Sorry for the long wait in updating, I've been really busy. Does anyone know if OOC means out of character?

I own nothing but the plot…Dammit

Chapter 7. Progress

The Seventh years were in charms and had just got the pygmy puffs they had been promised. Hermione was making slightly more progress in her partner than Harry and Ron although it turned out that their truce was only for in their common room, when he was around the Slytherins he was still their heartless king.

Hermione and Draco had arranged to be in the common room at 8 o clock each night to review their pygmy puff's daily routine. Hermione had tried lots of ways to subtly ask Draco why he's changed but either he didn't get the questions or just plainly didn't want to say. She had decided that while they were both in the common room tonight she would try one more time to ask without specifying the information she wanted to know.

They had named their pygmy puff Orla. Draco had wanted to call it Robert but Hermione had vetoed it because she thought it was too normal. They had made a little nest for Orla to sleep in their common room, that way neither of them had to go into each others rooms to make sure they were getting a good mark.

The bell went for the end of the lesson and all the students gathered up their books, as people stood up Professor Flitwick managed to squeak out "Don't forget to meet up with your partners and write a full report for next lesson."

All the Gryffindors made their way to the transfiguration corridor while all the Slytherins turned towards the Greenhouses. Just as Draco left his chair next to Hermione's to join the group of Slytherins she could swear she saw his turn his head and wink at her.

She froze for a couple of seconds while her brain processed what had just happened but quickly regained her business like posture and walked over to Harry and Ron. They had been a little distant ever since Draco had replaced Harry in the head boy position; it was as though they thought it was her fault he was put back in Gryffindor common room.

"So Hermione what's going on with you and Malfoy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his tone pleasant

"Nothing, what do you mean?"

"I've noticed he's not throwing any insults our way since he was head boy I was wandering if you knew anything," the anger was rising in his voice

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I saw the way you were smiling at him throughout that lesson and I saw they way he winked at you when he left!" Harry was whisper-shouting by this time, trying not to make a scene.

"If it's any of your business, the first day he was made head boy he asked me if he could call me Hermione and me call him Draco and he apologised for 6 years of torment, I'm only trying to be friendly in return because if he can regret all those things he's said to us then I can forgive," Hermione drew breath "And as for that wink I have no idea what was going through his head and if you managed to see that then you must have seen my reaction to it!"

Harry looked a little sheepish after having being told all that and quite clearly hadn't seen Hermione's reaction to the wink he mumbled out a little 'sorry' as they reached the transfiguration classroom and took their seats. The class went as normal, Hermione getting all the questions right and finishing the work first while Harry and Ron tried to look over her shoulder to copy her notes, the only difference was that Hermione was much better at covering up her work this lesson.

Once the bell had gone to end that lesson Hermione quickly exited the classroom and went up to her common room while all the rest of the Gryffindors went back to the tower. On the way back Ron managed to get a "You're gunna need to apologise for that" into Harry's ear.

Hermione walked straight through the common room and into her bedroom without even glancing around, she needed to do some serious thinking. It was only when Harry made the assumption that she realised it was true, she was liking Draco Malfoy. Draco had been in the common room as Hermione had stormed through and heard hr mutterings which were along the lines of 'oh god what if Harry's right oh crap how did this happen' as a normal teenager riddled with curiosity he felt the need to find out what was going on.

Draco knocked softly on her door and asked if he could go in, Hermione replied with a 'yeah, I guess'

"What happened to you that lesson?"

"Oh nothing much just some accusations coming my way from Harry,"

"To do with me?" Draco asked already half knowing the answer

"Yeah, mainly. They were just wandering why you'd stopped insulting them recently and Harry saw us laughing in Charms,"

"Oh and what they thought that you and me were…."

"I think so he never specified but come on he's a 17 year old boy," both of them laughed at this.

"Draco, what did you mean by that wink you sent my way at the end of charms? It confused me, and Harry saw it as well, that was probably a reason why he assumed,"

"Oh, that. Yeah I didn't mean it as anything to big, it was kind of a thank you for being a friend and accepting me for who I am,"

They smiled at each other before Draco rose to leave saying "probably time to get to the next class."

The Gryffindors and Slytherins had Potions together so they walked out together before Draco veered off on another route so they wouldn't arrive together raising to many eyebrows. They got there just on time Snape had just swept around the corner and was letting people into the classroom as Hermione joined the end of the line.

She took her place next to Neville and smiled at him. It was a miracle that he passed his potions OWL but he had, had lots of coaching lessons with Hermione and he had just scraped an E. Snape had just started to tell them about the Polyjuice potion which they were to be brewing today so Hermione switched off having made it in her second year with Harry and Ron. She turned around to see them also ignoring what they were being told and she managed to catch Harry's eye, he mouthed 'sorry' to her and 'I jumped to conclusions' she nodded her head showing that she forgave him but she still had a look on her face showing that she still didn't agree with her accusations. Hermione made it through the lesson brewing her potion and whispering the instructions to Neville it took them their entire double lesson to finish all the work Snape had set for that lesson.

It was lunch and Harry, Ron and Hermione went down to the Great Hall to meet up with Ginny. After eating Ginny kicked Hermione under the table and made a head gesture to show that she wanted to talk. Hermione nodded her head in an understand way and made excuses that she was going to go and put her bag back in her common room, Ginny said that she had to go and meet Luna in the library. They met outside the Gryffindor common room knowing that the boys would spend ages eating and discussing Quidditch.

The Girls followed their feet out towards the lake while they made small talk about school and Head Girl duties before Hermione decided to find out what she was really doing there.

"Ginny, why did you wanna talk to me?"

"Oh, it was because last time we had a conversation like this we never got to finish it properly, you were saying that you liked Malfoy,"

"Yeah but only as much as you do,"

"I know but you were making such a big thing over me saying that he was cute, for you to turn around and say the same…something must have happened,"

"Nothing happened then, but then when he was made head boy he asked me to call him Draco and if he could call me Hermione, he said he wanted to become friendlier and that over the summer he had changed! He even apologised for 6 years of hell."

"You didn't forgive him did you?"

"Well yeah I did because it clearly took a lot for him to say sorry and plus I'm meant to be 'promoting inter-house unity so you know…."

"So what you like him on a personality basis as well?"

"Well I wasn't but then after Charms Harry had a go at me 'cos he thought that I was secretly dating Draco or something and I told him what I told you and that seemed to shut him up, but then I stormed off after Transfiguration to our Common room and Draco came into my room to see what was up and he was really caring! I've got no idea what's going on."

"Oh God Hermione you're totally falling for him!"

"No I'm not I just need to know what he thinks is going on, should I ask him what happened over the summer or something?"

"Yeah that would probably be a good place to start from,"

"Wait what do you mean start from? It's not like I want a relationship with him!"

"Oh yeah sure Hermione, but whatever you say ask him what happened tonight while your in your common room or something, just drop it in casually or something, see if he gives you a straight out answer. If he does ask him how he feels about you."

"Yeah cos I can imagine me doing that, 'Oh Draco why are you nice to me now?'" She put on a low voice "'Oh yeah it was just because I realised I was stupid' oh ok,' hey Draco do you like me?'" Both the girls started laughing at her imitated dialogue.

"Come on Gin, we should get back in lessons start soon," They made their way back up to the castle and went their separate ways to get their books. The Afternoon passed quietly. The evening did to. Well almost.

AN: another chapter done enjoy! Please review, criticism is welcome to – anything to help!