Madam Cammaleah has an announcement to make. I was looking at this story in reader format and I thought "Wow these chapters I am writing are really looking short" So I am going to write you guys longer more in depth chapters. My word minimum per chapter in 1000 words. So I am going to bump that up to 1500 words per chapter. So that also means less updates… I don't know, please comment on your preference. Shorter chapters and more updates or longer chapters and fewer updates.

The next few days after their meeting Hermione's life seemed to be glowing. Why? She didn't exactly know. The bushy haired witch was never an early riser but for some strange reason every morning for the last three days she had gotten up singing with the birds. She wondered when Draco would send her another note. For a very brief second Hermione wondered to herself. 'Is this what having a crush is like?' Then she shook the notion from her head countering with another thought. 'You and Draco are just friends, how would it ever be possible for you to like him'. 'Well it's possible because he's so handsome' the little voice in her head said. Hermione blushed embarrassed at her thoughts. The only way this personal banter could be explained was that she had two little hermione's inside her head. The crushing Hermione and the logical Hermione. Human emotions are interesting things. Hermione had been in her head all morning arguing with herself and she was almost one minute late to class. Hermione granger was never late to class. If Hermione was late to class she was either dead or dying.No she wouldn't even be late if she was dying. Especially this next class. Potions with the Slytherians. Hermione used to hate this class but it had recently become her favorite. The reason being is because Draco was in it.

"Hermione is it two clockwise stirs or two counterclockwise stirs?" Neville asks leaning over towards Hermione. Hermione sighs Neville was a trainwreck at potions.

"Neither Neville, put it in the jar and shake it like Professor Snape said" Hermione said gesturing to the empty clear jar on his desk.

"Oh… OK! Thanks 'mione" Neville says with a crooked goofy smile. Hermione laughs to herself remembering how Draco had made that nickname for her. Just then she looks up and catches his eyes looking at her. He smiles and doesn't turn away. He only looks back when Ron notices him looking at Hermione whom it seems he has become very protective about.

"Hmm 'Mione?" Ron says suspiciously not taking his eyes off the back of the white blonde haired boy's head.

"Yes Ronald," Hermioen says, not looking up from her potions book.

"THe ferret was looking at you" The red-headed boy says in disgust, he pauses for a moment before continuing, "He was smiling"

"I wouldn't call that a smile more of a smirk" Harry buts in.

"Well it wasn't an evil smirk… I think he is planning something. We should find out what he is lanning" Ron says, narrowing his eyes with hatred.

"Ronald Billius Weasly I shall have you notice that Pansy Parkingson is sitting right behind me so it's quite possible, and more likely than unlikely that Draco was looking at her instead of me" Hermione explains looking slowly up at Ron.

No one says anything for a minute but then Hermione realizes her mistake.

"Draco…. I mean Malfoy" She corrects an unwanted blush creeping up on her face. She had hoped Ron wouldn't pick up on it. Why would he notice this when he couldn't notice the fact that Susan Bones, his crush, had a boyfriend. Alas of course, he did notice.

"Mione why are you blushing and when did you stop calling him Malfoy?" Ron asks, Harry is lost in this whole conversation.

"What?" The unruly black haired boy asks he is obviously very very confused.

"I just figured we are too old to act like children and keep calling eachother names" Hermione explains very badly. Both of the boys take this as an acceptable answer and continue with their work. However it is clear as day that Ron is still suspicious of her.

Classes continued through the day, Hermione's feelings just kept nagging her. It was getting annoying. She really wanted to see him again. Maybe this time she had to send the note. But she didn't want to seem like she was flirting. Why would it seem like she was flirting when she wasn't. Of course she didn't. To Hermione's dismay it wasn't just Ron that noticed her strange behavior. This was worse though. Ginny knew what was up. Ginny had so many crushes as soon as she saw Hermione like this she would know she was all flustered up about a boy. Hermione smirked at how right she was when Ginny asked her.

"Who is it. Come on I know a girl doesn't get this distracted over anything other then a boy"

"No one" Hermione said very unconvincingly.

"Fine don't tell me who it is… I am just going to assume it's that guessing game guy we talked about a while back"

Hermione blushes only confirming what her Weasly friend had said.

"Go out with him… I don't need to know his name or anything. Hermione you have to be brave you don't have your whole life. Only two years make a move" Ginny said very sage like. Hermioen realized the wisdom behind her young friend's words. One thing the female redhead had said was that she only had so much time. Hermione only had a year she might as well make the most of it. So she looked at a little tear of parchment and scribbled a note.

D-

Black lake dock? 6 p.m?

-H

So with the bravery her friend had given her she sent the note with a school owl.

Draco Malfoy woke the next morning to find a brown barn owl sitting on his dresser with a note tied to his ankle. He slipped out of bed and put on his slippers tiredly shuffling over to the oak dresser where the owl sat. He carefully untied the little rolled up note. He read the curved handwriting carefully. It was as if he could see her smiling as she had written this note. He could smell her on the parchment. Draco knew he had feelings for her. He was being truthful with himself and wouldn't deny it. Draco Lucius Malfoy had a Hermione shaped hole in his heart and he loved the feeling he got when it was filled up. Right now it is full. It made him stand tall and smile. Not the little smirk smile and full strong beautiful smile. He wasn't going to deny himself this feeling. He had a crush on Hermione Granger. However having a secret crush and pursuing it were two very different things. Yes Draco liked Hermione. He loved her soft curly hair and her doe eyes and how her left cheek dimpled when she smiled. The corners of the blondes mouth teased upwards into a small crescent moon shape. Her smile. They way only one cheek would dimple, always the left never the right. It saddened Draco that he wouldn't be able to pursue his feelings for the stubborn Gryffindor woman. He wanted to. But it would be wrong. He was leaving at the end of the year and he would be in hiding for at least 5 years till his father was arrested and Voldemort defeated. It wasn't fair to pursue a relationship that wouldn't last. Draco never attempted to date anyone he didn't have a good chance with; it just wasn't fair to his heart or hers. So he just brushed it away and put those happy sunny feelings for her in the back of his mind. Today he had a date with one certain brown eyed witch that he was not going to miss.

Oof sorry this took so long. It's spring break for me and I have been continuously baking cinnamon rolls. Ok the next chapters are going to come maybe twice or three times a week now.