Hermione crept towards the Astronomy silently. Her clothes made hardly any sound, and she kept her eyes out for teachers. She normally wouldn't dream of breaking the rules and sneeking out, but the temptation of meeting Blaise was almost unbearable. He'd said he was sorry for what he'd done, but she wanted to be sure. She needed to know if he really was sorry for all he had done. She swallowed and continued until she reached the bottom of the stairs.

There was a sudden sense of foreboding and she wondered if she should have brought Draco along with her. She shook her head. He'd been busy planning the mixer. She felt slightly guilty for dumping the work on him for tonight. She shrugged.

'I'll make it up to him,' she thought as she started climbing the stairs. They looked horribly old and creepy, and she felt like a girl out of an old horror film, making her way into the old mansion to meet Dracula. She shook her head again. Vampires preffered abandoned castles, not ones where they could be uncovered. She finally found herself at the top. She stepped into the room and looked around. She couldn't see Blaise, but she was sure that he was there.

"I'm glad you came," his voice rang from behind her. She turned and Blaise stepped out of the shadows. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her racing heart. The last time she'd been in a room with this man, it wasn't the best experience. She stood tall and faced him.

"I-"
"I'm sorry," Blaise interrupted her. "What I did... it was in-excusable, and I wish I could take it back," he looked at her, his eyes shining in the dark. She drew breath as she looked into them. Blaise turned away and, although it was dark, Hermione saw the slightest tinge of red stain his cheeks.

"I hear that you and Draco are friends now," he said, looking out the window. "I'm glad... and he told you about the deal, I'd guess. For that, I'm truely sorry," she drew back as he advanced on her. He smiled and pulled her into an embrace. She stiffened, but relaxed enough to hug back.

"I want to make it up to you," he whispered. She swallowed and stepped back.

"You could help me plan the Mid-Year-Mixer that we're having," she said, smiling at him. His face seemed to radiate with joy.

"Of course!" he said. She hugged him again and said her good-byes. She almost ran down the stairs. Everything was going to be alright now.

Blaise looked out the window, a smirk placed firmly on his face. Even though the others didn't know it, but the bet was still on.

'And I'm going to win!'

Hermione woke as the sun rose the next day. She groaned and slipped out of bed. Checking the door to the bathroom, she opened it and stepped in. She rubbed her eyes as her brain fought to wake up.

'Hmm... steam?' she thought drowsily. Walking over to the sink, she ran some water and splashed some on her face. Now, it's more than fair to say that Hermione isn't a morning person.

"Uh... Hermione?" she turned and her jaw dropped. Draco was half way out of the shower, soaking wet and clad only in a towel that hung low on his hips. And if that's not enough to wake you up, Hermione didn't know what was. She turned away, a blush spreading rapidly across her cheeks.

"I-oh-uh-Sorry!" she said hurriedly before rushing out. She slammed the door and sighed heavily. A deep blush spread across her cheeks as she remembered that she'd been in his place last time this kind of thing had happened. She chuckled shakily.

'I guess we're even now,'

Breakfast was interesting that morning. Even though Hermione and Draco had agreed to not be seen as friends in public, on the way out of their dorm, a heated debate broke out between them, and continued all the way to Great Hall, which they entered with raised voices.

"Yes, yes, but the research into the uses of Dragons Blood is not complete," Draco argued. "There could be many more uses that we have never even thought about,"
"I know, and I agree completely, but there is not real way of testing that theory," Hermione countered.
"They could test it on diseases, or on memory loss, or something simular,"
"We shouldn't experiment on-"

By time Hermione had realised that the hall was silent and watching them, it was a little too late. Biting her lip she looked at Draco, who grinned sheepishly and waved her off.

"We'll finish this later," he said, walking over to the Slytherin table. Hermione sighed and made her way to her own friends, sitting between them. Ron eyed Draco suspiciously.

"What were you talking to Ferret Boy for?" he asked, a sneer crossing his face. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Ron, I told you, they're friends now!" Ron snorted and went back to his meal. Ginny grinned and reached infront of Harry to pat Hermione's hand. Looking into Harry's face, Hermione saw the slightest blush forming across his cheeks.

"Well, what about the Mixer?" Ginny asked, bouncing in her seat. Hermione smiled.
"It's going along quite nicely," she said. "We've decided that it's going to be a Masquerade. It's a little cleché, but it'll be fun," Ginny grinned.

"I bet it will be,"