"What does it mean?"

He started to back away but I grabbed hold of his wrist before he could completely turn around.

He halted and then slowly turned around and looked deeply into my eyes. It was intimidating; his steely gray eyes covered in a cloud of what couldn't be deciphered.

"Let go of me, Granger" he whispered dangerously.

"Not until you tell me what this means!" I stated determinedly, even though I wanted nothing more than to let go of him when he was in this state.

"Let go of me and I'll tell you, damn it!"

Needless to say, I dropped his arm.

He held out his hand expectantly and I stared at it. What did he want? I just let go of his wrist and he wants me to take his hand?

"The ring…" he said like he was talking to a five-year old. I handed it over, blushing for my stupidity.

He enclosed his hand over the band and walked over to the couch and sat down. I followed him, a bit unsure of his actions and sat on the chair across from the couch. I watched, as he began to examine

" My mother gave this to me, at the beginning of the year. She told me it was her class ring from Beabatuens, her wizarding school, and to keep it to always remember her. She told me that she realized a few days back that she had never given me anything that had belonged to her. The hugged me good-bye and then I ran onto the train. I looked the ring over many times while on the train and finally placed it on my finger right before I got off, unable to figure one thing out about it. I had taken it on and off and fiddled around with it, thinking until it hurt. I didn't realize what it meant until potions the other day, where this ring, only what seemed to be a females version, shone brightly in the goblet. It had the magnified saying on it and I was stunned that I hadn't seen it before. I immediately knew what the engraving meant, because my mother had taught me French when I was a child, since she spent 7 years of her life in France. In those few minutes while you badgered me about what it meant, I realized that you-"

"HERMIONE! Thank goodness I found you!"

Oh perfect timing, Harry! Really swell. In fact, I couldn't have planned it better myself!

"What do you need!" I yell back, exasperated.

"I need your help! This potions essay is due tomorrow and I know you've done it. I've been working on it for 2 hours and I only have an inch to show for it!"

"Umm, Harry I was kinda in an important conversa-"

"No, Granger, its fine."

As he stood up to leave it became evident that Harry had not yet seen him.

"Ferret, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, seeing as I have a shiny silver badge that says 'HEAD BOY' and you don't this is now my common room and not yours so I suggest you shut your mouth unless you want me to start deducting points. And really, giving you a warning is being generous on my part."

Draco turned to leave, walked to his bedroom portrait, paused and turned back to look at me.

For once I was able to see a change in him. He hadn't called me anything bad all day.

"Later, Mudblood."

Guess that didn't last long. Ginny was right I really shouldn't like him. He'll never change.

"Hermione…HERMIONE!"

I snapped out of my "trance."

"What!"

"Essay…me… help!" he said annoyed with my remoteness.

"Okay give me your paper, let me see what you have so far…"

I woke up feeling exhausted, but didn't know why. Then I remembered I was up till 3 helping Harry with his silly assignment that I had finished last week.

I stretched and walked into the bathroom. It was stunning. The facets were crystal, so when they were turned on you could see the water flowing smoothly out of it. The sink top was marble, as was the bathtub. The bathtub was big enough to fit at least 8 people…not that 8 would ever be in there at the same time on my watch.

I looked at my watch and realized it was 7:45. I didn't have time for a bath so I jumped in the shower and summoned my shampoo, conditioner, and body wash to me.

I poured the vanilla scented shampoo in my hair and massaged my head. I then lathered my head with my creamy conditioner while I scrubbed my body clean with an apple smelling body wash.

When I stepped out of the shower and ran some of my straightening serum through my hair and dried it with a spell. I put on my clothes, a red halter with a jean mini skirt that was frayed at the end and for my feet I had on a pair of strappy black sandals. I threw my school robes over top and applied my make-up before stood back to look at my work. Not bad!

I grabbed my bag and headed down to breakfast.

Just as I reached the portrait leading to the rest of the castle I heard Draco come out of his room.

I turned and saw him coming towards me and before I could stop myself I asked if he wanted to walk with me. Damn! I was supposed to be being mean to him like he was to me the past 6 years, not inviting him to walk with me. Oh well.

"Sure," was all he said.

We didn't speak the entire way down and when we got to the doors all he did was nod to me as he turned and walked to the Slytherin table.

I walked towards the Gryffindor table and sat next to Ginny, who had her head resting on her arms, trying to get any sleep she could before classes.

"Wake up, sleepy head." I said while shaking her awake.

"Nmph!" was all I got as a reply.

"What's your first class?"

"Charms. You?"

"Transfiguration," I said, "then double potions. Yay…not!"

"Well you'd better eat something else you'll never make it through your classes."

I wasn't really hungry, but just to please her I took a pancake and some strawberries and started to eat.

"Today, class, you will be changing a shoe into a rabbit and back. I will be coming around to see how you are doing and helping if need be. Now the incantation is as follows : Scarpa di coniglio. Now come and grab a shoe and begin." Instructed Professor McGonnagal.

I walked up to the basked of shoes and grabbed a open toed, healed, silver shoe and took it back to my desk.

"Scarpa di coniglio!" I said with a tone of almost boredom. I had transfigured so many items over the years the process had become redundant.

Instantly my shoe turned into a fluffy, snow-white bunny.

"Very good, Miss Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor for being the first to transfigure your shoe. Now to transfigure it back simply say 'Cambiare di nuovo.'"

"Cambiare di nuovo!" I said as instructed.

My rabbit then disappeared, only to be replaced by the shoe I had picked from the basket.

"Excellent. Now that you have completed, Miss Granger, please help others who may be having some trouble."

"Okay, Professor." I said respectfully as I placed my shoe back into the basket.

I turned around and scanned across the classroom to see who need help. Since this was and advanced placement class, almost everyone was completing their task, if even with some trouble. That is almost.

I strolled confidently towards my roommate who still hadn't switched his tennis shoe into a rabbit.

"I don't need your help, Granger." Draco growled as I approached him.

Doesn't need my help my ass! I had been watching him for the past 3 minutes and he had made absolutely no progress.

"Fine." I turned to go back to my seat, stopped, turned back and said, "But you need to flick your wand not swish it."

I sat in my seat and out of the corner of my eye I could see him flick his wand and look disapprovingly down at his black rabbit. With another flick the rabbit was gone and the shoe was soon back in the basket.

"Very good, class. Dismissed."

As I walked out of the classroom in the direction of the dungeons, I could feel a pair of eyes following me.

I spun around, but saw no one. Hmm, guess I was just imagining things.

Still, I quickened my pace, feeling a bit uneasy.

As I entered the potions classroom, I quickly made my way up to my usual seat near the front. As I say down, I felt the presence of someone else in the classroom so I swung around in my chair. It was Ron.

My heart stopped. I had been avoiding Ron ever since the other day, but now that we were the only ones in the room I was petrified.

"What are you looking at you asinine little wh– "

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you weasel," snarled someone from the door.

I looked up and my heart leapt. Once again Draco had come to my rescue, but before I could thank him, the rest of the class started to trickle into their seats.

Professor Snape strode in shortly after the rest of the class, and on his way to his desk in the front of the room he gave us the directions for the day.

"Today you all will be making, or attempting to make, Veritiserum. Once you have brewed your potions, you and your partner will take turns testing it. You will ask your partner one question each. The directions are on the board, so unless you wish to receive a zero, I would start right away. Oh, and your partners are the same as last time and will remain that way for the rest of the year. Get to work."

Before I could turn around Draco had already moved his books to the desk next to me and was going to go get the ingredients we needed.

I heated the cauldron, wrote down the instructions on a scrap piece of parchment, and by the time Draco had returned, I had already memorized the first 10 steps.

"Okay, well, let's get started shall we?" I asked a bit nervously.

He nodded and quickly began to cut the herbs need while I measured the right amount of liquids.

20 minutes later we had finished our potion, unlike the rest of our class.

"So, now we test it right? I'll go first."

I poured the potion in a little cup and took a tiny sip.

Instantly my mind went blank. I couldn't think of anything until I heard what seemed to be a far off voice talking.

"Okay, one question….let's see. Oh, I know! Hermione, why did you change?"

"I changed because of Ron. I was sick of him being degrading to me, calling me ugly, calling my fat. Telling me I was worthless. I wanted to show him that I could be so much more without him."

Suddenly I snapped out of my stupor, but had no recollection of what had just occurred.

"What did you ask me?" I asked curiously.

"I asked why you had changed." He said staring into my eyes

"Oh," was all that I could manage to say through the intensity of his stare.

"So, I guess it's my turn now."

He took the same flask and took a quick sip of it. I watched as his eyes glazed over and knew exactly what I was going to say to him.

"Why do you hate me?" I said clearly and without hesitation. I had been wondering this since the first day I met him. Surely blood could conjure up that much hate.

"I hate you because you perfect. I hate you because I can never beat you at anything, even trying my hardest you are better then me without a blink of your eye. I hate you because you're so kind and caring, even to people you hate. You always trust people and give them a second chance. I hate you because you are everything I'm not, but wish I were. I hate you because you're beautiful and don't realize it. I hate you because…I hate you because I can never have you."

A/N: I am so ridiculously sorry for not updating in like forever! I feel terrible! I thank everyone who encouraged me to still continue even after like 3 months. You guys mean the world to me. Thank you all so much for sticking with me. So now that you have read now its time to review – that is if you're not too disgusted in me to stop reading. I hope that's not the case and I swear the next chapter will be coming sooner this time! Thank you all again and until next time vanilla hugs and chocolate chip cookie dough for every1! Yum 