As always, most of it belongs to J K Rowling, I'm just using the material.

This chapter has a different feeling to the others. Let me know if it's good/bad, it will move on again next time!

The week passed with no sign of Rhys, even in Herbology he was at the back not paying the slightest bit of attention to Hermione.

By Saturday she thought she must have imagined it all and was frustrated at herself for her lack of attention to her schoolwork and other friends. 'That's it. I'm going to stop thinking about him, obsessing about him, waiting for him in our rooms, I've had enough.'

She could only assume he had been too hormonal to last the first night without female attention and had found someone else during the following week 'chauvinist male red-blooded pig' she thought. Nevertheless at supper in the Great Hall she found herself looking over at the Ravenclaw table, searching him out with her bright eyes and studying those around him and how he was reacting to each of them. He was obviously a flirt with all females, they all looked besotted with him, fluttering their eyelashes and making physical contact at every opportunity but Hermione could not help but notice that he did not treat one any differently from the rest 'Maybe he's shagging all of them' Hermione thought 'it doesn't look like they'd mind as long as they got a piece.

Wait, when did I become so bitchy? Why am I even thinking about who Rhys Pinder is shagging? I didn't even notice he existed until this week, and I thought I was going to forget about him?!'

She shook herself, turning her attention fully back to the Gryffindor table and tried to immerse herself the banal chatter surrounding her.

Rhys looked over at the Gryffindor table, seeing Hermione's slender, straight but tense back, he knew she had been watching him 'Is it enough already?' He knew he had infuriated her; as he had wanted to but was now beginning to wonder whether he left it too late and what she now felt about him was no longer teasing sexual tension but simply annoyance.

He had merely wanted to give her a taste of what he had been feeling over the last couple of years. He had first noticed her back in their fourth year, but she seemed so close to both Weasley and Potter, he still didn't know whether she had been involved with either 'or both? Goddamit why hadn't she answered his question on that night? I can't take it, I want to know if I have a chance.'

He stood up abruptly from the table, ignoring the squawks from indignant girls around him 'Airheads. I thought you had to be clever to be in Ravenclaw. Why isn't SHE in this house?' and went straight up to their tower to wait for her.

Hermione saw the back of his head leaving the Hall, and still annoyed at herself set off with the others to go up to the Gryffindor Tower. Harry and Ron got out their potions essays leaving Hermione to look round the familiar common room which it seemed she had not been in forever. It didn't take long for them to start asking her for help, and she nearly gave in to take her mind off Rhys but came to her senses "It's your last year here, and I won't be able to sit your exams for you at the end of it!"

Ginny came over and joined them by the fire settling into a cushy old armchair, she stared at Hermione finally saying "You've been miles away all week, we've hardly spoken, what's on your mind?"

Hermione jumped "Nothing." An instinctive answer which has just confirmed to Ginny that something is up, 'Dammit.'

"Well if you're sure..." She paused waiting to see if Hermione would reply, "I'm here if you want to talk – I know those two won't," nodding her head in Harry and Ron's direction "and everyone needs some girly time every now and again. How's it going living the life? Up in your tower with only the Head Boy?"

Hermione flushed a little "Oh... er, fine I guess... nice to have some peace, don't see Rhys much... Erm, I've just remembered I said I would write to my parents to tell them how the first week went, see you soon, bye!" And with that she scrambled up, grabbed her bag and hurried out of the common room.

She knew Ginny wouldn't give up, but it would buy her some time to get her thoughts straight; she was so much more observant than the boys who were still guessing that she was worried about her Head Girl duties.

She got to the Heads accommodation just after half past eight; earlier than she wanted but was she hoping that Rhys would have cleared off to his rooms already 'No reason to change his behaviour now...'

She stepped into the living room, looking around 'Luck is never on my side.' He was there, sat on the sofa, leaning in with a concentrated expression staring into the orange flames dancing in the grate. She stopped, taken aback by the beautiful picture before her, 'Odd. What's he doing here? I wonder if he's pre-occupied enough for me to just slip... But do I want him t...'

"Hermione!" He stood, turning to face her still over by the entrance.

"Hi Rhys."

"I..." he stopped, looking slightly awkward, glancing back down at his twisting fingers. "How was your week?"

She frowned, wondering what was happening and why he was talking to her now. "Ok." Not knowing what to think she crossed the room and sped up the staircase to the dormitories.

'Great. Too long. What do I do now?' Rhys was left standing by the fire looking towards the stairs up which the witch that had been in thoughts 24/7 had just disappeared. He headed to the kitchen and made two mugs of hot chocolate, hoping that even if nothing would happen that she would forgive him.

After adding marshmallows he knocked lightly on her bedroom door. 'Please don't ignore me.'

Hermione opened the door looking faintly surprised that he was there. "Hello?"

"Hi, can I come in?"

She blushed, obviously thinking of the last time he had been in her room, and opened the door a little wider, crossing the room to sit on her bed.

"I made you hot chocolate, I hope you like marshmallows?" 'God I sound pathetic.'

"Um, yes, thanks." He took it over to her and lingered by her bed looking down at the way the candle light was making her soft curls highlight with gold.

"So what are your plans for the weekend? I was thinking, if you weren't busy that we could make use of the kitchen here tomorrow night?"

Hermione looked up sharply, whatever she had been expecting this evidently wasn't it.

'Honestly I wasn't expecting that either, it just felt like the right thing to say... but what will we do, I've never had to do anything like cook a full meal before.'

"Yeah ok, if you want." Her rich brown eyes were wide as she looked up at Rhys, he smiled tentatively and her responding smile was warm, if a little small.

He let out a sigh and relaxed a little, perching on the side of her bed next to her 'Well, she didn't reject me outright...'

"So I haven't seen you around much..?"

"Hmm, sorry, just been busy catching up with friends after summer I guess..." 'Will she realise I'm lying?' "Will be nice to calm down a bit and use our luxury apartments here a bit more." He had a cocky grin back on his face; she seemed to be taking it in and didn't seem upset at the notion.

"Yeah, it's nice to have some peace and quiet to study in. I hadn't really thought much about the kitchen – thanks for the hot chocolate."

They both slipped comfortably into a gently chatter, neither referring to their first night, but getting to know one another, asking about families, homes, pets, friends and hobbies. Hermione spoke often of Harry and Ron, and it was a relief to Rhys that it was definitely in a brotherly fashion. When conversation slowed, Rhys stood, not wanting to push it "See you tomorrow then," winked cheesily at Hermione and turned, leaving her to consider their new 'friendship'.

AN: Please review – it drives me to write more often!