(Thank you SO much, everyone who reviewed! You can't imagine how overjoyed I was…anyway. Thanks SO much again, I'm always gonna try and post as quickly as I can. Chrissa, I hope it's quick enough for you-I hate being left hanging too. Hope this part is as enjoyable as it seems the others were! –Levende)



Hermione Granger raced up the stairs and into her dorm, her hands over her face. She buried herself under the covers, fully intending never to come out.

Oh, WHY did he have to go and SAY that? she thought miserably. Now I'll NEVER have peace again.

Why, indeed.

Malfoy! How dare you invade my head? Get OUT! I need privacy, and you're not doing anything to deplete that.

All right. I'm leaving now. Goodbye, Granger. Hermione was shocked at how quickly he agreed to stop listening to her thoughts and she rolled over and cuddled down, depressed and despondent, unsure of what to do next. She felt a hand on her back, curling over her shoulders and massaging her neck.

"Hey, Gin," she whispered. "Thanks. That feels really nice."

"I'm glad," replied a very…masculine voice. That didn't sound like Ginny. She flipped back over and came face to face with her companion. He held up his hands.

"Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I never meant to hurt you, out there, I mean." Hermione bit her lip and refrained from smacking the boy.

"What are you doing in here, Malfoy?" she hissed angrily.

"Apologizing. And, well, I was massaging your neck. But I'm going to leave now." He started to get up, but she grabbed his hand.

"Wait."

"What do you want?" he asked wearily, tiredly.

"Did you," she hesitated, "Did you mean what you said? Out there?" Draco nodded.

"Yeah. I did." She grinned.

"Sit down. Tell me about yourself." He did.

* * * * *

"Maria!" Maria Elles turned around.

"Oh, hey, Ginny. What's up?" she asked curiously.

"Did you see any Malfoys go past here?" Ginny asked breathlessly. Maria shook her head.

"No. But you might ask Harry. He's been out here for a while. I just came." Ginny nodded.

"Thank you so much, Maria. You're my new best friend!" Maria laughed and shooed her away.

"Harry!"

"Hey, Ginny."

"How'd you know it was me?" Harry grinned.

"When you're in love with someone for two years, you get to know their voices pretty well."

"Well, when you've been in love with someone for sixteen years you get to know their voices pretty well!" she countered. Harry looked confused.

"Who're you talking about?" Ginny groaned.

"Me, you idiot!"

"Who've you been in love with for sixteen years?"

"You, you dolt!" Harry's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now. Have you seen any Malfoys?"

"Yeah. He went running to Gryffindor Tower, dunno what he thinks he'll accomplish. He doesn't know the password." Harry shrugged and Ginny's eyes widened.

"Oh God," she whispered fearfully, "Yes he does! Thanks, Harry!" she yelled and took off running, just like the boy of whom she'd been speaking.

She thundered up the stairs and cast a spell on the seventh year girls' door.

"Visaria!" she hissed and the door became transparent from her side. As a bonus, she could hear through it.

Hermione laughed hysterically and choked out, "Don't tell me you actually did that!" Draco grinned ruefully.

"I'm quite ashamed to tell you that I did. Basically, when Father wasn't watching, I Summoned all his clothing out of his drawers and stuck them in the honey jar. Then the paste jar. And Banished them right back again. Then I charmed the house elves to refuse to do anything he said." Hermione's face turned serious.

"You have house elves?" Draco nodded.

"Yes, but we don't treat them badly, we really don't. They like working for humans. It's their purpose in life, Granger. To take that away from them would be like…taking books away from you or something. They couldn't live without it. I mean, you get a few odd ones, like Dobby, but most of them are like that." Hermione considered this for a moment and then, to Draco's surprise, nodded.

"I can accept that. But it's really not fair of people to treat them meanly. I mean-" Draco cut her off by putting a finger over her lips. Ginny could tell that he was about to kiss her and she threw open the door. Draco stopped, Hermione stopped, Ginny marched right over to them.

"What are you doing to her? Get out of here! Go!" she screamed irately. "How dare you take advantage of my best friend like that?" Draco stood stiffly.

"As you wish. Goodnight, Granger, Weasley." And with that, he left. Ginny sat beside her friend and put her arm around her shoulders. Hermione was quiet for a moment and then she burst out, "What did you have to go and do that for? He was being nice, Ginny!" Ginny nodded.

"I know. But I think it was an act. I really do." Hermione nodded, trying not to cry.

"Well, I guess it was all for the best. " Ginny nodded again.

"It was, honey, it was."

* * * * *

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape drawled.

"If you don't mind, Sir, I'd like to switch my seat. Granger and I don't get along very well." Snape considered him, and then nodded.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Weasley, please switch seats with Mr. Malfoy." Ron looked up, pleased, and tried his very best to look chagrined.

"But, Professor," he protested.

"But nothing, Weasley. One more sound and there'll be a week's detention for you!" Ron hung his head.

"Yes, Professor." He seated himself next to Hermione.

"I hope you know I don't want to sit by you," he stage whispered to Hermione. She grinned.

"Yeah. I know." Professor Snape grinned.

When they were dismissed, Draco Malfoy brushed past Hermione, nearly knocking her precarious stack of books from her arms. Harry ran after him. Knowing that he was being pursued, Draco sped up.

"Diffindo!" Harry shouted. Draco's bag split open and his quills, books, ink bottles, everything, spilled out all over the floor. He stopped and glowered at the mess, but bent down to pick it up. Harry caught him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded angrily.

"Cleaning up this mess," he drawled lazily. "Why? What does it look like I'm doing, Potter?"

"You know damn well what I mean, Malfoy. Last night, you said you loved her. Now you're avoiding her like the plague. What the hell is going on?" Malfoy shrugged.

"You know what, Potter? It's none of your business!" Harry's face darkened.

"And do you know what, Malfoy? It damn well is! Hermione is my best friend and I don't want to see her hurt! Ginny, God bless her, told her you were a fake and a phony and has been doing her best to comfort her these past two days! You hurt her so badly I…I don't know. I would love to wring the neck of whoever hurts that girl, but I can't. You really irk me, Malfoy, but you're not worth her anger. And if I killed you, it would only make her worse. So you clean up that mess on the floor, Malfoy-" Harry pointed, "but just remember, years from now, that you lost the best thing that ever happened to you because you forgot to clean up that mess. You just remember that, Malfoy!" he hissed angrily and turned on his heel and stalked away.

Draco watched him go.

"The best thing that ever happened to me," he repeated, "the best thing."







Chapter Nine

"Hermione, I know you miss him. But you really have to get over him, you do. He's a jerk and all he's out to do is hurt you and use you. Would I lead you wrong?"

"No," Hermione said miserably, "but you don't know him!" she wailed. Ginny sighed.

"Neither do you," Ginny pointed out.

Like heck she doesn't! Hermione jumped.

Dra-Malfoy?

That's my name, Granger, don't wear it out.

What are you doing? What are you trying to pull? I thought I wasn't good enough, Malfoy! I'm just a Mudblood, REMEMBER? Draco flinched as though she had slapped him.

Yeah, Granger, I remember.

Then why are you talking to me? What's the point? Why are you DOING this to me? Am I just a toy for you, Malfoy?

No, Granger, you're not. I generally have clean toys. Silence.

Granger?

Granger, I didn't mean it. Granger, come back here! But it was no use. She had gone. Draco flopped back in his chair. Why did she always do that? Why did she always have the last word, so to speak? Why could he never "hang up" on her? Because she always got to it first! Idiot girl. Mudblood. Bloody Muggle. He shut his eyes and groaned.

"Draco, darling?" Draco clamped his mouth shut. Pansy giggled and clonked over to him.

"Drakie, honey?" He didn't answer. Pansy grinned devilishly. She leaned over him and kissed his nose. His eyes flew open.

"I didn't think you were sleeping. You know tomorrow is a Hogsmeade weekend, don't you?" Draco shook his head.

"Are you going?" Draco shook his head.

"You have a date?" Draco shook his head.

"You wanna go with me, pookie?" Draco shook his head. Pansy pouted.

"Why ever not, dearest?" she whimpered.

"Because you're a…a…an I-don't-know!" he burst out. Pansy's lower lip trembled.

"That wasn't very nice," she wailed. She clonked off, yelling, "Mortimer, darling!" Draco rolled over and looked at the person in the chair next to him.

"Who is Mortimer?" he whispered. Lauria Janson giggled.

"He's this third year. Pansy's infatuated with him because he likes her chest-enhancing charms." Draco snorted.

"I'm sure he does." Lauria laughed.

"So why aren't you going to Hogsmeade?" Draco shrugged.

"No point." Lauria's eyes widened.

"No point?" she breathed in utter amazement.

"Draco, honey, you're going to Hogsmeade, and what's more, you're going with me!" she informed him. Draco shook his head.

"No." Lauria nodded.

"Uh-huh. You are. Now, it's not like a date or anything. I'm just a fifth year and two years younger than you, and I already have a boyfriend." She snickered. "He's a little overprotective. But I don't think he'll mind. We're going to make a certain, busty girl very jealous." Draco cracked up.

"I thought you'd react like that. Now you can go back to sleep." Draco smirked, but nodded.

"Right. Sleep." He flung himself back in the chair and shut his eyes.

* * * * *

"Lullaby, and goodnight," sang a sweet voice, "sleep well, my darling." Draco opened his eyes to see the brown-haired woman standing over him, tickling his chin.

"That's right, Hermione!" she cooed.

"Miney!" he heard himself repeat.

"That's right!" the lady laughed.

"Miney, Mommy!" he said. His eyes widened. So this was Hermione's mother. The scene changed.

"Mum, will you sign this permission form, please?" Mrs. Granger took the form from her.

"Hogsmeade? Miney, what's Hogsmeade?" Hermione groaned.

"Mom, PLEASE stop calling me Miney. I mean, I'm a little old for it. And it's the oldest entirely wizarding establishment around. We get to go there and stuff…you know." She blushed. Mrs. Granger laughed.

"All right then, Honey." In carefully written script, Draco saw, 'Yes, my child, Miney Granger, may go to Hogsmeade on certain weekends.' Hermione rolled her eyes when she saw what her mother had written, but hugged her anyway and laughed. The scene changed again.

Ron hugged her carefully.

"Be careful, Hermione. I just don't want to see you hurt. You know, I support you always. Just…don't get hurt." His eyes darkened.

"And if he DOES hurt you, I'll have his head!" Draco knew he meant it. Hermione laughed and threw her arms around his neck.

"Thanks, Ron. I know I'll always be okay, as long as you're always there," she told him.

"Well," he said gruffly, "I'll always be there. So don't worry." She hugged him tighter and he kissed her forehead.

"All right then, Miney. Go for it." Hermione shrieked.

"You've been talking to Mum, you dork!" Ron laughed.

"Yeah, I have. Just…do what you have to do and get out of here before I change my mind!"

"Thanks, Ron."

"Although, I DO wish you'd go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow…" he muttered.

"I can't, Ron. Really. You're my best friend and I love you, but I can't. I like-"

* * * * *

Draco woke up.

Who does she like? he wondered.

Can't tell you that, Malfoy! a voice replied cheerfully.

Damn you, Granger! Why do you always come in when I'm thinking something private, huh?

It's a talent, Malfoy.

Malfoy?

Malfoy! Draco danced in triumph.

"YES!" he yelled happily. Lauria came down the stairs, dressed in her nightgown.

"Draco, darling, it's eight in the morning. Calm down. What's up?"

"I hung up on her!" he crowed. Lauria looked confused.

"On whom?" Draco laughed in sheer exhilaration.

"I have this psychic connection with this Gryffindor and she always hangs up on me. I mean, we're talking and then she gets mad and she "hangs up" without saying anything and she ALWAYS DOES IT! But I finally got to it first! Yes!" Lauria laughed.

"All right, then. I'll take your word for it." She flicked her wand.

"Orange juice?" she offered. Draco stared at her.

"How'd you do that?" he asked incredulously. She shrugged.

"I dunno. Mum taught me a long time ago."

"That's it!" Draco announced decisively. "When I grow up, I'm getting married. I can't cook."

"You're getting married because you can't cook?"

"Yes. And to produce heirs," he added. "Something wrong with that?" Lauria burst out laughing.

"You don't…get married…because you can't cook!" she gasped.

"Then why, pray tell, do you get married?"

"Because you're in love with someone! And…yeah!" Draco frowned.

"Can't I get married because I can't cook?" he demanded. Lauria calmed herself.

"Yeah, I guess so…but I don't know that many people would marry you because you can't cook," she said doubtfully. Draco looked at her square in the eye.

"Then I will.





















Chapter Ten

Draco and Lauria wandered up and down the streets of Hogsmeade talking and laughing.

"So I told him that if he ever tried that again, I'd send him through the roof!" Lauria exclaimed, recounting her tale of her first encounter with magic. Draco stopped laughing long enough to process what she'd said.

"Lauria, if you didn't know what you'd done…does that mean-" she interrupted him.

"If you're going to ask if it means that I'm not a pureblood, then the answer is yes. My parents are both muggles." Draco nodded.

"I thought so." Lauria swatted at him.

"You didn't!" she cried.

"I did!" he protested. "Really! Because you're so good at magic!" She stopped.

"There's someone, isn't there?" she asked slowly. Draco shook his head vigorously, but his eyes flicked to the side, catching a view of Hermione spinning around.

"There is. Her, isn't it?" she asked. Draco shook his head and Lauria threw her arms about him.

"Oh, I'm so glad for you! Now. Are you going out? Does she mind me being here?" Draco shook his head.

"Not going out with her. She…I don't know if she minds."

"Why haven't you asked her, you dolt?" Lauria exclaimed. Then realization dawned in her eyes.

"She's the Gryffindor, isn't she? The one you hung up on this morning, isn't she?" Slowly, Draco nodded. Lauria pointed to a bench.

"Sit and spill," she ordered.

"You must promise to keep it a secret," Draco said, alarmed.

"Tell me and I'll be your living diary. Spill." Draco sat, Draco spilled. He told her the whole story, from the medallions to the day he shunned her in class, treated her like dirt. He told her everything and Lauria sat quietly and listened.

"Well. That certainly is a story," she said when he'd finished. Draco nodded.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" he asked quietly. Lauria bit her lip.

"Go talk to her, boy. Come on. You're just being a wimp. What do you want to bet the boy she was going to say in that dream of yours was Draco Malfoy? I mean, you heard the way Ron reacted. It could've only been you." Draco's eyes lit up.

"You really think so, Lauria?" Lauria nodded.

"Yeah. I really think so." She looked across the green at the girl. She had been laughing and chatting with her friends, but now a band had come and they were playing. Because muggle clothing was acceptable on Hogsmeade weekends, Hermione was wearing a light white tank-top and a long, rainbow colored skirt that flew out when she spun. She was dancing and laughing, whirling in a circle with her arms out to her sides.

"All right, then. I will. Thanks, Lauria. You're great." Lauria bobbed her head again.

"You're welcome. And…Draco?" Draco stopped and turned.

"Yeah?"

"You've got great taste." She grinned. "Hermione's beautiful."

"Thanks." It wasn't until he was halfway across the grass that he wondered how she knew Hermione's name. By the time he got to Hermione, the band was playing a slow song. He walked up behind her and tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, Granger." She turned around. He bowed low and her eyes widened in shock. He extended his hand.

"Care to dance, milady?" She shot a questioning look at Ron and he shot one back that said, "He's yours if you want him. If it's truly what you want, he's holding his heart out for you to take. Go on. Take it." Hermione did and a big grin split across Draco's face. He wanted to dance. And so he brought Hermione close to him and he danced.

When the song was almost over, he told hold of her left hand and held it tight. She felt something press against her fingers, but didn't wonder any further. It wasn't until that night when she got into bed that she noticed, because her shirt would not come off. It was stuck on something. Slowly, she worked it out and a flash of silver caught her eye. She looked at her hand.

There, on her third finger, was a ring. It had a wreath of olive and rowan leaves, with a heart entangled in them. But this time, it seemed to her that the heart did not want to get away. It seemed that the wreath clutched the heart to itself, embracing it instead of trapping it. Slowly, she turned her hand over and saw engraved into the ring.

H-I love you. D.

Hermione cried. And as she sank onto her bed, she saw a shadow move. Immediately, her head snapped up and she saw a tall, blond boy standing before her. Her eyes got wider and she wiped her tears away.

"He-Hello." The boy nodded.

Without saying anything, she threw her arms about his neck.

Awkwardly, he patted her back.

"It's okay, Hermione." She pulled back and looked into his face.

"Hermione," she repeated. He smiled.

"Yeah, Granger. Hermione."