A/N: Thank you so much for the feedback!  I hadn't expected to continue this, but after receiving various threats, it seems that I have no choice  ;) Chapter 2

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"Uh… why is the kid talking to the Mudblood? And why aren't you stopping him?"

Draco's jaw clenched involuntarily at Crabbe's blunt question, but kept his gaze fixed on the polite smile that played across Hermione's face as she spoke…. No, chatted, to his cousin. The remainder of her precious trio had followed suit.

"As disturbing as this scene is, the outcome will work to my favor," Draco said, tearing his gaze away from the laughing Gryffindors and staring hard at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Leo doesn't know Granger's a Mudblood. Once he finds out, he's going to be so disgusted with himself that he'll be completely willing to do whatever I tell him to do so that I won't tell his father of the incident."

"Ah, I get it…" Goyle grinned maliciously, "It's like exorcism!"

"You mean extortion."

"Uh, right."

Draco did a refined version of an eye roll, and deliberately made an effort not to look at the unfolding scene at the Gryffindor table. He could not imagine what they were talking about… what thoughts were running through Granger's mind. Not that it made any particular difference to him, but the inquisitive side of him found it all oddly fascinating… if she had been a pureblood, as Leo thought she was, then things would have probably been different. Of course, he did not waste his time to dwell on the matter. He had a responsibility to keep that idiot cousin of his in line. For Leo, the pieces would start to fall apart soon enough. All Draco had to do was wait.

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"Don't look, but Malfoy's coming this way." Ron hissed.

"Draco?" Hermione asked, not missing a beat.

"No, the other one," Harry corrected.

"Maybe we should leave?" Ron said uncomfortably, in no mood for a confrontation, "He looks like he wants to speak to us or something."

"Well what do you propose? Running out the hall at a breakneck pace?" Hermione asked with half a smile, though she too could not imagine why the Slytherin was closing in on them. Probably Draco's doing.

"No, I was thinking more of walking out the hall at a brisk pace," Ron declared, "Who knows what Malfoy- Draco I mean- has told that little puppet of his to do."

"Why, nothing really… and for the record, my name's Leo, and I'm nobody's puppet," the young Slytherin grinned, hopping in the seat beside the surprised redhead.

"And who might you be?" Leo asked, stealing a piece of bacon off the other boy's plate and popping it into his mouth.

"Ron…ald. Ronald Weasley," the other boy replied, recovering quickly.

"Weasley? Why, I've heard of you… you're that remarkable Keeper on your house's Quidditch team." Leo said with interest.

Ron visibly puffed.

'Smooth' Hermione thought of Leo, 'Like his cousin, only not as bitchy.'

She turned to the Slytherin table. To Draco. Working alongside him as Headgirl had not been a walk in the park… more like a walk in the Forbidden Forest, only blindfolded, and carrying a broken wand. He never listened to her, or trusted her in the least, things they needed in order to have some teamwork. She'd learn to deal with it of course. Gradually the catty, immature remarks of his had subsided, and were replaced by well-timed glares that left her chilled. She didn't know which had been worse. At the moment, avoidance was key to their non-existent relationship.

"Did you want anything?" Hermione asked, quite innocently, as she baited him into revealing his true purpose.

"Well as a new student, he's obviously here to meet the Head Girl," Ron said to his friend like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Hermione Granger," she stated with a proper tone, holding out her hand to the second-rate Malfoy.

"Hermione… beautiful name," Leo smiled, shaking her hand politely, delaying the touch fractionally longer than was necessary.

Leo thought for a moment as Draco's previous reaction suddenly made sense to him. He had originally thought he was after some girl named Pansy… not the Hermione Granger. Head Girl. Genius. Mudblood… of course, that wasn't important to Leo. Unlike Draco, he'd never concerned himself with the pro-pureblood teaching of his family. He always got what he wanted regardless.

"You don't seem much like Draco…" Harry said with a friendly smile, "I'm glad we got to meet you."

"Likewise, Harry. I hear you're the only rival seeker to Draco," Leo grinned.

"Ha! That little ferret couldn't find a snitch if it bit him in the rear, then held up a fluorescent sign saying 'catch me,'" Ron spat, then turned to Leo, slightly embarrassed at his outburst "No offence intended."

"None taken." He offered with a politeness that annoyed Hermione.

"So are you a seeker too?" Ron asked.

"Goodness, no. I don't play Quidditch. I find the game to harsh… bad for the cuticles." Leo stated firmly, noticing Hermione perk up at his comment. He took her in a glance, the swirling hair; the piecing eyes… the stack of books that lay on the seat beside her.

"Personally, I prefer reading a good book more than anything else…" Leo lied so smoothly, only another Malfoy could have detected his insincerity. "I find learning new things such a rewarding experience. I'm embarrassed to say so, but I spend most of my time in the library."

The Gryffindor Head Girl refrained from laughing out aloud. Surely the Malfoys- she was certain both were involved- didn't expect her to fall this… whatever this was. She put the thought aside for the moment. Like every other girl at her table, she was mentally comparing the cousins. If Draco were silver, Leo would be gold. In coloring at least. The younger looked like he'd been dipped in refined honey, and was just as sickly sweet in speech. Leo was flattering her friends mercilessly, and subtly reaching out to her with casual glances at the same time. She didn't like the game, and refused to play it.

Harry and Ron, immediately launched into an analysis of how similar the intruder was to Hermione. Library… studying… the fact that neither played Quidditch.

The conversation was grating on her nerves, and she didn't know why. Distracted, she turned towards Draco, probably the root cause of the situation, and was not surprised to find him staring in her… their… direction. Irritated, she locked eyes with him. His cool gray slits narrowed further, almost in warning. Hermione tilted her head, motioning towards the door. A look of forced understanding passed between them, and Draco replied with a curt nod. He got up and left the hall, with the awareness that she would soon follow.

"Well look at the time! I really should go do some studying," Hermione interrupted whatever they'd been talking about. The cookie-cutter excuse had served her well.

"Oh, you're leaving so soon? But I hardly had a chance to talk to get to know you…" Leo said, with a playful pout.

"Sorry, I've got a busy day," Hermione said with little remorse, gathering her books into her arms and getting to her feet.

"Would you like us to walk you back?" Ron asked.

"The road may be difficult, but I think I can manage to find my way alone," she said in mock seriousness.

Leo released a sigh as she left.

"Is there something you want to tell us, Leo?" Harry smirked, glancing at Ron who was equally amused.

"I'm in love. She's perfect… beautiful, witty, intelligent, charming… but intimidating at the same time. Usually, I would have asked the girl out by now, and have her completely besotted with me, but Hermione isn't like that, is she? I can tell, and I've only known her for seventeen minutes. I can't help how I feel though. I know what my cousin thinks of Muggleborns, but I couldn't care less. I'm really not like him. I hope she doesn't think I am… all I want to do is to get to know her…"

There was a strange silence.

"She's not taken is she? Are either of you going out with her?" Leo asked as a look of practiced horror passed over his features. He knew, of course, that neither boy would present much of a challenge, but it was just easier to get the girl if her friends liked him… and he would get her, there was no question of that. With his own golden looks, there was no male at Hogwarts who could compare with him… apart from Draco, but there was certainly no competition there, at least where Hermione Granger's affections were concerned.

 "No, not at all," Ron brushed away the insinuation. "I'm madly in love with his Harry's ex, this gorgeous Ravenclaw Seeker."

"And I'm madly in love  Ron sister, this beautiful red-head with a stunning-"

"Harry! Don't even think of finishing that sentence, or you'll scar me for life, and I'll end up in the mentally ill section of Azkaban, rocking back and forth in a dark corner, singing to myself," Ron groaned, covering his ears.

"What we're getting at, is that if you like Hermione, you should go for it," Harry stated to Leo. "With all that you have in common, I doubt that Hermione will mind that you're a year younger. I can tell you like her."

"No… what gave it away?" Leo joked.

"I'm going to have to agree with Harry," Ron gave in, "Coming from someone who was once desperately in love with, I recognize a kindred spirit. I'd actually considered starting a 'Dumped by Hermione' support group at one time. She's not an easy girl to get over. Anyway, after that hopelessly-in-love speech you just gave, how can I not believe you? You don't seem like a typical Malfoy. From what I can tell you're a decent person, who's not involved in some treacherous scheme with Draco… right?"

"Right."

 "Of course, you realize that we'll be watching you very closely, and if you hurt her, we will kill you," Ron added, "And this won't be a mercy killing either… it'll involve various forms of torture, and sharp objects, and spiders and a recording of Pansy Parkinson's drone of a voice being played over and over again."

"I would expect nothing less from friends as loyal as yourselves," Leo said seriously.

"Then it's settled! You know what? I bet Ron and I could help you out in winning her over!" Harry said, a little excited.

Leo merely grinned.

"Perfect."

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Please Review J

Yeah, I know we all hate Mary Sues… or at least the male versions of them, but it'll just make the D/Hr moments more tension-filled, promise ;)