Hey, guys, I'm back again…I sincerely apologize for making you guys wait so long! So, I'm here to write another chapter, that WILL be longer than the rest. But first, thankyous:

ladyJaye: thanks, and you've got to read the chapter to find out if they do! Haha..evil laugh..

rizahawkeye21: I'm sorry for leaving it like that! And you'll find out what happens soon enough…

Sadistically Insane: yay! You're revieweing all my fics! Yay! Tell me if I'm not returning the favor, okay? Anyway, thanks for doing that and for liking this one!

HiddenOperaAngel: trust me…this is a happy chapter…or so it seems…

missindependent1127: thanks a lot!

Flashback

He leaned in and grasped her around her small waist with his hand, their touch sending shivers up each other's bodies. She gasped slightly, but then closed the now nearly non-existent gap. Their lips connected for a fleeting second, before…

"Malfoy!" Blaise Zabini called from around the corner. He stopped, gaping at Draco and Hermione's awkward position. "What in the bloody, blazing hell are you doing! And with a mudblood!"

Blaise received low groans from both Draco and Hermione, them separating from their passionate but short embrace. "Nothing! Get off me, Granger!" Malfoy said, firmly but rather gently pushing her away.

She stared at him, her chestnut eyes glaring with hurt and confusion and disappointment. She was speechless. "I—I thought—" she stammered.

"Well you thought wrong!" Malfoy yelled at her, Zabini smirking wildly in the background. As much as insulting Hermione pained Draco inside, he had to keep up his mean and hating exterior appearances.

Hermione stared at him again, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I can't believe you! You are just as everyone says! An ignorant, self-absorbed, muggle-hating, slimy, selfish son of a bitch, Malfoy! You don't deserve to be happy with anyone! You don't deserve anyone's kindness or helpfulness! You are low and inconsiderate and don't care for anything! I thought you changed, Malfoy, but I guess I was sorely mistaken!" she screamed at him, with every single syllable drenched with venom and hate.

Malfoy looked at her, astounded at her sudden outburst. He reluctantly realized internally that she was right…as always. He could see the unbridled pain in her eyes, her small body shaking with fury at him. It was all Zabini's fault, Malfoy thought at first. Then he realized. It was really him. While others may influence your decisions, it is ultimately up to you what to do. No one had that much control over him. And if Draco really was powerful and persuasive, he should be able to do whatever he wants, without worrying what others will think. He was utterly pissed off at himself.

Walking forward slowly, with Blaise's smugness filling the air with intense humidity, he put his cold hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione…" he started.

She looked furtively at his hand for a moment, then pushed him away forcefully so he staggered slightly. "Don't you dare touch me, Malfoy! You think I actually like you after all of this? Get the hell away from me and never come near me or my friends again!" she spat vindictively.

He slowly backed away a few feet, Blaise still observing the whole argument. Furiously, Malfoy realized that Zabini was enjoying this. With a split-second decision, Malfoy turned around, with his pale hand smashed into a fist. He pulled back his arm and punched Blaise—hard—in his smirking face. Blaise fell down, head hitting the stone with a sickening crack. He was unconscious.

Hermione stared at Draco with surprise and distaste and impressiveness all at the same time. Shaking her head, she ran up the stairs, her footsteps echoing on the cold tile. Malfoy looked up at her, open mouth to call after her, but thought better of it. He had really made a mess of it this time.

"She'll never take me for who I am. It's all this damned attitude I have. And my pride. And my…father." He thought with his face contorted into a grimace and malicious feeling.

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Hermione ran all the way up to her dormitory, tears clouding her vision so she neglected to see all the stares and whispers of "What happened to her?" and the occasional "Hermione? Are you okay?"

She quickly said the password ("Twitterpated"), with the Fat Lady opening fast, but with a concerned look on her oil-painted face. "What is wrong with you, my dear? Are you alright?" she called softly after Hermione.

Hermione sprinted up the stairs and jumped face down on her bed, hands and shoulders lowered in defeat, tears slowly staining her red pillow. Lavender and Parvati happened to be in the room, probably talking about their latest crush and the newest line of makeup.

Confused, they walked over to Hermione's bed, silently, and Lavender absentmindedly Conjured a tissue. "Hermione? What happened? Come on, you can tell us."

Hermione was surprised, but looked up at their concerned faces, Lavender's hair coiled up into an elegant knot, and Parvati's long brown, almost black, sheet of hair gracing her back. Hermione's face was tear-stained, her miniscule amount of eyeliner running ever so slightly. She hiccupped, her face impassive, but her eyes telling the whole story.

"What did Malfoy do to you? He insulted you, didn't he! Oh, I'll kill him!" Parvati said with an anguished and determined look on her perfect face.

"How—hiccup—did you—hiccup—know?" Hermione said, tears ceasing.

Lavender, incredulously, laughed. "Hermione. Haven't you learned anything?" At Hermione's bewildered expression, Lavender sighed, but continued. "We—that is to say Parvati and I—make it our business to indulge in the inner workings of the female species' minds. We have had much experience in this area, and your eyes, beautiful as they are, tell us exactly what happened.

Parvati nodded her head excitedly in agreement. "Yeah. And we're worried about you. Tell us what happened."

Hermione didn't feel the least bit inclined to enlighten them, but their anxious faces persuaded her. They acted like they actually cared; not only wanting the newest bit of gossip. "Well, you see, it happened like this…" Hermione started, rattling off the entire tale.

Lavender and Parvati sighed, groaned, and gasped at the right moments, intrigued but enraged at Malfoy and Zabini's actions. They truly felt for Hermione, rarely but similarly enduring the same things. Hermione felt immensely better after telling them, taking a deep but wavering breath after she finished. "And that's why I'm in so much pain. Because I really do like him. Despite all that he's done to me." She concluded.

"It's alright, Hermy." Lavender said, but at Hermione's pained and annoyed face, she added, "Er—I mean—Hermione. It's going to be okay. Do you want us to help you? We know all the secrets to guys, and what makes them pissed off. What do you say?"

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Hermione asked, interested.

"Oh. Let's just say we have certain…connections." Parvati said cryptically.

Hermione raised a suspicious eyebrow, but agreed. "If you want to. But on one condition." At Parvati and Lavender's concurring faces, Hermione continued. "You let me in on absolutely everything you are doing, and don't leave anything out."

They approved her request, and started planning their next mental attack on the legendary Slytherins.

Sorry this wasn't as long of a chapter as I had hoped, but I thought that it wouldn't flow right if I went on. I'll post the next chapter hopefully by tuesday, though I'm not going to make any concrete promises. Remember I love you all, and please keep reviewing if you can!

xoxo,

luvseanfaris