A/N: Thank-you again for the lovely reviews! I'll do a call-out next chapter. Thanks again!

'Ten points from Gryffindor,' said Umbrige. 'For such vulgar language.'

I stepped back, swallowing my protests, and she strolled in with the air of one who was superior.

'Draco!' she greeted Malfoy. 'Nice to see you again!'

And what did I get for a greeting again? Oh yeah. Ten points from Gryffindor.

'How has Hermione been?' she asked, slyly shooting me a wicked grin. It struck me how much her lips looked like two, fat, brown slugs which had randomly attached themselves onto her face.

'Uh,' said Malfoy, avoiding my eyes. 'Good. I guess.'

Umbrige stared at me in a calculating way, as though trying to find some hint of cheating.

'You'll write me a letter,' she continued, talking to Malfoy. 'Saying if you would like some changes. Otherwise, good day.'

With one last glare in my direction, she left.

'Old cow,' I muttered under my breath.

'Sorry again,' Malfoy sighed. He then grinned, eyes glittering again. 'So, where were we?'

I ignored him, feeling very pissed off. 'I was going to bed,' I replied, walking towards my bedroom, Malfoy's calls of; 'Aw, c'mon Granger, I'm sorry, okay, don't be like that – ' following me.

I fell onto the bed and promptly fell asleep.

The next morning, when I got up, Malfoy had already left. Yawning, I got dressed and proceeded towards the Gryffindor common room, in hopes of finding Ron and Harry.

Halfway there, I heard a few very ominous and foreboding noises, and seconds later, barreled straight into Luna Lovegood. The sounds increased.

'Luna!' I cried. 'I'm sorry!'

'Don't worry,' she said in her dreamy voice. 'If I were you, I'd head to the Great Hall. You don't want to go around this bend.' Nodding, she hurried off.

The ominous feeling increased, then I recognized who the sounds belonged to. People I knew well.

Hurrying around the bend in the corridor, my suspicions were proved correct.

'Shut your mouth, Malfoy,' spat Harry, who was struggling to hold back a seething Ron.

Opposite them, was Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. My heart skipped a beat.

'What's going on here?' I cried, rushing forward to Ron and Harry. Ron stopped trying to jump at Malfoy at once, but the angry look lingered in his eyes.

'Granger!' Malfoy was startled. 'Good morning, I – '

'He,' spat Harry. 'Was insulting Ron's family and my parents again. The usual.'

I turned my glare on him. The one I used rarely. The glare that meant, you are so in for it now. I was pleased to see a flicker of apprehension in his eyes.

'Save me a seat in the Great Hall,' I told Ron and Harry. 'I'll deal with Malfoy.'

Ron snickered and they both went off towards the Great Hall.

Malfoy sighed. 'Crabbe, Goyle, off you go. You don't want to see this.'

They went off, their hunched backs slowly disappearing into the distance.

'Why did you do that?' I said to him. 'You promised you'll never insult my friends!'

'We're enemies, Granger, you've got to understand that – '

'Malfoy,' I said warningly, shaking a finger at him. 'I swear to god, if you ever insult one of my friends ever again I will never let you use me again, Umbrige or no Umbrige.'

He smiled. 'Umbrige'll make you.'

I groaned, feeling like pummelling his face. 'Let me rephrase that. When the damn two weeks is over, you will never be able to use me again. We will be enemies again, alright?'

'So,' he said, the smile becoming more silkier. 'You mean when the two weeks is over, you'll become my girlfriend for real?' he was so close, I could feel is breath on my cheek.

I chose to ignore him, because I didn't know the answer myself. 'Ha, as if. We're enemies, remember? Promise me Malfoy.'

He sighed. 'I promise, okay?'

'I mean it, you know. If you ever provoke them – '

I was cut off by his mouth covering mine, his tongue making a detailed exploration of my mouth. With a small moan of pleasure, my arms wrapped around his neck of their own accord, and his hand tilted my head to deepen the angle of the kiss. Then I remembered, a bit late, that it was a mistake to even be kissing him at all!

'Oh god, Granger,' he gasped when we came up for air. 'I like you so much.' He raked his hand through my hair.

'Jesus,' said a shocked voice from down the hall. Parvati Patil marched over to us.

'Oh shit,' I groaned, trying to wriggle away from Malfoy, aware that my face was turning as red as Parvati's, except only from extreme embarrassment, not anger. Malfoy pulled me back, not the slightest bit embarrassed. Bastard.

'My God, Hermione,' she said. 'Didn't you take my advice?!' she rounded on Malfoy. 'You playboy! I cannot believe you! Stop using her, I bet right after this you'll be fucking Pansy senseless!' with these words, she grabbed my arm in an iron grip and yanked me away from him. I felt my face get hotter and hotter.

'Parvati, you bitch,' he snarled, reaching for me. 'Just admit that I truly like Granger, or can't you?'

'You only just started to like her now!' she shrieked.

'We've discussed that,' he spat at her. 'It's none of your business. She can date who she wants.'

'Parvati,' I said gently. 'Look, it's okay. I can take care of myself – '

Parvati turned to me, tears welling in her eyes. 'Fine!' she cried. 'Fine, just fine! But when you catch him kissing the next random girl, don't come to me for sympathy!' and with streaming eyes, she ran back down the hall.

I watched her go. 'Thanks a lot, Malfoy.'

'Hey, it wasn't me!'

I eyed him with hawk eyes. 'You better not be cheating on me.'

He laughed. 'C'mon, if I really wanted you to like me, would I go behind your back and date someone else?'

A small wave of relief washed through me.

'I'd better go,' I said, as his arms slipped around my waist.

'No you don't,' he said, kissing my neck.

'Yes,' I protested. 'Aren't you hungry?'

He thought about that. 'Yeah. Okay, I'll see you later.'

I set off towards the Great Hall.

'Crumbs,' said Harry. 'We've got Defense Against the Dark Arts next.'

I groaned. 'Nooo...'

'Yes,' said Ron, checking his timetable. 'With Umbrige. Joy.'

With heavy hearts, we set off towards her classroom, arriving just on time.

As we sat in our places, I caught Parvati and Lavender shooting me angry looks, and my heart pummeled. Why did everyone hate Malfoy?

I could actually see why, he could be a bastard sometimes.

Why couldn't I? Hate him, I mean.

Why did I actually like him, but hate him? There was still a small part of me, deep down, which hated him for humiliating me, teasing me, calling me names...

I tried instead to listen to what Umbrige was saying, for she was talking to me.

'Miss Granger,' she said. 'You must learn to stop chatting with Ron and Harry. Move next to Malfoy.'

I imagined killing Umbrige, then felt slightly better. Before I looked over to the Slytherin side of the room. All of them were giving me equally nasty looks, some of them even chuckling to themselves like they had something in store for me.

I gulped. 'Professor, I wasn't talking.'

Her eyes flashed, and the whole class quieted, all eyes on us.

'Move now, Hermione,' she snarled. 'If you prefer not to get a detention.'

I ground my teeth, but picked up my books and sat down next to Malfoy, at the opposite side of the room, where it was in shadow and colder, on account of a draft blowing through a nearby window.

Malfoy gave me his slow, lazy grin.

It was truly the longest Defense Against the Dark Arts class I have ever had to endure, and that's saying something.

It was after lunch, and Harry, Ron and I were walking back to the common room to grab a few books.

'I just need to check my hair,' I told them. 'I'll meet you at Care of Magical Creatures, okay?'

They agreed, and continued to walk onwards.

After I had gotten my books, and was walking down to Care of Magical Creatures, I saw Malfoy up ahead. And as I got closer, I saw Crabbe and Goyle with him, and none other than Ginny Weasley.

'Shut the fuck up, Malfoy,' Ginny was shouting, as I became rooted to the spot, mouth open, thunderstruck. If I wasn't mistaken, which I doubt that I was, Malfoy was picking another fight with one of my friends... something, I recall, he had promised not to do.

The side of me that hated Malfoy fumed, and took over. How dare he? Does he think because he's a Malfoy he can terrorize anyone he wants...?

'Don't you ever do that again,' Malfoy snapped at Ginny. 'You and your family are a disgrace to the Purebloods, I can't believe you even have the nerve to actually talk with me – '

At that moment, Ginny glanced up, and her gaze met mine. She held it there for a moment, gave a shadow of a wink and broke the contact. Making no sign that she'd seen me, she ignored Malfoy's retort.

'Your precious Hermione wouldn't be too pleased to hear you speak that way,' she said.

'She won't be finding out, though,' leered Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle gave out hoarse laughs. 'She'd kill me, and you don't want me dead, do you?'

'I'm telling her,' said Ginny stubbornly, squaring her shoulders, and meeting his gaze, hands on her hips. Her gaze swiftly passed over me again. 'You can't stop me –'

Malfoy saw the gaze, and reeled round. He instantly spotted me, watching the scene from the stairs, and his face drained of all color.

'Granger,' he said desperately, and his words stung.

I narrowed my eyes, and took off.