to rest on the curve of my hip.

"To be honest, I am nervous myself. I have never meet anyone quite like you, Hermione. The things you do to me without even trying…" His voice trailed off as he began to kiss me again.

His lips were smooth as they moved over mine. His fingers traced patterns over my suddenly sensitive skin. I couldn't help but lean into his touch, until our bodies were pressed against each other. It was so easy to just forget what I heard in the common room and pretend that just maybe Malfoy really did care. The way he kissed me, it was so easy to believe. Unfortunately, I knew firsthand how deceiving he could be. I pulled back, putting some much needed space between us.

"As fantastic as you are at kissing, I thought you asked me down here for more than a snogging session." I put a hand on his chest and pushed him firmly away.

"Well if you wanted more than a kiss, all you had to do was ask." Malfoy leered. He pushed his hips against me, showing ready he was for "more than a kiss."

" I am serious Malfoy. What are we doing? What is this?" I asked carefully.

"What are you willing to give princess?" His grey eyes looked at my through his thin blonde lashes.

I took a step back. I hadn't anticipated him asking me that. At the moment I wasn't willing to give him a glass of water if he was on fire. What did he even mean by that?

"That depends on what you want." I said, sidestepping his question.

Malfoy smirked at me. "Dodging questions isn't very polite, but I'll play it your way. I want whatever you are willing to give."

I clenched my jaw to keep myself from cursing him. Malfoy laughed at my irritation.

"I want you Hermione, in whatever way you will let me," his voice dropped to a whisper. He pressed his forehead against mine.

"Malfoy-"

"Draco." He corrected me.

"Draco, what if I want a relationship?" I asked. I needed him to ask me to the ball, but I couldn't rush me.

His eyes flickered up to me hopefully. They changed from a gunmetal grey to misty silver.

"Is that what you want?"

For the very first time in my life, my heart skipped a beat. I did want something with Malfoy. I knew this was a complete hoax, but for once I wanted something other than my books and long nights in libraries.

"That's what I really want." I lied perfectly. My fake smile beamed up at him.

"Then let's make it official. This Saturday, at the ball, I want us to go together."

Well that didn't take long, I thought.

"I don't know. Balls and dancing really aren't my thing." I pretended to hesitate.

"Come on. In fourth year you were the most gorgeous girl at the Yule ball. I am sure you will dazzle everyone there."

"Please, you hated me then. I doubt you even remembered seeing me that night."

"You were wearing a pink dress with a tiny blue bow. You somehow wrestled our hair into submission. You pulled it into a side pony tail with just a few curls let loose around your face." He traced my cheekbones as he spoke.

"I hate dancing." I lied again. I couldn't count the number of times I had been caught singing and dancing in the girls dormitory.

"I'll only make you dance for one song. It will be fun. I promise." He smiled up at me.

I raised a suspicious eyebrow. "One dance, that's it." I finally conceded.

"Splendid." He gave me a quick chaste kiss on the lips that hinted at something more. " Now it's late. I wouldn't want the precious Gryffindor princess getting caught sneaking out of bed at night. You might be out meeting unsavory characters."

"Ha!" I snorted. "If they only knew. Goodnight Draco." I willed myself to keep smiling just a little bit longer. I unlocked the door and left him in the empty classroom. I had him right where I wanted.

Harry POV

Harry hurried from Herbology towards the lake. He and Ginny somehow managed to get a free period together and he didn't want to miss it by lingering in the humid greenhouse. Things seemed to be going wonderfully between Malfoy and Hermione. Harry had already succumbed to sleep by the time she finally snuck back in.

"Potter!"

Harry cringed. Just because Hermione seemed to suddenly tolerate Malfoy didn't mean he had any desire to communicate with the Slytherin.

"Potter," Malfoy repeated as he got closer to Harry. "I want my letter. Applications to the internship program were sent off last week. If I want a spot I need that letter."

"Is Hermione going to the ball with you?"

"Is that really all you care about? Making sure she is out of the way so you can spend some time with your precious little girlfriend?"

"Of course not. Besides, who are you to talk? Isn't this letter of recommendation all you care about?" Harry snapped.

Malfoy frowned. "I just want my damn letter, Potter. I expect it tonight. Give it to me after dinner this evening. I would like to send it off tonight."

He sent Harry one last glare and stormed back to the castle. Harry flipped him off and headed back to finding Ginny. He would write the letter next period. He never paid any attention in Charms anyways. Any questions he had, Hermione would help him.

A few hours later

Harry waited for Malfoy to leave the Great hall. He grabbed the letter and scrambled to follow. Ron called out to him, but Harry ignored him. He wanted to catch up with Malfoy before Hermione did. She almost saw the letter earlier today while he was writing it. He just barely managed to shove it in his bag before she saw it as they were leaving charms.

Malfoy was leaning against the wall. He spun a quill in his hand as he glared out at the passing students. Harry waited until a group of first years scuttled past them.

"Here is your letter." Harry offered he slightly crumpled piece of paper. Malfoy snatched it from his hands, and Harry turned to leave.

"Nice try. Potter," Malfoy growled. "It's fucking blank."

"It can't be. I wrote it this afternoon." Harry snatched the paper back. Sure enough it was completely blank. Harry flashed back to his charms class with Hermione. Had she seen the letter? She had stumbled into him as they left, but he thought nothing of it. He stared at the paper as the words appeared.

Harry,

If you are reading this then you realize I have found out about your little "plan". Did you seriously think you could outsmart the brightest witch of her age? You call yourself my friend yet you try and manipulate me like this.

As for Draco…..

The page went blank again. Harry dropped it as it sent him a nasty shock. His fingers trembled as he attempted to hand the paper back to Malfoy.

"Hermione found out." He croaked as the paper shocked by the paper again. This time it definitely left a mark.

Malfoy stared at the paper, but he finally took it from Harry's hand. "How mad is she?"

"Let's say coming up with new identities and moving to a different country aren't out of the question."

Malfoy,

If you are reading this, then I have found out about your selfish, immature and ridiculous plan of using me to get a letter of recommendation to St. Mungos Healer Internship program. How could you? You want to be a healer, but you can't even get into the program without resorting to some underhanded, crude tactic. You truly are pathetic, but what is worse than that, is I believed you. I actually bought that you had changed and that somehow you actually had feelings for me. The worst part is, I fell for it. Stay away from Malfoy. I wanted to believe you changed, but I see just how wrong I was.

Sincerely,

.

"Fuck! How did she find out?" Malfoy yelled. He launched himself from the wall and began to pace furiously.

"I don't know. Obviously she didn't tell me." Harry yelled back. "I was an idiot to think I could outsmart her. Did you give it away? Maybe you let something slip?"

"Potter, you are a brainless prat. I never cared about the damn letter!" Malfoy threw his hands up. The crumpled page fluttered to the ground.

"Wha- What?" Harry sputtered.

"I never cared about the stupid letter or anything else. I have already been accepted to the internship program." Malfoy rolled his eyes like it should have been obvious.

"When did you find out?"

"I found out last week. I haven't gotten the official letter yet, but my mother still has a few contacts at the hospital. They were able to sneak a look at the list of new interns. Naturally Granger was one of their first choices. She will be accepted too."

"So why did you even ask me for the stupid letter in the first place?" Harry stared at Malfoy, trying to make sense of his bizarre behavior. Were all Slytherins this crazy or was this just a special brand of psycho reserved for Malfoy?

"Because Potter. Can you imagine if I told everyone I wanted to date Hermione? What would you have done if I had just marched up to her one day and asked her out for a drink? You, Weasely and the Wesealette would have chased me off with pitchforks and threats to burn me at the stake. Draco Malfoy, son of a deatheater, dating Hermione Granger, the Gryffinfor princess. There was no way you or anyone else would have let me near her."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but it was true. Sometime he and Ron could be a bit overprotective of Hermione when it came to suitors.

"So when you came to me asking me if I would convince her to go to the ball with me, I thought you had lost it. I thought you were playing some kind of joke. I never cared about the letter. If everyone thought it was just on some bet, then maybe I could have a real shot at her, but now I have bollocksed it up royally." Malfoy cursed."She hates me now."

"Well to be fair, I am pretty sure she has hated you since we were 11."

Malfoy stared at Harry with a glare that could have rivaled Medusa." You know what I meant Potter. You don't get a second chance with a girl like Hermione."

Yes, Malfoy was definitely his own special brand of psycho if he was this taken by Hermione, Harry thought.

"Look Malfoy, I am sure there are plenty of other women dying for the chance to date you." Harry halfheartedly tried to comfort him. He had no idea Malfoy ever gave Hermione a second thought. Sure he had made it a point to stay close to her during the war, but Harry never thought it was out of affection. He just figured iMalfoy was just bored, and enjoyed irritating her.

"You don't get it do you? I'm in love with her. I have been the past two years, and now I just blew the only shot I got with her. You are her best friend. What can I do?" Malfoy looked up at Harry.

Just then the doors to the Great Hall opened. Hermione, Ron and Lavender stepped out. Hermione froze when she saw them. The color drained from her cheeks as she straightened her bag.

"I would appreciate it, if you both stayed the hell away from me. I have dealt with enough manipulating cowards." She stared defiantly at them daring them to speak. Satisfied, she turned and left the castle.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked. "I swear she is mental."

Malfoy just sneered at Ron before walking down to the dungeons.

"Don't worry about it Ron." Harry sighed. His head was starting to throb. He had been a completely git to Hermione. She deserved better than that, especially from her best friend. "Let's just go back to the common room." he suggested. He needed to figure out how to apologize to Hermione before it was too late.