A/N: GAHH I KNOW THAT THERE ISN'T MUCH OF A PLOT YET. Not for this chapter either. I'm kinda stuck on the relationship stuff for a while. But there's a plot, I promise you, and I'll be getting to tit from the next chapter onwards. Once again, thanks for reading, leave a review please! ~Scarfy

Hermione didn't cry. She didn't know why, but it was as if her mind was saying, Meh, you don't need to waste tears on him.

Draco eventually entered again. Leaning against the doorframe, conscientiously keeping a distance form her, he casually said, "So, the inevitable has happened, huh?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "And how would you know?"

Draco shrugged, "I would say from your face, but your face isn't telling me anything. The Weasley girl running around the Great Hal calling you a giant slut, though, told me a lot."

Hermione was surprised at Draco's answer. Not that Ginny was spreading rumours about her – she had pretty much expected that. "You believe me, not her?" She was curious about that.

"Well, other than the fact that the redhead girl is the biggest slut of them all, you don't seem like the type. And I think I'm pretty good at reading people." Draco flashed her an arrogant smile, as if challenging her.

Hermione gladly accepted it. "Fine then, if you think you're so good… why did you say that Ron and my breakup was inevitable?"

Draco shook his head with a smirk on his face. "Easy. The Weasley boy is pathetic, way below your standards, frankly. He can't think for himself, he is constantly affected by how all of his brothers and even his sister have a better reputation than him. But instead of doing anything worthy of it, like playing pranks like the twins (which still has some merit), he chooses to ride on the tailcoats of the chosen one. He ends up having to turn to you for help consistently, academic or otherwise. He likes you, but not enough to express it properly. He expects everything from you, doesn't understand you, but doesn't feel a need to do anything in return. In other words, he's leeching off you, and the only thing that's stopping you from noticing it was some extended form of crush. I'm surprised it even lasted that long. Now that your pathetic relationship has come to it's, again, inevitable end, how can you expect me to pretend to be shocked?"

Hermione definitely was not expecting that. "You sound like you know a lot more about me than a Slytherin boy should know about the relationship of a pair of Gryffindors.

"Don't be ridiculous," Draco drawled. It's not about the house. You're interesting, and your intellect rivals mine. It's natural."

"Rivals? I'd say, 'owns'," Hermione grinned.

"Fine," Draco conceded, "But if I actually put in the effort to work hard, I'd come lose, I'm warning you."

"Bring it," Hermione joked.

"Nah, why bother?" Draco grinned in reply. "I'd never beat you anyway, you 'insufferable know-it-all." The mention of Snape's name for her suddenly drew her attention back to the fact that Draco wasn't a friend (or was he?). He was a Slytherin and she was a Gryffindor.

But then again, why did that mean that he couldn't be a friend? That which we call a rose, any any other word would smell as sweet… Hermione had spent her free time during summer learning the Muggle curriculum, and besides, she'd read Romeo and Juliet when she was 10. The point was, did the label of 'Gryffindor' and 'Slytherin' mean all that much? She knew that Draco wasn't that bad a person, having spent more than a week sharing a common room with him.

Besides, what was at risk for her if she wanted a friendship with Draco? Her now non-existent friendships with Ron and Harry? (No doubt, they would be back to ignoring her and failing their classes.)

Only after happily chatting to Draco for 30 minutes, did she wonder: How had Draco known that this… talking to someone of her level, would make her happier?

It had been a mixed 10 days of happiness and loneliness since 'The Break-Up'. Most of the Gryffindors, and their closer house, Hufflepuffs, had resented her, believing the biased rumours. On the other hand, the logical Ravenclaws worked by logic and respect her more. The Slytherins, of course, were delighted. Pansy gave her a friendly wave one day in between classes, and Ginny, who was nearby, had tripped over nothing and fell from pure shock.

McGonagall seemed not to approve, though trying to be unbiased. During potions, though, Snape took an enjoyable 10 minutes insulting Ron and Harry's pathetic (here, Hermione had to agree with his choice of words) attempts at a Healing Potion, stating that the Wizarding War had no hope if the Chosen one and his best friend couldn't brew something as simple as a Healing Potion (again, Hermione was bent to agree). Later, he praised Hermione's potion, for once, not just because he had to admit that it was a perfect first try, but this time with a pinch of respect as well.

Stunned into shock when Snape rewarded Gryffindor 10 points (though taking 20 points off thanks to Ron and Harry), Hermione had resorted to asking Draco at night.

"It's obvious," Draco had replied immediately. "The Slytherins all thought you were a wuss for staying with a bunch of losers and incapable jerks like Ron and Harry. Now, you've finally stood up for yourself, and what for what you actually deserve. It's admirable, at least, coming from you." Hermione couldn't tell if the 'you' in the last sentence referred to her status as a Gryffindor, a muggleborn, or simply her history with Harry and Ron.

Though with almost no one to hang out with now, the Ravenclaws happily took her in, most admitting that they had always thought she truly belonged here, and even some of the Slytherins showed reluctant respect.

Still, in the Great Hall and Study Blocks, she had to sit with the Gryffindors, and the air of tension was always there. It seemed like there was a constant impenetrable bubble around her that was impossible for any Gryffindor to enter. Even in the younger years avoided her with a look of almost fear. Hermione wondered what the rumours had developed to now.

Heading reluctantly to dinner (where she again had to sit with the Gryffindors), that was when Ron approached Hermione. Sneaking out from behind a pillar where he was waiting, he slunk out almost guiltily and looked down as he said, "Hi, Hermione."