Christa-bunny - thank you for the sweet review, you are a super friend!

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Hermione, Lavender and Parvati ran down into the potions classroom, and got there before most people. Lavender, who had just had a closer look at her timetable, let out a groan,

"DOUBLE potions?! No!" the others Since there were an odd number of people in their 'group', someone would have to go by themselves. Since Hermione was smart enough to work out all of the potions by herself, she offered to go alone, as long as she could work at the same table as Lavender and Parvati. This was a perfect plan, especially because they were one row behind their topics of conversation - Draco - who was also working by himself, then next to Draco there were Harry and Ron.

"So, he said something about looking after you . But he didn't mention who he was protecting you from?" Asked Lavender, "it couldn't be Ron could it?" All three girls looked doubtfully at Ron, who's potion, which was supposed to be green, was purple. They looked back at each other, as if to say, "I don't think he has the brains"

"No, if Ron was threatening to do anything bad to me, it wouldn't be bad enough for me to need to be protected," Hermione said, slowly, "I think it would have to be from an adult of some kind . But who? And why me? It is usually Harry that this kind of stuff happens to," she continued.

"Well Malfoy doesn't seem to mind protecting you," giggled Parvati.

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, trying to sound indignant, Parvati giggled even more, and pointed to a mirror on Draco's desk, which was neatly placed, so it caught Hermione's reflection. Hermione smiled sexily, and flicked her hair back, hoping Malfoy was looking in the mirror. She didn't notice Parvati and Lavender having a whispered conversation. Parvati suddenly turned around and (purposely) knocked over a bottle of snake blood,

"Oh no! 'Mione, would you mind going and asking Mr Malfoy for some more snake blood?" she asked sweetly, "you know what to do from here, go for it girl, there's no Ron stopping you from getting what you want now." Hermione looked doubtfully at Ron, but smiled when she saw that he was exchanging gooey looks with Pansy. She (Hermione) adjusted her uniform, unbuttoning a few buttons to show a little more cleavage, and walked over to where Draco was working,

"Mr Draco, would you happen to have some spare snake blood? My friend happened to knock mine over," she lent in towards him, and fluttered her eyelashes,

"Well yes, Miss Hermione, I happen to have a spare bottle right here," he replied, "I hope you enjoy it."

Hermione thanked him, and walked back to her seat, winking to Parvati and Lavender. They added the snake blood, put a small sample of their potion into a bottle, corked and labelled it, then Hermione took both bottles up to Snape's desk,

"First one finished, I see Granger?" Snape drawled.

Hermione nodded, and turned around, just as Malfoy was bringing up his potion.

"Uh, Can I talk to you for a sec 'Mione?" He asked nervously. Hermione's heart sank, "Of course, he is going to say he doesn't like me," she thought to herself sadly.

"Um, 'Mione , I was wondering, I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine, but I was wondering if you would like to sit with me next potions lesson, I mean, we have double potions, and we are both sitting together," Hermione's heart leapt back up again,

"Of course Draco!" she cried. Draco smiled at her, and she smiled back, then went to grab her books, so she could move them to a spare desk that her and Draco could sit at,

"Guess what," she said to Parvati and Lavender, "your plot worked, I am now moving desks for this period, for I am sitting with Draco!" Lavender and Parvati squealed excitedly, "not so loud you guys! You sound like piglets," Hermione pretended to tell them off. She packed up her books and moved. Snape had left the classroom for a few minutes, and looked rather surprised to see Draco sitting and talking with Hermione, however he did not dare to object, because Draco had always been one of his best students. There were only two people that looked at them disapprovingly, and they were Ron and Pansy, who both looked totally unhappy about Hermione and Draco's heads bent close together, talking and laughing with one another. Hermione didn't care though, this was one of the best times of her life, and she wasn't going to let her EX-best friend spoil it for her. She was finally starting to feel like Draco actually liked her, and she could like him back, with nothing being wrong with it.

"You know 'Mione, I think I should tell you who is after you, I mean, it would probably be more dangerous if you found out from someone else," Hermione nodded, and Draco lowered his voice, so she leant closer to him, "Pansy's father. I don't know all the details, but from what I've been told, it is something very important," Hermione was amazed, but relieved that it wasn't one of her friends that she had to be scared of,

"But what about Ron?" She asked, "why was he so mad at me?"

"I can't tell you any more right now, some other day, 'Mione," he replied, just as the bell went.

"Shit!" said Hermione, "I forgot some books, Parvati and Lavender, can you tell Gin everything while I go and get my books?" Parvati and Lavender nodded, knowing exactly what she was planning on doing, which was NOT picking up more books. She left the classroom, talking to Draco, and they both went up into the heads common room, since they had half an hour free. They stepped into the room together, and put down their bags. Then they sat down on one of the red couches together, forgetting about the spellotape line.

"Draco, I was so worried, I thought it might be Ron that you were protecting me from," said Hermione, "I hope you don't mind looking after me for a while?" She looked into his blue eyes, and he looked into her brown ones. They lent closer together, and their lips met in a soft kiss. This was better than Hermione had imagined it would be. The bell went for the next two periods, when Draco and Hermione wouldn't be in the same classes. They picked up their bags, and Draco held the door open for Hermione to walk through. The door shut behind them, and Draco turned Hermione around, giving her a goodbye kiss, it was wonderful until someone walked around the corner,

"You'll pay for this Granger."

***Ooh, interesting, please review! I love getting them! Yes, you'll find out who said that in the next chapter, which should be written soon! I hope you like this one, it took ages!***