Sorry it's short but I've been on holiday and now I've started work experience. Also I've been spending time re-writing the first two chapters so if you want to you can go back and read those again.

Chapter 3-Quidditch Antics

Hermione's POV:

As I sat in the quidditch stands, I nibbled on a biscuit and watched Harry show Ron how to perform a fairly complicated broom manoeuvre. It was Sunday and I had nothing better to do. All of my homework had been completed either yesterday or during the week and I was starting to wish that I had left some of it until now-just so that I wouldn't have to sit doing absolutely nothing now. It wasn't too bad though because I was sat with Ginny. However I could tell that she wanted to talk about Malfoy. She-being a year younger-hadn't been in the lesson when I had been knocked out and he had taken me to Madame Pomfrey. But I didn't really want to tell her about it; partly because there was nothing to tell and also because I couldn't remember anything other than what people had told me. So I wasn't her best source of information. I stared down at my feet as I knocked them together. As it was the weekend I was wearing my own clothes. So I wore a plain light pink t-shirt, tight blue jeans, light pink converse, a red hoodie with a denim jacket over it and my Gryffindor scarf. Being almost Christmas it was freezing out on the school grounds. Most people had resorted to hiding in the common rooms huddling around the fire in any warm clothes that they could find. But not Harry and Ron. They had insisted that they should go flying on their brooms. Ginny begged to go with them and I hadn't wanted to be on my own. So here I was. Pulling my denim jacket tighter around my body, I turned to Ginny.

"Can we go back to the common room yet?" I pleaded, shivering. Ginny simply waved her hand at me and sat further forward in her seat, excitement in her eyes.

"No way, Ron is trying to do that thing on his broom now and I want to see him fall off."

"You have so much faith in him."

"Hermione be honest, you know he won't be able to do it."

"I...I think that he'll eventually get the hang of it." I muttered, sheepishly looking back over to him. Ginny was probably right. But I didn't get to see Ron try the move because Ginny tapped my shoulder rapidly several times to drag my attention away from him. My eyes darted to her and I saw her staring almost dreamily off into the distance.

"Look there's Malfoy!" She squealed. I turned my head reluctantly to see him. He was across the pitch in his Slytherin quidditch uniform. I watched as he mounted his broomstick and delicately kicked off from the ground. Soon he was joined by his teammates.

"I still hate him and everything but you have to admit that he's quite attractive..." Ginny mumbled, practically drooling with a dazed shine in her brown eyes. I rolled my eyes and attempted to watch Harry and Ron again but I quickly found myself staring in Malfoy's direction. He was whizzing around on his broom now; his green quidditch robes floated backwards through the wind as his firm hands gripped the front of the broom. The ground beneath him was covered in a thick blanket of feathery snow which made him even more visible to us.

"It must be the Slytherin's turn to train for quidditch. Harry and Ron should probably get out of there unless they want to be road-kill." Mumbling I stood up and flung my arms around in an attempt to catch Harry or Ron's attention. However, I forgot that the Slytherins would also notice me. I became aware of this fact when they all stopped to wave sarcastically back at me and burst into cruel laughter. Blushing, I sat back down again and covered my face with my hands.

"Ignore them Hermione. They're brains are just too small to understand things that are actually funny."

I felt Ginny's soothing hand on my shoulder so I raised my head. Mustering as much pride as I could, I stood back up. I would try to summon the boys for a second time. Instantly, the Slytherins began to chortle again. At this Ginny stood up next to me and aimed her wand at Marcus Flint-captain of the Slytherin team and apparent leader of the goofing.

"Avis!" She snapped. A stream of blue birds with sharp, pointed beaks spouted from Ginny's wand and darted towards him. Panicked, his laughing faltered and he sped off on his broom, trying desperately to avoid the ruthless birds. But sure enough, they caught him. I couldn't contain my laughter at the sight of Marcus Flint with five blue birds poking out of his back. Ginny turned to beam at me and we exchanged a high five. When we turned back to face the quidditch pitch, Harry and Ron had thankfully noticed the commotion that we had caused so they had begun to fly the short distance towards us. Both of them were grinning.

To my utmost pleasure, we had returned to the common room-at last. As it was late, everyone else had gone up to their rooms. But Harry, Ron, Ginny and I hadn't had a chance to soak up the warmth from the roaring fire yet-so we were taking that opportunity now. While the boys played-and argued over-wizards chess, I was nestled into the large crimson armchair with a wonderfully thick book. Ginny however was completing her Transfiguration homework with occasional input from me. The only sound in the room was the crackling from the glorious fire and it was also the only source of light. Because of this, our surroundings were filled with a hearty orange glow of warmth and welcoming. When I reached the halfway point of my chunky book, Ginny turned to me.

"Will you tell me about Malfoy yet?" She whispered urgently as if it were the most important thing she would ever hear. I glanced worriedly at the two boys who were sat by the fire. Ron appeared deep in thought-which was a sacred sight-and Harry was grinning happily about his previous smart move.

"Calm down, they're not bothered about what we're saying. They've gotten to the competitive part of the game." She rolled her eyes with a fond grin in their direction.

"Sorry but they're always a bit...touchy with this topic. And I already told you everything I know. I was unconscious remember." Burying my face back into my book, I hoped she would leave it there. It was embarrassing for me to talk about. But she didn't return to her work. Instead she crept over to me and pulled the book down so that I couldn't hide.

"No you haven't. You told me you knew that he was in the hospital with you but if you were unconscious then how did you know that?" Her shrewd smirk stretched across her pale, freckled face.

"Madam Pomfrey told me." I placed the book back up to my face to cover my blush and stubbornly held it there.

"But Madame Pomfrey doesn't like to chat, so she wouldn't have told you that unless you brought it up. And you had just regained your consciousness. I spend a lot of time with you Hermione, I've learnt two things. One is how to tell when you're lying and two is how to mull things over until I find a perfect solution-even if it does take me longer than it would take you."

Sighing, I dropped the book onto my lap and stared at her. I have too much of an influence on her.

"Alright, I woke up and he was at my bedside." I said tightly. This sparked a surprising reaction from Ginny. She began to grin and squeal.

"What?" I hissed.

"He was at your bedside. So you mean he was still there? I thought that he would have just dumped you and swaggered off but he stayed."

"Why is that so exciting? He ran off as soon as I woke up and saw him. Seriously, stop it Ginny."

"The Slytherin prince takes his muggle-born enemy to the hospital ward and stays with her until she wakes up. Why is it not exciting? The ice king is melting Hermione!"

With my elbows resting on my knees, I let my head fall into my hands.

"Ginny, he was probably just tired from carrying me up the stairs and along the corridors so he sat down. And when he saw that I was awake, he didn't want me to think that he'd stayed with me. Calm down."

"Well if that makes you feel better then keep thinking it. Frankly I wouldn't mind if Malfoy carried me."

"You're unbelievable." I whispered, shaking my head. "I hope you've finished your homework because I'm going to bed. If not then you'll have to do it yourself."

Muttering goodnights to the boys, I stormed up the stairs and into my room. Arriving there I saw that all the other girls were asleep so I silently crept over to my bed and flopped down without much grace or elegance. Then I struggled to drag the curtains shut so I eventually heaved myself up and shut them in a huff. I didn't know why I was so angry. But guilt was swirling around in the pit of my stomach because of how I had spoken to Ginny.

Draco's POV:

Stupid Granger. Why did she have to humiliate herself like that? Did she enjoy it? Because of her idiocy, I had to endure a whole hour hearing my team talk about her instead of training for the next quidditch match. It was ridiculous. Now as I stormed through the cold, empty castle corridors I could practically feel the steam floating out of my ears. I have had enough of hearing about Hermione Granger. I have had enough of seeing Hermione Granger. I have had enough of her.

Thanks for reading, please review because I need to know whether I should continue this or not. I have some great things coming so please bare with me and review and stuff.