AN: I know you've been looking forward to this. Lots of lovely reviews are welcome.

Read my R/Hr song fic, "Can't Let Go." and review it, cause you're so nice...

And without further ado...

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Hermione's curiousity overcame her restraint, and she found herself telling Ron, Harry, and Ginny she'd see them later. "I'm going to go grab something from... err... the common room. I'll meet you guys over by the lake, okay?" she said, getting up from the bench. "Oh... okay." Ron replied stupidly. She smiled flirtaciously and grabbed an apple, taking a large bite before waving and setting off.

She was hoping, of course, to catch Draco and talk to him. Most people were outside or in the Great Hall eating, so as it was yesterday, her own footsteps were echoing off the walls behind her. She trotted around a corner and looked around. 'Maybe he went back to his common room.' she thought, looking around. She frowned, tossing her apple aside and slowing to a timid walk. After a few more stairs, a couple more turns, and still no sign of him she sat down against the wall in the empty corridor near the kitchens. A small huff escaped her as she drew her knees to her chest. Hermione didn't like being alone much. She always felt weak and vulernable, like she couldn't do anything. And it didn't help that she'd left her wand back up in the common room.

Just as she was about to get up and leave, someone grabbed her arm softly. "Granger."

She resisted a smile as she looked to her left and found a now well-groomed Malfoy in a black t-shirt and khaki slacks. His hair wasn't slicked back - as it normally was - but tousled slightly, like he had brushed it back and forgotten gel. His eyes were a light, cheery blue at the moment, and sort of matched how the sky had looked that day. As usual, he looked good enough to eat, but Hermione wouldn't let him know that. "Malfoy."

"What're you doing here on your lonesome?"

"Ah... I was going to go to my common room. I left my wand up there." 'Could've been worse.'

"Oh, well... that makes sense." He replied. It was obvious he had no other response, but he decided anyway to take a seat next to her. "So... have a nice breakfast?" he asked dully. It was plain he didn't really care, but seemed to want to engage in some sort of conversation. "No, in fact. Well... the food was okay but..." she trailed off slowly, not knowing where to go from there. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Hermione sighed and made an effort to stand. "Well... um..."

"Hermione, just sit down for a bit. Won't kill you to talk to me casually, will it?" Draco replied quickly. He hadn't even really thought it through, his mouth was always quicker than his mind. She blinked in reply. "Of course it won't." she answered as she slid back down the wall next to him. Again, they sat in silence. 'So, now that you got her to stay, what are you going to say, you buffoon?' his mind taunted him.

"I don't think I've ever felt more awkward around someone than at this moment right here." Draco told her with a lazy smile.

'Smooth.' his mind drawled. He understood now why everyone hated it when he did that. It was aggravating.

Hermione couldn't respond. She had no way to respond. Sure, the feeling was mutual, but she didn't mind just sitting there next to him. His presence alone was enough to subdue her till she plucked up enough courage to say anything to him. Yes, she'd made the silent agreement to confess her feelings toward him, but... not yet! Too soon! They'd only just started talking! Maybe next week... yes, next month was a good plan. Right, next year sounded amazing...

"I saw you rush out of the Great Hall earlier, was something wrong?" she blurted.

He looked at her suspiciously. "No... I just needed to bathe, I felt grimy."

"Oh."

"Why were you watching me anyway?" he asked sarcastically, "Not obsessed, are you?"

"NO. Psh, no... god no." she said in mock disgust. Her lying was terrible, she had to admit. Only prized moments was it even half convincing. And this time, she thought miserably, it was not. He was looking curiously at her again, blinking stupidly. "I was being sarcastic, no need to get your knickers in a twist." he said, tearing his eyes away from her. 'So maybe you shouldn't tell her.' he thought as he looked to the stone floor. 'No, that's a very lame excuse. Sarcasm, Draco... you know all about that.' he retorted to the cowardice thought.

"So ah..." Hermione trailed off. This was weird, it was awkward. How was she ever going to admit to him her secret if she couldn't even carry on a normal conversation with him? Maybe she could do it like her dream, and worm her confession into an argument. Pathetic as the idea was, it'd work. But what could she get him riled up about, and truly... did she want him all riled up? Who knew what would happen if she were to bring this up when he was angry.

Maybe an argument was a bad idea.

"Look, 'Mione." Draco started (Hermione grinned inwardly, thinking shamelessly 'he remembered the nickname!'), "if you'd rather go... I mean, you know, since we have absolutely nothing to talk about..."

'Lame. Lame, lame, lame.' his mind accused.

"Of course. I still have to grab my wand anyway, and I promised Harry and Ron I'd meet them outside..." She trailed off quietly. He felt another wave of pure hatred wash over him. "Oh." he replied flatly, unable to contain his jealousy much longer. "I see, run off then. Guess we'll speak when... well, whenever." he stood, brushing himself off and raising his chin in an arrogant manner. He turned away from her slowly and started back down the corridor. "Wait, Draco. Are we... are we still doing the mini-lessons?" she asked quickly.

"Of course, Granger. I haven't been able to pass a test yet, have I?" With that last thought in the open, he set off without looking back.

She blinked in mild shock. "What was that about?" she murmured to herself. Had Draco really just rushed off as he did, in such an impertinant manner? Hermione frowned. He'd called her "Granger" again, and not in the friendly tone he'd greeted her earlier. More of a 'you-just-lost-your-first-name- privledge' tone, which made her frown even deeper. 'Did it occur to you at all,' a small voice in the back of her mind said suddenly, 'that he might've been a wee bit jealous that you've just decided to scamper off without even an attempt at conversation?'

"But I did try." she said out loud as she stood. "It just didn't go anywhere."

'If at first you don't succeed, try and try again...'

"And why exactly would he be jealous anyway? It's not like he likes me or anything, he's merely being friendly so I'll keep helping him." she told herself as she walked. Up another flight of stairs, around another corner, down another corridor. Her feet carried her towards the Gryffindor tower as she quietly debated herself.

'C'mon Hermione, are you saying you haven't noticed the flirty touches and the evil glares he's been shooting at Ron and Harry?'

"Oh come off it, he glares at them no matter what the situation is. Bad example."

If anyone had been around, she might've looked like a loon... arguing with an imaginary person about Draco Malfoy. Thankfully, she was alone as she passed through the portrait hole and made her way up to her dorm. Her wand lay on her nightstand, just where she had left it the night before. She scooped it up and looked at it for a moment, then set it back down. She didn't need it today, it was Saturday. Her day off. Besides which, Ron and Harry would have there wands. What would she need hers for?

She shrugged and turned toward her drawers, where she grabbed a pair of khaki capris from the last drawer and changed. It was bold of her to wear the mid-thigh skirt. She hadn't the slightest reason she'd grabbed it out anyway. Secret hope of getting Draco to oggle her maybe? Perhaps, she pondered as she slipped her wand into her back pocket. "Well..." she said as she checked herself in the mirror. "As long as I've done that..."

She plunged into the second drawer and pulled out a black fitted tee shirt, into which she changed quickly. Then, she grabbed a pair of her comfiest sneakers and pulled them on. "There." she said as she tied her hair back. "Much better."

Now in her comfiest clothes, she headed out of the tower to meet Harry and Ron in there favorite place. By the lake, in the shade of the Beech tree.

"Well, took you long enough! Oh, you changed..." Ron noted when Hermione finally joined them. "Yeah, sorry. I wanted to be a bit more comfy today. So what'd I miss?" she explained cheerfully. Harry and Ron exchanged looks. "Well, Dean came over and swept Ginny off about half an hour ago." Ron started, laying back in the grass with his hands behind his head. "Then the slimy git Malfoy-" Hermione's heart jumped at this, "-Came over and started being the stupid prat he is. Said something about you, wasn't really paying attention though. You know how he is." Ron rolled his eyes as he put on a slightly lower voice. " 'Oh look, the Weasel and Potty. Where's the Mudblood? Gone off to finally hang herself?' He's a real..." he trailed off, shaking his head slowly.

Hermione's heart sank. Mudblood? Hanging? What was this? Had he been putting an act on completely with her? Was she really still just a stupid mudblood to him? She felt a lump contracting dangerously in her throat, her nose started tickling uncomfortably, and her eyes started to tear up. It was certainly better she hadn't told him anything, that sleazy slimy stupid...

"Oh... those normal things. Well that's nothing."

She laid down next to Ron with a heavy sigh. 'That jerk.' she thought. Even the voice in her head sounded shaky with restrained tears. 'That stupid, moronic, incompitent... thing.' She sighed wearily and closed her eyes. She suddenly felt really tired.