Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Sorry it took so long to update!

I'm dedicating this to my friend D, for freakin' hassling me to write this. Love you! Comment!

"Exactly." Ginny had said smugly.

"I didn't say anything!" Hermione protested.

"I know! That proves it. And so does your defensive reaction." Hermione sighed, giving up.

"I know." She said pitifully. "I don't like him though."

"Didn't we cover this? You just like the attention that you're not getting from Ron." Ginny said knowingly.

"Wha-? No, no, no, I don't like Ron. That's preposterous!" As much as she tried to deny it, she couldn't.

* * *

After about a week, Hermione was starting to wonder if Ron's jealousy was worth it to act like she fancied Draco. They fought constantly. They argued over everything, homework, pedigree, even how to act like a couple. He drove her crazy, with his nagging and rude comments about her muggle parents. What really ticked her off was that their relationship was hot and cold. One minute they'd be fighting, then Ron would walk by and he'd lean in close to her. She also wondered why he was starting to do this. She get that he hated Ron, but didn't he hate her just as much? If not more?

It was a mystery to her, but Hermione put it aside in her mind and focused on the problem at hand. The project was due tomorrow, so the reason for her and Draco to be acquainted with each other would be over. What would happen? Would he just stop talking to her for good? Or kick it up a notch? She laid awake in her four poster bed for hours thinking about it.

Ginny had explained to Hermione that she had told Harry and Dean to go with it to anticipate Ron's reaction, though Harry was completely clueless as to what was going on now. Ron was always by his side, so she never got a chance to explain.

Hermione woke early, not sleeping much. Her lack of sleep and shot nerves made her a little jumpy. Whenever Ron or Harry would ask her something at breakfast she'd flinch.

"What's up with you Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Did you and Malfoy have a fight?" Ron asked hopefully. She jumped at the sound of his name.

"Look here he comes." Ginny smiled.

Hermione turned around, and sure enough there he was. He walked up to her, leaned in and said,

"Hey can I talk to you for a minute?" He said in a low voice.

"Sure Malfoy, go ahead." Ron said, leaning in trying to hear them.

"Alone?" Malfoy side-glanced at Ron, who started to protest,

"Anything you can say to her-" he had started, but was cut off by Hermione.

"Sure," Hermione said. Once she got up, Malfoy slipped his hand in hers. Ron gripped his spoon for so hard that it bent. The whispers began immediately, which only made Ron more aggravated.

"Ginny did you find out what's going on with them?" Ron asked.

"Yes I did as a matter of fact." Ginny replied.

"Great! So are they like…a couple?" He shuddered at the last word.

"Like I'm going to tell you!" Ginny scoffed, "Girls don't share each other's darkest secrets, especially with their best friend's brother."

"Darkest?" Ron frowned.

"Secrets, as in plural?" Harry side-glanced at Ron, he could tell that his best mate wasn't liking any of this.

When both of the boys turned back to Ginny, she just smiled mischievously and walked away. The minute she was gone Ron practically shot out of his seat.

"Where are you going?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Where do you think? To go eavesdrop of Hermione and Draco!"

Hermione and Draco had gone in the hallway, since everyone was at breakfast they'd have some privacy.

"What happens when the assignment is due?" Hermione asked.

"We continue with the charade." He responded.

"But that would mean…" Hermione trailed off, to afraid to say it out loud.

"That we would have to say that we're official? Yes, I know."

"I don't know…this is getting really weird." Hermione shifted uncomfrontably.

"But its worth it though, isn't it?" He said smugly.

"What's in it for you?" Hermione tried to keep out the accusation out of her voice.

"I get to mess with Weasly and you get to make him jealous. It's a win-win."

"No, that doesn't explain it. You hate me just as much, if not more, than Ron. I'm not doing this until you tell me why." Hermione said.

"Fine, let's just say that someone has grabbed my attention and I'm doing this for the same reason you are." Hermione forced him to meet her eyes, she couldn't find a lie in them.

"Well, I believe you." She said, the words tasted funny in her mouth since they were directed at Malfoy.

"And you wouldn't normally believe me because I'm normally a big fat liar?" Draco faked a hurt look.

"You know what I meant." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Still, if we're going to be a couple you're going to have to trust me." His eyes smoldered her, or tried to at least.

"Baby steps." She whispered.

"Yeah, baby steps." Draco nodded, then tenderly cradled her face with both his hands and kissed her. It was that long or passionate, but sweet and gentle. It was long enough for Ron to burst in and start choking on the food he'd just swallowed. Hermione and Draco broke apart, Draco scratched his head awkwardly and Hermione blushed.

"What. The. Bloody. Hell!" Ron sputtered angrily. Some other students like Susan, Luna, and Katy came from the dining hall as well. Draco's

"Hey Weasly." Draco said. Hermione smiled at him trying to keep the sneer out of his voice.

"Malfoy." Ron snarled harshly.

"We're kinda busy can you give us some privacy?" Draco said, his face turning back to linger on Hermione's. Hermione tore her gaze from Draco, or pretended to tear her gaze away, and locked eyes with Ron. His eyes looked hurt, leaving her torn. She wanted to run to him, hug him, tell him the whole story, but she stayed where she was. She watched him storm off, and, without thinking about it, leaned her head against Draco's shoulder.

He didn't push her away.