Here is chapter seven! One I'm sure you will really enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: The characters, places ect. belong to JK Rowling not me blah blah blah, you get it.

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Finally

This routine went on for 16 days.

Hermione would get up first, take a shower, wait for Draco and together they would walk to the Great Hall, laughing and joking.

They would be met by shocked stares and separate, Hermione to sit with Ginny at the Gryffindor Table and Draco with Blaise.

Hermione would enlighten Ginny about what Hermione and Draco did the previous night and Draco would talk to Blaise about the old days.

Then Draco and Hermione would set off together on their classes, sitting together and working.

At lunch they would walk together again, separate again. Hermione would talk to Ginny about how class, Draco, work, Draco, the old days, Draco, letters from the Weasleys or Harry and she would also mention Draco.

Draco, on the other hand, would vent his frustration at the fact that Hermione wasn't getting any of his hints.

At the end of lunch they would meet up, go to their afternoon classes and return to their Heads' Room to do homework.

They would spend a few hours of homework helping each other out and then would talk late into the night.

Hermione would fall asleep and Draco would carry her to her room.

This routine went on until 16 days later on September 19th; Draco decided he needed to break it.

It happened during his afternoon rant to Blaise.

"Blaise, I think something is seriously wrong with Granger. It's been 16 days and nothing! I compliment her, she doesn't believe it. I flirt with her, she seems immune to it. She just doesn't notice me in that way!"

"Draco calm down!" Blaise had never seen Draco like this over a girl, and he definitely never would imagine that the first time he would see him like this would be over Hermione know-it-all Granger.

"Look mate, do you really like her? Is she worth stressing over?"

Draco didn't even have to think, he knew the answer.

"Yes"

"Wow. I never thought I would ever see you admit a girl was worth any trouble"

"Yes well, it isn't any girl. It's an annoying, insufferable, opinionated, strong-willed, brave, intelligent, beautiful, ama-"

Blaise quickly cut in "Ok, I get it. Let's just save some time and describes her as unique?"

"Fine then" Draco huffed, though whether it was because he wanted to describe Hermione more or if he was embarrassed that he went on like a love sick fool, Blaise wasn't sure.

"Look," Draco went on, "was there a point to your interrogation? Or did you just want to distract me?"

"There was a point"

Draco waited for him to continue, "Well?"

"Well what?" Blaise said with a cheeky grin, he wondered how far he could push Draco

"What was the bloody point?"

"Ah well..." Blaise let his sentence drift off

"Blaise if you do not tell me, I will tell Granger that I used hear you moan McGonagall's name in your sleep" Draco threatened his friend with a smirk

Blaise quickly looked around nervously to make sure no one heard "Ok ok, you didn't need to bring that up! I was just going to say that if you really felt the way you do, maybe you should just tell her how you feel"

"Really Blaise? That is your point? The girl doesn't believe a compliment from me, let alone me telling her I really like her!"

"Then do something to prove it to her, something she can't say is fake. Also, I think she might not be oblivious as you think, she just might be unsure. You just have to convince her"

Draco was struck by a sudden idea, something that would not only prove his feelings to her, but also hopefully convince her too. It was a risk, but he was willing to take it.

"Say Blaise, I do have an idea for an extra birthday present for Granger..."

Over the course of those routine weeks, some things did actually change, but only in minor ways.

For one, slowly more and more people began accepting Draco Hermione's friendship, until it wasn't uncommon for them to be spotted together, in classes or hallways.

Another change was Hermione's feelings towards Draco.

At the beginning, she was certain she had no feelings for him. But as the days went on, she began to notice little things about him and little things he did would give her butterflies.

Yes, by the end of the first week, Hermione had fallen for Draco Malfoy. Problem was, she was still in denial and those feelings kept growing over the next one and two days.

That very same September 19th that Draco had been talking to Blaise about Hermione, Hermione had been talking to Ginny about Draco.

Ginny had listened to Hermione talk about Draco over those 16 days and she had figured out the obvious, Hermione liked Draco and that Hermione was denying it. More notably, she figured out Draco like Hermione too and that Hermione oblivious to that fact.

See, Ginny had known Hermione for a very long time and that was why she knew what was going on in Hermione's head. She knew that Hermione was only denying her feelings for Draco because she was scared of rejection. She also knew that talking to Draco was really healthy for Hermione. But most importantly, she knew that if Hermione knew that Draco liked her back, she would no longer deny her feelings.

But Ginny also knew that Hermione would need a little push to find out.

"Did you know Draco can speak French fluently? It's really cool! He is actually teaching because I know some basics but imagine if I could speak as fluent as Draco! I mean I have always hated that I never had the time to learn another language. But even if I had the time, I still couldn't because it's just not the same learning it from books instead from a fluent speaker" Hermione excitedly told Ginny.

Ginny knew that this would be the best way to breach the subject, "So Draco is teaching you French? That's pretty cool. You know that French is the language of love? Speaking of love, do you happen to have feelings for Draco Malfoy?"

Well that was the best way in her mind, just not the most subtle or tactful, but she had a weird feeling that Draco was going to try something soon and Hermione needed to realise her feelings before then.

"What Ginny? Are you sure you are feeling alright? Because you just asked me if I had feelings for Draco..."

Hermione wasn't sure why but Ginny's words seem to have struck something in her. Could it be...?

"I was only wondering Hermione" now Ginny had to slowly retreat, this way Hermione's mind would be interested.

"No, don't be silly Ginny" but even she could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

Was it true? Did she really like Draco?

Ginny put her next phase into motion, "I was thinking since you know, he has been so nice to you and has change much and he did get you that Muggle camera for your birthday, it's even better than Colin's and it would have been a lot of trouble to get..." she trailed off, letting Hermione add more in her mind

After a brief moment of silence, Ginny added on, "and I think he might have feelings for you too"

And with that, Ginny left before Hermione could argue, feeling pleased about her successful plan.

Hermione couldn't seem to enjoy herself at the birthday party that the Gryffindors had organised for her, her mind too preoccupied with her earlier conversation with Ginny.

Finally a time deemed acceptable to leave arrived, and Hermione grabbed the opportunity faster than Ron with his mother's food - or anyone's on another thought.

"No Gin, I'll come get my presents tomorrow, it would take too long to charm ALL of them. Goodnight, thanks again everyone"

Hermione left the Gryffindor Common Room with a sigh of relief and . She had gotten lots of presents but, as usual, almost all were books.

The only exceptions were Harry and Ron's combined present, a necklace with 'a glowing ball of light to help her in times of duress' - which Hermione found amusing- and Draco's, which she was carrying in her hand at the moment, filled with pictures from the night.

Hermione realised her thoughts circled, once again, back to Draco.

She couldn't help but feel excited as the possible truth of Ginny's words, but the more she thought about it, the more she was scared.

Her mind was racing through 'What if's'.

What if Harry and Ron hated her for it?

What if Ginny was wrong?

What if her feelings were unrequited?

Caught up with her thoughts, Hermione failed to realise that she had reached the portrait and entered the Common Room in an auto-pilot trance.

"You're back early Granger"

Hermione snapped out of her trance with Draco's words, failing to hear the nervous edge to Draco's voice.

"Yeah, you know me, I wanted to get an early night" Hermione turned to face Draco with a soft smile.

Draco got up from the couch he was seated on and slowly approached her.

"I hope you're not too tired because I kind of had another present for you" Draco said with a mask of confidence on his face.

Hermione started to ramble as Draco drew closer to her

"Oh you really didn't have to Draco. The camera is already one of the best presents and I love it, you really didn't have to get me another gift, it was-"

"Well it's a good thing I didn't" Draco cut into her ramble.

He slowly drew in and Hermione could smell the spice of his cologne. He could smell the soft vanilla with a mix of strawberry.

Her eyes drifted shut as Draco's lips brushed against hers and in the back of her mind she faintly registered that Ginny was right. But all sub-conscious thought was lost as Draco's lips began to move across hers and she brought her hand up to his neck as his went around her waist.

They broke apart and Draco whispered

"Happy Birthday Hermione"

THE END

PLEASE REVIEW!

So this is where I leave it, I wrote this years ago and stopped due to personal problems and now, my writing style has changed so much I cannot continue it, it just wouldn't work. I had so much planned for this story, it was originally 30 chapters and I am actually really upset that I never got to properly finish it. But I guess that sometimes happens in life and there is nothing we can do to change it :)

You never know! I might write a sequel with those plans I have already, it'd just be a very dramatic change in writing style, a lot better to be honest! :P

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, I wish I had done more with this 3