A few days later Ron awoke from his coma. It should have been a happy moment, but the circumstances proved rather awkward.

Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Lavender were all huddled around Ron's bed doing homework when Ron stirred.

"Her…mione."

They all heard it. There was no way to pretend they hadn't. Without ceremony Lavender burst into tears and ran from the Infirmary.

Hermione bit her lip sheepishly. Harry put his hands in his pockets and bounced on the balls of his feet.

Ginny folded her arms across her chest. "Well, shit."

That evening, Hermione went to meet Draco in the Room. She was anxious to tell him the good news of Ron's recovery. When she entered, she was greeted with a very stern looking Draco glowering in front of the fire. He didn't look up when she entered.

"Hi!"

No reaction.

She removed her shoes and went to sit next to him on the couch. He shifted away from her slightly.

"Did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head, still not looking at her.

"What's wrong, Draco? What happened?"

He shook his head again, licked his lips and continued to refuse to look at her.

"Draco. You will not shut me out like this. You promised me you wouldn't, remember?"

He turned sharply to meet her glare for glare. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"Well yes actually. I was going to tell you that Ron finally woke up but then you decided to be world's biggest prat and ignore me."

"I already knew that."

She blinked. "What? You knew? How?"

"Heard some Ravenclaws talking about it. Word travels fast in the Hogwarts Rumor Mill. Especially when Lavender Brown gets involved." He spoke with casual ice in his voice.

"But this is good news. Ron's going to be alright."

"I agree. It's excellent news." He turned away from her.

"Draco, what is your problem? I thought you'd be pleased."

"Would you like to hear what else Brown's been spreading around?"

Oh. Shite. She had a feeling where this was going. "What?" she asked innocently.

"Apparently Weasley talks in his sleep. Very interesting things, he says too."

So he knew. But it wasn't like it was her fault. "Draco, grow up. So he said my name. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" He raised his voice.Finally a reaction. "Come on, Hermione. He'sobviously still into you. Why else would your name be the first thing he said when he came back from the precipice of death? It's cliché as fuck, even for him."

Why was he so angry at her? "So what? I'm not into him. Why do you care if he still fancies me?"

"Oh I don't know. I guess I just don't relish the idea of another bloke pining after my girlfriend when he's one of her best friends and he's already got a history with her!"

Hermione's breath hitched. "What did you call me?"

Draco realized his mistake. Fuck. This was a hell of a way to have the conversation they had been dancing around for a while now. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his face.

"I mean…I just…look, I know we haven't talked about it or anything, but…I…just." He rubbed the back of his neck, refusing to look at her. "Nobody does what we do without...I'm not crazy. Alright? You fancy me, I know it. Not just for the sex, I mean. You and I…we're…I think…I mean I think I've made it pretty clear on my end that this isn't just…that I…I fancy you. Quite a lot. Haven't I? I mean I really, really like you. You've got to know that. Right?"

He couldn't look at her. That was a lot to get out, and he couldn't have been less articulate had he been a thirteen-year-old Hufflepuff virgin talking to a pretty girl for the first time. He was such a fucking idiot. He had just been so upset at learning that the fucking Weasel-scum was still in love with Granger and so angry at the idea that maybe she'd go back to him…that fucking "G" word had just come out. Now he'd gone and scared her off and she'd go back to Weasley andhe'd be the one left pining for her. Again.

Hermione smiled widely. "You're right. I do fancy you. Quite a lot."

He looked at her in disbelief. Draco, don't be a prat. The girl you like just told you she fancies you back. Say something!

He attempted to collect his cool. "Well alright then. Now that that's settled, should we talk about what this means?" He smirked cockily, but inside he was so relieved he could barely breath. He had just given her the power to destroy him utterly, and she chose instead to save him. He'd never been so happy!

"You're asking me to be your girlfriend?" Her tone was slightly teasing, but she never ceased smiling at him.

He fixed her with his best imperious Malfoy, what I say goes face. "No, I'm saying you are my girlfriend."

"Don't I get a say in this?"

"No." He pulled her to him and kissed her so hard it knocked the breath out of her. Gods he was relieved. When they broke apart he ran his thumb across her cheek. "Say it."

"Say what?"

"Say I'm your boyfriend."

"I'm your boyfriend." She teased, obstinately.

"Say it and I'll stop."

"Stop what?"

He grabbed her, tickling her ribs. She erupted in a fit of giggles, gasping for air, "Okay! Okay! Okay! You're my boyfriend, you bloody prat!"

He ceased, smiling at her and kissing her sweetly. "Isn't it nice to get rewarded for good behavior."

She grimaced. "You are such a spoiled brat."

"So my girlfriend tells me."

She rolled her eyes again. "Don't think that me consenting to be your girlfriend gets you out of me being cross with you for ignoring me earlier. You had no right to be angry at me."

Draco replied in a businessman-like voice. "Hermione, I believe you are aware that I am a 'spoiled brat', yes?"

She snorted, "I might have had an inkling."

"So it will come as no surprise to you to learn that I do not share?"

"But why get upset atme? I'm not asking you to share me."

"Because I'm a spoiled brat who hadn't yet claimed you as my girlfriend and I let my petty jealousy get the better of me."

"Is that Malfoy for 'I'm sorry'?"

"It's whatever you want it to be." He pulled her to him and kissed her neck roughly. "If I'm not mistaken, we just had our first fight."

"We've been fighting with each other our entire childhoods, Malfoy."

"As an official couple, you bint. That means make-up sex." He bit her neck in that special spot that always got her going.

"Mmm. You make some good points."

An hour later they lay tangled up in each other, faces shining with perspiration from their exertions, both feeling lighter than air at having confessed their mutual feelings. Hermione lay on Draco's chest while he played with her hair with one hand and her fingers with the other.

Suddenly he shifted, bringing her up to meet his gaze. He looked serious. "You know we still can't tell anyone."

She sighed "I know."

They both looked regretful. It sucked that they had to keep their relationship a secret. But it was safer than the alternative.

"I wish I didn't have to keep you a secret" she admitted.

"Me too. I wish I could walk into the Great Hall with my arm around you and turn to Weasley and every other bloke who's got a hard on for you and let them know that you're with me. I wish I could take you on a real date, and kiss you in public, and all that stuff normal couples do. But I can't. Not with…things being the way they are. It's too dangerous."

"I know."

He fixed her with a serious look, needing her to understand. "Do you have any idea how happy you make me?" he whispered.

She beamed bashfully. "I'm starting to, I think."

They spent the rest of the evening kissing and touching and basking in the happiness that they knew where they stood with one another. Draco barely felt the tinge of regret that he was still lying to her. If she only knew…

If she knew that he had to glamour his Dark Mark every time they were together, that he was assisting Death Eaters to get into the school, that he had made two assassination attempts on Dumbledore and had yet to make more, that he was responsible for her friend nearly dying…

She'd hate him. Simple as that. She would want nothing to do with him ever again. And he couldn't think about that right now. Not when he felt so happy. But he knew that eventually, she would find out. And when that day came, he would throw himself at her feet and beg for forgiveness. He would plead with her to let him keep her safe. He'd suggest that they run away together. But today, today she had agreed to be his girlfriend. Today she was in his arms. Today he made her happy.

The rest could wait.