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I do not own any of these characters!

A Forbidden Love

Chapter Six: Between Right and Wrong

Hermione stood there for a few moments before shaking her head, turning around to walk inside the Great Hall finally. Harry had already taken off. He didn't want Hermione to know he was there watching over her. She would kill him herself before Malfoy did anything. She walked in large steps, hurrying to get inside and finally sit down. She was still shaking, waving her hands and arms around to get rid of the crazy feeling she felt inside herself. Hermione almost looked like she was flailing. Thank God no one was around to see her.

Once inside, she walked straight over to her table, not looking around, not even at Malfoy. She saw Ron and Harry sitting next to each other as they looked over ans saw her. Harry moved over for Hermione to sit in between them, which she did. She wondered where Ginny was?

"So, what did he say?" Harry asked as soon as she sat herself down, looking down at the table and sighed.

"Nothing important.." She started

"We-" Ron was about to butt-in

"Snape wants me to tutor him.." She admitted in a whisper, she couldn't hide this. This was just too weird.

"What?!" The two boys asked together. She jumped.

"Shhh!" She scolded.

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Well, it was my idea.."

"Hermione!" Harry shouted again.

"Not to tutor Malfoy! Just to tutor students in general.." She explained.

"Why?" Ron asked... again.

"I'm bored!" She said, looking at him with a stern expression. Ron went quiet and gulped, scared of her.

"Bored?" Harry asked softly.

"Yes, bored.."

"When do you ever get bored?" He asked again.

Hermione looked over at him with a , 'Are you serious?' expression.

"Oh .. right.. you're an overachiever." He said, chuckling.

Hermione smacked his arm and rolled her eyes. "Am not.." She blushed.

"Well... That's got to suck. I suppose..." Harry started, "Hey.. wait, Malfoy needs tutoring in potions?" He asked, seriously.

Hermione looked over and nodded slowly.

Harry busted out laughing.

Hermione gave him another "Shh!"

Ron couldn't help but laugh himself. It all made their day. Hermione blushed and smiled herself.

"What's up with you?" Harry asked, "Why so "embarrassed"?" He said, already knowing in a way. He did see them two talking... but didn't know what was said.

"Nothing... It's just.." She began, "I have to see him tomorrow night..." She said sighing, not knowing where to begin.

"Want me and Ron to go with?" He asked. Being a little protective again.

"No, no.. It's my job." Hermione said, patting his shoulder a bit, "Plus, it would make everything worse if you two were there. Nothing would get done."

They all nodded and sighed. Then chuckling again.

"Malfoy needs tutoring... poor thing." Harry said again to himself.

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked, changing the subject while getting out a few books to study.

"She had to go check on something from a teacher.. She'll be back soon." Harry explained.

"Ah." Hermione said softly. She decided to be nice for once, "So... How are you guys?"

"Great." Harry said, smiling. 'Urgh...'

The next day, Hermione couldn't help but think about the night and what would happen. 'What would happen?! Studying and tutoring! Teaching him to NOT be so freaking dumb so you won't have to do this again!' She reminded herself, feeling a bit angry.

That day in potions class, she couldn't focus as mush as she would like to. Malfoy seemed to be on edge all day, snapping at Pansy or anyone that talked to him. Hopefully he wouldn't be that difficult later on that night. She just wanted it to be over with all ready.

She sat in Professor McGonagall's class just staring off the whole time while she gave the class a lecture. Hermione probably already knew what she was talking about anyway, so she didn't worry. If she even thought of worrying that is.

Ron was slumped over on his desk, resting his chin on his hand, sighing and yawning. He looked over at Hermione who was just looking down at her desk, staring at her open book.

"You reading?" He whispered.

Hermione looked up and over at him and went, "What?"

Ron smiled and chuckled a bit, "I guess not.." Hermione blushed.

"Don't worry about it.." Ron said again, patting her back a bit.

"I'm trying not to.." She said softly back.

Ron looked over slowly at Malfoy who was strumming his fingers on his desk, staring at his desk as well. He seemed to be impatient or irritable about something. Just before Ron could look away without being unnoticed, Professor McGonagall called on him for an answer that he obviously didn't have. Malfoy looked over at him, jumped a bit because he was still looking over at him and rolled his eyes.

"You're up Weasel.." Malfoy said coolly.

Ron looked up at the Professor who was now in front of his desk, "Day dreaming about Mr. Malfoy are we?" She said with a soft smile before walking away, beginning to talk again.

Ron frowned and put his head down on the table. Hermione smiled. That was the only thing she payed attention to.

Draco looked over at Hermione with his eyes, looking at her smile at Ron. He couldn't help but feel slightly jealous that she got to sit next to someone like him. He shook off the thought and began strumming his fingers again on the desk, sighing.

Later that day in the Great Hall, Hermione was reading up on her books to find out what exactly she had missed. She was a little stressed out that she could be so clueless all day. She would give herself a head ache after a while.

"Ready for tonight?" Harry asked as he sat down next to her while Ginny sat quietly next to him.

Hermione looked up and saw Harry there smiling at her, shaking her head from being dazed, "Uhm, I suppose?" She said shrugging, looking a bit worried.

"Don't worry.. me and Ron will keep a look out." Harry stated as he opened one of his books.

"You two are not coming." Hermione scolded.

"I know.. I mean, we'll watch you on your way down there ..or whatever." He explained.

Hermione didn't know what he was getting at. "I'll be fine.." She reassured him, as she returned to her books.

Ginny was being awfully quiet today. Hermione looked over at her to see what exactly she was doing. Ginny seemed to be upset or thinking about something. Hermione didn't want to bother her.. Who knows, she might be upset that Harry is looking for his friend for once. 'Jealous much?'

Hermione kept her head down for most of the time. She didn't want to look up and have Draco staring at her from the table over. Or have him giving her death glares. She started to feel a bit nervous and irritable herself. Being stuck in a room at night with an obviously gorgeous young man.

She blushed and had butterflies swarming in her stomach.

Ron finally showed up, sitting on the opposite side of Hermione.

"Hey.." She said softly, not looking at him.

"Hey to you too.. you didn't really talk that much, 'Mione." Ron said as she looked over at her with confusion.

"Well, Ron, what do you think?" She asked.

"I know, I know.." He said, looking over at Malfoy across the way, "You can bring your head up you know, he's not even in here."

"What?" She said, shooting up her head, looking over at the Slytherin table.

Ron was right. Draco wasn't there.

However, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyel, and Blaise were there.

She felt a little disappointed.

"Yeah.." Ron said, looking back her Hermione, "Oh well?"

"Yeah.. Oh well." Hermione said softly, looking around the Great Hall for him. 'Urgh, what am I doing? Stop it Hermione!' She thought to herself.

While leaving the Great Hall, Hermione was somewhat in a rush to get to the common room. She felt out of place and jittery about everything. Everything seemed to be bothering her and such. She left Harry and Ron behind as she grabbed her stuff and left the table. They both looked at her confused as she somewhat stormed off. Ginny sending her a death glare that Hermione didn't seem to notice or even care.

Everyone was in the hall ways, either on their way to their common rooms, study hall, or just to hang around. The hall ways were noisy and bothersome to Hermione. She ignored the commotion as best as she could as she made her way to the Gryffindor common room.

When she was finally alone, heading down a quiet corridor, she sighed and slowed her pace a bit. Her breathing going back to normal. She could see the common room door up ahead and felt relieved for some odd reason.

That calmness was shortly interrupted by a certain someone.

"Hey Granger!" said a cool voice farther down behind her.

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, her heart beat racing again. She turned around slowly to see Draco walking up to her, looking like he always did. Stern, cold, hard to read expression on his face. He was still in his school uniforms, the cloak behind his swaying and waving about.

"H-hey.. Uh.. Is something wrong?" was all she could ask at the moment as she still stood there, Malfoy stopping a few feet in front of her.

"No.. just being cautious." He replied shortly.

"Cautious?"

"Where are we tutoring?" was the dumbest question he could have asked.

"Seriously, Malfoy?" She asked, rolling her eyes at him, "Snape's class room of course. We're studying potions."

"What time?" He asked again, being a little impatient.

"Uh.. after dinner I suppose." She said shrugging, looking at him a bit confused still. He was looking behind him a lot and messing with his hair. He looked almost spooked. Hermione decided to ask him a question now, "Why weren't you in the Great Hall a minute ago?"

He turned around, seeming a bit shocked as to why she would ask that, "I had some business to take care of.." he said softly, looking down at the ground a bit. "Why do you care?" He asked, looking back up at her, somewhat snapping at her.

"U-uh. I was just wondering." She started, "Well, if there's nothing else to talk about Malfoy, then I should be going.." She explained, getting a bit annoyed of his mysterious behavior.

Malfoy chuckled a bit, "Alright, see you then Granger.." He said softly again, shooting a classy grin of his at her before turning around to walk off slowly. Making his way all the way down the corridor, checking to make sure if it was clear before he disappeared.

She watched him until he was gone, slowly turning back around, her heart slowing down again before finally making her up to the common room door.

Once she was in her dormitory, she placed her books on her bed, undressing out of her uniform to put on more casual clothes. She put on some faded jeans and a dark blue long-sleeved shirt as well as putting up her hair. She sat on her bed and sighed, falling back on her back to stare up at the ceiling. So many thoughts were going through her head.

She thought about Harry and how he was being over protective again. She thought about Ginny and this new animosity she had between Hermione and Harry. As well as Ron.. who was just being Ron. However, what bugged her most of all was Draco. He was being really strange lately. Was is because of tonight? Or maybe he's doing another "mission" for the Dark Lord that was getting to him.. Whatever it was, she believed it would lead to some sort of chaos like always did around here.

She sat there in her bed for a while until some of the girls came in finally. Hermione decided to get up and put on her shoes and walk around for a bit until dinner. Which she didn't feel like going to anyway, she was too nervous to eat anything at all.

Hermione went to the library for a while by herself, not making herself known to Harry or Ron. She didn't want to be bothered by them right now. Sometimes a girl had to have her space. She were to wait there until it was time to meet up with Malfoy.

Once Hermione entered the library she made her way all the way to the back of the room away from everyone else. She saw an empty table next to a window, grabbed a random book off the shelf and sat down at the unoccupied desk next to the window. She opened to the book and sighed. 'What a change this is..' she thought to herself.

Thankfully the book she had grabbed was about potions. 'Perfect...' she decided to read up on some stuff so she would be prepared for tonight. Hermione didn't even know what she would be helping Malfoy on. However, she can handle herself. She can do anything that's thrown at her.

She sat there reading for a couple of hours until she looked up at the bell tower outside the window and saw that it was getting dark outside and that people would be heading to the Great Hall to eat. She stared out for a moment and returned to reading. She didn't feel like going back and getting dressed anyway. One moment when she was seeing students pass the clouded window, she saw Draco walking by himself inside the school. He straightened up his robes and cleaned himself up for dinner and looked handsome as ever, towering over younger students and blending in with the older. He was staring at the ground as he walked, his cloak waving behind him once again, seeing that his hands were in his pockets. All Hermione could do was sigh and felt her heart flutter about in her chest, wanting to burst out.

This felt so wrong but felt so right at the same time.

Hermione saw him disappear inside the building and looked down at her book to close it and sat it down gently on the table. She crossed her arms and put her head down, trying to get such awkward thoughts out of her head.

Once she opened her eyes and looked up, it was dark outside. 'Oh no!..' she thought as she looked at the clock outside. It was just about to be eight o'clock, dinner was over by now. Thankfully students were just now leaving the Great Hall.

Hermione shot up from her table and put away the book and somewhat rushed out of the library. She saw Harry and Ron up the corridor as they were exiting the Great Hall. She stopped, hoping she wouldn't be spotted as she waited for them to leave. Hermione also saw Draco exit the hall with Pansy on his arm and his whole group behind him as he made his way to the Slytherin common room.

She slowly followed a group of Gryffindors back to her common room to get a few things before meeting up with Malfoy in Snape's class room.

Once she was inside, she saw that Harry and Ron weren't in there thankfully and rushed up to her dormitory, grabbed a jacket and her potions book to put them in her bag and left again.

She rushed out of the common room without being seen by students who might be curious as to where she was going. After Hermione left the Gryffindor corridor, she sighed and started walking normally again, making her way slowly to the potions class. She didn't want to beat Malfoy there and seem too eager about the whole thing. That would be just weird.

Hermione was close by Snape's room as she heard some people talking inside. It was Pansy and Draco. They were arguing again.

"Why do you have to be here?" She asked him, annoyed.

"Snape said I need help.. why is that so hard to understand for the hundredth time?" He snapped back.

"Who's helping you? Snape isn't here.." She asked. Draco didn't answer. "Draco!"

"None of your business!" He shouted back.

Hermione thought it would be a good time to stop and hide behind the open door of the class room so Pansy wouldn't see her as she left. Which she did, storming off, mumbling under her breath.

Hermione slowly came out behind the door once Pansy was gone, her heart racing before she entered. Snape wasn't there. It would just be them two. Only.

Before she entered, she saw Draco sitting near the front of the room near the lightest area in the class room, reading his potions book. Just as she was about to enter, she saw him look up and sigh, shaking his head. He was distressed apparently.

She decided to knock softly before she would scare Draco. If that was possible.

Draco heard the knocking and turned around to see Hermione in the door way. He smirked for a moment and said, "Well, are you just going to stay there or what?" He asked before turning back around. Hermione was just about to make her way over to him before he said again, "Close the door.." and she obeyed, closing the door gently behind her.

She sighed and walked over to Draco who was sitting on the right side of the desk. Hermione sat her bag on the table and pulled the chair on the left out before she sat down.

"So.." She began, "What did you 'screw up' on the other day?" She asked, somewhat smiling, trying to ease tension.

"The easiest potion ever made, of course." He replied, flipping through the book, rolling his eyes, "I've already made notes and performed the potion before even came. I can explain how to show you so we don't have to waste our time." He explained, pointing over to the supposed potion bottle and cauldron he apparently had over at the table next to him. She was shocked and made her way over to the table, picking up the bottle and analyzing everything.

"Wow.. I'm impressed." She began.

"Of what? I told Snape I didn't need help." He said again, looking over at Hermione.

"I guess you were distracted." She stated.

"Now you see that?" He asked with a tone.

"Sorry.." She said softly as she put the bottle back down.

Draco didn't waste any time as he said. He began explaining how the potion worked and how you were suppose to make it. To check, Hermione asked him how he messed it up in the first place and he explained that as well. He claimed Pansy put in something extra that wasn't on the materials list.

"Ah, blaming Pansy are we?" Hermione joked.

"It was her fault.." Draco replied, being serious.

"Alright, alright.. sorry." She said again. She didn't know what to do now so she decided to put away everything before she would leave.

"You're being awfully nice to me you know.." Hermione said as she walked the materials to the back of the room. Draco didn't answer.. but he stopped what he was doing and looked up and sighed.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

Still no answer.

She looked back and saw that Draco was right in front of her.

She jumped and almost dropped everything but thankfully didn't, thanks to Malfoy who caught the materials before they hit the floor.

"Sorry.." He said softly as he picked up everything before taking everything in her arms to put away in the storage cabinets behind her.

Hermione just stood there, a bit scared, not turning around.

"Its... fine.." She said finally, whispering a bit.

"No.. its not." Draco said, as he turned back around to look at her, staring at the back of her head.

"I should be going now.." She said slowly before she walked to the desk they were at to grab her things and get out of there.

But she couldn't.

Draco grabbed her arm to stop her.

She gasped and stopped, looking back at him with confusion.

"Draco, let me go.." She said looking serious now.

But he just looked at her with a censer expression, no hatred in his eyes at all. This was freaking her out.

He let her go, brushing his fingertips across the top of her hand as he did.

She just stood there, staring at him.

"I don't even know what I feel right now.." He admitted.

"You're scaring me.."

"And I'm sorry.." He said, "I shouldn't have done that.."

"Well-"

"Its just.." He interrupted her, "I can't help but want to care for you sometimes.. Its weird."

"Explain.. since you're so good at it.." She said, crossing her arms.

"When I see you with the Weasel or Potter.. I get annoyed and somewhat jealous."

"Why jealous?"

"Because they don't deserve someone as good as you.."

Her heart stopped.

"What do you mean?" She asked again, softly.

"I mean, Potter left you for.. such a downgrade." He started, "He should have felt lucky to be with you."

"Things change I guess."

Draco shook his head and started to walk towards her, "What I'm saying is.. that's why I've always been so rude. I wasn't trying to hurt you but only them. I was annoyed that those two brainless twits got to be around you." He explained angrily.

Hermione couldn't really say anything but wonder why he was doing this. This was Draco Malfoy, the boy who tortured her every day for the past six years of her life.

"I wanted someone like you but I knew it would never happen so I believed that and became this horrible asshole." He added, putting his hand into a fist, "All thanks to my father.. telling me I was dumb and wrong for thinking such things." He sighed.

But then Pansy came to mind, "You're engaged though.." She finally said.

"Not anymore.." He said shortly.

"W-why? I mean, I saw you and her-"

"I broke it off with her after dinner.."

"But she.."

"She followed me here because she thought I was seeing someone else.."

"Well, you kind of are?"

"Heh, wouldn't you like to know.." He chuckled.

"But, we are tutoring.. well, were." She said, looking around, "Won't Lucious be upset?" She asked, changing the subject back.

"I don't know.. I don't really care either. I won't be forced into a marriage where I'm not in love with that person.." He explained.

Hermione paused.

"This is crazy!" She finally said, "You're Malfoy and I'm me.. and after everything you put me through after all these years an-"

She stopped.

She found herself in Draco's strong, embracing arms, holding her close to his chest.

Hermione was shocked but all she could do was let out a few tears.

Draco held her head close to him gently so he could whisper in her ear, again..

"I'm sorry..."

She sobbed.

"You don't deserve to go through anymore pain.."