1Author's Note: Hey people! I know I've been working on this chapter for a while, but nothing has come to me lately. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 15

"Okay, Draco, do you have the chart....good. Now where did I put that essay?" Hermione asked herself frantically. It was almost midnight, and she and Draco were meeting in their 'secret room' for probably the last time.

"Stop worrying so much, it isn't that big of a deal," Draco said with a smirk on his face. He was lounging in a decrepit wooden chair, leaning it back on its hind legs so that he could rest his feet on the table. Hermione lifted her head from the monstrosity of papers in front of her and glared at the pompous boy.

"Atromius," she muttered with her wand, and a huge gust of wind blew toward Draco sending the chair collapsing backwards and him plummeting to the floor. Now it was her turn to smirk.

"What was that for!" he yelled annoyed as he pulled himself up. Just as he almost regained his balance, he tripped on a book and fell, face-first, to the ground—again. Hermione tried hard to hide her giggling, but didn't succeed and doubled over laughing uncontrollably. Of course, this made Draco even more annoyed.

"That wasn't funny!"

"Actually it was quite amusing. But seriously, we need to get this done. We're presenting tomorrow, and it counts as our exam grade," she said getting suddenly serious.

"Well, I'm not going to help you," Draco said sternly crossing his arms. Although, his face looked somber, his eyes were alive with amusement.

Hermione sighed. "Oh, stop it, you big baby.....have you seen our closing essay? I just finished it. I can't believe it's gone already!"

"Here it is," Draco said and handed the scroll of parchment to her as he reseated himself, "I was checking over while you were running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Now that was funny."

She snatched it from him, "Well, is it good enough for you?" she asked sarcastically.

"I guess it was decent, considering that I didn't write it, in which case it would be superb. But it was good enough."

"Ugh! You make me so mad sometimes Draco Malfoy," she giggled.

"Now that you have that, are we through?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, we're done. It's kinda sad, though. We will never meet here again after this."

"Yah, right. Uh... We should have some have some kind of party in honor of the occasion."

"What occasion?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"I have no idea, but sit down." She obeyed and sat on the table cross-legged so she could face Draco who now was also cross-legged. He bent down to reach for his bag and reappeared with two ice cold butterbeers in his hands. He placed them on the table and sat across from Hermione who was now smiling.

"Awww, Draco, where did you get these?" she asked sweetly.

"Just a little gift from the kitchens."

"Thank you, really. Come now, let's have a toast."

"You're kidding me," he said as he stared at her, dumbfounded. She frowned.

"Yes, I am serious. Oh, why not? It's just for fun."

"Fine, Miss Priss, whatever you say," he shot his bottle upward in his hand before she could say anything, "A toast! To straight O's in everything we do from this day forward!"

"Here, here!" Hermione yelled a little too loud, and took a deep swig of her drink. For a while after, all you could here were there gulps of the beer and sighs of contentment.

"So, Granger, what are you going to do over the holidays?" Draco asked.

"Oh, nothing much. Harry, Ron, and I are all staying here for, I guess, obvious reasons. Mrs. Weasley isn't too keen on any of us traveling with Voldermort running around. And, I kinda want to stay here, too, for my own reasons." A smile crept across Hermione's innocent features and she looked at Draco from beneath her dark lashes.

Draco appeared startled and momentarily defensive. "I'm not staying, Hermione," he said sternly.

"What do you mean you aren't staying?! You have to; I won't let you leave!"

"Hermione, we've talked about this before. I have to go! Father has already made arrangements for it."

"For what?! Huh? Are you going to have another lesson? This time, weeks long without any interruptions? Do you have idea what you could be thought to accomplish in that time span. It's almost Christmas, and in a maniac's eyes, there isn't any better time to do something horrible!"

"Stop it! I can't take your nagging anymore!" Draco yelled as loud as Hermione.

"You can't take my nagging? What about the knowledge that you're about to be responsible for the lives of innocent people? Or the fact that you refuse to do something against it. Or maybe it's that you are still the same scared, ferret-faced little boy that's taunted me and my friends for the past five years, and you're too puny to speak for yourself!" Hermione screamed.

They were both very angry, and now very hurt by each other's words. Each stared inot his or her lap, afraid to look into the eyes of the other combatant.

"I didn't mean it like that," Hermione whispered.

"Then how did you mean it? It seemed perfectly honest to me. I guess it is good to know how you really feel about me."

"No," Hermione started raising her head, "that is how I used to feel about you, but...now...you've changed."

Draco looked at her now.

"You've changed so much."

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Draco?"

"I'll write to Father tomorrow, asking him if I can stay. I guess I could use a break before we decide on any course of action."

"That would be great." They sat like that for a while longer, staring at each other. After Hermione broke into a yawn, she got up and said good-night to her partner.

"Thank you," Draco said to her as she walked out the door.

"You're welcome, Draco, see you tomorrow."

Dear Father,

I know that I am supposed to come home for the Christmas holidays since I am required to attend my lessons with the tutor, but I request the permission to take a break from these rendezvous. You see, I am becoming exhausted with the immense workload be put on me, and some are beginning to get suspicion as to my whereabouts during certain times. I know that I should be immune to fatigue, but I think that I should be at full strength the next time I have a tutoring session. Also, I haven't had a real Quidditch sessions in a while, and I am somewhat missing my Nimbus. Staying at Hogwarts seem quite remedial to me at the moment, even though mudbloods do reside here. Maybe I could use some of them for target practice.

Your Son,

Draco

Author's Note: I hope you liked it. I promise to have a bigger and better chapter up soon. Review please.

Until Next Time.....