A/N: I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to everybody who reviewed. Admittedly, I'd hoped for more, but that's karma on me for not posting sooner, isn't it?? ((Karma Cap!)) Anyway, I've been super busy with AP Exams, but I'm back, and attempting to write even more than before! I might even start a new story. I know exactly where I'm going with it. In fact, I may post all of it at once if I get it written (crosses fingers excitedly). Thanks again, and keep on reviewing!!

Chapter Three: A Question or Two

Hermione awoke the next morning, sick and tired, already, of Malfoy and his annoying behaviors. He had stayed up late using the study area to do who knows what. She had intended to get a head start on her reading, and the study area definitely had the best light. Finally, she'd given up and headed to bed. This morning, however, seemed like a new day, with different people living in the common room. Hermione woke up to an odd sound. Then, she realized it was Draco. He'd woken up early, and - much to Hermione's surprise - was singing in the shower. She had to admit, though, the song was oddly familiar, and he sounded absolutely brilliant. Not to mention, it made Hermione think that he was even more handsome. She knew Lavender and Parvati would die to know something like this, and call it "sexy" but Hermione didn't think the word fit. More like "intriguing." She didn't dare mention it, for fear of the two girls thinking her a prude and afraid of dating. Which she wasn't. Obviously.

After being awoken by that new information, she got dressed and ready for school, and was almost out the door when Malfoy came out of his room, his hair still wet and sticking to his forehead a bit. Hermione had to admit, this was also a positive image. Perhaps, all this time, Malfoy had looked good, and she'd never noticed. It wasn't possible, was it? She shook her head after she left their common room, and rushed to breakfast, that way he wouldn't catch up to her, and she could say she was afraid of running late, and that was why she was breathing so abnormally.

"So, are you going to do the project?" Ron asked the next morning, just before he stuffed his face with food. Hermione was impressed that he actually bothered to hold off a moment and ask.

"Of course. I'll also be taking my N.E.W.T.s, though." Hermione nodded. Harry and Ron looked sickened at the idea. "Not only will it look good on whatever resume I'll have, but maybe I'll get out of the dorm I'm forced to share with the ferret."

"Yeah, that'd be brilliant." Ron nodded fervently. Hermione was starting to wonder why he'd care, seeing as he was already talking to Lavender most of the time. "I feel bad for anybody who has to be locked up with Malfoy." He scrunched his face up.

Ah, Hermione thought, he feels sorry for me. Hmph. He'll be feeling real sorry soon if he keeps insulting my ability to take care of myself. Of course, Hermione knew that he probably didn't think about that when he said it, but she was upset nonetheless.

Today was the day they would be partnered, and they would have to choose their question. Just as the Gryffindors were talking about it, Headmistress McGonagall stood up and the room fell silent, just like that.

"Alright, students. It's time to announce your partners for the project, if you've accepted it. Instead of reading off all the names, I'll be posting a list in all of your common rooms. All but one of the groups are within their own house, so that shouldn't be a problem. The one group probably already knows who they are, so students, if you don't suspect that it's you, it probably isn't." McGonagall was rambling, something she didn't often do. Perhaps she was worried that the group would come complaining when the learned of it.

Just as the Headmistress said "knows who they are", Hermione and Draco glanced at each other, and both frowned angrily.

"Brilliant." Hermione scowled at her plate, causing Harry and Ron to raise an eyebrow at each other.

-HPHPHPHPHPHPHP-

"Don't worry about it. We'd have had to deal with each other even if we didn't do the project. Just think of it as something that must be." Hermione shrugged.

"Hermione, you can't just.. I mean, McGonagall assumed you would know. Did one of you ask for the other as a partner?" Ginny questioned.

"Hah!" Ron laughed. "Like Hermione would ask to be partners with a ferret!"

"And like Malfoy would want me as a partner." Hermione said, feeling rather awkward. Would he? "It doesn't matter. It's done with."

"It's not fair!" Lavender complained, walking over. "The two smartest kids in Hogwarts paired together."

"What are you talking about?" Seamus walked over. "Hermione and Malfoy got paired?"

"Am I the only one who didn't know this kid was second in our year?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Apparently." Ginny said, looking as though everyone else, indeed, did know.

-HPHPHPHPHPHPHP-

"Only figures." Hermione said as cooly as possible.

"That's extremely unfair." Draco complained.

"Don't be a baby, Malfoy." Hermione scolded from where she sat at their common room study area. "It's just because we were already sharing one."

Draco, laying across their couch, had his eyes closed. "What's our question, then, since we're stuck together?"

"Apparently, you're too grumpy to think of one yourself. If you really cared, seeing as we're 'stuck together'-" Hermione used air quotes, just as he opened his eyes to glare at her, "- you would probably try and think of something yourself. You do think you're so smart." She pointed out, as though it mattered.

"Ah, so you do think I'm smart." Draco said.

"Out of all I said, you come up with that? And no, I never said that. I said you think you are." She repeated, becoming increasingly agitated.

"Why are all you Mudbloods so infuriating?!" He questioned angrily, sitting up and looking directly at her, eyebrows raised.

"Why do all Pureblood Slytherins think they're so much better?!" She retaliated, standing up. He copied her motion.

"Oh, well there's a question. I've got the answer, though." He said. He paused, as though for dramatic effect. "Because Mudbloods are nothing but dirt under our feet. It's not a question of why, but a question of 'Why do they think they're even close to equal?'."

"Oh, honestly!" She snapped, raising her chin to be able to look him in the eye. That was when she realized that they were standing chest-to-chest in the middle of their common room. Draco stared down at her, eyes darker than their usual silver-grey, looking furious and out of breath. She was merely a few inches from his face, and if she stood on tip-toe, they would be kissing. For a moment, she swore she saw his expression change. In her confusion, she thought she saw him beginning to lean down towards her, and she almost froze up. She frowned, and stepped away.

Did I just.. almost.. I didn't. Draco thought, keeping a cool expression on his face as best he could, considering how angry he was with himself. Well, it surely cannot happen again.. or.. almost happen, again!

"Look, why don't we use a combination of our questions, as it obviously interests both of us?" She suggested weakly, blushing.

"What? Like, 'Why do Purebloods and Mud-" Draco began.

"Muggle-Borns." Hermione corrected. "We prefer being called Muggle-Borns, if you please." She added sarcastically.

"Whatever." Draco snapped. "Continuing: 'each think the other isn't as good?'."

"That's not it at all." She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Muggle-Borns by no means think they're better than Purebloods."

"Then why do they care?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow, honestly intrigued.

"They don't think they're better.. Just equal." She shrugged. "How about this: Why does it seem that Muggle-Borns and Purebloods are separate classes, when each is clearly as talented as the other?"

"Classes? Merlin, Granger. This isn't Muggle History class. Just say: Why do Purebloods think they're so much better, when Muggle-Borns don't see a distinction between the two groups?"

Hermione stared at him in awe. "I hate to say it, Malfoy, but that's brilliant." She said grudgingly.

He grinned at her smugly, making her blush again. "As I said earlier, you think I'm smart. Apparently, I'm quite right. A lot."

"Not hardly!" She said quickly, practically stomping her foot, but catching herself before she did.

"But, I am." He smiled down at her, enjoying making her mad.

"You want to bet on that?" She growled, not being serious, but wanting him to just shut up for once.

"Perhaps." He shrugged. She frowned. That wasn't supposed to happen. "How about this: We both start at fifty percent. Each time we get something right about the other - something that's either a guess or an assumption - we get five percentage points added. The first to one hundred wins."

"What if we get it wrong?" She asked, becoming curious, now.

"You lose five. Naturally." He said. For some reason, it wasn't with an air as though he was saying it was extremely obvious. Just as though it was a natural thing to do.

"It sounds.. Interesting." She said cautiously.

"Come on, Granger. Just say yes. Do something risky for once." He rolled his eyes.

"What do I win?" She questioned.

"I knew there was some motive for not just agreeing." He laughed aloud, seating himself on the couch.

"Naturally." Hermione quoted, sitting on the opposite end of the couch, facing him.

"If one of us wins, how about the other person has to do two things. Just to make it extra annoying for whoever loses?" He suggested, very confident that he would win.

"Like what? If I win, you say that Muggle-Borns are the greatest, and we base our report as such?"

"Sure." He shrugged.

"Of course, we're going not going to say anything like that, and yours cannot be to say that Purebloods are the most brilliant, or anything of that sort. It's irrational." She said patronizingly.

"Okay, okay. If I win, you have to get Pansy off my back." Draco said, sounding exhausted just at the use of her name. "Also, you have to rank second to me on every. single. N.E.W.T." He drew the last three words out, as though to terrorize her with the thought of what might come next, and then afterwords he remained silent, watching her face.

"Okay, ferret-"

"You get turned into a ferret once, and nobody ever drops it." Draco frowned grumpily.

"Like I was saying. If I win, because we'll probably tie on our N.E.W.T.s, you must get second to me on every single N.E.W.T. And yes, I did just copy you, so don't bother pointing it out."

Draco frowned, as though caught.

"Fifty Five percent." Hermione teased. "And, I know, we haven't started yet. It's still fun to make you worry. Sixty Percent. Secondly, if I win.." She trailed off, blushing furiously. She knew what she wanted him to help her with, but she wasn't sure if she could say it aloud.

"What?" He asked, sounding miserable.

"You have to teach me how to fly." She murmured, awfully embarrassed.

"To what? Fly?" He asked, confused. "Didn't you take First Year Flying?"

She nodded. "Nobody ever said I was good. I just passed. Barely."

".. Um.. Alright." He shrugged. Her requests weren't really any big deal. He probably would get second anyway, even if he won. It wasn't as though Hermione would know how many he got wrong. He just wanted to freak her out. And the Pansy thing would be the only problem. Her flying thing, though. It confused him. Of anything she could've asked, she wanted that?

He put his hand out towards her. "We're on? Oh! and those last ten points don't count."

"I know." She said, unsmiling. She was still feeling extremely awkward. "We're on."

She put her hand in his. Instead of shaking hands, they froze, then quickly pulled away. Looking at him, she knew he must have felt the same thing. He stared at his hand, then looked up at her. She knew immediately that he did, indeed, feel it.

Electricity.

A/N: Oohkay, so that was a really.. Fun chapter to write. (for lack of a better way of saying it.) I just wanted to add in a little mischief and playful banter, which obviously might lead to something else. Who knows, though? ;) Besides, Pansy might kill Hermione at this rate. xD ((Just kidding guys. I couldn't kill off my favorite character!)) Anyway, reviews?? Pwease?