A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I wanted something that actually sort of worked….Thanks for the people who gave me ideas. Or person. You know who you are. And thanks for all the reviews. 70 is 67 more than I was expecting.

It didn't take long to settle around the room. Draco and Hermione took the window seat facing Ginny, Harry, and Ron. Hermione reflected that it seemed as if she and Malfoy were an old married couple talking to their friends. But you mustn't think like that, Hermione, it can't be good for your sanity.

"I'll start," said Ginny, looking between the two boys for confirmation. When they nodded, she continued. "Have you slept with him?"

"No," Hermione said trying not to blush.

"Do you want to?"

Hermione blushed, though she didn't want to, and was careful not to look at Malfoy beside her. "That's completely irrelevant," she said trying to regain some composure. Ginny smirked.

Malfoy leaned over and whispered in Hermione's ear. "She's stealing my smirk, too."

Hermione grinned, and waved him away. Harry and Ginny exchanged interested glances.

"My turn, 'k Gin?" Asked Harry, and it was her turn to nod. "You're not really a couple, are you?"

Hermione and Draco looked shocked. They looked at each other, and Hermione nodded slowly.

"No," replied Draco, hating himself for having to be polite. "Though I don't know why you care."

"We care because, as far as we know, you and Hermione are sleeping around together, and that's not exactly a comforting thought!" Ron burst out.

"Oh, get over it Weasley," Draco replied in an incredibly bored voice.

"Shut up, Malfoy, please," Hermione hissed at him. "You'll expect me to be civil to your friends."

"Slytherins don't have friends."

"So? What's the whole story?" Ginny asked eagerly.

Hermione sighed. "I told Parvati and Lavender I was dating him after the jackass kissed me at play practice." She shot him a glare. He, of course, smirked back. "And then they came in one time and-"

"She accidentally gave them the impression that she was pregnant-" Draco continued.

"And had been many times. Though I also implied that I'd found a spell to stop the pregnancy-"

"And that she'd used that many times." Draco finished.

Ginny, Ron, and Harry stared at them. "That," Ginny began, "Was incredibly creepy."

"What was?" They asked in unison.

"The finishing each other's sentences thing," Harry replied, a small smirk growing on his face.

"It's a relief to know that you're not sleeping together, though. Or dating," Ron said.

"One question," Ginny said, a sly grin forming on her face. Hermione gave Draco a nervous glance. "Why are you spending so much time with each other if you're just faking it?"

"Er….Planning?"

"Now Hermione," Harry said, wearing a grin identical to Ginny's. "Are you just trying to make yourself believe that?"

"We're late for play practice," Malfoy broke in, looking completely impassive.

"Are we really? We'd better go." Hermione shot her friends an apologetic smile. "Bye guys. Sorry we had to cut this conversation short."

"No problem," they replied smiling.

"I'm gonna get some food," Ron said, filing out after the pair.

"That was very interesting," Harry began after the three had left.

"Incredibly."

"She says they're faking it-"

"And maybe they were at first-"

"But there's definitely something more there now."

"For sure. Wanna play matchmaker?"

"I don't think we have to."

"Then there are other things we could do to amuse ourselves…."

"Thank Merlin."

"You're welcome."

"I could kiss you right now."

"You could, if you wanted to."

"But I won't," Hermione continued, "In case some one were to see."

"Your friends seem to have it figured out."

Hermione grimaced. "There's nothing we can do."

Malfoy put on a fake voice. "We may have to spend some time apart."

"Oh, no," Hermione said, putting her hand to her forehead in a dramatic pose. "Anything but that, my dear Draco."

"You're right, Peaches. I couldn't bear to spend time away from you."

"That was disturbing."

"But don't you remember? Back in the snow, on that cold winter day…"

"You are such a drama queen."

"I'll let that one go."

"Ready for play practice?"

"You better believe it," he replied as they stood outside the doors. Hermione looked at him uneasily.

"I really do not like the look on your face."

"A wise observation."

"I'm so screwed…."

"Let's run through it again…" McGonagall said tiredly.

"When did this turn into a full-out musical?" Asked Hermione, trying very hard not to yell.

"It's absolutely bogus!" Malfoy agreed.

"You both sing very well," McGonagall began, "And the Headmaster and I feel it adds humour and liveliness to the story."

"But why did it have to be muggle songs?" Wailed Malfoy from his side of the stage. He was wearing his costume and feeling very odd because of it.

Hermione was on the other side of the stage, also in costume. Hannah had finally decided on a deep purple dress that seemed black in most light made of a light material. It flowed down to about her ankles, so she wouldn't trip, and had a corset laced with dark green threads. She was perfectly at ease in the gown, and swiftly replied "What is wrong with muggle music?"

"Are you listening to any of this?"

"I like it!"

"I knew you were a freak, but this is a little over the top!"

"Break," McGonagall said to the rest of the cast as the two bickered. Everyone walked away to talk, shaking their heads sadly. After a few minutes, McGonagall called everyone together again. Malfoy and Hermione had stopped yelling at one another briefly to get something to drink. They shot each other nasty glares as their teacher looked down at them. "We're going to practice the last song until it's close to perfect. Then you will be dismissed."

"What's the song?"

McGonagall looked down her nose to the paper in front of her. " 'All You Need Is Love', by the Be-atlas. I think."

Hermione stopped her scathing glares to look at McGonagall. "Do you mean the Beatles?"

"That must be it," her teacher agreed, nodding her head. Hermione looked pleased until she fully realized what McGonagall had said.

"Are you kidding?" She exclaimed, disbelief written all over her face. Malfoy looked at her in interest. "I refuse; absolutely refuse to sing that-"

"Granger, this is the first song you've refused to sing. I'm getting a little worried," Malfoy broke in.

Hermione shot him a look of terror. "You should be. You should be."

Harry and Ginny were wandering past the Great Hall when they heard some rather disturbing sounds. Peeking inside, they found a sight of utter mayhem before them.

Hermione and Malfoy were in the center of the stage. Hermione was crying, though they appeared to be tears of laughter. Malfoy was staring around at the rest of the cast in shock, probably due to the fact that they were singing and wearing bright, hippy clothing. That had been modified to fit medieval standards, of course. Dumbledore and McGonagall were looking pleased from their spot in the corner, and a song was booming through the Hall.

For the fifth time that day, Harry and Ginny exchanged interested glances.

Hermione was sitting on her window seat, waiting for Ginny and Harry to come for their explanations. She'd seen them looking in earlier, and then disappearing with amused looks on their faces. No doubt anyone would be interested to learn of the strange clothing and music coming from the Hall that day, though few would really understand.

But it was only Ginny who burst into her room a few minutes later, looking just as terrified as Malfoy had been earlier.

"What is it Gin? Has something happened?"

"Malfoy! He's hurt. Harry's with him, but I don't know…" Hermione had already rushed past her. Ginny hurriedly followed, giving directions as they ran.

They ended up the dungeons, which didn't surprise Hermione in the slightest. Harry was leaning against a wall, looking down amusedly at a rather beaten and bruised Draco Malfoy, who was yelling some rather profane things.

"Oh, shut up Malfoy!" Hermione said as she reached him. Ginny gave a short laugh and went to stand beside Harry. "What happened?"

"My friends."

"I thought Slytherins didn't have friends," she said mockingly, examining the bruises. "Why aren't you sitting?"

"I'm in pain."

"Really?"

"My back."

"Did they use hexes? Or did they resort to the good, old-fashioned beating of friends?"

"My dear Hermione. It's the Slytherin way."

"I should have known."

"You started the rumour. Therefore, I blame you."

"You went along with it!"

"So? It doesn't mean I-" but he broke off to wince in pain as her hand hit a spot on his back.

"Hmmmm," she said thoughtfully, lifting his robes and shirt and examining the wound. "Well, either they used weapons or Parkinson has really long nails."

"I wouldn't know," Malfoy replied, smiling grimly.

"Sure you wouldn't," Harry muttered. Ginny hurriedly shushed him as Malfoy glared.

"Pomfrey?" Ginny asked Hermione. The older girl nodded.

"No!"

"What do you mean by no, exactly?" Asked Hermione sarcastically.

"Couldn't you do it, Peaches?" He said, looking up and giving her his charming puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake!" Hermione said, sounding exasperated. But she didn't really mind. "You better have a valid reason."

"Other than the fact that I love you loads?"

"Yes, other than that."

"You know what?" Harry asked while Ginny snickered. "I don't know whether to be amused or disgusted."

"Compromise," Hermione and Malfoy said, once again in unison, as she began to help him to his feet.

Later that night, after Harry and Ginny had departed to do God knows what, Hermione sat perched on her window seat once again. Malfoy was sound asleep on her bed, shirtless, and the stars were the only thing doing a good job of distracting her.

She'd tried reading, but had found that the only books she could find were the ones given to her by Parvati and Lavender as a joke gift the year before. A rather large set of the wizards version of Harlequin romances. Come to think of it, Hermione didn't really know if they'd meant it as a joke or not….

The point was that when you're trying to get your mind of a shirtless boy lying on your bed who might just be attracted to, crappy romance novels were not the best things to focus on.

"Granger?"

"Don't sound so pathetic Malfoy," she said, still not turning around.

"What am I going to do?"

"I haven't a clue. That's up to you to decide."

"I can't go back."

"Report it."

"And get beaten up again? Or worse?"

"Go back, tell them I was your sex slave or something, and hope they believe you."

"Would you look at me? I can't tell if you're joking or not."

"Not until you put on a shirt."

Hermione could practically hear the smirk on his face as he answered. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"Malfoy…."

"Just turn around Granger. You've kissed me. You can resist my fabulous abs."

Hermione turned around, drawing her knees up to her chest. "Would you believe that this is the first time a guy other than Harry or Ron has been in my room?"

"Yes."

Hermione shook her head. "So, what did you think of my plan?"

"You weren't joking?" He gaped at her, astonished.

"Well, do you see another option?"

"People would talk…"

"They already have."

"You'd have a horrible reputation."

"But the people I love would believe me."

"You only hope that."

"I know that."

"Besides, if I was to say you were my sex slave, they'd want to know what you were like…And I really wouldn't know."

"What are you suggesting?"

He pretended to look taken aback. "Why, nothing. It was merely an observation of a catch in your plan."

Hermione sighed, and slowly moved over to the bed. "Move over. I suppose you're sleeping here tonight."

"Under the covers?"

"You really are a wishful thinker, aren't you?"

"Sometimes," he whispered into her ear as she turned off the lights, "Wishes do come true."

A/N: Please review. If you have any ideas for the next chapter, I'm open to suggestions. To those of you who wanted another play rehearsal, here it is. Hope you liked it.