Hey readers! Here is another chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did, please review and tell me what you think! I love your comments :)

Chapter 4

Hermione hadn't spoken to Malfoy since that day after the pansy escapade. She was too angry and hurt to try to confront him. So she found herself hiding in the library a lot, doing homework, reading text books, anything to keep her mind on something else. But no mattered how hard she tried she couldn't stop the blonde from sneaking into her thoughts.

She was in the library now trying to avoid the drama. She couldn't help but fume about what Malfoy had said that day in the hall way. She was partly angry because she knew he was right. She did think that she was better than the Slytherins. But she justified herself. She at least went off their character other than just their stupid blood status. There was a reason to her prejudice and it was a better reason than Malfoy's.

Hermione shut her book loudly with a sigh staring at the cover. This wasn't working.

"Hermione?" A familiar voice said above her head.

Hermione looked up to see the last person she would expect. Ron.

She gave a loud sigh, "Ron I don't need you nagging me right now," She said as she gathered her books back up to put away.

"Hermione just listen to me for five minutes," He said almost with a sincere ton, the tone she remembered he would use when they were dating.

"If you're here to scold me about Malfoy," She began.

"No! I'm not I'm here to tell you something," He said.

She paused gathering her books in her hands standing up to face him.

"Ok, shoot." She said looking him squarely in the eye.

Ron looked extremely uncomfortable as he looked around to make sure no one was listening.

"Hermione I… I…" He said pausing for a moment. Hermione waited patiently raising her eye brows.

"I'm…" He said his face growing red.

Hermione was getting impatient.

"Ron spit it out," She said growing irritated.

"I'm sorry!" He said finally.

Hermione stood in shock. Ron had just swallowed his pride and apologized.

"For?" She said trying to drag this feeling of victory out.

He gave a loud sigh, "For everything for getting you landed in detention and for… what happened with lavender."

Hermione didn't know what to say she just stared at him with a blank look.

She finally sighed.

"Who made you do this Harry or Ginny," She asked.

Ron grew red, "Well it was Ginny… and a little of Harry but mostly Ginny."

She rolled her eyes, "Figures… Look I appreciate your apology Ron but it doesn't undo everything you have done."

But Ron had more to say.

"Look I'm sorry ok? I guess I just didn't know how to act after we broke up. Lavender was just there… the truth is I really miss you sometimes. We just all want you to stop with this whole getting together with Malfoy to get back at me thing." He said finally.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, so this is what this was about.

"Me and Malfoy being together has nothing to do with you Ronald," She said walking away from him to put the books on the right shelves.

But Ron followed her in persistence.

"Of course it does it has everything to do with it," Ron said.

"No it doesn't," Hermione snidely, "He may be a prat sometimes but he's actually a descent person when he wants to be,"

"You're lying," Ron stated, "Look Hermione I know me getting together with Lavender hurt you and all but you have to stop this or you're going to get hurt. We are friends Hermione,"

"Was the friendship before or after you made out with Lavender?" Hermione said coldly.

Ron's face grew hard, she had hit a nerve.

"You know that a guy like Malfoy could never like you right? At least Lavender actually cares about me. In a way that you never did," He said provoking her.

Hermione whipped her head around to face him away from the book shelf.

"Actually Ron I did care about you, enough to at least tell you if I fancied someone else, and you know what Malfoy does care about me." She said even though she knew it wasn't all true.

"Well let's test that theory," He said, "If you can show me that he is in love you by the Christmas ball I won't say anything more about it."

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Fine, we'll see," She snapped coldly.

Ron looked her up and down, "Fine, but don't say that I didn't try to protect you."

Hermione started to feel tears prick at her eyes, "You have done everything but try to protect me, you practically through me out for her."

Ron's eyes seemed to soften, "Hermione I-"

"Forget it Ron, what's done is done," She said picking up her bag and swinging it on her shoulder, "I'll see you later."

And with that Hermione left him standing in the library feeling ashamed…

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP HPHP

Hermione was staring at the black lake the next morning as she sat in the sand with a book in hand. The sky was grey and slightly windy which is the Hermione liked it; she was definitely a gray and green girl. It was Saturday and that meant that she had the entire day to do whatever she wanted. She already had her homework done, heck she had her homework done for the next two weeks. Hermione couldn't stand another minute inside the school so she found her way out here.

Hermione kept thinking about her argument with Ron. She knew that they were both being immature idiots and that they were both being stubborn. She knew that Ron would eventually come to his senses but she and Ron both have a way of pushing each others hot buttons. She was to prideful to admit that her and Malfoy were just a fake.

She didn't know what bugged her more, that Malfoy was being a prick or that Hermione almost forgot what Malfoy could be like. Ron was right, what was she thinking? Malfoy would never like a girl like her. He's just doing this for his own selfish reasons.

But the thing that scared Hermione the most, is that it almost hurt to think that it was just pretend…

HPHPHPHPHP

Malfoy started to walk on the grass of the Hogwarts grounds when he caught sight of Hermione in the distance sitting on the sand by the lake.

His stomach instantly gave in at the sight.

He knew that he had made her angry the other day. That what he had said had been out of anger at pansy and his family. He knew that she was just trying to comfort him. But that's exactly why he didn't want her there. He didn't want to feel. She made him feel weak and vulnerable and he wasn't used to that. In fact he almost hated it. It wasn't how Malfoy was. He didn't let people see that side of him. She just got caught in the crossfire of his pride and his anger.

The truth was that Malfoy was almost starting to miss the smart brunette. She was the only thing that had been somewhat real to him even though ironically there relationship has been pretend. And as much as he hated how she made him feel… He found himself thinking about her all the time.

But of course he would never say any of this out loud to her.

He took a deep breath and started walking toward her.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Hermione jumped from her book when she heard someone come up to her.

She looked up to see Malfoy looking blankly at her.

She sighed loudly, "You scared me," She said going back to reading her book.

He didn't say anything as he simply sat next to her looking out over the dark and dreary lake. She sat still as he did so.

That sat next to each other in a long silence as Malfoy finally spoke.

"I don't know how to say this but… I shouldn't have lashed out at you the other day," Malfoy said suddenly, "You just caught me at a bad time…"

Hermione sighed as she closed her book, "Is this your way of apologizing?"

Malfoy looked down at the sand grabbing a smooth rock, "Yeah… yeah I guess it is,"

Hermione nodded accepting his apology and stayed silent for a moment. She thought about her pervious thoughts about Malfoy being a prick. Was he being sincere?

"You know you were right about me," She said suddenly looking at the lake keeping her eyes on the horizon, "I did think I was better than the Slytherins, but I didn't think about it that way until you said it… I guess I just haven't really liked their actions."

Malfoy couldn't argue with her on that so he just nodded staying quiet.

"This just must be a week for apologizing," Hermione said with a harsh laugh.

Malfoy gave her a confused look.

"Ron and I talked yesterday," She began.

Malfoy raised his eye brows, "What did the weasel have to say now?"

Hermione told him of her and Ron's conversation in the library. How he apologized and everything else they had argued about. Malfoy sat silently and listened to her story as she vented.

Hermione told him everything except for the deal that she and Ron had made about falling in love by Christmas. She couldn't bring herself to tell him yet for a reason she didn't even understand. She thought it was best to leave that part out for now. Maybe it was to spare her of her own feelings.

She smiled as she ended, "I can't believe it's working,"

Malfoy smirked, "Of course it's working, how could he resist you now? We have made you the most wanted girl in Hogwarts."

"So what do we do now?" Hermione asked.

"We keep going. We are close to everyone thinking that were together." Malfoy said with a smirk, "My own house thinks you're a goddess now," He laughed.

"You know I never knew that you could influence people so much," Hermione said in wonder, "It's like they follow whatever you say is ok."

Malfoy's smirk left his face slowly growing cold, "Trust me Granger it's not out of loyalty."

Hermione had hit a nerve she didn't mean to.

"Then out of what? Fear? They have nothing to fear of you," Hermione said boldly.

Malfoy glared at her coldly, "You don't know my father,"

"Actually I do… He's a rather unpleasant man," She said truthfully.

Malfoy actually smiled.

"Isn't that an understatement," He said looking out at the lake.

There was a silence between them as Malfoy looked at her seriously.

"What does he want," He groaned.

Hermione looked at him confused as she whipped around to see Blaise standing above them.

"Blaise," Hermione said as smiled up at him, "What are you doing out here?"

"I just came out to see the lake," He said cheerfully, "I see that you found my hiding spot,"

"Your hiding spot?" Hermione questioned, "From whom are you hiding from?" She said teasing.

"Them," Malfoy answered pointing to a group of giggling girls coming out of the castle.

Blaise hurried and sat behind the big rock next to them.

Hermione raised her eye brows, "You're scared of girls?"

"Those are not just girls," Blaise groaned, "They are the annoying clingy girls looking for a date for the Halloween dance, that they just announced during breakfast this morning." He rolled his eyes, "That's just what we need is another dance, isn't the Christmas ball this year enough? Now girls will be trying to corner all of us until then."

Hermione was surprised, "A Halloween dance?"

"At least it's a masquerade ball so we can wear masks, maybe they won't recognize me?" Blaise teased.

Hermione smiled, "Perhaps you should ask a date so you don't get bombarded then,"

Hermione instantly regretted saying that as she saw the wheels spinning in Blaise's head as he looked at her smiling.

"Your right Hermione I should ask someone so they don't bother me," He said looking at her longingly.

"Would you like to-" Blaise started to say but a high pitch girl yelled out Blaise's name.

"Blaise there you are!" She said from a distance coming toward us fast.

"You better get out of here Blaise before she gets any closer," Malfoy said with an annoyed tone.

"Right, I'll talk to you later," Blaise said to Hermione before sprinting off into the trees.

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed a little.

She looked over to Malfoy as his face was as cold as stone.

Her smiled faded slowly, "What?"

"Do you have to encourage him?" Malfoy said coldly, "He looked like a child getting a puppy for Christmas,"

Hermione looked at him shaking her head, "Malfoy Blaise is harmless,"

"Your kidding me, anyone can tell that he is into you," Malfoy said angrily.

Hermione started to get warm feeling inside, did Malfoy care?

"You're not jealous are you?" Hermione questioned with a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

Malfoy's heart sunk but he slipped on a cold mask.

"No I'm not jealous it's just poor manors when we are a kind of a thing and he knows that and he has the nerve to ask you in front of me anyways," Malfoy said glaring into the trees after him.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at him not being able to contain it.

"You think this is so funny don't you," He said looking at her glaring.

"Maybe you should make us more than just a 'thing' if it bothers you so much," She stated, "and as for the dance," She said standing up, "I guess you'll just have to ask me before he does." She said with a challenging smile.

Malfoy stood up to face her, "Maybe I don't want to ask you,"

Hermione looked down at the ground slightly hurt from what he said.

"Not yet anyway," He said suddenly.

Hermione lifted her head to see his face in a smirk.

Hermione's heart lifted.

This was going to be interesting.