"Are you sure you haven't been fed propaganda?"

"What?! That's utterly ridiculous!"

Reasonable. "No, it's not. Think about it, Hermione. Have you ever looked at it from both sides of the issue?"

"Not when the other side is all about killing people!"

"Well...okay, yes, I'll grant you that there's some prejudice--"

"Some?!"

"--but there's enough of a basis to--"

"The basis of ruling the world!"

"...you make some very valid points."

Spluttering.

"All right, let's say I go along with this--I'm not saying it's not propaganda--"

"How am I being fed propaganda, Draco?! I'm told that Death Eaters torture innocent Muggles, and look! Innocent Muggles being tortured by Death Eaters!"

"How do you know the Muggles are innocent?"

"And they--what?"

"Furthermore, how does it count as torture if they don't remember it afterwards?"

Angry. "You--you--"

"And I really don't see what's so bad about You-Know-Who, you know, despite the fact that he plans on ruling through fear--"

"That's awful, Malfoy!"

"Draco. And I'm not going to want to hold this discussion with you if you continue insulting me."

"Wha?--you--what?--fine. Where were you in your life story?"

"Ahhhh, I was already up-to-date, with me attending Hogwarts."

"Oh yes-waitasecond..."

"My turn!"

"No, no, wait--"

"What was with the whole Krum thing?"

"Hey, that's not right! My turn wasn't over!"

"It is now."

"No, it's not!"

"Ooh, a very intelligent argument by Hermione Granger."

"Look, you have to finish answering!"

"Okay. I was tutored, I came to Hogwarts. My turn!"

Sigh. "All right, all right, fine. What was the question again?"

"What was with the Krum thing?"

"What do you mean, 'What was with the Krum thing?'"

"I mean, did you go out with him, are you still going out with him...?"

"Draco, what's with all these questions about my love life?"

"I'm just curious! And, hey, what do you mean 'all these questions' about your love life?"

"You asked about the Yule Ball, you asked about-"

"Can you answer the question, Hermione?"

"Well, it just doesn't make any sense to me that you'd care so much, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"This isn't about what happened before, is it?"

Squawk. "What?! No, no, no, to think that I-that you-no, no. No."

"Well, why are you asking this, then, Draco?"

"Is it one of the rules of the game that you get to hear the reason a question is asked?"

"Hmm, I-"

"I didn't think so. So, carry on."

Huffy. "I hardly liked that tone of voice."

"Oh, 'hardly'? So you liked it some?"

"Sounding like you think you're a king and I'm your-your servant or something..."

"Look, Hermione, both you and I know that, at this point, you're just dodging the question, so if you could just..."

"Excuse me, I am not dodging the question, I'm merely debating that the tone of voice that you used was rather-"

Warning. "Hermione..."

"...Both Viktor and I knew it was hopeless."

"Mm-hmm?"

"So, we...decided to have one special night, and to owl each other once he left."

"One special night?"

"Hmm."

Amused. "Oooh, Hermione. He didn't...you know-did he?"

Embarrassed. "We only kissed."

"Snogged, more like. And you still owl him?"

"Yes. A bit. When I remember to."

"Does he owl you back?"

"Well...um..."

"So you didn't exchange promise rings or anything?"

"Why are you asking all this?"

"No reason. Did you?"

"...No."

"Ha. Guess your 'one special night' didn't turn out to be so special on his end."

Scoff. "Well, it didn't exactly turn out so special on my end, either."

"What, the kissing didn't hold up to your standards?"

"What? No, no-the night was just ruined after the ball, when Ron decided it would be appropriate to incite a flaming row with me about who I attend dances with."

Snort.

"He was just angry 'cause I wasn't free to go to the ball with him at the last minute." Sniff.

Matter-of-fact. "No, I suspect he was angry because you were the prettiest girl at the ball and you weren't with him."

"...I was the prettiest girl at the ball?"

"Obviously."

"But-I thought that..."

Blush. "Look, all I'm saying is that you clean up pretty well, Granger."

"...Thank you."

"...I'm just stating fact, is all, if you see what I mean, I mean..."

"My turn, isn't it?"

"Yes, ah, yes, it is."

"...Why are you so curious about me?"

"What, I, well, that's, that's ridiculous. Preposterous. A--A thorough-faced absurdity."

"Out with it, Draco."

"There's nothing to be out with. Ah. What I mean to say is..."

"Draco."

"I mean, why would I be curious? It's laughable." Nervous laugh.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"There's no evading this question. If you don't answer it now, you will answer it later. Because, frankly, ever since you asked that question about my childhood, this has been bothering me, so...yes. Let's hear it."

"Hear what?"

"Grr..."

"...All right, but...you have to swear that this will never leave this roo-this stair."

"Okay, Draco, I promise."

"No, no-you have to swear."

Eyeroll. "All right. Fine. I swear."

"No, on something."

Exasperated. "Draco..."

"Hermione..."

"Fine. What do I swear on?"

"Um...what do you believe in?"

"Hogwarts, A History?"

"Hermione, this is serious!"

"What, that you're curious about me?"

"It's against my entire reputation!"

"Oh, that's very nice, damaging your reputation now, am I, and I didn't even do anything-"

"Not just my reputation, my-my whole life!"

Angry. "I ruined your whole life, did I?!"

"No, you're just contrary to everything in it!"

"That's hardly my fault!"

"No-I don't know-maybe it is! You come flouncing into the wizarding world with your little perfect uniform and perfect grades, and--!"

"Don't you drag my grades into this like that's something to hold against me!"

"And-and you're so spiteful against all the rules that don't-make any logical sense, and so full of pride, and-"

"Spiteful, am I? I'll show you spiteful right in the-"

"And you just had to bloody go and make me ADMIRE you, and--! And..."

"...what?..."

"...You never swore. You never..."

"...On my honor as a person, Malfoy..."

***

A/N: And the truth shall set you freeeeee! Sorry, guys, no crush for this boy. But don't take it the wrong way-this is meant to be a romance, and a romance it will be. :D

To think this has only been two hours, here. We're two-thirds of the way through, guys. And look at the way they yell at each other! Look at the progress from chapter one to chapter fifteen! Whee!

And, if I've said it once, I'll say it again and again, I love you guys for all the lovely reviews you've been giving me.