Hermione smiled politely as she sat down next to Draco for her first class, double potions. This was going to be fun; hopefully he would keep his mouth shut. She quickly glanced around the room for the only friendly Slytherin face she new, to her disappointment he wasn't in here.

"He's a year ahead of you Granger." Malfoy sneered from beside her; he was looking particularly sour today.

Hermione decided to play innocent, "what are you talking about Malfoy?" she said in an extra sweet voice. Looking around again she gave a small shrug, "I wasn't looking for anyone."

"Pucey, has potions next but like I said he's a year ahead of you. So unfortunately for the two of you there won't be much interhouse-snogging going on there." He nearly spit the last words out and Hermione could barley keep herself from laughing in his face. The slimy git was jealous!

"Oh that's quite alright Malfoy; there are still plenty of guys in here to snog with till I can find him." She looked around and batted her eyes at Ron who blew her a kiss and then chuckled to himself. Malfoy nearly choked before shutting his mouth completely.

"Oh bloody great!" Hermione huffed as she added four teaspoons of crushed mandrake root instead of three. Malfoy looked down at the purple goop that was supposed to be a brilliant pink with yellow swirls.

"Jeez, Granger how many mistakes did you make?" rolling her eyes Hermione flipped him off.

"Granger twenty points from Gryffindor, and if you chose to use such inappropriate hand gestures again you will have detention with me." Snape snapped from behind her, Malfoy smirked and added some green weed looking stuff to the potion that instantly turned into the right color and texture.

"So do you find it fun to snog guys from every house? Or do you just have a thing for Slytherin? Gryffindor are just incase you get bored."

"Buzz off Malfoy, its not like you're not a bigger whore then me." She whispered back, she had been with only one person her whole life he had no doubt been with more then ten girls.

"Jealous Granger?" he asked smirking at her as he groped Pansy's ass.

"Hardly," she laughed as from a crossed the room; dean waved and spilt his potion down the front of Daphne Greengrass, whom he had been partnered with. "Looks like your latest escapade just got broom shine spilt down her front." She laughed harder as Daphne tried to rub it off only succeeding in making her robes sparkle.

Malfoy was by her in a flash, he didn't care for her as deeply as he did Hermione, but there was unmistakably something there. Maybe it was that she was such a nice person, maybe it was her shyness mixed with splendid looks. He really didn't know, but one thing was for sure he felt like he should be there for her, which he was.

Hermione watched as Malfoy took out his wand and cleared away the potion from the tabletop and floor before turning it on Daphne's robes and clearing them. Hermione's good mood went out the window just by watching him care for Daphne and not her. If things were better between her and him then she wouldn't care if he helped her out. Unfortunately, things sucked between them.

Twenty minutes before the end of potions, while Snape was lecturing about the importance of not spilling potions, there was a knock on the door. Adrian Pucey walked in; Hermione looked down at the tabletop and smiled to herself.

"Professor Snape." He said in his deep husky voice. "Professor McGonagall would like to speak with, um" he looked down at a small piece of parchment before saying "Herm-Hermine- Hermione Granger?" he raised his eyes to Snape before scanning the class his eyes resting a fraction of a second more on her. No one seemed to notice besides her and Malfoy who was nearly frantic.

"Professor if she goes then I won't have a partner?" he stated, looking sick.

"Granger, go with Pucey to McGonagall." Ignoring Malfoy completely he went on with his lecture. Hermione stood up and gathered her books glancing over at Ron and Harry she smiled slyly and walked out of the class. wonder what McGonagall wants? she thought as she followed Adrian up the stone steps.

"Hmm, didn't think it'd go that smoothly. Thought he might want to see the note." Adrian said, smiling back at her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione shrugged her bag higher on her shoulder.

"I mean I just busted you outta Snapes class. No need to thank me, this just means you owe me one." He laughed at the stunned look on Hermione's face. "Don't worry kid, you won't get caught and if you do just blame me."

Hermione followed him up two more flights of stairs then down a familiar corridor, soon they were sneaking behind a battered looking gargoyle and through a tunnel. Hermione had no idea what was going on, she had no idea where he was leading her, but like a good little girl she followed with out a peep.

"Do you even want to know where we're going?" he asked some five minutes later. He had stopped just before a door in the top of the tunnel. He was whispering so Hermione took the hint and nodded. "Hogsmeade." He smiled as her mouth fell open then closed again.

"Are you insane? We will be caught! I know we wil- god, don't open that!" she shrilly whispered, as Adrian lifted the door above then slowly poked his head out.

"Alls clear, are you coming scaredy cat?" He smiled back at her and then crawled out of the trap door and lowered his hand to help her up. Hermione hesitated about two seconds before taking his hand and letting him help her up. Once outside the shop, they went to Zonko's Joke Shop first. Hermione was sure he was going to buy the store out with all the stuff he got, but soon after, they left and headed towards Madam Puddifoot's.

Eyeing Adrian curiously, she followed him to the back booth of the shop. A small plump woman waddled to the table followed by an emerald green quill that floated inches above a scroll of parchment. "How are you Adrian? Hope yer not missin' an important class now." She smiled down at Adrian and Hermione winking at her before continuing, "What will ye have? The usual for ya, right? What about the lady?" Hermione looked over at Adrian who was nearly in fits of laughter.

"What ever he's having will be fine thanks." She smiled up at the lady before watching her waddle away. "What is your usual?" she asked as they both broke out in laughter.

Malfoys POV

Pucey stuck his fathead in and took Granger, Pansy kept kicking the back of his chair and Daphne was crying hysterically. Could things get much better? Malfoy doubted it. He patted Daphne's back and whispered words of calmness in her ear. He was getting pretty sick of Pansy and it just made his blood boil that much more to know Hermione was somewhere with that prick.

"Pansy if you kick my chair one more time I swear you'll be the next one to leave. Only you'll be going to the hospital wing." He turned in his chair to shoot her an angry stare. Today was going horribly. If only he could cream that fag Adrian, make him keep his hands off Hermione. Who to Malfoys disappointment was starting to like the attention he was showing. He had seen her waving to him at breakfast and he had watched as they walked down the hall chatting before class. He also noticed how close she stood to him and how Pucey's arm sometimes found her shoulders. He didn't miss how Pucey had been waiting for Snape to open the class before hugging Hermione and strutting off in the opposite direction, and he would have had to be blind not to notice him walk in and take her out of class, no doubt for a quick bang.

"Draco, are you all right?" Daphne raised her head from his shoulder her eyes were red and puffy she had streaks down her cheeks were the tears had run their course, she looked so damn vulnerable.

"I'm fine," He looked down at her and wiped away a lonely tear on her cheek, before raising his head and signaling for Snape.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape paused his lecture.

"I was wondering Professor, if you would mind me taking Daphne up to the common room. She isn't in the best of moods right now and I want to be there with her." He looked down at her shocked eyes and had the sudden urge to kiss her nose, but he resisted.

"Very well," Snape waved his hand and continued with the lecture. Malfoy picked up his books and Daphne's bag, before taking her hand and leading her out of the dungeons.

Hermione's POV

It had been going on a couple of weeks now, almost ever day Adrian would walk her to class and wait for her to go in before walking to his own. He would be there to pick her up and he was always willing to hang out with her friends.

Surprisingly he got along with Ron and Harry wonderfully, unsurprisingly he got along better with the twins. Hermione realized that she was starting to like him, though she couldn't forget Malfoy and she often found her gaze wondering in that direction. Sometimes Adrian would catch her and make a joke to get her attention before anyone else noticed the direction of her eyes.

Hermione wasn't shocked to know that Daphne Greengrass had acquired herself a new boyfriend, it didn't even surprise her that it was Malfoy, though it hurt a lot. The dreams were still there, but they never shared anything in them. Malfoy was always sitting on the couch and Hermione would read by the fire ignoring him whenever he would make a rude remark. One night Hermione decided she didn't want to read so she went in search of something else to do, there was no one else in the castle it was empty except her and Malfoy. From that night on, she had read with out bothering to look for something else.

Hermione was sick of the way he treated her. She was sick of being ignored for something he was doing to; it was his fault things had turned out like this. If he wouldn't have kissed that little slut then she wouldn't have met Adrian. Whenever she thought of Adrian she smiled, he had a way of making her happy. Every Friday during one of her classes, he would come and get her out and they would go to Madam Puddifoot's. She wanted to talk to Malfoy; she wanted to share everything with him, including herself. He didn't seem to care what she did, or said. He seemed to want nothing to do with her. That hurt worse then the Daphne thing. She often found herself wondering if he was hurting to, then she came back to reality and hated herself for thinking it because she knew he wasn't. She knew he was happy with Daphne, and she was happy for him but miserable for herself.

She never told any one that she missed Malfoy, not even Adrian who she had come to be best friends with, if not more. She told him everything, except how she felt for Malfoy. She even told him how she was starting to feel for him, but she would never tell any one about Malfoy, and she made him promise not to say a word to any one. She had him convinced she was over him; she even had Malfoy convinced she was through with him.

Now she just had to convince herself.