Neither Hermione nor Draco knew how to deal with this question. Could two people so insanely different be friends? After all, they had hated each other passionately for years. Yet, as the saying goes, it's a fine line between love and hate. The only opposite for the two emotions is indifference... to not feel anything at all. For the first time in their years at Hogwarts, they weren't sure how to act towards each other. They no longer flung insults across filled classrooms but they weren't exactly chums either. The entire sixth year was confused at the obvious state of awkwardness between Hermione and Draco. They were both so tense, so dazed following the night at the pitch that many were sure they'd be falling out of their rockers at any moment.

People stepped gingerly around the pair, being careful not to make them snap. Hermione read books upside down for hours before someone would call for her return to reality. Draco held his tongue, refraining from insulting, which alarmed so many people that Professor Snape had been called in and Draco had been referred to Madam Pomfrey. She simply diagnosed his problem as stress, and all the Slytherins had taken Draco in as their patient. For the next week, Draco was constantly the recieving end of massages and got many offers to have his homework done for him.

Unfortunately, the time had once again arrived for the pair to meet in the empty Transfiguration classroom for lessons. Hermione and Draco headed down the hallway, eyes glazed and minds clouded.

"Oh I'm sorry." Hermione snapped back to reality as her hand meet Draco's hand as they both rested on the doorknob. He merely nodded and held the door for her.

Almost the entire lesson went by before either would say a word beyond the lesson. Draco dropped his wand as Hermione meekly spoke.

"Malfoy?"

"Yes?" he said as he scooped down to retrieve his wand.

"Did you really mean that thing you said? About trying to help a friend?"

"I... well you know, a Malfoy never says anything they don't mean. I think Weasley's an idiot and you've got a blind spot for him."

"Never mind that. What I meant was, well... do you really see me as a friend?"

"I suppose I do." He offered her a half smile and to his shock she flashed a big grin back.

"Good. In that case, I think you should probably call me Hermione."

"I thought you didn't like that?"

"Oh I never said I didn't like it. It just surprised me is all."

"Alright. Hermione it is." They grinned at each other again, surprised at how easy the conversation had been, and continued the lesson with the tension cleared from the room. A few more minutes passed before Hermione took the initiative to speak again.

"Oh and Malfoy? Thank you. For trying to look out for me, I mean."

"What are friends for?" They both chuckled at the statement. "You know, you don't have to call me Malfoy."

"Yea, but I don't know about Draco... I suppose Malfoy is just habit. Maybe I can come up with a nickname?" She sat in deep thought for a moment and then her eyes lit up with amusement. "I could call you Silver."

"Silver? Why?"

"You just remind me of silver. Well, for the obvious reasons of course: your eyes, your silvery blonde hair, and Slytherin colors. But also for some other reasons: you're tenacious and resilient, you've got a shiny image that is easily tarnished, and you're underappreciated. And you're pretty." She blushed a little as she giggled. Then she frowned slightly. "I know it's not a very good nickname, but I wanted something creative."

"Well, I think it's brilliant." There was still a flush in his cheeks from the compliment he'd just received.

"All the same, I may still call you Malfoy...hey I've called friends by their last names before!" she protested seeing the look on Draco's face.

"Well, call me whatever you want. There's nothing wrong with Draco."

"Oh I know that, it's a fine name. I just... I don't know, I guess I feel kind of weird saying it?" Draco nodded. He could understand that for now. Maybe calling him Draco was just too personal for her.

They parted ways at nine, laughing and all smiles as they returned to their common rooms. Ron had been feeling under the weather, so he'd already turned in for the night. Hermione crept into the boy's dorm to check on him.

"Hey, Ron," she whispered.

"Hey, 'Mione," he grumbled, turning over on his side to look at her. She joined him on the bed, stroking his hair in a motherly fashion.

"How are you feeling?"

"Ughhh... kind of gross actually. Might go see Madam Pomfrey in the morning if I'm not feeling better. Probably going to skip class."

"Alright, hun. Do you need anything?" He shook his head 'no' and tiredly smiled up at her. "Ok, well I'll check on you in the morning to see how you're doing, ok?" Ron shut his eyes and nodded again, falling into a deep sleep as Hermione continued to stroke his head, humming lightly as she did so. It was what her mother did for her whenever she was under the weather. The last thing he thought as he drifted off to sleep is how nice it was to have Hermione take care of him when his mother couldn't be there.

Hermione was lying in her bed that night and grinned when she thought of her new friendship with 'Silver.' She had told him that he was pretty - well as far as Hermione was concerned that was the biggest understatement ever made. Draco Malfoy was downright sexy, and every girl at Hogwarts, now including Hermione Granger, knew it. Not even Harry, hero of the wizarding world and local girl magnet, could compete with the cocky Draco. No, there was simply something about Draco Malfoy that Hermione knew she should be cautious of in this new friendship, but she was coming very close to throwing caution and sensibility to the wind.

To hell with Head Girl: Hermione Granger couldn't think of anything she wanted more than to find out just what Draco Malfoy had up his sleeve... ok, and maybe inside of his robes.

Then she thought of poor Ron, lying in bed sick, who relied on her to take care of him and help him when he needed it. She thought of Ron, who had told her so many times just how much he liked her and just what he might do if he ever lost her. She sighed. Ron was sensible, reliable; a constant force in her life that wouldn't go away suddenly. Predictable Ron, who had a daily routine similar to the sun rising - steady and unchanging. She was certain Draco Malfoy didn't do a damn thing similarly each day and that he was the type of guy who would just pick up one day to go on some crazy adventure. Hermione was the sensible, reliable type, and she knew that Ron was the right choice for her.

She gave a heavy sigh and rolled onto her stomach to finally fall asleep.