Author's Notes: Aren't you all glad I've updated so quickly? Gotta love pneumonia and inspiration! Please review with your thoughts/comments/suggestions good or bad!

The next morning Hermione awoke to early morning sunlight pouring onto her bed from the window. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, and pulled her comforter into her chest in a vain attempt to fall back asleep.

"It's Sunday." She moaned, "No lessons, no classes, I can sleep in."

She pulled her burgundy blanket over her head to try to block the sunlight that refused to go away, and curled up into a little ball hugging one of her many pillows into her chest. She didn't want to get up, she had been having such a lovely dream.

A little smile played across her face as she remembered it, but it was soon followed by a frown when she lost the details in her memory.

A sharp tapping against the window pane interrupted her reverie. She pulled the blanket down and glanced at the window.

"Pig." She groaned climbing out of her four poster bed to let the tiny owl in.

It flew in with a swoosh, quickly dropping it's letter onto the bed and making circles around her bushy head. Occasionally, and mush to her annoyance it would peck her head, obviously waiting for the response. She unfolded the letter and scanned it over.

It read:

Hermione,

Rise and shine sleepy head, another glorious sunny day ahead for us. We were surprised when you weren't there for breakfast, but ferret-face said something about how the two of you pulled an all-nighter with Dumbledore. Well whatever. We'll meet you in the Great Hall for lunch and then we can all go down to Hagrid's for tea. He owled us today, he's back from France! Anyhoo he told us he was a little short on food, so we'll be providing the tea and snacks from the kitchens, and although it'll put the poor little house elves up to more work we trust you'll have no objections.

See you at noon,

Ron Harry Ginny

P.S. Gin wants to say something, I dunno what.

Hermione,

Ignore them, they're gits. I told them not to send this owl and all or face your wrath at being woken up, but you know how boys are. Anyways, I'd figure I'd apologize before you get a chance to have a go at me and put the blame on those two buffoons you call friends. Anyways please come with us today…Ron and Harry feel really guilty about not showing Friday night, even though Ron won't say anything because he's hoping you forgot by now, and Harry keeps yelling at me to put some apology in. So there you go. But anyways, you simply have to come because we hardly see you anymore you're so busy and plus I have to talk to you about this rumor I heard.

With love,

Ginny

Shaking her head a little Hermione sighed and glanced up at the clock ten thirty. She rolled her eyes and picked up her quill and parchment, scrolling a quick reply

Dear Ron, Harry, and Ginny,

First off---How dare! That's right I did say DARE! How dare you even think of trying to send me any owls before eleven on a weekend, especially after Draco told you that I've pulled not one but two all nighters this weekend? I'm probably not making any coherent sentences because I only woke up two bloody minutes ago.

I'll see what I can do about making this noon deadline, I mean I have to be looking my best to see royalty…and by royalty I hope you both know I'm referring to the two biggest royal PRATS I've ever met. That's right your bloody well forgiven but it certainly isn't forgotten. The next time either of you do something that peeves me, don't be surprised to have this come back to bite you in the arse.

After I've groomed myself to my satisfaction I'll see what I can do. And Gin, about that rumor…I think I might have heard it. You and I definitely need to talk.

Much love (and some resentment)

From,

Hermione

After she signed her name with a flourish and sent it off with Ron's annoying bird Hermione got herself ready for the day. She drew herself a bath in the joint bathroom that she and Draco shared and pulled out her baggy red tee-shirt with the obnoxious Gryffindor lion pasted on the front, a matching rd hair scarf, her favorite worn and tight denim jeans and some underwear.

She quickly immersed herself in the steaming water, letting the soot from the previous day soak right off her skin. She let off a gentle sigh as she closed her eyes in the tub, allowing all her thoughts to simply slip back into her subconscious.

It was so nice for once in a while to not have to think about anything.

After her fingers and toes had pruned up nicely, Hermione opened her eyes and poured a good heap of body wash onto a loofa and proceeded to scrub herself thoroughly. Meaningless tasks like this always allowed Hermione to let her mind wander, and lately much to her own discontent, she had found her thoughts often drifting to Draco Malfoy.

It was becoming painstakingly clear to Hermione that she was beginning to fancy Draco Malfoy, but why she had yet to understand. Logically, she knew that connecting Draco to romance was like connecting a fish with a bicycle. Even if he had been something other than nasty to her for most of the school year, and even if since the beginning of the task he was becomingly decidedly more civil to her, it didn't make up for six years of viciousness on his part.

It seemed almost morally wrong to fancy him. He was her childhood bully or one of the them at least, and had marked her years in the wizardering world with something decidedly unpleasant. He had gone out of his way to tease her, torment her and her friends. He had been nothing but unkind to her for as long as she had known him, his father had tried to kill Ginny and kill all the muggle-borns.

She sighed. The heart was indeed a foolish organ. She was falling for someone who had hated her from the moment he met her simply because of her parents and her heritage. She fancied someone who was snarky, cruel and vain.

Stupid Hormones.

As soon as she was finished washing, she stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in one of the big fluffy white towels that hung on the door. She stretched and wiped the steam off the mirror observing her reflection.

Heart shaped face, check. A too determined chin, check. Small up turned nose, check. Fat red lips, check. Pale skin, check. Rosy cheeks check. Ears that stuck out, check. With a sigh she turned away from the mirror, unhappy with her reflection.

She wasn't a vain girl or one that spent all that much time consumed with her looks, and although she had never been too interested in makeup or her hair she couldn't help but think that some lip glass and mascara might do her the world of good. Well, why not? She reasoned to herself. She was seventeen, what could a little make up hurt?

She quickly spelled her unruly wet curls into dry bouncing ringlets and wrapped the towel around herself, making a dash through the common room.

To her mortification both Blaise and Draco were there, playing a game of gobstones. They both stopped mid play to stare at her as she raced through the room. With a roll of her eyes she climbed the flights of steps that led to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her before Blaise could get a chance to wolf whistle.

----------------------------------------------------

As Hermione dashed through the room Draco couldn't stop himself from noticing her long, shapely legs and the fact that the Gryffindor girl was wearing only a towel. His eyes grazed over her barely clad rear as she climbed the flight of steps and he couldn't stop himself from admiring the view.

However it seemed as though he was not the only one affected.

"Any respect I ever had for her is now gone." Blaise muttered under his breath as he glanced at the board in front of him.

"What?" Draco asked, "Why?"

"It's just really hard to admire a girls intellect when all you can think about doing is shagging her senseless." Blaise said with a sigh.

"Why do you want to shag Granger?" Draco hissed, clenching his fist under the table.

"Did you see her?" Blaise asked incredulously. "I know I might be a sexed up little prat in your eyes that wants to shag everyone and everything, but even a blind man could tell she's absolutely gorgeous."

Draco stiffened.

"C'mon now Malfoy." Blaise said, "Did you see her rump? What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes."

"She's not that good looking." Draco finally muttered making a move on the board.

"Oh give it a rest man. You're a Malfoy. Isn't your family supposed to have a natural eye for beauty?" Blaise said with a grin.

Draco paused trying to think of something he could find fault with on her without lying. It was a rather long pause until he finally murmured, "Her eyebrows are too bushy."

"And of you know of course that eyebrows are a key factor when it comes to turn ons." Blaise said under his breath.

Draco stood up and left the common room without another word.

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"Hello Severus." Said Professor McGonagall slyly taking a seat next to the strict Potions Master.

"Minerva." He said rather coolly trying to not let on how surprised he was.

"Pass the pepper will you?" she asked glancing down at the scrambled eggs she had loaded onto her plate.

He quickly handed it to her, trying to figure out what exactly was making her act so civilly towards him.

"Tell me Severus." She finally said after about five minutes of silence, "You're not seeing anyone are you?"

Only years of spying prevented him from spewing his eggs all over the table.

"Currently," he said rather curtly, "I am not involved in any romantic endeavors Minerva. Might I ask as to why you are suddenly so interested in my love-life?"

"Oh I just heard that someone had a crush on you." She said with a dreamy sigh.

"A crush?" Severus choked, "On me? Surely not."

"Well he said he found your broody behavior extremely sexy." Replied Professor McGonagall.

Noting his horrified expression she exclaimed, "Merlin's Balls! You are gay aren't you Severus?"

With this statement Severus could feel his patience thinning significantly. "I do not have much of a preference either way Minerva, and I beg you would not importune me any further on the subject." And with this he stood and left the great Hall much to the Professor's disappointment, but he couldn't help feeling rather flattered as he stalked down the corridors to his dungeons.

"Someone has a crush on me?"

Author's Notes: If yall remember what I said a while back, everything I do in this story has a purpose of some sort. So there is a purpose to the Remus/Severus side pairing...students aren't the only ones who need to get over their prejudices after all. (hehe)

And just in case you forgot, a review would really make my day! (smiles cheekily)