A/N: Thanks for the reviews and such. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, hopefully soon! Read, review and enjoy:)

Chapter 4: Disclosure

After that disastrous night in the Prefect's bathroom, Hermione could barely look at Draco without feeling grossly humiliated. But remembering the way he looked when he was lying against the tub wall, his eyes closed peacefully, his blond hair falling perfectly, his chest and arms- toned but not overly muscular.

What Hermione would have given to kiss those lips, pulled back into that conniving smirk. No, he's Malfoy. He's taunted you since first year. Get over it Hermione, it's a mistake waiting to happen.

Hermione shook her head violently, as if by doing such, the thoughts of Draco would be forced out of her head through her ears.

Up on the seventh floor corridor, Draco too was having a difficult time forgetting that night. How modest she had tried to be when he had walked in, despite her obvious lack of clothing. How he genuinely smiled when she touched him.

Draco tripped over a runner on the tiled floor, just barely catching himself before his face hit the floor. The tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy and his trolls laughed heartily at Draco's expense.

"Oh shut up, you!" He scowled at them. What the bloody fuck? This is Granger. You hate her, she hates you, and I've got work to do. I really fucked up with Katie, too. Thank Merlin it wasn't any worse. But Granger, Granger is smart; maybe she could help- a little. But she wouldn't want to if she knew what it was for. Oh, I can convince her! Just earn her trust; I am Draco Malfoy, of course. Wonderful idea, mate!

Draco smiled to himself and turned towards the door on his right and entered silently.

A few hours later Draco walked down a deserted corridor, his footsteps echoed down the corridor as he walked past multiple closed doors on his way to the Slytherin Common Room.

It was eerily quiet. Granted it was well after dinnertime, and the Quidditch match celebrations were definitely over with, well maybe.

Over his footsteps Draco could suddenly hear a muffled sobbing as he passed a door that was slightly ajar. Odd.

He paused briefly, contemplating what to do. Carefully and quietly he put his ear to the door, and heard the sobbing slightly louder. Someone is definitely crying in there.

He removed his ear from the door, only to replace it with his hands as he slowly pushed the door open and peered inside the should-be-empty classroom.

Hermione looked up at the sound of the creaking door, half-expecting to see Harry coming to comfort her about Ron and Lavender. About how Ron was just being stupid and he didn't mean to hurt her, and tell her why the hell Ron had been acting so mental lately.

When she locked eyes with Draco Malfoys stone-grey ones she nearly fell off the desk she was sitting on.

"What are you doing here?" She sputtered amidst sobs and dry heaves.

"Why are you crying?" Came the reply.

"I believe that is none of your business, and I believe I also asked first." She looked at him with a glare that obviously said "I'm not going to play any games today."

Draco sighed, "If you must know, I was just heading back from a nighttime stroll back to my common room."

"Oh," Hermione said meekly, just nodding her head.

Draco looked at her sadly. Crying was never a pretty sight. It showed defeat. It revealed weakness.

"So why are you crying?" Draco repeated his unanswered question, stepping in to the room a meter or so, but not daring to go past the door.

"Over that same, stupid boy." Hermione looked above the inside of her hands again, a tear trickling down her cheek and under her chin.

"Ron Weasley, eh?"

"Yes again." Hermione wiped her eyes and looked back at Draco, feeling an overwhelming sensation of humility of being caught crying by the likes of Draco Malfoy again.

"How come when you see me crying, it is about Ron Weasley?" She asked rhetorically, hopping down from the desk, brushing away another stray tear.

"Just lucky I guess," Draco said, his eyes never leaving hers as she moved toward the doorway, toward him. She looked so sad; he wished to comfort her. Surely Ron Weasley was a stupid thing to be crying over.

Hermione simply looked into Draco's eyes- soft, and grey like an oncoming rainstorm, unwavering from her glance. She gently pushed her disheveled hair behind her ears, sniffed, and spoke softly.

"Look… about the other night…"

"Don't worry, I was being a pig. It was an accident, an unfortunate one, and I took advantage of your disposition. Forget it ever happened." Draco continued to stare back at her. He did not want to forget about that night, but he didn't want to make her feel worse, especially not if he needed her help.

"Er, right, I was just going to apologize for dunking you, it was rather childish of me." Hermione smiled sheepishly, it had been amusing nonetheless.

"Yeah, it was" He said shortly.

Hermione, whose gaze had ventured to the stone floor and Draco's trainers, looked up surprised at his blunt statement.

Draco spoke softly to her again, "But I did deserve it. I, too, am sorry for what I did."

"An apology from Draco Malfoy, that is rare." Hermione just beamed at him, fidgeting her feet slightly.

"Yes, and not likely to ever happen again." He smiled back at her, bowing his head before speaking again, "C'mon, I'll walk you up to your room. It's the least I can do."

"Are you sure, it's rather out of your way…" Hermione reasoned.

"It is, but it's okay, I wasn't quite ready to go back yet, this will give me more time."

"Well alright." Hermione stuffed her hands into her robe pockets as she began to walk past Draco and through the door. Draco caught her arm before she walked past him, and cupped her face in his hands, gently wiping away stray tears with his thumbs.

"No more crying. If that Ron Weasley makes you cry again, let me know. I need a good reason to jinx him." Draco for the life of him didn't know what made him act that way towards Hermione, but he hated to see her cry.

Hermione silently nodded her head, and began to walk toward Gryffindor Tower, Draco walking right beside her- a small smile spread across her face.

They were both quiet the whole way, but when they arrived at the Fat Lady's Portrait, Hermione slowly came to a stop and turned to look at Draco.

"Well, this is it." Hermione fidgeted again for a moment, wondering what to say next, if anything.

"Yeah, I'd better be headed down now anyway, it is getting late. Merlin," Draco had looked down at his pocket watch, "it's long after hours, and we're out of bed.

Hermione let out a small giggle- "I guess it is impossible to follow the rules all the time." She smiled again at Draco, who smiled back, with no signs of malice in his expression.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I'll see you around, Malfoy," Hermione said as she turned toward the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Wait, Hermione…" Draco stammered after her.

"Yes…?" She replied, lingering in place for a moment.

"Uh… er… um… Don't let Ron give you any more trouble, you hear?" he spit out quickly. That's not what he had wanted to say.

"Oh… right, I won't" Hermione consented, crestfallen.

Draco turned to leave, hanging his head as he made his way down the hallway.

"Malfoy!"

Draco turned his head quickly to see Hermione lingering at the portrait entrance, biting her bottom lip out of nervousness.

"Wait, Draco, why are you being so nice?" The innocence in her eyes memorized him, for a moment Draco couldn't answer her truthfully.

"Because you are letting me. Goodnight, Granger." Draco gave her one last smile and turned his back to her, walking towards the dungeons.

"Goodnight, Draco."

Hermione mumbled the password, "Dilligrout," and climbed through the portrait, very confused at what had transpired.

Draco had turned back around to see an empty space where Hermione had stood. He looked up at the Fat Lady who stared back at him.

"You can't stay out all night, you know." The Fat Lady said to Draco.

"Right, I was just leaving." Draco turned and sprinted down to the dungeons, and into the Slytherin common room.

Even the cold of his room couldn't cool the sudden head that had overwhelmed him, whether it was the effect of running or something else, Draco was unsure.

Hermione floated up the staircase to her dormitory, half-dazed, thinking about Draco, his genuine smile, his eyes- everything- how odd it was that it had actually happened.

Hermione opened the door to her room and pulled back the curtains on her four-poster bed, a light breeze from her window billowing the curtains and her unruly hair.

A single envelope with her name printed on it laid on her dark red pillow. Slowly she picked up the letter, gently opening it

In scribbled handwriting, obviously a male's, she read:

Please meet me again tomorrow night, same place. Goodnight, Hermione.

Hermione's stomach did a summersault. The letter wasn't signed, but she was sure she knew the author of her anonymous letter. She placed the letter on her bedside table and crawled into bed, smiling as she fell asleep.