I broke my nail and it's killing me! Also please review and forgive my spelling and grammar, it's almost midnight.

I was getting a little sick of Ron. Truth be told, I had a little thing for him, but the things he does, they used to annoy me, then they were affectionately silly, and now they're almost, redundant. We wake up in the morning; he complains about the early hours. We eat breakfast; he stuffs his face so full of food Harry avoids asking him questions. We go to classes; he complains about homework. Then, at lunch, after Harry picks on him for eating so much, he glares at Malfoy, who is joking around with his friends. By dinner time, he starts badgering me with questions: Why are you so quiet? Why are you being nice to Ferret Boy? Why do you keep looking over at him? Why are you reading at the table?

It made it a little difficult to remember the times between him eating and him complaining, when we would joke around and plan D.A. meetings. That reminds me, after the homework complaints but before the joking, we would seriously discuss the crazy rules Umbridge had. I never took out my cell phone under her watchful eye anymore, afraid that there would be a new rule against muggle technology.

Today was different, though. The questions started earlier than normal, as we sat at breakfast.

"Hermione, quit staring at him, why are you always staring at him?"

"I'm not!" I retorted, tearing my gaze away from the blonde Slytherin, who was pushing his eggs around his plate with a fork.

"Oh, then why were you staring at that spot of air currently occupied by his head?" he asked sarcastically.

"I wasn't, I was just thinking!"

"About what?"

"About . . . the movies!"

"The movies, really?"

"No, look, the mail! The movies should be here by now!" I was grateful for the distraction as a large package was dropped in my lap, with a not on top.

Dear Hermione,

I'm glad you are educated you're friends about muggles! You should be proud to be muggle-born! However, I do worry about the condition of the tapes. Postage by owl doesn't seem to be the . . . safest method of transporting such fragile things. I'll make you a deal. I'll send four tapes in this box, thoroughly bubble-wrapped, and when you're finished, send them back with a list of four more. I hope the owl can take it!

Also I thought this Malfoy child was the one tormenting you all these years? If you're friends now, that's great! You're so grown up! If these tapes are part of some war you have, STOP IT! Or just be careful, these Disney ones are Collector's Edition.

Love you,

Mum

I giggled. Yes, I was grown up. Enough with the childish hatred! I looked up at Malfoy, surprised to see him and Blaise eagerly eyeing my package. I smiled and nodded when they looked up at me. Malfoy blushed and looked away, but Blaise smiled approvingly.

"You're looking at him again!" Ron hissed, intercepting my field of vision. "And sending you're little eye signals! What's going on between you two?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing, Ron, and I was just telling him that I got the tapes. Why do you care so much anyway?" I asked suspiciously.

"I don't want you hanging around with him. He's evil. He's the enemy. It's not like some schoolyard bully, his father's a murderer for the side we've been risking our lives to fight against!"

I just stared at him. On one hand, he was right. This wasn't childish hatred, this was serious life-and-death feuding. On the other hand, Draco wasn't his father, and we should allow him to make his own decisions before judging him based on his fathers. And on another hand that had no business being there, I was 15.

I was supposed to be texting my friends about boys and just starting high school. I was supposed to be spending my time going to the mall or having sleepovers, not helping my friends fight deadly dragons or trolls.

"You're right," I said almost inaudibly. "I have to go."

"Wait," Harry said, "class starts in ten minutes."

"I'm not going. I don't feel good."

In Gryffindor tower, lounged on a couch and pulled out my phone.

'Hey Nat u there?'

Yeah whatsup?

'I think I have a crush.'

OOOH, no way! It's that Slytherin boy, isn't it?

'Yeah.'

Well, gimme the deets! Does he like u back?

'No, he doesn't.'

Oh. I thought you seemed a little upset . . .

'It's not that. I don't know how I can explain this. He's, like, my worst enemy ever. It's not Romeo and Juliet because of the Houses. It's more like I'm Lois Lane and he's Lex Luther's son. Except I'm not romantically involved with the Superman of this situation.'

Oh, come on, it can't be that bad.

I was starting to tear up. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! And I couldn't even talk to my best friends about it because my wizard friends are biased and my muggle friends can't know about this stuff.

'It is. I really can't explain it. Anyway, I'm trying to convince myself that he's not like his father, that he's different.'

UR getting pretty deep there, Mione.

'Well, I've gotta sort this out, and ur the mediator. Always have been, always will be.

Aw, okay. Well, what bad things has he done?

'Wow, how do I say this in less than 160 characters? He's called me horrible names, picked on my best friends about sensitive subjects, told his friends that he hopes I die . . .'

Ooh, geez, where did THAT come from?

'Long story. Thought it was a little harsh, though, that was in second year. I hadn't even done anything to him!'

Um, okay. Anything else?

'Well, he got attacked by my friend's pet and acted all proud when they put her down. I punched him in the face, though.'

HAHAHAHA maybe that's why he wanted you dead!

'It was after that.'

Okay, okay, so what good things has he done?

'IDK. Never thought about it. He helped me find a radio, and he started calling me by my first name. As a matter of fact, there was this one time I never told anyone about . . .

Oooh, you torture me with your suspense!

'Well, last year, we had this Yule Ball, thing, I told you about it, remember?'

Yeah, yeah, and?

'He told me I looked nice. Just like that. He even smiled a little. He wasn't making fun of me or anything. It was like we were old friends. I told myself he didn't recognize me, but I was dancing with Viktor Krum, kind of hard to miss . . .

I remember you told me about Viktor. Anyway, I bet you my collection of English Translated Sailor Moon DVD's that he likes you! And, he's probably not such a bad guy. If his dad is as bad as you say, he probably just grew up like that and didn't know any better.

'You know what, you're right! Then there's that other problem . . .'

Ugh, what now? Does he have AIDS?

'NATALIE!'

Sorry, that was Cassandra. She's been reading this.

'Oh, hi, Cassandra! Anyway, my friend, Ron, is the worst grudge holder I've ever met. He'll never be friends with him, and he's so stubborn, I just know he's gonna make me chose between them. And his whole family, none of them will ever talk to me again if I start hanging out with Malfoys.'

Then don't change sides, make him change sides.

'That's not right! You shouldn't make people change for you!'

Look, his dad's this evil dude, right? And it sounds to me like he's not following in his footsteps so much. Maybe he wants to change sides. Maybe he just needs a little push in the right direction.

'You're right. I knew I could count on you!'

Always can. G2g, class is starting.

Biting my lip, I tore a bit of parchment out of my bag and scribbled a note.

Skipping class. Care to join?

-Hermione

I put a little spell on it and it folded itself into a little bird and fluttered away. Ten minutes later, it came back.

Hermione Granger doesn't skip class, but if she wanted to meet me in the abandoned Charms classroom, that'd be cool.

-Draco

I'll leave you guys there!