Disclaimer: Stuff you've seen before= JKR's, stuff that's at least pretty new= mine

Hermione got to class early to ask Professor Lupin to meet with her and Draco.

"Sure, Hermione, I'd be more than pleased. How are things going with you and Malfoy?"

"They're fine. I mean, he's been acting strangely all year. I'd almost rather have him go back to his old ways instead of what it is now. I never feel comfortable around him. But it's different than before. I used to feel like when I saw him, he'd Avada me on the spot, but now I feel like, I don't know, that he just doesn't care about anything. Not tormenting me, not his work. I mean, now that we have this assignment, it was the first true emotion I've seen out of him since September. He's so apathetic, it really scares me."

Lupin looked directly in to her eyes. "You mean, no one's told you anything?"

"Told me 'anything' about what?"

"Well, Hermione, it's not my place to say, but Draco had a rough summer. His world changed a lot in a very short time. I don't think he knows how to act anymore, truthfully."

Just as she was about to ask more, the class came in, talking loudly about the upcoming Hogsmeade visit. So, Hermione turned and went back to her seat between Harry and Ron. They all began taking out their parchment when Harry turned to her.

"So, you excited for our big Potions study date tonight, Mione?" he asked with a smile.

Hermione's stomach dropped to the floor. 'Study DATE??' "Yeah, Harry, you better be able to keep up!" she said with a smirk. DADA continued without anything remarkable. They gathered up their things and walked to the Great Hall.

Hermione glanced over at the Slytherin table, only to see that Draco wasn't there yet. She sat down, and began eating. Every few minutes she'd look up to see if Draco was there yet, but he still wasn't.

"Hermione, what are you looking at?" Harry said.

"Oh, sorry, I was just looking to see if Draco was here yet, I just needed to talk to him."

"What do you need to talk to that evil git about? He's not important to anyone!"

"Harry, I have a project to work on with him, and he's not that bad anymore. He hasn't been anything but polite to me all year!" she retorted.

"Ok, ok. But I better not see you sporting green and silver at the next Quidditch match!" Harry said. 'Because I'll hex him into next year if he tries anything.'

Hermione didn't know why Harry was being so protective of her, but she honestly didn't mind. He still needed her to help him, and that re-assured her. 'Maybe I'll tell him how I feel this weekend.'

"Mione, the Dragon's here," Harry said sarcastically. "He's not looking too jolly, haha, serves him right."

Hermione looked over at Draco. Not only did he not look jolly, he looked horrible. She then noticed that Snape had just walked in, as well. 'He must've been talking to Snape about our project. or something else.'

"You done, Mione? Let's go" Harry was tugging on her robe sleeve.

She followed him to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She stopped in front of it and looked at Harry expectantly.

"Oh! You don't know the password? 'Redheads rule'" Hermione started laughing. Harry said, "That's what happens when you make Ginny Weasley a prefect! Of course, Ron doesn't complain, either!"

Laughing, Hermione entered the Common Room with Harry. They sat down at their table in the back corner, and took out the Potions books. Hermione looked over the assignment.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, "This is on Polyjuice Potions!"

"So?" Harry replied innocently.

"You don't need my help on this, we've made one before, if you don't recall."

"I know, but I knew there'd be no other way to get any of your time! Seems to be a precious commodity these days! I just want to know how you're doing."

Hermione shook her head and laughed. "What do you want to know?"

"I don't know. What are you and Malfoy up to, how are your classes?"

"Well, classes are fine, and Malfoy and I. well, nothing's really going on. We're starting a project for this conference that we're going to in January. It's going to be in Venice for two weeks. I think it'll be pretty interesting.

"You're going on a vacation with Malfoy for two WEEKS? That's insane, is Dumbledore mad?"

"Harry, it's not a vacation, we're going to be at a conference. Speeches, notes, workshops? It won't be like we're touring the canals every day being serenaded by gondoliers!" She paused for a moment, "Not like it'd matter to you anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Lets face it Harry, as far as my personal life goes, you've never been really involved," she mumbled. Hermione stared down at her lap.

"Well," Harry paused, "What if I wanted to be?"

Just as Hermione was about to respond, she heard a knock coming from the other side of the Gryffindor painting. "Hermione?" came the muffled voice of Draco. Hermione, looking surprised, stood up, and walked over to the portrait and said the password.

"Sorry to come in to your room, but do you have any recordings by that Muggle group The Beatles, I just found a..." He trailed off as he saw Harry sitting there with a look on his face that could've killed a basilisk. "Oh, man, I'm so sorry, I didn't think."

"Oh, that's fine Malfoy, you just barge in whenever you want!" Harry said, his voice deathly low. "I'm sure you didn't intend to interrupt at all."

"Really, Potter, I think we're all past that."

"Oh, are we, 'Draco'?" he asked mockingly.

"Harry, really, calm down!" protested Hermione.

But Harry was angrier than he'd ever been before. "Look, Malfoy, you do not come near her anymore unless it's for your Head Boy bullshit, stay away from her, I don't want any Death Eaters tainting Hermione! She's worth 500 Draco Malfoys, you are worth NOTHING, do you understand me? Stay the Hell away from her!" he shouted.

Draco stood there with a stunned look on his face. "I.. I.." he looked around, "I'm sorry Hermione." He turned and walked out.

"Harry." Hermione began.

"Look, will you be my girlfriend?" Harry asked gruffly.

Hermione did a double take. "WHAT?" she exclaimed.

"You heard me," he said, shuffling his feet.

"I. don't know. I mean, I feel like I've been waiting 6 years for you to say that, but. I just need to think right now. I'm just under a lot of stress lately, and I don't want to be unfair to you, and."

Harry broke her off with a kiss. 'So this is what kissing Harry Potter is like!' she thought. He let her go, and she looked in to his eyes.

"Good night, Harry."

She walked back in to her room without turning around. Hermione changed into her night clothes, and went over to her armoire. She rifled through the drawers, and pulled something out. She opened her door and went in to the study. Draco was sitting on his chair, staring at the fire.

She tossed the object in to his lap. "Here you go, it's called 'Magical Mystery Tour' it's really."

Draco began in a slow monotonous voice, "Voldemort killed my father this summer. It happened at what was supposed to be my induction in to the Death Eaters. I told Voldemort I'd never become one of his followers, so he said my father was a failure. My dad tried to kill me, but Voldemort got him first. In the commotion, I ran away, and they didn't catch me. The girl you saw in the picture is my younger sister, Lily. She does not live with us because my father only wanted a male heir in Malfoy Manor because women are weak and servile. The cut is from where I gouged out the beginning of the Dark Mark impression. I'd rather have a scar there for eternity than anything that links me with those sons of bitches. I think Potter is right, you should stay away from me." He got up, and walked towards his door. "Good night Granger."

"Draco!" she called after him, but the door was shut. 'Oh my God. Why didn't anyone tell me? His father is dead! And he has a sister! And he gouged his own arm? My God. I don't believe this.' Hermione did the only thing she knew. She dashed over to the portrait hole, and ran out. As she navigated her way through the corridors of Hogwarts, she felt hot tears prickling in her eyes. She arrived at the gargoyle.

"Ummmm.. Life saver? Twizzler? Ohhhh. Kendall Mint Cake?" The door swung open, she ran up the stairs and pounded on the door.

"Professor!! Professor, please wake up! Please.." She suddenly dissolved in to tears, and fell to her knees.

"Oh, dear, do come in, Miss Granger. Please, have a seat with Fawkes, I'll make you some hot chocolate," came Dumbledore's soft voice.

Breathing heavily, Hermione sat down and looked at her hands. Two minutes later, Dumbledore came in, handed her a cup, and sat down behind his desk.

"I talked to Draco today. He was very concerned with how to tell you. He makes it clear that he does not want anyone's pity, which means he's desperate for a friend. There are a few reasons he hasn't told you already. Like I said, he doesn't want people to pity him. He doesn't want people to know that he ran from Voldemort, he seems to think that makes him a coward. But, mostly, he doesn't want people thinking that he deserved it."

Hermione gasped, "Professor, I would never."

"You might not, Miss Granger, but the Malfoys crossed a lot of people on their way up. The hate that Draco feels towards his father is the hate he thinks people feel towards him. I have known, as has Professor Snape, what Draco used to say, what he called you. I could not punish him, because that is what he was raised to know. Just as I assume your parents have not fully adjusted to you being a witch, Draco never became adjusted to the fact that Muggle-borns can be just as capable as full-bloods, and the fact that he was being beaten, if you will, by a Muggle-born."

"But, what should I do?"

"I don't think I have the answer to that, and I think you know that. But I assume that what Mister Potter said to him tonight had a great effect on him. Draco was not planning on telling you until later, I know that for sure."

For a few minutes, they sat there in silence. Hermione wasn't thinking about anything, really, she was just staring at her hands. Dumbledore was staring at Hermione.

"Well, Miss Granger, since you're one of the best students I've experienced since I've been at Hogwarts, I trust that you are capable of solving your problem. Please tell me if this impedes your ability to work with Draco. Good night, Miss Granger." Dumbledore walked out, leaving Hermione with Fawkes.

She gave a long look at the phoenix, and stood up, and began to trudge back to her room. As she approached the portrait, she stopped and looked up at the four founders. They were sitting at a table, huddled in a circle. Hermione cleared her throat and gave the password.

"Oh! Hello dear!" The image of Rowena Ravenclaw greeted her.

"Hello. What are you all doing, if you don't mind my asking?" Hermione responded.

"Building a card house! It's something Muggles do when they get bored! We're almost done, it's the first time we've gotten this far. You're witnessing hundreds of years of effort here!" Ravenclaw laughed.

As if on cue, Salazar Slytherin gave a triumphant yell. The three other players pulled back, revealing to Hermione an exact model of the Hogwarts castle made of Muggle playing cards. Hermione was actually quite impressed.

"Well, I guess I had better get to bed." Hermione told the founders.

"Miss Granger?" Slytherin called after her, "I hope that helped you with your task. Good night."

Hermione frowned as she entered the study. The fire was already out, so she walked towards her door. She flopped down on her bed, and heard a faint tapping. She looked up and saw Hedwig at the window. She quickly opened it, and let the snowy owl in. She took the piece of parchment from her, pet her on the head, and let her go off on her way. Hermione opened the note.

Mione-

Please don't think me a daft prick, I'm sorry if I treated you poorly tonight. Everything I said to you, I meant, but I don't want you to feel pressured in to anything, and I'll accept any choice you make. Have a good night.

-Harry

Hermione wished more than anything to have Dreamless Sleep potion, but since she did not, she tried as hard as she could to busy herself with anything she could think of while laying in bed. 'So, the Goblin Rebellion of 1468 started when Bortle the Beleaguered accidentally kicked Jurgle the Jaundiced..'

A/N: I'm hoping to get 6 or 7 new reviews before I post again (please please please) And don't worry, this is not going to become a 'Hermione bravely saves Draco, he realizes the error of his ways, and they lived happily ever after' kind of thing! And for those of you from England, aren't Kendall Mint Cakes SO GOOD? Yum, I wish we had them in the US. Thanks to all who've reviewd so far, individual thanks w/ next post!