Hermione skipped breakfast, and instead wandered around the castle. She paid little attention to where she was going, and was surprised when she found herself in the dungeons. The room in which she stood was unfamiliar to her, and was barely lit from the window in the upper end of the room. Stone bookcases reached from where she stood to the far end of the room, where they met the wall. The bookcases themselves were empty except for two books; One being a copy of Satan's Story, the other a journal. She reached for the journal, but found she couldn't remove it. She took her hand back for a moment then tried to get Satan's Story but found that one also stuck. She shrugged and turned to leave the room, just as the bell rang, reminding her of class. She pushed the room out of her mind, and sprinted to Potions.

"LATE!"

Snape's voice echoed across the classroom, and he sounded almost happy. Hermione rolled her eyes, but Snape didn't notice. He was too busy gloating, like somehow he had caused her to be late.

"You can serve detention along with Potter and Wesley this evening."

Hermione shot a look at the two boys, who looked down ashamed. She quickly flicked her eyes over the room, and found Draco surrounded by his usual group. She sighed and sat down beside Harry. She guessed this is what she should have expected, but she felt a twinge of hurt. They were friends, after all, or something like that. Ron reached around Harry to poke her in the side. She whipped her head around, and glared at him.

"Was that really necessary?"

Ron shrugged.

"Why were you staring at the ferret?"

"I thought you three were cool, since he joined the order."

Harry let out a laugh, and Ron grimaced.

"Ron hasn't exactly taken to Draco."

"PLEASE PAY ATTENTION OR YOU WILL BE SERVING AN EXTRA NIGHT OF DETENTION!"

The three friends turned their attention back to the front of the room, and Snape continued to talk. No one noticed Draco smirk on the other side of the room. He knew Wesley had a crush on Hermione, pitiful really, and didn't want him getting any attention from her. Hermione brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and tucked it behind her ear. He felt his heart leap as he imagined doing that, touching her face. Suddenly Ron's ugly red face turned and glared at him, before leaning over and whispering something to Harry that sounded like

"Bloody Ferret."

Hermione reached over, and hit Ron on the back of the head. He rubbed it while he glared at her.

"Did you really need to do that?

"Shut up Ron."

"But she hit me Harry!"

"You deserved it."

"No I didn't Hermione! He is a bloody ferret."

Hermione turned away from him and crossed her arms, refusing to look at him. She could hear parts of what Harry and Ron were whispering. From what she could tell, Harry believed she and Draco were just friends, they were Heads after all. By the end of class, Ron looked like he had calmed down some, but not enough for Hermione to attempt talking to him. She ran out the door as Snape called after her.

"Eight O'clock."

She beat Harry and Ron to the Great Hall, and wedged herself in between Ginny and Lavender, who insisted on going by Lavlav. It was her desperate attempt to avoid Ron's angry lecture about how being friend with Draco was betrayal. From her seat, she could see Draco sitting with his friends. Pansy was laid across him in a very compromising position. Hermione felt a roar rise inside her when she saw this, but she shook herself. Draco could do whatever he wanted with whomever. It didn't matter to her. Just because they had kissed a few times, didn't mean anything.

"She's doing it, again!"

Hermione looked up to find Ron pointing at her. Harry had already grabbed him, and was pulling him towards the door, but that didn't stop Ron from blurting out the words neither Hermione nor Harry wanted him to say.

"WHY IN BLOODY HELL DO YOU KEEP STARING AT MALFOY?"

Hermione felt her face flushed red as she got up, and ran from the Great Hall. Harry shoved Ron.

"You're an asshole, you know that."

"WHY?"

Harry simply pointed after Hermione, and then walked away. Draco watched the whole thing uncertain of what to do. Part of him wanted to chase after Hermione, and part of him wanted to beat in Ron's head for hurting Hermione, but he did neither.

"Does that Mudblood have a crush on you?"

Pansy looked up at Draco. Draco sneered.

"Who cares?"

All he could think was 'I do, I do.' He suddenly felt insignificant in comparison to everything going on around him. He pushed Pansy out of his lap, and she landed on the floor.

"I have to go."

He ignored a strange looks he got from his friends, and quickly made his way out of the Great Hall.