AN: Six reviews. (cries) This is entirely unfair to me. I'm running on what, four hours of sleep a night, trying to figure out just what my calculus teacher's saying over that thick accent of his, and you repay me with this?! Bad, bad children.

To those of you who did review, thank you, I love you, and all that. Remind me to read your stories and review them many times over.

I am, somewhere deep inside, a nice person. So even though I said things like "Review, or die..." and made a few threats to leave this story unfinished and languishing slowly in a corner, I'm posting up the third chapter. Excuse me while I leave you all to read and "forget" to review.

Draco: Maybe they just don't like you.

Keri: You be quiet before I leave you at a cliffhanger. I'll do it, you know I will...

Draco: (silence)

Keri: Much better. And now....Chapter Three.

Immortal Blessings

Chapter Three: Fantasies Interrupted by Reality, Part One

Draco couldn't believe that Hermione Granger had actually defended him. After years of being absolutely cruel to her, she had stood up for him to one of her best friends- she believed he had truly changed.

As he stared at her in disbelief, he realized that he hadn't been the only one to undergo changes that summer, but hers were much more visible than his. That can't really be her, he thought. Draco was definitely impressed.

Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to focus on the "new and improved" Hermione Granger, as her words sent him back to reality.

"You're right. We should get started. Ron, could you please sit down while we try and get their attention?"

Ron grudgingly did as he was told, muttering something like "would never have let me go if I'd said something like that," as he found himself a seat on one of the sofas.

"Excuse me! Would you please quiet down for just a moment?" Hermione called. Almost immediately, all of the prefects silenced and turned to her and Draco, save for a Slytherin fifth year who continued talking to the boy next to her, batting her eyelashes adoringly.

Looks like we have the next Pansy, thought Draco as the one and only was giving him lustful looks from across the compartment. Draco tastefully ignored her as he shot a look at the fifth year girl, who immediately ceased her incessant flirting and turned to the front, the boy giving Draco a look of thanks.

"Now that we have your attention, Miss Meadows, it looks as if we can begin," said Draco with a hint of sarcasm.

Alana Meadows turned slightly pink at this statement. The tall brunette quickly apologized in an attempt to redeem herself.

"All right, welcome to the first prefect meeting of the year, and congratulations on making it, everyone," Hermione began. "Now, your duties as a prefect mainly consist of..."

Draco slowly began to lose focus on everything that was being said as he found himself staring at Hermione. Taking her all in, her long, dark curls, the way she fit into her jeans so well.... Since when has she had that body? I never noticed this last year, she couldn't have actually had anything then. No way. I didn't think she, of all people, could ever look this good.

As he drifted off entirely into his imagination, he began to picture himself with her, kissing her, doing more than just kissing... I wonder what she's like in bed. I should ask Weasley, he's probably shagged her already, or maybe Potter...

The thought of him and Hermione together sent him crashing into real memories, rather than fantasies. The spectrum of images passed by like a film reel, the insults flying by... which, unfortunately, made him realize that no matter what she thought, whether she believed he was a new person or not, the years of taunting and cruel words would never go away. Even if she could manage to forgive him for all of it, he felt as if he would never be able to forgive himself.

He didn't deserve her. He had no chance with her.

Hermione unknowingly brought him out of his reverie for the second time, as she asked, "Is there anything you'd like to add, Draco?"

He thought quickly, as he tried to think of anything he might not have heard her say.

"No, I think you've just about covered it all," Draco said.

"Well, you're all free to go wherever you want on the train. Just make sure to occasionally check the corridors for any problems," Hermione said. With that, they were dismissed. The prefects quickly left to find their friends.

All but two, at least.

"Draco, you look like you'll be lonely with everyone else gone," Pansy simpered, moving closer and closer to Draco. As she placed her hand on his leg, she leaned over, giving Draco a view of her magically enhanced breasts spilling out of a too-tight tank top.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I may not be lonely, but I will be alone. Go find someone else to fuck, Pansy."

The girl pouted, using her last attempt at looking even halfway tempting. Unfortunately for her, it failed miserably. "But Drakie, I thought that we could use some personal-"

"OUT!" Draco shouted. Pansy wasted no time in leaving; she knew what it was like to deal with an angry Malfoy.

Meanwhile, Ron was trying to get Hermione to come back to talk with Harry and Natasha. Like they would ever end up talking. Those two were probably too busy snogging the life out of each other yet again.

"Ron, I'll be fine up here. I want to check out the Head compartment, if it's as good as I've heard."

"But what about-"

"Let's not start this again, Ron. I'll be all right, I said that. Have fun with Harry and Natasha- if you can call that fun."

Ron sighed. "I guess you figured out I needed someone to talk to. I'll leave them alone. I wonder if Dean and Seamus are playing Exploding Snap again... see you later, Hermione." And with that he left to find something to do.

Draco and Hermione were alone together.

After trying to calm himself after the Pansy encounter, Draco said, slightly awkwardly, "So maybe we should make our way to the Head compartment?"

"Good, I'm not the only one who wanted to," Hermione said with a trace of a sigh. a bit of tension was broken between the two, as they walked over to the door separating them from their personal compartment on the train.

At the same time, both thought,

Maybe this ride won't be as long as I think.

AN: I'm sorry, I promised but didn't entirely deliver...but I have the next chap partially written. Everyone happy-ish? It was supposed to be a part of this one, but I didn't want to make it entirely too long.

Now that I think about it, though, this chapter isn't very long at all.

Hermione: See, I told you.

Keri: What, now you and Draco are against me?! You two are perfect for each other.

Hermione: Excuse me?!

Keri: You heard what I said.

Hermione: And I think that you should-

Keri: Oh, look! It's late! And I have class tomorrow! Why don't we continue this some other time?

Review, or I'll come chasing after you in your sleep with various weapons of torture...

-Keri