Hello. It's really bad of me not to update this more, since it's finished. I know I've said this before, but I really don't like this very much… it's rushed and OOC but… we're just gonna go with it since I won't ever have time to do a complete re-write, no matter how much I long to. I'm going to blame their inconsistent emotions on raging hormones. Many have said that I've changed them too much, but honestly, when you think about it, people change a lot between 15 and 17. So that's just how it's gonna be. Thanks to those who have reviewed, I really do appreciate it and I'd love it for them to continue.

I'll probably be updating this at least once a week when I'm really busy, but hopefully every / every other day so I'll be thrugh with this and can worry about other things.

I'm going to stop rambling now. First, a few disclaimers:

I don't own any characters, places, ideas, etc that you recognize. Especially not Shakespeare. I am merely taking advantage of them and making them do whatever my twisted imagination tells me to.

Also, I did write this not knowing a thing about the 6th book two months, you guys! so anyone reading this after it comes out… sorry if it's not paralleled to the book.

Ok, that's enough. Just read it and review!

Hermione avoided contact with anyone other than her closest friends the rest of the day, especially Draco or any other Slytherin. She decided to go to the Gryffindor Commons, since she hadn't been there for a while and needed a break from school work, for once.

She gave the password to the Fat Lady and entered to find students sprawled all over the room, most of which looked up when she entered, gave her smiles, then returned to what they were doing.

Harry and Ron had been playing Wizards' Chess, and immediately ran and hugged her when she came in.

"Nice to see you're still alive, Mione." Harry teased her for her absence around the Gryffindor Common room lately.

"Haven't seen you in ages!" Ron complained, though they had just seen her at meals and classes the days before, and he gave her puppy dog eyes, laughing as she rolled her eyes with a smile.

Both boys were a good head-or-more taller than her, Ron several inches over Harry. They both had the same hair as when they were younger; Ron's shaggy red, and Harry's ever-messy jet-black. Harry had gotten contact lenses and was lean and muscular, though still slightly small, from nearly seven years of Seeker training. He had moved up to Captain of their Quidditch team, as expected, and Ron stayed on as Keeper by much persuasion from his friends.

The three friends moved to a corner that was less crowded so they could talk. Ginevra Weasley, the "baby" of the family, was sitting nearby with some of her friends, and came over to say hi, sitting on the arm of Harry's chair and playing with his hair. The two had gotten together at the beginning of the year ("Finally!" Ron had said when they told him) and had stayed strong ever since. Though she was the youngest in her family, Ginevra (she didn't like the kiddish nickname Ginny anymore) was definitely not a baby anymore. Her wavy, dark red hair cascaded down her back, and she had grown up considerably since that experience with Tom's diary in her first year. She dressed in black, with accents of red, used lots of dark eyeliner, and had many various bracelets she wore everyday.

Ginevra stayed for several minutes, then went back to her friends. Hermione then told them what had happened since the previous night.

As she had expected, they took it hard and told her to stay away from Malfoy at all costs, he was just using her to get something, and she should tell one of the teachers about the occurrence with Blaise, since similar events had happened before. Hermione just shrugged it off, however, and told them they were worrying too much.

The three friends spent the rest of the afternoon playing games and laughing, and later Harry and Ron decided to go flying, so Hermione tagged along. She asked Ginevra if she could borrow her broom (the red-head had been Chaser the last two years) and they west out to the Quidditch pitch for several hours, tossing a Quaffle back and forth and doing different drills. All too soon it was twilight and too dark to play anymore, so Hermione parted with the two boys and headed back to her dorms, deciding to shower then start reading the first section in her Shakespeare book.

Ignoring Draco, who was sprawled on the couch, surprisingly also with his assigned book in hand and intently reading, she took a long, hot shower, taking her time. She dressed quickly in blue pajamas, and pulled out the thick volume, turning to Romeo and Juliet.

"Sampson. Gregory, on my word we'll not tarry coals.

Gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.

Sampson. I mean, and we be in choler, we'll draw.

Gregory. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar.

Sampson. I strike quickly, being mov'd.

Gregory. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike."

Hermione blinked slowly and breathed deep to avoid yawning. She was not in the mood for this… After about an hour she eventually got to that one part that everyone always quoted:

"Juliet. O Romeo, Romeo,

Wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or, if thou wilt not, be but my sworn love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

Romeo. Aside Shall I hear no more?

Or shall I speak at this?

Juliet. 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot,

Nor arm nor face nor any part

Belonging to a man. O be some other name!

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other word would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for thy name, which is no part of thee,

Take all myself.

Romeo. I take thee at thy word.

Call me but love and I'll be new baptiz'd;

Henceforth I never will be Romeo."

It was at that moment that Hermione nodded off…

She was running, running through an old forest, probably the forbidden forest. Trees and terrifying monsters kept leaping in her path and she had to scramble out of the way. She was stumbling around on hands and knees most of the time, calling out for help from friends. She tripped and fell, and landed in a kind of clearing. Blaise Zabini stood at the other end, and started towards her menacingly. When he was halfway across he turned into Lord Voldemort, who had been dead for almost a year. Hermione screamed as he advanced on her, pulling out his wand, saying "Avada Ke—" she covered her head with her arms, but when his vice stopped mid-curse she looked up. Standing in his place was a crazed-looking William Shakespeare pointing into the shadows.

"Follow the yellow-brick road!" he yelled, "There's lions and tigers and bears!"

All around her the world spun, until she was dizzy with fright and fatigue, and she collapsed. She saw a light coming down to her, then someone shaking her. "Hey… Granger… wake up… Hermione!"

Suddenly her eyes opened wide and she had to spot herself from screaming again, this time in surprise. Draco Malfoy was standing over her; he had lit the lamps in her room with a spell and was stroking her face to soothe her.

"It's just a dream…" he whispered, "It's ok…"

She panted slightly and looked around the room. Yes, it was just a dream, though how real it had felt, in however much of a strange way it was. Draco sat on the bed next to her, and she sat up and curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Why are you here?" she questioned.

"Well you screamed and… yeah." He said uncomfortably.

She blushed a bit, surprised he and heard and cared.

As usual, a tense silence filled the room as the two teens battled with their thoughts.

They looked up and said each other's name at the same time.

"Draco—"

"Hermione—"

"I—"

"You—"

"The—"

"Wait!" Draco put his hand over her mouth so he could speak. "I've decided to go… 'normal' to Muggle Studies tomorrow. Without my cloak. That is, of course," he added somewhat shyly, "If you'll accompany me."

She couldn't help but grin at his momentary boyishness, almost completely forgetting their talk and quarrel earlier that day. "If you want me to… but then I may not be good enough to accompany, as you put it, the Slytherin Prince, himself."

"You're not thinking of the scene with Blaise and the others, are you?" Her face confirmed his thoughts. "I'm sorry about them… and me." He tried to express his feelings without sounding like a total idiot. "It's just… when I'm around you here, just us, I feel like I can be myself and not someone my father and society forces me to be. Like you're trying to see the good in 'Evil Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince'" he used her earlier term, "and that you have since we first met."

"I—" she tried to start, but he cut her off again.

"I know I sound stupid. I know I act a total different way when we're out there, in the real world. And I know you have a very good reason to completely hate me. But I can't help feeling that… I belong by you, with you, for you."

She looked at him in amazement. Almost exactly how she, herself felt, he was saying, out loud, seemingly not afraid of her reaction.

He was not done yet, either, "If I know you at all, and I've gotten to know you pretty well the last few years, I'd say you felt similar for me." There it was, the cocky grin. She knew it would be back soon, but he was absolutely right.

"Hermione… Remember when I told you Dumbledore wanted to uphold the tradition of the Head Boy and Girl going to the Graduation Ball together?"

She nodded, wondering what else would be revealed to her.

"I'd like to ask you if, instead of going as enemies attempting to work together for a night, that we go as friends."

By now Hermione was too stunned for words, she just sat there with a stupid smile on her face. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"What do you say?" he prompted with slight hopefulness.

"Ok. We can try. But do you promise you'll act like this in 'public'?" she asked, not able to help but feel a tiny bit skeptical; he had lied to her plenty of times before now.

He raised his right hand, "I, Draco Malfoy, solemnly swear by my wand, I will no longer be arrogant, jerky, evil, ruthless, a bully, conceited…" he listed several other words describing himself, "towards Hermione Granger."

"Or her friends," she added with a teasing smile.

"Do I have to?" he asked like a reluctant schoolboy.

She nodded, laughing, "Yes."

He rolled his eyes, "Fine. But don't expect me to be all 'I love you Potter, Can I carry your books, Weasley?' I will be decent though."

Hermione grinned, "That's good enough for me." Then it was her turn for a suggestion. She cocked her head, sweetly asking, "Would you like to read with me?"

Draco stood and gave a mock-formal bow, "I'd be honored." He offered his arm and she linked with him after grabbing her book.

Thus the start of an unlikely friendship between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Red and Green, Granger and Malfoy, Hermione and Draco.

Oh dear, I do love Shakespeare. We finished watching Romeo and Juliet in English today… the one made in the 70's. It was highly amusing. But anyway. What did you think? I know it's OOC. Just… use your imagination.

Cookies to those that review!

3 Sarah

P.S. Go to my fanfic livejournal to see my archaive. link is in my bio As of 5-22 I only have one thing posted there, but the list will always be growing. I use it mainly to post song-fics because I lovelovelove writing them, but will have everything else there eventually. Review!