Draco sat in his room for a long time. Just sat. Waiting for the colors to swirl, hoping for and yet dreading the moment to come. He knew that he could too make the colors swirl and dance around them; slow time down so the two of them could talk. But he was actually not looking forward to seeing his "soul mate."

So this is why I have been feeling so strange around her lately. That is if she is my soul mate. Hmmm. Well, that is definitely a different way to look at it.

Hermione stared at the ring. She had never taken it out of the box since that Valentines Day, just simply said the words while touching it. She stared at it wondering why he gave this to her in the first place. Back then he didn't even know that they were soul mates, as Iris had so bluntly put it. Did he feel something for her all the way back when they didn't know all this confusing information? She sighed and picked the ring up out of the velvety case.

She walked over to the window and sat on the window seat looking out to the lake. She was unknowingly twirling the ring around slowly, when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. The ring was glistening. Not like a normal ring but actually radiating light. She brought it closer to her eyes and looked deep within the gem. She could see Draco sitting in a chair in a dark room staring into the fireplace. She slightly smiled. I wonder if he knows that I can see him with this ring. Hmmm, must be a side effect of the charm he put on it. She smiled more when she saw that his bed was unmade and his hair was messed up. He must have just woken up. He was wearing silk green pajamas. This also made her smile. What a slytherin.

Should I just say the spell and get it over with? Or should I wait for her to do it? Draco was ping-ponging ideas back and forth in his head. He rubbed his sweaty hands on his silk, green pajamas. Malfoy's shouldn't get bloody nervous over a girl. Ya, well she's not just any girl is she? She's my soul mate. Soul mate! You really believe that horse manure? We'll I don't know I mean maybe it could be true. There's only one way to find out. Oh yes? And per say may I ask that "one way" is? To kiss her. silence Got a problem with it? No, no of course not. Go on, kiss the mudblood. HEY! That's my mudblood you're talking about. My mudblood? Possessive now are we? Shut up. Whatever, I'm just saying. Ya? Well, didn't I say SHUT UP! Draco stood up, rubbing his throbbing temples. Ahh, this is getting me no where. I might as well just read the damn spell. Oh, yes so you can go about and kiss your precious little mudblood. Shut UP! Testy, testy are we? Yes we are. Now if you don't mind…. Oh no I don't mind at all. Go ahead. Thank you. Your welcome. sigh

By now Hermione was laughing. It seemed Draco was actually fighting with himself, although she couldn't hear the conversation. She smiled adoringly. Adoringly! What? She quickly put the ring back into the case. Well, now at least I can see him whenever I want too. Which isn't often! Of course not. Maybe at night… I wonder if he looks like an angel when he sleeps, like those devil awake but angel asleep things? Why do I care what he looks like when he sleeps? I don't. She touched the ring and said the words quickly.

Draco was pulled out of his argument with himself by the colors swirling around him. So I guess whatever happens next is going to alter my future huh? He walked out of his dormitories and nearly ran into Goyle.

"MERLIN! Goyle you pest, what are you doing at my door?" Draco yelled at his "friend." When Goyle didn't answer he realized that time had stopped. Oh, right. Haha. I knew that. No you didn't. Shut up. He carefully edged around Goyle and walked briskly until he met up with Hermione.

"Granger."

"Malfoy."

Silence immediately followed after. Both knew that the other's reincarnation spoke to them last night, yet no one really wanted to start the subject.

"So…"

"Yes… so."

"Alright, get off it Malfoy. I know you know what I know."

"Really? Yes, well then I guess you are correct. I know you know I know what you know. But that doesn't mean that I shall tell you that I know you know I know what you know. Because where is the fun in me telling you what you know I know you know?" Malfoy said with a smirk. He loved the confused expression on Hermione's face.

"Wait…" Hermione started to smile against her will. "Oh, whatever. You are such a prick Malfoy."

"Oh," Draco put a hand over his heart and stumbled backwards pretending to be hurt. "That hurt, Hermione. That hurt right here." He pointed to his heart looking glum. Hermione smiled. "Want to kiss it and make it better?" He grinned trying to look innocent.

"In your dreams!" Hermione laughed.

"Ah, but you've kissed me out of them too." Draco smiled, but Hermione stopped laughing.

"I had too! You told me that was the only way to make this confounded time stopper stop. Besides I didn't know it was you." She crossed her arms indignantly.

"Confounded time stopper stop. That made a lot of sense." He coyly smiled. "Alright I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"Maybe…"

"Aw come on Hermione, what do I have to do to hold a reasonable conversation here?"

"Well...," She started, evilly grinning. "No I'm just kidding. How about you be decent, civil,or polite for once? Like the real gentleman your mother must have raised you as?" Hermione said turning slightly away from him.

"Yes, madam." Draco said bowing over-dramatically. "How would the be-uuuuutiful young woman like to stroll along the lake with an ungrateful chap like me?" Hermione giggled as he presented her with his arm to take. She took it. "Now, what would my lady like to discuss as we step outside for a little fresh breath of air?"

"How about the fact that we are soul mates?" Hermione said quickly. Draco paused.

"Yes what a delightful subject to speak to you upon. So I presume that you were visited last night by, if she looks anything like you, your stunning reincarnation?" Draco said cautiously.

"Ha Ha, Malfoy. You can cut the act, alright I get your point." Hermione said still arm in arm with him jabbed him in the side gently with her elbow.

"Ok, well do you believe them?"

"Well, I don't know. How can we know?"

"Um. Well, I could kiss you, and if we are soul mates, maybe you'd feel something. And if we aren't then the dead guys chose the wrong people and we can go back to you charming my hair purple when I am not looking and me making fun of your know-it-all ways while silently admiring them. Sound good?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, alright, but not a word about this to anyone, OK? I don't want the whole school to be buzzing about how you are my secret admirer. Oh, by the way I never thanked you for the ring. It's beautiful."

"Oh, you liked it? That's nice to know. Why don't you ever wear it?"

"Well, I have nothing to go with it. Besides… I don't know. It would be weird because you gave it to me, so it would be like you and I would be going… steady you know?"

"Ah I see… wouldn't want people to think that, now would we? We can't be soul mates." They unhooked arms.

"Oh ya, and just why not?"

"Because you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"Yes, you do."

"No I don't"

"Yes you do."

"Don't you tell me if I hate you or not. Don't you think I would know seeing as I am the one who usually decides whom I do or do not hate?" Hermione said huffily.

"Fine."

"Fine what?"

"Fine, I won't tell you whom you do or do not hate."

"Don't talk to me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you have no bloody soul! Merlin, you make no sense you know that?"

"Oh, right and you make complete sense to me."

"What makes me so confusing?"

"Well, for one thing, you hang out with Potty and Weasel but they pay no attention to you, they treat you like a homework generator, but you still hang around them."

"Yes, well they happen to be my friends."

"But they don't treat you the way that you should."

"Ya, well they treat me a hell of a lot better than YOU do so you shouldn't be talking." She took a step toward him.

"That was a low blow, Hermione."

"Oh, forgive me for stating the obvious."

"You know what? Since when have you given me REASON to treat you nicely?" He stepped even closer.

"Since when does a PERSON HAVE TOO?"

It isn't definite which one of the two removed the little space there was between them. But one second they were arguing and the next they were lip to lip. Both seemed surprised that their dispute ended that way. But Malfoy was the first to react. He slid his tongue gently against her rose-petal soft lips. She opened her mouth in surprise and he slipped his tongue in gently into hers. He caressed her tongue almost sweetly. He slightly pulled away brushing his lips against hers, breathing on her wet lips sending shock waves down her spine and causing her hair on the back of her neck to rise.

"Anything?" Draco asked softly.

"Well, it was defiantly something."