Disclaimer: I wish I was the "genius" who thought of writing this wonderful HP series, but alas, that right fell in the hands of J.K. Rowling, the only thing that is mine in this case is the plot & some of the characters I have to make up as I go along

Author's Note: I'm so happy to read all your reviews! Keep 'em coming folks, and I'll do my darnest to update as much chapter in one day. And oh yeah, I made a couple of "oopsies" in the previous chapter. I said that a "Ravenclaw" student collided with Draco after Potions when in fact I meant to say "Gryffindor." And I meant to say they share four (4) classes together--I forgot to include History of Magic (damn, damn & double damn! I forgot the class that started off their argument to begin with!). I was just too darn tired when I was typing the previous chapter up hence I made those mistakes...

Summary: Hermione & Draco received a nasty blow to the head when an out of control bludger careened towards where they stood bickering during a Quidditch practice. They woke up in the hospital wing not knowing each other--but they know everyone else--and an instant attraction towards each other soon formed.

Setting: 6th year

Pairings: Draco & Hermione--who else?!

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VII. What's Wrong With Draco?

Over the next few days Hermione noticed Draco's withdrawal from her. They rarely spoke to each other anymore, and whenever they pass by each other down the hall or see each other in the three classes they have together Draco rarely inclined his head in response to her greeting.

What's going on with him? she mused to herself, her gaze transfixed on the leaping fire in the fireplace.

"Herm, are you alright?" Harry asked when he noticed his friend staring off into space inside the Gryffindor common room, her Standard Book of Spells lay open on her lap. She hasn't turned a single page since she sat down nearly thirty minutes ago.

Hermione blinked off her momentary trance and turned to her friend, "Sorry?"

Harry made a face at her, "What's wrong, Herm?"

"Nothing." she denied with a firm shake of her head, slipping her index finger between the pages of the book on her lap pretending to turn it to the next page.

"Liar."

"I'm serious. I'm perfectly fine."

"If you're fine then how come you look distracted lately?"

"I do?" she feigned innocence. Of course she hasn't been herself lately. She couldn't stop thinking about Draco's change of attitude towards her.

Now she knows she could always talk to Harry and Ron--her two bestest friends in the whole wide world--about anything and everything (except when it comes to talking about girl stuff--she talks to Ginny and the other Gryffindor girls about that), but she couldn't really bring up Draco in a conversation with her friends without having either one of them throw a fit, especially Ron who is very touchy about the subject of her sudden 'friendship' with Draco. Harry, on the other hand, seems to be a bit lenient when she mentions Draco's name. But that doesn't mean he would want to listen to her sort out her problems concerning Draco Malfoy!

"You're an awful liar, Hermione Granger."

"I am not!"

"Whatever. So, are you going to tell me what's wrong with you or do you want me to guess?" he set his Divinations book aside and propped his chin on his open palm, looking at his friend's face and studying her carefully.

"You're just wasting your time, Harry."

"Oh am I?" he raised an eyebrow, his upper lip quirked into a mocking grin. "Does whatever is bothering you have anything to do with Malfoy?"

Hermione's brown eyes widen at the mention of Draco's last name. Was she that transparent?

"H-w--no." she stammered and shook her head firmly.

"Aw come on Hermione! I may look like I hardly pay attention to your every action since after you regained consciousness and suddenly became bosom-buddies with Malfoy, but like Ron, I have been keeping an eye out for you, Herm." he confessed.

"You are? But why?"

"Because I sensed that something changed the day Ron and I visited you in the hospital wing and found you wide awake." he shrugged.

"Nothing's changed, Harry." she insisted, "I'm still the same Hermione you've known since our first year here."

"Really?" his eyebrow remained raised and studied her even more closely, "Somehow you're no longer the same girl Ron and I met that first year here in Hogwarts."

Hermione's face fell. What is Harry telling her? That he doesn't want to be friends with her anymore because she's suddenly friends with his and Ron's worse enemy in school?

"Harry--"

"I'm not saying that I don't like this new you. I honestly do. You're more carefree now and...well, you're a little less geeky than before."

Hermione glared at him. Geeky?! Puh-lease! She was never a geek! She may be a "genius" but that was because it was the only way she knows how. What she lacked in looks she gained in intellect so that way she wouldn't entirely be lost in the background!

"So my being less geeky, as you so nicely put it, appeals more to you than the old me?"

"Yeah." he nodded, "And also because I know you're in love."

Hermione's jaw nearly dropped on the book resting on her lap. Her in love? Puh-lease!

"I think you've drank too much butterbeer, my dear Mr. Potter." she ridiculed.

"Have I?" he shook his messy dark brown head, "I don't think so, Hermione. Remember I told you that I've been watching you since that day you woke up after you and Draco had a blow to the head?"

"Uh-hm."

"I know that you and Draco met later that night after you left the table. You two spent a good hour seated side-by-side down by the lake. Although I couldn't hear what you were talking, I know you two weren't breathing down each other's back like you two often do."

She and Draco often breathe down each other's backs?! Impossible! She don't recall arguing with Draco--ever.

"I also notice how you often look at him when you thought nobody was watching. I saw the way you smile whenever he looks your way and returns your smile. Your whole face just brightens up when he's in the same room as you. And please, the way you two often end up sitting side-by-side in all three of our classes? You wouldn't be caught sitting anywhere near Draco Malfoy before!"

Hermione's cheeks were burning by the time Harry concluded his theory of her so-called feelings for Draco. She hasn't put a name to what she felt for the engaging Slytherin, and having Harry tell her what she really feels for Draco seems ridiculous, but oh-so-true.

"It might only be just a one-sided thing, Harry." she admitted softly, lowering her gaze to her clasped hands resting on top of her open book.

"What are you talking about?"

"I may be the only one feeling this way." she shrugged.

"Are you blind, Hermione?" Harry nearly yelled at her, "I watch both of you and believe me, the feeling is very damn mutual!"

Hermione snapped her head up and met Harry's eyes, "How can you say that, Harry? If you've been watching us since that day when I regained consciousness in the hospital wing, haven't you been paying attention to how Draco treats me lately? He hardly says hi to me anymore. And when I try to sit anywhere near him he would find an excuse to get up and move to another table." she paused for breath before adding, "Draco doesn't like me like that. You're just imagining things."

"Who doesn't Malfoy like?" Ron questioned standing behind Hermione.

Hermione's back stiffen when she heard Ron's voice from behind her. She quickly sent Harry a pleading look not to breathe a word about their conversation to Ron. She just have a gut-feeling Ron wouldn't be as understanding as Harry once the former found out that was fancying Draco Malfoy.

Harry broke eye contact with Hermione and smiled up at Ron, "Hermione heard a funny thing about Malfoy and this one girl." he replied.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. Bless him for being so quick-witted.

"Oh?" Ron raised an eyebrow, "What about?"

"Oh, just this girl liking Malfoy and Malfoy actually liking the girl back!" Harry answered feigning shock at the supposed rumour.

"You're kidding!" Ron chuckled, "For a moment there I thought Hermione's mooning over Malfoy!"

Hermione, who has been sitting quietly listening to Harry and Ron talk, stiffled a gasp at how close Ron was to the truth. Her back remained straight and her eyes were focused on Harry. She was going to let him answer all of Ron's questions. She doesn't trust herself to be able to hide the truth from him.

"That's a good one, Ron. Like Hermione would actually stoop down that low for the likes of Draco Malfoy." he chuckled.

Ooh but he was good. Hermione gave Harry full rein to answer Ron's query and he has the audacity to hit her below the belt! Talk about hitting two birds with one stone.

Harry felt the icy glare Hermione was giving him after making that comment, but to keep Ron from wondering too much he ignored her and talked about Quidditch with him for a while.

"And that one is suffering from unrequited love." Harry inclined his head to Ron's departing back after they concluded their Quidditch conversation, leaving Hermione out of it the whole ten minutes that Ron stood behind her.

Hermione frowned and looked over her shoulder at Ron's departing back. She felt sorry for Ron for having to suffer from such fate. And whomever that girl was who doesn't return his feelings doesn't know what she's missing.

Ron's a great guy albeit temperamental at most time, but he's a wonderful person both inside and out!

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to be continued...

A/N: Oooh, ain't that ironic, don't you think? Sorry for the delayed update. Been crazy-busy with work the last couple of days and by the time I get home I'm pooped! But thanks for all the wonderful reviews I got. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll try and get Ch08 up ASAP!

couch-potato: hmm...I wonder what that "gasp" is for! *lol* enjoy reading

Krystal-chan: sorry to leave you with a cliffy on the previous chappie...I hope this chapter doesn't leave you hanging...thanks for the review

lilpinkbunny: finally my "anonymous reviewer" emerged! thanks for your reviews and well, hope you like this chapter I just uploaded

Rebecca: I think I'm gonna leave you hanging for at least another chapter regarding Draco's feelings/thoughts about Hermione being a Mudblood...hope you enjoy this chappie

Starrynights13: hmm...I don't really know you that well to agree or disagree with u when u said you're a weird person, but nevertheless thanks for thinking this fic is cute & enjoy reading the rest of this story!

Jubilations: you'll find out whether Draco got over the minor detail of Hermione being a Mudblood in the next chapter after this--hopefully I can get it posted on the same day, if not you'll just have to wait & see

DraconiaSummers: thanks for liking the love triangle, but since this is a Draco/Hermione pairing, of course their love will prevail--I just don't know how else to show the love triangle between the other characters, but I'm sure I'll be able to find a way