a/n, thanks to everyone for the reviews, hope you like the rest :0)

Chapter 5:

"Detention every night, until the clock strikes midnight?!" A shocked Ron asked.

Hermione was sitting in a chair by Ron's bed in the hospital ward, while Ginny and Harry were sitting on the edge of his bed shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Madam Pomfrey made Ron stay the night just to make sure he was feeling well, and the trio decided to visit him before it would be too late, and they wouldn't be allowed in the ward.

"I will kill Draco for this. It's all his fault. The slimy git." muttered Harry in frustration. His nostrils flared and it seemed like daggers would shoot out of them at any given moment.

"Harry relax, getting angry and fighting will only get you into trouble as well. You need to concentrate on your task and do your best to stay out of trouble. I'll deal with my detention myself, maybe if I behave very well, McGonagall will let me off sooner." said Hermione, sighing. She could not believe she would be spending the time she could be studying in detention with Malfoy.

"So how long is your detention?" asked Ginny.

"I don't know yet, I don't even think McGonagall knows. She said it will last as long as she sees necessary." said Hermione, placing her hands on her forehead.

"Do you think it could last for a month, or worse, even a term?" asked Ginny, horrified at Hermione's fate.

"It could even last the whole year if McGonagall chooses it to. That's what's mortifying." stated Hermione. "I'm stuck with the prat on a daily basis for an x amount of time. Ugh, I hate my life!" she added in a melodramatic tone.

"It'll be ok, Hermione." said Ron soothingly. "We'll be here for you." he added.

"Just make sure you tell me if that ferret says or does anything to hurt you. I would curse him into oblivion." said Ginny, getting up and comforting her friend with a hug.

"Oh, thank you guys. Now enough about me. Ron, how are you? I was so worried about you." said Hermione sincerely.

"I'm ok, I just wish I didn't have to stay here overnight." said Ron, shifting into a more comfortable position.

"It's ok Ron, it's only one night. You'll be back to normal tomorrow morning." said Hermione smiling.

"Well, I'm off to do some homework." Ginny said, getting ready to leave.

"I'll go with you." said Hermione. "I better finish my work before I'm due in detention tonight." she added, getting up from her chair.

"Ron feel better, I'll go owl mom to tell her you're ok." said Ginny, waiting for Hermione to walk out with her.

"Make sure you listen to Madam Pomfrey and take all your potions; and Harry, bring him his work so that he could make it up while he's stuck in here." instructed Hermione, walking out of the hospital ward with Ginny.

"So what's going on between you and Ron?" asked Ginny teasingly.

"I don't know." said Hermione shrugging her shoulders. "I like him, and I can feel that he likes me too. I guess I'm just waiting for him to make the first move." she added.

"I will never understand the two of you." said Ginny smiling. "You're both crazy about each other, yet you haven't been on one date."

"Yeah, I agree it's weird. I'm just anticipating our future date so much. I hope everything will go smoothly, and that we would just click. At times when I think of it I just get so nervous." confessed Hermione.

"Why are you getting nervous when you don't even know when you'll go out? I would concentrate on getting a date, and pondering over it later." Ginny said to her friend.

"I guess you're right." said Hermione sighing. "What's going on with you and Harry?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just plain nothing. He doesn't want to endanger me, I don't want to wait around forever. I'm not sure how things happened this way but I'm just fed up with being pushed off all the time." said Ginny close to tears.

"Oh Ginny, don't stress out over Harry. Although he's my best friend, I still feel like he doesn't know what he wants himself. Just try to make it through this hard time and see where time leads you." said Hermione trying to soothe her aching friend.

"I'm just fed up with waiting. First I had to wait for over five years for him to finally realize he likes me, and now I have to wait for him to bring his shit together. I'm fed up with it. Why do I have to wait? If he truly loves me why can't he just push all the challenges aside and be with me?" asked Ginny furiously.

"I don't know sweetie, I really don't." answered Hermione sincerely.

"It's ok though. I know for a fact that everything happens for a reason, maybe there is a reason to this madness, I'm just not aware of it yet." said Ginny sighing.

"Probably." added Hermione as the two friends found themselves in front of the portrait of the fat lady. Hermione said the password and they walked through the portrait hole, heading to a quiet table in the corner, ready to begin their homework.

At about a quarter to eight, Hermione looked up form her work and told Ginny that she had to head to McGonagall's classroom.

"One thing is for sure, I don't want to be late." said Hermione as she stacked up her books.

"I know." said Ginny. "Lateness will probably cost you many more days of detention." she added.

"Well Ginny, don't stay up waiting for me. I'll tell you all about my detention tomorrow over breakfast." said Hermione in a mock excited voice.

"And I'll be thrilled to hear all about the ferret." added Ginny sarcastically.

Hermione walked out of the common room and into the halls, making her way to McGonagall's office as quietly and quickly as she could manage.

Outside of the classroom, Hermione took one final look at the door, with a deep sigh, she managed to gather enough energy to walk in. Hermione couldn't help but notice that Malfoy hadn't arrived yet, and was inwardly thankful for that at least. She said a quick hello to McGonagall and sat in the chair across from her, awaiting instructions.

The minute Hermione sat down she heard the door creak open and saw Malfoy walk in, sulking in her direction. She ignored his sulk and looked out the window at the rapidly changing weather.

Once Malfoy was seated a good three chairs away from her, McGonagall got up and began her instructions.

"Mr. Malfoy, we could start with today's detention if you would seat in the chair next to Hermione." said McGonagall, waiting for him to get up.

Draco gave her a "are you kidding me?" kind of look. McGonagall's lips thinned in reply and Draco didn't have a choice but to get up and sit in the seat he was assigned.

As he sat down next to her, Hermione could have sworn she heard him mutter "stinking mudblood" underneath his breath. She decided to ignore his nasty comment and waited for McGonagall to break the intense silence.

"Much better. Now, first and foremost, there are a few ground rules I would like to clarify. During these detentions you will work together." Both Hermione and Draco glared at each other when they heard her words, McGonagall noticed it but decided to continue.

"I do not care how it will work out, but it must, or else I will decide to keep you here until Christmas, or possibly even longer." stated McGonagall.

"You will work together, and you will work hard. I do not want any mistakes or oversights. I will be trusting you with important tasks, as you are among the Prefects, and in Hermione's case, a Head Girl. I will be watching over you as you work, and I will be making sure your work is proper, but after all, I have work to do myself, so I would appreciate it if you gave those detentions your heart and soul." said McGonagall looking at both Draco and Hermione square in the eye.

"Now, for your first task." added McGonagall with a mysterious grin on her face.