A/N: Thanks for your reviews and I'm glad you like my story. I seriously didn't think ANYONE would like it but ya's do and I'm grateful. Actually I have finished typing it but I'm only going to add a chapter at a time.

DISCLAIMER: I only own the plot.

Chapter 6: A fixed friendship.

It had been a week since Hermione and Draco's kiss. She had been avoiding Draco all week. He had noticed this and every time he tried to talk to her she walked away pretending not to see him. This had made Draco quite curious. Did that mean she had feelings for him? Or was he just dreaming? Hadn't it been Hermione who had moved in first for the kiss? Didn't she make the first move? Draco didn't know what else to do so he wrote her a letter thinking this the only way for her to listen to him. He took the finished letter up to the owlery and tied it to the leg of a school owl.

"Take this to Hermione Granger please" he told the owl. It hooted softly and flew out the window.

Hermione was walking around the lake thinking about the kiss she had shared with Draco. She had been thinking about it all week. She looked up at the sky and noticed an owl flying low over her. It soared down closer and Hermione caught the letter it dropped. It was for her.

Dear Hermione,

We need to talk. I can't get you off my mind. That kiss we shared meant too much for me to describe in a letter. Please meet me at the top of the Astronomy Tower at 8pm. I will be waiting up there for you.

From,

Draco Malfoy.

Hermione folded the letter up and sighed. She looked up at the castle towards the Astronomy Tower. She didn't know if she would go, all she knew was she would decide when the time came. With that Hermione headed back to the castle just as the light rain began to fall.

Harry sat beside Ginny in the Common Room. It was ten to eight at night and both were reading over essays they'd completed. Ginny leant closer to Harry, who smiled at her adoringly. His feelings for Ginny were strong. Stronger then the ones he'd had towards Hermione. Ron sat near them, a bit uncomfortable, but accepting their blossoming relationship. He had forgiven Harry because he now knew that it was just a fling. Just as they were getting cosy, Hermione came running down the stairs beside Lavender Brown, who shot Ginny and Harry a dirty look.

"She's still really angry with us Harry. Maybe you should…"

"No. She kissed the ferret. I'm not talking to her until she tells me a real reason for kissing Malfoy" He spat the name out. This made Hermione glare at Harry again. Only this time she gave Ginny a look that told Ginny she was still angry with her but in time she would learn to forgive her. Hermione looked at her watch. It was five minutes to eight. Standing up she told Lavender she had to patrol the castle tonight and she left the common room for the Astronomy Tower instead. She made her way up the spiral staircase and when she arrived Draco was already there. He smiled; a true smile and Hermione knew then that he also had feelings for her.

"I'm glad you came. I was starting to think you wouldn't show" he grinned.

"I wasn't going to come but then I realised something" she told him truthfully.

"What?" Draco asked curiously, hoping she was going to tell him she liked him.

"I…I have…feelings for you" she said quietly. She looked into his beautiful grey eyes.

"Well I'm glad you told me that because I have feelings for you too." Draco walked over to her and slipped his arms around her waist. Hermione wrapped hers around Draco's and breathed in his scent. They cuddled each other for a while and then Hermione pulled away from him.

"Does this mean that…are we going to…well…what does this mean?" she asked him sounding a little lost for words.

"It could mean a lot of things but I hope it means that we can be together. You know I was kinda hoping you'd be my girlfriend."

"Really? But what about the Slytherin's? Wouldn't that get back to You Know Who?"

"I…I didn't think of that. All I could think about this week was you."

"We don't have to tell anyone I guess. I don't really have anyone to tell anyway. We could date in secret. Would you mind that?" Hermione looked up at him and he stared into her chocolate brown eyes. How could he resist her? With those big brown eyes practically pleading with him.

"We can do that…I don't care as long as I'm with you. That's all that matters."

Hermione smiled at him and they leant in for their second kiss. This one was more powerful than the first. Draco brushed his tongue over Hermione's lips and she parted them so that their tongue's met. After what seemed like eternity, they pulled apart both a little breathless. Draco conjured a comfortable seat for two and they sat up on the Astronomy Tower and laughed and joked about things that everyday couples laugh and joke about. It was midnight before they went to bed both feeling totally over the moon.

The next day Hermione received a letter from Professor Dumbledore requesting that she go to his office as soon as she could. Being a Saturday and with no friends she headed up there as soon as she had finished her breakfast. She noticed that Draco was walking that way as well and hoped he had received a letter requesting his presence as well. She was glad to see him mutter the password and watched as the stone gargoyle that was the entrance to Dumbledore's office spring to life. She ran up to it and got there just as it slid back into place. She muttered the password, 'sherbet lemons' and once again the stone gargoyle sprang to life and stepped aside to allow Hermione to enter. She knocked on Dumbledore's office and his voice, sounding rather tired for the morning called out "come in" she entered and closed the door behind her. As she turned around an uncontrollable smile split across her face and she sat down next to Draco. It was only the Headmaster and themselves in the office although Hermione had been sure that Harry would be there.

"Good morning Miss Granger. You look extremely happy this morning," Dumbledore greeted her, his usual shining eyes as bright as ever.

"I am…but sir why isn't Harry here?" she said Harry's name rather bitterly. Dumbledore merely smiled at this.

"For that exact reason…I thought it best to not have him here and have re thought the idea of Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and yourself living together." He gave her a knowing smile. "I do of course know everything that goes on around here."

Hermione blushed at this.

"Do not feel ashamed. People have relationships and break relationships everyday. It is nothing and I knew all along that you would choose to be with Mr Malfoy here."

"So why did you want to see us? Is there news on…Voldemort?" Hermione shuddered a little as she said this name. He was beginning to scare her the more she thought about what he was after.

"No…I was just wondering how you would feel about sharing a common room…separate dormitories of course…with Mr Malfoy?"

Hermione thought this was a wonderful idea. She would get to spend time with her new boyfriend and would be able to talk to him somewhere in private. She wouldn't have to worry about bumping into Harry when she entered her common room. It was a great idea.

"I…that would be ok…what do you think Draco?" she asked looking at him. He nodded but said nothing. Hermione noticed that he looked a little tired today. Probably from the late night they both had. Dumbledore was happy that they both agreed and told them where they would now be accommodated.

"There is a little two bedroom hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I am sure you will find it most comfortable. We will tell students…should they happen to ask…that it is because you are Headboy and Headgirl."

"Will anyone else be able to enter it if we were not there?" Draco asked.

"No…I will put a charm around it so that it only recognises the real Head boy and Girl badges. You will have to wear them whenever you leave otherwise you will not be able to enter. No fake will be able to get through the charm, which is already in place. The house elves have already taken your stuff down so you needn't go back to your house common room." Hermione and Draco stood to leave.

As they reached the door, Dumbledore spoke.

"Miss Granger. I still expect you to help Mr Potter with Mr Weasley. I know how you feel about him right now but you must put that aside. He has done a terrible thing to you I know but haven't you betrayed his trust just the same?" And with that he wished them good luck and the pair left his office immediately. Before they reached the bottom of the spiral staircase Hermione turned to Draco.

"He's right you know. I don't have feelings for him anymore and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have feelings for me. He needs my help and I can't ignore him forever. He needs to know the truth."

"If that is how you feel Mione then you should. I won't stand in the way of your friendship with Potter. I may dislike him for what he did to you but in a way I have a lot to thank him for."

"Like what?" Hermione asked rather curious at this statement.

"Like getting you," Draco told her matter of factly before leaving the spiral staircase upon which they stood and out through the hole where the gargoyle was only a few moments ago. Hermione took an unnecessary detour to the Gryffindor Tower. Luck was on her side because Harry and Ginny were both in there…and Ron wasn't. She walked over to the new couple…(they only began dating that day) and cleared her throat.

"Ah…Harry can we talk…Ginny you can stay," Hermione asked wearily.

Harry just nodded and Hermione sat down next to him.

"I wont pretend that you didn't hurt me because you did," she started holding up her hand to stop Harry from talking, "But what I did was equally as bad. I didn't kiss Draco…he started the rumour for me to get back at you…I know it was wrong but what you two did to me was wrong as well but I'm willing to put that behind me and help you with the task Dumbledore has set for you. That is if you want my help."

Harry looked at her. He didn't know what to say. She was offering her help and friendship even though he had cheated on her.

"Umm…I'm really sorry Hermione. I…I don't know what to say," he told her honestly.

"Lets just put what I saw behind us and I'll let you know that you and Ginny make a good couple. That's all we need to say on that subject so lets just be friends and forget the whole thing ever happened. Deal?"

Hermione held out her hand for Harry who took it and said, "Deal," as he shook it. At least they were on speaking terms again and that's all that really mattered to Hermione. She had two of her best friends back and when Harry and Ginny learnt to trust Draco she could tell them about their relationship. Ron on the other hand was a different matter. Hermione was not sure if he would talk to her but as he was talking to Harry after everything they'd been through she thought she was in for a pretty good chance.

"I'll wait until later to talk to Ron," she thought and she began to tell Harry about Dumbledore's idea of moving her and Draco into the hut near the Forbidden forest. Harry wasn't sure about the idea but Hermione told him Dumbledore had changed his mind saying that it would be best for the Head Girl and Boy to be together in a dormitory believing that they needed to get to know each other better in order to work with one another throughout the year and he believed her.

A/N: I know I don't write author's notes at the end but I don't see the point when I write one at the start...thanks for reading anyway.