4th chapter, here you go. I hope you like it. If you do, or if you don't please do review so I know how to make it better/write better in the future. Anywho, one more chapter after this. Enjoy!

A Battle

"You know, it's not the library she's been going to," Ron told Harry after Hermione departed from breakfast that morning. He watched her as she walked down the rows of tables and out the door.

There was a flash of ginger as Ginny's head snapped round from her conversation. "You've been stalking her?" she asked overhearing her brother's whisperings.

"No," Ron said, "just keeping track of her is all."

"Right," Ginny shook her head and reached for another piece of toast.

"What?" Ron asked, "I'm just worried is all. I'm still very confused about that rabbit of hers." He furrowed his eyebrows looking confused.

"That was over a month ago," Ginny sighed, Ron had been going on an on about the rabbit.

Harry laughed as the two bickered back and forth. He grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and put it in his pocket for later.

"I didn't give it to her, Harry didn't give it to her, you didn't give it to her," Ron presented his case, "so who gave it to her?"

"What does it matter Ron?" Ginny asked annoyed, Hermione was now over the death of Crookshanks and that's all that mattered. You'd think Ron would be happy, she thought to herself.

"It matters," Ron spat back at her, "because the last time there was an unexplained animal it turned out to be a person."

Harry shifted in his seat at hearing this. The last unexplained animal was Scabbers, he'd turned out to be Peter Pettigrew. He scratched at the place where he assumed his heart was. Harry felt a pain in his chest as his thoughts turned to Sirius.

"You're right," Harry said a frown on his face.

"I am?" Ron asked surprised.

"He is?" Ginny asked at the same time. She folded her arms, she couldn't believe he'd just said that. They've both gone mad, Ginny thought.

"We should be worried about Hermione," Harry paused, "but really I doubt Voldemort killed off Crookshanks to have him replaced with some rabbit for his evil bidding."

Ginny was relieved. "Oh, well if you put it that way," she uncrossed her arms, "there's nothing wrong with you two being worried about Hermione." Ginny got up from the table to leave. Before she went she turned back to give a warning, "but I swear Ronald if you go on about that rabbit of hers again you will be decapitated."

Ron put a hand to his neck and swore he wouldn't say another word.

With that she stalked off thoroughly annoyed at the boys.

Amiable, she thought. That's what that was, she looked at the papers and books Draco had placed in her hands before leaving. She hadn't been looking at where she was going when she'd collided with him and her papers and books went tumbling to the ground.

"That's like you isn't it?" Draco mumbled, "papers and books, always." He laughed a little to himself. She had come in staring straight down at her papers. She looked completely oblivious to everything around her. He'd put down his Quidditch plays and got up off the couch anticipating that she'd want to use it. She'd hit him hard. Had she been carrying more books, the both of them would have probably toppled over onto the couch. Draco had moved his foot just in time as a large volume came crashing down onto the ground.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione had asked.

She had entered the Prefects room to do a bit of studying. She knew if the Gryffindor common room didn't offer comfort or the library didn't, there would always be the Prefect's room. She could go there and know that there would be no one there to bother her. Maybe Draco, but lately they would sit in an amiable silence; together.

"Nothing," Draco told her, "I was just commenting on your love of paper and books."

Hermione scowled at his answer. The two both bent down to pickup the papers.

"Granger," Draco said annoyance at his lips. "Watch it would you?" he rubbed the top of his head.

"If your head was smaller," Hermione mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked with a mocking tone. Hermione opened her mouth to speak. Draco cut her off, "never mind."

Hermione stood up with her pile of papers. Oh I'll never get them back in the right order, she thought. Draco was still gathering books. "Hogwarts: A History," he mumbled reading the gold lettering on the front of the heaviest book, "again Granger? What is this, your 900th time?"

He was joking, but Hermione didn't take it so lightly. A frown was plastered on her face, "you know," she started, Draco sighed at this. He knew he was in for a scolding. "There is nothing wrong with being well informed."

"I'm not sure there's such a thing, but I'm pretty sure you're over informed," Draco told her.

Hermione growled at this, "don't be a prat."

"Sorry," he looked away while running his hand through his hair.

"Sorry won't fix this Malfoy, it's going to take me ages to put all this back in the right order," Hermione scolded, "if you'd just look where you were going."

"Me?!" he looked at her in disbelief. Draco looked down at her, inches apart. His eyes flashed with the sign of anger. From a tepid blue, they went to a storm of grey. It was like a thunderstorm brewing in his eyes. "For the record, you're the one who crashed into me," Draco defended himself.

"I was busy," she brushed his defense aside, "it's not like you've got anything better to do." Hermione saw the anger in his eyes, but she was not one to back down. She'd stood up to him for the past 6 years, she wasn't stopping now.

"I've got a lot of better things to do than get in your way Granger," Draco told her, now angry.

"Then why don't you get out of my way?" Hermione yelled, she waved her arm gesturing wildly.

"Fine! Don't know why I even bother with you, you ungrateful mudblood," he shouted back at her. He shoved the books into her arms, which made her fall back on to the couch. He picked up his papers and stalked off. A puff of air came from her as Hogwarts: A History hit her. She felt as if she'd been winded. Hermione flinched as she heard the door slam behind Draco.

Hermione had expected to come in and find Draco sprawled out across the couch reading as usual. His feet would be up on the couch. She would give him a look of distaste and he would smirk then sit up. He'd brush off the spot where his feet were and she'd take a seat. There they would sit together.

What the hell was that? Hermione asked herself. That was not amiable. That was some sort of regression. Hermione felt hurt, but couldn't tell why. It had been ages since he'd called her that. Since he'd used that word. Hermione put a hand to her face and felt the tear that rolled down one cheek. Soon many more followed. There she sat, alone, with her thoughts.

Draco stood waiting on a flight of steps with a first year Ravenclaw. He clutched the paper in his hands tightly and sighed. The Ravenclaw boy looked a Draco wide eyed until Draco shot him a scathing glare. He promptly got off and continued on his way when the stairs settled in on the 5th floor. He wondered, what the hell was up her arse? Things had been going generally well. He didn't feel nauseous when she was around anymore, they didn't bicker - as much. So what the hell was that?

Shit, he looked at his papers. Her papers, he corrected himself. In his hand he had Hermione's crumpled notes. She's going to have a fit, he sighed and sat down on a flight of steps from the 5th to the 4th floor.

Draco had a mixture of feelings inside him. They battled each other and one rose above the rest. He'd called her a mudblood, and this was the first time, he felt it in the pit of his stomach, he knew it was wrong.

"Are you, are you okay?" a voice asked taking Draco away from his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah," he said looking up at the boy. It was the little first year Ravenclaw. Draco looked a little confused but he said, "thanks for asking." The boy smiled and Draco smiled back. "Uhm, take a seat?" Draco offered. The two sat on the marble staircase and Draco asked about how he liked his first year.

It was a calming experience for Draco to sit there and chat with who he learned was Mandy Brocklehurst's little brother. "You know Timothy," Draco said leaning back, "girls are not human."

Timothy laughed, "you're telling me, Mandy is off her rocker most of the time."

"And she tells you you're a right prat all the time doesn't she?" Draco asked.

"Yup, those exact words," Timothy nodded his brown hair getting in his eyes.

Draco let out a hearty laugh. "That's girls for you," he announced.

"Girl problems?" Timothy asked.

Draco snorted. He looked at his new friend and smiled. What could an 11 year old know about girls? Timothy looked at him with an honest look about him. Draco sighed at this, how he wished he was 11 again. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Draco told him.

"Draco?" Pansy's voice called.

He looked through the gaps between the large balusters down at Pansy. He sighed and scratched at his neck. Damn, he'd been avoiding her earlier. Draco had started out in the Slytherin common room going over his Quidditch plays when Pansy had happened upon him. He perused quiet in the Prefect's room, and a little of Hermione Granger's company.

"Draco what are you doing up there?" Pansy asked climbing the stairs. Standing in front of him and Timothy she looked confused. Timothy smiled at her but instead she turned her nose up at him. "Where have you been?"

Draco sighed and got up, "Pansy, I told you..."

"Yes, you told me," she said with a hit of annoyance, "but that doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"True, but you said you'd give me time," Draco said, "space."

"Draco only girls need space," Pansy spat, "what is going on with you?" She stood there with her hands on her hips radiating annoyance.

"Nothing," Draco told her, "nothing at all, I just need silence Pansy." He brushed past her down to the 4th floor making his way to the library.

"Hi," Timothy tried, but all Pansy did was glare and turn on her heel to follow after Draco.

She hitched up her skirt a little higher and pulled on her sweater smoothing it out. "Draco," she called. Catching up she fell into step with him. She ran her fingers through her hair to settle it. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To the library Pansy," he said, "what else is on this floor that's worth going to?"

"I don't know Draco," she said desperately, "I don't know anything about you anymore. You're turning me away and I've no idea why."

He stopped suddenly and turned to her. She stood there as if she were ready to cry. "Don't... I don't want you to feel like that," he put a hand on her shoulder.

Pansy saw the papers in his hand, and gave him a quizzical look, "what's that?" She could see writing on it that wasn't his.

"What's what?" Draco asked confused as to what she meant.

"This," she said snatching it away.

"Pansy, give it here," he stepped forward with his hand out.

Pansy stumbled backwards out of his reach and looked down at the papers. She flipped through them all. Each had a Hermione Granger scrawled eloquently across the top. "Granger?" she said almost above a whisper. Pansy could feel her heart breaking. "You're leaving me for the mudblood?" she croaked.

A spark of anger flared in Draco's eyes. "Pansy, give me the papers. You're making a scene," he drawled. Draco looked around at the other students in the hall. They looked until he caught them looking and quickly each averted their eyes. Those who met Draco's eyes went pale.

"Please tell me there's some really good explanation for this," Pansy told him, "tell me it's a prank, tell me you're going to burn these, tell me something."

"I don't have to explain anything to you," Draco said through clenched teeth.

"That's why you're going to the library isn't it? To see her," Pansy was hysterical now. She threw the papers at him. "Fine, but don't you come crying back to me," she yelled and walked away.

There was a flash along with the voice of Colin Creevy asking for a "comment?"

"Creevy," Draco threw him a scathing glance. He knew he couldn't kill him with so many people watching, but Draco wanted so much to Avada Kedavra him right then and there. Draco stood there a moment and collected himself. He took a deep breath gathered Hermione's papers and walked away from the library to find some other place to sit quietly with his thoughts.

"Hermione," Lavender said bringing her out of her conversation with Ron. Hermione looked up from her dinner at Lavender. She inclined her head at the space behind Hermione. At this she turned around slowly to see what Lavender was going on about.

"What do you want?" Ron asked as he turned to look with Hermione.

Draco Malfoy stood there. "What?" she hissed as the rest of the Gryffindors at the table looked at her. It was strange to see a Slytherin at the Gryffindor table, but even stranger to see Draco Malfoy at the table.

"Granger, I don't have time for this," Draco said glancing to the door of the Great Hall, "outside - now." Hermione looked everywhere but at him, still upset about before. He leaned in, "I want my things back." She let out a sigh and started to get up. He put out his hand to help her, but instead she slapped it away and glared. "I suppose I deserved that," he mumbled putting his hand in his pocket.

"Hermione?" Ron asked with concern.

"Just Head business," she waved him off. To Draco she said, "you did," smugly and walked away. He trailed behind her shooting daggers in the back of her head.

"You got your notes all over the place, I think you have my Quidditch plays," Draco told her when they stopped in the corridor. He reached into his pocket and produced her notes.

"You got your Quidditch plays in my notes!" Hermione frowned taking the notes from him.

"Right," Draco rolled his eyes. At this she glared, I absolutely hate when he does that. "Well," Draco continued, "where are my plays?"

"Not here," Hermione told him.

"I need those," he said.

"And I needed these!" Hermione said waving the papers.

Draco didn't have time for this again. More waving of papers around, more yelling and making a scene. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "you know what? Keep them for all I care." With that he walked away.

For the second time that day he walked away. Hermione stood there slack jawed. She felt as if she was going to cry. Thoughts ran through her head at the speed of magic. He never listens, he never does. Don't cry. That was so immature, just walking away. Don't cry, don't let anyone see you cry. She sped off up the stairs as fast as she could.

Blurry eyed she wandered the school going higher and higher. On the seventh floor she stopped and walked along the corridor. Finding a door unlocked she entered the room. Sitting herself down on a plush seat she cried. After a few deep breaths she calmed down. Looking around she realized that she must be in the Room of Requirement. Looking around her there was a box of tissues, some books and boxes of chocolates and assorted sweets. Just what she needed right now. After looking through the books to read she chose one, Magical Artifacts From Inner Mongolia , and sat down with a box of tissues and chocolates.

"Where the hell is she?" Ron paced back and forth through the common room.

"I don't know," Harry said perturbed, he was trying to finish a potions essay. It was double potions the next day and if he didn't get it done it would be double the yelling Snape would normally do. He thought about putting a silencing spell around him, or maybe just on Ron, but decided it was too much effort to do so.

"She hasn't been back since dinner," Ron continued.

"She said it was Head's business," Harry reminded him, "besides, she's been out later than this before. Maybe she has rounds."

"But we'd have at least seen her before she left for rounds," Ron countered.

Harry sighed, mumbled "accio wand" and performed the silencing spell on Ron. He paced the common room waving wildly, but with no sound coming from him.

Hermione had lost track of time while sitting in the Room of Requirement. She had read several books on various things. Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed gave her a multitude of ideas to use on Draco. It was by far her favorite at the moment.

Yawning because of the time she peeled herself from her seat to head to her dorm for sleep. Oh shoot, I was supposed to go patrolling, she remembered. She sighed, oh well, Malfoy will have gone, and besides I'd rather not spend time with him. She checked the time and there was at least a half hour left in which she was supposed to wander the halls looking for people. She decided to go, patrolling without Malfoy, she didn't need him to go patrolling anyway.

On her way out she got picked up a box of chocolates to chew on. Wandering through the corridor she made her way to the stairs. It was dark except for patches of light where there were torches burning.

Wandering through the hall on her own was boring, but not a bad thing. Hermione patrolled until she got to the ground floor. Standing at the foot of the marble staircase she looked to her left, the steps that lead to the Hufflepuff's dormitories, to her right was the dungeons and Slytherins. Hermione sighed and decided to get the dungeons done and over with.

She heard footsteps behind her as she walked through a corridor. She turned and called out, "you shouldn't be out of bed." Seeing no one behind her she decided that it was a figment of her imagination. In the dark is when she would hear the foot falls of someone else. It was terribly disconcerting. She clutched her wand tightly.

"Granger," a voice called. Then another, and another. A laugh sounded, at this Hermione turned around.

"Who - who's there?" she said trying to sound assertive, but instead her voice was weak and trembling.

The dim light she was in went out. A wind had come down the corridor and the torches along the wall had blown out. A push from one side, a shove from the other. Hermione was called names, mudblood, buck tooth, ugly, all while being laughed at. She was pushed back and forth. In the dark it was disorienting, she dropped her wand and started to cry. Falling to the ground she felt for her wand while sobbing. A foot, stepped on her hand crushing it. And she felt a kick here and there.

He mumbled as he came down the steps into the darkness. On command his wand lit up providing light. It bounced off the walls back at him as he made his way. Rounding the corner to the entrance to the Slytherin common room he heard voices. "What the hell?" he exclaimed as he found Pansy along with Daphne Greengrass, and Crabbe and Goyle.

Pansy looked up from her game, "Draco" her voice was a whisper.

"What do you think you're playing at?" his eyes flashed with outrage. The storm was brewing.

"I – I was," Pansy tried. She backed away from Hermione's crumpled body.

Hermione's sobs were the only sound in the hallway. The group had backed away from her while Draco yelled completely exasperated. "Have you gone completely mad Pansy?" Draco yelled, "If you're trying to hurt me, hurt me, but don't touch her. I swear if I find any of you near her again you will regret it. Now leave!" The four stood rooted to their spot unsure of what was going on.

"She – she wasn't supposed to get hurt," Tracey Greengrass offered tentatively.

"Well she did, are you happy now? Leave," he ordered again, with that the group dissolved into the dark.

Draco pocketed Hermione's wand as he kneeled down to help her off the ground. He reached for her elbow to help her up. Slapping him hard across the face a thunder rumbled in him and a bolt of lighting flashed in his eyes. His hand went to his cheek rubbing the spot where she had hit him. "Hermione," he said. She looked up at him. Seeing her face streaked with tears, her nose red and her eyes puffy he averted his eyes. Tugging her by the elbow he helped her up and led her away.

He said nothing all the way back to the Gryffindor tower. She sobbed and sniffled as she trailed behind him, her feet trying to keep up with his quick pace. I wish she would stop crying, he thought. At the entrance the Fat Lady screamed when she saw the pair. "What on earth have you done to her?"

He gave her a burning look and Hermione spoke for the first time, "it wasn't him."

The Fat Lady gave him a look filled with skepticism, "well I'd hope not."

Draco gave an uncharacteristic grunt and turned to Hermione. He looked her over and after deciding she would be alright now she was at the entrance to Gryffindor tower he turned to go on his way.

"Draco," Hermione called after him. He turned back. She stepped toward him and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thank – thank you," she said shyly. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. Better left unsaid, he thought. Hermione looked up at him, his face read confused among many other things. Draco's hand moved to her face where a strand of hair lay out of place. He tucked it behind her ear. He had a strong urge to kiss her then. Feeling this odd feeling in the pit of his stomach he decided on leaving. He gave a smile that said he was unsure, and turned. Hermione watched as he ran his hand through his hair with a sigh and walked down the stairs.

Turning to the Fat Lady Hermione said "Innamorati" and the portrait swung open.

FYI: The Innamorati (from the Italian innamorato, lover, the one who is in love) are young lovers, characters of the Commedia dell'arte.

Just if you didn't know.

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