Draco turned his head towards the fireplace. The papers were mostly ash now, beyond recovery. "It was just an old research project.."

"Oh."

Her voice had softened. At least Draco hoped it had. Maybe he could start with guilt. "Why do you always assume I've done something wrong?" he accused.

"Do I really have to answer that? After all the times you called me mudblood, or tried to get us in trouble, or complained about Buckbeak, or…"

"I know. " Draco interrupted. "I've gone out of my way to annoy you."

She looked at him. This frank confession was a mixture of the brash Draco she thought she knew, and something unexpected.

"My invitation to the Yule Ball still holds. Will you go with me?"

"Is that what this is about?" She sounded slightly disappointed. "Even if I didn't loathe you for your actions, do you really think I would ever irritate my friends by going out with you?"

Draco smiled at a sudden flash of inspiration. Forget the bribery, the kindness, the personality change. All he needed was a little persuasion and a little manipulation. He could do this. He would dance with Hermione at the Yule Ball. "What if I took care of Potter and Weaseley?"

"Took care of?" Hermione's voice was shocked.

"Maybe that came out wrong." Draco amended. "What if they didn't care who your date was? Would you go with me then?"

"Do you honestly believe Harry, or better yet Ron, would ever accept my going out with you?"

"I don't think they should have a say in it, but if I persuaded them would you go with me?"

He seemed so earnest. He seemed so confident. Hermione stared. She knew she should say no, and play it safe. Why would she want to go to the Yule ball with Malfoy? There was absolutely no need for her to promise anything. On the other hand, she was curious. Malfoy's persistence was flattering. "I don't trust you." She said bluntly.

"Obviously." Malfoy didn't seem surprised at her statement. "Very well then. Don't promise me anything, yet. But when your friends encourage you to go with me.."

"Impossible." She interrupted.

"Don't worry, I won't make you beg." Draco winced as soon as he said the words. He watched ruefully as Hermione stalked off, probably furious for talking to him. Oh well. One ill-advised comment wouldn't provide too much of a setback.

Draco stood up, stretching cat-like. He was eager to test out his new plan. He didn't want to be like Potter. The Survey had been a stupid little daydream , a half-longed for hope that maybe Potter wasn't a great hero with the entire school mooning after him. He was Draco Malfoy and he would use every deceitful, cunning trick he knew to win Hermione. After all, it was in a good cause, his own.

*****

Hermione blinked as the arithmancy formulas blurred in front of her tired eyes. Normally, studying invigorated her, but today her mind wanted to focus on only one thing : Draco Malfoy.

Hermione considered herself a fair person. She enjoyed being appealed to rationally and discussing every side of the question. At heart, the loyal heart of a Gryffandor, she would never be so fair to an enemy that she would endanger her friends. Yet Malfoy seemed to be asking just that.

Alright, she didn't see how dancing with the boy could possibly endanger Harry, although it would certainly bewilder him and irritate Ron. It wasn't like she had a date for this year's ball.

She would never go with him. End of subject. Hermione bent her head once more over Aithmancy and banished the blond Slytherin from her thoughts.