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She was already inside the classroom when Draco entered. Hermione sat looking through her bag for what he assumed was her quill. He looked over to the far end of the classroom to where Potter and Weasley sat. The former was eyeing him rather unhappily. Draco wanted to yell out, 'hey, guess what, you can't keep me away from her', but he resisted the urge. He sat down on the bench and waited for her to speak.

"Hey," she said without even looking up.

Draco frowned at her unaffected response. Since when did girls speak to him in such a nonchalant manner after he'd broken up with them? He looked over at Potter and Weasley again. Potter was positively fuming now, although Draco couldn't tell why; it pleased Draco all the same. Weasley was simply regarding him with the same knowing expression Draco had seen on the younger redhead's face, and it was rather annoying. Maybe it just ran in the family.

Draco turned away. "I assume you told your friends," he said.

"What? Yeah—not right now, Snape's starting the lesson," Hermione said.

Draco frowned. So she intended to ignore him, did she? He tuned into Snape's drone. Well, he already knew how to make this potion, and all the other potions Snape taught. He looked over at Hermione. She was intently focused on what the professor was saying, scribbling away at her scroll. Draco smiled. She never changed.

And neither did her friends. What was up with the two Weasleys he didn't know, and probably didn't want to. Both had looked at him as if they pitied him, especially—what was her name?—Ginny. What did Hermione tell them anyway?

And Potter. Draco would bet half his allowance that Potter had it bad for Hermione. He saw the way Potter looked at her, as if she were the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. The loser just didn't know how to make a move, and Draco sincerely hoped he'd never learn. It was bad enough that now she was going to be friendly with them again. Chances were he'd never see her now because she'd always be with those Gryffindors losers. Draco had been completely honest when he'd asked for a friendship. He couldn't imagine what it would be like not to talk to Hermione. Really, she was his only true friend (besides Blaise) and going back to a rather lonely and boring existence without her didn't exactly appeal to him.

"Draco?"

"Hmmm?"

"The potion."

He looked up; Hermione was eyeing him with a rather confused expression.

"Sorry," Draco said. "I was just a little distracted."

"Uh huh. I can just start it myself if you want."

"Ok…"

Hermione looked at him as if she wanted to ask something, but, with a shrug, she just began preparing ingredients for the cauldron.

"Do you want to stir?" she asked.

"Sure."

Once again, she was scribbling away at her notes. Draco wondered what she could possibly be writing now, so he asked her.

"Just some extra information I'm sure Snape doesn't think anyone was listening to."

She fell silent once more, so Draco thought maybe he should make some conversation.

"So you're going to Hogsmeade this weekend, right?"

Hermione looked up. "Actually, Draco…I'd rather not have points taken off Gryffindor. We can talk about it later, though." She checked her watch and looked at their potion.

Well, that wasn't the response he was expecting. "I don't think Snape's going to take points off—"

"Mister Malfoy."

Draco looked up to find himself the focus of Snape's glare.

"Yes, Mister Malfoy. I understand you two have Head business and other things, but must you constantly discuss them in my class?" Snape looked as if he were expecting an answer to his question. When Draco gave him none, Snape frowned even more than usual, if that were possible. "I guess I'll just have to take points off Slytherin…and you too, Miss Granger."

"Actually, professor," Hermione said, "I wasn't talking."

"You weren't talking?" Snape looked vaguely surprised.

"No, professor."

"Well, then…" Snape looked momentarily baffled. "Ten points from Slytherin I suppose…"

Draco looked over at his partner. She was trying but failing to hide the grin on her face. He narrowed his eyes. The world had suddenly gone wrong. Snape had just taken points off his own house—and from his favorite student. And Hermione was laughing at him. Draco snuck another look over at Potter and Weasley. Surely enough, they were both staring at him, Potter looking rather triumphant and Weasley looking just plain amused. Draco had to very strongly fight the urge to hex Potter right then and there; luckily for The Boy Who Lived, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class.

"So you never answered my question about Hogsmeade."

Hermione looked up from her homework. She and Draco had been sitting in their common room for almost a half hour in silence, and she found it rather odd. Not as odd as his suggestion that they work on the Potions essay together, though. She'd been expecting him to be avoiding her like a plague, but there they were, doing homework. It was bizarre.

"Hogsmeade?" she repeated.

"Yeah. Are you going…with your friends?"

Hermione imagined she knew where the conversation was heading. He was looking at her expectantly, as if a negative to his question would make his day perfect. She opted for asking him the same question instead.

"You know I don't have friends," he said.

Hermione looked at him skeptically. "What about Blaise?"

"Blaise will be with the other Slytherins, and I'd rather not spend my free time with them."

Silence.

"Come on, Hermione, it'll be fun. And you know I don't have anyone else to go with."

"And that's the reason I should go with you?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "And because I want you to come."

Hermione was still rather skeptical. It must have shown in her face, because there was a sudden pleading quality in his voice.

"Potter and the Weasleys will be fine without you."

"I wasn't planning on going anyway."

"Even better, then—no one to disappoint."

She considered the idea of a visit to the village. She did like it, of course; everything she loved about the wizarding world was right in that little square. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. She'd just have to make sure that none of her friends saw her. Come to think of it, if anyone saw her with Draco they'd be shocked…

"No, I don't think so," she said finally.

Of course, Draco was not to be deterred. "Why not?" he asked.

"Well…because…I can't just walk out in public with you, if you remember. You were the one so adamant about not publicizing our relationship before."

"Oh." It seemed like he'd just remembered all the sneaking around they'd done when they were together.

"We can't just sneak around like…we used to," she said.

"Right."

He was looking at her, rather remorsefully, but also as if he'd just hit upon a great idea.

"You can just wear a cloak or something over your head. No one's going to be looking for you anyway."

She could tell that he was satisfied with this solution in the way he looked at her, awaiting her approval.

"I can?" Hermione said.

"Or I could," he said quickly.

Hmmm. Hermione supposed it wasn't such a bad idea. "Fine."

Now Draco was smiling. "Great."

"So you're going to Hogsmeade with Draco?" Ginny asked.

"Yes."

"When did he ask you?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Why does it matter?"

"I'm just curious."

"Two days ago," Hermione acceded as she leaned back on the couch.

"Really? But that was…Wednesday. We've still got an entire other week to go through. Seems to me that maybe he wants to be sure…" Ginny teased.

"Oh, stop it."

"Fine. I just can't believe you're going with him."

"Well, I am. And I'd like it very much if you didn't mention it to Harry or Ron. I already told them I wasn't going at all."

Ginny smirked. "You know you two act exactly like you did before you broke up. It's like nothing's changed at all."

"Well, we're not shagging anymore. That's one definite change."

"Sure. You're still spending all your time with him."

"And there's nothing wrong with that. It's actually kind of surprising. He keeps wanting us to do things together. I'm going to have to talk to him about that…"

"Speak of the devil," Ginny said, cutting her off as Draco entered the Heads' common room.

"Hey, Hermione," he said. "Weasley."

"You could use my first name."

"Well, then—hello, Ginny."

"Draco." The redhead turned to Hermione. "I'll be seeing you later, right?"

"Yeah."

Draco waited for the redhead to leave before he spoke.

"You're going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm going to head over to the Gryffindor towers in a bit; I might stay over since we've got no classes tomorrow."

"Oh."

"You have anything planned for this weekend?"

"Nope."

"Well, then, you should find out what's going on in your own dorm. I'm sure you haven't been there in a while."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really. When you spend all your time with one person it doesn't leave much room for others."

Draco said nothing.

"Why don't you see how Blaise is doing? Have you two talked lately?"

Perhaps she was right. Maybe he would go visit the Slytherin dungeons.

"I actually haven't," he admitted.

"Alright then. I'm think I'm going to go now." Hermione rose from the couch and walked over to the portrait. "See you later."

Draco watched her disappear with more than just a little irritation. He had the distinct feeling that he'd just been dismissed. If so, it had been a perfectly executed brush-off. As annoying as it was, however, Hermione had a point. He was a little curious as to what Blaise was doing. The two hadn't talked since that stupid bet which had resulted in, well, this. The problem he encountered when hanging out with Blaise was that it also entailed tolerating the presence of the rest of the Slytherins. For some reason Blaise seemed to find them amiable enough to spend time with on a regular basis. Not that Draco would ever ask Blaise to stop. Draco had enough sense to know that while his sentiments for the Slytherins weren't exactly positive, he was probably the only member of his house who felt that way.

Besides, Blaise was there only when Draco was in serious need of a friend. That was how their relationship worked. Blaise listened and offered advice to Draco; Draco listened and offered advice to Blaise; but only when one or the other was in serious need of it. So, really, Draco saw no point in trying to make their friendship any more than what it was. It was more like a meeting of mutual interests, Draco thought.

And, just like he'd hoped, Blaise was relaxing by the fire when Draco entered the Slytherin commons.

"Draco! You've come back."

"Of course."

"I'm just surprised since you still insist on spending all your time with the Head Girl."

"It's not like I can't do that just because we've broken up."

"Broken up; really?" Blaise looked only mildly surprised. "Doesn't seem like it."

"Friends are allowed to spend time with each other."

"And it works for you?"

"It's working out just fine."

"Really? No sexual urges or anything?"

Draco didn't even bother with an answer.

"So you two are all friendly now?" Blaise asked in an attempt to continue the conversation. "And you're not bored by her existence?"

"Of course not."

"But you're friends with benefits, right?"

"No!"

Draco knew Blaise was only joking, but still…he was trying not to think of her in that context anymore.

"So no sex whatsoever? Hmmm…"

Draco couldn't believe this. "Blaise, you told me to break up with her."

"I just thought you were getting attached to some really good sex…"

"You bet me that I couldn't last without it for a week, and you were right."

"Bet shmet. You take things too seriously."

"I take things too—"

Draco realized that Blaise was right. Here he was chewing out one of the only friends he had when Blaise was just giving him an honest opinion.

"Why don't you take a seat, Draco?"

A good suggestion. Draco realized he was still standing even though he'd been in the room for a good five minutes. He took the seat next to Blaise and closed his eyes. "I don't even know why I'm here."

"Because you want to talk to me," Blaise said rather smugly. "So you mean to tell me that you think this Gryffindor chick is a friend?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Let's take a look at your past. What female do you still associate with who you've also slept with? It's just surprising, that's all. But," Blaise rose, "acceptable, I suppose. I'm off to my own business now. I'll be seeing you around more, I hope?"

Draco nodded and Blaise disappeared from the room.

Ditched once again. Though he shouldn't feel so resentful since he was the one who systematically avoided being in his dorm. Well, now that Blaise was gone, there was no point in being here. Draco didn't want to be caught off guard by the females of his house and have to endure their not-so-subtle attempts to get into his pants, so he left.

Draco returned to a quiet, empty dorm. Knowing that Hermione hadn't yet returned he wondered where she was at such an hour, and then whether or not she really was going to spend the night over in the Gryffindor towers.

It's only ten, his conscience said. There's still the chance that she'll be back tonight.

"Ten is late for her."

Lately it hasn't been.

"It was late when we were together."

Right now you're not together, are you?

"I know that."

Damn his traitorous conscience. It was always saying things he'd rather not hear. Draco ignored the thoughts running through his head and decided he should just go to bed. Why would he wait up for Hermione anyway? It wasn't like she couldn't take care of herself, and with her friends, especially that stupid Potter, always hanging around her, she was safe—even though Draco didn't like to admit it.

Well, yes, the quick updating many of you might remember (if you're even still reading) from before the story was first taken down. But now the frequent updates are because I've just realized that I want to have this story finished by the end of the month, even though that's probably not going to happen. Well, as soon as possible then.

One reviewer asked how many chapters were left to the story, and I believe I said ten. I'm not so sure about that anymore. It could be less, now that I think about it. The planning in my head just isn't working out, so I have no idea how long a chapter is anymore. But anyways, keep reading, and leave a review if you feel so inclined. They really make my day…

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