If Hermione had thought the previous day's passing would lessen the gossip about Malfoy, she was wrong, for one reason. He was back. Sitting at the Slytherin table, Pansy Parkinson hanging all over him like a love struck puppy, was the Ice Prince himself, eating his breakfast as if it was any other day. Acting as if completely unaware of the blatant staring and fevered murmurs, if he was asked where he had been, he only responded that he was pulled out for an important family function.

Not for a second did Hermione believe all the crap about a family function. And ignoring Ron's dejected grumbling; she couldn't help but wonder where the secretive blonde boy had been. Snape never would have been that agitated if it was only a family function, even if it was the Malfoy family.

Mentally, she kicked herself. Why was she wondering about the whereabouts of that prat? Especially a prat that she was supposed to hate. Guilt swept over her suddenly that here she was, sitting next to the boy she was supposed to love, and she was obsessing over the hated boy across the room. Looking at him, Hermione had to admit that Ginny was right, Malfoy was hot, but Ron was different.

Ron had no secrets, he was always there for her, and would never even think of being unfaithful to her. Best of all, he loved her. Her mind wandered back to Malfoy. He hadn't always been that good looking. She remembered the scrawny boy with pointed features, his angles to sharp and expression too severe. But what had once been pointed had turned into regal and elegant as the years passed. perhaps hot wasn't the right word to describe him. He was beautiful, a feminine word that may be, but with his porcelain skin and long eyelashes, there was no other word that came to mind fitting enough.

Another mental kick. Why of all people was she thinking about Malfoy? Damnit. She needed a distraction, a good one. She glanced back at Malfoy, who was currently trying to get a simpering Pansy Parkinson off his arm, and she looked beside her, at the cute red head so utterly devoted to her. Perfect.

She tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him out of his staring contest with the golden plates as he waited for food to magically appear. There were two things that boy thought about, food and her. Ok, he thought about sex too, but that was many times in conjunction to her.

"Ron?"

"Yeah Her-" his words were interrupted by Hermione's lips meeting his in a deep kiss.

To say Ron was surprised would have been an understatement, but to say he was unhappy would have been a lie. Hermione had never been big on public displays of affection. She pulled away, and made a spilt second decision.

"Ron?"

"yeah?" he asked breathlessly, trying to regain his composure.

She leaned close to his ears and purred "I'm ready."

Hm. She hadn't even known that she was capable of purring. That was something she would have to remember.

His jaw dropped at her barley audible statement. Eventually he managed to muster the composure to stutter: "a-ar-are y-you sure?"

She nodded "Without a doubt"

Okay. So that was a bluff. But he loved her right? And she loved him right? So why not? Everyone expected them to get married anyway.

Draco watched as Granger and the Weasel made out from the safe vantage point of the Slytherin table. Steely eyes lingered over her face. Instead of the passion that should have been present, there was in its place a kind of desperation, like this was the last thing she had left to cling to, hoping it would with stand the test of time. It wasn't the expression one should wear whilst kissing the one they loved. He pondered this. Maybe the mudblood didn't love the big oaf as she had always expostulated. He suddenly wanted to know if they had fucked yet. He cringed at the inevitable mental image as it swam into his consciousness.

As far are girls went, he supposed she wasn't ugly, but she wasn't gorgeous either. He had seen better. Hell. He had slept with better.

Petite was the only way to describe her, her face was at times too round, her nose small, features delicate, but otherwise, it was ok, not wonderful, but ok. She was slender, with a moderate chest, and boyish hips. Not exactly the model female specimen. She was sometimes pretty, sometimes plain.

But over all, the scene before him almost made him gag. How could anyone want to kiss either of those people? Or kiss that badly. Granger seemed fine, but the Weasel looked like he was trying to eat her face.

Draco felt a pang of what might have been mistaken in anyone else as a stab of pity. No one deserved to be kissed that badly, even a mudblood (though why anyone would want to kiss her was beyond his comprehension). He wondered how she put up with it, or why. It seemed she knew she wasn't going to find another guy for long time if it didn't work out with the Weasel.

He continued to watch as the bushy haired girl broke the kiss and leaned forward to whisper something in the red head's ear.

That was another thing. That blasted hair. How could anyone stand that hair? It wasn't soft, it wasn't pretty, and it wasn't the kind of hair you could run your hands through. It was plain brown and frizzed beyond belief. One would think she would put a little more effort into her hair considering its state. Apparently not, for it looked exactly the same, every day, every year.

Anyway, what ever she said made the Weasel's eyes light up and his ears redden in quite and unflattering matter. He leaned forward and kissed her again. Was Draco seeing things, or did she make a barely imperceptible grimace at the touch of his lips on her own? She pulled away and said something to the girl next to her, a shock of flaming red hair told him that it was the Weaslette to whom she spoke.

The girl then got up from the table and walked briskly away, leaving her golden plate full of food, completely untouched.

The rest of his day was decidedly uneventful, and surprising it certainly was not. He of course got the expected lectures about the importance of attending class and the need to let people know and get permission for leaving school grounds. To all of this he flashed an angelic smile and promised to do better next time and that he appreciated their patience. He got off, from every teacher, completely unscathed. Draco Malfoy was after all, a master manipulator, it was one of his lesser known talents. The only teacher he ever had trouble with was McGonagal, and that was only because she was so damn suspicious.

The only thing that caught his attention was Granger. Or the lack there of. All through his classes with the Gryffindors, of which he had a few, there remained the conspicuous absence of a small hand in the air and a knowing voice with all the answers. The bushy haired girl looked subdued all day, and Draco had to mentally kick himself every time he found himself wondering why. Why would he care about a mudblood anyway? All the while her ape of a boyfriend looked like he had just won the lottery or something, and every time he glanced her way, that oafish grin returned.

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table, trying to summon up an appetite. All day she had been preoccupied with the repercussions of her announcement to Ron. Was she really going to go through with it? Half way through the meal, hers, really only cut up and moved, not eaten, Ron leaned over, swallowed and whispered "So...tonight then?" She knew she had to make a decision, it was speak up now or forever hold her peace, but she was still surprised, she never expected him to follow up on it this soon. She opened her mouth, ready to use one of her patented 'I've got too much work' excuses, but he was just sitting there, so excited and happy, she couldn't bring herself to say no. Hermione swallowed, and slowly nodded her head.

His eyes sparkled as he kissed her cheek. "I'll meet you in the room of requirement at 10 kay?"

Unable to speak, she nodded, and with a wave of her delicate hand, sent his gaze, and concentration, back to Harry, sitting on his right looking expectant.

After all she had put him through, she finally had a way to pay him back. He was so adoring, so gentlemanly, so perfect, she just couldn't have brought herself to say no, no matter how her heart screamed for her to do just that.

All she wanted for him to be happy.