Disclaimer: I own only the plot, not the characters; they're J.K. Rowling's.

The Truth comes out

Arms linked with her two best friends, Hermione practically skipped into the great hall for the start of the year feast. Temporarily, she forgot what she had just left and focused on what she was entering into. It was her last year, she was going to be head of her class and live this year to its fullest. So she thought anyway. She glanced over at the Slytherin table as she slid in between Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table. Catching the sight of her ebony haired brother, she smiled at him, who returned the gesture happily. She half noted that Draco looked at her as well. It seemed foreign to her though. No malice? She was definitely going to have to work on getting used to that. She took the liberty of smiling at him. Shock crossed his steely eyes but was soon replaced by a glimmer as the corners of his lips lifted in to a half smile/half smirk. She chuckled to herself; he obviously didn't have much experience smiling. Oh well, it'll come.

Blaise looked up to see Draco looking across the room. He followed his gaze to the Gryffindor table just in time to see Hermione look up at him and smile. This small gesture had more of an affect on him than he thought. He wasn't used to being shown emotion, but liked it. He couldn't help returning her smile, and felt it widen as she took the initiative to also smile at Draco. He rolled his eyes at his friends attempt at a smile, not quite achieving the one he was aiming for. So far, this year was starting out great, but then again, nothing good can ever last and that seemed to be Pansy's goal in life, to unknowingly depress the world around her. She noted their smiles before they had even spotted her.

"Drakie, Blaise, happy to see me are we?" she purred sitting next to them. Her lop-sided grin was enough to bottle and sell as bug repellent. Well, repellent for anything really, as it seemed to be doing just that to Blaise and Draco.

"Shove it Pansy, I was almost happy for a minute, why couldn't you have just stayed in the ditch you crawled out of and drowned." Draco's half-smile turned into a full fledged glare. Blaise had to stifle a laugh as she just stared dumbly at them.

"Oh Drakie, you're funny." She flung her short black hair over her shoulder and turned her attention over to the Gryffindor table, but before she could make an idiot remark, Dumbledore stood, eyes sparkling as he swept his gaze across the crowd and ran his hand along his silver beard thoughtfully.

"Welcome all once again to our fine school of witchcraft and wizardry! As always, this year will be different than any other; new students, staff and experiences, but as always, the same expectations towards your education and your future. This is one more step towards the rest of your lives, don't take it for granted. Now, without further ado, here are our new students!" He waved his hand as an acknowledgement towards the small, anxious faces of the new students making their way as called towards the hat at the front of the hall.

"So Hermione, where do you live now?" Harry asked once they were all seated. Ron's attention was brought from where he was glaring at Malfoy for the 'odd' look he was giving in Hermione's direction.

"Yeah Mione, that would be a help," he urged with a grin. She furrowed her brow at them.

"Umm, I'm not quite sure actually. I never really thought about the address, come to think about it, I guess I really didn't have a reason to. We can ask Blaise later ok?" she answered shrugging at them. The boys nodded in response.

Sitting between the two made Hermione feel like she was between two trees. Both of her friends were tall and lean and had to look down at her. She was 5'7" and the two boys had a good 4 inches over her. So did Blaise, but he was more filled out. Harry and Ron were still quite awkward. It made her laugh. They weren't the most graceful people in the world and with their height, doorways were becoming such a problem, they were starting to agitate Harry's scar b

efore he even went through them. Ah how she loved those boys, always there to make her laugh, intentional or not.

"The sorting is so boring! No one pays attention anyway! Just make them get their food when they're assigned a house and let the other people eat!" Ron was holding his stomach dramatically and sulking at his friends.

"Ron, it takes ten minutes, I think you'll survive," Hermione laughed at his show.

"You shouldn't assume Hermione, what would you do without me? Honestly?" He looked at her with mock horror. She rolled her eyes.

"I don't know Ron; it's too painful to think about. Thankfully, the sorting is just about over so I don't think I'll have to be without you, Lucky me," she chuckled. Harry snorted at her. "You're stuck with him too Harry," she said with a glare. Ron sighed resting his head in his hands.

"Can't you just feel the love?" The three couldn't hold back the laughter any longer. They almost didn't notice that the feast had started……almost.

Draco was picking at his food with is fork, but made no attempts to eat it. Was he going mad? No one ever smiled at him, and he didn't care, so why did he care so much then? He watched her laughing with the two idiots she called friends. Her soft curls framing her creamy face and her honey eyes glittering. Her cheeks were red from the laughter and she was giving Ron a hug, saying something to him. A war was waging within him. A range of emotion he had never felt before had set in the summer before the previous year. He couldn't pinpoint what they were. Actually, he was slightly afraid to. Some of them he liked, and a few he didn't. Draco was raised so that he realised it was safer to leave the unknown. These were just emotions though, how dangerous could they be? Besides, she was his best friend's sister, no longer the enemy, at least not to him. His father may say otherwise, but he was in Azkaban so it wasn't his problem now was it? Still, he couldn't help the uncertainty.

"Hey man, you ok? You've just been staring at your food as if it asked you the meaning of life," Blaise whispered trying to be discreet.

"Yeah, it's fine, I just don't feel that well is all." Draco was usually a great liar, but he never liked keeping things from Blaise. He stole another glance at the Gryffindor table and suddenly, you could almost hear the 'click' in Blaise's head as he realised what was going on in Draco's head.

"Let's go to the library later and discuss it, I think I know what's wrong." Draco just stared at him defeated.

"Well I'll be glad when you tell me because I sure as hell have no clue what it is." Blaise chuckled to himself.

"Ah, don't worry, I will." Blaise felt sorry for his friend. He knew what he was feeling even when Draco himself didn't. He also knew that getting past Harry and Ron was going to be no easy feat either, but hey, fate has its ways. It was becoming more and more clear to him as the days continued. Seeing Draco wasn't planning on eating, he took one last gulp of his pumpkin juice and stood up, ushering Draco to follow him.

"Drakie, Blaise, where are you going, can I come?" Once again, it was Pansy. Did she ever mind her own business?

"No Pansy, now stop talking to us will you? In fact, stop talking all together, it makes you seem smarter." Blaise glared at her and swept out of the hall with Draco at his heels.

All that could be heard between them was the sound of their shoes on the cobbled stones. They climbed the fourth floor, the musky scent of the old books welcoming them. They made their way to the very back, where they were least likely to be overheard and sat at a round table facing each other. Draco leaned forward placing his chin in his hands.

"Ok, tell me, what's wrong with me?" Draco interrogated. Blaise sat back nonchalantly and replied with a smirk, "You have a crush on my sister and felt your first bout of jealousy today when she hugged Ron. Congratulations, you're growing up!" Draco almost choked in disbelief. His eyes wide and staring shocked at Blaise.

"You're kidding me right? You have to be, and who ever said that was the first time?" He gasped. "Shit," he whispered to himself under his breath. Had he just said that? He just practically agreed with Blaise! on one part of his theory anyway.

"I'm afraid so, I saw the way you looked at her last year too; I just didn't say anything because I figured you'd kill me." Blaise was sporting a full grin at this point. "So you've been jealous over her before, when?" Draco glared straight back at him.

"That's not the point! I swear I don't have a crush on her! Since when do I actually have feelings for women? They're all just leeches." He crossed his arms in defiance. Blaise turned his grin to a frown immediately.

"Watch it," he growled.

"Alright, relax, it's just, I have no reason to!" he let his arms fall in defeat.

"Hey, she's a great girl; I'm surprised neither of us noticed sooner." Blaise studied Draco. He sat confused for a moment. Was Blaise right? He had no way to be sure, if he did, then he probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now. It seemed so unlikely though. Yet, as much as he hated to admit it, he liked the prospect of it. Either way, he was in no hurry.

"We should probably head back to the common room, don't want to get caught after curfew now, do we?" Draco stood and stretched, then led the way out to the hallway.

"Hey Draco, when did you start feeling this way about her?" Blaise asked as an afterthought. Draco hesitated.

"I'm not quite sure exactly. I had a dream about her one time, and I found that she was on my mind more and more since then. Kind of like it happened gradually. Though it's like it was always there, it's hard to explain." Draco sighed, he didn't feel like thinking right now, all he wanted to do was go to bed. Blaise looked up dreamily with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, I know how that goes."