A/N: Thanks to my reviewers. There's only one chapter left after this!

Chapter 5

"Hermione, wait!" Draco shouted as he went after her

Hermione's mind was reeling, she had felt so good in Dracos arms and wanted to be in that position again, yet she still couldn't get over the fact that it was Draco Malfoy. As she walked out Hermione heard Draco call after her, she couldn't believe he was coming after her. Deep down she knew she wanted this to happen.

Hermione wandered aimlessly and ended up in one of the gardens of the hotel the ball was in, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath as she had been walking quite fast. This gave Draco the opportunity to catch her.

"Hermione, please talk to me" Draco pleaded

"What are you doing Malfoy, I just need to be on my own" Hermione told him

"You mean you don't want to be anywhere near me" Draco said quietly

They were both silent for a moment, wondering what to say. Draco was the first to speak

"Look, I know you don't like me, but could we please stop this? Could we at least be civil?" Draco asked softly

Hermione looked at him and Draco saw her eyes soften slightly

"I've changed Hermione. I changed in school, I just wish you could see it" Draco added looking away

Hermione sighed in defeat, he continued to make it hard for her to hate him.

"I –I know you've changed Draco," Hermione said softly, gazing downwards "It's just hard for me to accept the fact that I can't hate you no matter how hard I try"

Draco was stunned; he didn't want her to be that honest. She wanted to hate him? Why? Scrub that thought he was a git in school, but he changed. Curiosity got the better of him and he had to ask.

"Y- You want to hate me?" he stuttered

Hermione took a deep breath, this was not going to be easy. The only way to explain he attitude towards him was to reveal her secret crush, and possibly embarrass herself monumentally.

Hermione took a seat on a nearby bench and Draco followed suit. Hermione then told him her reasons.

"I did want to hate you, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. Part of this is anger towards myself for not being able to dislike you, and the rest is your previous actions" Hermione started.

"But that was years ago and..." Draco tried to say but was cut off.

"Just listen. Despite appearances in school, I didn't hate you" she continued as Draco shot her a look of disbelief

"Quite the opposite infact" Hermione continued nervously "I had a bit of a crush on you, which was really annoying! Anyway your constant torment and insults that were old seemed to hurt more, I think at some low point I even wanted to be Pansy"

"Pansy really pissed me off, she was like a leech" Draco cut in, then mumbled an apology and for Hermione to continue.

"I thought that maybe when we were both heads and no one else was around you'd be nicer, or at least civil, so I tried to be nice to you a few times"

Draco cut in again "and every time I threw it in your face"

"Something like that, yes." Hermione stated "So after one particular day I decided that I would never give you a chance again and that I would hate you. Childish I know, looking back but..."

Hermione was still looking anywhere but at Draco, and again he interrupted.

"You had a reason, I can't believe you had a crush on me"

Hermione glared at him so he motioned for her to continue

"Then one day you did a 360, and were a different person. I wouldn't go back on my promise to my self, so completely blanked you. I suppose I thought that if I made friends with you, I may have liked you more and I refused to let that happen. And I guess it's just carried on" she finished

"Wow, I see, and I understand. The stupid thing is that I tormented you more because I wanted your attention," Draco admitted quietly "My father forbid me to have muggleborn friends, and you were part of the golden trio which was even more off limits, so aggravating was the only option. But I'm the first to admit I went over the top, if anyone had suspected that I liked you then, well there would have been trouble."

"Yeah right" Hermione replied sceptically

"I'm so sorry for back then, if I had even the slightest idea you liked me I'd have found another way to get you attention" Draco said sincerely.

"Draco, this is a lot to take at the moment. No one except Ginny, who found out the other day knows what I just told you" Hermione told him

"Blaise is the only one who knows about me liking you," Draco replied

Hermione got up off the bench, she had to get out of there, away from him, she couldn't think straight.

"I have to go, bye Draco" Hermione said softly

"Hermione, never mind. Bye" Draco was going to ask her if they could be friends, but thought that may not be the best idea at the moment.

As he watched her leave Draco realised how much he'd hurt her in school and hoped she's see how sorry he was.


The next few weeks passed and Hermione thought a lot about Draco, once again she was falling for the one she'd forbidden herself to fall for. She'd told Ginny about their conversation and Ginny got excited saying that they'd be so cute together.

"I know you like him" Ginny said slyly

"That's not the point" Hermione huffed

"As a friend I'm saying GET OVER IT!"

Hermione saw the truth in Ginny's words but her stubborn streak was still holding on. She'd also had the same words from Lizzie, who continued to ask her what happened at the ball.


Draco didn't know what to do about Hermione, so he decided to leave it for a bit

Soon another month had past and neither saw each other, Hermione however had a constant reminder of Draco as Oblivion were still the hottest band around.

On this particular day Hermione was running late, some research had taken longer than she'd expected and she'd told Cassie that she would pick Lizzie up from school because Cassie had a dental appointment. When in fact it was Lizzie's birthday and Cassie was decorating for her surprise party. Hermione was supposed to go over to Ginnys first to pick up some supplies then get Lizzie but at the rate she was going it wasn't going to happen.

As she rushed out of her office she bumped into someone and dropped a couple of books on the floor.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry" She said without looking up

"It's OK," said a voice she knew all to well "What's the rush?"

Hermione bent down to retrieve her books not wanting to look up, however she had to when one of the books was handed to her. Hermione lifted her head and met mesmerising silver eyes.

"Um, thanks" She said quietly

"No problem. What's the rush anyway?" Draco asked repeating his earlier question

"Oh, I've got to be pick Lizzie up from school, but I'm supposed to be going to Ginnys first to get some supplies" Hermione said

"For what?" Draco asked

"It's Lizzies birthday and we're having a surprise party at her house. I'm really in a rush so I have to go" Hermione said in a hurry.

Draco thought for a moment and came up with a plan to help Hermione.

"How about I get Lizzie for you?" Draco asked cautiously.

"What?" Hermione looked at him in shock, he was offering to help?

"I'll get Lizzie and you go to Ginnys" Draco told her

"Are you sure, you don't need to do this"

"I want to help, besides I'm sure it would be a great surprise for Liz" Draco said

"Thank you," Hermione said gratefully "Oh, Ally's supposed to come as well"

"No problem, I'm sure Ben will come with me. Ally got on quite well with him" Draco revealed.

"Uh, Draco, if you and the guys have nothing else to do, do you want to swing by the party? Lizzie would love it" Hermione asked quietly

"OK, I'll ask them" Draco replied, well this was definitely better than previous meetings.

Hermiones head was spinning. Wasn't she trying to stay away from Draco? But that was so nice of him to help, she had to get to Ginnys.


"You're running late, what about Lizzie?" Ginny asked

"Oh, um, Draco's picking her up" Hermione replied quickly

"Well, that's progress. You two talking now?" Ginny smiled

"Kind of, apparently. Lets just get this sorted" Hermione said eager to get off the topic.


Draco and Ben arrived at the school in Draco's top of the range jeep, just before the bell rang.

"Hey, do you wanna pose a bit?" Ben asked with a grin

"Why not" Draco said, he was in a great mood

They got out of the jeep and leant against it, any female would have to be blind not to look at them at least once. As the bell rang students came pouring out of the front door. Quickly they were recognised as they saw a few girls giggling and staring at them.

"Isn't that Dray and Ben from Oblivion?" one girl said

"Oh my God, it is" another said

"They are so hot"

"Think we can get autographs?"

The guys stood there and grinned at all the attention, after about ten minutes they spotted Lizzie and Ally walking down the steps.

As Lizzie and Ally walked out of school, one of Lizzie's friends ran up to them squealing.

"Oh My God, Dray and Ben from Oblivion are here"

"What? Where?" Lizzie and Ally said together

"Amber, what are you gawking at?" Lizzie said to her friend whose eyes had suddenly gone like saucers

"Happy Birthday sweetie" Said a voice from behind Lizzie

Lizzie and Ally turned around to see Draco and Ben behind them. The guys had seen the girls' friend run upto them and decided to move. Lizzie's eyes widened before she regained herself.

"Hey Draco" she then said as if it was the most natural thing in the world, then gave him a hug

"Come on better get you back before your mum and Hermione kill us" Draco said as he put his arm around her

Ben put his hands on Ally's shoulders from behind her and pushed her towards the jeep, she looked up and grinned

"Hi Ben"

"Come on you" he replied

As they walked to the jeep the girls received a lot of envious and jealous stares; this would be the gossip for the week. Even more so because Ally and Lizzie weren't the loudest or most popular in the school.