DISCLAIMER: nothing is mine…

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was having trouble writing this chapter. Also I was busy with classes and such. I'll try to write faster, but it's better to have late updates then fast ones that suck.

Chapter 4: Classes and a Meeting

"Harry have you seen my w… oh thanks. You're a life savior… wow that sounds funny now because you actually… isn't that funny? Well we'd better hurry huh?"

"No need to rush, we still have time to eat and everything so don't worry."

Hermione surveyed the room once more before saying "Well now that I have everything let's go."

"Okay let's go then." Harry replied.

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Down in the Great Hall Ginny and Ron were waiting for Harry and Hermione.

"Do you think he told her yet?"

"No he's too chicken."

"Who's too chicken to tell who what?"

"Hermione" Ginny squeaked in surprise. "I didn't see you coming."

Hermione gave them a suspicious look and said "Well you haven't answered my question yet."

Ron was the one to reply "Oh we were just talking about Harry being too chicken to tell you about how he…"

"followed you down to the lake. I guess our friends here also know of your wrath." Harry finished. He gave Ron a glare and sat down next to Hermione. "But don't worry, I told her about how I was worried and followed her to the lake the night I saved her." Harry said giving both Ginny and Ron an intense look. Just then Hermione tensed up. "What's wrong?" asked Harry.

Hermione slowly turned around to catch Draco Malfoy's eyes had quickly averted Hermione's eyes. "It's nothing. I just felt a draft. I'm okay, really." She lied. She turned around again to see Draco had gotten up from his spot and walking towards the exit. She couldn't understand why Draco looking over to the Gryffindor Table gave her chills. She put that idea to the back of her mind as she began listening to Ginny and Ron argue about some quidditch play they will be doing later that evening.

"Ron your being a git, it won't work if you plan on turning that quickly. You need to ease up on your speed then…"

"Hermione are you sure you're okay?" Harry asked.

"Huh? Oh… oh… yea I'm fine. I'm just tired I think." Hermione said. She kicked herself mentally after seeing Harry's face. She hated being like this, wasn't this the reason she had made her way to the lake that night? "Fine, it's just that Malfoy was looking toward our table, and I… I… I don't know I just felt like he was staring at me or something."

"Of course he was." Ron replied nonchalantly. "He hates you, he probably regrets not seeing you drown or something."

"No, I can't explain it. I mean I've seen him stare at our direction loads of times, but I never felt his stare. You know what I mean?"

"No…" both Ron and Ginny replied. Harry didn't reply. He knew the feeling. Before the Fifth year, he knew Hermione was looking at him, but he was never able to feel her eyes on him. Now wherever she is, as long as she is looking in his general direction, he could feel her gaze.

"Oh… Maybe I am just tired or something. I don't know it just… I… never mind."

They all got up to leave and get to there classes. Hermione was glad that she would be able to escape Harry's watchful eyes. He was too observant for his own good she thought. They would go there own separate ways. Hermione to Arithmancy while Harry and Ron both went to Divinations. "Hermione, are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Harry don't worry, it's not like I'm going to all of a sudden have a desire to walk by the lake in class. I'll be fine. And don't forget you promised to help me look for my locket after class." Hermione said.

"Yea I'll remember. I can hardly wait." Harry said in a very unenthusiastic tone.

"Blah blah blah, you act like hanging around me is torture. Fine I promise if we find it I'll keep away from you for a week. Okay?"

"What… I… huh?"

"Oh no." Hermione exclaimed. "We're going to be late to our respective classes" With that Hermione ran in the other direction of where Harry and Ron were going. In actuality she wasn't going to be late, she just felt more awkward toward Harry since the night before. He was being too nice, too worried. He was acting more and more like a brother or worse… Ron…

In deep thought Hermione wasn't watching where she was going and bumped into someone. Hard. She fell back onto her bum. "Sorry I wasn't paying attention to… oh it's just you Malfoy. Well I'm so sorry for having "dirtied" your precious clothing." Hermione remarked with such sarcasm.

"Well, I'd better leave before your precious Potty and Weasel come over and accuse me of attempting to kill you or something. Wouldn't want Potty's head to get too big, or it'll match the size of the nest on your neck, wait nope that's just your hair."

"That's the best you can come up with? Making fun of my hair again? Don't you think we're a bit old for the childish antics? But wait I guess your brain doesn't grow as fast as your ego. I think I understand now, that's why you hide behind Goyle and Crabbe. Their so stupid they make you look smarter."

"Oh that's rich coming from the girl who hangs with the Potty and Weasel bomb. They make your temper look like you're off for a nice stroll by the lake. Oh is bringing the lake up forbidden now?" Draco asked after seeing the cringe on her face. "It's a wonder you didn't freeze to death." Draco regretted saying the last sentence at the look of Hermione's face.

"What are you talking about?"

"What it was a cold day. I assume the night time was colder since the sun was not out…"

"No you speak as if you were there."

"Why would I have been there? It was after hours and I wouldn't risk a detention on you."

"Well I'm sure you were having a grand old time with your two minions. Tell me when will you three be marrying? Will it be a small ceremony? Will I be invited?"

"Only if you invite me to your lovely wedding to the git twins." Draco said in a false innocent voice. Hermione gave him a glare, but realizing they had been fighting for quite some time, she decided to leave it at that and walked into the Arithmancy classroom.

Inside she found Ernie Macmillan and sat next to him. Just a few seconds later Draco walked into the same room and sat in the back next to Blaise Zambini. He was mentally scolding himself for letting the remark about it being cold slip. How could he have let her get the best of him. He was too easily interrupted by thoughts of her. That night when he saw her in the water… he couldn't get that image out of his mind. He couldn't forget the way her body was light as a feather and how when he brought her out her skin felt as cold and lifeless as a dead body. How could he explain that he had somehow become obsessed over her. He hated her for making him weak like this.

He had been watching her in the Great Hall since the time she walked in the Great Hall with her hand in Harry's, to the moment when she turned around and caught him staring. He assumed that they had begun to date or something, but by the way she acted around him, he knew. He knew Potter was in love and she had no idea. He assumed after hearing that Potter had saved her life she would go running into his arms, but he was mistaken. He couldn't believe it; he knew the smallest details about her. Every movement that she made, he was able to predict. It was like he was merely repeating the movements that she did every morning.

'Stop thinking about her.' He told himself. Every waking moment was filled by her and the way she acted. He hated her but couldn't get enough.

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Through out the whole class Hermione could feel his gaze on her. She didn't want to turn around and give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was driving her insane.