Ok, yes, I know it has been absolutely forever since I've updated. Two years in fact. I never had time to keep going and now that I finally had a free moment to think, I really wanted to continue. I hope you guys keep reading!

Hermione and Draco spent the next few weeks working closely together for the Halloween Haunted House Competition, much to the dismay of Ron's jealousy and Draco's Slytherin groupies. Their pranks had ceased when she told Draco that she complimented his good fortune to her friends, and as a thank you, he backed off and allowed her to spend time with Harry and Ron without intervening.

Hermione was convinced her mind was playing tricks on her. She had fancied Ron for years and yet she just couldn't feel at ease with him as his "girlfriend." Perhaps it was the label itself. She was never particularly fond of them. In high school, she had been labeled as a stuck-up prune. Maybe that was why. Anyway, Hermione decided to give herself time to settle in with Ron. She hadn't thought that something as trivial as holding hands would feel so foreign and uneasy, so she concluded that it was because she had never been in a real relationship before. Sure, there was that date with Viktor Krum and the letters they had exchanged for the past three years, but Hermione hadn't seen him since the Triwizard Tournament. Ron was one of her best friends and she knew she should give him the benefit of a doubt, so she conceded to try harder… even if it meant having to endure bad snogging sessions until he got the hang of it.

Draco and Hermione managed to keep their growing friendship a secret. What's more is that they kept denying it to themselves. Neither wanted to admit that they were beginning to tolerate the other's actions, especially since they had spent the last few years despising each other. Their friends found it peculiar that Draco and Hermione had not insulted each other for the past month, but no one dared to say anything to the Slytherin Prince and the Gryffindor Brainiac.

One day at lunch, not long before the competition, Pansy Parkinson tried to drape herself over Draco's shoulder when she caught Hermione gazing at him. Hermione almost looked away but stayed put when she saw Draco push her off. The look on Pansy's face clearly displayed how shocked she was at his frigid reaction. Hermione thought of what he told her about Pansy's encounters with Crabbe and Goyle and her lips quivered as suppressed the laugh that was begging to erupt. Ron looked over and spotted Hermione's mouth.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked as looked around. Harry followed in suit and their eyes both fell on Hermione's target. Ron flushed red. "Draco Malfoy! Really Hermione, what is going on with you? Everyone's noticed that you haven't said anything about him in weeks. You would think that if you hate him so much, we'd all be hearing stories about what a prat he is."

"Yeah, it's almost as if you like him," Harry agreed. Ron somehow turned a deep maroon color as his eyes shot to the floor.

"We live together!" Hermione hurriedly explained. "We have to get along somehow in order to get something done and we need to tolerate each other in order to organize the competition." Ron looked somewhat relieved.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I know you're right. It's just that I can't stand having a girlfriend that has to live with the wanker we all despise," Ron admitted. Harry didn't look so convinced.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. He's actually a good person to live with. We stay out of each other's space, which is exactly what I need when I want to study. He's a better roommate than either of you in that respect." Hermione supported her previous claim so well that both Harry and Ron believed her every word. It was at this moment that she realized that not only was she trying to convince Harry and Ron of her platonic feelings, she was trying to convince herself.

This can't be happening. This is wrong in every meaning of the word. Hermione made up an excuse to leave the hall and ran back to her room to mull over her new revelation. Draco's eyes followed her as she jetted out. And as Harry silently watched Draco, he began to wonder whether or not Hermione was really telling the truth.

"Alright, we've covered the basics: no endangerment of another student, nothing that will cause the student to go to the hospital wing, and no cheating- each part of the haunted house must be creative and must demonstrate the magic abilities of the house to gain points." Hermione double-checked her list.

"Wait. What? How would we cheat?" Draco asked.

"You know, using the house ghosts as ghosts, asking Professor Snape to create you some sort of scary potion, asking Professor Trelawney to simply stand in your house." Hermione looked casually said. They both looked at each other and started to laugh.

"You're right," Draco agreed. "Trelawney's a total whack job. That would definitely be an unfair advantage." Hermione giggled and looked back over her notes.

"Ok, that's it. We can announce the rules tomorrow morning. That gives each house two full weeks to work. Dumbledore's already talked to the professors and they've all agreed to use their classes for the next two weeks as a helping hand in developing exhibits for the haunted houses. As Head Boy and Girl, we're supposed to ensure that they are unbiased supporters and we'll have our Prefects overlook their houses to make sure the rules are enforced." Hermione looked up. "And I know you're good friends with Blaise, but he is not an exception to the rule. Absolutely NO foulplay."

"What!" Draco said in defense. "I'm not dating Zabini! You're the one who's dating the Gryffindor Prefect!"

"I would never cheat. You know that," Hermione said.

There was a long pause.

"You sure about that?" Draco questioned. Hermione looked him straight in the eye.

"Yes, I'm sure. What do you mean by that?" Hermione's eyebrows arched.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Draco picked up his books. "Gotta go to Charms. Later."

He left Hermione sitting on the green sofa in their common room and for a moment, she was too stunned to think. When she snapped out of it, she finally decided on the one thing she had been contemplating for weeks.

"If I really like Draco, I should not be with Ron," she said aloud to herself. Although she knew she was not capable of cheating, she didn't enjoy knowing that even just for a brief moment, she had thought about it.

I know it's short, but I figured it's better to keep building their relationship. I still don't want to jump into it because I don't think Hermione would do that to Ron and I don't think Draco would let himself fall for her so easily. Ok, now it's review time! Go!

Enchantress