AN: Hey everyone! So I had found my notes for the story and realized that I mucked up the time line already xD So I am updating this. As of 6-30-18 this chapter is officially compliant with HBP. Each chapter will be getting updated within the next day or two as well. So until they are all finished, please overlook any simple timeline issues, as they will be corrected soon. Thank you!

Also, I don't own Harry Potter, or Dramione would be cannon. Ali.

"Your assignment this week is 10 inches on the history, characteristics, and effects on Amortentia due no later than end of the day Friday." Slughorn announces joyfully to the class. I sighed and relaxed in my chair. 10 inches wasn't too bad, 10 inches I can handle. "Class is dismissed. Mr. Malfoy can I speak to you for a moment please?"

I grabbed my items from around my table and said goodbye to the Hufflepuff that was sitting beside me.

"10 inches!? Merlin's beard the professors are trying to kill us this year, Harry!" A loud voice complained behind me. I rolled my eyes at the whining. It was only the beginning of October, he should have expected the assignments by now.

"Don't I know it mate." another boys voice spoke lowly. "We could just borrow Hermione's-"

"You most certainly will not!" I said rounding on them. The two boys were grinning widely and already fighting back laughter. "I already did two of your assignments this year, Harry Potter. This is the easiest class that you have." I gave him a pointed look, "That book seems to be helping you along nicely." I knew I needed to stop bothering him about that wretched book. Classes had barely started 5 weeks ago and I already could feel the tension when I mentioned it. But, it was absolutely maddening that he kept it around.

"Well maybe I've just studied over the summer." The dark haired boy said, but I still noted that his grip tightened around the book, before he shoved it into his bag. Harry flipped his dark black hair out of his eyes and gave me an easy smile. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Ron, laughing at the sight of him, easing the anger that had started to simmer.

"Ronald, your hair is stuck straight up. You look ridiculous. Did you fall asleep in class again?" He denied that he did, yet as we towards the back of the class he started messing with his hair and asked Harry how it looked. He looked adorable fussing with his bright red hair. His uniform was a hand-me down from one of the twins, so it was a bit small on him, but he filled it out well. He had been practicing for Quidditch tryouts all summer, and you could tell.

I had spent some time at the Weasley's the summer past and I felt like Ron and I were starting to get to the same page. I would catch his glimpses of me when he thought I wasn't looking. Even just thinking about it made my cheeks go pink.

"Why would I do that!?" a very sharp and agitated voice cut through the air.

I turned to look at them. Draco Malfoy was clearly struggling to maintain his composure as Slughorn continued to talk to him in hushed tones. He was shaking his head and I swear I heard Slughorn mention Lucius, Dracos father. That made Draco snap to attention, his eyes narrowed slightly. I could tell from across the room that he was trying to charm Slughorn, but the professor continued to shake his head. With a huff he glanced towards me, and then full on faced me. I jumped back.

Great, he had caught me staring at him. I blushed, ducked my head, and hurried out the door to catch up with Harry and Ron. They weren't too far ahead and didn't seem to notice when I reappeared alongside of them. They had started talking about quidditch, something that had been the hot topic since Ron beat Cormic McLaggen for keeper almost a month ago. I decided to ignore them as we approached the Great Hall. I was trying not to think about the fact that I had been staring at Malfoy, and subsequently got caught by the boy himself.

"Hey Granger!" Damn, obviously pretending it didn't happen wasn't going to be an option. I stopped and turned around, Harry and Ron immediately putting their hands on their wands. I rolled my eyes. Though I won't lie it made my heart jump when Ron got protective. However I tugged on both boys arms until they released their wands, muttering about how we were prefects to Ron. Malfoy swaggered up to us, with a devilish smirk on his face. His hair hadn't been cut over the summer and was starting to hang into his steel grey eyes.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron snapped at him. Draco's raised an eyebrow and his smirk deepened considerably. It was the first time in a long time I had noticed him look slightly relaxed, not that I noticed him often. Parvati and Lavender tended to point it out quite a lot though.

"Listen Weasley, I need to talk to Granger. So if you could please get off her leg, I would appreciate it." Ron went for his wand again, but I put my hand on his arm and shook my head with a huff.

"What do you need, Malfoy?" I asked him. His eyes snapped to me and his smirk completely vanished, in favor of a slightly more disgusted look, and his eyebrows furrowed together.

"I need a favor." My jaw dropped. Ron and Harry both snorted and folded their arms across their chest.

"You have better luck asking McGonagall not do give us homework for the rest of the semester." Harry announced.

"Harry!" I snapped, he shrugged at me, as if saying 'it's true though.' I shook my head. I looked back at Malfoy and, I can't explain it, but something inside me told me I needed to hear him out. In a very hesitated voice I said, "Can we discuss this after dinner? I can meet you outside of the Great Hall." Draco nodded once at me, and then his smirk came back as he saluted the boys and walked away.

"Hermione you cannot seriously be-" Harry started.

"You know that he is just trying to curse you!" Ron shouted

"- death eater for all we know!"

"-first year! Are you bloody-"

"Enough!" I cut them both off. "I love you boys, but just shut up! I am more than capable of taking care of myself. Besides Harry, you have no proof that he is a Death Eater. If you did than you would have gone to Dumbledore. Now let's go eat!" Usually the mention of food is enough to end any argument or conversation that we are having, but they were not letting go of it. Both boys continued to speak over each other as I walked into the Hall.

So I ignored them as best as I could.

Harry and Ron only stopped their protests once we reached the table and they were both distracted by something else that made them upset. Ginny was sitting in her usual spot and had Dean Thomas's arm around her shoulders. Ron darkened because it was his little sister and it pissed him off to think that anyone would touch his sister in any way. Harry, though he had never admitted it out loud, was grumpy for a different reason entirely; Ron just assumed it was because Harry thought of Ginny like a little sister too. I don't know if even Harry fully understood what he was feeling towards Ginny.

I would be lying if I said that I was fine during dinner. I couldn't pay attention to half of the conversation, because I was too busy being nervous. It wasn't that I thought Draco was a Death Eater, because it is ridiculous to think that Voldemort would be interested in having a 16 year old boy in his army. I was nervous because if there is one thing that I know about Draco Malfoy it is that he loves being the center of attention and he was cruel. It didn't help that one of his favorite past times seems to be making fun of and trying to ridicule me. I can't believe that I actually suggested that we meet. Alone. Ugh. Maybe Harry and Ron were right and-

"Are you okay Hermione?" Ginny asked, finally breaking through my worried thoughts.

"Oh! Uh, yes, I am fine." I said with a shaky smile. Harry saw through it. He locked his green eyes on mine and leaned towards me.

"You don't have to go meet him you know. Just say the word and we will go over there and tell him to leave you the hell alone." He slapped Rons arm who, with a full mouth, agreed. There Harry went again. Not only being a great best friend to me, but also treating me like his little sister. I think that he sometimes forgets that I am older than him.

"Tell who?" Ginny said, suddenly becoming angry at whoever was threatening me.

"It's Malfoy," I sighed. "He needs a favor and I told him that we could meet up after dinner to talk about whatever it is."

"Why would you want to do that?" Ginny asked, genuinely confused. "You should have just told him to take a hike. In fact the Forbidden Forest is lovely this time of year." I laughed.

"Honestly? I am kind of curious about what it is that he wants. I am just worried because it is Malfoy, and whatever it is that he wants. I have always been the last person that he would want to ever be around, but suddenly he walks up to me and asks me for a favor? I don't know, it's just weird."

"You are too curious." Ginny said shaking her head. I just shrugged and went back to eating my food. Maybe I was a little too curious, but even so it took all of my willpower not to look up to the Slytherin table for the rest of dinner.

When I had stalled finishing my food for as long as I could I reluctantly starting packing up my stuff. Harry offered to come again, but I just waved him off as Ron sucked him into another conversation about Quidditch. While it was completely silly to think that I needed help, I appreciated it all the same. Ginny and Dean stood to leave the same time I did, so we of the Great Hall together. Malfoy stood against the wall directly across from the doors. He seemed annoyed as he shoved something into his pocket upon seeing me. Dean continued up the stairs towards the common room but Ginny hung back for a minute.

"I will see you in a few?" she asked, staring intently at Draco instead of facing me.

"Of course, go on now." She did so hesitantly, and I had to push her up the first stair. I sighed and continued toward Malfoy.

"You are the slowest eater that I have ever seen." His voice was flat.

"Sorry." I said, mainly out of reflex. It was something Harry and Ron had told me all the time.

"Come on." Was his only reply and he started walking toward the main door of Hogwarts.

"Where are we going?" I asked him, following an extra few feet back than I probably needed to.

"Outside, where female Weaselbe can't have me in her cross hairs while we talk." His face almost broke out into a smirk when he said that. "Come on, Granger, hurry up. It is nearly freezing outside and I promise that I am not going to hurt you or anything." I sighed and picked up the pace till we were standing side by side.

He was right, it was freezing out tonight, I was lucky that the Hogwarts robes were thick enough to be warm. The robes didn't shield my face though and the wind was just harsh enough to whip my hair around my eyes.

We walked a while without saying anything. It was extremely uncomfortable so I focused on the grounds around us. The moon was bright enough that it reflected on the snow and made it easy to see the shoveled courtyard.

"First," he started off with a deep sigh, "I want it noted that I was totally against this idea and that I am here because it was either you or Potter." He visibly darkened and a tremor ran through him when he said Harry's name. He ran a hand through his hair as we stopped and I stared at him. I was extremely uncomfortable, that wasn't a great way to start out a conversation. "And let's be honest, if I asked Potter he would laugh in my face, and then I would have to curse him. And as much fun as that sounds, I cannot get into more trouble right now."

"Malfoy, just come out with it. What do you need?"

He stood up to his full height and stared down at me.

"I need you to be my Potions tutor."