Disclaimer: Yeah yeah, not mine.

A/N: In honor of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince being released today, here's a chap... although I'm sure most of you are out watching the film or getting ready to go see it...

Chapter Twenty

He stopped crouching from beside Bellatrix and turned his gaze to the now dispersing crowd, catching a glimpse of what he thought, what he knew, was her. As if right on cue, a few Death Eater's passed him talking about her. They never said a name, but he just knew.

"Gonna be fun tonight, you think Lord Malfoy knows about this?"

"Of course he does, who else would plot to get the mudblood? I mean it's not as if-" was the last thing Draco heard them say as their voices disappeared with the crowd.

"Take care of this." he spoke to Blaise, meaning about the crowds, Death Eater's and Bella, he knew if there was ever a man to trust with his life, it was Blaise.

Leaving Blaise and the jumbled mess of crowds behind, he went in the direction he last spotted her. Not glancing at the store he entered and smirked once he was inside. He should have known. Rows of books sat neatly on their shelves awaiting bookworms like Granger to pull them down and take them to a nice home to be much enjoyed.

If this were any other time, he would've gladly taken the time to glance at the spines for an alluring title but this was definitely not the moment. He had to concentrate on the task before him, and he knew, it wasn't going to be an easy one. How in hell's name was a prince of all things dark going to get a princess of all things good to listen to him and do as he says? There was just no way.

Scratching the side of his face casually, he strolled past bookshelf's in search for those soft golden locks. Peering to the other side of a shelf in the back, he found her. Sticking to the row on the other side of her, he crouched down to her level to try to look at her. As she kept moving, he tried to keep up. She stopped, then he stopped. She tippy toed and took out the book that covered his face on her shelf. He froze but she absentmindedly looked at the book, oblivious to him. She sighed and went to put it back in it's place but instead let out a small scream and jumped back as she saw his startling gray eyes.

"Malfoy! What in Merlin's name-" she began but he simply walked around the shelf. "Stalking me, again?"

"I've never stalked you in my life." he lied.

"Who are you trying to convince, me or you?"

"We go to the same places. What? Am I supposed to stop going somewhere just because of the slight chance you'll be there? I refuse to stop living my life because of you."

"Feeling's mutual." she glared as she turned to leave but was stopped as he grabbed her wrist. "Wha-"

"Come with me." he whispered in her ear.

Her brown eyes stared at him in bewilderment, then, the look was gone. "We've been through this, you're not funny."

"I'm serious." he spoke sternly.

Hermione searched his eyes for any clues of humor but found none. Was Malfoy actually being honest? "Just because you're 'Lord' doesn't mean I want to get in your pants." she spoke bitterly, trying to break herself free from his grasp but he only tightened it.

"Who are you trying to convince, me or you?" he winked, "You know you have the hots for me."

"I do not!"

"Do too, it's alright, the ladies just love me." Draco said, being his usual pompous self.

"Yeah because they're blind."

"Fine, be that way but I'm trying to do you a favor here." Draco said, letting go of her.

"Just because you're supposedly a God in bed, doesn't mean it's a favor."

He leaned on the shelf and grinned cheekily, "They say I'm a God in bed?"

"Don't flatter yourself." she sneered.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Well that's not what I meant in the first place but hey, if you want to-"

"Don't even think about it!" Hermione said, aghast.

Draco sighed, starting to lose his patience. "Look," he said, dropping the charade. "The Death Eater's are planning on getting you tonight, I'm just trying to help you and take you some place that's safe."

"You, take me someplace safe? Yeah right, probably lead me straight to them." Hermione shook her head.

"I'm not."

"Why should I believe you? It's not like you to do anything nice."

"Because you won't let me."

"Yeah, well why should I?"

He sighed and dug his hands into his pockets, "Because I'm trying." Draco solemnly said, looking straight into Hermione's eyes. "Trust me, just this once."

"I don't-"

"I've saved you from them before, and I'll do it again a thousand times if I have to."

Hermione looked him straight in the eyes, a small staring contest, "Malfoy, I swear, if you-"

"I won't."

"And if you-"

"I'm not. Just... trust me... please?" he offered, extending his hand.

And most surprisingly, she took it.

Perhaps it was the way he looked at her, perhaps it was the words he said, perhaps it was because he had saved her before, perhaps, because she believed him.

A/N: Finally we're getting somewhere, not sure where I'm taking you all but suggestions and reviews are much loved :)

P.S. If you've seen the new Harry Potter movie, how was it and what did you think of it?