"Weasley, I would appriciate it if you would just leave me the hell alone for once."

"Leave my girlfriend alone then, Wonder Whore."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes skyward. Draco and Ron had been fighting ever since last Wednesday, and it was now Monday. She'd had just about all she could take. She grabbed Ron's arm.

"Come on we'll be late for Care of Magical Creatures, wouldn't want to disappoint Hagrid would we?"

Ron pulled away from her, his face the scarlet red sign that he was about to explode. "No, Hermione, Malfoy and I are going to work this out, have a little man-to-man chat."

"That would be fantastic Ron, if I thought you were really going to chat. Now come on."

"Oh nonono. Not letting Super Slytherin here think he's better than me. Come on, Malfoy, let's take this outside. Wouldn't want to hurt anyone who didn't deserve it."

"Ron. Now."

This time he turned on Hermione. "If you think for one second that you'll take so much as a point off of Gryffindor again you're mistaken. You've been docking points all week, don't you think you should be sticking up for your boyfriend?"

"Not when he's being a complete brat."

"What did you just call me?"

"Never mind." Hermione suddenly turned into a submissive, weak excuse for what she normally was.

"That's what I thought." He rounded back on Draco. "As for you, Captain Cu-"

"Tsk tsk, Weasel, watch your language. There are ladies present." He smiled at Hermione.

"Don't you smile at her!"

"And I suppose next you'll be asking me to not BREATHE around her, then?"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't breathe at all."

"Well, whatever floats your little boat there, Weasley. I've got to be going, got a class to get to."

Draco was walking down the hall when he felt something pummel into his back. Suddenly he couldn't move anymore as he heard the laughter of a few Gryffindor boys.

"Like a full body bind, Malfoy?" Ron circled Draco, chuckling. He could see Potter from the corner of his eye, having a good laugh over Draco being frozen to the spot. Ron stopped laughing.

"I don't like you trying to take advantage of my girlfriend. She's mine exclusively. So please keep your dirty paws off of her." He kicked Draco in a very sensitive spot. "Being a boy myself, I know that must have hurt. Consider it a warning if you don't heed my advice." He grinned again and walked away with the other Gryffindors laughing.

Hermione immediately uttered the counter curse. As soon as Draco was unbound, he fell to his knees on the floor, moaning in pain. Hermione stooped down to help.

"Hermione, aren't you coming?" She heard Ron pause at the top of the stairs for her.

"I've got... I've got to change my tampon, honey!" She winced at the pathetic excuse.

"Whoa, ok, thanks for sharing, I'll see you there."

"Are you ok, Silver?" she whispered in his ear. He sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "I'm really sorry about him," she whispered again, "but I've got to go. I'll see you Wednesday." With that, she went after Ron.

Draco was stunned. The feeling of her breath on his ear sent shiver after shiver rolling down his spine. Even the thought of her whispers was enough to inspire...nice...thoughts... classes be damned, Draco had to go back to his room for a bit. After that kick, maybe it would be necessary to make sure everything was in, erm... proper working order. He was sure Madam Pomfrey would agree. More or less.

Finals were approaching fast, which meant that this would be the last lesson for Draco and Hermione. Hermione felt a sense of dread. What would that mean for her friendship with Silver? Draco couldn't help but think this would be his final chance to make Hermione see how wrong Ron was for her. Maybe he wasn't good enough for her, but at least he wouldn't have to deal with the pain of seeing Hermione with such a prick for a boyfriend. If she was happy, he was happy. At least, so he hoped.

Hermione was overjoyed at Draco's progress. The lesson ended on a bittersweet note; Draco was almost better than Hermione, but they couldn't be sure that they would see each other again. The lessons had offered an opportunity for them to have great talks with each other and they doubted such an opportunity would arise during the next school year.

"You've gotten better than me!" Hermione laughed as she packed away her things.

"Well I had an excellent tutor. Thanks, Hermione."

"Oh it's nothing. I had to do it anyways, remember the deal?"

Draco felt his stomach twist. "Was that the only reason you did this?"

Hermione slung her bag over her arm. "At first, of course. But not recently. I've really looked forward to our lessons, Silver. You've become one of my best friends."

"That's good. You've become my only true friend." He sighed. She had called him a friend, a best friend, like Harry. He wanted to be more than that to her.

She grinned at him. "Brilliant. Well, you should do excellent on your exams next week."

"I do want to make Head Boy."

"That would be great!" She beamed. "We'd get to see each other a lot more often. Don't know how Ron would like that."

"Oh who cares. Weasley can sod off."

"Well, he is my boyfriend, and I guess he does have some input on my life."

"Hermione, when are you going to realize that you could do so much better?"

"That's just it. For me, there is nothing better. He and I… well, like I've said, we make sense. This is as good as its going to get."

He shook his head. "No. Weasley's a horrible boyfriend to you, you can do so much better, you DESERVE so much better. Someone who will treat you like you mean the world to him, someone who understands you and lets you live your own life, someone who ... loves you." He looked up into her eyes, trying to make her understand what he was saying.

"Ron does love me, he just does it in his own way, I suppose."

"Does his way make you completely happy?"

"No, but that is the way the world works."

"The way the world works is that when you love someone, you treat them better than you treat your Firebolt or your friends. Hermione, I've seen Weasley take better care of his school things than he takes care of you.

It was her turn to sigh. "Speaking of Ron and school, he's expecting me to help him with his essay. I'd better get going." Neither of them were smiling. Draco didn't feel like arguing anymore.

Hermione pulled Draco into a hug, holding him for minutes longer than necessary. He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent and trying to memorize every small detail about her. She clasped her hands at the base of his neck, not wanting to let go and go back to Ron. Hermione wanted to forget Ron and just go with her instinct, but she knew it wouldn't be sensible. All she could do was inhale the distinct smell of Draco and hope that she could remember the feel of his arms later. Draco never wanted to leave the safe circle of her arms, but she pulled back.

Hermione wondered if she should do what she truly wanted to. Standing up on her toes, she closed her eyes and kissed him - on the cheek. His eyes still shut, fireworks went off in his body at the feeling of her soft lips pressed against his porcelain cheek. Her lips were screaming for his but her brain wouldn't allow it. She wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered in his ear. "Goodbye, Silver." His body involuntarily shuddered, and she let go of him and walked out of the door.

"Goodbye, Hermione." He barely managed to get out that small sentence as he stared at the closing door.