Hermione was torn. Draco lapped the moment up, everything from the look on her face to the way she wrung her hands, stopping occasionally to bite at her cuticles. Merlin he loved making people nervous.
"Alright, I can see you're torn. Tell you what: you don't have to answer me now. But if I get back to my dorm room tonight without your answer, there'll be a few owls I'd have to send." Hermione nodded and Draco winked again.
"See you in Potions." She could only scowl at his retreating back.
"Hermione, what in Merlin's beard is bothering you?" Ron wrinkled his brow in concern as he whispered from the side of his mouth during History of Magic. Hermione didn't reply. She was staring off into space, imagining all the things that could go wrong in this deal, how she would be betraying Harry, how she would have to keep lessons secret, how she would be helping a MALFOY of all people.
She felt a sharp pain in her arm and she jerked towards the source. "What was that about?"
"'Mione, you're not taking notes and you're just staring out the window as though You-Know-Who himself is going to burst in. What's UP?" Hermione looked down at her parchment and realized that the notes she thought she was taking were in reality a bunch of lines and squiggles.
"Oh, well... I ... that is..." Ron didn't wait for her to finish.
"Malfoy said something to you last night didn't he?" Hermione hushed him quickly as his voice started to rise. She looked around and noticed that several students had now turned their attention to the couple.
"I knew it, he did, didn't he, I'm going to kick his ass, did he try to kiss you, did he make anymore crude comments about your pink bra, did he try to make a move on you, I swear Hermione if he did I will find him right now and-"
"Ron! Shut up!" she hissed. Lavender Brown was paying rapt attention to the conversation and Neville Longbottom looked as if his eyes were going to pop out. A few other male students studied Hermione appreciatively as if they were trying to judge just what color bra she was wearing today. Ron shot a glare at Harry, who was trying not to snicker.
"He didn't say anything, Ron...now can you just forget about it?"
"Yea, fine. We can talk about it later." Lavender looked like Christmas was cancelled.
Hermione hid in her dorm during lunch, making a list of the pros and cons of helping Draco. The only pro was being Head Girl, but she decided that was enough for her. Then, as if time was in hyper drive, it was time for Potions. Hermione descended into the dungeon with the look of a prisoner facing death row.
Draco sauntered into class just in time, pausing to mutter at Hermione.
"Reach your decision?"
She could only nod at him, to which he replied, "Meet me after class in the abandoned classroom on the next floor… you know the one." He winked at her before taking his seat.
Potions was torture. Draco kept slipping Hermione looks, the kind that sent every other girls hormones racing like snitches, but Hermione only felt sick. Ron caught one of those glances and was sure that Draco had in fact done something to Hermione the previous night, and continued his interrogation. This only resulted in 10 points from Gryffindor and a very amused Draco.
She leapt from her chair at the end of class and muttered something to Harry and Ron that sounded like "library... homework" before dashing to the empty classroom. Hermione paced around the room like a caged lion.
"Where in MERLIN'S BEARD is he? Who the HELL does he think he is to be taking his time like this?" An eternity later, he walked in to find Hermione red faced and talking to herself.
"You know, talking to yourself is not a particularly charming habit." She jumped.
"Merlin, did you have to sneak up on me like that?" His response was to walk into the room and shut the door behind him.
"Your decision, love."
Hermione thought of the shiny Head Girl badge and the years of work she had put towards it. She fingered her Prefect badge and the thought of not having a badge next year strengthened her resolve.
"Fine. I'll do it. I'll help you in Transfiguration." Draco grinned, and Hermione wanted to slap it off of his face. "But you won't say anything about… about...," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "last night."
Draco placed his hand over his heart and laughingly said "I promise. Not a word. But Transfiguration lessons must be at least once a week, and no making excuses to get out of it. I really do need the help. If you miss even one lesson because of Potter or Weasley, I will have to tell someone about your little excursion. If I can't be Head Boy, I'm taking you down with me."
Hermione nodded to show her understanding. What had she gotten herself into?