"I don't know much about you, but I know that I want to." Hermione whispered. Draco didn't dare break their embrace, he'd never felt so much like he belonged somewhere. This moment between them couldn't possibly have been more perfect. "I want to make up for it. For tormenting you all those years. I'll spend as much time as it takes to make it up to you." Draco told her, and she smiled. "I'd enjoy that." She replied. "But what about your father? And my friends?" Hermione asked, pulling away from him. Draco frowned. "You don't want them to know about me?" he asked, sounding pitiful.

"It isn't that. Honestly. It's just that they're my best friends." She answered. "I'll play nice." Draco said. Hermione laughed, "I'm not ready to tell them anything yet. Not until we know what it is that we're supposed to be telling them." she said and kissed Draco on the forehead as she got up to leave. "Where are you going?" he asked. "Back to Gryffindor tower. You should return home as well." She answered, sounding kind of motherly. Draco nodded his head and followed her out the door, "Meet me here to tomorrow? Same time?" He asked with a hopeful smile. "Of course." Hermione answered, and they both walked in opposite directions.

The next day, Hermiones classes passed quite slowly. That is, until Potions came along. Hermione stole glances at Draco throughout the period. A few times, she accidentally caught his eye and looked away, bashful.

Ron left the room to use the bathroom, and Hermione used this time to talk to Harry. "I have a question." She stated, and he looked up at her with a questioning expression. "You want me to do things that make me happy, right?" Hermione asked. "Of course. You're my best friend. What makes you ask?" Harry replied. Hermione sighed and looked him in the eyes, "I think that I'm starting to experience feelings for.. Someone."

"Really? That's great, Hermione!" Harry said, grinning. "Who is it?" He asked. Hermione looked down away from Harry. "Um.. Well.." She hesitated, "It's Draco." Harry began laughing hard, "That's a good one. That's really funny." He managed to say through his laughter. Hermiones brow furrowed. "I'm not joking, Harry." she said sternly. Harry looked at her, "Since when could you like someone like Malfoy? He's such a prat." he said. "You only think that because you don't know him." She said. "And you do?" Harry asked.

Hermione slammed her book closed and left, returning to Gryffindor tower before heading to the room of requirement. She fixed her hair and left, eager to see Draco again.

Harry returned to the common room, lost in thought. He didn't remotely understand what was going on. He was sure that Hermione was just prankish him, because how could she ever actually like Malfoy? Harry laughed at the thought, but he still worried. Hermione had seemed angry with him when she left potions. He began pondering what he'd do if she was serious. Of course, he would do his his best to support his friend, but with Malfoy? Harry was unsure he'd be able to look over the last.

"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked Harry as they sat quietly near the fire. Harry shrugged, having decided he wouldn't tell Ron Hermiones business. "Just tired, mate." he answered, flipping the page of a book.

Hermione entered the room of requirement, never more happy to come here. There was Draco, sitting in an arm chair, wearing a gray Slytherin t-shirt. Hermione grinned as she looked at him, he was quite appealing.

"Hey." Draco spoke with a gentle voice. "Hey." Hermione said back, taking a seat on the couch nearest the chair. She was ready to begin knowing who he was as a person. She broke the ice by asking when his birthday was. "June fifth." He answered, looking at her with soft eyes, "When is yours?" He asked. "September nineteenth. What's your life's ambition?" She asked.

"Oh, to be a Death Eater." Draco responded, and he laughed at Hermiones startled expression. "I'm kidding." he said, "I don't know, really. I'd like to do something helpful, maybe work in the potions shop on Diagon Alley. How about you?" he asked, smiling at her. She was making a very concentrated face as she thought of her answer and it was beautiful. "I don't know yet, either. But I want to do something for the Ministry." Hermione answered confidently. Draco knew that Hermione would more than likely succeed further than he would, but he didn't mind. "What was your life like before Hogwarts?" He asked.

"I suppose it was pretty average. I went to muggle school, but I didn't ever really fit in. It was dreadful." Hermione admitted, "I always thought I was different. Strange things would happen that I couldn't explain. My parents thought I was depressed and making up an alternate reality. You could imagine their surprise when they received my Hogwarts letter." She laughed. "What was life like growing up knowing you were a wizard?" Hermione asked.

Draco wondered about this. His life had been full of magic, but it was normal as it was all he knew. "Boring. Knowing I was magical but not being able to control it." he answered.

They discussed their childhoods, Draco was highly interested in how she could've lived eleven years without any magic. Her parents were dentists, muggle tooth healers. Hermione loved talking while Draco listened, he stared at her with great admiration. It started nearing dinner time and they both knew they had to leave, after talking for hours.

"Would you like to meet me tomorrow?" Hermione asked. Draco frowned, "I can't." he said, "The first Quidditch game of the season it coming up and I need to practice."

Hermione bit her lip, disappointed. "Oh, I understand." she said, smiling at him. "This weekend is the first Hogsmeade visit of the year. I was thinking maybe you'd like to join me in the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" Draco asked, blushing. Hermione giggled, blushing also.

"Yeah. I'd love that." she said. Draco hugged Hermione gently and started off towards the dungeons.