A/N: Ok guys, I just bought a shirt that says this on it:

"I would love to have a 'battle of wits' with you...but you appear unarmed"

HEHEHEHEHEE isn't that great?!!?!!

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(begins right where last chapter left off) VVVVVVVVVVVV Hermione sat quietly on the bench amidst the beautiful flowers, admiring their beauty. She huddled into her jacket as a swift breeze made her shiver. "Beautiful aren't they?" she jumped and turned around, coming face to face with Ginny Weasely.

"Hey." She said sadly.

"Hey, what was that about back there? Ron was just being Ron. You know that just as well as I." Hermione looked away and then stood up abruptly.

"He's just...so immature...Draco isn't the guy he used to be!"

"Draco? Did you just call Malfoy...Draco? As in, his first name?" Hermione chuckled.

"Ginny, don't act so surprised. I told you everything that happened at the beginning of the summer...."

"But, he was so mean to you on the train today." Ginny countered.

"It's complicated Ginny. Really really complicated. But he didn't mean anything he said on the train today." Ginny nodded but did not say anything. "He's so sweet....he really is!"

"ok, Hermione, whatever you say. You obviously see a side of him that I don't....and I respect that, but can I say one thing?" Hermione nodded. "Be careful....this IS Draco Malfoy...the biggest heartbreaker in the school...ok?"

"Of course I will." The two girls hugged.

"Let's go inside. It's getting cold!"

"Um, I think I'll stay out here for a little while. I need to....think about some things." Ginny smiled, nodded, and left. As soon as Ginny was out of sight, Hermione doubled over, holding her stomach. She began to cough. She fell to the ground, gasping for breath. This was one of the things that would happen in result of the surgery. She would sometimes, not be able to breathe. She could feel it coming, it had happened before...and she didn't want Ginny to worry about her. She didn't need anyone's sympathy. She could deal with this on her own.

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She sauntered slowly back into the castle, after feeling better, and walked slowly towards her Heads common room. She muttered the password and stumbled inside. Draco was sitting on the couch when he heard the portrait swing open. "Hey, Hermione! Where were you? I saw you leave the Great Hall, is everything ok?" Hermione smiled at how much he cared.

"I'm fine, everything's fine. I'm just really tired is all. "Draco patted the seat next to him.

"come here for a second." She came over and sat close to him. "So, tell me, Hermione, how is it, that you are all of a sudden better? You never told me any of that." She took a deep breath.

"well, they treated me for a while and then I ended up needing surgery....and so I had surgery about a month ago....and they said they got it all and now...um I'm all better!" Draco looked at her skeptically, just now noticing how pale she was.

"How come they didn't think to give you this surgery before, Hermione?"

"They weren't sure if it would work or not. They needed to watch me more carefully.....ya know before they decided." Draco didn't really buy all of this, but decided not to push it for now.

Hermione didn't lie anyways....she told him much of the truth...just leaving the part about the cancer probably coming back completely out of her explanation. "I'm fine, Draco. Really, I'm much better." She smiled reassuringly before standing up. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm very tired and I'm going to get off to bed! Goodnight!" she bounded up the stairs, to try and prove she was completely fine and when she reached her room, she closed the door and walked slowly over to her bed. She began to breathe heavily and slowly before she passed out, her legs still hung over the side of the bed.

3:00 A.M.

Draco knocked sleepily on the door. "Hermione.....?" He opened the door just a crack and saw her laying on her bed, with her legs swung over the bed. "Hermione?" he questioned a little louder. He started to get worried when she didn't move. From where he was standing, it didn't even look like she was breathing. But...as he neared her, he saw her chest moving slowly up and down. He sighed with relief and fixed her properly on her bed. As he pulled the covers up around her, he kissed her forehead gently.

He turned and left as quietly as possible and went to his own room. As he walked in, he breathed in the smell of his own cologne and took in the beautiful green and silver decorations in his new room. He sat down on his bed....I'm finally home he thought to himself.

After changing into his green and dark blue plaid pajama pants, he slipped into his covers and sighed, closing his eyes. In his mind, he saw Hermione's beautiful sleeping face, he imagined her beautiful brown eyes, her gorgeous hair that had smoothened out from its normal bushy state, and her luscious lips that he longed to take as his own......his eyes snapped open as he came to a startling realization......

I'm in love with her

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"You think Hermione's acting weird?" asked Ron as he stuffed a muffin that he had stolen from the feast the first night, into his mouth. "It's been a week and I've seen her like...four times...total." Harry thought for a moment and nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah same here. Maybe Ginny knows what's going on. It's crazy, but I think I saw her and Malfoy in the hall together the other day. I mean, that could be totally off...but I'm pretty sure that's what I saw."

"She's a nut case if she wants to be with that tub of lard!" Ron laughed at his extremely stupid joke as Harry stared lazily out their window. "Oh cheer up, mate, I'm sure you were just seeing things. Hermione's the smart one, remember? Besides, she's probably just acting differently after that whole...umm thing over the summer. I just hope she's ok."

"Yeah...." Harry spotted Ginny and ran towards her. "Ginny!" she turned around and smiled brightly at the beautiful boy in front of her.

"Harry! What a pleasant-"

"What's going on with Hermione?" Harry interrupted her, leaving her completely disappointed. Her face fell, only noticeable to Ron.

"Um, what do you mean?"

"She's been acting odd lately, is she all right? Is she with Malfoy?" Ginny threw Ron a sideways glance and then returned her sight to Harry.

"Uh, I don't know, why don't you ask her yourself? Don't come crying to me about it."

"I wasn't!"

"Harry, if you care about HERMIONE so much, why don't you just...just go talk to her! I don't care if you're worried about her! You have no reason to be! She's fine! She's just fine!" she yelled as she ran towards her next class.

"What's wrong with her?" Ron rolled his eyes.

"Well, looky here ladies and gents, he's finally got a clue!" Harry looked at his friend questioningly. "Don't tell me....you still don't get it! You. Are. An. Idiot." With that, he stalked off leaving Harry alone in the hallway, completely and utterly confused....

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A/N: Hey guys! I hope you liked this chappie! Please review! It means so much to me!