When Hermione woke up on Sunday a wave of panic hit her. Tomorrow was the deadline for an Herbology essay she didn't even know was about. She felt the familiar swirl in her stomach and tightness in her chest. Tears started to prickle her eyes and she jumped up and ran into the bathroom. In there she paced, not wanting to wake Ginny, who was still sleeping in their room. The tears fell as she looked into the mirror, disgusted by the failure she saw. She balled up her hand but felt a sting. She looked down and remembered her punching the mirror. Now she felt even worse. She needed to let it out, but she didn't know how. Before she knew it, Hermione was hurled up over the toilet with her fingers in her mouth, throwing up last night's dinner. She was angry and didn't deserve it. She had eaten peacefully and wholly because she was proud. And for what? She forgot a whole project. She didn't pay attention to all the times Sprout talked about the deadline during class. What kind of student does that? A bad kind. She uttered to herself.

When Hermione was done she brushed her teeth and splashed her face with some cold water. Throwing up felt good. All that negativity and the hurricane that was swirling inside her, felt like it just disappeared with her food. Now more calm and collected, she went back into her room and quickly changed into some clothes and headed for the library, deciding to skip breakfast. She needed enough time to finish her essay and work on her project with Malfoy.

She spent hours on end researching and working on her Herbology essay. It was proving to be much more difficult than anticipated. Especially since Hermione didn't aim for a passing grade, she aimed for an exceptional grade.

She was so invested that she didn't notice Draco approaching her, or him even sitting next to her. She didn't look up until he gently put his hand on her shoulder, careful not to startle her.

"Oh, Malfoy. Sorry, I was just working on Herbology." She said as she started closing her book, not yet having finished. Another all-nighter.

"On the essay that's due tomorrow? Damn, Granger. I expected more from you." Draco joked, but it seemed to visibly strike a nerve with Hermione. She looked down in shame with furrowed brows. "Hey, I was only kidding. Only you could pull off finishing this so last minute."

Hermione scoffed in return. "I wouldn't be so sure."

"Mind if I take a look?" Draco asked while already reaching for her essay. Hermione didn't object. "Granger, what are you on about? This is fine."

"Well I have higher standards than 'fine'." Hermione snapped, but immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just-"

"Granger, it's fine. After all I've done to you, you should be snapping at me." Draco said. He had been feeling more and more guilt and shame. He had treated Hermione like dirt and scum for the majority of the time he knew her. Yet she still decided to help him when he was a complete mess. If someone did to him what he did to her and he stumbled upon them drunk, he'd take advantage of the situation and embarrass them in front of the whole school.

"Draco," Hermione looked at him with wide eyes and furrowed brows. "You know I've forgiven you for that, right?" She didn't want him feeling like he owed her. She didn't want him to feel guilty every time he looked at her, which was a lot because their project had them spending a lot of time together.

"Why would you?"

"You've changed," Before Draco could comment on that, Hermione changed the subject. "Which reminds me, thank you for the gifts, but I can't accept them."

Draco shot her a puzzled look. "Are the clothes too big? I can-"

"No, no. It's all perfect, but I can't walk around in something so lavish. Especially the necklace. Not when there are people out there who can do so much more-"

"Hermione," Draco gave her a stern glance. "It's not a gift. The clothes were a sorry for the ones I ruined. The necklace is a thank you for not leaving me in the Astronomy building."

"You could've just said 'sorry' and 'thank you', though." Hermione said softly.

"My mother always said 'actions matter more than words'. If you don't accept and make good use of the gifts, it will be very insulting to me and my mother." A playful smirk came across Draco's face, and a soft smile appeared on Hermione's.

"Well I wouldn't want to insult your mother. She seems quite lovely."

"She is." Draco agreed.

"But just for future reference. My friendships aren't transactions. Friends take care of each other, without expecting anything in return. What kind of friend- what kind of human being would I be if I just let you rot up there?" Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"You consider us friends?" Draco asked, but in reality he was stating it. He needed to say it out loud before he believed that Hermione Granger considered him her friend.

"You don't?" Hermione asked in a small voice, breaking their eye contact. Her heart faltered a bit. It didn't help that Draco was just staring at her. To her it seemed as if he was mocking her. She started to feel embarrassed and ashamed. Knowing herself, she would probably shed tears soon, but all her spiraling thoughts were stopped when Draco opened his mouth.

"I do."

"What?!" Hermione snapped at Ron. Clearly he didn't get the message when she was ignoring his calls out to her. Then he came up to her and started tapping on her shoulder like a child.

"Calm down, Crankypants. I asked if you were coming to dinner." Ron asked.

"I don't have time for dinner!" Hermione gritted her teeth as she blurted that out. She didn't even notice what she had said. She didn't notice how her excuses had changed from 'I'll eat later' to flat-out 'I don't have time to eat'.

"Hermione," Ron said seriously. "You're worrying Harry and me. You never eat anymore."

"Of course I eat, Ron. Just not with you." Hermione brushed it off. Usually she'd find his concern endearing, but now it was annoying and stress inducing. Hermione didn't think she was doing anything wrong. She told herself she wasn't hiding anything, but anything she told her friends, they would take the wrong way; make a big deal out of nothing.

"Really? Where then?" He questioned.

"I get food from the kitchen after the Dining Hall closes!"

"Bullshit! Don't you think I've tried that? The whole reason I have a stash in my room is because they won't let you get food from the kitchen!"

Hermione's heart started racing. If she admitted she lied, Ron would go ballistic and think there was something wrong. "Ron, look in the mirror! You eat so much. That's why they won't let you get anything from the kitchens, but they always let me get whatever I want, whenever!" The moment she screamed this, Hermione felt so guilty she could cry. She didn't want to say any of that, she wanted to apologize right away, she wanted to hug him and take it all back. Instead, she crossed her arms and shot him a mean smirk. "You can leave now!" She pointed to the door.

Without another word, Ron left, slamming the door shut behind him. The moment the door shut, Hermione jumped on her bed and screamed out in frustration, soon the tears followed. She hugged herself tightly. Then her thoughts went out of control. She worried if Harry would be angry at her too, and even more if Ron had told Ginny. Ginny would make her feel like absolute shit. Hermione had seen Ginny's wrath firsthand, and you did not want Ginevra Weasley as an enemy.

Hermione could not get rid of the anxiety. She was too nervous to face both Harry and Ron. She knew Ron had probably told Harry everything, and no matter how much she hated it, she knew Harry would always side with Ron. After all, they were the closer friends. To outsiders they were a trio, but in reality it was always Harry and Ron, and then there was Hermione.

Hermione missed breakfast the following day in order to avoid her friends. She knew she would have to face Ron during charms, which they both had their first period. She groaned when she came into the class. Most of the seats were full, except the one next to Ron. Hermione's eyes scanned the room further and noticed Theodore Nott was also sitting alone. Hermione passed Ron and sat next to Theodore instead. Hurt flashed Ron's eyes. Surely sitting next to the Slytherin scum is worse than sitting next to me he thought to himself.

"Goodmorning, Theodore." Hermione said as she placed her books on the seat next to him.

"After the traumatic experience we've been through, you can call me Theo." He joked, referencing their interaction with Draco's drunken stupor. Hermione offered a small smile that disappeared quickly. "What's got your panties in a bunch?"

"It's that obvious?" Hermione sighed.

"Is it that time of the month?" He asked jokingly.

"Shut up, Theo." Hermione retorted. Then she thought back to the last time she had her period, which actually had been absent for a couple months now. She frowned. What on earth is going on? She asked herself. She couldn't possibly be pregnant. She'd been broken up with Viktor for a good 6 months now. She noted to figure it out later.

"I see you're wearing Draco's necklace. Do you like it?"

"I do."

"Wouldn't you have liked it better if it was bigger? I told him to get a bigger diamond, but he insisted you wouldn't wear it if it was flashy." Theo informed her. It sparked Hermione's interest as she looked up. Maybe Draco knew her better than she thought. The pendant was the perfect size for Hermione. Just the way she liked it.

"I'm afraid he was right. I don't like big things."

"That's definitely not what she said." Theo muttered. Hermione blushed furiously as her eyes widened.

"Theodore!" Hermione shook her head at him. "Don't be so damn crass!"

Theo chuckled at her reaction and bumped her with his elbow. "Chill out. I'm only this crass to people I like."

"Why does that compliment sound like a curse?"