A/N: Shoutout this week to sreejaxoxo for the continued support! Reading everyone's feedback and comments is really the best feeling as a writer, and helps the process tremendously. So, as always, thanks for reading! Enjoy this week's chapter :)

Hermione sat in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed. No problem. She continued to stare at it, somewhat hoping he would send a second message. Sitting. Staring. But no notification went off. She sighed. Perhaps she had been too short with him. But he had caught her completely off guard. How was she supposed to react?

Jesus Granger, say something.

She wanted to. She wanted to blurt everything out in a strange tangled mess. But then that would ruin everything. She was terrified of having him change his mind. There was no way this would end well. If they became a thing they would probably at some point break up. And then she would lose her best friend. Hermione gasped slightly as she realized the progression of her thoughts. Yes. Draco Malfoy was now her best friend. That's what she considered him, anyway. She wasn't sure how he felt about her.

You know exactly how he feels about you.

She shook her head. Even if it did work out Narcissa would be out for blood. She had told her herself. The woman was intimidating in the worst way. Almost like a mafia wife that will do anything to protect her children. Hermione tossed in bed, trying to not think about it, but she found herself remembering the beginning of summer, the first time he showed up at her door. He had said it back then, too. Or strangely hinted at the possibility of his wanting something…more. Had he truly liked her all this time? More importantly, had she liked him all this time? Hermione wiped the few tears that had slipped down her face, feeling somewhat stupid. She would tell him. She had to. She reached for her phone. So what if maybe their relationship wasn't exactly functional, or practical, and so what if they would definitely be tormented once they got back to school…

Hogwarts. She had forgotten about that. She put her phone back. No. There was no way their already fragile relationship would survive that. Then again, she wouldn't exactly describe her relationship with him as fragile…but she knew it wouldn't survive Hogwarts. Too many people, too many judges, too many opinions. They'd never make it. And then she'd really lose him. And she just couldn't risk that.

"Mother."

Narcissa didn't bother to look up from her papers. "Good morning Draco."

"What did you tell Hermione?"

Narcissa gave an annoyed sigh. "What are you talking about?"

"The day you met, when she came into this office, what did you tell her?"

Narcissa shrugged her shoulders. "Who am I to remember darling? We mentioned her upbringing and the like-"

"Her upbringing has nothing to do with anything."

"On the contrary, it has everything to do with everything. One's upbringing is the very essence of who you become."

"And she has become one of the brightest witches of our time, mother."

"And I'm sure she'll do great things." Narcissa smiled.

"So then you agree, there can be no possible objection against her?"

"Draco, my darling, there is every objection against her."

"How do you mean?"

"She is, as you said, a bright girl. And you, my dear, are one very rich young man."

"Money has nothing to do with this mother. She does well enough on her own."

"Oh? I highly doubt that."

"You're missing the point mother. She is not after me for my money."

Narcissa laughed. "Really, Draco. After everything that's happened, I didn't think you'd be so naïve."

Draco clenched his fists, blood boiling. Narcissa eyes his hands and raised an eyebrow. She scoffed. "You've fallen for the little leech, haven't you?"

"She's not a leech!"

Narcissa stood up, slamming her hands against the desk. "Draco Lucius Malfoy I forbid it! Over your father's grave I forbid it!"

"You're just like him you know." Draco said, his body trembling but his voice steady. "You say you're not but you are." He didn't stay long enough to hear her reply, and slammed the door of her study for good measure.

Hermione jolted awake, panting slightly. She looked over to her nightstand. 3:20. It took a few deep breaths and another look around the room to convince herself that she had just been dreaming. She tried to steady herself and fall back asleep, but every time she closed her eyes she saw flashes of faces she couldn't bear to see. She reached over for her phone, the light nearly blinding her.

August 9 3:27am

Hermione: Are you awake?

Draco: Yeah, what's up

Hermione: Can't sleep

Draco: Everything ok?

Hermione: Sort of…just a bad dream

Draco: What kind of bad dream

Hermione: It was nothing

Draco: …

Hermione honestly. Just tell me.

Hermione: I was back in the war…

Draco: I get those too…

Hermione: Really?

Draco: Yeah.

Hermione: I'm glad.

Not that you have them too but

That I'm not the only one who gets them…

Draco: Knowing you're not alone is always a good feeling I guess

Hermione: Yeah, it is

Draco: Will you be ok? Anything I can do?

Hermione: Do you have any remedies for falling asleep? Haha

Draco: I'm the wrong person to ask

Hermione: Why's that?

Draco: I hardly ever sleep…

Hermione: Oh.

Draco: Do you want me to come over?

Sorry, weird question

Hermione: No, it's fine. My parents would freak if they found you in the house at 3am

Draco: Haha yeah they probably would

Hermione: I mean…that's only if they find you though…

"How you holding up?" Hermione jumped slightly at hearing his voice. She forgot how quickly apparating worked. And she wasn't really expecting him to actually show up. "I'm fine." She whispered, making room on the bed for him to sit down, "I just can't close my eyes…I see everyone…all those people who-"

"I know."

They could hear the wind outside, as though it were tapping on the window. Though it was dark, Hermione tried to get a good look at him. Pajama pants. His shirt looked half-hazardly thrown on. And he was here. Next to her. In her bed at three in the morning. She leaned back against the headboard and sighed. "You didn't have to come you know."

"It's not like I was doing anything anyways Granger."

She turned her head to look at him. "It's kinda creepy though. I mean look at you. A stranger on my bed." "That makes you the creepy one Granger, not me." She smiled, but it faded as she scanned his face a bit more carefully. She hadn't ever really noticed the bags that hung under his eyes. "Do you really not sleep?" He shook his head in reply. "Why not?" "If you don't sleep, you don't dream." He answered seriously. Hermione stayed quiet. She couldn't even begin to imagine what sort of things haunted Draco in his nightmares.

She exhaled as she rested her head on his shoulder. As strange as it might sound, she felt completely comfortable. Perhaps a situation like this should have felt strange, somewhat exposed, she being in her pajamas and all. No one other than Harry and Ron had seen her in her pajamas. No boys, that is. But sitting next to Draco and talking had become completely natural over the summer, no matter what the circumstance. Perhaps that was why she had slowly begun to fall for him. She wondered again if she should say something. Maybe now, in the quiet of her room, in the privacy of the night, she could speak her mind, she could tell him everything. "I'm glad you liked the pajamas." He said suddenly. "Huh?" she was snapped from her thoughts. He pointed to her shirt. "Oh." She smiled at him. "Yes, well, when your best friend gives you cloud print pajamas one simply must wear them." He nudged her. "Best friend huh? Must be a pretty special person." She laughed as quietly as she could manage. "He is." As they sat, looking at each other, Hermione's heart began to pound. He was close enough for her to lean in and kiss him…

Draco sighed and leaned back on the headboard. "My mother hates you." He said. "Oh." That caught her completely off-guard. Draco scoffed. "Yeah. It's created quite the problem considering I've fallen in love with you." His head stayed, staring up at the ceiling, not looking at her. "Draco…"

"Please stop saying my name like that." He sat up to look at her. "I know what I've done, and I know the things I've said to you, to people you care about. But things change. I want to be there for you. I want to make sure you don't wake up with nightmares anymore. I want to give you my jackets when you get cold, and even now I swear I just have this terrible need to punch any bloke that looks at you. The past few months have proven that you are the best thing that's ever happened to me." He took her hands, holding them both firmly in his, "So please. This time, please just say something."

A few tears slipped from Hermione's eyes. "I don't think I've ever had anyone talk to me like that before." She wiped them away. "But I can't exactly say I mind." She took a deep breath. She looked at him seriously, eyes slightly misty. "Ask me out on a date, Draco Malfoy."

"Hermione?" There was a knock at the door. Hermione panicked, nearly jumping out of her bed. Draco apparated. "Mom?" The door opened with a creak. "I thought I heard voices." Mrs. Granger was groggy with sleep. "I just had another nightmare. I was watching some videos on my phone trying to fall back asleep." Mrs. Granger nodded, wrapping her robe around herself. "Would you like me to start on some tea?" Hermione shook her head. "It's fine. I was just about to nod off anyway." Mrs. Granger smiled and touched her daughter's cheek. "All right sweetheart. Goodnight." "Goodnight mom." The door clicked closed and Hermione exhaled. The one time in her life she would ever have a 'Notebook' moment and it was completely ruined.

She trudged back to her bed but nearly yelped as a pair of arms pulled her back with a hand over her mouth. She found herself staring into sharp grey eyes. "Hermione Granger, will you do me the pleasure of accompanying me on a walk this Sunday evening?" He slowly removed his hand from her mouth and wrapped them around her waist. "I thought you apparated!" she whisper-shouted.

"No, I just hid under the bed." He grinned. "So what do you say?"

She laughed, rubbing her forehead. "You're crazy Malfoy."

"That's an answer I suppose, but not exactly what I'm looking for."

She smirked. "And what exactly are you looking for?" she asked.

"Accept my proposal, Hermione Granger."

"On one condition."

"Anything."

"When your mother comes to murder me, you'll make sure I have a proper funeral."

He chuckled. "Done."

She smiled. "Then I will see you on Sunday, Mr. Malfoy."