A/N: Hey loves! Thanks for reading! Your comments have made me so warm and fuzzy...I hope you're enjoying this story. In this chapter you'll get to see a bit more of Draco helping Hermione cope with her issues - I like letting him look out for her since he's never really had the opportunity to care about anyone other than himself (and his mum, of course). Follow this story so you don't miss updates!

I do not own Harry Potter...

The next few weeks trudged on. Hermione was starting to get better sleep - thanks, in part to Draco's constant calming presence. Better sleep led to better days. Draco's nightmares were also lessening to bad dreams - dreams which, thankfully, did not lead to throwing things about his room and screaming in the middle of the night.

The two of them continued as they had - studying together, occasionally joking with some good-natured teasing, but they both felt as if they were dancing about some deeper feelings and both were afraid of what that could mean.

Draco was convinced that he was just admiring the (now he could admit, utterly beautiful) witch who had shown him so much undeserved kindness. He also knew that nothing could ever happen romantically between them because of his past treatment of her.

Hermione, on the other hand, was certain that they were just friends - which was a shocking enough realization - and that any more-than-platonic feelings she had for him were only due to proximity and the fact that he was, undoubtedly quite handsome. Certainly, she thought, he may be accepting of me as his friend, but he would never see me as anything more.

As they neared the winter holidays and the end of term, however, Hermione found herself more stressed which meant she was back to not sleeping well again. The nightmares were one thing, but mostly she couldn't get herself to just bloody sleep - which left her a frazzled mess during the day. Frayed nerves due to lack of sleep combined with added stress preparing for exams and trying to figure out her future post-Hogwarts plans led to daytime panic attacks. Perfect.

Draco stepped through the portrait hole one afternoon, startled to find Hermione (since she normally had class at this time) but the state he found her in made his words of greeting die in his throat. She was on her hands and knees on the floor in front of the fireplace, scrambling her hands frantically through what appeared to be an entire bottle of ink that had spilled all over the carpet. In three strides, Draco was next to her, pushing the low coffee table out of the way and trying to get her attention.

"Granger!"

She was muttering incoherently and flailing her hands about and he could see tears staining her pale cheeks.

Placing a hand on her back and pulling out his wand, Draco cleaned up the spilled ink and placed the mended bottle back on the table.

"There! It's all right, Granger. No harm done." He tried to sound light and encouraging, but as she had yet to acknowledge his presence, he couldn't help but feel concerned.

"Come on, Granger." He sat on the floor beside her and tried rubbing her back, but now she was gasping for breath and looking at him with a frantic look in her eyes.

"Breathe, Granger. Come on….you're better at this than I am…. Settle down and take a breath…. Please." He grasped both her arms firmly so she faced him fully as he spoke. Falling into his chest, she twisted handfuls of his jumper as she attempted to breathe with him, her face in the crook of his neck.

"That's it. Good girl." His tender words would have shocked even himself had he not been so worried for her. "Slow down. That's right…"

As he felt her breathing slow down, she seemed to relax in his arms and pulled herself closer towards him so she was practically in his lap where he sat on the floor. Then she started to sob quietly.

"It's alright, Granger. You're okay…"

"I'm sorry…" she sniffed between sobs. "I'm sorry...I just…" She had no idea what she was saying or what she was actually sorry for, but she was so grateful that he was there holding her, stroking her back and running his hands over her hair. She wondered what would have happened if he hadn't come back to the dorm when he did.

"Shhh...You have nothing to be sorry for."

They sat there on the floor until Draco's legs were falling asleep - as physically uncomfortable as he was, he did not want to move and risk Hermione running off to her room. But finally, he had no choice because he could no longer feel his feet.

"Granger." He kept his voice low, so as not to startle her.

"Hmm?"

"It's nearly time for supper. Are you hungry?"

"Not really." He was glad to hear that her voice sounded more like her own again.

"Well….as much as I'm loving this right now," he squeezed her for emphasis, "shall we shift up to the couch? You can stretch out if you want."

She sat up and looked at him shyly. "I'm sorry I fell apart."

He scoffed at her as they both stood enough to settle back onto the couch behind them. "I believe I owed you some rescuing, Granger." They leaned into the back of the couch facing each other and he smiled as he observed that such a simple comment could make her blush.

"I just...I've been having such a hard time sleeping." She sighed heavily, closing her eyes. "I thought I was doing so much better! But then classes, and exams... It's just getting to be a bit too much again." Shifting her gaze to the fire, she continued. "I don't know what happened. I was just sitting here working and my ink pot dropped and ... the sound... something about the sound of it. I was back there again."

Draco sat silently, rubbing her back as she spoke.

"You know, Draco, you say you're no good at comforting, but….I was nearly sleeping just now in your lap."

He laughed in the self-deprecating way that masked his emotions nicely, "So, I have such a commanding presence that witches fall asleep!?"

"Laugh it up, Malfoy." She smiled back at him. "Believe it or not, you make me feel safe."

He was stunned into silence and she thought for a moment she ruined their moment with her outburst of honesty.

"Oh." He swallowed hard. What to say? A million things raced through his mind - things he couldn't bring himself to say out loud. Absolutely! I'll die protecting you! I love you! I want to keep you safe forever!

All he could manage in that moment was to open his arms and pull her into his chest again. She sighed and relaxed in his hold as he tucked her head under his chin and summoned a blanket to cover her. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her vanilla shampoo and something citrus that always seemed to follow her about and kissed the top of her head. Closing his eyes he let his mind wander. What if?... What if she were mine? Could she love me, truly? He fought the urge to put himself down - that urge came so easily whenever his mind drifted toward Hermione. What if?...

When Draco finally opened his eyes, it was dark. The fire burned low and his stomach was growling - dinner had to have been over hours ago. They had both fallen asleep, Draco tipped back with his arms hanging over the back and arm of the couch (he was certain he must have been snoring in such a position) and Hermione ended up stretched out with her head lying in his lap. He stretched his shoulders and twisted the kinks out of his neck before looking down at the witch before him. He raked his fingers through her curls absentmindedly. He couldn't help himself.

"Granger." She was sleeping deeply and he truly didn't want to disturb her, but this couch was not fit for comfortable sleeping. He slid carefully out from under her head before scooping her up in his arms to carry her up to her bed. He was amazed at just how asleep she was - she didn't stir at all.

Pushing the door to her room open with his foot, he lit her bedside lamp once he laid her down on her bed, pulling her comforter over her after removing her shoes. He hesitated a moment and brushed a few stray curls from her face, smiling to himself. She was so pretty….how had he missed it for years?

"Sweet dreams, Granger."

She sighed heavily and smiled in her sleep as he bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Draco closed her door quietly and headed back to the common room to straighten up. Once that was accomplished, after changing into some sweat pants and a t-shirt, he decided to pop downstairs to the kitchens for a snack - he was tired, but after his surprisingly relaxing nap, he was far more famished than tired.

Upon returning to the common room with an armload of various snacks and sweets - a selection befitting a young man without proper adult supervision - he couldn't help but sweep his eyes up toward Hermione's door. It was still shut - hopefully she was still asleep, but he would most definitely check on her in a bit. After her panic attack this afternoon and her admission that he made her feel safe, he felt even more protective of the witch.

After snacking and reading a book for a bit, Draco found himself nodding off so he decided it was time for bed. I just need to check on Granger.

Climbing her stairs and opening her door softly, he peeked his head inside the dark room just to ensure that she was, indeed, still sleeping soundly before heading to his room. When his eyes adjusted, however, he saw that her bed was empty. Just at the moment when his heart was pounding and he almost started to worry, her bathroom door opened and the witch in question sauntered across the room in her pajamas.

"Hey."

"Hey Granger. I was just…." He really did not want to appear creepy. She cut him off.

"You tucked me in."

"I did." He swallowed hard. "Is that...okay?"

"Of course." She smiled. "Thank you for letting me crash on you like that. I haven't slept that well in ages." She stood in front of him, fiddling with the bottom of her shirt with both hands. He smiled - she appeared to be as nervous as he was, for some reason.

"Umm...I just came up to check on you, but I brought up some snacks from the kitchens. Are you hungry?"

"That sounds brilliant. I was just regretting skipping out on dinner."

"I'll be right back."

Draco took off down the short hall and jumped the last three steps to the common room, scooping up the pile of food. He was back at her door just as she settled herself on her bed, folding her legs beneath her.

Arranging the selection on her bedside table, he pointed awkwardly at them with both hands and announced, "There you are" before backing slowly toward the door.

She looked at him quizzically. "You aren't going to stay?"

"I've already had a bit. I was just coming to check on you before heading to bed, so…. I'll just leave you to it." Damn these nerves! Somehow being alone in her room with her when she didn't really need him felt like an intrusion.

"Oh." If he hadn't been watching her so intently and studying her facial expressions over the last several weeks, he would have missed the disappointment in her tone.

" Unless…..unless you want me to stay?"

"Yes, please." She blushed, looking down at her folded hands, "I mean, I know it's late…. If you're tired…"

"No no no… I can keep you company for a bit." He attempted a calm exterior while his insides danced a ridiculous jig. He mentally brushed it off to the fact that it was quite late. "So, Miss Granger," he spoke dramatically after clearing his throat, "what would you like this evening?" He gave a slight bow and gestured toward the snacks again.

"I'll take the biscuits, if you please, kind sir."

"A fine choice, milady." They were both giggling at this point and the tension was now broken. Draco handed her the open box as he nicked another for himself and sat at an angle on the edge of her bed, facing her.

"You know," she spoke through the crumbs, but somehow still managed to appear quite dainty. "I've never been down to the kitchens before."

"Really? Never? Well how about that, universe. I know something Granger doesn't know!" They both laughed again. "I'll take you down there sometime, if you like."

"Definitely."

Over the next hour or so, the pair snacked and laughed over some more lighthearted stories from their years at Hogwarts - things they hadn't ever talked about. It was amazing to both of them that, while they had quite different paths on the whole, they had many similar experiences in the old castle. Draco couldn't help but wonder how different things couldn't have turned out if she wasn't a muggle Gryffindor and he wasn't a pureblood Slytherin. As the minutes flew by, and the snacks all but forgotten, an awkward silence fell like a lead balloon between them.

"You know, Malfoy, I've been thinking." Her voice was soft and unsure as she traced the pattern on her comforter with one finger.

"Oh, dear."

She giggled at his sarcasm, but her cheeks flushed as she pressed on. "I've been thinking... It's just, we're getting along so well, you and I, and I can't help but wonder…. If things were different, and I weren't me and…..and you weren't you…" Hermione Granger, master of argument and the English language, was uttering a ridiculous string of gibberish and was now completely speechless. He normally loved to listen to her ramble, but he cut her off abruptly.

"All the time." The words left his mouth a bit louder than he intended.

OOOoooOOh, guys... the steam is coming! Next chapter contains lemons - stop here if that's not appropriate for you.

Question for you - the next chapter has things, shall we say, moving right along...but then I was second-guessing myself and thought maybe Draco would initially try to distance himself - you know, thinking he's protecting her from getting close to him, he's not good enough for her, she deserves better, blah blah blah. Which makes more sense in this story? My thought is, he's done enough second-guessing in his own thoughts before any of their mutual feelings get verbalized, so he's ok jumping right in. Tell me in the comments!

This chapter was fun to write - I like giving Draco a chance to be a good guy and that she feels safe with him. Thoughts?