Author's Note: It seems like all I do is apologise for taking so long in updating this story but I really am sorry for the wait. If I could spend all day every day writing then believe me I would but as yet, I do not have that luxury… Thanks once again to my beta MizSphinx who kindly puts up with my long absences and makes my writing better. I hope you all like this chapter and it was worth the wait. Thank you all for your support.

Disclaimer: Story belongs to J.K Rowling I'm just messing with her characters for awhile…

Chapter Eleven

Draco's POV

"If that's true, why did I just see you kissing Granger in the storeroom, then?"

My stomach dropped at his words and my mind whirled at the implications of them. In my panicked state my gaze sort Hermione, I found her bent, once more, over her cauldron working away at her potion. She had no idea that our worlds were about to be turned upside down. Now that Blaise knew it was only a matter of time before everyone else found out.

Then Hermione would be an outcast. She'd be shunned by her friends for cheating on Weasley with a former Death eater. She'd be taunted, teased and despised by the whole school. I couldn't let that happen to her – I wouldn't let that happen to her. I knew what I had to do. I had to lie to my best friend, to protect her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said playing ignorant.

"Don't lie to me man. I'm your best friend, and I saw you two going at it in the storeroom."

My heart plummeted even further as I realised he would not be dissuaded from his path of interrogation, and that I had only one choice now…

"Ok, Ok. It's Granger." I snapped, my temper rising at his persistence.

"She's the girl you love?"

Confessing exactly how I felt to my best friend, I burst out, "Yes, she is, and I don't need you to tell me how wrong it is, or how she is Muggleborn and therefore unsuitable for me. I know it all already and I don't care about that. I've never felt like this before."

"Don't put words in my mouth, Draco. Don't assume to know what I'm going to say or do. You have no idea what I'm thinking. You're not the only one whose parents forced their pure-blood supremacist ideas upon you. And you're not the only one to disagree with your parents beliefs," Blaise said, sounding annoyed.

"I'm sorry Blaise-"

"Let me finish. I don't believe that anyone less than Pureblood is a disgrace, so I don't think you're a disgrace for loving Granger. I don't think that now and I didn't think that then."

"Then?" I asked, confused as to what he meant.

"Four years ago when you first fell in love with her."

"You knew?" I was surprised at his words. I'd thought I'd done a good job of hiding my feelings for Hermione -obviously I hadn't.

"Of course I knew. I'm your best friend. Did you think I wouldn't know?"

"Then you won't tell anyone?" I asked tentatively.

"Of course not. Although I am surprised you got her," Blaise responded, and my anger resurfaced.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

"Well, no offence, mate but you were a total dick to her for almost her entire school career." My anger immediately vanished and was replaced with guilt as he reminded me of my past actions.

"I didn't want to be not after fourth year. I feel terrible about it now," I replied honestly.

"That's not your fault, mate. Your parents, especially your father, are partly to blame. My parents shoved the same ideas down my throat as well. I know what it's like, what it does to you."

"I know you do, Blaise. It's not a nice feeling regretting most of your life," I sighed , casually throwing some chopped ingredients into my potion.

"You had no choice. Neither of us did. We both did what we had to to stay alive."

What Blaise said reminded me of what Hermione had said to me that morning. I thought to myself that maybe people didn't believe I was totally evil. Blaise continued, "After all, you have got to start forgiving yourself Draco, or you'll go insane."

Maybe he was right. Maybe I should just let go of the past and concentrate on the future…

"You're right," I said, consciously making the decision to put the past behind me, or try to at least.

"Course I am. I'm always right. I told you yesterday that she liked you back, and today she's kissing you," Blaise said knowingly.

"Yeah, you were right. She does like me. A lot.I think," I smiled slightly as I remembered my time together with Hermione. Blaise and I shared a knowing look before we returned our attention to our potion.

"Hang on," Blaise said breaking the silence. "You took Pansy back to your dorm yesterday and kissed her and Granger saw you. How come Granger's kissing you today?"

"Pansy made her more jealous then I thought," I admitted, feeling slightly sick at the memory of kissing Pansy.

"What happened?" Blaise asked, curiosity blazing in his eyes.

"After Pansy left, we had an argument, where she admitted she wanted me and we ended up kissing again," I confessed.

"And?"

"And…nothing. We talked for abit and then went to bed."

"Oh," Blaise replied, sounding disappointed, "did she freak out on you this morning like she did yesterday?" he continued.

"Well, she didn't slap me or run out of my bed screaming. So no, she didn't." I said whilst stirring my cauldron.

"Wait! Back up. She slept in your bed? I thought you said nothing happened?" Blaise accused me, eyes wide in shock.

"Nothing happened," I replied, trying to suppress the smug grin that was fighting to emerge.

"Liar," Blaise said his smug expression matching the one I had failed to keep off my face, "I know that face. You did do something. Who would have thought the Gryffindor Princess likes to get naughty."

"Yeah, she does," my grin stretched from ear to ear at Blaise's arched eyebrow.

"Now that's not fair. You're not sharing the details. Stop teasing," Blaise whinged.

"Sorry," I lied. I couldn't be less sorry.

"Well, at least tell me if it was good."

I played with the idea of not telling him but it was nice to share my happiness with someone.

"Man, it was amazing," I finally said.

"Wow! Well she is hot. No wonder she's good in bed," Blaise said a smirk on his face. I didn't like him talking about Hermione like that, so I gave him a scathing look to show it.

"Sorry," he apologised, noticing my displeasure.

"But we're keeping it a secret though. No one can know," I said pointedly, once again empathising the need for Blaise to keep silent about what he saw and now knew.

"Because of her boyfriend? I saw them have breakfast together again in the Hall this morning."

I felt a stab of jealousy at Blaise's words. I wanted nothing more than to be the one having breakfast with Hermione and being in public with her, everyone knowing that were together.

"Yeah because of the Weasel."

"And you don't have a problem with that?" Blaise asked incredulously.

"Of course I do. But he lost his brother in the war. A war I helped start…" I started to explain but trailed off as old tortured memories and feelings resurfaced. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the unwelcome thoughts, "She doesn't want to upset him anymore then she has too, and right now he's still grieving. It's the best way for all of us."

"Are you sure about that? He'll be just as upset and angry no matter when she tells him because he loves her. What if that's just an excuse?"

I became irritated and somewhat offended by Blaise's accusation, "Hermione wouldn't do that. She's not the type."

"Really? Because this morning I'd never have pegged Granger to be the type that cheats on her boyfriend. People change."

My irritation deepened into anger. How dare he talk about Hermione like that! That was completely unlike Hermione. But if I was being honest, I was also angry with myself as I realised a small part of me had begun to agree with Blaise. I'd began half expecting Hermione to change her mind about us.

In an attempt to conceal these sudden doubts and feelings of unease, I said – with more certainty then I felt, "Just shut up, Blaise. You're wrong."

"Hey, I probably am. You're right. Granger's not like that. I'm sorry."

"Okay," I said, turning my attention back to my potion, still fuming at Blaise's unjustifiable and completely wrong assumption. The rest of the lesson passed in uncomfortable silence as I refused to talk to Blaise.

As soon as Potions finished I headed for my next lesson without saying goodbye. As I continued my day my thoughts turned to how I was going to tell Hermione about Blaise knowing our secret. My stomach turned each time I thought about approaching the subject with her. I knew I had to tell her though.

Besides, she deserved to know the truth and decide for herself what she wanted to do. Even though the thought of her making the decision to end our brief relationship made me feel sick.

Eventually, after all my lessons were finished, it was time for dinner. My anxiety doubled as everyone headed to the Great Hall, but I had lost my appetite and instead headed straight back to my dormitory.

As soon as I entered the common room I slung my bag on the floor and collapsed into the nearest armchair. I tried to calm my nerves as I sat gazing into the fire but I couldn't. instead, I turned my mind to trying to figure out what I was going to say to Hermione. The minutes ticked by like hours as I waited nervously for Hermione to arrive back from dinner.

Eventually, the portrait hole opened and Hermione stepped inside the common room. She looked so beautiful as she smiled warmly at me, and my heart skipped a beat before my stomach plummeted as fear of losing her enveloped me once more.

"How was your d-?" she must have noticed my stony expression, "What's wrong?"

This was it. This was the thing I'd been dreading all day. I took a deep breath before telling her: "Blaise knows about us." I kept my gaze on her face as I watched my news sink in. Shock, worry and finally anger crossed her face.

"Wh-what do you mean?" She asked me timidly.

"Blaise knows we're together," I explained again, more slowly this time. I know she was finding it hard to process what had happened.

"Oh my God! How did he find out? Did you tell him? How could you do this?" she shouted angrily at me. I was instantly hurt by her accusation. How could she think I'd do that?

I got to my feet. "Of course I didn't tell him! He walked in on us kissing in the storeroom !" My announcement was met with silence as we both dealt with our anger – her's at Blaise's discovery of our relationship, and mine at her assumption that I hadn't kept our relationship secret.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I'm so sorry I said that. I didn't mean it. I'm just surprised and worried about Blaise finding out and what he'll do with the information," Hermione explained, closing the distance between us and wrapping her arms around me. Her apology slowly eased my anger.

"He won't do anything with the information. He promised me he wouldn't tell anyone and I believe him. He wouldn't do that to me. He knows how much to me," I reassured her as I returned her hug.

"Well, if you trust Blaise not to say anything, then so will I," she said her head resting against my chest.

I smiled, glad to hear her say that. Then I asked the question that had plagued m since this morning. " So you still want to be with me then?"

Hermione quickly stepped away from me her shocked gaze meeting mine. "Of course I do. Why would you even think I wouldn't?"

"Because Blaise knows…I didn't think you'd want to carry on".

"You said he won't say anything, so it doesn't matter that he knows. We'll just have to be more careful. Why would I give you up?"

My heart warmed up at her words, and I felt all the fear I had harboured all day melt away. I smiled down at her, looking into her gorgeous brown eyes as I slowly leant down to kiss her.

Our lips had barely touched when we were interrupted by a loud knock on the portrait concealing our common room from the rest of the Hogwarts. We quickly sprang apart and I raised a quizzical eyebrow at Hermione.

She said, "In all the excitement from your shocking announcement, I forgot to tell you that Ron is coming over tonight. That must be him now."