A/N: Phew, you're all lucky - I was convinced this wasn't going to be ready in time, but I managed to get the weekly update published for you *happy dance*. I haven't had chance to proof-read as much as I'd liked because it's been a pretty hectic week and I wanted to upload tonight, so excuse any glaring errors. Also apologies if this chapter is a bit all over the place, I kept changing my mind over and over about certain parts :/

I'm also thrilled to have hit the 100 review mark after chapter 10, I don't think I got 100 until chapter 14 of Two Weeks so thank you all so, so much! *Internet hugs all around*

Keep those comments and alerts coming my lovelies (but don't kill me because there's another cliffy *sigh*).

Enjoy! :D


11

:. The Stones .:

If Hermione had been anticipating anything when she'd followed Draco out of the common room, the two of them kissing would certainly be far down the list. She didn't have a clue what brought it on, nor did she have a clue why she hadn't yet pushed him off. Well, actually she did in regards to the latter, but she didn't feel like admitting to herself that she liked kissing him. If anything she was the one now prolonging it. Hermione told herself it was because whilst his mouth was occupied, Draco couldn't be a complete arse with his snippy comments, but she knew she was bullshitting herself with that excuse.

If only he wasn't such an obnoxious git, then kissing him wouldn't feel so much like a sin to her.

If only his lips weren't so annoyingly soft, and he gave her that buzz that made her feel alive and beautiful, then she'd almost certainly never stop.

If only he wasn't Draco Malfoy… then she'd have no qualms whatsoever about this.

She was actually quite scared how long this kiss would last if she didn't stop it, and it took the mental reminder that they were stood just outside the common room to finally give Hermione the willpower to do just that.

"What are you doing?" she put one of her hands against his chest and pushed him away, keeping him there at arm's length.

He looked a little dazed himself, as if he wasn't completely sure of the reasons why he kissed her either. But that certainly didn't stop him from being an infuriating arse with his response.

"Well whatever it was, I believe you were doing the same thing," he drawled, arching a blond brow.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I mean, what possessed you to do that in the first place?"

"C'mon, don't pretend that you didn't enjoy it." Draco smirked when Hermione's cheeks instantly reddened.

"I'm not going to comment on that," Hermione said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"So that means you did enjoy it, then."

"Draco!" Hermione snapped.

"Hermione!" Draco mimicked her shrill tone, then realised he was pushing his luck so he did his best to dial down his defensive-slash-denial fuelled remarks. "Okay, I don't know why I did that. But when I asked you to come out here I was planning on just… thanking you," he cringed, only now realising that his gratitude was so strong that kissing her seemed like the only way he could express himself.

"Well this just gets more and more bizarre," Hermione said, laughing slightly. "I don't know what's stranger: Draco Malfoy kissing me or Draco Malfoy thanking me… wait, for what?" She frowned.

Draco sighed. "Well it probably isn't wise to be having this conversation when your estranged Weasel is on the other side of that door so let's go somewhere else." He turned on his heel and marched off, leaving Hermione to jog to keep up with him.

"Fine. You better make this quick, though."

"Why so antsy, Granger?"

"I promised Harry to be more careful around you. Ron's still pretty suspicious and it's not going to help if you and I are gone for any length of time."

"Well I seem to recall that we never got around to finishing our last conversation," Draco said, knowing it was better to get that with sooner rather than later. It was bound to be an uncomfortable conversation, but with that out of the way, it meant that he and Hermione no longer had a reason to be around each other, apart from the competition. Thank Merlin.

Hermione chewed her lip in thought, before concluding that getting this conversation out of the way was something best done sooner rather than later. "Fine, I'll just go back and make up some kind of excuse."

Draco nodded once. "You know where I'll be." He turned his back on her and continued walking.

I do, Hermione thought as she walked back to the common room.

"How slow do you walk?" Draco asked as she joined him in the Astronomy Tower about ten minutes later.

"I couldn't rush off right away," she said. "I've been spending more time with you than Harry and Ron lately." She paused, and realised that this was no exaggeration. She shuddered slightly, and made a mental note to have a completely Malfoy-free day tomorrow. Merlin knows she'd earned that. "So, what was this about wanting to say thank you?"

"I went to see my mother today," Draco said, thrusting his hands in his pockets. And with those words, Hermione's impatience vanished.

"So what's that got to do with me?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb, you know full well that you're the reason I went," he sighed in what sounded like annoyance, but then he locked eyes with Hermione and let out a long breath, as if he was trying to remain calm.

"I thought what I said yesterday might make you consider visiting her some time in the future but I never imagined you'd go the next day," Hermione admitted. "How did it go?"

"Better than I anticipated," Draco said. "Apparently it was just miscommunication, or lack of communication, that led to be believing she was keeping me here to punish me. I just wanted to thank you for, well, giving me the balls to go and face her in the first place."

"Spoken so eloquently," Hermione rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the smile from playing on her lips. "You're welcome," she said. "I'm glad I helped."

That familiar silence filled the air around them. "Do you mean that?" Draco asked after a while.

"What?"

"Are you really glad that you helped?"

"Well, yes. Why wouldn't I be?"

Draco shrugged. "Because it's me?"

"I've already told you that I don't hate you."

"You still dislike me, though."

"We dislike each other," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"That's the thing," Draco bit his cheek. "We dislike each other, so why…?"

His open question could concern a number of things: Why is she happy that things worked out with his mum? Why could they talk so easily with each other? Why did they have this weird connection?

"I don't know," Hermione said honestly.

"Really?" Draco arched a brow. "The only time you don't have an answer? Are you shitting me?"

"Hey, don't start having a go at me!" Hermione snapped.

"Sorry," Draco raked a hand through his platinum hair. "I just don't understand. It's just not logical."

"Well maybe that's why I can't offer an explanation," Hermione said. "My knowledge is based on facts and logic, hence why I can't stand Divination."

Draco snorted. "Yes, that was really something when you just stormed out of class in third year. Us Slytherins were all wondering what got into you, what with your brown-noser reputation."

Hermione blushed. "Yeah, well like I said-"

"And that was the same year you almost broke my nose," Draco went on. "Puberty certainly hit you hard, didn't it Hermione?"

"Please, you had that punch coming to you for years," Hermione said. "That just so happened to be the moment I let you have it."

Draco laughed.

"But it didn't really make a difference," Hermione went on. "You were still a complete arse after that."

"I believe I targeted Potter and Weasley more than you, though," Draco said. "And I'm sure it made you feel good about yourself."

"Of course," Hermione grinned.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm going to level with you, I think that was the moment my hatred towards you shifted to dislike."

"Really?" Hermione frowned. "I would think that would make you hate me even more."

"It did in a way," Draco said, walking over to the viewing platform. "I suppose the thing that changed was that I started to respect you – begrudgingly of course. I was always told that Muggleborns were below Purebloods; that they were inferior. But when you punched me, you put us on even footing. I could never tell if you rose up to my level or you lowered me to yours with that punch, but either way, I've seen you as an equal ever since then."

"Why have you never told me any of this before?" Hermione asked.

"And ruin all the fun of arguing with you?" He arched a brow. "Why would I do that?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. She was, for once, lost for words. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this 'open' Draco.

"So… about the other thing we were going to talk about," she began.

Draco sighed, knowing that he couldn't really stall any longer. "Hang on." He waved his wand at a couple of pebbles that had presumably been blown in by the recent storms. Muttering incantations under his breath, he transfigured them into two armchairs. "If we're going to be talking about painful things we may as well be comfortable."

"Wow. That's impressive," Hermione said.

Draco shrugged and took a few steps back until the backs of his knees hit a chair. He sank down onto it and looked out at the view. "It did get a little boring last year. I needed to do something to occupy myself."

"And yet, you still felt the need to steal an armchair from the common room when you could do this spell all along?" Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Blaise stole the chair. Are you deaf? Can you not hear me through that hedge you call hair?"

"Still, I don't quite understand the logic," she laughed, sitting in the other chair.

"Hmm. Speaking of things that aren't logical, we need to get back on track with this conversation. Any theories that may explain our… situation?"

Hermione shook her head. "Well, the only thing that sprung to mind was that you aren't Ron-"

"And you've only just come to realise this?" Draco smirked. "Have you been mistaking me for the Weasel all along?"

"Just let me finish, will you?" Hermione huffed.

Draco laughed. "Right, continue."

"I don't think Ron and I could ever be anything more than friends because there's no romantic spark between us. I'm not saying there is between you and me, but I just had a theory that I felt something with you because you aren't in my 'friend-zone' so to speak."

"Why are you speaking in past tense?" Draco asked, looking slightly disheartened. What she was suggesting so far made sense.

"Do you remember that day when I kept 'accidentally' bumping into the boys who are here?" she asked.

"Yes," Draco nodded, and then realisation hit him. "Was that you testing your theory?"

"Yes. And surprise surprise, you're the only person here who I feel this with." And it just so happens to be the same feeling Harry has when he's with his girlfriend, her mind carried on.

He smirked again. "No need to sound so bitter, Hermione."

"Shut up. So what about you? Any genius theories?"

"I thought it was just a natural reaction since I've basically been an untouchable being for the last year – literally. But again, I've been around Daphne and Pansy -"

"Physically?"

"On a purely platonic level," Draco replied. "But still, when there's been contact it hasn't felt the same as… you know."

And with that, they were no further forwards. Hermione knew that the only way of tackling this would be to discuss all of the details of the feeling itself, but that could open a whole new can of worms, and would only complicate the 'why' of it even more. They were at an impasse.

It seemed that the same thought process was going on in Draco's head, for he was biting his cheek and gazing vacantly out at the landscape.

"You know, there may be a way of getting around this without having to discuss it at all," he finally mused aloud.

"I'm listening," Hermione sat up a little straighter.

"You're not going to like it. Hell, even I don't like it but I'm still suggesting it," Draco warned.

"Suggesting what?"

"What if we… wore this feeling down? Worked it out of our systems?"

"I already don't like where this is going," Hermione bit her lip in anticipation.

"This feeling we have might just be some kind of weird phase. What if we embraced it, so to speak, so it fizzles out? That way, we can get on with our merry lives of not having to associate with one another at all."

Hermione's brain was incredibly slow on the uptake, mainly because she didn't want to believe what she already knew deep down. "I'm not going to snog you senseless every time I see you, if that's what you're suggesting," she squeaked indignantly, feeling her cheeks grow red hot.

"I told you, you wouldn't like it," Draco drawled.

Hermione frowned, wondering how on earth he could be so calm about this. "Do you have any stronger arguments other than 'it might fizzle out the feeling'?"

"Just hear me out, okay," he said. "I'm just proposing that we get around this by doing, not by talking. Talking is getting us absolutely nowhere, so it's the only alternative; we just act on whatever impulses we may have when we're around each other – alone of course – without thinking, or over-thinking might be the more appropriate phrase."

Hermione thought this was an awful plan; kissing someone she didn't even like just for the hell of it? But at the same time, she couldn't ignore the way she had some kind of need to have him close to her whenever they were alone together. And she'd sooner lose a shred of dignity by kissing him and satisfying that need than discussing the need at all with him and thereby losing even more dignity.

"Go on," she said.

Draco swallowed hard. "Think back, Hermione. Every time something has happened with us, it has been led by impulse over thought." He began listing things off on his fingers. "There was that Spin the Quill game, that time you hugged me after the task, the time I hugged you and what happened outside the common room. I honestly don't know why I did that, but other than Voodoo and the Imperius Curse, I'm pinning impulse on that, too."

Hermione buried her head in her hands. "I really hate that you do have a point there," she groaned. "I couldn't do this. Not with Ron-."

"You're on the most pointless break there has ever been," Draco scoffed. "You aren't together and you've made up your mind that you never will be again. It's not like you'd be cheating on him or anything."

Hermione chewed her lip. "But I did make a big fuss about him being the one to see other people, not me."

"Yeah, because he's following that rule so well," Draco rolled his eyes.

"Hey! I'd still feel bad."

"It's not like we'd just stroll into the common room and snog right in front of him… although I would love to see how that would turn out," Draco laughed.

"Don't you dare," if looks could kill, the one Hermione was shooting his way right now would do just that.

Draco held his hands up. "I'm just saying, if he can't play by the rules, why should you?"

"Because I, unlike you sneaky Slytherins, have a conscience. He's paranoid about us enough as it is, anyway."

"Ah, but didn't you tell me earlier that you'd promised Potter to be 'extra-careful' around me so as to not make his paranoia worse?" Draco smirked.

"Stop picking holes in my logic!" Hermione said. "I'm really not comfortable with this idea."

"Look, I may not be a prude like you but I'm not exactly thrilled with it either. What's the alternative? Sit here until we're as old as Dumbledore whilst we try and work something out that makes no sense? I'm just running with that theme and proposing that we tackle it with more nonsensical stuff," he shrugged. "It's not like any feelings would be involved."

"What?"

"It'd be purely physical, Hermione," Draco said. "And strictly business, of course. We'll just be two people working together in order to achieve a common goal. It doesn't mean we can't still strongly dislike each other at the same time. Just think of it as another task for this selection system. And I don't know why you've jumped to the conclusion that I meant snogging; with us just the slightest of touches triggers that feeling."

Hermione drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair, still unable to make up her mind. Although, it did make her feel a lot better that snogging wasn't necessarily required... in terms of her head that is. Her heart and stomach, on the other hand, practically sank in disappointment. It was such a bizarre thing to be feeling two completely different things at once.

"I need some time to think-"

"No," Draco said firmly. "The whole point of this is that neither of us think, just do," he paused to smirk at his accidental innuendo. "I know you're a little bookworm brainbox but I also know that you have it in you to disengage your thoughts too, otherwise you wouldn't have hugged me after-."

"I know," Hermione said quietly, looking at the floor. "But somehow I can imagine this turning out very badly. We spend so little time alone together so surely we'd feel pressured to do something whenever we have chance. The kind of closeness you're referring to – not specifically kissing but intimacy – doesn't work when it's forced. It has to be natural, like… things between us have been in the past. Does that make sense?" She surreptitiously pinched her wrist in case she was dreaming, not really comprehending how a conversation with Malfoy had reached such a bizarre point.

Draco sighed in annoyance. "How can you be so sure of that when you're such a prude – no offence?"

"I read a lot," Hermione shrugged.

"Yes, you read non-fiction books," Draco said. "But what you just said sounds like something that'd be written in some cheap magazine like Witch Weekly."

Hermione blushed furiously, only just realising that she'd pretty much just quoted an extract from the July issue of Witch Weekly: the same issue she'd disguised as a text book and left at The Burrow. She cleared her throat.

"I've never read that kind of stuff," she said, but her voice betrayed her lie.

"Your face tells me otherwise, Granger," Draco cocked a brow.

"I'm telling the truth!"

"I don't believe you."

"Fine then, don't believe me," Hermione shot back. "I don't care what you think of me."

"Evidently you do, otherwise you wouldn't be defending yourself so much," Draco drawled. "But reading about something and experiencing it are two different things. How can you be so sure this plan wouldn't work?"

"You want to give this idea a go?" Hermione asked.

Draco's expression turned into a grimace. "Don't make it sound like I suggested this just for a reason to get close to you. Believe me, if I wanted to do that to someone, you would be way down the list."

"Gee, what a charmer you are," Hermione said dryly. Although it did surprise her that his words suggested that she would even make it onto the list in the first place.

"I'm just saying, don't think you're anything special," Draco smirked. "There are a lot of girls who'd kill to be in your position right now."

Hermione snorted. "Right, like who?"

"Pansy-"

Hermione laughed. "Get over yourself Draco. If Parkinson's the best example you can offer, then –"

"Whatever," Draco scowled. "I'm just saying: desperate times call for desperate measures. What I suggested was pretty much rock-bottom, therefore, I'm bloody desperate to be rid of you and this… attachment we have."

Hermione thought about what he'd said for a while. As far as wanting this mutually exclusive feeling they had gone, then she was in the same boat. But she just knew going along with it wouldn't work. It was too weird, not to mention it could vastly affect their chances in the competition if things became too awkward, which they would do judging by their track record.

Draco sat across from her staring out at the view. The sunshine illuminated and almost softened the planes of his pointed face, and made his ice-blond hair seem warm and golden. He didn't notice Hermione looking at him, as he too was lost in thought about something she'd said previously. When she'd said that word: intimacy, something inside his head clicked into place.

He realised that she had a point; their previous intimate encounters had either been off the cuff or just unexpected. They were genuine because of that, and he remembered that she'd promised Potter not to rouse Weasley's suspicions about him further, in which case it was going to prove difficult getting a second alone. Draco knew his plan would mean forced and rushed actions when such a time came, and he wanted to avoiding touching Hermione more than was necessary. In a nutshell, his plan meant tackling this issue completely the wrong way, so they were back at square one.

"All right Granger," he said finally. "Have it your way."

"Well you've suddenly had a change of heart," Hermione laughed. "Don't tell me you think I was right?" she grinned somewhat mockingly.

Draco sneered at her. "Believe what you want but I'm sure as hell not admitting anything to you."

"Oh this is rich," Hermione rolled her eyes. "The ever-mysterious and distant Draco Malfoy has no trouble telling me his deepest secrets and yet he can't simply admit to me that I'm right about something."

"Well I wouldn't exactly call the secret-telling 'no trouble'," he said, tactfully missing her point. It wasn't like he'd told Hermione all of his secrets – because he hadn't – but what he did tell her was uncomfortable enough as it is. He'd felt exposed and weak after so many years of keeping his cards close to his chest.

"Oh," Hermione bit down on her lip as if trying to stop herself from saying words that had already escaped her mouth. "I didn't mean it like that-"

"It's fine," Draco said firmly, not really wanting to get into a deep conversation again. "I don't see why you're telling me that anyway, considering we aren't even friends."

Hermione couldn't argue with this point. Even after everything that had happened she still wouldn't consider Draco as a friend, especially when they had such a rocky history. But she could definitely tolerate him more, which was huge progress in itself.

"Point taken," she said. "So, since your idea isn't really a feasible option, are there any back-up plans?"

Draco thought for a moment. "I say we just pretend nothing weird is going on until one of us comes up with an explanation. We just stay out of each other's way until then, unless we're needed for a task or something."

"Sounds good," Hermione replied, although she was surprised to be feeling a little hurt by his last comment. 'Stay out of each other's way'…

His words weren't intended to hurt her in any way (for once). But upon his earlier musings he'd discovered something else; that the yearning he'd occasionally get around Hermione was down to the simplicity of human companionship and closeness – intimacy – as opposed to more obvious gestures.

If it weren't for that bloody game, he could have remained blissfully unaware of just how void his life had become of physical closeness. The emptiness within him was too noticeable to ignore, now, and that had led to him becoming dependent on Hermione as a result. Dependency wasn't something the Malfoy family were especially familiar with; the feeling was alien and scary to Draco… something that made him weak.

The fact of it was that Draco didn't want to re-live any kind of emotion or feeling that reminded him of last year, and the loneliness was a key factor of that. Perhaps that was even why he'd started pushing the idea of embracing the draw he felt towards the Muggleborn witch. But with that no longer an option, he thought making a point to stay out of Hermione's way could help him ignore it. And her.


"And then Percy just turned into a giant canary. It was bloody hilarious. Of course, Fred and George's new formula needs a bit of work; the canary still had Percy's 'one is not amused' face, but still. You should have been there Hermione," Ron laughed to himself the next day as he, Hermione and Harry walked around the edge of the Black Lake. "Mione?"

"Hm? Oh sorry, was I doing it again?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Ron replied.

"Everything alright, Hermione?" Harry asked, giving her a pointed look behind Ron's back.

"Yes," Hermione put on her best fake smile. Luckily it was enough to convince Ron. "Just thinking, that's all."

"Bloody hell, when are you not thinking?" Ron laughed. "Take a break will you? Chill out, it's summer," he bumped Hermione's arm with his own.

Hermione's smile weakened. If only she could stop thinking; then it would make her self-promised Malfoy-free day a whole lot more… Malfoy-free.

"You're right Ron," she said with a sigh.

"You what?" Ron looked at her like she was mentally insane. "Did you just say that I'm right about something?"

"Yes, Ronald," Hermione replied, but she couldn't stop herself from chuckling all the same.

Ron just turned to look back at Harry and shrugged.

The three friends came to a halt when they reached a nice shady spot at the edge of the lake. Harry immediately sat down and pulled out a piece of parchment and a self-inking quill. He began scribbling a note to Ginny, whom he'd missed out on seeing earlier in the day since she had gone to Wales with Arthur to watch a home Quidditch game of the Holyhead Harpies: her birthday present from her dad, who'd managed to get V.I.P tickets and passes to the changing rooms after the match from someone at the Ministry.

Ron sauntered over to the water's edge and picked up some stones. Hermione watched as he drew back his hand and flicked his wrist, letting the stone bounce along the surface of the lake. Hermione really didn't know what to do with herself. She'd never been good at skimming stones as a child but she thought it would hurt Ron if she sat with Harry instead.

She sighed and walked to the bottom of the bank and stood beside Ron. He seemed almost surprised to see her but he didn't comment on it. He shifted another stone from his left hand to his right and threw it. Pure concentration was etched on his face. He caught Hermione watching him and shot her that lopsided smile of his.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just…" Hermione's voice trailed off. She didn't have the heart to say what was really on her mind. The silence that stretched between them – even with Harry sat nearby – seemed a little uncomfortable. And if that told her anything it was that this whole 'break' fiasco of theirs had changed them as friends. Hermione didn't know if they'd ever be quite as close as they'd always been because of it, and if it was awkward before she'd even told Ron her decision, she dreaded to think what it was going to be like in September.

She couldn't bear the prospect of losing such a close friend, so she decided to gain back as much familiarity as possible while she and Ron still had a friendship. She began preparing a lie to answer his question, but he did that for her.

"It's just that you're annoyed because I can do something that you can't," he said with a smile that made Hermione think he'd just been reading her mind. That he understood her thoughts.

Whatever the case, she decided to go along with it. She rolled her eyes teasingly and smiled at him. "You know me too well," she said.

Ron laughed and skimmed his third stone. The smile fell from Hermione's face when Ron handed her the last one. Her eyes were filled with horror when she met his gaze.

"Oh no, Ron, I'm not going to humiliate myself by-."

"Oh come on, it's easy," Ron picked up another stone off the ground and skimmed it, making sure to slow down the movement of his arm and wrist in order to demonstrate to her. The stone bounced three times before disappearing into the water completely. "See," Ron said, obviously feeling very proud that he was the one doing the teaching for once.

"Ron I can't-"

"'Course you can," he said. "Here, watch again." He picked up another stone and repeated the demonstration, this time narrating as he did so. "Swish-," he drew back his arm. "-And flick," he flicked his wrist and released the stone. He chuckled to himself, but stopped laughing when he saw Hermione looking at him with an arched eyebrow and narrowed eyes.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Ron said weakly.

"Git," Hermione replied, though she couldn't stop a small smile from escaping. "All right," she shook out her arms and took a breath, composing herself. Biting down on her lower lip and knitting her brows in concentration, she turned her body sideways to the lake, drew her arm back and flicked the stone from her hand. It didn't bounce, just hit the water and sank with an unsatisfying 'plop' sound.

Hermione swore, and Ron laughed. "How come that didn't work?" she demanded in frustration.

Ron shrugged. "Relax, it was your first try. Do it again."

Hermione picked up a stone and threw it. The same thing happened. She swore again, but louder.

"That's it, I give up," she threw her hands in the air in defeat and turned her back on the lake, about to storm off and sit beside Harry when Ron's hand caught her upper-arm and spun her around. It lingered there for a moment, and Hermione looked at his hand with a mask of indifference.

Ron immediately pulled away and cleared his throat. "You give up too easily, Mione," he said. He was obviously referring to skimming stones, but Hermione was all too aware of the hidden undertones of his words.

"Try again," Ron said quietly, handing her another stone. This time Hermione obeyed without complaint, lost in thought (again). She stood side-on to the lake and pulled back her right arm slowly. Just when she was about to let the stone fly, she felt Ron's presence behind her. Without speaking, he reached around Hermione's body and lightly gripped her wrist in his hand. The positioning automatically meant that his cheek was very close to hers.

Hermione's breath quickened; she couldn't deny that being with Ron now felt… nice. It was the closest (in more ways than one) that they'd been in so many days that she hadn't realised just how distanced she'd become from him lately.

She didn't shake Ron off, and let him control the movements of her arm. She released the stone, and it bounced one, two, three, four times on the water. Then, it was gone, and Ron released her. Hermione turned but Ron was still rooted to the spot, only inches away from her.

Hermione looked into Ron's eyes. She wanted to speak but her mouth wouldn't work. She didn't know what she would say, anyway, so it was probably for the best. Ron slowly reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingertips grazing her cheeks ever so slightly as he did so. Harry, still sitting only a metre or two away from them, was forgotten. The world was forgotten, until a twig snapped and Hermione whipped her head to the side.

"Draco?" she asked, immediately walking away from Ron and towards the blond; which in hindsight probably wasn't the best move. "What are you doing here?"

'Draco?' Ron mouthed to Harry, his forehead crinkled with confusion and dismay.

"Dumbledore wants to see you and me in his office," Draco said, his voice was void of emotion and his eyes were as unreadable as ever. It was too formal, too… unfamiliar and cold. Hermione bit her lip. "Apparently it's our turn for that pointless meeting about how we're finding his ingenious selection system or whatever," Draco rolled his eyes, but he was speaking so quietly as if he didn't want Harry and Ron to know what he was saying. Hell, even Hermione couldn't really hear and she was standing right in front of him.

"Okay," Hermione said. "Well I'll just say goodbye to Harry and Ron and then I'll walk with-."

"Don't bother, I'll see you up there," Draco said, turning on his heel and marching off in a manner that was completely different to how Hermione had grown used to seeing him lately. He was certainly going all out with staying out of her way. If anything Hermione should be happy that things between them were back to normal, but instead she was left feeling rejected and confused, and confused about feeling rejected.

She turned back to face Harry and Ron, giving both boys an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry, I've got to go," she said. Before either of them could say something in return, she was already running across the grass to catch up with Draco.

Ron let out a long breath. He sat beside Harry and collapsed backwards so he was looking up at the sky. "How much of that did you see, mate?" he asked.

"All of it," Harry replied.

"Do you think she…?" Ron didn't even know how to finish that question, but Harry answered it anyway, knowing that it was kindest to be honest to his friend instead of beating around the bush and ultimately risk hurting him more in the long run.

"I think she misses you," Harry said finally. "But, probably not in the way you're hoping for."

"I had a funny feeling you were gonna say that," Ron sighed. He hauled himself up. "Are you about done with your letter?"

"Yeah, just about," Harry said. "Do you want to come with me to post it?"

Ron nodded and stood up, with Harry not far behind him. They turned and started walking away from the lake when something hit Ron on the back of the head.

"Ouch, what the bloody hell was that?" he turned, and saw a stone lying on the ground. It was wet, and Ron looked up just in time to see a tentacle of the giant squid disappearing under the surface.

Harry laughed. "You must've ticked him off with all of your rock throwing."

"Yeah," Ron said, picking the stone up and examining it. It was the same one he and Hermione had thrown together. He secretly pocketed it and caught up to Harry. "After we post your letter can we please get something to eat? I'm bloody starving."

"What else is new?" Harry smiled.


Draco cursed under his breath when he heard light footsteps, and panting, approaching fast from behind.

"Draco!" Hermione's voice called out.

He chose to ignore her and carried on, leaving her no option but to continue running after him. She only twigged on to his deliberate ignorance once he'd reached the castle.

"Draco, I know you heard me," she yelled, but her voice was laboured and breathy.

He finally stopped and turned around. "Bloody hell, how unfit are you?"

"I don't exactly do much exercise," Hermione said matter-of-factly, gripping a stitch in her left side.

"I figured," Draco drawled.

He had no choice but to let her tag along beside him once he'd caught up, knowing how fiery and stubborn her attitude was. Plus, there was little point of storming off when he'd end up in the same room as her soon, anyway.

"Are you okay?" she asked after a while.

"What's it to you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, after everything you've ever told me, you're going to be difficult about this now?"

Draco bit his cheek. What had annoyed him? Apparently it had been the sight of Weasley with his hands all over Hermione. But that was ridiculous; he couldn't be jealous of someone he didn't even like, let alone fancy. And his plan had been going so well…

"Yes, I am," he snapped. Hermione actually flinched at such an abrupt response but Draco didn't care – shouldn't care – about that. "You want to know why, hm? Because there is no reason for us," he gestured between himself and Hermione, "to be associating with one another anymore."

Hermione glared at him and pushed his hand away from her roughly. "Don't condescend me, Draco," she had just about been able to command some power into her voice in the aftermath of her shock. "I know you've been avoiding me today because it was part of your plan to-"

"This isn't about the plan, Granger," Draco drawled in his rich voice.

"Oh so it's back to 'Granger' now, is it?" Hermione demanded. He'd still called her by her last name on the odd occasion lately but it was never in such an unfriendly way. "Now that I helped you get back on good terms with mummy you're just going to -."

It was like a fire was lit behind Draco's grey irises. He turned towards Hermione and backed her up against the wall, which he slammed with the palm of his hand just beside her head. Despite her determination, Hermione wasn't able to mask her heavy breathing or fear in her eyes.

"I never asked for your bloody help, Granger," he said in a dangerously low voice. "You were the one who kept stalking and harassing me to try and fish that information out of me at every bloody chance you got."

Hermione realised bringing Narcissa into this argument had been a very wrong move. In any case she was just surprised Draco hadn't yet decided to draw his wand and threaten her in some way.

"I didn't harass you," she said through gritted teeth.

"Well, that's what it looked like: Bookworm Granger just has to know everything about bloody everyone."

Hermione put her hand against his chest and shoved, but Draco didn't budge. "And believe it or not, I was bloody concerned for you! How many times do I have to tell you that to make it sink into your brain?"

The ferocity in Draco's face diminished slightly, but that signature scowl of his still remained.

"I know you were," he said, a little begrudgingly. "But I still meant what I said: there is no reason for us to be associating with one another after I finally told you everything. I assumed that thanking you for that earlier today would be me drawing a line under it."

"But what about-?"

Draco sighed. "Like I said, we only need associate because of the competition and if we ever need to discuss… you know, again."

"So what, you're just going to pretend that we were never-"

Draco put a hand over Hermione's mouth. "I swear to Merlin if you finish that sentence with the word 'friends', I'm going to hex you."

Hermione wrenched his hand away. "So what if I was? I know you telling me about last year didn't make us friends but I thought we were getting… somewhere. I mean, at least being civil and acknowledging each other has to be better than going back to how things were."

"I just thought a sense of familiarity is what we both wanted," Draco said. He found it terribly ironic that he had to persuade her to stay away from him. "It's what I want."

"But why?" Hermione asked. "Merlin, Draco, the whole bloody reason we are here," she threw her arms wide, gesturing to the interior of the castle. "Is to put the past behind us and promote new connections that would never have been acceptable under Voldemort's control. What harm is there in leading by example?"

The image of Hermione and Ron together at the lake flashed through Draco's mind. To answer her question, the harm was his sanity. He needed to stop being so dependent on her, and if that didn't happen and she ended up with Weasel again, he was screwed, because that meant him not being able to act on any feelings at all. Although, that could benefit him, in a way.

Why was it so hard for him to tell her that he needed her to stay away from him so he could find himself independently again?

Because you don't want her to stay away…

And there came that prick of an inner conscience again. Draco rolled his eyes upwards and sneered as if glaring at his own brain.

After that he just pushed himself off the wall and continued on down the corridor, leaving her question unanswered.

Hermione just glared after him. She decided to give him what he wanted (for once); she drew her back straight and held her head high in the air in that self-righteous manner she knew annoyed Draco so much.

She flounced past him. As Draco watched her bushy head bob against her shoulders, he couldn't quite work out if Hermione had backed down so easily to save her pride, or because she understood. Draco hoped it weren't the latter, because if she was doing this as a favour instead of a punishment, it wouldn't make him feel much better.

Unfortunately for Draco, he hung back too much, as Hermione had already disappeared past the gargoyle when he reached the entrance to the headmaster's office.

"I'm with her, you can let me in," he said.

The statue didn't move.

"Bastard," Draco muttered. He then started racking his brains, saying any kind of sweet he knew of to the gargoyle.

"Sugar quills, lemon drops, liquorice snaps, acid pops…"

Nothing worked. Draco scowled as he imagined the triumphant smirk that was bound to be adorning Hermione's face in that moment, as she evidently knew the password whilst he didn't. He felt like an idiot saying these things.

"Hairy haggis pastilles, popping lollipops, fairy fudge, rainbow drops, bloody edible unicorn glitter! Just let me in!"

The gargoyle jumped to the side, allowing Draco access. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he stepped onto the spiral staircase. Just now he'd been making up his own combinations of words that could sound remotely like a sweet. Either there was such a thing as 'edible unicorn glitter', or the headmaster didn't actually have a password since it was the summer holidays, and therefore had been listening in on everything, manipulating him into saying something ridiculous before allowing him access.

Conniving old coot, Draco thought during his ascent.

"That was hardly bloody fair," Draco snapped after letting himself into the circular office.

Dumbledore seemed unperturbed by his outburst. "Ah Mr Malfoy," he said calmly. "How nice of you to join us."

Hermione glanced up at him briefly from her seat, biting her lip. Though this was a common trait of hers, Draco was convinced she was doing it to hide her laughter.

"Would you care for some edible unicorn glitter before we begin?" Dumbledore enquired, gesturing to a bowl of something that sat at his side.

"Er… no?" Draco frowned, for a split-second regretting his earlier assumption. But then the headmaster and Hermione shared a look at that point that almost had them bursting into laughter. Draco scowled at the floor. If only his father weren't currently incarcerated in Azkaban, then they'd be sorry. He walked over and sat in the chair beside Hermione's.

"Let's just get this over with," he said, trying to regain some composure and dignity.

"Very well," Dumbledore reached to the side, and placed what Draco had first presumed to be a bowl on the desk. It was a cauldron.

"What's that, sir?" Hermione asked, evidently as confused as Draco was. "Don't you want to ask us questions about this selection system?"

A mischievous glint entered Dumbledore's eyes. "Oh no, Miss Granger, the other professors and I had already agreed to carry out a survey like that at the very end. I was afraid you'd never come if you were told the real reason for bringing you – bringing all of the other pairs – up here."

"And that reason is?" Draco prompted, all of a sudden feeling a sense of dread.

"Your next task," Dumbledore replied. "A secret task to determine just how well you know your partner."

"Didn't we already prove that in that quiz?" Draco asked. So much for staying out of Hermione's way...

"Yes, but this is the advanced level, if you will Mr Malfoy."

Both Draco and Hermione gulped.

"I feel that identifying this potion will explain a lot of things without me having to explain much," Dumbledore said. "In case you were wondering, this was what was brewing in the Potions classroom when you did your first proper task; the thing you were all told explicitly not to approach. I must stress that secrecy is a key element in this test."

Hermione and Draco leaned over the desk, their eyes falling on the thick muddy concoction in the cauldron. Hermione's stomach dropped to the floor, whilst Draco was a little slower on the update in identifying it.

Polyjuice Potion.

To be continued…


A/N: Sorryyy that was really mean of me. I promise there won't be a cliffy next chapter :)