A/N: Bet you guys gave up on me didn't you. Well I don't blame you. I did promise to upload faster and this clearly was not fast. My apologies. I hope you enjoy it.

Hermione sat in the library working on her Potions essay and periodically checking the time with a frustrated glance at the clock. Harry and Ron were supposed to meet her here 20 minutes ago. They were never around anymore when she needed them, or even when she just wanted to hang out. They were either at the Quidditch pitch or mysteriously missing in action. She knew Harry was spending a lot of extra time in Dumbledore's office doing some special assignment, and she had no idea where Ron was spending his time but it certainly wasn't with her.

She pushed her parchment away, unable to concentrate any longer. She was worried about her friendship with Ron, she got the feeling that he had been avoiding her since term started, but she didn't know why.

As she looked up at the clock for the fourth time in 10 minutes she caught a glimpse of ginger hair headed into the stacks.

"Ginny!" she whispered loud enough for her friend to hear but quiet enough not to incur the wrath of Madame Pince.

The ginger-haired girl turned at the sound of her name and Hermione motioned for her to come over. She made her way over to the table where Hermione sat.

"Hey Hermione," Ginny greeted as she slung her bag onto the table. "I was just going to work on my Herbology essay. Where are Harry and Ron?

"That's what I was going to ask you. They were supposed to meet me a half hour ago I thought maybe Quidditch practice ran late or something?" Hermione had hoped her two best friends hadn't just forgotten about her but from the look on the present Weasley's face it seems they had.

"Oh, actually Harry cut practice short. He said something about going to see Professor Dumbledore. Practice has been over for about an hour." Ginny looked sheepishly. "I think I saw Ron headed to the astronomy tower after we left practice."

Hermione knew a look of hurt must have shown in her eyes at the news that her best friends had forgotten her but she didn't care.

"Can I ask you something Ginny?"

"Of course, anything."

Hermione took a deep breath. "Has Ron said anything about me to you? I get the feeling he has been ignoring me lately."

"It's probably just because he likes you." Ginny clasped her hands over her mouth. "Oh bloody hell, I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Ron should know I can't keep a secret."

"Really? He likes me too?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"He's liked you since fourth year. He wanted to ask you to the Yule Ball, you know. But he's an idiot and doesn't know how to express his feelings. And I think since Harry hasn't been around as much he's afraid to be around you alone. I'm sure that's why he has been ignoring you."

Hermione couldn't stop smiling. She'd liked Ron since fourth year as well but he had never acted like he liked her back.

"Look, I really need to go work on my Herbology, are you okay now?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm great. Thanks Gin."

Hermione started gathering her parchment and books as her friend got up and left the table. There was no point in sitting in the library when she couldn't focus on her work. She decided to confront Ron so she headed towards the Astronomy tower.

Her stomach was twisted with nerves by the time she approached the stairs leading up to the tower. She'd nearly turned back four times on the way up here. Even with the knowledge that Ron liked her she was still afraid that he would laugh at her for expressing her feelings.

When she reached the top of the staircase the sight she saw brought tears to her eyes. Ron was snogging Lavender Brown. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. She let out a strangled cry and ran back down the steps before Ron saw her and she humiliated herself further.

She ran as fast as she could away from the astronomy tower not paying attention to where she was going and eventually ran right into someone.

"Oh sorry" She muttered.

"Watch where you're going, Mudblood." He sneered.

Hermione looked up and into the gray eyes of Draco Malfoy. At least she thought it was Malfoy. He looked terrible though, his skin had taken on a gray pallor and he looked frailer than he had when she saw him earlier in the week.

"What happened to you?" Hermione asked. She finally looked around and realized that they were in the seventh floor corridor near the Room of Requirements. "...And what are you doing up here?"

"I could ask the same of you, if I cared enough to." He was right, it was clear that something was wrong with Hermione, tear tracks were streaked down her face.

"Well you obviously do care enough, since you bothered to say that." Hermione said smugly. She was pleased with her brazenness and it felt good to bring that look of surprise to Malfoy's face.

"Well, well, well what is this? Granger finally got some guts. What's the matter, Potter and Weasley too busy to fight your battles for you? Or did they finally come to their senses and realize that you're just a filthy mudblood who spends too much time with her nose in a book?"

The mention of Ron's name brought fresh tears to Hermione's eyes and with one last scathing look in his direction.

"Piss off Malfoy" she said as she turned on her heel and ran straight back to the common room.

Draco watched the mudblood run away crying, then started walking back to the Slytherin common room, whistling. There was something about arguing with Granger that really got his blood pumping - he couldn't get enough of the feeling, but there was something not quite right with the way he was feeling after this encounter. He did have to admit that deep, deep, deep down he felt a little bad about making her cry.

He stopped whistling at that last thought. He didn't know where that came from. He had never allowed himself to feel any sympathy for a mudblood before. God, this task Voldemort assigned him must be draining him more than he thought. That's the only explanation he could muster for how he was feeling about Granger at the moment. He had to do something about this, he couldn't possibly start feeling sorry for Granger, of all people. It would be the same as becoming best mates with Potter.

He changed his route and headed for Snape's office. He decided that he had just been spending too much time around Granger since they had become partners in Potions. He reached the professor's door and knocked briskly.

"Come in" Snape drawled. Draco opened the door and stepped into the room. "Good, Draco. I needed to to speak with you. Sit down."

Draco sat down gingerly in an old wooden chair that looked like it wouldn't hold up a feather. He slowly settled all of his weight on the chair and, once he was sure that the chair would hold him, slowly relaxed.

"How is your assignment for Lord Voldemort coming? You have to take this seriously Draco, a lot of lives are at stake if you fail. You must not fail."

Draco looked down at his shoes. He knew how much was at stake. Not only the lives of him and his family, but his mother told him that Snape performed the Unbreakable Vow and had to complete the task should he fail. The whole business made him uncomfortable. He didn't really want to be involved in any of it, but he wanted to win his fathers approval more than anything.

"Well, that's sort of why I'm here professor," Draco started "I was wondering if you could get me out of my potions lessons? I could really use the extra time to work on the Vanishing Cabinet and you know I'm a natural at potions anyway. I could easily keep up with the class without going. And it would just be for a few weeks - a month tops."

Snape was silent for a few minutes, pondering the request. "Well, I supposed it wouldn't hurt anything, you were always my best Potions student, I'll talk to Professor Slughorn about it tomorrow.

"Thank you Professor" Draco said happily as he left the office, whistling once more.