A/N : I would like to apologize for the filler-ish nature of last chapter. lol. I had no idea, but apparently it was a filler chapter. Someone :cough: Pharrah :cough: was kind enough to share that with me. Actually, though, it was necessary to show what Hermione was thinking and going through, and also to have Draco bring her to the hospital wing. It advanced their relationship and was sort of a flag of peace, if you will. ANYWAY. I just didn't get that many reviews for it, and was wondering if everyone hated it, lol.

Anyway, thanks thanks thanks to Jessica and Jack. Much help was needed with this chapter, and changes had to be made...I hope you read and approve! Coudn't have done it without you guys! Love!

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He'd done it again. Draco had gone all soft on the Mudblood. And even though it would help him eventually in his plan, he cursed himself for the weakness he'd exhibited.

He had been sitting in the big tree by the shore of the Black Lake, as he was prone to do on sunny afternoons, gazing out over the water and thinking about nothing in particular. Or trying to think of nothing in particular. His mind kept wandering back to Granger.

Suddenly he heard someone running, and he shifted his position on the tree branch to have a better look. Speak of the devil, he'd thought sardonically.

She was dressed in Muggle clothes, a jumper and some sweats, and her hair was tied back into a messy ponytail, streaming behind her as she ran. It was obvious she was running for sport, not because she was being chased or anything, and Draco thought of throwing a branch down at her feet to trip her.

Just when Draco was about to do exactly that, Granger dropped abruptly to her knees and fell forward onto the ground. What is she doing? he wondered as he watched her rock back and forth on her knees, hugging herself protectively. And then all at once he realized. She was crying.

He heard her cry of anguish and then her declaration of hate for that stupid oaf, Krum. Why was it always about him? Damn it, it wasn't as if he was all that great, anyway, from what Draco could remember. The other boy always seemed a bit dense, if you asked him.

Suddenly he was filled with something akin to pity for this poor girl who was weeping and crying out on the ground beneath him. He wanted to do something to make her stop crying, to make her stop hurting needlessly for that wanker. It hadn't even been the idiot's fault, anyway. He'd been set up. If she wanted to hate someone, it should be Lucius Malfoy.

"Don't hate him," he'd said before he could stop himself. Granger grabbed at her heart and gasped in fright, then she collapsed completely on the ground and didn't move again.

Oh, hell. I hope she isn't dead. How am I supposed to get even with her if she's dead? Draco dropped down from the tree easily and knelt beside her. He turned her over and saw her chest rising and falling. Fainted. Typical.

He sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do.

I wonder if I should take her to the hospital wing, he mused. He noticed that the girl did look a bit peaked and her cheeks were colorless, despite the fact that she had been running. Hospital wing, he decided at last.

He voted against levitating her there, simply because they had just begun learning that charm and Draco hadn't exactly mastered it yet. He silently kicked himself for not paying better attention in classes. He really didn't want to touch her.

But it couldn't be helped. There weren't really that many people on the grounds just now, anyway, so no one would see him if he were careful. Most people were lounging in their common rooms this time of day, so if he were mindful to avoid the main hallways, no one would have to know he helped her. Not that he might not reveal that bit of information to her later. It might get her to trust him even more.

When he finally decided that he couldn't put it off any longer, he threaded his left arm under the crooks of her legs and slid his right arm under her shoulders. It felt…strange. Somehow, deep within him, he knew that despite what he'd been taught his whole life, Granger must be just an ordinary witch – other than her dirty blood and upbringing – but he still knew that cradling her in his arms was supposed to feel…wrong. It didn't. It felt almost pleasant.

He squashed the feeling like it was a nasty bug and stood to his feet, lifting Granger into a more secure hold in his arms. Ugh. She wasn't heavy, he noticed. Her head lolled against his shoulder and he tried to shudder. But instead of being repulsed, like he knew he should, he felt his heart skip a beat.

Better get her to the hospital wing now, he told himself firmly.

Madam Pomfrey was surprised to see him walking in carrying the unconscious Granger, but she asked no questions other than what had happened to her before shooing him away.

Draco had never been so relieved in his life as he left the hospital wing; he'd seen no one on his trek upstairs, and thankfully the mediwitch hadn't asked any uncomfortable questions. Perhaps he could come out of this unscathed, after all.

At dinner that evening in the Great Hall, Draco was feeling quite cheerful again. He had actually had a fight with Padma earlier about something or other, and he couldn't be more pleased. It meant that their relationship was about to end, and he could go running right to the Mudblood for comfort again.

Instead of the grin he felt like wearing, Draco adopted a somber look and picked at his broccoli. Inside, he was laughing. It seemed as if the very fates were on his side.

That is, until the Hall went dead silent as someone walked up the aisle to where he sat. Two someones, actually.

"All right, Malfoy, you bloody pompous git, prepare to have your bits hexed off."

"Calm down, Ron, let's give him a chance to defend himself," Potter said sarcastically as Draco looked up from his plate. Bugger, he thought. Not here.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," he replied smoothly before turning back to his half-eaten dinner.

"Guilty conscience, Malfoy?" Potter asked nastily. Draco turned to look at him, completely unimpressed.

"Whatever it is you're harping on about, Potter – amazing as it may seem – I don't care about," he drawled in a bored voice, turning back to his broccoli.

"Hermione is in the hospital wing," the Weasel said slowly, as if Draco were stupid. That incensed him.

"What in the hell does any of this have to do with me?" he spat after a second.

"We know you brought her there," Potter said softly, gripping his wand at his side. Draco felt the color draining from his face. He swallowed.

"How did you know that?" was all he could ask. His mouth felt very dry.

"Never mind how we know," Weasley growled. "Just answer us. What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, all right? I didn't do anything to her," Draco said angrily. Nearly everyone was looking at them now. Great.

"But you brought her to the hospital wing?" Potter asked incredulously.

"She passed out, Potter. There wasn't anyone else around, so I took her to Madam Pomfrey. I'm not completely heartless, you know," he added with a sneer.

"You expect us to believe that you helped Hermione Granger - the girl you can't stand and think is beneath you - simply because you felt sorry for her?" Potter said slowly. Every visible inch of Weasley's skin was red, and he looked as if he were ready to curse Draco into oblivion.

"I didn't say it was something I'm proud of, Potter," Draco snarled. And he wasn't. He was wishing he'd just left her out there to freeze now.

"If I find out that you're responsible in any way – "

"Stow it, Weasel, you won't," Draco cut across him as he shoved the bench out from behind him and stood up angrily. He grabbed his bag and made for the door, sure that if he stayed for a minute longer he would hex one or both of the idiots and then he'd never have his revenge.

"We're not done with you, Malfoy," Potter called as Draco was walking out the door. They caught up with him in the entrance hall and Weasley grabbed Draco's arm. Draco snatched it away.

"Never lay hands on me again," he warned in a quiet voice.

"We're not done with you," the Weasel echoed Potter's words from before. "We want to know what happened to Hermione."

"I already told you," Draco growled. "She fainted; I took her to the hospital wing. End of story."

"What's going on?"

All three boys whipped their heads around at the same time. So did more than a few onlookers who had followed them from the Hall. Hermione was standing at the foot of the main stairwell and she looked confused and angry.

"We – we were just having a little chat with Malfoy," Potter stammered. Apparently the sight of an angry Hermione made him nervous. Can't say that I blame him, Draco thought.

"Which means they were basically accusing me of sending you to the hospital wing," he said aloud. Hermione's eyes grew wide.

"Boys!" she snapped at Potter and Weasley. "I've already toldyou that nothing happened! He didn't hurt me, for goodness sakes! Why would Malfoy do anything to hurt me?" she added more softly, as if the words surprised even her.

Draco was elated. He didn't bother to hide his surprise as he exchanged a glance with Granger. He could hardly believe his luck.

He cast a superior look at the two other boys, who looked incredulous and almost angry.

"Now, if you two will excuse me," he said loftily as he breezed past them. He walked right up to Granger with half the school watching and placed a hand on her shoulder. Might as well use this to my advantage, he mentally shrugged. "Are you feeling all right, Hermione?" he asked her gently.

She nodded and graced him with a small smile. Then she turned and glared at Potter and Weasley. She'll never believe them if they tell her what I said in the Great Hall, he inwardly smirked.

Several things happened all at once then. Someone, a girl, gave a loud screech from the door of the Great Hall; Weasley made a break for Draco, with Potter desperately trying to hold him back; and Professor Umbridge herself appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Hem, hem," she coughed. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they heard the familiar, annoying sound and looked at her.

"There will be no public displays of affection in the hallways," she said sweetly, and with a wave of her wand, Draco and Hermione were blasted away from each other. Hermione was pushed backwards with a bit greater force than he, but his back still hit the wall with a dull thud. Hermione regained herself and seemed to be using all her energy not to say something to Umbridge, who now laid her eyes on the Potter and Weasley, who were frozen in mid-struggle.

"Fighting, Mr. Potter? Tsk, tsk, tsk; I suppose another night of detention for you, then?" Then she swept past them all and into the Great Hall, students parting on either side of her like the Red Sea.

In the aftermath, Draco felt someone grabbing him by the arm and dragging him up the stairs. He would have known what was coming next even without looking to see who it was.

Padma dragged him into the nearest empty classroom and rounded on him.

"I suppose you think this is some sort of game, then?" she snapped. Draco decided that silence was his best option at present, and said nothing.

"You have nothing to say to defend yourself? I heard about what you did for Granger, or to Granger or – just – whatever. I don't care. We're over anyway. I wonder if you ever really liked me," she added softly, as if to herself. Draco felt a pang in his gut.

Damn it all.Emotions were really overrated. He was feeling sorry for Padma. She wasn't a bad girl, after all. In other circumstances, he might have actually liked her. But right now, he needed to keep a cool head.

"Padma, I swear, nothing happened," he defended weakly. She studied his eyes for a moment.

"All of this – you and me – it was just to get to her, wasn't it?"

Wait. What?

"Forget it," she said next. Then she straightened her robes and the next minute she looked up at him and flashed him a dazzling smile. "I suppose I should date one of your best mates now, shouldn't I?"

Draco laughed. Padma was all right. He grinned at her.

"If you can stand dating a Slytherin," he replied snidely, crinkling up his nose for effect.

"Well, they can't all be as dreamy and charming as you," she said honestly. Then, never breaking eye contact, she stepped forward until they were very close and placed her hands on his shoulders. Draco tugged one corner of his mouth into a half-smile and leaned down just as she stood on tiptoe. Their lips brushed for a brief moment.

"See you, Draco," she whispered against his lips. Then she turned and was out the door before he could speak.

Well, that's over, thought Draco as he exited the classroom moments later. He glanced up and down the hall, then headed to the library before going back to his dormitory.

He arrived there and went directly to his table back in the stacks. Granger wasn't there, but he really didn't expect her to be. She was probably back in Gryffindor tower by now, being fussed over by all her stupid friends.

Draco reached in his pocket and pulled out the scroll with his plan written on it. He tapped it once with his wand and the magical seal broke and it rolled open slightly. Spreading it out, he looked over his objectives.

1. Gain Granger's trust.

Well, that was done. It had been easier than he'd thought, too. He crossed it out with a flourish. He glanced down the rest of the list. Now that he had access to her personal circle, he could start work on the second item on his list.

2. Get rid of Potter and the Weasel

Draco smirked. He would enjoy this one most of all.

A/N 2 : So. They're broken up now. I hope you all are very happy. I don't think Padma makes another appearance in this story, at least not yet, and not outside of just mentioning her in passing. :) I think we can all agree that this chapter was NOT filler. Hope you found it action-y enough. :D

Okay. I'm going to leave you with my favorite line from next chapter, because both of my betas gasped and said "Harry!" when he said it.

xxx

"Well, we understand if you don't prefer our company anymore," Harry said sarcastically. Hermione wasn't sure which was worse, Ron's open anger and confusion over her friendship with Malfoy, or Harry's mask of calmness that only barely concealed his fury. "I suppose once you've hung out with a Slytherin, you just can't go back to your old friends," he added nastily.

Right. Harry was worse.

xxx