I don't own Potter land. Um, no.

AN: So this chapter is a little filler-ish, but whatevs. I'm setting up for later drama. As in, the next chapter over.

Three days later Hermione was just dragging her feet up to her single when a hand on her shoulder made her jump ten feet. Well, nearly ten feet. Hand over her rapidly beating heart, she whirled about to see Draco standing there and immediately collapsed against him in relief.

"Sorry, did I scare you-" he began, but was cut off quickly as Hermione gained her breath and senses back.

"Draco! What in god's name were you doing? How dare you sneak up on me that way-"

Flustered at her response and a little upset at her yelling at him and them only being back two days, he silenced her with a fervent kiss. Hermione was so surprised she fell back against the wall of the staircase and Draco followed her, pressing his body against the length of hers, keeping his mouth on her lips and his hands on her waist.

After several seconds of silent, heated kissing, Draco finally pulled away.

"Hello to you, too," he murmured and Hermione flushed even further, then pushed at him until he let her move. She opened the door of her chamber and allowed him inside without another word. He watched her set her things down and begin shuffling through more papers and books before he broke the silence.

"I am sorry for startling you," he said slowly and Hermione turned to him. She pursed her lips thoughtfully and sat down at her table, a stack of books before her.

"It's ok," she replied. "Just please don't do it again. I have enough things to worry about without wondering if you're going to be lurking around every corner, waiting to pounce."

"Waiting to pounce?" he responded, an incredulous look on his face. "Hermione, we're seeing each other, for Merlin's sake- not to mention all the other things. So what, are we back at the start again now that we're back at school? Going to make me grovel for your affections at every turn?"

"That's not what I meant, Draco-"

"I'm under a lot of stress too, you know!"

"Draco, that is absolutely not what I meant," Hermione replied coolly, tossing her quill down. "I'm still wearing the ring, aren't I?"

She waved her hand at him and he could see she was, indeed, still wearing the ring. He relaxed some.

"Alright, but what-"

"And I'm greeting you in all our classes and just yesterday I gave you a hug after we saw each other at dinner. In the Great Hall. In front of everyone."

Draco's mind wandered a bit at that memory, about how her arms had willingly, even gladly, slipped about his shoulders; and he'd had a nose full of her hair and her soft body against him; and it had been so lovely he couldn't breathe for a second just remembering.

He sighed and slouched onto her chaise. She rolled her eyes and picked up her quill again.

"I only meant what I said, that I'd prefer no more surprises than the one stewing in my womb at the moment, alright? That's all. Don't sneak up on me anymore."

He laid back and contemplated her for a moment. "Ok," he responded slowly. "But in the meantime why don't you tell me what the Weasel has been up to that's got you on edge?"

She dropped her quill again, this time from surprise and her cheeks turned bright red. Draco sat up.

"Ah-ha!" he crowed. "I'm right! What did he do? Tell me- I'll take care of it for you."

"I don't want you two taking care of anything to do with each other," she muttered. "And it's Ron or Ronald, or Weasley, not the Weasel. Though he's certainly been acting like one," she added to herself.

Draco frowned. "People expect us to argue with one another," he said. "They don't expect me to try and get along with your friends just for your sake, just because you're having my baby and I decided to 'do the right thing.'"

"But what if I want you to get along?" she asked pointedly. "What if I'm sick of everyone being at each others' throats?"

Draco's face softened some, but not entirely. "Hermione, we talked about this."

"When? When did we discuss what either of us really wants out of this?"

"Hermione…you knew when we got back to school that things…they'd be different."

Hermione gave a frustrated sigh and stared down at her book. "I know that, I do. But it's so hard, when Ron is still trying to worm his way into the situation, and Harry is constantly suspecting you of doing something awful, or evil, and I know you're not like that! I can defend you with the truth, but at the same time I have to stay quiet and give enigmatic replies when they ask me for my opinion."

Draco's sighed mirrored hers and he watched her sadly. "That's part of why I didn't want to have to tell you about it," he said. "This secret- it has the potential to go twice as wrong as ours. I'm really no good for you, Hermione. All this extra stress can't be helpful."

Hermione was up in a flash and seated beside him before he could blink. She took his hands. "Oh, no, Draco. I didn't mean it like that. I'll be fine. I've just been worrying out loud. I- you haven't been friends with me as long, of course, but Harry and Ron and Ginny are used to it. I just get this way when I'm concerned about the people I care about." She smiled at him. "We're in this together now, right?"

"Right," he murmured. But somehow, that didn't make him feel any better. He slipped a hand along her face, cupping her cheek and tilting her head. He kissed her again, more slowly. He could feel her pulse pounding from nerves and he smiled into the kiss.

"Relax, Hermione," he whispered against her lips as he slid his other hand around her back and pulled her close.

"What, is this your answer for everything?" she gasped in return, but didn't try to leave his arms.

"When the girl I like won't shut it, yeah," he breathed and began running kisses along her jaw, up to her ear and back down her neck. She shivered in his arms.

"Draco…"

"Relax," he said again and covered her lips with his. Hermione could feel a slow heat building in her nether regions and she squirmed against him some; not sure if she wanted to murder him for being such an arrogant bastard; or tear off all his clothes and have her way with him. She settled for opening her mouth to his and letting him have a certain amount of his way with her, instead. After all, she was hormonal and stressed and needed a distrac- oh.

"Draco," she breathed and he lifted his head.

"Mmm?" he responded with a lazy, satisfied smile. His pupils were definitely dilated, though his eyes were narrowed to near slits, heavy with desire. She nearly went off just from the way he looked at her. Why was it their snogging sessions at school were so much more exciting?

"Because we're not technically supposed to be having them," he replied and bent his head to his task again. Hermione ran her fingers through his hair and held him to her. She hadn't even realized she'd spoken aloud.

"Hermione, love," he murmured, "you're mumbling non stop. It's sort of flattering, but mostly I just want to hear you making those lovely- ah, there we are," he said as a long sigh escaped her lips. With both their cheeks flushed, their breath coming in short gasps, their hands tangled about one another and robes in various stages of disarray, Hermione finally begged for air.

Draco sat up slowly and hovered over her as she lay back against the chaise, catching her breath and looking delightfully flustered and incredibly turned on. He started to place more kisses along her neck and she shoved at him.

"Draco!"

"Hermione," he replied teasingly and she growled at him.

"I love it when you threaten me," he responded. "Best part of my day."

She groaned. "Draco, come on, please? Let me up."

He caught her hands above her head and held her wrists with one hand. "And why? Got somewhere else to be?"

"No, but-"

"A secret assignation, perhaps?"

"Draco!"

"Then no," he replied with mock sorrow. "I'm afraid I can't let you up."

Several more minutes of kissing followed and Hermione finally, in desperation, brought a knee up. Draco jumped out of the way just in time.

"Merlin, witch!" he hissed and she gave him a small, triumphant smile.

"It's not that this isn't lovely," she said, "but I do have homework to attend to. So unless you wanted to work on it with me, or have something important to discuss, would you mind…?" Her voice trailed off and she gestured to the door.

He clasped one hand over his heart. "I knew it! You're leaving me for your books- how can I compete with an inanimate object? My suit is in vain!"

Hermione laughed and Draco grinned easily at her. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked and she shrugged, but looked admittedly hopeful.

"We have a number of the same classes."

"We do," he replied. "And I just happened to bring my books with me. Fancy that." Not that he'd been hoping for an invitation, or anything. Not that he had zero desire to spend any time studying with his old friends. Because he did want to spend time with them. Just not as much as he wanted to spend time with Hermione.

But that was a good thing, right? It was all part of their plan to make their relationship seem more real to everyone else…not to mention make sure he captured her heart forever. Not that he was trying to do that. Much.

He sat at the table beside her and began to pull out his own things.

"So," he began, pasting a smile on his face, "what's first?"

And so their first weeks back at school went by, filled with study dates, snogging sessions, and trips to the library and infirmary. The time was punctuated by the occasional spats between Draco and Hermione's other friends, but for the most part people steered clear of them. There was Harry on one side, who refused to let people speak ill of one of his best friends, and Draco stood on the other side, daring his Slytherin cohorts to speak ill of himself, the Dark Lord's chosen one.

They were well into Hermione's fifth month and Valentine's Day was past (a most successful holiday, Draco told himself proudly as he fed Hermione more Parisian chocolates) before any sort of real altercations took place, but even then Hermione wasn't entirely distressed. She'd been expecting people to be rude to her once she started to show in earnest, and it was awfully hard to miss the pregnant student wandering about Hogwarts. That was what Hermione told Draco, anyway, when she defended the students he'd caught staring at her. Never mind that the students were boys and had been making decidedly lewd gestures with their hands.

"They're just being stupid," Hermione insisted.

"And offensive," Draco muttered, glaring at the boys in question. Hermione tugged on his arm.

"Draco, I won't stand here and be privy to this- this overblown wanking contest! Now come on," she said and he finally turned about when the other boys began snickering.

"You go on," he said coolly. "I'll be in to dinner in a minute."

Hermione glared at him, then at the boys and finally threw her hands up in disgust and stalked off to the great hall, muttering about alpha males and pack behavior. Ginny caught up with her and looped her arm through Hermione's, slowing her down.

"What's the matter?" she asked and Hermione slumped onto a bench.

"Draco," she muttered.

"What about him?" Harry asked immediately. He'd been following Ginny closely and now he sat beside them. "Has he done something else?"

"Oh, not that again, Harry!" Hermione practically growled at him. "Honestly, haven't I told you often enough that-"

"Right, that it's because of his father's status that you gain protection and so no one can hurt you, not even him. But you're not the only one who knows how to use the library, Hermione. I looked up some information on protective enchantments based on blood ties and guess what I found?"

Hermione paled and beside her, Ginny clutched at her arm.

"I was going to say that Dumbledore's trusting him should be enough for you, before you so rudely interrupted me." Hermione found she didn't have to feign the anger that hid her fear. "Harry, I really don't think-"

But Harry rushed forward, breaking in before she could stop him. "I couldn't find any evidence of such a spell working on second generations," he said triumphantly. "In everything I read, it has to be a first generation connection. An immediate family relation. You know what that means, don't you."

"No, Harry, what does that mean?" Ginny asked coolly, finding her voice. Harry faltered slightly before picking up the thread.

"Er, it means that Malfoy's been lying to you, probably. I doubt you're protected at all, unless he really is a Death Eater."

Hermione's lip quivered, but whether it was from sorrow or anger, Harry didn't find out, because just then Ron joined them.

"Oy, you know Malfoy's out there harassing some second years on your behalf?" he said, poking at Hermione.

"I was quite aware of that, thank you, Ronald," she replied spitefully. "It's nice to have someone whom I can at least trust to do the right thing and stick up for me when I need it."

Harry flushed. "Hermione, I'm only trying to-"

"I know what you're trying to do, Harry, and I don't appreciate it. I can take care of myself! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to eat dinner with my boyfriend." And she edged off the bench with as much dignity as she could muster, and headed for the doors to wait for Draco.

Ginny glared at her own boyfriend and brother. "You two are such clods sometimes."

Harry had the decency to look ashamed, though he cast furtive glances at the same door Hermione waited at, ever on the look out for suspicious behavior. Ron only looked up from where he'd started in on his food, a slack jawed expression on his face.

"What?" he asked. Ginny shook her head and opened a book, decidedly ignoring them both.

At the Slytherin table a few days afterwards, Hermione settled herself beside a slightly surprised, but overall delighted, Draco Malfoy. Not that he could let his classmates see how delighted he was. But Hermione knew all about that, so she didn't mind. Much.

"And to what do I owe this pleasu- oof!" he said and rubbed his stomach where her elbow had hit him.

She pretended like she didn't know what she'd just done, so he pretended as well. After all, she was so out of sorts it was entirely possible she didn't know. Case in point- she'd just handed her book bag to a disgruntled and confused Blaise Zabini, who shot Draco a look that said, what the bleeding hell, you stupid wanker, tell your girlfriend to fuck off. I'd do it myself, but I'm a little scared of her. Draco sneered at him and then turned back to Hermione.

"Tell me what's wrong, love."

Hermione gave him a dark look. Despite Ginny's best efforts, Harry hadn't let up on Hermione with his theories about Draco. In fact, by her estimation, he'd only gotten worse, because he'd hidden his attempts to convince her behind his friendship. Even Ron seemed more palatable after an afternoon spent avoiding Harry's crazy theories.

"Harry is following you again," she informed Draco.

"You know, it's very flattering but- what?"

"Harry," she said slowly, "Is. Following. You. Again. He's bloody obsessed with you. At this rate he's going to start sneaking into my room just to try and get more information! Do you know what he did the other day?"

"No, Hermione, because I don't follow him around. He's just not that interesting to me anymore."

"Well, you're interesting to him. And he's been reading up on, you know. The protection thing?"

"Ah."

"Yes, and he's so…" Hermione paused as she realized that all the Slytherins around them had suddenly grown extremely interested in their conversation. She flushed, gave a little wave, and then snatched her bag from Zabini's outstretched hands. Draco glared at everyone, and he and Hermione suddenly had a large space of table and bench all to themselves.

Hermione laughed a little and then propped her chin on her hand and watched as Draco finished his lunch.

"So," he said.

"I know," she replied. "I nearly blew that, didn't I?"

"It's hormones," Draco hazarded and Hermione frowned.

"No. Harry's really getting under my skin with this. And instead of me making things better, he just pesters me more about it."

Draco eyed her. "And what do you want me to do about it? Shall I go up to him and announce myself?"

Hermione looked aghast. "Lord, no!"

"Well, then."

"I just…I guess I just wanted to talk to someone about it."

"Oh." Draco suddenly felt a little silly. "In that case, let me put on my empathizing face." He pulled a long face, big eyes, and drew his brows together in mock sympathy. "Did he really?" he asked in a high-pitched voice, followed with, "No!" And then a gasp and a hand to his chest. "How dare he!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled some more. "You're incorrigible."

"Yes, I know. And Potter is thick. You have nothing to worry about, Hermione."

Hermione shook her head and leaned forward quickly to give him a kiss on the cheek. He took it, surprised again, and smiled back at her as she stood up.

"I have to go. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied. "Feel better?"

"Not really. But that's alright. I am hormonal, after all."

"Hermione, you've known Potter for ages. I'm sure he's just being his normal obnoxious self," Draco offered.

Hermione frowned. "Like you?"

"Ouch."

"Look, it's not that," she said. "I know he's thick. But he's also very clever just when you least expect it. And he's extremely tenacious. That's why I worry." She gave Draco one more small smile. "I'll see you later, Draco."

And with a final wave, she left. Draco stared after her for a moment until he suddenly felt that inexplicable sensation of someone staring. He turned and scanned the Great Hall.

Across the hall, at the Gryffindor table, Harry Potter was attempting to surreptitiously bore holes into Draco's forehead. Draco finally noticed him, and he knew he shouldn't- knew Potter would just end up bothering Hermione more for it, but it was like he couldn't help it. Not when Potter made it so easy. So Draco smiled a slow, particularly evil smile, and then gave him a tiny wave from the tips of his fingers.

He was rewarded with Potter's face turning red in one second flat. Then Draco gathered his own things and strolled from the hall.

Ron wondered what had made Harry spill his pumpkin juice.

AN: And how was that? You have to tell me, because I don't read minds.