Attention Attention, I don't Harry Potter. Thanx.

It had been an odd day and all Hermione had wanted was to get dinner and go to bed. Perhaps she'd even give herself time to read one of the novels that she'd put away since receiving them at Christmas. Her parents really should know better than that. With the self imposed break Hermione had taken she had found her way down to dinner before anyone else. The Great Hall always felt so big without all the other students and today was no exception. The day had gone from bad to worse with the Draco incident and then a half a dozen stupid things like leaving her bag in the library and only realising when she got to Transfiguration, she had to run back and get her bag and by the time she'd returned she was ten minutes late for class.

She couldn't remember another day in the last few years where she had been so forgetful. If she didn't know better she'd guess that she was going out of her mind.

Sitting quietly she kept her head down, staring at her hands. No matter how much she tried to not think about her mind kept wandering back to the feel of Draco pressed up against her. She knew if she looked up she'd blush and then the girls would ask all sorts of questions. She could never tell them about what had happened because it was closely linked with feeling that she would never explore and were probably not real.

Again she felt her mind drifting back to Draco and his firm body…

"Oh stop it!" she chided herself

"Stop what?" Ginny asked sitting down beside her.

"Nothing I'm just stressing over all the work I have to do" the lie came out seamlessly. Probably because it was true most of the time.

Never the less a lie was a lie and she was still trying to rationalise her actions when the food started appearing en masse.

Thank Merlin for distractions.

Just as she started her meal there was a brief hush over the Hall and without even looking Hermione knew that Draco and his cronies had entered the hall, looking up she noted that they'd obviously made up.

The mood in the Hall was lighter than it had been. It was as though everyone in there was glad to have made it through the day without being attacked by Draco or You Know Who (and yes, they were put in the same category).

Eating his meal Draco tried not to look over at the one person that he hadn't been able to get out of his mind, Granger. Sneering into his meal he ate his roast in silence. But, as with all good intentions, they went out the door and more often than not he found his gaze rest on one brown and bushy haired girl on the other side of the Hall.

He had to speak to her soon. No one could resist his charms and she would be no different, he could play with her and get her out of his system.

It's not like she was really attractive, granted there had been more males around her and he did hear her being talked about in the boys toilets around the school on occasion. She was appreciated, but she was no tall blonde with D cup breasts that men found attractive at 18 and 19. Discounting the large muggle-born factor, she did have a great body and the face and eyes of an angel. Though the last part he'd only heard in odd bathrooms. When he looked at her in the past he couldn't get past her hair which took most of his attention. Never really willing to have a good look at her, she was a mudblood anyway and when he was near her he was also in serious verbal sparring matches and at that point he'd never thought beyond his next comeback.

Now that he was paying attention, even from across the Hall as she ate and chatted with the smallest Weasel he was painfully aware of the response she was giving him thanks to the awareness she given him that morning. Moving slightly he attempted to give himself some more space while arranging his robe to hide the throbbing evidence of his desire. Maybe he could follow her after the meal and have a dig at her about her robes this morning…that could be fun. She laughed at something and his groin drew even tighter. He would HAVE to talk to her soon.

Laughing with Ginny, Hermione heard the hall go dead silent. Looking up from her meal to see what had silence such a large crowd of students.

Hedwig soared through the Hall straight to her. She took a restorative breath and tried to calm herself. It couldn't have been good news because Hedwig would have taken a break and delivered the mail with the rest of the morning mail. Hedwig landed lightly and with an urgent peck presenting his leg for Hermione to remove the parchment. She gave Hedwig some food and a pat and watched him leave looking down Hermione found two pieces of parchment. Handing the one over that was addressed to Ginny, Hermione stood.

"I need some time alone" she said quietly to Ginny before turning and starting to walk out of the Hall. It was still silent but Hermione didn't even spare them a glance.

Draco watched as Hermione walked like a queen from the Hall. As soon as she had left conversations broke out loudly everywhere.

It was Harry's owl, Harry and Ron were fighting the war, a late letter had to be bad news etc etc.

Draco waited a full minute before he walked out of the Hall. It was almost as if he couldn't stop himself. He headed up the stairs toward the Head Girls rooms and found himself knocking on her door.

The moment she opened the door he knew she'd been crying. Pulling herself more upright she just looked at him like she was facing down a whole army.

"What do you want?" she said in a steely voice that cracked with the emotions she was holding back.

"Are you ok?" Draco found himself asking.

Hermione just looked at him, wasn't he supposed to be the bad guy. Staring at him she tried to understand what he was doing there, it was too much, the edges of her vision started to go black and then in a rush there was nothing.

Draco watched in horror as the always strong, calm and collected Hermione Granger crumpled to the floor. Diving forward he caught her just before her head hit the ground.

sorry it was so many days coming this time, special thanks to Perfectcircle for your support. Also a big thanx to nightkitty for your friendship and support with this.