Okay, so here's the next chapter, without delay, as promised! I hope you enjoy it!
I'm so amazed with how many people have at least looked at this fanfic. I have the most hits on this fic out of all of mine! You have no idea what that means to me. Thanks so much everyone!


Chapter Four: Not Just A Pretty Face

She's not just a pretty face
She's got everything it takes
She's mother of the human race
She's not just a pretty face

-"She's Not Just A Pretty Face": Shania Twain

In the class with Tonks, Hermione was actually doing quite well. It was the only physical and defense class that she did better than Harry in.

The class had been moved to afternoons on two days a week, and evenings on another two days, for people who did not have the free period, or needed it for homework. Tonks changed the pairs around a good deal, and every time Hermione was victorious. She found beating Ernie Macmillan especially satisfying. Tonks was very happy with the smart brunette, and used her for demonstrations more than most students.

Everyone was doing particularly well though. Harry swore it was because Tonks was such a good teacher. Ron said it was because of what they got to wear. He thought he was funny. Hermione thought he was trying to convince her via joking hints to wear less clothes on a regular basis.

Malfoy made it a point to always be in the common room when Hermione came in to shower and change. Though he never stared at her so much as the first time, he snuck a couple glances every time. They both knew, though didn't mention it.

On a regular basis, Ron met Hermione at the dormitory to walk with her to the Great Hall or go for a stroll around the campus. They had snogged a few times, though Hermione didn't really feel particularly encouraged to go farther. Of course Ron, being a teenage boy with a large amount of hormones, encouraged her to go as far as he could. However, he was in no way forceful. And for that, Hermione was grateful.

Halloween approached and Dumbledore called the Heads up to his office one chilly day during the first week of October.

Hermione ran into Malfoy in front of the gargoyle entrance to the Headmaster's room. She gave him a slight smile. They had silently agreed on a sort of truce recently. Only when they were alone, of course. He nodded at her.

"Hey Granger. Do you know the password?"

"I think it's…" she thought a moment. "Chocolate frog?" The gargoyle sprung out of their way and they climbed up the stairs, knocking on the office door before they heard Dumbledore allow their entrance.

"Ah good, my Head Girl and Boy. I will be brief with you two, as you certainly have, and will have, many responsibilities to complete."

Hermione sat down gingerly when Dumbledore motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. Malfoy sank into the chair, leaning back slightly, and looking somewhat upwards towards the ceiling. Hermione had learned over the past couple weeks that this was when he was listening the hardest, which is why she had thought he was slacking off in class when he was really paying attention.

"Yes Professor?" asked Hermione, "I'm sure it will be no problem for us to do what you are requesting."

"Oh yes. And this task is in no way difficult. I just need you two to plan the older student's Halloween Party. We are having a separate one for the 6th and 7th years. The Prefects will be planning the younger students' party. Since you are older, the upperclassmen's party shall be a formal dance, if you please. Just give me all the information you come up with, such as decorations, band, etc. and I shall arrange for it. Oh, and kindly do not forget a theme.."

"Thank you Professor." said Hermione, smiling slightly to mask her horror.

A dance? That she had to plan? With Malfoy? Sure they had their truce, but she didn't want to spend any more time with him than she had to. She was pretty sure he agreed too. A glance to him told her that he was still fascinated with the ceiling though, so at the moment, she had no idea of his feelings. Dumbledore dismissed them and they left quickly. Once they reached the bottom, Hermione swung around to face Draco.

"We have to do this right. And we should get it done soon. I don't want to wait until the last minute and throw something together." He studied her for a moment, as if deciding whether to retort sarcastically or not. Sighing, he nodded slightly. She relaxed and continued, "Do…you have a lot of homework tonight?"

"Not really…I can get it done easily during free period. What about you? Is that self-defense class going to interfere?"

"Well, I have it during the afternoon today, while you're doing homework, so it won't interfere, and it's almost over. It was just a five week class. Though Tonks might start it up after Christmas Hols."

"Sounds good. Be back at the dormitory by six. Okay?" said Malfoy, starting to walk off.

"Yeah, okay." replied Hermione, heading in the opposite direction. The trick was telling Ron, considering he thought they were going on a walk tonight. Better wait until after the self-defense class. On the way to supper sounded best. He'd understand though.

"What!" Ron squealed. Hermione put a hand to her forehead slowly. She didn't have time for this. "You're ditching our time for an evening with Malfoy?"

"Ron. Do not call it 'an evening with Malfoy'-"

"Oh? It's an evening with Dracie-Poo?"

"Ronald! I have to design the 6th and 7th year's Halloween Party with him! Professor Dumbledore asked us to. You, as a Prefect, have to do the younger kids' party anyway!"

"Yeah, but I don't work on it alone with one other person of the opposite gender in the evening!"

"Why are you so hung up on the evening thing?" said Hermione angrily. They were in a hallway near Gryffindor Tower; she had gone to meet him so she wasn't near Malfoy or their common room when she told him. Now she lamented the decision to even mention Malfoy.

"Because the evening is supposed to be our time!" He replied furiously. Hermione bit her lip and sighed.

"I'm sorry Ron…it's only for one or two nights, for less than a month."

"With Malfoy…"

"Yes Ron. I'm glad that you've finally come to realize that the other Head is Malfoy!" She snapped, walking quickly towards the Great Hall. Ron waited a moment, collecting his thoughts, and knowing she would be mad for a long time unless he apologized as soon as possible, before he took off after her. He caught up at the doors to the large banquet room.

"'Mione…I'm sorry. It's a responsibility you have. Evening is the only time you two can meet…you don't have a choice. I understand." He gritted out in defeat. Hermione smiled at him and rewarded him with a light affectionate kiss, before opening the doors and walking in with him, holding hands.

Ginny and Harry broke apart upon seeing Ron, though Ginny didn't move from Harry's lap and Hermione could hear her own boyfriend's groan, and she giggled. They sat down near the two, and Harry smiled at Hermione.

"So, your best class is almost over."

"Yeah…but I'll still be able to kick your butt if I need to." She replied demurely. He chuckled and Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione, pulling her closer to him. "Don't worry Ron, I'll protect you too." She amended, beaming at the freckled boy. He smiled back.

"I'm sure. Only if you do it in that tank top." He murmured, his mouth near her ear.

"Ron!" she squealed.

Draco rolled his eyes at the display over at the Gryffindor table.

"You'd think they were newlyweds…" he grumbled, and next to him, Blaise Zabini nodded his agreement. Malfoy brushed off Pansy for the third time that morning, watching as Ron put his mouth by Hermione's ear, saying something. She all but screamed his name.

"Yowsers. All he's doing is breathing in her ear. Think it's a sensitive spot?" said Blaise, giving a low whistle. Draco clenched his hands. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him. But he was seriously scared that it was jealously. He couldn't stop looking at the stupid mudblood.

"Okay. So we have to plan a dance. I'm thinking the Weird Sisters for a band. Everyone seems to really like them."

"Sounds good." murmured Draco.

"Are you just going to sit over there and agree with everything I say?" demanded Hermione from her spot on the couch. Malfoy got up from his chair and stalked over to the couch, sitting next to her and leaning in fairly close.

"Would you rather I sit close and disagree with everything?" he asked, his voice low. Hermione shuddered, looking at him with wide eyes, not saying anything. "You know…" He said, leaning back against the couch. "Everyone heard your little outburst this evening in the Great Hall…"

"What outburst?"

"When you practically screamed Weasel's name…" Draco declared, turning to look at her.

"What? I was not screaming Ron's name…"

"I didn't say screaming. I said practically. And you were. I heard it myself."

"I do not scream…" said Hermione confidently. Malfoy smirked darkly, leaning in closer again. The brunette stared at him.

"Are you sure you don't? Because I'm sure I could prove you wrong…and make little Weasel look, and feel like a sissy boy…" He nearly purred. Hermione closed her eyes slowly, trying to remember what they were supposed to be doing.

"Well. The decorations should definitely have black in them. It is a neutral color, and has to do with Halloween." Malfoy said, in an effort to bring Hermione's focus back to the task, although he did enjoy her being distracted by him.

"How about black and…white?" asked Hermione, opening her eyes to look at him. Silver eyes stared back, about a foot away from her own face. "That way there wouldn't be any house colors involved…" She continued, whispering for some unknown reason. Draco smiled slightly at her, and she trembled a little. Why was he affecting her this way? He stared at her silently, his eyes dark with some emotion she couldn't identify. Suddenly he stood up, walking back over to his chair.

"Sounds good, Granger. Write it down. Are we done for the night?"

"Well…for tonight I guess…but tomorrow we're going to have to do food, drinks, a theme, and what sort of look the Great Hall should have."

"Gotcha." He said, giving her a grin. She smiled back and stood.

Suddenly there was a knock at the painting. Hermione blinked, and looked over at the door. Malfoy got to his feet slowly.

"I'll get it…" he said, pushing open the portrait hole.

This time Ron was quick enough to move before the painting clocked him in the head again. He stood, frowning at Malfoy before he crossed his arms.

"Are you going to let me in, Malfoy?" he demanded, "Or am I interrupting your precious evening with Hermione?" Draco snorted.

"Hardly. We were done awhile ago. She's…" He looked in to see Hermione standing with her hands on her hips, a couple feet away from him, though she was hidden from Ron's view. He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. "Well well." He turned back to Ron. "Why don't I invite you in to our happy abode?" he said, moving aside and closer to Hermione. She looked at him incredulously, though he just grinned in return. Ron clambered in and looked at Hermione with some suspicion. She smiled back, walking over to him.

"Ron! I was just going to see you! Malfoy and I just finished for tonight."

"He said you were done awhile ago…" said Ron carefully. Draco watched as Hermione smiled disarmingly.

"Who are you going to believe, Ron? Me or Malfoy?" She took this chance to wrap her arms around Ron's neck. He looked down at her as Draco clenched his jaw.

He refused to acknowledge his unhappiness about…the mudblood. Ron relaxed, putting his arms around the girl's waist.

"You of course, 'Mione. Want to go for a walk now?" he asked quietly. Hermione nodded and pushed up on her toes slightly to kiss him affectionately. Ron pulled her closer and she let him, causing Draco to turn away. He refused to watch this in his own common room.

"Just leave already. Jeez. You can do that outside!" he snapped, walking towards his room.

"Oh you're just jealous Malfoy." Ron taunted. Malfoy didn't allow himself to turn around, instead he stopped in front of the door labeled "DM" and balled his hands into fists.

"I would never be jealous over a mudblood." He snarled and he could hear Ron making a sort of enraged strangled sound, and the painting being opened again. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see Hermione pushing Weasley out of the hole. Their eyes met for a moment. She blinked as she saw the emotion in his grey eyes. He was jealous.

She stopped a second, her eyes fluttering weakly. Ron pulled her though, and she left the dormitory. Draco frowned, mad at himself for giving away how he felt.

"Damn mudblood." He snapped, jerking open his door and going inside, letting it slam with satisfaction.

Hermione said the password as she walked over to the dormitory, giving one last wave to Ron, not even giving Apollo a chance to say something. She went in swiftly, appalled at how late it was. Ron had somehow convinced her to stay out until barely before curfew. She sighed heavily, leaning against the back canvas of the painting.

"Almost late Granger…" came a familiar drawl and she looked up to see Draco just exiting his own room, looking at her with some annoyance. "What were you and Weasley doing?" He asked, trying to disguise his curiosity.

"What do you mean Malfoy? We were walking…"

"Obviously 'walking' is code for something. Though you don't look like you've shagged recently…unless Weasley did it wrong."

"Malfoy!"

"Maybe just some heavy snogging?" he asked, crossing the room and stopping directly in front of her, leaning close. She stared at him, not answering. "I thought as much…" He whispered, Hermione shivering visibly. "Cold, Granger?" He hissed. She lifted her hands to shove him away, but he caught both her wrists and she gasped.

"Malfoy! Let me go!"

"Think about that. Do you really want me to?" He asked, leaning in and saying it in her ear. Her eyes fell closed and she let her head fall back slightly. Draco smiled at her. "I thought so."

Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she twisted away from him, moving towards her room. She flipped around when she was half-way there.

"Don't you ever do that again, Malfoy!" She screeched. He looked at her coldly.

"You know you liked it." He stated. She glared at him.

"I hated it! And I will tell both Ron and Harry if you ever do it again!"

"Oh. Poor Granger has to go running to her boyfriends…" He ridiculed, laughing at her. She bit her lip before she ran into her room, slamming the door violently. Malfoy frowned, wondering what the bloody hell he had just done. All he had wanted to do was freak her out. But now he was feeling guilty about it.

Hermione sat on her bed, resisting the urge to burst into tears. Malfoy was a complete prat. An absolute git. She didn't even want to deal with him. But at the same time…

She couldn't forget when he had his mouth right by her ear. It wasn't like when Ron did it. Of course, one couldn't really compare Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy.

And somehow, she knew that Malfoy had been waiting for her to come back. Her reasoning came up with no suggestions as to why. Except the way he had looked at her before she left. That heated, possessive look he'd given her. She'd almost melted on the spot. She had no clue how she felt anymore. She wasn't sure if she could claim Malfoy's hormones as the cause anymore…

And that scared her.

The next chapter is going to be a little longer. Actually...I think the chapters get progressively longer. Anyone have a guess as to what I'm going to make the theme for the dance? Leave the guess in your review!