Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

CHAPTER 10

Ron and Harry were completely confused. They looked over to where they knew Draco normally sat, but he was gone. Hermione was already fed up with secretly playing for both sides, and figured it was about time they all realized that she loved all of them. Draco of course (even though he could not understand what she saw in them) knew that Hermione was good friends with Harry, Ron and Ginny. Now they just had to realize that she liked Draco, and everything could run smoothly.

She rounded the corner and while waiting for the little arthritic man to go inside and open the door, she felt hot air on her neck. She could sense him, and did not flinch when he wrapped his spare arm around her slender waist. He rubbed the side of his face into the crook of her neck as a dog would to a couch, though not quite so roughly. The door swung open and they were still standing there. The little man got sick of waiting, and when he came out again and saw them standing there, he went to shut the door again. This only just tapped into Hermione's consciousness, and she walked slowly inside with the blonde haired heroine still hanging from her.

She slid him from behind her and dropped him on the couch, straddling his hips by sitting on his lap and facing him. She kissed him lightly, and when his kisses began once again to run down her neck she said to him,

"They're going to know sooner or later" She let out a slight moan and he spoke in broken sentences.

"Know - What - " He was giving her little nibbles on her collarbone.

"About us. I'm seeing Ginny tonight. She's one of my best friends, and she knows something's going on. I tell her everything" He snapped his head back.

"Did you tell her?" He asked forcefully, grabbing her wandering hands and holding both of her wrists together in one fist. This frightened her, and her face showed it.

"No…I haven't told anyone anything...Draco, you're hurting me" She had fear in her eyes, but she also looked shocked and little confused. He forced a smile.

"Good" He continued on down her neck. She was confused. How could he be so romantic with her, make her feel this way as if she were in ecstasy, and get so uptight when it came to telling people? She pushed him lightly off her to look into his eyes. She was trying to read him, but his features were completely composed. She went to speak, but what was there to say? Her eyes said it all.

He saw this, and thought of how his words may have affected her. She was half way off him when he pulled her into a hug. She was half standing half crouching and it was awkward for her, but he was clinging to her and so she wavered there until he let go. Eventually she pushed him off, and as she was again going to leave he pulled her gently back down to kneeling in front of him. Draco lent forward, her hands in his. He held her hands to his mouth for a moment staring into space, as if pondering what to say.

"I'm sorry, I overreacted. I suppose you can tell Ginny, but tell her not to tell anyone else. Ok? Now there is something I want to give you" Hermione was confused. He sounded like he was in control of her, telling her what to do. He headed up to his room and returned with a box. He sat back down in front of her, still perched in front of the couch. He placed the box in her hands but she did not really move that much. She was thinking, and when he put his hand on her shoulder she snapped back to reality. Draco nodded towards the box but she did not go to open it. She just looked at him, and in a sort of absent-minded manner said

"Why?" He looked at her. Hermione knew that he knew what she was talking about, but he played dumb anyway.

"Why what?"

"Why? Why can't I tell anyone? Why can't Ginny tell anyone? Why can't anybody know?" She was getting slightly frantic now. He lunged at her, engulfing her in a hug and kneeling in front of her. He was acting so strangely, fine one moment and then so intense the next. Hermione did not understand, but hugged him with all of her strength. He could see that she was deeply upset and was thinking of how he was going to word his explanation. He peeled Hermione off him and looked into her eyes.

"Hermione, my Dad is a ... powerful and… proud man. If he were to find out that you and I were seeing eachother, I don't know what he might do. I'm just trying to protect us - protect you. The more people know, the more chance there is of him finding out. We have to be careful. I am sorry for the way I acted. What did you think I meant by it?" He seemed nervous. She did not want to admit to the thoughts that had rushed through her head at the time. She was not going to tell him that she thought he just wanted to have fun with her and have nobody know.

"Nothing. I just wasn't sure, that's all" She fought to keep her features calm and innocent so he would not suspect anything. He didn't seem to notice. Hermione scolded herself for thinking such a thing. There was no way that was the case. He was different now. He was different...

He pushed the box further into her hands and she remembered she was holding it. She smiled and moved to the couch to open it. He sat close to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. She opened the small gold box to find a blue velvet lined interior with a hollow heart shaped silver necklace inside. It was beautiful, with small stones on the surface glittering in the light of the fire. Draco took it from the box and reached to put it around her neck. She lifted her hair.

"Thank you so much. I love it." she said. He just smiled and they sat there for a while, rather awkwardly, before going to bed… separately of course!