As per Hermione's prodding, Draco sat in the library alone in order to study for the upcoming NEWTs exam. It was in one month and, although he would never admit this to her, she was right. He really did need to study if he wanted to become an Auror.

It was difficult though. He couldn't recall Linky's Principles for Advanced Transfiguration without becoming aroused. It was completely the fault of a pretty brunette whose moan he could play back in his head, pitch for pitch, as he recited Linky's Principles beneath his breath.

"'Linky's Principles state-'"

Hermione's back arched as a moan escaped her, Draco's tongue having just given himself (and her) the work out of his life.

"'-that advanced transfiguration can only be performed-'"

Her delectable cry hit his ears hard as he slipped himself inside of her and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him in even closer.

"'-if the object in question-'"

A contented groan accompanied by a wicked tone as she whispered to him, "My turn," and effortlessly turned them over so that she was on top and could give his body the work out of the century.

Draco suddenly snapped his book shut and put his head in his hands. "Bleeding hell, I need a cold shower." He mumbled to himself. There'd be no studying tonight. None. Ever again. At least not about transfiguration.

He forced himself to think about repugnant things like messy bathrooms and ogres before finally putting his books away and standing up. His rucksack was slung over his shoulder, a book in hand, and he grabbed his robes from the back of his chair. Although it was now April there was honestly no need for them, but the school did still have its cool spots and he hated being cold. Although that somehow didn't stop him from spending time outdoors with Hermione at late hours.

Draco chuckled, turned on his heel, and began heading out of the library. He had rounded a bookshelf and was on his way to the exit when his body collided with something. Well, someone.

"Oof!" Ginny grunted as she fell back. She looked up and saw who she had bumped into and her face instantly set up into a scowl. "Watch where you're going, Malfoy!"

Draco stared down at her with his brows raised. "You should do the same."

Ginny opened her mouth to say some snappy remark, but was struck speechless when she saw that he had stretched out his hand to help her up. She regrettably pushed aside her pride and gave him her hand. As he pulled her to her feet she got a good glimpse of what he was holding. There was a book, for one. But aside from that he also had a set of robes. A set of very familiar robes. But she wasn't sure until she caught the tail-end of the name on the collar.

Ginny blinked. Once, then twice, then three more times.

Draco cocked his hide to a side. "Something in your eye, Weasley?"

"What? Oh, no, no…" She cleared her throat as she tentatively pointed to his robes. "Those wouldn't happen to be designed by Roman Olivier, would they?"

Draco glanced down at his robes once before looking back at her. He smiled. "Well-spotted,"

Ginny watched as he walked away and her heart sped up to epic proportions. He couldn't be. He just…couldn't be. It had been months since Hermione's moment of "letting her guard down," but that didn't mean that she had stopped trying to figure out who had finally loosened her friend's knickers –pun completely intended. She was nosy and gossipy. She could admit that. Not to mention that she was just ecstatic that her friend was happy –even just for a weekend.

But it wasn't just the weekend, was it? Hermione had been oddly content lately, but Ginny didn't think it had anything to do with her mystery guy from the ball –or at least she hoped. Her friend wouldn't lie to her about knowing who he was, would she? About seeing him even now?

She would if it was Malfoy.

But Malfoy? Malfoy? How in Merlin's name could it be Malfoy?

He has the same robes.

But it's Malfoy!

He's been acting odd too.

But it's Malfoy!

"Ginny?"

Ginny turned around to find Hermione behind her. They had planned to meet up here to get a bit of studying done before dinner. The redhead gulped, hoping she didn't notice and forced a smile onto her face.

"Hey, Hermione. L-let's go find a table."

Hermione frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Who, me? Of course! Let's go."

Hermione followed behind Ginny as they tried to find a free space. When they did Hermione immediately grabbed one of her books for her NEWTs exam and got right down to it. Ginny, on the other hand, just sat there, staring, running through all the other alternate possibilities that weren't really possibilities. When she couldn't think of any, and her brain finally forced her to see the truth, her stomach churned.

"You slept with Malfoy."

Hermione hurt her neck with how fast she looked up at Ginny. "What?"

"I bumped into him on my way here." Ginny explained. "He had robes in his hand. The same ones that your mystery guy gave you over Christmas."

"Oh,"

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "You don't seem so surprised."

"Well… I…" Hermione could feel her mouth going incredibly dry as she spoke –well, tried to speak. Ginny cheeks were turning as red as her hair and Hermione sighed as she closed her book. "Ginny,-"

"Oh…my…Merlin," Ginny said, her eyes no longer narrow but as wide as naturally possible. "You slept with Malfoy. And you knew! You said you didn't know who it was!"

"I didn't!" Hermione argued in a whispered shout. "At least, not at first, no."

"Why did you lie?"

Hermione frowned, guilt filling her instantly. "Why? Look at you, Ginny. You're absolutely furious-"

"Because you lied. Not because of who you slept with." Ginny sighed. "How could I be mad at that? You didn't know who you were sleeping with at the time. Unless…" She took a deep breath, glancing once at the table before looking back up at Hermione. "Unless you've been seeing him since then?"

Hermione was silent. Ginny's heart stopped.

"Ginny, listen-"

"I can't believe you!" She shouted as she rose from her seat. Hermione scooted back loudly in hers and regrettably added to the noise that were attracting several nosy ears. "First you hide the fact that you're dating someone-!"

"Ginny!"

"-Second, the person you're dating is Malfoy!"

"Ginny! Will you keep your voice down? We're in a library!"

"I will not lower my voice! You're willingly sleeping with a Deatheater!"

You're willingly sleeping with a Deatheater!

Those were the words that Draco heard, clear as day, as he entered the library. He'd been halfway to Slytherin House when he realized that the book in his hand belonged on the school's library shelves and wasn't his own. He had turned around then to properly return it. He had no idea that he'd be walking into a warzone as he heard those words in a shrill voice going so far as to echo off the walls in the hall.

He walked in, completely oblivious to everyone who was there since they were focused on the two women who had gathered their attention.

"Was a Deatheater, Ginny," Hermione argued with her. "Harry spoke on his behalf, remember?"

Ginny huffed. "Oh yeah, I remember. And you and I both know that Harry only did it because he felt he owed him one."

"That's not the point!"

"You're right! The point is that you're having sex with-!"

"Don't you dare say that out loud again."

"Why?" Ginny snorted. "Because you're ashamed of it?"

Hermione's nostrils flared. "I'm not ashamed of anything I've done. You're not to repeat what you said because this is neither the time nor the place! And quite frankly what I do with my life has nothing to do with you."

Ginny blinked in surprise. Hermione's words were fighting ones, she knew, but she had meant them. The redhead hurriedly grabbed her things and stormed out of the library. Hermione closed her eyes and plopped back down in her seat with her head in her hands. Ginny had gone, but the onlookers hadn't. She could hear them.

Did you hear?

Yeah, that's what she said.

Deatheater.

Malfoy.

The Hermione Granger with Draco Malfoy?

Has she lost her marbles?

I bet he Imperiused her.

Hermione almost forgot the sanctity of the library and screamed at them all until she felt someone sit down across from her. She didn't have to look up to know who had, and didn't fight it when she felt her hands being peeled away from her face and taken in his.

"Are you sure you don't regret anything?" Draco asked as he subtly motioned to the small crowd with his eyes.

Hermione chuckled. "You heard all of that, did you?"

"Weasley's got a big mouth, yes."

Draco suffered a slap on the hand, but Hermione placed hers back in his when she was through.

"Tell me," he said before sending a snarl at whoever was still lurking. "Why did you think it was a good idea to tell her here? Did you think she would keep her rage quiet just because she was in a library?"

"I wasn't planning on telling her at all. We were honestly just here to study."

"So how did-?"

"She said that she bumped into you." Hermione explained. "That she saw your robes and recognized them as the ones I had."

"Huh," Draco said as he replayed his and Ginny's encounter in his head. "And I just thought she had a good eye."

"Too good of an eye."

They sat there, under the scrutiny of passersby who were making a poor effort to conceal their nosiness by "putting away a book" quietly. Neither Draco nor Hermione cared. Enough ears had heard. Draco continued to hold Hermione's hands and she let him despite the incessant murmurs going on around them.

"You didn't answer the question."

Hermione, who had been focusing on their hand-holding, looked up in confusion. "What question?"

"I asked if you were sure you didn't regret anything."

Hermione could see the concern in his face and hear it in his voice. The need to soothe him was overwhelming and so she leaned across the table and kissed him. The gasps from behind bookshelves were priceless.

"Nothing," Hermione replied as she sat back down. "Absolutely nothing,"

Author's note: And the cat's out of the bag! Ginny certainly wasn't happy about it, although I think my words are a huge understatement.

Also, thanks to where thanks is due: this story made it to 100+ reviews since my last chapter. Amazing! The support is much appreciated! :D

-WP