Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story.

Draco's P.O.V

Over the next few days I avoided Pansy at all costs. When she sat next to me at breakfast I made an obvious show of getting up and moving. When she tried to catch me on the stairs I hopped onto a different staircase. I was fed up with her attitude and her claim over me.

But I also hadn't seen much of Hermione. We had another Hogsmeade trip that weekend but I didn't catch a glimpse of her the whole time we were there, despite visiting every single shop, much to Crabbe and Goyle's dismay and confusion.

By Sunday morning I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and managed to sleep through breakfast, so I thought I might head to the kitchens and ask the house elves to whip me up some pancakes. As I approached I saw Hermione, Potter and Weasley making their way through the doors first. I didn't fancy an encounter with the other two, particularly as I might have thwacked Potter for the details of that article.

Instead of going in after them I held back and listened in. Potter was giving something to my old house elf, Dobby. I can still remember my father's rage when Potter freed him with that damn sock in our second year. He hung around the rest of the elves now, acting like he was the boss because he was a 'free elf'.

I could distinctly hear one of the female elves, the really squeaky one, garble some nonsense about her master and I think she might have been drunk. I heard Hermione's soft voice placate her. She told her that her feelings mattered and she was here for her if she needed it. My heart melted. How could I have been trained to hate someone who was so good and kind? I didn't even like house elves. I found them inefficient, smelly and unpleasant, and yet when Hermione spoke to them like they were actual humans it made me view them as human too.

I walked briskly away before they left, so I wouldn't run into them. I hid myself behind a statue of a beheaded knight and waited. They stopped briefly and Ron and Harry parted ways with her as she headed towards the courtyard. I followed her until she reached the fountain and sat down on the edge. I must have surprised her because when she saw me she almost toppled backwards. The courtyard was fairly empty. The air was cold, but the sun was peeking through the clouds above us, creating a beautiful sparkle against the water in the fountain. She was wrapped up in a large wooly jumper and scarf and I noticed the badge on her chest. S.P.E.W. She rubbed her hands together for warmth.

I sat down next to her and we waited silently for a few minutes. Then we both started speaking at once.

"No, please let me speak first." I said. She gestured for me to continue.

"I'm not in a relationship with Pansy Parkinson." She looked down at her hands cradled in her lap but she didn't say anything. "I don't know what she said to you but it was a lie."

"She said that I repulse you."

I felt anger bubble up inside me and I felt agitated, like I needed to move my body.

"That's a lie. She's a horrible cow and a sore loser. She's just jealous of you."

"Why didn't you come find me after the second task?"

"I wanted to, but I didn't think it would have looked good. Anyway, Krum had saved you, I thought you'd want to celebrate with your champion."

She sighed. She finally turned her head and lifted her face so we were looking at each other.

"Viktor is kind, and he's understanding, and he's an impressive person, but I have no intention of taking things further with him."

"What about with Potter?" I asked, only half wanting to hear her response.

"Oh stop it would you, those are all lies made up by that horrible woman."

"So I don't need to be worried about Potter then?"

"You don't need to be worried about Potter." She was smiling at me now, and a moment passed between us where we seemed to understand each other. She had been jealous of Pansy, and I had been jealous of Krum and Potter. Now we needn't be jealous of anyone.

"Meet me tonight at the Astronomy tower at 8 o'clock." She looked sceptical at my request but she nodded before she stood up and walked back inside the castle.