5 minutes before Hermione walked into the Great Hall

Malfoy was furious with himself. He couldn't believe that he had said all those things to Pansy. Pansy wasn't the most trustworthy person at Hogwarts-she had a big mouth and told everyone every little thing that goes on in her life and the lives of others. Just two days ago Malfoy was forced to listen to Pansy blab on and on about what she wanted for her birthday-and her birthday was 5 months away! And sometimes Pansy would tell people things that they really don't need to hear-like the color of Millicent Bulstrode's new bra. Stuff like that was best left unsaid, especially at breakfast. Malfoy almost threw up.

She was his girlfriend and yet Malfoy didn't even like her. She wasn't prettier than other girls, she wasn't smart, and she bored him to death. He often called her names and told her he didn't like her, but the girl never seemed to get the hint. He couldn't openly dump her. What would his father say when he found out? His parents were friends with her parents, and Pansy told them everything. He wasn't afraid that Pansy would tell her parents. He had threatened her, and she knew that if she did tell anyone, he would go through with his threat

'But why Pansy? Why did I tell Pansy? Why did I tell anyone, for that matter. It isn't if I told her anything really important, just venting I guess. But I shouldn't need to tell anybody anything. I'm supposed to keep it to myself, not to blab out all the ideas that come to my mind like some Gryffindor loser! Pansy probably still thinks I'm in love with that mudblood. Oh, who cares what Pansy thinks, as long as no one else heard...'

Malfoy pushed all his thoughts out of his mind as he entered the Great Hall. It got quiet as he entered. Malfoy smirked. 'I must be looking pretty good today! Sure I've got yells and screams, but total silence? I'm hot!' He sat down next to Pansy and nodded to her as a greeting.

"Hey Draco," said Pansy quietly, not meeting his eyes. Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"Parkinson, what's going on? If you told anyone about yesterday, you better say so now!" Malfoy hissed. Pansy flinched.

"Oh, I didn't tell anyone, Draco, I swear! You can give me Veritaserum if you don't believe me! But Draco, look at this newspaper, everyone has it! Just read it...!" She brandished the purple newspaper and Malfoy took it reluctantly, still giving her his Death Glare.

"If I find out you told..." Malfoy said, warning her. She nodded, a bit frightened. 'The way I like her to be.' Malfoy flipped it open to page 2.

Malfoy's secret passion

By Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown

The totally popular Spy Girlz have already uncovered Hermione Granger's feelings of toward Draco Malfoy. But it was unknown how Malfoy felt about Hermione. We have learned that Malfoy returns her feelings fully, maybe with a bit more passion and a lot less reluctance than Hermione.

We overheard Malfoy pouring his heart out to Pansy Parkinson, the ugly pug of Hogwartz and Malfoy's girlfriend. Pansy brought up the topic of Hermione, and started making fun of her, calling her a M-------. Malfoy stopped her angrily. He said he didn't want to hear Pansy call her that, that he had spent the entire night working on Charms with her and he finally realized that he liked her, he might even love her. He called Pansy a fool to even think that he ever liked her Pansy, but he liked Hermione, and even though she hated his guts, he loved her and that was never going to change. Even though he was a Slytherin, he still liked her, but he didn't want Weasel Ronald Weasley to beat him up and mangle his face We Spy Girlz totally agree with his reasoning, Malfoy's face is just too beautiful to be punched!.

Pansy, of course, was very upset, and tried to talk to him but Malfoy told her to shut up. He obviously wanted to finish his rather long confession of true everlasting love for Hermione. He then told her about an incident that happened during tutoring.

We have discovered that somehow Hermione fell, and Malfoy caught her. Their hands touched, then Malfoy kissed her. .

Malfoy called her the Gryffindor Princess, the smartest of the Golden Trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione), and the witch of extreme perfection. He said that he loved making her flustered and confused, that being with her was exhilarating. It was pure freedom, pure power.

"But with her, with Hermione Granger, I feel free...and it's a good feeling Pansy.

He came up with a theory why his beautiful love came to be. When they are together they just explode with love Lavender would like to say that that is so beautiful. She's actually crying.. She makes him feel strange, something that he's never felt before.

Pansy of course, got angry when he confessed his love for the bookworm, Hermione Granger. Malfoy told her to shut up, and then went on praising the various points of greatness in his love, Hermione. He said that Hermione might deep down have some sort of affection for him. When Pansy protested, he told her that there is a fine line between love and hate. We Spy Girlz know now that the feeling of love is so completely totally mutual!

This sounds very strange that a super hot Slytherin like Malfoy would ever think of someone like Hermione Granger, but there you have it. Time for feedback from our fans.

"This is not possible! This can't be happening to me! Why, Draco? Why did you have to cross over to the Gryffindor side? What about me? What about my dreams, huh? WHAT ABOUT MY DREAMS?" sobbed Adrianna West, a 2nd year Slytherin. We spoke to her kindly.

"What! What do you mean Draco would never look at a scrawny little 2nd year like me? I'm not scrawny! I'm beautiful! I'm beautiful dammit!"

After we sent Adrianna off to the hospital wing to get a calming draught, we spoke to Lauren Gerud, a 5th year Hufflepuff.

"Are you guys stalking me? I already answered your stupid question about Ron! Stop cornering me! Leave me the hell alone!"

Lauren Gerud wasn't able to answer our question...she was indisposed.

"I'm very happy for Hermione and Malfoy. I never knew this was going on, I mean I never noticed any of this," said Ginny Weasley. "But seeing how Dean has dumped me, I like to see a happy couple. Oh yes, you didn't know that Dean dumped me? Turns out Dean is in love with you, Parvati. Oh and Seamus is in love with you too." Lavender would like to say that it is obvious that Ginny was confunded, because everyone knows that Dean and Seamus love her. Lavender should know that this is not the article to debate this. Turn to pg 4 for the 411 on Ginny and Dean.

Malfoy finished reading and put down the newspaper. "Patil and Brown are going to wish they never were born!" Malfoy roared, causing the whole Slytherin table to stare at him. Pansy looked at him timidly.

"And me, Draco?" she asked carefully.

"I know you didn't do it, idiot! It was Patil and Brown!" Malfoy yelled.

"So, are you still with me?" Pansy asked hopefully.

"Yeah, whatever," Malfoy said, not really caring. Pansy squealed. Malfoy winced.

"God Pansy, shut up!" Malfoy said, rubbing his ears in pain.

"Okay!" Pansy said brightly. Malfoy grabbed his bag and walked toward the door.

"Drakie! Where are you going? Come back!" Pansy asked, confused by his actions. Malfoy didn't look back.

"Nowhere. Anywhere." he muttered.

Lavender and Parvati's words annoyed him so much that he felt as if he couldn't stay in there, where everyone was looking at him, whispering about him and Granger and his 'true everlasting love' for her. 'How can anyone believe that garbage? Obviously they just made all the articles up! But noo, everyone has to think I have feelings for Granger, other than digust and hatred, but feelings of love! And they think Granger has feelings for me too, oh I read the article about her. I could go bother her about the article... Yeah, that'll make me feel better, getting Granger all upset.'

Malfoy stopped wandering around and set out to look for Hermione. He hadn't seen her in the Great Hall, maybe she was still in her room. There was still a little time before classes started.

Hermione grinned. "Harry this is perfect! Oh let me read it!" Hermione grabbed the paper and read Malfoy's article. After she was finished she started to laugh. "His beautiful love, oh wow," she said, laughing. Harry and Ron laughed too. Ginny, whom they hadn't noticed before this, spoke to them.

"I'm assuming you've read the Spy Girlz paper? I can't believe them!" Ginny said, clearly furious. "I didn't break up with Dean! And I would never call Malfoy sexy. Maybe a bit good-looking, but-"

"WHAT?" yelled Ron, knocking over his goblet and spilling juice onto table and onto Harry's lap. Harry groaned. Ron didn't notice, he was too busy glaring at Ginny.

"Well, Ron, I am allowed to say when I think someone is cute!"

"But not Malfoy!"

Dean leaned over into their conversation. "See Ginny, this is why I broke up with you, you're always looking at other guys!"

"Dean, I don't look at other guys! And you didn't break up with me! How can you believe what that paper says?" Ginny yelled. Dean ignored her. "Fine, if you're going to break up with me, see if I care! I'll just go out with some other guy!"

"You can't just dump me like that Ginny!" Dean shouted at her.

"I didn't! You did!" Ginny replied nastily.

Hermione decided to go back to the common room and see if she could find the first draft of her essay to hand in. She didn't want to find out what would happen to her if she went to Snape's class without an essay. She got up and walked away, unnoticed by her friends, who still were caught up in Ginny and Dean's fight.

When Hermione got to her dorm, she quickly said "Crystal Shards" and walked into the room. She didn't have much time left, so her plan was to find her draft, get it, and go to class as fast as possible. What she didn't count on was Malfoy being there. But when she went through the door she saw him sitting in one of the chairs. She stopped dead in her tracks, suprised. She tried to go into her room without him noticing but he saw her and stood up, the purple newspaper in his hand. He waved it around.

"So Granger," he said, walking over to her.

"Malfoy," she spat bitterly. She hadn't been around him since yesterday morning, and seeing him made her remember just how much she hated him. He was standing there, with a smug look on his face, waiting for something. 'Probably a confession of my love!' She just wanted to get her essay and leave...and maybe punch him in the face to wipe that self-satisfied look off his face. But she didn't punch him in the face. She shoved him across the room, though. He got up and brushed himself off, and walked back towards her. Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Too bad I didn't hurt him, he didn't even get angry!'

"I hear you're in love with me, Granger," said Malfoy, standing next to her. She stepped away from him.

"Cut the crap Malfoy. You and I both know that those articles were fake," Hermione said, turning away from him.

"It's okay, I understand if you're too shy to talk about it. You being such a prude and all." He said, smirking that smirk that Hermione hated so much.

"I am not a prude!" She said, annoyed.

"That's not what the paper said."

"The paper is FAKE!"

"Oh but Granger, I won't give up on you until you confess your true everlasting love for me!" Malfoy said, putting his hand over his heart.

"You disgust me, Malfoy. I hate you!" Hermione said to him as she turned to walk away. Malfoy grabbed her arm to stop her. She yelled in frustration.

"Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you," Malfoy said quietly but forcefully. Hermione stopped yelling.

"What do you want from me, Malfoy? A confession of love? Worship? You're confusing, you know that? You confuse me!" Hermione yelled. Malfoy was silent for a moment, but then spoke.

"I confuse you?" he asked, his eyes glinting with something Hermione couldn't place. She nodded slowly

"Good," he said, gazing at her strangely. She stared back at him. He let go of her arm. She shoved him again.

"Granger," said Malfoy, snapping her out of her thoughts. "We're late to Potions," he said calmly. Hermione shrieked.

"Oh my god, Potions started 10 minutes ago! What are we going to do Malfoy? Snape will murder us!" Hermione said frantically, wringing her hands. Malfoy shrugged.

"How can you not care?" Hermione asked, suprised. It was Snape after all.

"Easy. Snape won't murder me. I'm his favorite student. He'll murder you. And I'll just watch and enjoy myself." Malfoy said, picturing Snape murdering Hermione with a dreamy expression on his face.

Hermione ignored him and walked into her room. She searched for the draft essay but couldn't find it. Giving up, she left the dorm and walked quickly towards Potions. She didn't bother to wait for Malfoy to come. She didn't want to be near him.

She arrived at the Potions door and stood in front of it, not daring to open it. 'I just have to do it. If I don't go to his class then the punishment will be worse.'. She still stood at the door, staring at it and not touching it.

"Hey Granger, what's the matter? Too scared to face Snape's wrath?" said a very unwelcome voice from behind her. Hermione sighed.

"It's not that, it's just..." Hermione trailed off, not knowing to say.

"You are such a coward, Granger, Where's that Gryffindor courage?" Malfoy sneered. He pulled open the door, grabbed Hermione by the arm and swaggered into the room, dragging Hermione behind him. Snape turned around quickly. Seeing the two of them, his gave a strange smile. Any kind of smile on Snape's face was strange, but it was an odd, twisted kind of smile. It was, Hermione realized, a look that meant 'You're in deep shit, but I'm going to torture you out of your mind before I kill you with various punishments. His eyes burned rage, barely controlled.

"Miss Granger," he said giving her a calm look that scared her. "Nice of you to join us. How are you this fine morning?" He advanced towards her, and Hermione backed away. "So you think you can come in this late and get away with it? I've got news for you girl, you have two months of detention, helping Filch scrub the dungeon floors and all the bathrooms." Hermione opened her mouth but was silenced by Malfoy, who had stepped up in front of her.

"I don't think that will be quite necessary, Professor. You see, Hermione was with me, and I'm afraid we got a bit...caught up." He gave Hermione a suggestive look. Hermione was disgusted, and her face showed it.

"Listen, Malfoy, It's Granger to you and I'd rather die than do anything with you!" she yelled, her face pink from embarassment and anger. Malfoy gave her a look of adoration, which was totally fake, Hermione noted. A quick glance around the room showed that they didn't realize it was fake. Underneath that look, Hermione could see that he was taking a sick pleasure in doing this to her. Even Snape had stepped back to watch, a barely visible look of amusement in his eyes.

Malfoy shook his head, still gazing at her. "Oh Hermione, you look so beautiful when you're angry! Don't try to deny it, you know you love me..." Hermione got extremely frustrated. He shouldn't be able to get her this mad. She was supposed to shrug it off, like she always did. But for some reason, it got to her. And she didn't like it.

'What can I do to shut him up? He's trying to get at me and it's working! There's no way I'll allow him to bother me like this! He hates me and I know it-but no one else believes that he does! It's my duty to find a way to unsettle him and stop him from playing his idiotic game, trying to bother me, unsettle me, but what can I do?'

Then Hermione remembered her talk with Harry and got an idea.

A/N: I'm very happy with the reviews, thanks you guys, means a lot to me. I know this chapter isn't very good, but the next one will be better. Took awhile because of school Senior year of H.S. sucks-don't listen to those people who say it rocks, too much work, various other things and a serious case of writer's block.

-Slim Shady AKA Cassandra Rose