A/N: Thank you again reviewers! I made one small tiny change in Chapter 2, if anyone cares. It doesn't matter too much, cause it's just one sentence, but I'm letting people know. Anyway, you can read now!

Draco had reluctantly gone to class after his encounter, watching Hermione the entire time Trelawney babbled on. She was passing notes with Ginny Weasley, and they were grinning at each other. Ginny's eyes suddenly locked with his, and she looked away, embarrassed. She whispered something to Hermione, and she turned to look at him. A smile escaped her lips, and she looked pure and innocent for a few seconds.

The rest of the day passed in a similar way, for he had every single class for Hermione, and his tortured mind was killing him. After classes, he waited for her at the top of the Dungeon stairs, and then pulled her away, opening a closet, and shoved her in, closing the door behind them and leaning against it.

It was dark and Hermione was squinting at her captor through the thin bars of light that filtered from underneath the door.

"Draco, what the hell are you doing?

"You Ð" he paused, his breath coming out in short gasps, "You've made me go near crazy all of today.

"Love binds us all," she replied.

"I don't love you, damit.

"Ah, the Draco I used to know.

"No I, I just, look," he said, "I've had to work a lot on becoming this better person, this nicer person, and I have anger problems, okay? You know that. So sometimes, if you tease me like that, well, first of all you leave me in a bit of a situation-" Hermione laughed.

"Not very funny, actually, Granger. I find it rather annoying. But also, I get upset, okay? So if you're not going to kiss me, don't act like it.

"Okay, sorry. I just wasn't sure about if I should or not." She smiled at him, her pretty face outlined faintly in the shadows. She twirled a lock of hair in-between her fingers flirtatiously and brushed his cheek gently with her fingertips. Then she gestured at the door. "Am I allowed to go now?

Looking somewhat miffed, he stepped away from the door, and she opened it, going past him out into the hall.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, and threw up his hands.

After dinner Hermione walked with Harry by the Forbidden Forest, listening to the owls hoot faintly.

"Harry, do you remember last year when Neville accidentally cast a hex on me and I was in the hospital wing for a week and a half?

"Of course. Neville was so sorry about it that he gave you a new get well card every day.

"Well, one day, Draco came to visit. He was his usual cruel self, but there was something softer about him. And just in these first few days he's been all over the map. One moment he's the boy in the train, and another the boy who didn't deserve to be called by his first name.

"Hmm, well, Mione, he's surprised us all. I suppose he is trying to be nice, but why? I seriously doubt all that bullshit about how he went through something over the summer. Maybe he's only acting this way so he can deceive us and then stab us in the back at the end. Then again, he said he'd be friends with all of us, but he's only showing attention to you. I don't like that.

"Well, he does like me.

"Yeah, I guessed as much. Don't tell me you're falling for him as well.

"Um, actually Harry, I sort of am." Her cheeks flushed the color of rose blossoms. "I don't believe the summer story either, to tell you the truth. But I do think he has a reason for his actions, and a good one. The old Draco wouldn't bear to be around me, or to be courteous to you and Ron. And today, he wanted to kiss me! Do you think the old Draco would even dare to touch my hand?

"You have a point, Mione, but you have to understand that I'd be worried. This is so sudden, and so unnatural. So for now, I'm keeping an eye on him. You mean a lot to me, and I would kill myself if this was all a game.

Okay. Thanks for listening and being there for me, as always.

"No problem." Her best friend hugged her to him, and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She waved good-bye and headed off to her dorm.

"You took a while getting here.

Hermione looked around and saw Draco sitting on the couch, his pale skin glowing in the fire's light. She made her way over and sat next to him. He scooted closer and smiled smugly. She hadn't seen that smirk since last year.

"Look, I've been doing some thinking. You like me, I like you. So why don't we try going on a date?

"That's about the lamest pick-up line I've ever heard.

"Then you haven't heard much.

"No, sorry to say I haven't. But anyway, don't you think this is a bit of a new crush? Shouldn't you wait a while before asking the girl out?

"Have you ever known me to be one for patience?

"Um, no. But still-

"And I've liked you for more than 2 days.

"How long are we talking, exactly?

"How about since the day I met you?

"I don't believe that.

"Fine, have it your way. But I'm telling you the truth. No more lies for Draco Malfoy. Just thought I'd let you know.

"You know, you're a lot different from earlier today and yesterday.

"Yeah well, I figured you wouldn't mind that much if I showed you the person you knew before.

"Not as bad though, I have to admit. I think people respect you more if you weren't so different. You seem more natural this way.

"Mmm hmm. It feels better to me too.

"Then why have you been acting so weird?

"I told you I didn't want to answer that yet.

"Okay, but just, please be yourself in the future. I mean, this. Who you are right now. You're not incredibly evil-" Draco laughed, "but you're not an angel either. And I like that.

"I promise I'll be the way I really am. With the newfound maturity.

Now they both laughed, and Draco, for the third time, anticipated a kiss. But Hermione, sensing this, became a bit uncomfortable, and she looked at him with distress showing in her eyes.

"I better go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning, okay?

"All right." He nodded, and watched her go. When she closed the door, he stood and went to his own room, collapsing into the silky silver sheets, to dream of Hermione's luscious cherry lips against his own.