A/N: I hope you liked the last chapter. It wasn't very long but I guess it will do. I hope to have some reviews by the end of this chapter so write some!

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Ron and Hermione walked down the hall, towards History of Magic with their completed essays in their hands. Hermione was telling him off, nicely of course, for pigging out on Honeydukes' sweets almost the whole time during when they were looking up stuff in the library for their essay. Ron kept getting candy rappers inside the books. So on they talked, until the sound of running came up behind them, and they stopped to see who it was. It was Malfoy.

"Hermione, can we talk just a little?" He asked, Hermione actually thought she heard a sound of politness in his voice. But then she laughed in her head thinking this was not something to believe. Ron, of course stayed put by his girlfriend, thinking he just might need to curse Draco for the hundreth time for calling Hermione a Mudblood or something or other.

"Not you, Weasley. I would rather not have *you* listening, Red-Head." Malfoy sneered. Ron muttered "Be careful." to Hermione, smiled, and reluctantly walked off to class. Both Hermione and Malfoy watched him walk off, and then he turned to her and said, with some difficulty, "Hermione, I um....I need to tell you something. But.....but I don't know if you would accept the fact or.....anything.". He said this quickly and quietly, with some patience in his voice. Hermione wondered....but could it be? She looked up in his eyes. They looked kinder than they really were, or perhaps it was because he wasn't insulting any one at the moment.

"Yes, Draco?" Hermione responded. He looked alarmed that *she* had just called him by his first name.

"I just wan-" Malfoy stopped. The bell had rung, they were both late for class. "Well, um...meet me in the library after dinner, ok?"

"Well, um, ok..." She replied. She saw him smile, something she had never really seen before. She returned one of her own and the turned and went their opposite ways.

Hermione quickly ran to the History of Magic classroom. She reached the door, pulled it open, and went to give Professor Binns her essay, and sat down in her seat by Ron. "What was that all about?" He asked in a whisper as she sat down. "What did he want? He didn't threaten you or anything did he? 'Cause if he did..." She saw that had a little worry in his voice and face.

She replied "No, it's all right Ron, really." She put her hand on top of his and smiled at him, he smiled back and gave her hand a little squeeze and told her what they were supposed to be doing. They never really talked throughout the entire class, as they were having a very long and boring quiz at the moment. But Hermione of course, had finished about 10 minutes into it while the rest of the class barely finished right when the bell rang for brake.

"Man, Hermione, that has *got* to be a record time for finishing one of Professor Binn's 100 question quizzes...how do you do it?" Ron was again marvleing at Hermiones cleverness, as he had really only gotten about 15 out of 100 questions done at all. "You've got to teach me...well, like I would want to learn. Just think about how scary it would be if *I* were as smart as you..." They both laughed a little at this and started down the hall, Ron's arm around Hermione, Hermione's arm around Ron. She wished he would stay with him forever, in his so comforting one-armed embrace, he was the right path for her, she just knew it. But there was on obstacle in this path-Draco. But how could she worry about him now? She was having another good time talking with Ron now, and she would rather not even worry about anything else, not even homework. They had walked a considerable way now, Ron had just missed the way up to the North Tower for Divination, and Hermione needed to get to Arithmancy. They gave each other a long hug at a kiss, and went to their classes.

The next hour went by really well, her mind set on her most favorite subject, Arithmancy. But she was glad when class was over, and she would get to go to dinner, she was famished. Hermione got up, stuffed all her stuff in her bag, and headed off to dinner. She got to her seat, waiting for Ron, but Ron never came. 'Where could he be?' she thought. 'It doesnt take half and hour to get to dinner from the North tower'. She continued eating, wondering where he was. 45 min...50 min...an hour...dinner was over. She got up, and headed off to Gryffindor Tower, intending to see him there. Halfway up the marble staircase though, she suddenly remembered she was to meet Draco in the library. Must she go? She would have rather gone up to see whats up with Ron. But she decided she would keep her word and go see Draco. After all, she did like him very much, and she would like to see him, alone. So she doubled back and headed for the library. He was sitting at a table, looking a little nervous.

"Hey Draco, whats up?" Hermione called to him. He jumped a little at her sudden arrival. "Um, the library closes in about 10 minutes, so you will have to make it quick I guess."

"Hi Mu-I mean, Hermione, sorry." He replied. " Could you sit down?" At this, she did, looking at him, confused and a little nervouse her self. "I want to tell you something, but I don't want you tell anyone about it ok? My friends will think I'm crazy if they found out..."

"Ok then...tell me. I will listen, and I won't tell anybody, I swear."

"Hermione, I...well I...I love you. Ever since the day I saw you. I think you are a very pretty girl, and you're smart, and well, I guess I have just been mean and all to you the whole time because I didn't want every one else to know how I felt." He said this a little quick, but he managed to get the point out, at least. Hermione sat, listening, her heart telling her to believe this, but her mind told her to ignore it, she had a boyfriend who she loved very much already. But Malfoy didn't know about Ron. Maybe...a secret relationship with Malfoy? Nobody would ever know, not even Ron, unless the word got out. Well, she knew what she must do, she should tell Malfoy how she felt about him, too. She didn't know if she could keep it all to herself for very long.

"Well, Draco, I think I have something to say to you too. I think I...love you, too. Ever since you saved me that night," she showed him the scar on her arm, "I have loved you ever since, but I just couldn't understand why you would call me terrible names and be sour towards me, when you had saved me, risking your own life." She finally got it out, and she was pleased with herself a little for doing so. "Oh Draco, I was afraid of telling you before, because I thought you might not think the same of me. But the pro-" Suddenly she stopped. The librarian was coming over to shoo them out. "Well, we better go, I've got to go see where Ron has been all this time." She stood up, still looking at Malfoy. All of the sudden she loved his eyes, they looked so kind and warm. He got up, too, still looking at her. He moved a little closer, and kind of awkwardly put his arms slowly around her, giving her a hug. She returned it, somewhat happy, and put her head on his shoulder. She never knew that she would ever feel warmth from someone like Malfoy, but she did, and she wished that she could stay there forever, in his arms.

"Come on! Out, you two! No more lovie dovie stuff, come on, back to your common rooms!" Madam Pince was over again, shooing them out. They let go of each other, looking at the librarian, looking a little embarassed. So they started toward the exit.

"See you tomorrow, Hermione." Draco muttered and smiled at her as he went his way and Hermione hers. She returned it, and headed to the Gryffindor Tower to see Ron.