Author's Note: Yes I know that the last chapter was a bit short. I figured that it was a good spot to leave off. No complaining just enjoy please? I'm glad to see that my story became so popular so fast. Glad to know that I have fans. Thanks guys. Okay no more bullshit here's the third chapter. Enjoy, 3 A.J.M. Pendragon

Monday...Three weeks into the term. Draco was standing at the entrance to the Library. He looked at his watch and then looked back at the corridor before him, tapping his foot impatiently. He looked up at the sound of hurried footsteps. There she is...Finally. "Where Have You Been?" He asked Hermione, a slight trace of anger and annoyance in his voice.

"I do have a life you know. I was busy with my friends doing things that were more important."

"Don't push me Granger, you and I both know that we have a lot of homework to do. N.E.W.T's...This sucks."

"Stop complaining.." She muttered as she walked past him and sat down at one of the tables. "What do you want to start on?" Why was she bothering to help him? Plain and simple. She was scared to death of him, he wasn't just some Slytherin prat, this was a Death Eater that could and probably would try to kill her and her parents.

"I was thinking" Draco said as he sat down next to her. "That we should start on the Care of Magical Creatures essay...I mean you're friends with the brute and I don't know a lick about, nor would I like to know about, any of the blasted things he tries to get us to pet." Hermione just sighed and pulled out her copy of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' and flipped a few pages before making a delighted sound.

"We're doing a paper on the Level Five creatures...Which one?"

"I have no idea..." He looked at her book. "You decide."

"Fine." She pulled the book from him. "Manticore. A Highly dangerous Greek beast with the head of a man, body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. As dangerous as the Chimaera...Malfoy! Are you even listening to me? I Am Trying To Help You!" She glared at him. He was staring absentminded at her lips as she spoke. He jolted back to reality when she snapped at him.

"Huh? What? Um...Sorry...You were saying?"

"I was saying that the Manticore is just as dangerous and as rare as a Chimaera...It makes a cooing sound as it eats its pray, it's skin repels almost all charms and it's tail can sting you which causes instant death." Malfoy was busy scrawling notes on some parchment and did not look up right away. Hermione was staring at him, she had never really been this close to him before and never had the chance to notice how soft his hair looked. She shook her head and looked back at him. He looked up at her questioningly. "So the main part of the essay is to write about how to defend and if necessary destroy the animal. Do you at least know how to defend yourself against a Manticore?"

"Well...there really is no way is there? I mean...Impervious to charms...and you can't get close to it because it'll sting you and then you'll...well die. So just avoid them then eh?" He smiled halfheartedly, and for a moment it seemed like he had forgotten that he and Hermione were enemies.

"Well I guess so because...Oh bloody hell I can't think of anything, so yeah, let's go with that." Malfoy laughed at this.

"Really? You, the know it all mudblood, don't know the answer to a simple homework question?"

"Well I don't bloody well know all the fucking answers now do I?" She snapped at him before gathering up her books and started to walk away.

"No! Wait Please?" There was a hint of desperation in his voice that made her stop and turn. She looked at him and felt a pang of pity for him.

"Malfoy, it's late, when is your next free period?"

"Tomorrow, after Arithmacy."

"Meet me by the lake, we can work on that Ancient Runes homework then. Okay?" She smiled sweetly at him. Maybe...She isn't all that bad.

"I'll see you there." He said and she started walking away again. "Oh and Granger..." She stopped and turned around again. "For once, I am actually looking forward to doing some homework." Hermione felt her cheeks turn red as she turned around once again and left. Draco noticed himself staring at the spot where she was for a good ten minutes before he moved. He gathered his things and headed back down to his dormitory. He tossed his rucksack in the corner of his room, happy during moments like this that he had his own room, and threw himself onto his bed. He stared at the curtained top of his fourposter bed. For some reason he was in a great mood and he didn't want this feeling to end. He closed his eyes and drifted slowly asleep.

He awoke drenched in sweat again. Another bloody nightmare! God I hate her. He pummeled his pillow and shifted, his eyes fell on the window. It was such a lovely sight, the clouds were like inky black blots against a deep blue paper. The moon was full and it was just bright enough to light up the grounds as well. He got up to sit by the window, he watched a few owls fly by and he felt at peace. For a few moments it was as if nothing was wrong, the Dark Lord was not trying to kill half Wizard population off, his Father was not in jail, and he was not some pompous arse who thought blood mattered. It was just as it was, and he liked it that way.

The first few classes had flown by, and as he promised to Hermione he left her and her friends alone. He was getting glares from Potter and Weasley but he ignored it. He was in too good of a mood to let those two idiots to ruin his day. After his Arithmacy class he met up with Hermione by the lake. He had thought ahead and brought a blanket to sit on. He seated himself down and watched the lake again. There was no sign of the Giant Squid this time though. He laid back on the blanket and stared at the clouds. He brushed his hair out of his eyes with his hand and put them both behind his head before closing his eyes and listening to the birds. It wasn't until a shadow covered him when he opened his eyes again. He looked up into the soft brown eyes of Hermione.

"Why hello there Granger." Draco said with a smirk. "How were your classes?"

"Not bad. I really can not stand Professor Binns's lectures. I mean, it's not just Ron and Harry who fall asleep in that class. Everybody does, even me. I Hate it."

"Really Granger...You hate a class? This must be front page news! I'll go alert the Prophet right away!"

"You even try that Malfoy and I will curse your bits off." She said, it sounded like a threat but she was smiling when she said it. Better not to test her though. "So, shall we get started?" She asked him as she settled down next to him and pulled out her books. "Ancient Runes...Wait a minute, isn't Pansy in our class. Why are you asking for my help? Why can't she help you?" Malfoy cringed slightly at the mention of Pansy.

"If you must know...We broke up, and I cannot stand to be around her anymore."

"Why?"

"Must you ask so many questions Granger?"

"If you want my help with your homework." She smirked evilly at him, he glared.

"Well she cheated on me. With my neighbour Glenn..." Draco had a saddened look on his face.

"Really? I'm surprised..." Hermione said, more to herself than to Draco. He looked at her funny then continued.

"Well that's not it though...After I literally walked in on her and Glenn..." He made a gesture. "You know...Well I figured it was over. Big Mistake. Because then she caught me snogging Daphne, and she totally flipped her wig. So she screamed at me and I screamed back, and we've just not talked ever since." Now he looked like he was going to cry. Hermione put a comforting arm around him. Surprisingly he didn't push her away. It felt good to be cared about again. For a moment he felt great, but then he shrugged her off his shoulder. It was starting to feel like he had Pansy back for a moment, he didn't want that. "So...about this homework then?"

This Saturday was the first Hogsmead trip of the year. The first chance Draco had to hang out with his friends in a while. He woke up early and dragged Theo out of bed and forced him to go have breakfast with him. They headed down to an almost empty Great Hall and sat down at the very deserted Slytherin table.

"Draco you fuck, why are we up so early?"

"Hogsmead you prick. You're going to go with me to a few stores and then we'll have lunch at the Three Broomsticks. We'll meet people there."

"Well why aren't they up? All I see is us, some Hufflepuffs and that twat Potter and his friends."

"Because I want to get there early and get some of the 'shopping' I have to do, done first." Theo gave him a questioning look but said nothing and continued to eat his breakfast.

The trip to Hogsmead was very pleasant. Theo kept his mouth shut most of the time so Draco was able to listen to the birds and the other strange creatures that lurked in the forest around them. When they arrived in Hogsmead Draco made a beeline for Zonko's Joke Shoppe. Once inside he decided to slip away from Theo so he could purchase some items in peace. He then went down the road to a shoppe that was a little more...Adult...While he was there he bought himself some fun little aphrodisiac potions. He figured since he wasn't with Her anymore, why not try and get with someone else? Something inside of him growled with pleasure at the thought of it. He took care of his business and met back up with Theo at Three Broomsticks. There they found Zambini and his new girlfriend who was, to Draco's horror, Daphne Greengrass, he moaned with displeasure when he saw her, and apparently the feeling was mutual. He and Theo sat down with them while Daphne went off to get them some drinks.

"So...I thought you were MADLY in love with Tracy Hmm?" Said Theo with the biggest smirk Draco had ever seen on him.

"Piss off Nott...I'm using her to get back at Tracy, ya know...Make her jealous. S'not like I wos the first to use her anyways...Right Draco?" Blaise winked at Draco who shot him a dirty look. He was already drunk they could tell, and it just got worse to the point where he could no longer take it anymore.

"I'm going to have to get going." Draco said finally. "No Theo. You stay. I'd like some time alone." He got up and left without another word and headed straight back for the castle. He figured he would go back eat lunch and head off to the dormitories for some solitude.

"Malfoy!" A girl's voice called out to him from behind. No Such Luck Eh? He stopped and without turning around.

"Go away Daphne I really am in no mood for You right now." He said.

"Daphne? Er...No?" The voice said as she got closer. Draco turned around to look dead into Hermione's eyes, whom almost walked into him.

"Oi! Granger, what-?" She just smiled.

"Malfoy I have something for you, found this in a store and strangely enough it made me think of you." She reached into her bag and pulled out a book, then handed it to him.

"Ancient Runes Made Easy? What's this for?"

"It's for you, to help you with your rune homework. I thought it might be a good idea if I can't help you." Draco had a small frown on his face. "You don't like it?"

"No I do...It's just that...I sort of...Well...Enjoy our little homework study sessions." She was very surprised with this response as was he.

"Do you?"

"No I was just being nice Granger. For a know it all witch like you, you sure are thick sometimes." She blushed at this, then opened her mouth to say something then she shut it again. "What? Say something if you have something to say."

"It's nothing, never mind. I...Uh...Well I have to go meet Harry and Ron..I'll see you...Later." She said before hurrying off. Draco was aware that his cheeks were burning as he turned and walked away. She makes me feel...strange...

Make sure you leave your comments and reviews. If you don't let me know what I'm doing wrong or right I can't make it better! Hell leave me an anonymous review if you don't want me to know your name. Just Do It!