Because of You

Disclaimer: I forgot to add this to the first two chapters, but this will be the disclaimer for the first three chapters. I don't own anything, just the very unoriginal plot :)

"Heartbreaker, your time has come, can't take your evil way;

Go away, Heartbreaker."

- Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin

Chapter Three – Confusion in Hogsmeade

The whole week passed very uneventfully and before he knew it, it was the morning of the Hogsmeade visit. Draco stretched in his bed, savoring the early morning. He had always been an early riser and was glad for it, he thought, as he walked across the room, wearing nothing but a towel across his shoulders. He took a long and leisurely shower and spent the rest of the time in front of mirror. He shook out his long platinum blonde hair, watching as beads of water dropped from it. When he was done getting ready he took much longer than usual getting dressed. He looked at his watch and was shocked to realize that it was already nine a.m. He walked into the common room, admiring the shiny hardwood floor and large green couches.

"Hey, Draco," Yelled the voice of Blaise Zabini. He turned to face the large boy. He had long shaggy brown hair and dark brown eyes. "Going to Hogsmeade today?" He questioned.

"Yeah," Muttered Draco, "I promised I'd take Granger."

"Granger!? That mudblood? What's a pureblood like you doing with a thing like her?" He sneered at Draco.

"Well, she is pretty hot, if you haven't noticed, Zabini. Let's just find out if she's good in bed too." Lied Draco.

"Nice." Said Blaise as he walked over towards the door and left.

Draco took a bit longer, not wanting to walk with Blaise to the Great Hall. When he did get there, he walked over towards the Slytherin table, but not before glancing over at the Gryffindor table and catching a glimpse of Hermione sitting beside Ron. Were they holding hands? He thought jealously. No. He stopped himself. Granger could go out with anybody, he didn't care.

Draco noticed a few seventh years beginning to leave the castle and looked over at Hermione. She was sitting there quietly and Draco almost smiled; almost. He was beginning to wonder if Hermione was joking when she had agreed to go with him, but quickly shook the idea from his head. They had actually talked yesterday, however horribly uncomfortable it had been.

Meanwhile, Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor thinking the exact same thing. Did she really want to go to Hogsmeade with Draco? She shook her head quickly. Of course she did, she couldn't wait to see Harry and Ginny's face when she strolled in with Draco. She grinned evilly. Beside her sat Ron, he had his hand on top of hers and she looked at it in confusion. Didn't she break up with him yesterday? Dammit. She awkwardly withdrew her hand and pulled it into her sweater. Ron turned his head to quizzically look at her before he turned back to where he and Harry were talking.

Hermione felt out of place and stood to get up. She hesitated before picking up her stuff and heading through the large doors of the Great Hall.

Little did she know, Draco had followed her out the doors and was walking a few feet behind her. He coughed lightly and she spun around quickly.

"Hey Granger." He smiled before laughing quietly.

"What are you laughing at?" She questioned as she narrowed her eyes and stared at him.

"Oh nothing," He replied airily, "So are we still on for Hogsmeade?"

"Of course." Said Hermione, "I was just going to get ready. Why don't you follow me to the common room and wait for me?"

He looked at the ground and hesitated before saying, "Alright."

"Great." Said Hermione, smiling. She began walking towards the staircase and Draco jogged up to her and walked beside her, step for step. When they reached the Gryffindor common room Hermione stepped inside and Draco was left to stand alone uncomfortably.

Hermione walked through the room, glad that nobody was there and went to her room. From her closet at the end of the bed, she pulled out a knee length emerald colored skirt and a plain white tank top. She got dressed quickly and pulled her robe back on, wanting to avoid embarrassing questions from Ron.

Speaking of embarrassing questions from Ron; Draco stood outside the common room patiently waiting for Hermione when he suddenly found himself face to face with Ron Weasley.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" He questioned, brushing dust off the front of his sweater.

"Not much, just-" He began, but stopped when the portrait opened before both of them and Hermione stepped out. Ron turned his attention to her.

"Hey Hermione." He said smoothly.

Hermione looked out of breath and mustered a breathy "Hi Ron." Before turning to Draco. "Malfoy, let's go."

As she walked past Ron, her robe unbuttoned, revealing her clothes to Ron, who turned and watched, with his mouth open, as Hermione and Draco left.

They had walked all the way to outskirts of Hogwart's castle before realizing that they had walked in complete silence the whole way.

"So..." Whispered Draco, turning to look at Hermione. She looked pretty, thought Draco. And indeed she did. Her hair was wind blown and lay on her shoulders in loose curls. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were tinged pink from the cold breeze circling the grounds.

Their footsteps echoed as they walked along an old dirt trail and bright autumn leaves crunched under their shoes. Hermione sighed, it was so romantic. She turned to look at Draco. The weather, she meant. Her breath rose in clouds in the air in front of her and she could hear Draco breathing beside her. She suddenly felt overwhelmed and she giggled.

Draco looked over at her and raised one of his eyebrows. This only made Hermione giggle even more and she started coughing.

"What was that?" Asked Draco, confused.

"Nothing. You look cute when you do that eyebrow thing." Hermione laughed.

Draco blushed, although you could hardly tell and tried to laugh, although he couldn't shake the thought that Hermione had just said something nice about him. He smiled and watched Hermione out of the corner of his eye.

They walked the rest of the way they walked in silence yet again and Draco was relived when they reached the small group of shops more commonly known as Hogsmeade.

"Where do you want to go first?" Politely asked Draco while looking across the shops. They looked exactly the same as last year, the exact same cute shops, the exact same air that make it feel like a good place to bring a date; not that Hermione was his date, he thought hastily.

Hermione thought about where she wanted to visit. Where would Harry and Ginny be? She thought evilly. The Quidditch shop, of course. She slid her arm through Draco's and pulled him in the direction of the store. She couldn't wait to see the look on Ginny and Harry's face. Ginny had always liked Draco, even if he was off-limits; she remembered that night last year when Ginny had told her she thought Draco was hot. And the look on Harry's face would explain itself.

What was going on? Draco thought, as he followed Hermione through the long street of Hogsmeade. His arm was hooked through Hermione's and he felt oddly...happy.

Reaching the shop, Hermione looked around eagerly then thought that she should appear relaxed and dragged Draco into the store. The walked down the front aisle where the big picture window was, Hermione hoping that they would be noticed.

Looking among the collection of Quidditch robes, books, and brooms, and with very pretty girl hanging off his arm, Draco felt very good.

When they left the shop, Draco hesitated before stopping and asking Hermione where she wanted to go. It didn't matter to her so they walked along the paths of Hogsmeade getting further and further away from the crowded shops, all the while making small talk with Draco. Hermione lifted her head when she heard voices along the path behind them. She listened closely and then gasped. Yes, it was Ginny and Harry.

She looked around and spotted a wooden bench close by. She reached for Draco's hand gracefully and held it tight in hers. Draco smiled and gladly accepted hers. They walked over to the bench and sat down, Hermione scuttling over so she was as close to Draco as possible. They talked a bit, mostly about classes and homework.

Hermione stopped in mid sentence when she saw two people out of the corner of her eye enter the clearing. She leaned into Draco's side and looked up quickly, locking eyes with Ginny.

Draco smiled when he noticed who had walked down the path. It was Potter, and his slutty girlfriend Ginny. He looked sideways and noticed that Hermione was leaning very close to him – so close, that Draco could hear and feel her breathing. Looking back again at the two new arrivals,

Ginny looked over at the two people sitting on the bench and her mouth dropped open. Is that Hermione? She thought quickly. What the hell is she doing with Malfoy? She looked between them and noticed how close they were. Hermione looked up at that second and caught Ginny's eye.

And Harry, standing there, the confusion shook his head and blinked quickly before squeezing Ginny' hand tighter and looking hesitantly at Draco, who shot him a cold, hard stare.

Nobody said anything; Ginny opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking much like a fish without water, until she decided that it was probably better if she didn't say anything.

Hermione almost began laughing when she saw Ginny and Harry's reaction, which caused her to press her face against Draco to stop herself from laughing out loud. Draco look startled at first but he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and shot a piercing look at Harry.

"Hey Harry and Ginny," Giggled Hermione facing them, "What's up?"

Ginny looked at Harry and raised her eyebrows.

"What did you do to Hermione, Malfoy?" Harry questioned, glaring at him.

"What have I done to her?" Draco laughed, "Why nothing, it's not my fault I'm just that attractive." He smiled smugly.

"Is there a problem, Harry?" Hermione asked sweetly, smiling at him.

Harry shook his head and looked down, muttering something inaudible. Ginny took his arm and began walking down the path.

"Bye Hermione." She said quickly.

When Harry and Ginny had left, Hermione sat up a bit more and turned to Draco.

"Well that was entertaining." She giggled. To which, Draco just smiled. "What do you say we head back to the castle now? It's getting dark." She pointed at the darkening sky and slowly got up.

"Sure." Replied Draco as he stood up and put his arm around Hermione's waist. She wondered what Draco was doing, but didn't mind much. They walked back to the castle slowly, savoring the quietness of the outdoors and not wanting to go back to the bustle and confusion of the Hogwart's castle.

As they approached the building, Hermione realized how much she had enjoyed herself that night – and with Draco, to say the least. She disliked the idea of not talking to him ever again and she exhaled slowly.

"I had a great time today." Hermione said as she smiled at Draco.

"Me too." Draco replied shortly, avoiding looking at Hermione.

"Thanks." Said Hermione.

"Igualmente." Replied Draco, grinning.

"Igualmente? Is that some foreign language or something?"

Draco laughed, "It's Spanish, so I guess it's foreign. It means likewise."

"Oh, I see." Said Hermione, "So you're some great Spanish speaker as well as a great Quidditch player, not to mention very good-looking." She blushed a bit as she said this last part.

Draco smiled, Hermione had just paid him yet another compliment; the second today. "Not quite." He said modestly.

Hermione laughed and before they knew it, they had reached the steps to the castle. Hermione and Draco walked in together and made their way through the corridors. Hermione expected him to turn and leave soon, but was surprised when they had gotten to the portrait to the Gryffindor common room and Draco was still with her.

They turned to face each other and Hermione gazed at the ground uncomfortably. Draco looked at her first, and then quickly pulled her into a small hug. When they let go, Draco and Hermione both smiled at each other.

"Hey Granger," Draco whispered, "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you." Replied Hermione as she turned and went through the portrait hole. Draco watched her leave, holding his breath. She had hoped Hermione would have talked to him more, but that was okay. She probably wouldn't ever talk to him again. He frowned.

Hermione walked quickly through the common room, passing by everybody so quickly she couldn't see who was actually who. When she reached the room that she shared with Lavender and Michelle, a loud, outgoing girl who had transferred from Durmstrang. She flopped down on her neatly made bed and sighed.

Her life had seemed so perfect those couple of hours she had been with Draco; yet in reality, she knew that was as far from the truth. She sighed again, closed her eyes, and drifted into a deep sleep.

A/N: Sort of short, I'm so sorry. This took like three weeks to write. I have had the worst writer's block imaginable. Next chapter coming soon – when I get ten more reviews :)