Hermione tells herself that she doesn't have to be in a hurry, yet she can't stop her feet from going as fast as they can possibly go without running. She tries to still her heart before it beats right out of her chest. She knows that's not scientifically possible however and the logic of the situation does calm her down a bit. It does nothing whatsoever for her sweaty palms and the butterflies dancing away in her lower abdomen.

She finally makes it to the Astronomy Tower in one piece. She takes the steps slowly. Only now does she go slow, not sure what awaits her at the top. She reaches the top of the stairs and pushes open the door. Malfoy is standing on the opposite end of the tower. The only light they have is from the nearly full moon, which shines against Malfoy's hair delicately. He turns as she starts to walk toward him and actually smiles at her.

"Hey," he says when she reaches him.

"Hey," Hermione says nervously. Oh God, she thinks, what does he want? He's wearing a dark green sweater and black trousers that are just tight enough. She can't help but notice how very attractive he is right now.

"How are you?" he asks, glancing down and meeting her eyes.

"Why did you ask me here?" Hermione demands, skipping right over the niceties and small talk. She can't think when he's looking at her like that. She needs to think.

"I guess maybe I wanted to see you outside of the abandoned classroom on the third floor," he admits, shoving a hand through his blonde hair, messing it up. Somehow, he still looks devastatingly handsome. He takes a step toward Hermione.

"Why?" she asks, the words coming out like a whisper.

"I think I like you Hermione," he says, taking another step toward her. One more step and he'd be standing where she is.

"But I'm a mudblood," she says desperately as one of his hands reaches out and grasps both of hers. "You've told me this, repeatedly since we've known each other."

"I've realized that there are things my parents could be wrong about," he says, running his thumb in circles across her hand.

"Stop," she says and he lets go. "I can't think when you do that."

"Maybe you shouldn't." He grabs her around the waist and pulls her into him. He stares into her eyes deeply for the barest of moments before their lips meet. Hermione isn't sure how it happened, but her hands find themselves buried in his silky blond hair. She can't help the low sound that escapes her mouth as they break apart. Her hands are still in his hair and his arms are still snaked around her waist. "Are you still thinking?" he words come out raspy and breathless.

"No," she admits, removing her hands from his hair. "But I need to." She takes a step back when he releases her waist.

"What does that mean?"

"Meet me here tomorrow night at seven," she says. Some part of her is still not thinking though, because she stands on her tiptoes and presses her lips to his before turning away and fleeing the scene.

Her mind is all muddy as she makes her way back to Gryffindor Tower. She's breathless by the time that she reaches The Fat Lady. Hermione takes a minute to collect herself before giving the portrait the password and heading into the common room. Only a couple people are still milling around as she makes her way to the girl's dormitory, but luckily, no one looks at her. She sleeps so well that night that she might as well have been in a coma.

The next morning she's a nervous wreck. She knows exactly what she wants to do. She also knows what she should do. She can't seem to choose between what she wants and what she thinks that Harry would want her to do. Worst of all, she can't talk to him about it because she knows exactly what he would say. He would let his prejudice against Malfoy get in the way. All Hermione really needs though is a best friend to talk to.

She can barely concentrate in her morning classes and doesn't even bother to take her usual diligent notes in History of Magic. By the time lunch rolls around her stomach is wrapped into a tight ball of nerves. She can barely eat, and leaves the table before anyone else. Hermione spares a glance at the Slytherin table and sees Malfoy watching her curiously. All she can manage is a nod before heading out.

That evening at dinner, she's a bit more calm. Hermione knows what she has to do, but that only makes her a tad less nervous. She's playing with her chicken wing when Ginny plops down next to her a good ten minutes late. Her face is rather flushed but not in the usual way. More in an angry way. Hermione sends her a smile but Ginny just continues to pout.

"What is it?" Hermione asks her after dinner as they head back to the common room.

"Dean's just stupid is all," Ginny assures her. Hermione can't help but laugh.

"Oh is that all? What'd your stupid boyfriend do?"

"Last night while you were in the library I was hanging out with my brother and Harry," Ginny starts to explain as they head up the staircase. "And today Dean had the nerve to insinuate that Harry has a crush on me. Of course, he also had to bring up the fact that I had a crush on Harry when I first started school here. But he's an idiot because Harry doesn't have a crush on me. What should I do?"

Hermione doesn't dare tell her that she suspects that Harry does have a crush on Ginny. "Punch him in the face?" she offers instead. They've reached The Fat Lady.

"Perhaps I will," Ginny says as they step into the common room. "Are you off to the library?"

"Yeah," Hermione says, heading up the stairs to the girls dormitory. "I'll see you later. Good luck with the punching of Dean's face." Hermione steps into her room and grabs her bag. She shoves a sweater in it and then heads out again.

When she reaches the Astronomy tower Malfoy is waiting for her. He looks up at her expectantly. He's wearing his school uniform tonight as is she. His tie is a little undone. He reminds her off one of those devil may care prep school boys, which she guesses he really is. She takes a couple cautious steps toward him, her heart hammering unsteadily in her chest. She stops a couple feet from him.

"Did you really need a charms tutor?" Hermione asks him in a low, soft voice.

"No," he says after a moment of silence.

"Why'd you tell me you did then?" she demands. "Were you just trying to mess with my mind."

"I guess I wanted to get to know you. I knew you wouldn't meet me under any other circumstances." He takes a cautious step towards her.

"Why aren't you disgusted by me?" Hermione asks, a sad sound whispering through her words.

"I met my Aunt Andromeda this summer," Draco says. "And then I met her husband. They were such genuine, nice, and remarkable people. It messed with my head. I started to think that maybe if my parents had been wrong about them they could be wrong about all muggleborns and blood traitors."

Hermione doesn't miss the fact that he said muggleborn instead of mudblood. She takes a step toward him, closing the distance between them. "Harry thinks you're a death eater," she admits. "Are you?"

He takes a step back. "I was coerced into receiving the Dark Mark," he admits. "But I have no loyalty to them or to him. Please you have to believe me."

Hermione thinks for a moment. "I believe you. I don't know why but I believe you," she pauses and takes a deep breath as he steps toward her again. She reaches up and caresses his cheek with her hand. "We can't let anyone know about this whatever it is."

"No," he agrees. "I don't think any of them would understand." With that, Hermione grabs the collar of his shirt and closes the distance between them, placing her lips on his. Malfoy gasps and shoves his hands through her bushy hair, pulling her as close to him as she can possibly be. Standing this close there are only atoms between them. Hermione doesn't miss how tightly muscles he is and Malfoy can't help but notice the softness of this tense bookwork he had abhorred for years.

Hey! I hope you like this chapter. It's probably a bit shorter than usual, but seeing as it's valentines day I thought I'd write one anyway. Tell me how much you like it please.