Two weeks till Christmas and Harry drained on and on about Malfoy possibly being a deatheater, while the other two members of the golden trio were attempting to eat their dinner. And Hermione, frankly, was quite sick of it. Ever since the apparent 'Initiation Ceremony' they witnessed before the beginning of the school year, Harry barely blinked without thinking about the wild, random possiblity that Draco Lucius Malfoy was somehow involved with Voldemort.

Hermione, of course, thought this accusation was absolutely ludicrous. No way did Malfoy have the guts to follow Voldemort; nor was he in any way evil enough to kill the innocent or take the dark mark. It was now that Hermione was completely blocking out Harry's regular, boring talk, and found herself almost going into a trance of sorts.

"Mate, just let it go!" Ron said all at once, bringing Hermione out of her trance; and she immediately went back to attempting to stomach enough energy to finish her chicken.

"Honestly you two just don't get it! Malfoy's a bloody deatheater and we all could be in danger because of him." Harry argued back, suddenly getting up to leave.

"And where do you think you're going?" Ron inquired, standing up as well.

"Anywhere than here!" the raven haired Gryffindor said and stormed off.

"I'll go follow him, see you later 'Mione" Ron said as he trudged off in the same direction as Harry had.

Hermione, obviously not wanting to waste the energy on attempting to finish her already cold food or trying to find out whatever the fuck was up with Harry for the millionth time this week; decided to go to the library. 'Ah, the library' Hermione thought to herself. When in doubt, the library was always there as a comfort mechanism of sorts.


Once in the library, she decided to do some light reading on ancient runes, and wound up staying up past 3 in the morning. Finally after finishing a extremely fascinating chapter on the difference between Celtic and Anglo-saxon runes, Hermione rose to leave but suddenly heard footsteps.

Quickly thinking, she grabbed her bag and crouched into a dark corner next to a bookshelf, not wanting to cause attention to herself, especially this late at night. Especially if it was Filch! Faintly she heard two voices coming closer to her direction.

The first voice was so familiar how could she not know who it was, Professor Snape.

"Mr Malfoy, what are you possibly doing here at 3 A.M. on a weeknight?" the slick, narrow voice inquired.

"Nothing Professor" Malfoy sneered back, not looking up at Snape.

"There's no reason to hide anything, Malfoy, we follow the same Dark Lord!" Snape said, reading Draco like a book and knowing he wasn't being honest.

"Fine then, I may or may not have been looking for someone to hex into poisoning Dumbledore" the platinum blonde finally admitted.

"I could help you with that Mr. Malfoy, there's plenty of random, insignificant students you could use. And I could help you find them, I made the unbreakable vow with your mother; and I insist on helping!" Snape said, looking down at his star potions pupil with an almost-disgusted face.

"The Dark Lord chose me for this, this is my task, I'll figure it out myself; without your bloody help!?" Malfoy yelled through gritted teeth.

"I'm warning you! If you don't ask for help you'll be killed!" Snape warned, pointing his wand at Draco.

"If I die, at least it'll be with dignity!" Draco rebelled back.

"Have it your way!" Snape said in a cold tone and walked away, his train of billowing robes behind him.

As soon as Snape left, Draco sat in a chair and put his head in his hands and cried, not being able to take all the pressure anymore.

"Your a Malfoy, Malfoys don't cry!" Draco scolded himself after a couple of minutes and stood up, wiping way the last of his tears, and walked out, for once, without his usual confident swagger.

Hermione just stayed crouched there for a couple of seconds, just letting everything sink in fully. 'Malfoy's a bloody deatheater, and he's going to kill Dumbledore!' she thought. Finally she stood up and carefully crept out of the library.

As she eventually got back to the girls Gryffindor dorm, one, and only one thing was for certain. She had to tell Dumbledore what she overheard.


All the next day, Hermione avoided as much contact with everyone as possible. Even Harry and Ron didn't seem to notice her odd behavior, nor did anyone else. And finally as night came over Hogwarts, Hermione knew she had to put her plan into motion.

After excusing herself from eating dinner, by saying she'd a big lunch, ran off into the direction of Dumbledore's office. Suddenly she ran straight into someone without realizing it.

"Uhh I'm so sorry" Hermione apologized, not looking up and seeing who it was.

"It's alri- Granger!" the voice drawled in sudden hatred.

"Malfoy!" Hermione said in mere shock. 'Speak of the devil' she thought.

"Suppose your going to go to Dumbledore with the next prefect report on random shit that doesn't matter?" Malfoy said mockingly and slouched against the wall.

"None of your bloody business, ferret!" Hermione replied angrily, giving him a wet raspberry, and said the password to Dumbledore's office(in which the stairs started spiraling immediately). "Good night Malfoy".

Draco just stood there for a second, not really knowing how to comprehend the situation that just happened. "Bitch!" he mumbled to himself, stalking away towards the Room of Requirement.


Once the stairs had stopped, Hermione most eagerly rapt at Dumbledore's office door.

"Headmaster Dumbledore" Hermione said through the door. "May I come in?".

"Come on in Miss Granger" the old Headmaster muttered. Hermione opened the door and sat down in the given hardwood chair opposite to Dumbledore's comfy, living room chair. "So, what's bothering you Hermione? You seem troubled?".

Hermione, who up until that point was chewing on her bottom lip in a fit of nerves, finally raised her head and spoke, "Well, yes. There's something I very much would like to tell you".

"Go ahead then".

"Well...you see... I was studing about ancient runes in the library last night. And after I finished, I hid in the shadow of a bookcase and overheard a conversation between..." Hermione faltered.

"Please continue, I'm most intrigued!" Dumbledore inquired.

The brunette nodded and began once again. "Between Professor Snape...and Malfoy. Sir, Malfoy's trying to kill you! And Snape's helping him!".

"Oh yes, that! Of course I know! Miss Granger, thank you so much for informing me on that" the headmaster said while nonchalantly popping a sherbet lemon candy in his mouth.

"Oh but Sir, there has to be some way of stopping him from killing you. I know Harry is very fond of your company, and Hogwarts — in general— would never feel the same once your gone" Hermione said begrudgingly.

"I hoped you would say that Miss Granger" Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, there is one...and only one way of stopping him killing me. In a month, you must make Mr. Malfoy become completely and irrevocably in love with you".

"In love! With me?!" Hermione screeched and stood up from her chair, heading for the door.

"Wait Miss Granger!" Dumbledore said, Hermione suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"With all due respect, sir, you've gone completely bonkers. How and why would Malfoy, a pure blood supremacist, ever have feelings for a muggleborn?!" Hermione spat angrily, slumping back into her seat.

"Because when Professor Snape was teaching Mr. Malfoy occlumency, he looked inside his memories and saw you. Malfoy has always had a crush on you since his first year. It must be you! I need him to be loyal to me. If not, not only will I die but all muggleborns here at Hogwarts are in most danger" Dumbledore said, feeling like he was treading on thin ice.

"And how...on earth would you even know that?" Hermione inquired.

"Because, Severus told me about it just earlier this very year. He's a double agent, you see" the old wizard explained.

"What! Snape a double agent!! How's that even possible!" Hermione screamed.

"He's always been loyal to me, and therefore became a double agent to find out more information on Tom's plan".

"And where does that leave me then? A pawn to be played in your game of manipulation? I've always known what your doing to Harry, raising him like a pig for slaughter!" the Gryffindor said smartly, staring Dumbledore straight in the eyes. "Are you going to use me too?".

"I'm afraid I must, Miss Granger. It's the only way. If you know what I'm doing to Harry, then you know precisely why he must die!" Dumbledore said gravely.

"He's a...a..a horcrux" Hermione stuttered, her eyes starting to get misty from the very thought of it.

"Yes, yes he is..." Dumbledore trailed off. "Are you ready to save Hogwarts Hermione?" he said, grabbing a contract from somewhere on his desk and handing it to her.

"What must I do?" Hermione asked, her voice cracking in disappointment and graveness.


The rules were clear. Very clear. Must stay after Christmas, must kiss Malfoy by next week, be in every class that he's in, no name calling, get in his space, get him to admit he loves you, make him promise to be in Dumbledore's army, but most importantly under any circumstances never fall in love with him.

Hermione looked over the contract over and over, reading every line so clearly she had put it to memory in only a few minutes. Slowly, she signed her name on the dotted line near the farthest right-hand corner and handed the parchment back to Dumbledore.

"Do not disappoint me, Miss Granger" Dumbledore said sternly. "Now get to bed, before anyone suspects anything!".

"Alright then, Goodnight Headmaster. I promise I won't tell anyone" the brunette said while opening his office door; hopping on the revolving staircase immediately.

"I know you won't" the ageing wizard muttered to himself and went back to his sleeping chambers.


A/NHeya loves, here's the first chapter of my new dramione story. I've been working on this for like two months, ever since I saw an instagram post that had an "over the course of one month they fall inlove" plot. Anywho, I promise I'll actually finish this, and it'll be a good decent plot that doesn't sound like a bunch of oneshots piled together.

Also ik that I won't have everything completely to the nines with the original storyline, but I'll give it my best fucking effort! And it'll be consistent, AT LEAST two chapters a month or so. So yeah, anywho love you and plss tell me whatcha think!

Save, heart, and review,

Eme_