blah blah i don't own this or anything in it! i'm sorry i haven't written in forever, i hope you can forgive me! it's not that much and i'm sure sometime in like a week or so more will follow!

da goose

I finished my lunch and walked over to the Slytherin table where Draco was sitting beside Crabbe and Goyle. He looked up just as I was reaching him, he smiled brightly at me and my breath caught in my throat. 'I hope that happens every time I see him.'

"Hi." I said, straddling the bench so I could look directly at him, oblivious to the stares and glares I was receiving from others. "Listen, something's up with Neville. He's up in the library now and I'm going to go talk to him. I don't want him to be mad me. You understand, right?"

"Of course." he said. "I don't want Neville mad at you either, or him mad at me for that matter." He grabbed my hand and pulled me gently forward until he whispered in my ear. "After that, you're mine. Meet me in the common room after dinner? Is the afternoon long enough to talk to Neville?" I nodded and swallowed hard as his soft breath caressed my ear. "Okay then I'll see you later." He pulled back and kissed the corner of my mouth. I shivered despite the warmth of the room.

Draco smirked, a pure Malfoy grin. I stood up turning to leave, but looked back over my shoulder. "Black lace boxer shorts, with a little extra surprise. Don't worry the itch is normal. With the lace I mean." Draco smirked again, and only said, "Doesn't matter, I won't be wearing them for long."

I walked into the small study and into our hidden rooms to drop off my books before heading up to the library. It was when I saw Crookshanks on the bed I suddenly remembered. "Crookshanks! Where have you been? After Neville had gone inside I hadn't seen you! I figured you must have gone in with him." the cat just stared at me from the bed. "I'm going up to the library to talk to Neville, do you think that's a good idea?" The cat looked from the door to me and then back again. I took that as a 'yes' and scratched him behind the ears and set out for the library.

When I got there I found Neville sitting at a table surrounded by various potions books. I grabbed a chair from another table and quietly moved it to sit across from him. I was trying to think of a good place to begin when Neville heaved a large sigh and looked at me from his notes, "Do you really like him, Hermione?"

"Yeah, I do. I know he's been...well really not nice at all but if you'd just talk to him you'd see he's really a great guy."

"But what makes you so sure? For six years now he's acted as if he resents my, Harry, Ron, and your existence. Why is he any different now?"

"I've already told you his story, I've told you everything I know. But at look how he acts, he's different. He apologized to you today. Did you ever imagine that Draco Malfoy would ever apologize to you?" He thought for about half of a second and then gave a small smile.

"I never thought I'd hear him utter those words especially to me." Neville was quiet for a moment, then he blurted, "Did he really say he thought I'd be a great teacher, or did you tell him to say that?"

I gaped at him in surprise, while a spark of hope flared. "Of course I didn't Neville. I would never do that!"

Neville blushed, looking a little sheepish. "Sorry, it's just that I wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic. I mean I can't get used to this new Malfoy in just an afternoon." He grew serious again as if weighing his words. "Hermione...you don't think...I mean do you wonder if Malfoy's only pretending to like you to, you know..." he trailed off, obviously hoping I'd fill in the blank.

"Get in my pants?" I looked at him incredulously. "Come on Neville, I'm not easy!"

Neville paled and looked aghast. "No! No, that's not what I meant!" he said quickly moving his arms as if to wave off the notion. "I meant...do you think he may only pretending to like you to get close to Harry for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"Neville! Don't even think it! I trust him, and so does Crookshanks. You know about Crookshanks and Peter Pettigrew, if Draco was trying to hurt me or any of you guys you know that Crookshanks wouldn't let him touch him or pet him like Draco does. He's okay."

Neville sat for a while and pondered, staring at the book in front of him. Finally he looked up, "Okay, fine, date him, but if he tries to hurt you or any of us for that matter, he will not be able to see anything after the beating I will give. Let him know that too. I've been studying up on self-defense techniques the past couple of summers to protect myself and I'm getting pretty good. Let him know that too, I'm not scared of him anymore."

I jumped up from the table, and ran around it to give Neville a hug. "Harry was so right all those years ago. You are worth twelve of Malfoy. He's just a boy and we'll probably break up eventually but you will always be there for me. I hope that Malfoy will be able to prove himself at least half of the man that you are becoming." I gave him quick peck on the cheek and sat back down in my seat. We spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up his essay, which he should get a good grade on.

Just as we were heading into the Great Hall for dinner, Harry and Ron caught up with us. "It's all true!" Harry said on a breath. "I saw Dumbledore in the hall after lunch and he told me that if I looked in the mirror Sirius gave me two years ago, I can talk to him. So I went back the dormitory and there he was! Oh, Hermione I was so happy! He's alive! We talked all afternoon, and Ron too. He asked about you and we told him all about you and Malfoy and he was happy! Can you imagine that? He was happy that you two were getting together! That must have really been some summer for Malfoy. I mean we'll still kill him if he tries anything," Ron nodded vigorously in agreement, "But if Sirius and Dumbledore think it's okay then we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Now, I'm really hungry, let's go eat!" Harry finished and smiled at me.

"Oh, I can talk now? Wow, that's awesome, I'm glad you got to talk to him, Ron too. I'm glad you talked to him about Draco and are okay with me dating him. And thanks, if he does try anything you three can all beat him up for me. I'm starving, let's go eat." All three started laughing as I finished up my long response and I soon joined them all we all walked into the Great Hall and sat down at a table.

"So Hermione, is everything going to change now?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean? Like our friendships? Those will never change. Like I was telling Neville earlier, Draco will probably eventually break up but you guys will be there forever. Besides, I know you guys still don't like him yet but I figure you'll all hate who I end up marrying at first anyway, so I guess I'll just have to get used to it." I smiled and we all started to dig in to the delicious food.

"Yeah, I know that, oh and by the way you're never getting married, we'll kill the guy first." I looked up sharply but Harry just winked at me. I shook my head and he started talking again this time through a mouthful of potato. "I meant will you be spending all your time with him. Will we never get to spend time with you? Are you going to become surgically attached at the hip?"

I smiled at the last question but answered him seriously. "You guys are my friends and yes Draco will become part of our group, if you'll let him. But we won't started kissing or anything like that in front of you. And sometimes if you guys just want to hang out with only me I'm sure he'll understand." Harry looked mollified, Ron still looked doubtful but didn't say anything.

We all finished our dinners and said our good-nights. I passed through the small study and into the common room where Draco sat on the couch petting Crookshanks. He smiled when he saw me and moved Crookshanks off his lap to stand up. I walked over and gave him a hug, he held me to him, not letting go. "So, is Neville going to kill me?"

"No," I said, my voice muffled by his shoulder. "He isn't going to hurt you if you don't hurt me."

"That's good." He said his voice muffled by my hair. "Mmm, your hair smell wonderful. You smell like lavender, and a little bit of cinnamon."

"The lavender is my shampoo, the cinnamon is the body lotion I use."

He pulled back slighty and tipped my chin up to look at him, and kissed me softly. The combination of relief, from telling everybody, and the feelings his kiss released in me, made it the best kiss I've ever received. I sigh against his lips and he increased the pressure, making the kiss more demanding and my heart began to race. He lightly traced my lips with the tip of his tongue, seeking entrance into my mouth, which to his and my delight, I granted. All the reassurance I could ever need about this relationship was confirmed with this kiss. He held me close like he'd never let me go, pouring his heart into his kiss.

Together we sat back down on the couch, never breaking contact. Again he pulled me on top of him so that I was straddling his hips. I ran my fingers through his fine white-blonde hair disheveling the style he worked to keep. I could feel all ten of his fingers as they splayed across my back. He broke the kiss and I started to protest when he started kissing my neck trailing down from behind my ear and working his way down. I let my head fall back granting him greater access to the sensitive area in the hollow of my throat. He found the sensitive spot and sucked gently on it. I arched against him, not really knowing why but my instincts were in control.

I opened my mouth to tell Draco to slow down, this was too much out of my control but he captured it with his own and again I was lost in the whirlwind of senses. Suddenly there was a large crash of metal. We jumped apart and looked in the kitchen to see Crookshanks sitting atop the counter looking pleased with himself. I took a deep breath and climbed off of Draco's lap.

"No, he did that for a reason." I told Draco when he protested. "We were going too fast. He was just trying to help me."

Draco sighed and let his head fall back against the couch. "I know, you're both right. You're too important, not just some random fling. I want this relationship to work."

"I do too. But it won't make it any better if we have sex. I'm only seventeen I shouldn't be having sex and I'm not planning on it until I'm married."

"Really?" Draco asked, I realized that I had never told him that and nodded. "That's awesome." He smiled at me and I saw the sincerity in his eyes. "So...wanna go get married?"

"Ha ha, very funny Draco."

"Oky so maybe not now but someday...you might just change your mind." he winked at me gave me a kiss and said good-night. We both headed off into our rooms and I feel asleep with thoughts of Draco on my mind.