"You bloody ferret!" Ron roared, lunging at the blond boy. "I'll get you!"

Hermione stepped backwards, her face the picture of horror at what was happening. They had just started the new school year and Draco had already tormented them to anger and fighting. What did she even expect? That Draco would keep his promise from before, when they were friends, that he would try his best to leave her friends alone? That he would do that when they weren't friends anymore?

She let out a strangled cry when the two boys collided and were rolling on the ground throwing punches. She rushed forward and pulled on the two. "Stop it! You'll hurt each other!"

"But 'Mione! He was making fun of you! You can't forgive him for that!" Ron yelled, grunting when Malfoy socked him in the stomach.

"She was looking for that!" The blonde boy hissed, throwing another punch at Ron's face. But the ginger dodged and butted his head into Malfoy's stomach.

"Just stop it already! You are bloody respectable wizards! Why are you fighting like vermin?" She shrieked, pulling back hard on the boys' shoulders.

"I may be a respectable wizard, but this Weasel here sure isn't!" Draco sneered, wiping the blood from his face when Hermione finally managed to pull them apart. Ron lunged at him again, but she held him back. She glared at the blonde boy.

"If I had to describe you with one word, Draco Malfoy, it wouldn't exactly be respectable." She spat, turning Ron around to help him limp to the infirmary.

"Go ahead and run, Mudblood!" She heard the boy sneer behind her. Her heart clenched when she heard him say that, but she shrugged it off to continue her walk.

Ron stopped though, his eyes pleading with her. "Please let me go punch the daylights out of that pompous git. He made fun of you and he's insulting you and I can't just let it slide by."

She shook her head, throwing a sharp glance at the white-blond. "He's not worth it." She said loudly, purposely flinging her voice out to Malfoy. "He's not worth anything." She turned before she could see the look of pain on the boy's face.

0000000000

"Where's Weasel and the Mudblood going now?"

Hermione's jaw clenched and her face scrunched up. But she calmed herself, rearranging her face to appear emotionless, or at least angry. She spun around and threw a look of hatred at the posse surrounding Draco. It was Blaise and Theo and Pansy. Her heart softened at seeing the boys, but she couldn't let that show.

"Is there a problem?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or did you just decide to ruin a perfectly good day?"

Blaise and Theo looked slightly amused by this, since they had never really shown hatred to Hermione when they were by themselves. Pansy, however, was infuriated.

"You're a Mudblood! You can't talk to us Purebloods like that! You filth!" Pansy sneered, a look of disgust painted on her face. Ron took a step forward, but Hermione pulled him back.

Hermione rolled her eyes. This first meeting with Draco after last night was really going exactly how she imagined it- nothing unusual. She gave a mock curtsy and a smirk. "My deepest apologies, Mistress Pansy, I have overstepped my boundaries of being a Mudblood." She dropped the act with a broad smile. "That better?"

Pansy looked as if she was at a loss for words. "I-" She looked at Draco, but Draco was looking rather bored, even paying attention to the birds flying outside. "Fine." She sniffed and lifted her chin. "Whatever, just get out of my way."

"Gladly," Ron said, pulling Hermione along behind him as he stormed down the hall. She threw a smile and a wave backwards just to anger Pansy and it worked. Immediately, Pansy's face formed a pout and she looked at Draco.

"Drakey-"

Draco looked at her with a stony expression. "Don't call me that. Ever."

Pansy pouted even more. "Draco, do something about the stupid mudblood!"

He snorted. "You were asking for it." He stepped out of her grasp and continued walking. "I'm not in the mood for Mudblood theatrics."

Blaise let out a chuckle and Theo tried to suppress a grin. Pansy threw them a dirty look before running to catch up to Draco.

The two boys stayed behind, looking thoughtfully down the hall where Hermione and Ron had gone down.

"Don't you think Hermione's different today?" Theo asked.

"Yeah. Like she's happier or something."Blaise agreed. "But why? It's not like anything good happened."

Theo's expression changed into one of understanding after thinking really hard. "That depends on what you call 'anything'." He said, smirking a little. Draco would kill him if he knew Theo had seen him and Hermione last night. He hadn't caught what had happened beforehand, but he did see them walking away from each other without evident anger or annoyance, meaning they hadn't actually fought. For once.

Blaise was oblivious though, and Theo had decided that was best until he found out what Draco wanted.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked, as the two walked down the hall to get some lunch.

"Nothing," Theo teased, enjoying holding what he knew over Blaise. "It's a secret."

"You know I hate secrets." Blaise groaned.

"Too bad, you'll just have to live with it."

0000000000

"What do you want for Christmas?" Draco asked, holding the hand of Hermione while they walked around the pond on the back of her property.

She shrugged, leaning down to pick up a dandelion. "Anything."

He turned irritated. "What does anything mean? Jewelry? A dress? Shoes?"

She turned a scathing look on him, tugging her hand out of his grasp. "You think I would want the things all your girlfriends want?"

He smirked. "You are a girl after all. I've heard they all think alike." He enjoyed seeing her angry and flustered. It was even better when she was defending her gender.

"Women don't all think alike!" She protested, her face flushing. "Every woman has her own thoughts and opinions, like normal humans! Everyone has their own unique feelings and thinkings and ways of life that may not ever be the same as another person. Why do you think so many pairs don't work out? They think differently! They feel things differently! They can't understand the way the other is thinking because their own brain is thinking something else, something different. One might believe in world peace and freedom for house elves while the other might believe in lies and racism!" She stopped abruptly, realizing she was hitting far too close to home. She looked away from Draco so she wouldn't have to see his stormy grey eyes.

Surprisingly, he was calm. "Alright, alright, just calm down will you?" He said, resting a hand on her arm. She glanced at it and then at his face. He had a slight smile and it was beautiful.

She smiled at him. "Alright." They continued walking in comfortable silence.

"So, what would you like for Christmas?" Draco said.

She twirled the old seeded dandelion. The fluffy white wings of the seeds were wavering, as if deciding to fly away or stay home. "I don't know"

He sighed. "Just tell me something so I won't feel bad for not getting you something you want."

She looked at him with amusement. "The great Draco Malfoy would feel bad about not getting me a present? I'm honored."

He rolled his eyes. "Really? Anyway, just say the word. Anything. I'll get you anything you want."

She thought for a moment. "Anything?"

He nodded.

"I want…" She gazed at her dandelion, which was slowly losing seeds as they walked. "I want a night with you, just one night out, for dinner and fun." She looked at him "Just the two of us."

He shrugged. "Alright." he flashed a smirk. "For you."

She smiled and lifted the dandelion. She blew on it and sent the white feathers floating through the fall breeze upwards and sideways and all around.

"You didn't make a wish?' He spoke lowly, his voice beside her ear. She jumped, startled at finding him so close before she relaxed.

"I wouldn't think a Malfoy would believe in making wishes." She said, leaning her head back on his chest to look at him.

He smirked. "Malfoy's don't make wishes, they make them come true." He leaned down and kissed her on the lips softly and her eyes closed in bliss. When he pulled away, she kept her eyes closed for a moment longer before stepping away and opening them.

"What-What was that?" She asked.

"A kiss." He responded.

"I know very well it was a kiss Draco Malfoy, what I don't know is why you kissed me."She said, her voice laced with hurt. "I thought I made it very clear that I don't want a relationship with you."

He hardened his facial features and stood up tall. "You didn't exactly fight back."

"Well I am now!" Her eyes flashed with anger.

He deflated and it pained her to see his strong façade melt away. No matter how angry she was with him, whenever he showed his weak side, she always gave in. She tried to convince herself that she only did it because she wanted to encourage him opening up to others, but she felt like it was more because she cared for him too much and couldn't stand to see him so vulnerable.

"I thought you- nevermind." He turned away from her and was walking back to the house. She hurried to keep up with him.

"Draco, I'm sorry," She murmured, touching his arm. He stiffened before relaxing.

"It's fine."

"No, it isn't. Now you're unhappy, and I have to make you happy again." She pouted, trying to make him laugh like he always did over her comforting actions.

He rolled his eyes. Hermione wasn't annoyed by this like she normally is, in fact, she was ecstatic that he was acting normal again. "Bloody Gryffindors." he muttered.

"Well, I'll do anything to make you happy. So choose." She said, looping her arm around his.

"Anything?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow suggestively.

She flushed and slapped his arm. "Anything but the disgusting things going through your mind right now."

"Fine," He said. "Anything."

"Else." She added.

000000000

The day was going great since she had spent the weekend with her friends outside as they practiced Quidditch and she watched in amusement. Ginny was circling Ron and Harry in the air as they coached her on flying. Hermione could hear their laughter falling down to her and she smiled before turning back to her book.

"You're still not done?" She heard a voice over her shoulder.

Surprised, she turned and was shocked to see Draco sitting there. She looked up to make sure her friends weren't looking down and turned a sharp glance towards the blond. "What are you doing here?" She whispered. "If they see you, I can't promise what their reactions will be."

He shrugged, throwing her a rugged smirk. "Like I care." He leaned back and crossed his legs with his arms folded behind his head. "I was tired of Pansy and her theatrics and decided to get some fresh air. Spotted you Gryffindors out here and decided to see you."

She gave a soft smile. "That's nice of you Draco, but anyone can see you out here with me and that wouldn't end well."

He sighed, standing up. "Well then, I'll get going." He looked at her over his shoulder as he walked down the steps. "Meet me at 10, Astronomy Tower?"

She hesitated. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea…"

He looked at her with his soul bared. "Please? We can do anything you want."

She smiled lightly and lifted an eyebrow jokingly. "Anything?"

He nodded with a smirk.

"Alright. 10. Don't be late." She said, looking up at the sky. She heard his footsteps fade away before she sighed and started on her book again. Why was she doing this to herself and Draco? Her rational mind knew nothing would come out of this and having meetings would just wound them even more when they finally realize they could never be together.

She sighed again, angry with herself for getting Draco's hopes up. She had never been able to say no to his soft side. But she guessed she would have to that day. There was no way she would let herself go to the Astronomy Tower just so she could hurt Draco and herself even more. No way.

0000000000

It was 10, and Hermione was sprawled in bed, trying to stop imagining Draco's pained expression when he would realize that she didn't show up. She turned onto her side, stuffing her face into her pillow to keep in the strangled noises she kept making. Every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was Draco with his hurt grey eyes and his clenched fists and the way he would try to hide his pain even when no one was even watching. She couldn't even imagine the anger he would feel the next day when she met him again.

Enough! She scolded herself. What's done is done and she can't do anything to change it. She might as well sleep since she can't do anything else. Slowly, she drifted into a restless sleep. She dreamed of gray eyes and white snow, melting like tears.

0000000000

She woke up early in the morning and got dressed quickly to beat the crowd to breakfast. Stuffing her wand into her pocket, she grabbed her book bag and treaded softly down the hallway to the Great Hall. Sitting down, she spotted Ginny and Harry coming in from the hallway and waved them over.

"Morning, 'Mione. I hope you slept well." Ginny said, taking a seat across from her. Harry sat beside Ginny. Rather closely, Hermione noticed.

She faked a smile, thankful she had remembered to cast a charm to hide the dark bags under her eyes. "Splendidly. How about you two?"

"Great." Harry said, spooning food onto his plate. "Ginny, you want some of this?" The redhead smiled and nodded, handing Harry her plate. She thanked him with a kiss on the cheek and Hermione smiled. It always made her happy when Harry and Ginny were so loving to each other.

But turning her head, she spotted a splotch of blonde hair swagger in with a trailing of black and dark brown hair. Draco. No. She could not deal with him this early in the morning. So she ate as quickly as she could before excusing herself and running out the doors to the library. She shut the heavy doors behind her, blocking out the buzz and roar of the student body.

Suddenly, she was shoved against the wall, and she felt a hard body pressed up on her front and arms firm hands stationed on her hips. Looking up, she watched the blonde hair fall in wisps in front of his stormy grey eyes.

"What do you want, Draco?" She whispered loudly, trying to keep her voice down, to avoid catching unwanted attention. She could feel her head aching again, and she would really feel much better if she could just take a break from the head concussions.

"You didn't show up last night." It wasn't a question. It was a fact, clear and true, but with an accusation lingering in the aftertaste.

"I know," She murmured. She turned her head to the side.

"Why?" This was spoken quietly, almost too soft for Hermione to catch.

"I'm sorry," Was all she could say before pushing him away. He tightened his hold on her waist and ignored her struggling.

"Why?" He repeated, pushing down on her. She cried out when his grip tightened, probably causing bruises to form.

"I didn't want to hurt you." She whimpered, causing him to stop and relax his hands slightly.

"And you thought showing me up would make me less hurt?" He whispered, his mouth by her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could say. "We shouldn't do this. Just go back to the way we were before. Just-"

She was interrupted by his lips, crashing down on her, smothering the flame she was about to blow at him.

"Stop." He murmured, pressing his forehead against hers. "Please."

She shook her head. "Malfoy-" His hands tightened. "-we can't do this. I can't do this. I hate hiding, and you know that we can't go in the open. There's too much at stake."

"So you are willing to shove me aside?"

"No. I'm not willing, but I have to. There isn't a choice here Draco, no matter what you say." She pushed him away and this time, he let her.

"'There's always a choice.'" he mimicked bitterly. "What bullshit that was." He softened and reached out to touch her face. "There is a choice. And you can choose me."

She shook her head, willing her tears back. "Stop it. Stop twisting my words and making me give into you. I can't live like that, Draco, you should know! I'm too independent, and you making my choices for me is going to kill me." She spun around and stalked into the library. Breathlessly, she noted that Draco hadn't followed her. She wondered if he would ever come around, and realize she was right.

They couldn't win this together. It was either separation or death. And she couldn't die before saving the wizarding world with Harry. At least, not unless she could help it.