A/N : So. I've nothing clever to say just now. Except to thank my betas, Jack and Jessica, as usual. Now stop reading this author's note and go read the chapter! For goodness sake! :D

Draco could kick himself. He really could. What was he thinking, going all soft on the Mudblood like that? He had actually felt sorry for her.

Stupid Mudblood. She thought she could walk away from him like that? Calling him a liar, indeed. For once he'd been telling the truth, and the little bitch had the nerve to say he had made it up. Why would he make something like that up, anyway?

He had tried to tell her the truth. He'd wanted to help her, for some unknown reason. Well, no more. He had to remember his mission.

She's the enemy, he reminded himself. And I'm going to have my revenge.

The next Hogsmeade weekend was only two days away, and he had to get moving on the next phase of his plan.

"Padma?" he called as he entered the library, earning him a sharp look from the librarian. He flashed Madam Pince one of his patented charming smiles and continued to the table where Padma was sitting with her notes spread around her as usual. It was time for their study session.

"Draco, do you want to get us chucked out?" Padma admonished cheerfully as he sat next to her. Draco smiled and closed the book in front of her playfully. "Hey!" she cried in a whisper.

"Never mind that now; I have something I wanted to ask you."

"No, you can't copy my Transfiguration homework."

"Damn. That wasn't what I was going to ask you, though."

"Well, get on with it," Padma sighed, propping her chin on her hand and staring at him expectantly.

"Go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

Padma looked shocked for about half a second. "What do you mean, like a date or something?"

"Well…yes, something like that," Draco answered, contriving to sound nervous. He was, in fact, a bit apprehensive that she would say no and his plan would fail, but he was not to be disappointed.

"Sure," Padma said after a moment. "It's a date."

"Good," Draco sighed, genuinely relieved. "Now, about that Transfiguration homework…" he trailed off suggestively.

"I'll help you with it," Padma said with a laugh. Draco grinned at her, and together they began working.

The morning of the Hogsmeade visit, Draco met Padma at the door to her dormitory. She looked excited and slightly flushed as she joined him and they walked to the front doors of the castle, laughing and talking. They joined the queue at the door and Draco elbowed Padma in the ribs slightly and pointed at Filch, who was running Probity Probes over every student before they could leave.

Draco hunched his back slightly and poked Padma with his wand, and she collapsed into silent giggles as he whispered fiercely, "I know you little bleeders have Dungbombs! I just know it! For every Dungbomb I find, I will kill you!"

They laughed together at his rather feeble impersonation of Filch, and the line slowly inched forward toward the great double doors. Finally, they were free; pushed into the crisp air of a perfect autumn day.

"So where are we going first?" Padma asked conversationally. Draco shrugged.

"Wherever you like," he replied. Padma thought for a moment.

"Bookstore?"

"Great idea," Draco smiled. Chances were good that they would run into Granger there; and he could push along his plan a bit. "I need a new quill."

When they entered the bookstore ten minutes later, Draco was pleased to find the aforementioned Mudblood prowling the bookshelves just as he'd expected. He pretended not to notice her; he grabbed Padma suddenly by the wrist and pulled her over to a display of eagle feather quills by the door, within clear earshot of Granger.

"Over here, love," he drawled. Padma laughed.

"All right, Draco," she replied good-naturedly. "After this, you have to help me find that book we were talking about the other day, remember?"

"Of course," he answered smilingly. Then he leaned in close and whispered next to her ear, "How could I forget anything you tell me?"

Padma blushed prettily and pushed him slightly away with a grin. They picked out a quill for Draco and then went off in search of the book. When he looked around again, Draco noticed that Granger was nowhere to be seen. He smirked. Hopefully she saw that little display before she left, he thought.

Draco continued to lay on the charm for the rest of the day. It helped that Granger continued to show up at the same places he and Padma did. Either Hogsmeade was too small or she was following them. His plan was working perfectly.

It was almost nightfall when they finally made it back to Hogwarts. They had grabbed a bite to eat at the Three Broomsticks before heading back to the castle, and so they skipped the Great Hall and Draco walked Padma back to Ravenclaw tower. There was a slightly uncomfortable moment as they loitered just outside the door.

"Thanks, Draco," Padma said in an effort to break the awkward silence. "I had a wonderful time today."

"Me too," Draco said honestly. Frankly, he was surprised that it was the truth, and it actually threw him a bit. Padma smiled and moved closer. Suddenly they were standing so close he could hear her breathing and smell her shampoo. Something flowery, he decided. Why does it always have to be flowery? he wondered absently.

She was definitely too close now. Her eyes were locked onto his and he wondered if they were about to kiss. Stupid thought, he scolded himself. Of course we are. But he wasn't sure that was what he wanted. She was pretty, of course, and it went along with his plan, but something didn't feel right about it.

He shook the strange feeling away and leaned down a bit, closing the rest of the space between their lips in one motion. Padma sighed and her hands were on his shoulders. He closed his eyes and brought a hand to her cheek.

Then as quickly as it had happened, it was over and they broke apart. She blushed up at him and gave him a small, crooked smile.

"Good night," she whispered, and then she disappeared into her dormitory as someone opened the door from the inside.

Draco stood in the hallway for a few minutes, completely stunned. Then he shook his head quickly and couldn't help but smile. This was perfect.

The next morning, Draco's hopes were confirmed when he entered the Great Hall. Every head turned to watch him as he made his way to the Slytherin table for breakfast. Whispered conversations were happening all around him, and people were casting furtive glances his way.

"Draco, how could you?" a shrill voice from over his left shoulder cried. Great. Pansy. Draco didn't really want to have to deal with her this morning, but he had known he'd have to face her sooner or later.

"What's the matter, Pansy, my dear?" Draco said, turning to face her. She stood with her hands on her slim hips, her pink bottom lip jutted out just so.

"Don't you give me any of that sweet talk today, Draco Malfoy," she snapped, advancing toward him a few steps. Draco smiled his most charming smile.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"What's this business with you and that Ravenclaw girl snogging at all hours of the night? I've heard so many rumors I don't know how to separate them from fact anymore," she growled, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder impatiently. "I would have said that I knew you wouldn't do that sort of thing outside of house, but now I feel like I hardly know you anymore."

"It is true that Padma and I are…friendly with each other," Draco said carefully. He wasn't exactly sure what Padma wanted everyone to think, and after all, it was her he was trying to keep happy. Pansy gasped.

"So you don't deny it! I can't believe you, Draco," she said, and laughed a small mirthless laugh as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought we had something once. But now you can forget ever running back to me. Our relationship is over."

"Did we have a relationship, Pansy, my sweet? Or did you hope we did?" Draco asked softly, dangerously. He didn't like to be dumped, even if there wasn't a relationship to be dumped from. If anyone was being dumped, it was Pansy, and he didn't hesitate to tell her so.

"Well, whatever we had, it's gone now," Pansy replied, her voice quavering and her eyes looking suspiciously wet. Then she turned on her heel and fled the Great Hall; Draco simply shrugged and tucked into his eggs and toast.

At least he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore.

Just then, Padma walked in the large double doors of the Great Hall. She seemed not to notice that every eye was on her as she crossed to the Slytherin table and made her way up the aisle to where Draco sat.

"Morning, Draco," she said easily, smiling widely. "You forgot this yesterday." Then she reached in the pocket of her robes and produced the eagle feather quill he'd bought the day before in Hogsmeade. Draco laughed.

"So I did," he replied, taking the quill from her and brushing her fingers with his own at the same time. "Thank you for returning it," he added with a dashing smile.

Padma arched an eyebrow and leaned down so her mouth was inches from his ear.

"I hope you won't be so forgetful next time," she breathed. Draco couldn't help but grin. She knew the Hall was watching now, he was sure. She was just giving them all something else to talk about. Before he could say anything else, she was gone; walking calmly over to the Ravenclaw table as if nothing strange had happened whatsoever.

Strange girl, Draco thought wryly.

Breakfast seemed to taste much better after that.

A week passed. The whole school knew by now that Draco and Padma were an item. Padma had confided in him that her sister finally approved of them being together, something that Draco wasn't surprised about at all. He pretended to be shocked, however, because he knew that it was the reaction Padma wanted from him.

"Really? I thought she only thought I was 'dreamy, but at the end of the day, still a Slytherin,'" Draco quoted. This was the opinion Parvati had given her sister just a week prior. Padma laughed and swatted at his arm. They were sitting in the library, working on several essays together.

"She's changed her mind, apparently; mind you, I've had quite a time convincing her you were the best boyfriend I'd ever ha –" she stopped and clapped her hand over her mouth. Draco smirked. "You weren't supposed to hear that," Padma said sheepishly.

"Am I truly the best?" he asked smugly.

"Not if it's going to cause your head to swell to three times its normal size," Padma replied, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

"Well, ego aside, I do pride myself on being the best in everything I attempt."

"You're so full of yourself, you know that?"

"You like it."

"Hmm."

"Padma?"

"Yes?"

Draco faltered. "If you saw something happen, and you wanted to tell someone…but you were sure that person wouldn't believe you, and hate you for telling them…would you say anything?"

"Wait, what?"

"Nothing, nothing," he replied, suddenly engrossed in his Potions essay. He could feel Padma's eyes on him.

"It isn't 'nothing,' is it, Draco? What did you see?"

"I – I don't want to talk about it," he covered. He knew he'd already said too much. Padma wasn't about to drop it, however.

"Talk to me," she said softly, putting her hand on his arm gently. He looked up and met her eyes. She really wanted to help him.

Too bad he didn't want to be helped.

"Forget about it," he said harshly, snatching his arm away and gathering up his things to go.

"Draco, wait." He paused and looked at Padma expectantly. Her gaze wavered under his severe look and she cast her eyes down and stared at the table.

"That's what I thought," he said nastily, and slung his bag over his shoulder. He wanted to get out of that library right then, if not sooner.

In a minute, he was stalking through the corridors on the way back to the dungeon. He took a wrong turn and ended up down a hallway he'd never seen before. Cursing himself, he was about to turn back when he heard a familiar voice.

"Not lost, are you?"

Draco turned around and found himself face to face with the last person he wanted to see.

"Of course not, Granger," he lied. He was angry, first with himself for letting part of his secret go to Padma, then with the blasted girl for actually pitying him, and now with Granger for being so damn smug.

"You certainly look as though you know exactly where you are," she replied with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Even if I were lost – which I'm not – I would rather stay lost for the rest of my life than ask for help from you," he retorted, anger boiling just under the surface. Granger blushed and looked angry as well.

"And to think I had actually begun to think you were all right," she said hotly. Draco immediately regretted his anger. He was trying to get close to this scum, not drive her further away. He sighed deeply and tried to look contrite.

"Look, Granger, I'm sorry," he said weakly. He hated apologizing to her, but it must be done, he reasoned with himself. "I just – had a fight with Padma, that's all."

"A fight with Padma?" Hermione repeated, her anger gone in a flash. She looked concerned. "Is everything all right?"

Draco decided to play up the brokenhearted act and get Granger to feel sorry for him.

"It's complicated," he began. There was nothing girls liked better than complicated love issues, he knew. He slumped down against the wall and put his head in his hands. Almost instantly, Granger was kneeling at his side. She put her hand tentatively on his shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked carefully, unknowingly mirroring the words Padma had said half an hour before. Draco sighed and ran his hands through his hair and gazed up at the ceiling.

"I don't know," he replied. He decided that now was the time to fabricate some problems in his relationship with Padma. "She's started to smother me, asking me all sorts of inappropriate questions that I don't want to answer." That wasn't exactly a lie. He had grown rather weary of the other girl during the past week. She always wanted to be with him, and that was wearing on Draco, reminding him a bit too much of Pansy.

"Is it really all that bad?" Granger asked. "I mean, you seem so happy together. I'm sure if you just talked to her and told her how you feel, things would get better."

Was Granger actually trying to keep him together with Padma? His plan was working better than he'd expected.

"I suppose I could…" he trailed off. Then he smiled at her appreciatively. "Thanks, Hermione."

She blinked at the use of her first name, then smiled warmly.

"You're welcome, Draco."

Inwardly, Draco laughed. No, she would never know what hit her.

A/N : Now don't hate me because I had Draco kiss Padma! I like her! No reviews dissing Padma. Absolutely none. I mean it.

And now for your preview...hmmm...what shall it be? Oh, I know!

xxx

"Hermione," he whispered, stroking her hair. "Are you all right? Who did this to you? I'll kill whoever it was, I swear, just tell me a name," he added fiercely, looking murderous.

xxx