So... if any of you have read my stories before, not just the Harry Potter ones, you know that I like to add songs to my stories, like theme songs. For this story, I have four theme songs. I just thought that they all apply pretty well to what's going on with the characters. This is a "A Thousand Years" soundtrack if you will.

Draco & Hermione (Draco towards Hermione) - Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Draco & Hermione (Draco towards Hermione) - Electric Love by Borns

Draco & Annabelle (Annabelle towards Draco) - A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

Draco & Annabelle (Draco towards Annabelle) - Rewrite the Stars by Zack Efron and Zendaya

Chapter 7

It was a bit difficult to keep his attentions away from Hermione. It was as if she was a magnet for his eyes. She probably noticed him staring at her all the time. Hopefully she thought that he was just keeping an eye out for her, protecting her, not checking her out. Well, truthfully, he was doing both, as well as trying to keep his name above hers on the honors list. She is really intelligent, which makes her all the most attractive, but he may be smarter than her. He may have been since year one, but never cared to take his intelligence to the limit, or even use it for that matter. Now, he wants to. He wants to impress her.

And he has, by getting better marks, perfect ones, on one of Snape's most difficult essays. Oh, how he loved how irritated she was when her score was docked. She acted impulsively, but it was oddly... cute.

"What are you smiling about, Draco?"

Draco turned his attention to his left, and found Annabelle floating there next to the stone bench he was sitting on in the courtyard, about a half-hour before breakfast the next day. He stared at Annabelle for a moment... yes, this makes things more difficult. Mainly she does. He has this intense attraction to Hermione now, and he also has an intense attraction to this ghost girl. He hates it, but it's how it is. He would rather have feelings for one girl, but instead, he has feelings for two: one's a ghost and the other is living. Honestly, Annabelle is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, so that's why he has feelings for her. Hermione isn't as attractive. She pretty at best, with that bushy hair of hers. But she's intelligent, cute, hot-headed, determined...

"Nothing," he said as answer to her question, and a cool wind blew his very blond bangs.

"You are out early."

"So? I like the quiet." He eyed her as she hovered there. "And what about you? You're outside this time. I thought you just stay inside the castle."

She shrugged. "I can go wherever I want. I just stay inside the castle because you are there. To be honest, when I died, I thought about wondering off elsewhere, but I knew I had to wait until you finally arrived at Hogwarts, so my vision could be fulfilled. So I stayed, and year after year I would try to find you. And now finally, here you are. After one thousand years."

Draco looked to the front of him and saw a couple of Ravenclaw students enter the courtyard. They saw Draco and Annabelle, but it looked as if they thought nothing of it. "I am aware of that." He looked back at her and saw her gazing at him, much like a love-struck girl would. "Now I have a question for you. Why go along with trying to pair me with someone else when you fancy me?"

That expression vanished and she went and "sat" next to him on the bench. "Well... for one, I want to see my vision through, and two..." She met his blue eyes, and said with a sad smile, "I'm a ghost. There's no way a relationship would work with me and a human boy. Plus, you're enamored with Hermione."

Draco's heart raced, and he had the intense desire to show her just how he felt. "Annabelle, I may be attracted to Hermione, but... the moment I saw you, I think I forgot how to breath for a moment. If you were a human girl..."

Her eyes lighted. "What? If I was a human girl what?"

"I would snog you until you actually became a ghost."

Her eyes widened, and even Draco was shocked that he said that. He's not sentimental or romantic at all, and he just doesn't reveal his feelings at the drop of a hat. Well... maybe before Annabelle, he didn't. He's even told Hermione why he doesn't want to bully anymore. He's never been that open before.

"Are you serious, Draco?"

He pressed his lips together and held her gaze. He nodded. "Yes."

Her expression turned to that of shock to anger. "Golly, why couldn't this have happened when I was still alive and you were alive back then?"

"Doesn't it have to do with timing and me being in the same year as Hermione?"

She nodded. "Yes, I said that, but... knowing how you feel, and knowing that I'm mad about you, too... it's just frustrating, especially since I'm a ghost and you're human. But, it's all meant to be. I am meant to bring you and Hermione together in this exact time, and look what it has done so far. You're a different person—a good one. You hate bullying now, and you seem happier. All this may not take away from the horrible thing you were asked to do by the Dark Lord, but it sure can make the burden lighter when you focus on someone other than yourself, and help them when they need it."

Draco stared at her pretty eyes, thinking about that. Yes, she's right. He has already realized that he has changed into a different person since protecting Hermione, but now, he realized that, surprisingly, the burden of killing Dumbledore is a little less pressing... and less painful. How odd it is, that focusing on others makes you a little happier.

"I suppose you're right," he said.

"Of course I am."

He smirked at her confidence. He let out a breath as more cool morning air blew, and he saw a few more students trickle into the courtyard, Hufflepuff students this time. "Well... I suppose we move on, then. What sticky situations is Hermione going to get herself into today?"

Annabelle laughed. "I'm sure you'll find out, like you always do. How does it feel to fancy someone you hated before?"

Draco had no problem answering that right away. "Strange. Very strange. About as strange as fancying a ghost girl."

"So you are torn between the two of us?"

Draco gave a truthful answer: "Yes. I admit that I am. And I don't like it. I don't like being caught up in all this sentimental stuff."

She laughed, and he loved the sound of it. "You're sixteen, Draco, of course you will be. Teens are always caught up in sentimental and romantic affairs. I was, and... well, it got me killed. But that's not the case for you, of course. Now, go on to breakfast. You have a day of saving Hermione Granger from something or two."

Draco chuckled, and inwardly hoped that Hermione will for once heed his advice and walk with her friends everywhere she goes. "Maybe. How about you just tell me what happens next?"

She shook her head, which made her long hair, maybe blonde, swish. "No, we agreed that I wouldn't say anything."

"I never agreed to that."

"Well, I said that we'll let things play out, and that's what we'll do."

Draco huffed. "Fine." He stood up. "I'll see you around, Annabelle."

"You will. Have a good day, Draco."

He left her and walked on to the Great Hall. As he walked through the corridors, with his hands slammed into his slacks pockets, he felt irritation grip his sternum. Of course, when he meets a beautiful girl and they are both interested in each other, she has to be a bloody ghost. And, of course, the other option is a human girl who he doesn't want to fancy but does, and who probably still loathes him. And all this, along with the his task of killing the headmaster...

His luck is really rotten.

The day moved on, and potions class came around. Draco came up to the classroom door the same time as Hermione, and they both stopped at it. His pulse heightened, and he hoped that she didn't notice his reaction to her. He stayed standing there, and she went on in and him after. He inwardly kicked himself. He's pathetic.

The professor was lecturing, and Draco, as usual, kept his gaze on Hermione—he was sitting two rows behind her. Professor Slughorn was explaining and showing how to concoct a successful brew of healing potion. He was halfway through when Draco happened to notice Hermione scratch the back of her neck under her bushy light-brown hair. Then she messed with her that hair a bit, making it slightly more poofy. Then she fidgeted in her seat, probably from uncrossing her legs. Then she leaned to her left to hear what Potter had to whisper to her. Then she went back and leaned forward, listening intently to what Slughorn was saying.

"Now," Slughorn said loudly, and Draco snapped out of paying attention to Hermione instead of the professor, and his heart jolted at the surprise, "I need a volunteer. Preferably someone who has a minor cut or bruise."

Has it already been that long? Was Draco paying so much attention to Hermione that he didn't even realize the brew was finished? He really is pathetic. He has never been this enamored with a girl before. He's had crushes, yes, but not something like this. It was a tad... scary. And annoying.

"I can volunteer, Sir."

Draco's heart jumped when Hermione stood up and walked up to the front of the classroom.

"Yes, yes, come forward, Miss Granger."

She stood near the front table that Slughorn was standing next to and that had the healing potion cauldron on it. He said to the class, "Now, in order to find out if this potion really can heal in a few seconds, it will need to be a deep blue color, which it is. It is in a paste form, and needs to be gently rubbed on the wound to heal it. Now Miss Granger, please uncover your wound."

Hermione visibly seemed uncomfortable. She looked to the class, and she caught Draco's eye for some reason. She looked back at the professor, gulped and rolled up her sleeve. Some people gasped. Draco frowned. Now he knew why she glanced at him.

"Hey, Hermione," some Gryffindor boy shouted, "how in the blazes did you get that?"

Red welts covered Hermione's wrist, making it look like she had a thick, puffy red bracelet. She said, "That garble plant in the courtyard grabbed me at lunch time, and I had a hard time getting loose. We all know how it can be. This isn't the first time this has happened."

"We never saw that garble plant during lunch," Ron argued.

"Well, I don't tell you, everything, Ronald. I don't spend every waking moment with you, you know."

Draco's fists clenched and that frown remained. It was no garble plant that did that to her wrist. He looked off at Crabbe and Goyle sitting at the table across from him. Crabbe was looking at him, and he quickly looked away when Draco caught his gaze.

It was them. He was sure of it.

"Alrighty," Slughorn said, and dipped a spoon into the blue goo and held it out. Draco looked back at what the professor was doing. "Now, observe, class."

He smoothed the goop around Hermione's wound, and in seconds, the goop and wound were gone. People awed, but Draco sat still, glaring at Hermione. Those fools did something to her. Again. Why can't they leave her be? Better yet, why can't that girl just walk with a bloomin' friend?!

"Alight, Miss Granger, you can sit down, thank you," Slughorn said, and got back to the rest of the lesson. Draco didn't pay much attention to it since his attentions were focused on Hermione. Her two boy-friends were leaning in and asking questions, and she had to whisper to stop asking and to listen to the lesson. Once class was over, Draco followed close behind Hermione and her friends as they walked down the corridor. Of course, he tried to stay hidden behind people as he followed as to not appear obvious.

"That wasn't a plant, Hermione," Weasley said, and Draco got closer to he could hear. He was only a few meters behind them. "What happened?"

"It was that plant, Ron, as I said. I was out walking in the courtyard after leaving the Great Hall, and it grabbed me. It's done it before."

"No offense, Hermione, but you're a horrible liar," Potter said.

She remained silent, and Draco's heart pounded in irritation that she was indeed lying about the plant. He knew that, though, he just hated realizing that he was right. The three friends stopped, and Draco hid behind a pillar in the open-air corridor that was filled with passing students.

"What happened Hermione?" Harry asked, looking her in the eye, but in a friendly, concerned way.

She remained silent for a moment, then let out a sigh. "Alright, fine. I guess I just didn't want you two, or anyone, to worry."

Was it vain to hope that she was talking about him when she said that?

"You didn't want us to worry?" Weasley questioned, confusion in his voice. "Then why'd you volunteer in Slughorn's class and have everyone see that welt on your wrist?"

She pursed her lips into a frown, then said, probably not liking that she will have to reveal how she really got those welts. "I wanted the welts to disappear."

"It was those devils Crabbe and Goyle, wasn't it?" Ron snapped, and Hermione looked away from him, and Potter gave him a sharp look. "Well, it makes sense, doesn't it? Those two won't bloody leave you alone!"

Hermione remained silent, indicating that her friend was right. And that Draco was, too. He knew it. His chest tightened, and he wanted to find those two thugs and teach them a lesson.

"So it was them!" Weasley inferred.

"Hermione, I thought you were rid of those two," Potter said.

"Oh, stop it, will you?" she quipped. "It's not that big of a deal. They came up to me shortly after I left the Great Hall. That clod Crabbe grabbed my wrist, trying to pull me, put I repelled him away, then did the same with Goyle. Then I ran for it. That's it."

Weasley and Potter stared at Hermione, as did Draco. Fire was in all three of their eyes. Weasley looked as if he were about to go and murder those two numbskulls, and Draco was not far behind him. Funny, that he and that Weasley were thinking the same thing.

"I'll kill them!" Weasley shouted. "They'll stop messing with you when I'm done with them."

He was about to go, when Potter stopped him by grabbing his arm. "That's not going to help anything, Ron!"

Weasley stared frantically at Potter. "Those two bloody idiots are bullying Hermione! How can I not do something about it? This is the third time in the past couple weeks!"

"Unless you want them to bully her more, then go right ahead!" Potter said sternly, keeping hold of his fuming friend. "For Hermione's safety, Ron. Leave this be for now."

"Aren't you mad about this as well?!"

"Yes, but doing something to them is only going to make things worse."

Weasley huffed and huffed and got out of Harry's hold. Draco's chest pinched, not only because he was furious with Crabbe and Goyle, but because he was reminded that Weasley has a major crush on Hermione. Of course he would be acting like this. And Draco feels the same as him, which is more evidence that he fancies the muggle-born girl.

"Fine," Weasley huffed. "But when I see them again… oh, they'll have it coming."

The three friends moved on and Draco continued to follow them. When they were close to the moving staircases that lead to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione looked behind her, and Draco had to quickly hide around a corner. She looked back, and once she and her friends reached the staircases, they stopped.

"You two go on up," she said to them. They stared at her, and she knew what they were saying silently with their eyes. "I'll be fine. I just saw someone I want to talk to."

Potter and Weasley looked at one another, then back at her. "Fine," Weasley said. "But make sure you stick with them, alright?"

She nodded, and they went up. She turned and walked right to where Draco was hiding, and he about ran for it, but he was too late. He heard his name and he turned to find Hermione standing there with her arms folded and a questioning look in her eyes.

"Is there any good reason why you were following us?" she demanded of him.

Draco stood tall, and in a dignified manner. He didn't have a decent cover story for why he was following them, and he knew it would be pointless to lie. "I was curious."

"Curious about what?"

His brows furrowed. "What do you think, Granger? I was curious as to who, not what, gave you that welt bracelet—I found I was right."

She stared at him, and her eyes filled with realization, but he noticed confusion in there as well. "So… you followed us the whole time? Have you been following us around before and heard what we were saying?"

He put his hands behind his back and still stood tall. "I may have."

Her mouth dropped, appalled. "It was that voice enhancing spell, wasn't it? How could you...?"

"How could I do what, Granger?" he snapped, cutting her off. "It's not like it was any surprise after what's happened. Do you think people would believe that a plant did that to you?"

She groaned in frustration. "Why is everyone making a big deal out of this? If you followed us, you know what happened. I was able to get away from them."

"So you admit that it was Crabbe and Goyle who hurt you?"

She stayed silent for a moment, and he waited for her to respond. She stared at him, and he felt heat creep up his neck from that stare. Those hazel eyes of hers were intimidating, he had to admit, but they were also pretty. She shook her head, as if disagreeing with whatever she was thinking. "What is it with you?" she asked. "Why the sudden need to protect me from your friends? I mean, you said before that you witnessed something terrible, but... I feel like there's more to it."

He didn't want to answer that. He didn't want to answer because that would reveal his massive and unwanted crush on her, as well as Annabelle and her vision. He just stared her pink cheeks, and he wondered why they were pink.

"I should be asking you a similar question, Granger," he said after a minute, and turning the conversation around. "What's the deal with you? You're not being careful after you got seriously hurt by those two thugs. You're just going to go around alone when they could be lurking around the next corner? Why are you being so careless? And, why are you not letting people worry about you, people who care about you, like Potter and Weasley?"

Those cheeks of hers were turning a darker shade of pink, and he noticed her chest moving up and down in larger breaths through her nose. "And people like you? Why do you care so much of what happens to me?"

"Can't I care?!"

Her eyes went wide at Draco's outburst that echoed through the corridor, and he was even shocked that it slipped out. But it was how he felt, and now she knows. At least, she knows a sliver of it now, and he could see in her eyes, in the confusion there, that she has clued in to how he feels about her. His heart pounded heavily inside of him as he held her gaze. She suddenly looked away from him.

"I... appreciate you looking out for me, but... I don't need it."

His brows furrowed. Seriously? "You're really a proud one, aren't you?"

"I admit that I am, but it's better for my friends to not worry about me all the time. Mainly because... Ron and Harry could get hurt if they go against those Neanderthals. They know their spells, and could defend themselves, but still..."

So that's what's going on. She's looking out for her friends. "You know, for a brilliant witch, you can be bloody stupid sometimes."

She shot him a sharp look. "What?!"

"Your friends are going to worry about you no matter what, especially now that you're being beaten up by those no-good block-heads I once thought were my friends!"

She stared at him, and her mouth opened slightly. He just let out what he thought about those two, and honestly, he didn't mean to let it out. Or did he? Again, it's how he felt. How easily it is for him now to reveal what he's feeling, and to her of all people.

"I'm... sorry you feel that way," Hermione said quietly, and her look became sympathetic. "Especially because you think that after what has happened with me. But really, I can tack care of myself. You, nor anyone, needs to look out for me."

Her pride was really getting the better of her, and it grated on her nerves. "Well fine," he spat. "Maybe I'll just let them kill you next time."

Silence ensued as they both stood there in the corridor, glaring at each other, and passing people eyed them. They were in Gryffindor, so seeing Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger together was indeed really strange. He should just leave and not make a worse fool out of himself than he already has.

"Thank you, Draco."

Draco's brows pushed together and he looked back at her, a little taken aback. "What?"

"I said thank you, for saving me those few times." She looked away from his blue eyes. "I'm sure you heard me that day when I said I wanted to thank whoever stopped me from running into that pillar, so... thank you."

Draco didn't know what to think or say. Never had anyone been as sincere when thanking him for something. In fact, he couldn't remember when someone last thanked him for something. And now, Hermione Granger was doing it. He never thought this would happen. But... shouldn't he be thanked for rescuing her?

"You're... welcome."

Oh, how odd it was for him to say that. Would now be a good time to ask her what she thinks about him? After having a conversation like this, a deep conversation that he never thought he would have with her?

"Well…" she said, exasperated, "I should get back. Ron and Harry are probably worried. I know they are, in fact."

All Draco could do was nod. Maybe asking her will have to wait until later. Hermione left, and he walked out to where the moving staircases are, and kept his eyes on her and her petite form until she disappeared into her common room.

What is he going to do now? She knows. She knows that he cares about her. She's brilliant, and she's a girl, and girls can suspect when guys fancy them... right?

He turned and walked on to his common room. She's probably in shock. Who wouldn't be? Draco Malfoy is looking out for Hermione Granger.

Draco didn't associate with Crabbe or Goyle anymore. It took all that Draco had in him to not punish them in some way for what they did to Hermione. He just tried to remember Hermione saying that it wasn't a big deal since she was able to get away and the injury was minor. But the fact that those two are torturing Hermione is. The two large boys eyed Draco from a little down the Slytherin table as they ate their dinner the following evening. Pansy sat in front of him as he stared at his roast chicken, gravy and mashed potatoes. He stared at his food as he swished around the mashed potatoes with his fork.

"What's going on, Draco?"

Draco didn't look up at her. He didn't want to end up glancing at Hermione, who was right across from him. He didn't want to meet her gaze and have her notice his face turn pink. He knew that it would. He should have sat on the other side of the table. His frown lowered. That wouldn't have helped, either—she was still in the room. That alone makes his heart race.

"Draco!"

"What?!" he snapped, glaring at Pansy, her dark brown hair framing her face.

"Something's gotten into you," she said, seemly not phased that he shouted at her. "You're more broody than usual, you're distracted, and you haven't talked to Crabbe or Goyle for some time now."

"I don't want to talk to them," he grumbled.

"Why?"

"None of your business."

He looked down at his food again, but pushed it away from him, not hungry for it. Crushing on a girl who was once and enemy, crushing on a ghost girl, and dealing with his task from the Dark Lord, is really doing a number on him. Maybe Annabelle was wrong in saying he seems happier because of this girl situation of his... it's just stressing him out, and seems more difficult to deal with than murdering another person. But at least his girl problems are keeping his mind of that horrid task.

He heard Pansy huff through her nose, and she got back to eating her dinner. Draco's will was weak. He looked up and saw Hermione talking with her friends, smiling. As expected, his cheeks started to feel hot, and he looked away. But he looked back. His heart jolted when their gazes met, and he could see the confusion in her eyes.

Yes, she is confused that her past enemy cares about her.

But just cares? Who's he kidding? He's mad about her. Insanely mad. He can't keep his mind or eyes off of her, and he wants to beat up Crabbe and Goyle for hurting her. If they do something to her again, there's no telling what he would do. He's not going to just sit still.