Disclaimer: Everything recognizable belongs to Mrs JK Rowling

Previously:

"I'm dating Draco Malfoy," Skye blurted out.

Instantly, Skye's eyes widened and she clamped a hand over her mouth. Hermione gasped in shock, Ginny's jaw dropped and even Blaise appeared surprised.

An hour later, Skye was still being asked questions by three completely baffled teens. "So just how long has this been going on for?" Hermione asked.

"Almost three months," Skye responded.

"And why didn't you tell us?" Ginny demanded.

Skye shrugged. "I actually don't know. Draco and I, we just decided that it would be better this way. I mean, who would actually believe us?"

"True," Blaise said, lost in thought.

"Besides," Skye said, turning to Blaise. "I thought you knew. You've been acting strange around me whenever Draco's been mentioned."

Blaise coughed awkwardly. "That's cause I thought you two hated each other," he muttered. "I'm dating your best mate and he's mine so…"

"Obviously they don't hate each other that much," Ginny scoffed.

"Anyway," Hermione said, curiosity seeping into her voice. "How did this start anyway?"

"Err," Skye said. "You remember when we were put into partners in Potions right?"

Flashback

The class had just started when Draco Malfoy ambled casually into the Potions classroom. Snape barely glanced at the late student and continued writing on the board. Skye scowled. If that was her, she would be serving detention with Snape that night.

Oh, how she hated the preferential treatment so blatantly showed by the Potions Master to his Slytherin students and especially that blonde git. Skye especially hated his slicked back white blonde hair. She realised, on closer inspection, that if she could shake it loose from all the gel it would look significantly sexier.

Whoa! Skye's eyes widened. She did not just think that. She did not just think that Draco Malfoy could be sexy. She did not just think he could be sexier! This was Malfoy, for heavens sake. Her sworn enemy.

Harry nudged her in the side. "What's with staring at Malfoy?" he whispered.

Skye rolled her eyes. "Just thinking how terrible it would be to be partnered with him," Skye spat distastefully.

End Flashback.

"And of course," Skye said. "With my luck, Snape heard and partnered me with him."

"And that was that?" Hermione asked, an eyebrow rose.

"Basically," Skye said. "We just got closer and moved past the whole hating each other thing."

"So you moved from enemies to snogging buddies then?" Ginny asked, deadpanned.

"NO!" Skye exclaimed. "We're not snogging buddies!"

"So you don't snog at all?" Blaise asked incredulously.

"Of course we do," Skye said, rolling her eyes. "But that's not all we do. We talk, we do homework, we just sit…"

"Draco Malfoy? Content to just sit around with you?" Blaise shook his head. "I think we're talking about different people here."

"But that's the thing!" Skye said, frustrated. "He's different around me. I know that sounds so clichéd, but its true."

"So when did things start to change then?" Hermione asked.

"I guess it did all begin that Potions lesson," Skye began.

Flashback

Scowling, Skye shifted her things over to Malfoy's table, as far away from him as possible. "You know Potter," he drawled. "I don't bite that bad."

"Wouldn't surprise me if you did," Skye shot back, raising her head to look at him.

Hazel eyes met blue and at once Skye was stuck by the striking colour of Malfoy's eyes and the depth they seemed to hold.

They held eye contact for a while before Malfoy broke away, a slight blush rising on his pale cheeks. Skye, too, was feeling a little embarrassed and awkward for reasons she could not fathom.

Silently, they worked on their potion, only exchanging necessary words.

The pair were first cleaned up at the end of the lesson and were left sitting awkwardly next to each other.

"You free tomorrow night?" Skye asked finally.

"What? Why?" Malfoy's head shot up.

"Cause we'll have to work on the project," Skye explained.

"Er, sure," Malfoy said, avoiding eye contact. "Meet you at seven in the library?"

"Sounds good," Skye said.

The pair lapsed into silence again, and exchanged uncomfortable farewells once the bell rang.

End Flashback

"And things just snowballed from there," Skye concluded. "We started calling each other by first names and then we started meeting even when we didn't have to. We finished the project but still met up and helped each other with homework. We ate dinner in the kitchens together and…"

"Eventually you kissed," Hermione finished matter-of-factly.

"Yeah," Skye shrugged. "He asked me to be his girlfriend and that was that. We started meeting more regularly and it was kinda a mutual decision to not tell anybody about us."

"I still don't get why not," Ginny crossed her arms and glared at her friend. "Didn't you think you could trust us?"

"No!" Skye exclaimed. "That wasn't it at all. There was just my family and his family, my friends and his friends, my house and his house. Just everything would be trying to pull us apart. So we thought the longer we could keep it a secret the more time we would have together without so many complications."

"That makes sense, I guess," Hermione said after a while.

"I trust you both," Skye insisted. "I really do. And I know Draco trusts you, Blaise. But it just felt good for it to be just the two of us."

Ginny exchanged a glance with Hermione. "I guess we can forgive you then," they smiled.

Skye let out a squeal and hugged her friends tightly.

Ginny grinned at her. "So what did he get you for your birthday?" She asked cheekily.

Skye ducked her head embarrassedly but couldn't stop the smile from spreading over her face.

"Come on," Hermione encouraged. "Show us."

Shyly, Skye reached to her neck and drew out a beautiful necklace which she wore hidden under her top. A floating heart imprinted with a single diamond hung from a white gold chain. (A/N Link to a picture of this necklace is on my profile)

Hermione and Ginny let out twin gasps of amazement.

"Bloody hell," Ginny whispered hoarsely. "That must have cost a fortune."

Hermione nodded her agreement mutely. Even Blaise seemed incredibly impressed, letting out a low whistle.

"I wouldn't have thought Draco would have known what to get a girl, let alone getting something like this," he said.

Skye smiled. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

Hermione and Ginny nodded. "Was there a note?" Hermione asked.

"Of course," Skye said.

"And what did it say?" Hermione asked impatiently.

Reaching into her trunk, Skye pulled out a piece of worn parchment and handed it wordlessly to her friends.

Curiously, the two girls leaned over the parchment.

Skye,

I saw this and could only think of you.

A single word entered my head, true of both this gift and yourself: beautiful.

I love you.

Draco.

"Oh my god," Hermione breathed.

"That's so…" Ginny seemed to be struggling for words.

"Incredibly sweet?" Skye suggested.

The girls nodded in silence. Blaise chuckled and all heads instantly snapped to him.

"What?" Skye asked.

"I was at his house around July 30th and there was so much crumpled up parchment thrown about the room," Blaise said. "He seemed incredibly embarrassed and wouldn't let me read any of them."

"Naww," Skye grinned. "Obviously struggling for words."

"I think he did okay in the end," Ginny said.

Hermione nodded her agreement. "It's gorgeous."

"What's gorgeous?" A familiar voice came from the now opened compartment door.

Everyone froze and turned to the door. Skye plastered a smile on her face and said as lightly as she could manage, "Me, of course."

Rhia scoffed. "Sure Skye," she said.

"I am," Skye pouted. "How was the prefect meeting?"

"Okay," Rhia said. "You'll never believe who…"

She froze, having taken her first proper look around the compartment.

"What the fuck is Zabini doing in here?"

A/N And so there's Chapter 3! I know some of you have added me to your alerts so I want to ask you to please just drop me a review, it doesn't matter how short it is, just to let me know what you think about the story so far. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!