Chapter 8-

Disclaimer- I unfortunately do not own any of these characters so give all the props to the-oh-so-talented J.K.!!!!!!

AN-On with the story…Enjoy….

The week seemed to fly by. Friday seemed to have came so fast for Hermione, which was okay because she was really excited about Saturday. She wondered where Draco was planning on taking her. 'Ron and I never got anywhere. He never really offered. Draco asked to take me out and we aren't ever going out or anything. I wonder if we ever will. It's not very likely. We are way to different.' she thought. 'What if he doesn't really like me at all? What if he has some dark ulterior motive? I mean honestly, the thought of me and him actually being "together" is crazy! Stop! Things change. Maybe even Draco Malfoy. You have got to stop accusing him of using you. He has been very genuine and caring to you.'

"This is so good!' said Ron, after he finished swallowing a bite of his lunch.

"So, 'Mione, what do you want to do at Hogsmeade tomorrow?" asked Harry.

"Well, I can't really hang out with you guys tomorrow. At all." she replied, knowing that they would demand an explanation.

"What????" they both yelled at the same time. (Ron spraying her with food)

"Well, you see…I have to go with Malfoy. We have to start planning the dance. We are supposed to go together and make up a price list and kind of come up with what all we are going to need. Dumbledore's orders." she answered in a cool voice.

"That really sucks! I was hoping that we were going to get to hang out with you tomorrow." Harry said. "But, if Dumbledore said so, then you better do what he said. Maybe we will see you up there."

"Okay. It really sucks. I already have to live with that sap. Now I have to go to spend a whole day with him!" she said with the most disgusted look she could manage. 'I really hate lying to them. I wish I could tell them that I like him!'

"Yeah, he's-such-a-stupid-jerk!" Ron said between bites.

"Ron, can you please finish chewing before you begin to talk. I once read that…" Hermione rambled on for a few minutes before she realized that he wasn't listening to her. "I am going to go to class now, bye." she said before she trudged out of the Great Hall.

'What is Ron's deal. He has been acting weird ever since we broke up. He shouldn't be mad or anything. He broke up with me, not the other way around!' she thought as she walked towards the dungeons. 'Man, I just remembered, I am heading to Double Potions with Snape! Merlin, this isn't going to be fun.'

"Pssst….pssssst!" came a voice from the empty corridor beside her. She turned toward the voice, and once again she heard, "Psst…Hermione!" She slowly began walking towards the voice. She quickly looked behind her to see if anyone was around. When she was sure there was no one, she slipped into the empty corridor.

Suddenly a hand covered her mouth. She tried to scream, but his hands held her mouth to tightly. "Shhhhh, it's just me, Granger." said the voice.

The sound of his voice calmed her instantly. He slowly let her go and she spun around. "Draco?" she whispered. She was about ready to yell at him, when she moticed the tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"My…mother…is…." his voice trailed off.

"What Draco? What is wrong with you mum?" she asked.

"She's…dead!" he answered.

"Oh my God!"

"And my dad…he's in Azkaban! He killed her! He killed my mother…" his voice trailed off once again, and a single tear slid down his cheek.

Hermione immediately pulled him to her and held him tightly. "Oh, Draco…" was all she got out as she too felt tears well in her eyes. He pulled her closer to him and held him as close as he could. He clung to her like she was the only thing he had left in the world. "What happened?" she asked when he had calmed down a little bit. She slid them to the floor so they could be more comfortable.

"He was caught using an Unforgivable Curse on her, and she killed herself! It wasn't her fault though. Hew drove her to it! He killed her!" he said almost yelling. This caused Hermione to hold him tighter. "I am going to kill him if he ever gets out of that place. The Dementor's Kiss is too good for him. They should let me kill him. I don't care if I have to use an Unforgivable Curse on him. He deserves it! I will kill him!" he said in a low, menacing voice. "I HATE HIM!!!!!!!!"

This scared Hermione and she visibly tensed. Draco noticed this and looked up at her. He pulled back and gazed into her brown eyes. He tried to read them. All he could see was fear. 'She's scared of me! I scared her! I can't scare her, I need her!' he thought, yelling at himself.

"Sorry, I am just angry and upset. I didn't mean to scare you!" Draco said as he pulled her into a tight hug. When he did so she relaxed and hugged him back. He needed her and she would be there for him.

After ten minutes of sitting there holding each other, they got up and went into Snape's classroom. When they walked in together the whole class turned and looked at them. They were staring at disbelief.

Draco, who had magically transformed back into his smirking self, walked right up to Snape's desk. He had a hold on Hermione's wrist and practically dragged her up to the front of the classroom.

"Professor. May we please speak to you in your office?" Draco asked him in a calm voice.

Snape merely nodded and stood up. He started wolking towards his office. Draco followed without a word. He was still dragging Hermione behind him. He had apparently not noticed the death glares that they were getting from everyone in the room.

"Professor," Draco said as he sat down in one of the chairs, "My mother is dead and my father is in Azkaban." he said the last with no emotion in his voice whatsoever.

Snape's head shot up and he eyed his prized student. After a minute of this he seemed to notice Hermione for the first time. "And what, pray tell, does Ms, Granger have to do with this?"

"She was with me when I found out, Professor. That is why we are late for class. It was my fault that she was late, so please excuse her." Draco said.

"Fine." said Snape. "You two are excused from that pert of class. I am sorry about your mother, Mr. Malfoy. Anyways, we are making a Polyjuice Potion. This potion will let a person transform into another. The normal potion takes a month to complete, but I have modified it so that it will only take two days. You will find the ingredients at your table. You two will have to be partners. Now go." he instructed as he pointed to the door.

They did as he said without a question. They took the first empty table they could find and begun their potion. Hermione felt people stare at the odd couple,but decided to ignore it.

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After class Draco and Hermione parted to join their friends for dinner. Draco had said he was going to go to his room before dinner and Hermione was going to find Harry and Ron.

"Drakie!" yelled a high-pitched voice from behind him. 'Oh Merlin. Just what I need!' he thought as he kept walking down the corridor.

Suddenly he felt two arms wrap around him from the back. "What do you want, Parkinson?" Draco asked in an irritated voice.