Disclaimer: I don't own these people, don't sue me! Please?

Months later Hermione stalked through the halls of Hogwarts clenching Harry's Invisibility cloak around her.

This would be a lot easier if Harry hadn't given the Marauders Map to Professor Moody she couldn't help but think as she inched closer and closer to the Slytherin common room. She knew what she was doing was stupid and possibly dangerous but she couldn't help herself, not after what she had read about earlier in the day.

After several minutes of pacing without trying to make a sound she finally found an abandoned classroom not far from their common room. Hermione snuck into it, relocked it, and cast a Silencing Spell before flinging the cloak off. "Why am I even here? I don't know his schedule. I don't know if he ever wanders around on his own. This is stupid. Stupid and pointless."

But deep down she knew why she was pacing around an unused classroom so close to curfew. Draco Malfoy had gotten to her. She'd tried so hard to ignore him after the Yule Ball, assuming he'd been drunk on Butterbeer or that the kiss and conversation had been a part of some elaborate plan to humiliate her but it hadn't worked. What she feared most was that the side of himself he'd shown at the ball, the caring lost boy, was really there only buried under years of the prejudices taught by his family. He was a mystery, an enigma that she desperately wanted to solve.

Then the article about her supposed relationship with Harry had been released and she suddenly wanted nothing more than a confrontation with the blonde Slytherin.

Finally deciding to give up she threw the Invisibility Cloak back on, rushed out the door and ran straight into Draco Malfoy.

In the blink of an eye Draco had his wand out and was staring right at her even though there was no possible way he could really see her. Instead of worrying about that conundrum she grabbed his arm and shoved him back into the classroom, quickly hitting him with a Body Bind curse before he could strike out at her first.

"Sorry to do that Malfoy but after reading that article I knew I had to speak with you." She slid the cloak off and sat on the table where Draco could see her. "I figured my only chance would involve getting you alone. Now don't attack, I just want to talk." She released the spell on him but didn't lower her wand.

Draco was taunting her the second he was released from the spell. "It's not safe down here for Gryffindors. I thought you were smart enough to realize that but apparently not. I could have you disarmed and tied up in my common room in seconds."

Hermione watched him closely as he paced the room and cast a quick Silencing Charm on the room. His eyes kept daring to the door as though he were worried. She heard the coldness in his voice but she also saw the brief flicker of amusement in his eyes when he chastised her.

"If you were going to curse me or kidnap me then you already would have tried to do so. But what I don't know is why you talked to Skeeter about my love life." Hermione folded her legs up under her. She loosened her grip on her wand enough to signify she was comfortable but continued to hold it tight enough to indicate she didn't completely trust him.

Draco shrugged his shoulders and shot her a glare. "Maybe I was just bored. It's always nice to get the Malfoy name out in the media."

"Will you stop being such an arse? It's just you and me in here so you can tell me the truth." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, unsure if she was angry at him for his behavior or angry at herself for caring in the first place.

Draco's laughter tore her from her thoughts. "Oh you thought I was serious back at the Yule Ball when I spoke of equality for Muggleborns?"

A few beats passed and she got up without a word.

"Where are you going?" he called out when she reached the door.

Hermione spun around to face him. "Honestly I should have known better. Next time I won't give you the benefit of the doubt."

Before she could turn back around she saw Draco slump onto one of the desks. "Wait Granger," he sighed.

"Why should I?"

"Because I am an arse. Pansy had been talking to Skeeter and she roped me into it too. If I would've refused a chance to humiliate you and Potter then they would have realized there's something wrong with me."

"I've always known there was something wrong with you Malfoy but what are you admitting to this time?" Hermione asked as she sat on the desk across from the one Draco was perched on.

Draco suddenly stood back up and kicked one of the chairs across the room out of frustration. "Damn it Hermione don't you understand? I spoke to Skeeter about you because I had no choice but to hurt you."

"Oh yes. Just because you're big bad Draco Malfoy it means you have to hurt people. That's a load of crap and you know it."

Draco stalked towards her, only stopping when his face was inches from his own. "I hate to break it to you but I did you a favor. That article may be embarrassing but it also might save your life."

"Oh really?" Hermione sneered. "And how is that?"

"If everyone believes you to be infatuated with Potter? Well that's just funny. If they knew I couldn't stop thinking about you? That would practically be a death sentence," Draco whispered in her ear.

Hermione's mind raced and she quickly stumbled on the realization that Draco was right. If their schoolmates, or Merlin forbid, Draco's family knew they were speaking and that they'd kissed? Well all hell would break loose. And if Voldemort truly did come back to power only to find the son of a favored Death Eater with the Muggleborn friend of Harry Potter…

"We'd both be dead if they knew we had anything to do with one another, especially if Voldemort finds a way to come back to power," she whispered. He winced when she spoke the name of the Dark Lord but did not chastise her for it.

Tears started to form in her eyes as she realized that ever since he'd shown her his caring human side she'd been hoping to save him, prevent him from turning into a monster. But it seemed as though their roles in life had been set the moments he had been born a Malfoy and she a Muggleborn.

Draco nodded his head. "You have no idea how much I wish things were different. You are the only witch in this school who is even worth my time but it is just not possible."

He kissed her on the forehead and turned to walk away. "Do me a favor and be careful, okay?" he said just before walking out the door.

Hermione bit her lip as she stared after him and that's when she came to a startling realization. She didn't just want to save Draco from himself, she was quickly becoming attracted to him which actually made sense in an odd way. He was always just a few steps behind her academically, much closer than anyone else her age. He challenged her wits and her talents. And he was a bad boy that she had no business becoming involved with.

Hermione sighed as she finished her bit of the story as she magicked the dishes onto the table. "As you can imagine the summer between Fourth and Fifth Year was intense. I was terrified by Voldemort's return, upset that Harry might get expelled and conflicted about my feelings for Draco."

"I still can't believe you never mentioned any of that to me," Ginny complained as she piled her plate with food. As a professional Quidditch player she was always starving. "I'm not sure if I'll ever forgive you for that."

"It makes sense that she would hide her feelings especially if she were ashamed of them. I wouldn't do that of course but most people do," Luna pointed out.

"I was not ashamed of my feelings! I was confused and afraid which is very different."

"But you still could have said something, I wouldn't have judged you! I would have been proud that you were crushing on such a hottie!" Ginny exclaimed.

Draco blushed, Harry rolled his eyes and Ron spit a mouthful of food across the table at Ginny's proclamation. "Maybe we shouldn't be discussing this when there's food involved," Hermione sighed.