Okay this really isn't the next chapter but it never-the-less has some importance.  Thanks to *S_Star * you now have something to entertain you while my brain tries to put himself in order.  I was going to include this slightly later in the fic but decided it fits in nicely here.  So thank you S_Star, now everybody say it.

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Falling Head Over Heels

The Story of Hermione Granger and

Her relationship with Draco Malfoy

By: Befuzzled

The Interlude

Hermione and Draco separated for the rest of the day preparing for that night.  Draco had putted around the Slytherin common room for a while before finally giving in and going to the Prefect common room hoping "she" would somehow miraculously be there.

"Hello?  Anyone here?  Mia?"  There was no answer the room was deathly empty, with only the fire cracklings to keep it alive.  Draco walked over to the balcony that they had all had blocked out of their memories after the group had began the tasks the room was intended for.

He gazed across the fields, at the many younger years playing random games of snow wars.  There were forts and snowmen, snow angles, and even one creative model of a snow mobile. 

He scanned the people and was entertained by the way each passed their time.  His eyes spotted the unmistakable red hair of Ronald Weasley.  He normally would have felt disgusted but where Ron was meant Harry was there and where Harry and Ron went usually meant Hermione was there too, well except when she was with him.

He studied her from the distance and watched as her head lopped back apparently in a laugh.  She controlled herself and eventually the fit turned into a wide smile.  He watched as Harry attempted to throw a snowball at her and instead hit Weasley when she gracefully bowed out of the course of the travel the cold ball was headed on.  The red-head lashed back, flinging some snow of his own.

This went back and forth for a while until they were interrupted with Hermione's laughter and they turned on her.  He could hear her screaming as she fled from them,  "Harry, no don't", "Please Ron, Harry hit you not me".

It was a frivolous effort as they both pummeled her with constant snowballs knocking her down.  They began piling snow on top of her, only allowing her face to be spared of the cold punishment.  Harry magicked a flag on top and it read Fort Hermione.

They two boys walked away, "Come back, this is cold.  Potter and Weasley, come back right now."

Draco took this opportunity to have some fun; with his wand he lifted the snow of his newly acquired friend of that year and flung it at the retreated backs of her comrades.  They face planted in the snow and Hermione searched the grounds for the unseen help.  Then she apparently heard the laughter breaking through the air, looked up a few meters at the castle, and gave him a smile with dangerously high voltage.  Draco waved and moved back into the building.

He looked around for something to do, then he remembered the journal Dumbledore gave them.  It had been a few days since he had written in it, and he went to his desk and began to fill it in on the events of the past few days, the continuation of the dance project but also with his friendship with Hermione Granger.  After he finished writing he turned back to the first page and began to scan various pages of his thoughts.  This worked better than any pensive could ever.

~*~

A journal?  You are Dumbledore's gift to us for our help I guess.  He expects is to write how the project is going in here.  Why couldn't we just tell him?  I mean we obviously have to anyway.  This will be related to the project, about this room anyway.  If I have to write something down it's going to be about something I care about.

Let's start with the room.  Why is it so big just for four people? The house common rooms aren't even this large.  I even like the color combinations, I guess I get sick of the dark green and silver all the time.  Six years of nothing but green and silver welcomes the change to the raspberry reds, indigo blues, and goldenrod yellows.  It will be a convenient place to escape from the others in my house if I get sick of them (IF?  It's a guarantee.)

Granger and I shared a kind of moment on the provided balcony.  Every since she found out that I was her company to the Masquerade Ball and I guess even before during the flying lessons, she had been acting different.  Well it might have something to do without Potter and Weasel there. 

I don't know what it is about her, but it makes me want to shed the cold exterior.  It's a very strange feeling – having a friend, being nice (some of the time), feeling accepted and respected not just disgust and fear.

Well I have shared enough, for now.

~*~

Journal,

Hermione's asleep on my lap now.  Even her head is nothing but warmth.

We have been working on the project all morning.  We just got this assignment yesterday but yet with Granger's insistence, we (only Hermione and me) have organized out all the requirements that we will have to meet.  Now we just have to talk with Abbott and Boot to finalize some ideas.  Personally I think they should just finish the damn thing, Hermione and I have done our share all they have to do is feel in the blanks.

Well enough of the project, we have been alone all morning.  It's a liberating experience not to have to be so tight-assed and stuck up.  I'm not saying I don't like acting like that but as I have said before it's just different around Hermione. 

The girl is simply amazing:  She organizes her organizational thoughts.  Once she gets going it's almost painful for her to stop.  When we were interrupted by McGonagall, she got all flustered while getting back into the routine we had just kind of fallen into. Her checks tinge red, and her ran an aggravated hand through her hair, rereading all the notes we had taken this morning before starting up again.

She was exhausted by the time we finally were forced to stop.  She felt bad about making decisions with only half of our group there, but wanted desperately to finish.  Her inner-drive isn't to be better then everyone else, I discovered, it's just being her self.  She has this natural link to her work no matter what it is.  I think I saw some of that while on her flying lessons but it's nothing compared to the organization tactics or the connection she has with her books.  It's unfathomable.

Well her gentle breathing is getting to me and I'm tired of writing so I'm done.

~*~

A few days ago when we woke up from the nap Hermione was immediately back to work.  She even dreams about her work, it's almost pathetic.  She came up with a theme, decorations, and clothes ideas, practically everything.  Abbot and Boot better get their asses and gear and take this thing over before the little Gryffindor does it all by herself.

It has been pretty much non-stop from there.  Hermione got the approval from the others and we are pushing ahead with the planning.  We have a meeting set up with Dumbledore in just a few days, so we are also preparing for that.

~*~

This Prefect thing is a whole lot more than I thought it would be.  Seriously if I know I would be planning and organizing social events for the school I never would have accepted the position- I take that back.  Of course I would have.  It would be another thing to hold above Potter and Weasel's head.  Then of course I wouldn't have the chance to understand Mia, but I wouldn't have known I wanted to back then, I suppose.

The meeting with the headmaster went well and we now have permission to go shopping for supplies.  I even get credit for doing something for this fiasco without Hermione's help; I came up with the name.  Oh yeah! Am I good, or am I Great?  I'll go with great on that one.

You know what else is great?  The perks involved with this whole Prefect assignment thing.  I get to take as many trips to Hogsmeade I want a week and Hermione is always there with me it's almost perfect except for Hannah and Terry being there.  But no one gets everything they want.

I really like Hermione.  I've finally admitted it out loud to myself.  What would other people think if they knew?  My father?  What would Hermione think?

I've been teasing her about her beauty and brains everything October, but is it obvious enough for her to know that I like her?  I hope not, that would just be awkward.  But I truly like her. 

I have to grab my stuff for the day's Hogmeade trip.  But first we have to announce the ball to the rest of the school.

~*~

I did it.  I asked Hermione to go with the ball with me.  She has another date but she broke it off for me.  ME!  The poor fifth year, but he doesn't deserve Hermione, no one does, not really anyway.

I just have to get her a really good Christmas present to thank her for going with me.  I know I'll get her something for her dress: Some jewelry.  I wonder if anybody knows what her dress actually looks like as far as I know she hasn't bought one yet, well not on any of the trips she's taken with me.  And I haven't seen her comeback with any garment bags when she went with her friends.

Well I have some personal shopping to do now.

~*~

She got me a cat.  I can't believe it.  Granger got me a cat.  Well I can.  Lucy (the cat) is kind of cute.  She acts all big and tough (according to Hermione like me).  Lucy tried to eat Snape's soup at lunch to day.  If looks could kill my kitten would have lost all nine of her lives.

She liked her present too.  I managed to get it right even though no one, I repeat no one knew what her dress was supposed to look like.  That's a relief.

I watched her today playing in the snow.  It was really enjoyable.  I even got to magically throw snow at Potter and Weasel while "rescuing" her."

~*~

He didn't get to read anymore because Hannah and Hermione came in carrying garment and make-up bags.

"Oh hello Draco," Hermione said smiling.  "You don't mind if we get ready in here do you?"

He propped his feet up on the table.  "Oh of course not.  Don't mind me, I'll just be over here, enjoying the show, " he said with his usual cocky attitude.

"Draco!"  Hermione's face turned red.

"Okay, okay, I'm going.  But I'll be back with Terry in a few hours to pick you up."

Hannah started laughing, "See you then, Malfoy."

"Of course Abbot.  Bye Hermione."

Hermione was still embarrassed, "Oh, um, yeah bye."

He laughed and strode thought the portrait to his house dorms.

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Okay so it wasn't really a chapter but it was a relief to know I can still write and it has helped spark a few ideas for chapter 18.  Don't hate me too much if I don't get it out until like Thursday or Friday.  We have a lot of test (you know the week before break they don't want you to forget anything in two weeks)

Tell me what you think  (coughREVIEWcough)

Up Next of course is the BALL, finally