A.N. Hey guys, thank you so much for all the reviews. Sorry it took a little while for this chapter to come but I really hope you like it :D

Hermione woke up the next morning, excited to see how their potion was doing. She knew that it would be brewing and that when they came back from hogsmeade, they could add the last ingredient and it would be finished! She got up and remembered saying to Malfoy that she would be in the entrance to the Great Hall by 10am. She looked at her clock and it was only 8:30. She was glad that there would only be half a days of lessons today. She didn't feel like learning. After she had got dressed, swept her long hair in to a high ponytail and applied the necessary make up. On her way she checked her bag. Since she didn't normally wear a handbag, her old satchel was looking battered and had plenty of holes. She fixed that easily with a little wave of her wand. In her bag she had a little purse her parents had given her containing 15 galleons. She had decided on that amount thinking it would be enough to get something to eat as well as buying the eels eyes. She had dressed warmly considering it was getting to the end of autumn but just incase she had put a spare jumper in her bag too. Her hand dug to the bottom of the bag where she found a button, a sickle and a pack of fizzing whisbees. She put the button and sickle in her purse and the pack of fizzing whisbees back in her bag. She knew they must be a least 3 years old so hopefully she might be able to get Malfoy to eat one later. She laughed as she imagined his expression.

"What are you laughing at Granger?"

She realised she had walked straight in to Malfoy.

"Oh its nothing."

As she backed away Draco looked at her. He thought secretly to himself that she looked very pretty. Her long hair was swept up in to a ponytail and a few curls fell out and landed perfectly on her shoulders. She was wearing a fitted turquoise roll neck and skinny jeans. She wore school robes over that, rather less flattering.

"I'm just going to grab an apple," she said, "one sec."

Draco nodded. When she had gone he ran over to a window and checked his reflection. He smoothed his eyebrows and adjusted his robes then he strode back to his original position. Hermione appeared a few minutes later.

"Shall we go?"

"Ok."

As they walked out of the castle they walked past Professor Mcgonagall who was collecting permission slips from third years. Draco's hand slipped in to Hermione's as they walked. Hermione looked at his hand and then accusingly at his face,

"What are you up to Malfoy?"

Malfoy flashed his charming smile again,

"Nothing... Do you want me to let go?" He began to whisper, "or do you like it?"

Hermione glared at him angrily,

"Um... Ugh I don't know. Do what you want."

He held her hand tighter. She pulled hers away.

"Are you trying to cut of my circulation?"

"Sorry," he offered his hand back,

"I'll be more gentle."

Hermione reluctantly gave him back her hand.

As they walked through hogsmeade Hermione shivered,

"Ahh its always so much colder in hogsmeade, shall we stop for a drink?"

Draco shook his head,

"Nah lets get the eels eyes first then we can have lunch and... Talk or whatever you want."

He winked at her and again gave her a flash of those perfect teeth. Hermione found herself blushing and she pulled her scarf up so he didn't see. She was baffled by his flirtatious behaviour but she wasn't planning to complain anytime soon. Soon they got to the apothecary and found themselves exploring the wobbling shelves for eels eyes. Finally Draco found them and grabbed them. Hermione was still on the other side and was unaware he had found them. He payed for them and shouted to Hermione,

"Come on Granger we're leaving."

He saw Hermione's ponytail poke out from the top of the nearest shelf.

"But we haven't got the eels eyes."

Draco's smirk returned,

"Yes we do, I've got them."

Hermione nodded and said,

"Ok just coming."

They walked out of the shop together and Draco took her hand again. She looked up at him,

"You shouldn't have paid for them."

"It was nothing, really."

He smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek. At his touch Hermione felt immediately warmer. She got closer to him and hugged him, her head in his chest. Suddenly she heard a shout.

"MALFOY GET YOU'RE FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HER!"

She let go of Draco and spun round, the shout had come from none other than Ron Weasley.

Hermione was sitting in The Three Broomsticks, tears streaming down her face with Draco opposite her. Hermione sniffed,

"S-sorry I-I c-cant b-believe R-Ron s-saw u-us..."

Draco knew she was shaken so he gave her his most sympathetic smile,

"Granger don't worry about it. Its Weasley, whats he going to do about it?"

Hermione scowled at him through her tears,

"M-malfoy y-you don't u-understand, w-we a-are b-best f-friends..."

Malfoy shrugged,

"So? He should respect what you choose to do. If you two are really friends then he should be ok with it."

Hermione began wiping off her face,

"Yeah," she gave a watery smile, "thats t-true."

She hiccuped and Draco offered her a menu.

"Now, I bet you are hungry. What do you fancy?"

Hermione pushed the menu away,

"No thanks, I-I'll just have a bit of whatever y-you have."

He frowned at her,

"You should really eat something you know."

He looked at her skinny waist. Suddenly he realised she was blushing so he gazed in the other direction. It was getting busier in The Three Broomsticks so Hermione and Draco were unaware of Slughorn who was pushing his way through the crowd to get to their table.

"Sorry to interrupt you Miss Granger but I have a letter for you."

He pulled an ornately decorated envelope out of his robes and handed it to her. He then began to push his way back through the crowd. Draco looked at her in mock frustration,

"Open it then!"

Hermione pulled open the envelope and began to read aloud.

"Dear Miss Granger, I hope you will be able to attend my christmas party on christmas eve. It starts at 7pm and will end at approximately 11pm. You may bring along a partner if you wish. Best wishes, Professor Slughorn."

Hermione looked happier,

"Great! A party, I could do with having some fun!"

Draco agreed,

"Yep, but you know what would make the party even more fun?"

Hermione was sure she knew what was coming but asked anyway,

"What?"

"If you took me with you."

Draco had meant it as a joke but then he began to hope she would say yes.

"Ok... Ok maybe that could work. I mean I could REALLY annoy Ron and you know... You're nice and stuff. But no funny business, ok?"

Draco laughed and said,

"Can you define that?"

Hermione stared icily at him,

"I know what you're planning. No kissing!"

"Huh? Thats not what I was going to do."

She sighed and shook her head,

"No lying either."

"Fine, fine," Draco said grumpily.

Hermione looked at her watch,

"We better go and put the eels eyes in our potion. Oh I hope we do well."

She looked at Draco who was shovelling pumpkin and turkey pie in his mouth.

"Where did that come from?"

Draco swallowed,

"The waitress just brought it. We can go in a minute."

Hermione took her fork and put it in the pie.

"Hey hey hands off," Draco protested, "its my pie."

Hermione giggled and withdrew her fork,

"Stop being such a baby!"

Draco ignored her and carried on eating. Hermione sighed, but a few minutes later, they were off down the windy roads,back to hogwarts.

As soon as they got back they went to the dungeon to check their potion. It was definitely red but not quite the colour of a strawberry yet. Draco pulled out the jar of eels eyes and gave the jar to Hermione.

"Well you can finish off our potion."

Hermione pushed the jar back.

"No you should, go on put in the three eels eyes."

Draco dropped in two of them and said,

"Finish it."

Hermione dropped the last eye in an the potion changed its colour ever so slightly. It was the colour of a ripe strawberry. She unexpectedly hugged Draco, a smile spreading across her face.

The doors of the dungeons banged open and Slughorn came in. Hermione noticed that he had to walk through the doorway sideways due to his whale-like shape. He sat down at his desk and let out a small sigh of relief. Getting through a door was strenuous exercise for someone of his size and age. He set them a small worksheet to do while he went round the class. Hermione finished the worksheet in a matter of seconds so she was left waiting until Slughorn came.

"Ah Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy since your potion is an anti-hiccuping solution I will have to get hiccups before I test your potion."

Hermione and Draco looked questioningly at him. He pointed his own wand at his chest a murmured a spell.

"Ridibundus."

He then began to hiccup and he held out his hand for the vial of their potion. Hermione took it from inside her robes and he drunk the whole thing. He abruptly stopped hiccuping.

"Well done, well done you two, a most effective potion. You will earn full points for that!" Slugorn smiled at them genially,

"Ah Miss Granger I see you have already finished the worksheet, you remind me of a girl I used to teach. Lily Evans. She too was a whiz at potions!"

He gave another bellowy laugh and moved on. Hermione glanced at Harry. Lily Evans was of course his mother. Harry pretended he hadn't listened in to their conversation and went back to the worksheet. At the end of the lesson Slughorn gathered in their worksheets and shouted,

"Miss Granger, Mr Potter, Mr Zabini and Mr Mclaggen stay behind please."

Once everyone else had left for transfiguration he asked them all if they were able to attend his party. All of them agreed to except Zabini. Zabini apologised politely saying he had other arrangements. Slughorn gave him a slap on the back.

"Well you will be missing a lot."

Slughorn was still delighted that the cleverest girl in his class was coming let alone the boy who lived. Mclaggen had famous ancestors and Slughorn had invited him, hoping he would take after them. He quickly dismissed them and they left the dungeon gladly.

Students were leaving gradually to go on their christmas holidays. Hermione always stayed at hogwarts during the christmas holidays because her parents worked. She assumed that Ron and Harry were staying as well. She didn't know for certain because she had been avoiding Ron ever since he seen her in hogsmeade. Sadly she didn't talk to Harry much now because he was always with Ron. However her spirits were high because the party was tonight. During the afternoon she had gathered together all the presents she was giving. She had decided that she would give a presents to Harry and Ron to break the ice. Or at least make a crack. She had also been looking for a dress and after 2 hours of trying dresses on, she found the perfect one. It was now 6 o'clock so she began to get ready. She put on the dress and then began to do her make up. She put on more than usual but not so much she looked like clown. She straightened her curls and gave her whole head a quick layer of hair spray. She pulled on her shoes and and arranged her hairband in her hair. She glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled. She left her room went to meet Draco. They had decided on outside the gryfinndor common room this time. She was prepared to wait a little while for Draco to appear but to her surprise he came round the corner only a few minutes after she had left her dorm. When he got closer, he looked at Hermione. His mouth fell open as he looked at her. Her long curls and been straightened and she wore a lilac hairband with a white rose in it. Her dress was strapless and was a beautiful lilac colour with white roses decorating it. It finished at her knees and she many delicate petticoats that made the skirt stick out more. He stood there gaping at her. Meanwhile she was just as impressed with him. His blonde hair was tousled fashionably and he wore a simple cream shirt with a loose tie. His trousers were black- nothing special- but they seemed to elongate his legs making him seem taller. Draco was the first to speak,

"Wow Granger."

"Wow what?"

"You look really pretty."

Hermione laughed and said,

"Thanks, you don't look too bad either."

Draco nodded and paused awkwardly. Hermione took his hand.

"Lets go."

Slughorn was greeting everyone jovially as they walked through the door. Draco slipped his arm in to Hermione's as they went in.

"Ah Miss Granger, thank you so much for coming. I must say you are looking lovely and I see you have brought Mr Malfoy too."

He shook Draco's hand and pointed them both in the direction of the dance floor. Draco took Hermione and put his arm on his waist and his other one on her shoulder.

"What are doing?"

Hermione said sounding almost frightened.

"Come on! Lets dance."

Hermione shook her head vigorously,

"No, nope never going to happen, end of."

"Why not?"

Hermione began to whisper,

"Because I'm not good on dancing. In the yule ball I ALWAYS stepped on poor Viktor's feet."

Draco laughed,

"Don't worry, I'll lead you!"

Hermione nervously put her arms around him and he began to sway slightly. She swayed with him and he moved to the music with her following him. He looked in to her dark honey coloured eyes and she looked back in to his grey-blue ones. He leaned in, but she turned her head away.

"I'm sorry I cant... Not yet."

Draco looked disappointed,

"No sorry its my fault."

Hermione buried her head in his neck. She gave a small sigh and closed her eyes.

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