Disclaimer: This doesn't belong to me; I'm not making any money off of it, etc …

A/N: Thank you for your reviews, everyone. They really do help. And I know my grammar can be pretty bad at times … sorry. And to the person who left the anonymous review without a name: Oh my God, I love you. Please, leave more reviews like that. They're great motivation – seriously.

Hermione did not feel like getting up the next morning in the very least. She was rudely awoken by a grouchy looking Blaise Zabini. Apparently, muffled complaints of a stomach ache wouldn't get her out of a day at school – and facing Malfoy. Draco. No, definitely Malfoy. Zabini refused the story, telling her she could easily make it to Pomfrey and then the Great Hall before classes started. She figured he knew where she had been last night - or at least assumed after she had come in especially late. She felt compelled to roam the castle after Draco left for the dungeons.

Maybe she was feeling a bit nostalgic, but whatever the reason, she found herself returning to the days she spent in muggle America. She had been just shy of 12 when she left, and a few months away from 11 when she arrived. She had returned every summer except for last. Living with her 22 year old cousin had been fun, but difficult. She couldn't forget the people she met – good and bad, they were a part of her. One promise she had made herself, however, was she wouldn't go back for them. Now, however, she wished things could be as simple as they were in America. There, everyone seemed to tell you what they wanted. They never made you guess. Here, Hermione found she had to make guesses about herself.

And so, if just so she could find herself out, she got out of bed, and put on the simple Hogwarts uniform. She traced the outline of the Gryffindor crest, if only to remind herself that she was here with no regrets. She tied her hair back in a severe bun, not feeling like applying the insane amount of muggle and wizard hair products she usually had to use to tame her hair. They didn't do as good a job as Sleekeasy's Hair Potion, but she no longer got confused for a mop, which was a good thing.

She stopped by the Great Hall very briefly, much to Harry and Ron's protest, and Isabel and Ginny's curiosity. Her first class was Arithmancy, but even her favorite subject couldn't get her mind off the previous night. It was rather unfortunate that they were assigned a hefty amount of homework on the subject they had discussed in class. Hermione ducked out of the class without bothering to get any clarification on the essay she would have to write later. The faster she could get through the day, the faster she could retire to her rooms for the night.

Unfortunately, the following class was potions, and unfortunately, it was still shared with the Slytherins. If Hermione was glad that she got paired with Harry, she didn't show it. Instead, she spent the first chunk of class time shooting subtle glances in Malfoy and Zabini's direction, watching them brew their potion with decent care and, even once, wondering why they were lucky enough to be partners more often then not, before realizing that it was merely another show of favoritism from the Head of House. When Malfoy caught her eye around the twentieth time she looked at him, she paid a slight bit more attention to the potion she was supposed to be brewing, noting that although it was supposed to be brewing a deep crimson, the mixture before her was still blood red.

"Perhaps you should spend less time dreaming that you could be as good at potions as Mr.'s Malfoy and Zabini, and try doing something about it, Miss Granger?" Came the drawling voice of Professor Snape. Hermione's head snapped up, wide eyes the Professor before her, as the whole class of Slytherins and some Gryffindors sniggered at her misfortune. Instead of having the decency to blush, Hermione merely smirked right back at her Professor.

"Yes, I suppose I'll have to do that. But they're not hard on the eyes, are they, Professor? I think I'd rather learn from them." The startled cry that Harry emitted alerted her to his presence for the first time, and she grinned apologetically at him. "Sorry, Harry."

The rest of the class proceeded without a hitch, and the one time she caught Malfoy's eye, he smirked at her in a way she knew wasn't meant to infuriate, but encourage her. On the way out of the classroom, behind the mob of people heading to the Great Hall for lunch, she saw Blaise wink at her in what she hoped was a completely friendly way, and, satisfied, she headed to the library to take out any book she could find on Bowtruckles, the tree-dwelling creatures she would be writing a report on for Defense Against the Dark Arts.

As luck would have it, she wasn't the only one who was at the library at the time. Already there was Draco Malfoy, holding a couple thick textbooks. He was either unaware of her presence, or ignoring her completely – Hermione didn't care; she merely ducked away, avoiding any confrontation. After a few minutes of searching, she abandoned the shelf she was at. Turning the corner, she expecting to see another stack of books, but was confronted with Malfoy. This time, he noticed her, and spoke first.

"Granger, do you -" He began, definitely mistaken if he thought conversation would be well received.

"I … uh … you … book … uhm … class, I gotta … go … yeah. Yeah." Was all that the intelligent, put-together Hermione Granger could come up with. Looking at her strangely, Draco held a book out to her. She took a step back, looking at him blankly, and she choked out a further, "You gotta go … leave." She regretted it immediately when his face gained that hard, cold expression, and he set the book down on the shelf beside her.

"Very well, then, Granger." He said emotionlessly. He brushed passed, her, and though she wanted desperately to say something to keep him here, she was afraid of that desperation showing, and she kept her mouth shut. Once he had gone, his footsteps died away, she picked out the textbook robotically, looked at the title, Forest Inhabitants That Aren't Human, and continued the desk where Madam Pince was sitting. Not looking forward to her next class, Hermione rushed up to the head common room, deposited the book in her trunk, and beat her pillow a few times before composing herself and heading down the staircases.

Detached and more than a little depressed, she continued through her daily classes. By dinnertime, however, Hermione had managed to convince herself that Malfoy was hardly anything to be upset about. She was catching up with Ginny and Isabel, who surprisingly always had more eventful days than her, when Harry and Ron wrenched her from her seat and dragged her down the Great Hall.

"Harry! Ron! What do you think you're doing?" She shrieked. The response she got only confused her more.

"We're learning something, Mione." Ron grunted, and they were out of the doors and into the Entrance Hall.

"Well, then, what do you want to know?" She asked angrily. She was enjoying her mashed potatoes, and imagined that she looked less than eloquent being grabbed from the table with her mouth full.

"We want to know what you have been doing with Malfoy," Harry stated before Ron could say something accusatory, or merely stupid. Hermione took it the wrong way, anyway.

"Oh, honestly! You two are ridiculous. That only thing I think of when you mention the git is son-of-a-Death Eater!" She spat, hoping she sounded believable.

"Oh really? What were you sugggesting in Potions today, then? Huh? Because it didn't sound academic!" Ron accused, as per usual.

"What was I supposed to say?"

"Not that!" Ron was red-faced by now.

"Give it a rest!" It was a good thing Harry interrupted when he did, because neither Ron nor Hermione looked like they could take much more of this. Glaring at the two of them, Harry waited a moment before he directed his question to Hermione.

"Hermione, is there anything going on with you and Draco? Me and Ron have the right to know, you know."

"You do not! My business is my own -" Hermione began, still upset over the little spat with Ron.

"Hermione! Just tell us!" Ron practically yelled. Hermione had to use all her self control not to hex the two of them, but in interest for all of their sanity, she lied.

"No. Absolutely nothing. You know I would tell you if there was!" She forced a grin on to her face just so she could make sure they believed her.

"Thanks, Hermione." Harry said, looking at Ron significantly.

"Yeah. Great, great, Mione." Ron followed.

-

After dinner, Draco wasn't having such and easy time with his friends. He was sitting in the Slytherin common room, and it wasn't Blaise who was bugging him. Blaise he could handle, but Pansy wasn't leaving him alone. Any other day, Draco would have appreciated her attentions. Today, however, he misinterpreted them.

"Get to the point, Parkinson!" He barked at her.

"Merlin, Drake, what's got your knickers in a twist?" She asked innocently enough.

"You". His answer was simple and to the point. Draco wasn't the type to say something in three words when it could be said in two. Except with Hermione. Then, he could talk for hours. He caught himself again. This is Granger he was thinking about, after all.

"Oh, Draco, don't lie to me. You're not the only Slytherin guy who's ever had the hots for a girl, you know." She drawled, smirking.

"What're you talking about, Pans?" He said, visibly perking up. Did she know about Hermione? "Who goes for Gryffindors?"

"HA!" Pansy bellowed. "I never said anything about Gryffindors. You did! So, spill." Pansy said, grinning devilishly. "If it's not me, than at least it's someone. Now I know you have emotions!"

"Pansy, leave it. You're worse than Blaise." He regretted saying it as soon as it left his lips.

"Oooh, Blaise knows, does he? I doubt I'll have trouble getting him to spill! Not only is he just as great a friend to me as he is to you, but I've got something to blackmail him with!" She said, temping him. If she knew Draco as well as she thought she did, he'd want to know everything she did about his best friend.

"What? What's Zabini up to?" He said, now sitting straight up. He was afraid this information would have to be bargained for and that Blaise wouldn't like it one bit, but he was a Slytherin after all.

"The Gryffindors name, Draco?" Pansy prompted, glaring at a third year who glanced her way, after hearing the title 'Gryffindor' spoken in it's rival's house.

"Granger." He said, almost silently. "Now, tell me about Blaise?" He said, inclining his head toward hers. Pansy, not backing out of the silent deal, leant forward and whispered into his ear. Draco's eyes shot wide. He felt ridiculous for making a deal out of Hermione.

"Pothead?" He asked, not sure if he heard right. Pansy merely nodded.

-

Hermione was surprised, to say the least, when pansy Parkinson was the one she encountered in the Head rooms the next morning. Pansy tried to hide a smirk when she saw the girl, instead picking up conversation about Blaise when she spotted her.

"He's pissed at me," She said simply, looking to Blaise's bedroom door. "I said something I shouldn't have about him. It's not really a big deal, but that's how Blaise is." She said.

Hermione nodded, not quite sure what she was talking about. Why was this Slytherin girl being friendly toward her? "Er …" She began, not quite sure if she was supposed to answer.

"Draco, however, keeps his cool no matter the situation." She continued, quirking her eyebrow. "Don't you agree?"

"Er …" Hermione began again," I wouldn't know … I don't really … know Draco well." She continued, only then realizing she should've acted a great deal more defensive. Maybe the Slytherin wouldn't notice.

"Not well? Forgive me if I don't believe you." Pansy said, not trying very hard to fight back a grin.

"Huh? What are you saying?" Hermione said, eyes narrowing. Did Pansy know something she didn't?

"Fine, fine, alright, I'll cut to the chase." Hermione didn't like the way she was openly grinning at her. "Draco likes you. Its all really very second year, but I'm just stating the facts." Hermione knew anything she said would get back to Draco in the end, but that didn't stop her.

"So what do I do?"

A/N: I do need a beta. Any takers?