A/N:Sorry for the wait I was sick and my fiancé put me under bed arrest, so I watched Glee the whole time. Sadly I couldn't have my laptop under bed arrest so I had to write this chapter on a paper, and then retype it on my laptop a week later, which takes a lot longer than you would expect. Anyway here you go; the ninth chapter!

I hope you enjoy and remember to R&R

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…..If I did things would be a lot different….

Chapter Nine: Phase One

'Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin.'

Hermione sighed, placing her copy of 'Hogwarts: A History' down on the table.

If her favorite book wasn't helping her calm down then nothing could. She walked into her bedroom, sitting down on her bed, leaning back on her bed post. 'Why did I have to listen to Pansy, things are only going to get worse for me.' Hermione thought to herself. She heard the portrait door open, and then there was a soft knock on her door.

Hermione sighed again bringing her knees to her chest, "Come in."

Draco came strolling onto the room, and then sat down on the bed next to her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"The pleasures all mine," Draco joked back.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"I was just wondering why you were all of sudden being nice to me." He asked.

Hermione looked down at her hand, whilst she tried to think of a plausible answer.

"I just think that I shouldn't be too quick to judge people, so I'm giving you a second chance."

Draco arched an eyebrow, "You do remember who you're talking to, right?"

He shifted his body towards Hermione.

"Dammit, Granger, I'm the last person you should give a second chance."

"And why is that?"

"Not something I feel like discussing right now." He said sighing heavily.

Hermione looked up at him for a second, hoping he would crack.

"Granger, quit looking at me like that."

Hermione looked down at her hands, "Sorry."

"And quit say-"Draco was cut off when Hermione's bedroom door creaked open and Crookshanks walked in, rubbing himself against the wall.

Crookshanks stepped forward slowly hissing at Draco.

"I don't think your cat likes me very much." Draco said glaring at the cat.

Hermione laugh quietly, her hands tugging nervously at the edge of her skirt.

"Well I need to go do my charms homework; would you happen to recall what the assignment was?"

Hermione let out a light chuckle, "You are hopeless."

"Whatever, I'll just say your cat ate my paper. Later, Hermione," Draco said smiling, as he walked out of her door.

Hermione smiled, as she felt her cheeks start to redden. She got out of her bed and she headed for the door to catch Draco before he went into his room.

"Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Yes?" He said without turning around.

"Why did you call me Hermione? Why did you stop calling me Granger?"

The old Draco would have snapped back with a witty retort, but he took a couple minutes to formulate his answer.

"Because you called me Draco," he answered. She felt like he was telling her a secret, like he was revealing his good side or something to that degree. She felt a smile sneak across her face. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as well, and he walked towards her until he was a foot away from her.

"Why do you ask?" Draco said grinning.

Hermione felt like the air had been sucked out of her, "Uh…no reason."

"You wanna go on a date with me?" Draco said suddenly.

Hermione opened her mouth and then closed it again, not being able to say anything. The portrait door slammed open and Harry and Ron ran in and immediately went, fist-forward, towards Draco.

Hermione glared at her soon to be ex-best friend, "You told them I slept with him, didn't you!"

Ginny gave Hermione a warning gaze.

"You two slept together?" Harry's head snapped towards Ginny, "You told us that they just snogged!"

"Well I didn't lie about that." Ginny said.

Harry turned and sent another blow at Draco's face.

"Stop it! Draco you should go to the Hospital Wing."

Draco scowled at the two boys and walked out of the room.

"Since when do you call him Draco?" Ron asked angrily.

"I can call him whatever I want, Ronald!" Hermione yelled at Ron.

Ron laid back a bit, remembering that she only calls him Ronald if she is really pissed.

"Hermione, do you not remember everything he has done to you over the past six years?" Ron spoke as calmly as he could, "you can't actually believe that he cares about you!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "So what, someone cares about me. Is there something wrong that?"

"Yes there is something wrong with that! I mean..." Harry elbowed Ron in the ribcage to stop him from talking.

"What Ron meant to say is Malfoy can't be trusted, his father is a death-eater and so is he. Malfoy, is just taking orders from Voldemort, he is only using you so he can get closer to me!"

"You don't know that he's a death-eater! And why does everything always have to be about you!" Hermione yelled at her friend.

"Because it usually is,"

"I can't believe this, you are so selfish! Do you think that is so impossible for someone to like me?"

"Absolutely, Malfoy doesn't care about anyone but himself. Hermione, you know that I'm just trying to protect you."

Hermione looked at Harry sadly, "I thought you were better than that, Harry. I guess I was wrong about that."

The Hospital Wings door swung open and Hermione walked in and sat down on a chair next to Draco's cot.

"I am so sorry about what they did to you, how bad is it?"

"Don't worry about it; it's nothing I can't handle." He answered smiling.

"Do you remember what you asked me earlier?"

"You mean when I asked if you wanted to go on a date with me."

"Well, I have an answer for you." Hermione said smiling.

Draco smirked, "And what might that answer be?"

"Yes, I will go on a date with you." She answered smiling widely.

"Great. We're going to wait to go on our date until the end of the week, because that's when we get to go to Hogsmeade. There's a new diner called 'Fino'. So what do you say, Saturday at 8?"

Hermione smiled, moving some hair out of her face with the back of her hand. "It's a date."

"Hello, Miss Granger." Said Madam Pomfrey, who had just walked in.

Draco sat up then immediately regretted it as he felt pain course through his body. He hadn't told Hermione about it, because he knew she would start freaking. The whole day, after what happened between them, the pain from the curse that his father put on him was coming back, and through the course of the day it had only gotten worse.

"Is there a problem Mr. Malfoy?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"No I just-"

"Draco you have to show her." Hermione cut off.

Draco sighed and lifted up his shirt to reveal his bruised ribcage, which had now turned an ugly shade of blue.

Both of the women in the room gasped.

"Draco why didn't you tell me that it had gotten worse," Hermione yelled at him, "I should have taken you to the hospital wing when I had the chance."

"Miss Granger is right, you should have come here." Madam Pomfrey told him, raising her wand to inspect him.

She waved her wand whilst muttering an incantation.

"Now not only do you have a broken nose, you also have three broken ribs, but don't worry it's nothing a little potion can't fix.

She walked into a room in the back to whip up a potion.

Off somewhere in the castle

Blaise was walking, well strutting rather, down the hallway when he bumped into someone. He looked up; it was the same girl he saw in charms class.

"Oh, hey sorry 'bout that."

"Oh no, it's my fault. Hi, I'm Sarah."

"It's very nice to meet you, Sarah. I'm Blaise."

Sarah grinned, "You wanna hang out sometime?"

"Yeah, I'd love to." Blaise answered smirking.

"Shit, I have to turn in a paper to Professor McGonagall. Sometimes I wish the sorting hat had put me in Slytherin," she smiled, "we'll get back to what we were talking about some other time."

"Alright. Later, Sarah." Blaise said, waving as he walked away.

"Bye, Blaise," Beamed Sarah.

Once Blaise turned around the corner Sarah's smiled dropped. She dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out a golden coin and began speaking into it.

"Phase one is complete."

"Excellent! Now for the second part. You need to get close enough so that he will be on our side. Can you do that?" said a raspy voice coming out of the coin.

"For certain, I won't let you down, Daddy."

A/N:Ok, guys, I really hate to be the writer that whines for reviews, but upon checking my stats I discovered this story has over 4000 views, but only 10 reviews. C'mon guys I know you can do better than that! Don't be a lurker! Show me the love please!

SillySlytherin