A/N: Sorry, I know I said that I'd have this chapter up sooner, but something's wrong with my internet connection. It's running waaayyy slower than usual. I'm getting it fixed soon. I'll try and update before Friday because that's when I'm leaving for vacation. Don't worry though! I'll write the chapters in a notebook or something so I could just type it up when I come back!

 I know that some of these are short, but I'm trying to make them as long as I can. Anyways thanks to all the positive reviews! Keep it up!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…except the plot.

Chapter 5: Tension in Potions

            Draco silently watched as Ron and Hermione made their way out of the common room. Crabbe and Goyle were of course by his side munching on pieces of toast and muffins.

            "Damn that Weasley." He muttered. His plan, which seemed to have been going smoothly, had now crashed. The scene that played before him made him sick. How could you storm into that common room as pissed as hell, then come out frolicking like bloody bunnies?? He thought.

            He followed Hermione and Ron back to the Great Hall and sat in his usual place at the Slytherin table.

            As Hermione sat next to Harry, she felt eyes on her. Turning her head, she scanned the tables but couldn't see that anyone was staring at her. I have got to get more sleep, she decided. While joking around with the other Gryffindors, her eyes unknowingly strayed to the Slytherin table. Draco was sitting at the opposite end of the table staring at her. She did a double take to make sure she wasn't imagining things. His gray eyes were sparkling with mischief and his lips were curved into a familiar smirk. She watched him as he looked into her eyes, noticing the way his darkened. Hermione wasn't exactly sure why Draco's stares made her heart race, but she didn't have enough time to figure it out. The bell had woken her up. I have definitely got to get more sleep…

            Potions…with the Gryffindors………hmm…Draco thought.  He dragged Crabbe and Goyle to Snape's dungeon, another cunning Malfoy-worthy idea brewed in his head. Perhaps his plan was going to work after all…

            Before the trio could make it to potions, Draco made sure most of the seats were taken and that there was a limited choice. He forced everyone to sit where HE wanted. No one dared to object Draco and that's was another thing that he loved about being a Malfoy. The fear of his name. After completing his seating chart, he made sure that there was an empty seat next to him.

            By the time Harry, Ron, and Hermione made it to the room, there was a narrow choice of seating.

            Snape billowed in and slammed the dungeon doors; which startled the three. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger…you're not in your seats. May I ask why?"

            "Sorry sir, we were a little late."
            "That's no excuse Ms. Granger. Five points from Gryffindor…each." Ron opened his mouth to argue, but was covered by Harry's hand.

            "Right sir. Five points each. Got it." Snape stared at them as they stared back.

            "Well? Mr. Potter, take the seat next to Ms. Patil; Mr. Weasley, take the seat next to Mr. Longbottom; and Ms. Granger, next to Mr. Malfoy you go." Hermione shuddered silently as she reluctantly sat next to him.

            "Well, hello Granger. Didn't think we'd see each other so soon."

            "Shut it Malfoy."

            "What does Malfoy think he's playing at?" Ron asked himself.

            "What?"

            "I'm not talking to you Neville."

            Class went by slow as Snape explained the properties of a powerful sleeping drought. Hermione copied down notes, but couldn't help but notice that Draco wasn't. He seemed busy with other things. She constantly felt his eyes on her, but decided she was probably being delusional. That's it…delusional.

            Snape gave the instructions for the potion. "One person from each group will come up here and retrieve the ingredients."

            "I'll get them." Hermione said quickly while getting up.

            Draco looked at her chair next to him and pulled it closer before she could come back.

            Hermione frowned as she came back. The chairs weren't that close before. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him, trying to discover whether or not he had deliberately moved her chair as a way to annoy her. It wouldn't at all surprising if he was trying to start a fight with her, though he tended to keep their debates to subjects other than Potions. Snape did not tolerate such behavior and neither wanted to jeopardize their standings with an unnecessary detention.

            Hermione decided she was getting a little paranoid and just moved away from Draco just a little before sitting down. She began to prepare the potion, feeling his eyes watching her movements with their normal concentration. He definitely believed in giving his full attention to whatever activity he was participating in. Only thing was…Hermione got nervous as she felt Draco's eyes bore into her hands, scared to make a mistake. Draco's eyes went from her hands to her face. Hermione saw from the corner of her eye that he was about to burn a hole through her.

            With shaky hands, she was seconds away from adding ground-up poppy seeds. All of a sudden he moved his leg against hers, brushing his knee against her leg slowly. His hand that was resting on his knee brushed against her bare skin. She dropped the spoon holding the powder at the feel of his fingers on her leg. What the hell is wrong with me??

            "God, Granger. Is it too much to expect you to not spill the ingredients?" Draco drawled lazily.
            "You touched me," she hissed, a bit embarrassed that she had spilled the seeds, glad that no one had noticed her mistake.
            "Did I?" he arched a brow and caught her eyes, his lips curving into a smirk as he said, "So sorry."
            "I might believe that if you weren't smiling so damn smugly," she muttered, glaring at him before she fixed another spoon of the seeds. She added it to their potion, her mind drifting as she tried to figure out what Draco was up to. She couldn't think of anything except that he might be trying to get her to create a scene just to embarrass her, but even that was a bit too childish for Draco these days, so she was left rather clueless as to his motivation. Of course, considering her mental state at the moment, he might've touched her by accident and she was freaking out for no reason.

            Despite the fact that she could feel his eyes bore into her every damn second, the potion was a success. No other points were taken from Gryffindor and Hermione had learned how to ignore Draco…for a certain amount of time anyways.

            Class ended and she gathered her stuff as fast as she could.  She rushed to the door forgetting all about Harry and Ron.

            "Hermione! Wait up!" Harry called after her, still putting books in his bag.

            "Oy, what's the rush??" Ron asked out of breath.

            "Oh, um nothing. I'm just feeling a bit light headed that's all." She half-lied.

            "Do you want to go see Madame Pomfrey?" asked a concerned Harry.

            "No! I mean…no I just need to lie down a bit. I inhaled too much of that potion I think…" Hermione muttered as she walked away from her confused friends.

            "Do you believe her?" asked Ron watching her leave.

            "Ron…if she says nothing's wrong, then nothing's wrong." Harry replied firmly. He knew exactly what Ron was thinking of doing.

            "I don't know. I have a feeling this has something to do with Malfoy. Did you see him during class? He was practically staring at her the whole period!"

            "For now, let's just leave her be. If something was bothering her, she would've told us by now. R-right?"

            "……Right…" Ron was still unconvinced.

            Draco sneered at his work. He was listening to their conversation from a safe distance and saw Hermione walk back into the Gryffindor common room. He had succeeded in his little experiment. The mudblood was definitely attracted to him. Now all he had to do was make her admit it…but then again, that wouldn't be very fun. That'd be giving her too much mercy. And the Malfoys were not known for giving mercy.

            Hermione dropped her bag in the Gryffindor common room. It landed with a safe thud on the couch. What the hell was going wrong with her? This is another one of Malfoy's sadistic games…I know it. But the problem was, what was she going to do about it? Fine…if he wants to play with me…I'll play. Let the games begin.

A/N: Well there's your 5th chapter. Oooh what's Draco up to now? Only time will tell. Review!! Does it seem like Harry and Ron are a little OOC? I think I switched their personalities around…o well. If it works for you guys!!