Should I do it at the Halloween feast? Maybe I should wait awhile…

Draco was contemplating about when he would confess his feelings to Hermione. He knew that he should be paying attention to Professor Sprout, but he couldn't help it. Draco would just make up some excuse when he would ask Harry or Hermione for their notes to copy. There wasn't any sense asking Ron, the boy had a rather fleeting attention span when it came to his classes.

Also, Draco mind kept wondering back to almost a year ago. Images of Hermione and himself dancing together continued to play in his thoughts; picking up where from where Luna had woke him fro his daydream/

"Oi, what's with you?" Ron whispered to Draco, pulling him back into reality. Harry leaned forward to look around Ron, raising an eyebrow at Draco.

"Nothing." Draco replied.

Nothing that I am going to tell you, even if we are good friends.

Draco was thankful that Herbology was almost over. He had one more class, Care of Magical Creatures, and then he would be done for the day. With his classes, at least. The bell rang out to end class. Draco, Ron and Harry left the Greenhouse quickly. It wasn't too bright outside, because the sun was hidden behind an overcast of clouds.

"Gunna wait on Granger?" Ron asked as they walked out the door, stepping out of the way of the exiting students.

What does it matter to you? Draco thought bitterly.

"Yeah…I am." Draco answered as he shifted his school bag from one shoulder to the other.

Hermione was following behind one of the last group of students to leave the Greenhouse. She, as if it was an automatic response, stood next to Draco when she saw Ron and Harry. To be more precise, she stood a little behind Draco, placing him between the boys and her.

"Well, see ya later." Ron said with a smile. Then, he focused on Hermione and gave her a wink. Ron and Harry turned and left. Draco could feel Hermione shrink back a little. Draco felt his stomach drop and some anger swelled up.

What is he playing at?

He felt Hermione's hand on his forearm. Immediately, he relaxed. The tension disappeared when he looked at her. She smiled and he forgot about his friends.

"Come on, Draco." she said, playfully tugging on his sleeve. Hermione held on to Draco's cloak for a few moments while as they started walking towards Hagrid's hut. Once the small house was in sight, she let go.

Instead of Hagrid, the half-giant that had taken over teaching Care of Magical Creatures in Draco's Third year, Professor Grubbly-Plank was waiting for the students to gather around. Upon seeing her, Draco knew that this was going to be a quaint class. He figured that she must have been substituting for Hagrid because Headmaster Dumbledore sent Hagrid on some errand. Hermione stayed close to Draco through out the class.

The bell chimed that class was finished. Students went off in various directions. Draco saw that it wasn't long before they were surrounded by their fan girls. He just rolled his eyes and scoffed at the scene.

"Draco?" Hermione called his attention.

"Yes…Hermione." Draco caught himself before he called her some pet name.

"Let's go." she said as she turned and headed towards the castle. Draco reached her in hardly any time.

As they entered the school, they saw a familiar blonde hair girl sitting on a bench with her nose in a magazine an upside down Quibbler, to be exact. When they approached her, Luna slowly lowered her magazine and looked at Draco and Hermione from over the top of it.

"Hello again." Luna said. She put the Quibbler down on her lap.

"Hey Luna." Hermione replied.

"Hello Luna." Draco added.

"I hope that there wasn't any trouble today," Luna said, "Well, more than I already know about, I mean." Her eyes flickered back and forth between Draco and Hermione.

"No, none at all." Hermione answered waving both of her arms in front of herself. Then, Hermione took a seat next to Luna. Draco noticed that Luna's focus lingered on him for a few seconds before she turned to Hermione.

"Well, that's good to know." Luna said, sounding relieved. "Opps, I may have spoken too soon." Her eyes went towards the door. Draco turned to see what she was talking about.

Just then, Ron and Harry walked in. As soon as they spotted Draco and Hermione, the two boys headed for them. They seemed as if they were trying to catch their breath as they crossed the corridor.

"Hey there, Malfoy, Granger." Ron said when he reached them. Obviously, he couldn't see Luna behind Draco. Harry stepped around Ron. He started to say his greeting or whatever, but something caught his eye and he shut his mouth.

Confused, Draco followed Harry's gaze to where Luna sat. Ron looked around Draco to see what they were looking at.

"Oh, hello miss…" Ron started as Draco moved to the side so that Luna was in plain sight.

"Luna Lovegood." Luna said in her usual dreamy voice. Draco noticed Hermione shift herself away from them, as much as she could.

"You're in my sister's year, a Fourth year, yeah?" Ron continued. Harry was uncharacteristically quiet as he stood next to Ron.

"Yes. You're Ginny's older brother, Ron Weasley." The way she said it made it sound like she wasn't asking.

"Yeah, I am." he answered. "Well, we best be off now." Draco saw Fred and George waving at Ron and Harry from the steps.

"Come on!" the twins said.

"See ya later, Malfoy. Nice to meet you, Miss Lovegood." Ron said. Then, he took a step, placing himself in front of Hermione. "Bye, Granger." he said with a smile that made Draco uncomfortable. After that, the two boys went towards the waiting twins.

"Uh, bye." Hermione replied, quietly. She was the only one of the group to respond to Ron.

"So, that's 'Looney' Lovegood." Draco heard Ron say to Harry while they were still in earshot. "Heard Ginny talk about her…" Ron's voice faded away from being to far. Draco was thankful that he did go. He really didn't want to fight his friend for running his mouth.

When did I stop thinking about Ron as a best friend and more of a friend?

Draco knew that his friendship with Ron had been changing since last year, when Ron changed himself. He admitted that he did spend more time with Hermione and Luna, but that's because Ron and Harry spent their time with the newly acquired fans that attempted to follow the boys everywhere. Also, he wanted to be with Hermione. Draco saw Luna as the little sister he wanted, no matter how strange she was. Well, Draco and Luna were both Purebloods.

No, I am not going to think about them. Draco thought as he shook his head.

"What's wrong, Draco?" Hermione asked. He looked up to see that she was standing up in front of him.

"Nothing…" his voice trailed off.

…as long as I have you, Hermione.

She didn't seem convinced. Draco saw Luna get up from the seat, her Quibbler in hand.

"Well…I need to run to the library for a moment. I'll see you two at supper." Hermione said. Draco noticed that she meant that she wanted to be alone. Apparently, Luna understood Hermione's meaning, as well.

"Ok, then. See you there." Draco managed to say. One thing that he didn't like as much as leaving Hermione was leaving Hermione alone. He feared that someone might hurt her, seeing that she was meek and timid. Not that she didn't know enough spells to protect herself, but Hermione wouldn't hurt a fly.

"See you there." Luna repeated as Hermione turned and left. Luna walked over to Draco and stood next to him as they watched Hermione leave.

"Yes, Luna?"

"Nothing," she said as she looked up to him, "Just thinking about that strange reaction from Harry Potter, just now. Didn't you say that he is as talkative as Weasley? Well, Ron Weasley."

Draco hadn't thought about it. He was busy trying to restrain himself from glaring at Ron. Now that Luna had brought it to his attention, Harry did act unusual. Normally, Harry would play along with Ron's games, no matter what.

"Maybe he fancies you." Draco said with a laugh. As if those two could be in a serious relationship.

"Draco," she responded by playfully shoving him, "Be serious."

"Ok," he said, "I don't know why he acted like that. Better?"

"Much. Now, I have to go do my own research with some things that father sent me. He is doing an article about recent Crumpled-Horned Snorkacks sightings."

"See you at supper then." Draco said. He had no clue what she was talking about, but he didn't want to be involved with the research.

Luna smiled and waved. Then, she turned and skipped to the steps. Draco turned on his heels and headed to the dungeons. He was going to relax before supper in the common room.

"Draco Malfoy?" a girl's voice called out from one of the couches as he climbed through the entrance. She turned her dark head of hair towards him and rested her dark eyes on Draco.

Oh no.

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