I have decided to nix the full chapters about the 2nd and 3rd year, and I will instead use plenty of memories/flashbacks to fulfill missing gaps. My main decision in doing this is sheer excitement for moving the story along.

I have an idea for the 'big plot' that goes along-don't worry, Dramione makes its appearance-but I still feel like something should be antagonizing everyone. Any suggestions?

To the guest who said this; i was curious about the weasley's reaction to draco, based off of what they'd told ron. harry too- how are their parents nice to draco when they've been telling their kids that he's a malfoy and evil and narcissa was a bitch? also, why does rose hate hermione?

I have this to say; Sirius had been seeing Narcissa and Draco a few times a year ever since Lucius was initially put into prison, so Sirius has seen over time that she isn't like she was when she married him (i.e. inherently evil), and that Draco isn't anything like his father. The Weasleys, Potters and Longbottoms never once said in so many words, 'Draco Malfoy will be just as evil as his father was, so STAY AWAY.' It was more along the lines of, 'there are evil people out there, and Lucius Malfoy certainly was an evil d-bag.' They have warned their children about the families that were involved with the Dark side, but Sirius has kinda been saying 'now come on, guys, let's be fair, Cissa isn't THAT bad...' Ron in particular, grew up knowing that it was Lucius Malfoy that killed his uncles Gideon and Fabian (Molly's brothers who were aurors in the war). Ron's translated that into his head as Draco is a mini Lucius whose head should be put on a spike.

Now, once the adults met Draco, after Narcissa basically sacrificed herself for the good of the wizarding world, they were like, 'so she's been raising him not to be a little shit...that's good.' They couldn't very well hold him to this prejudice of who his father was, since Narcissa just saved all their asses, so he was welcomed with open arms. The parents saw this logically, while the children (mainly Ron) still harbors this hatred.

Now as for Rose... she's got a Ginny-level crush on Draco and sees Hermione instantly as a 'threat.' Rose is the type of girl to hold grudges, and also has been plastering her notebooks with Mrs. Draco Malfoy since she met him.

Thank you VERY MUCH for your review, and I hoped I answered your question clearly.

Her desk/vanity mirror had become so laden with pictures, there was just enough mirror left to reflect her face and shoulders. She looked at it now, and started to realize the changes from the little girl laughing back at her silently in the pictures. Her cheeks weren't so puffy anymore, her nose more sharp, her hair had flattened to gentle waves instead of a frenzied mess, and she now could expertly french braid it without her wand. She rolled her lips over her teeth, having been corrected by braces her front teeth were no longer out of place and rabbity. As her eyes traveled south to the small-yet-obviously-there breasts she had grown in the past three months, she let out an awkward sigh. Her mother had been upset about it, as was her father, so they bought her several sports bras that hid them quite successfully. Her aunt, however, had gotten her a bunch of different pastel colored underwire push-up bras, so she could 'get used to it.'

Her father, however, was more upset at the maturing of his little girl than anyone. Last summer he had threatened idly that he would put her into a self defense class. This summer, he actually did.

Hermione now inspected her hands. The knuckles and palms were rough and callused from her summer activity. Her parents knew about her Dueling trophies- two Champions from 1st and 3rd year (Draco did manage to beat her in second...)-but her father was not satisfied in her ability to fight someone off. What if she didn't have her wand, they reasoned? Her parents had been paranoid about all of her male friends; they were still really upset that she hadn't managed to get close to any girl. Ginny was perhaps her closest friend yet they only spoke at meal times.

She had been in a martial arts self defense class for the summer. She worked at it everyday, for at least two hours. Her instructor started her out easy to begin with, with simple punches and kicks, but her ability to grasp and perfect techniques was not lost on her instructor and he soon had her doing more complicated things like wrist-locks, airway/blood chokes, and taught her the knock-out points. Her parents paid handsomely for these private lessons and after a while, Hermione really started to enjoy them. Her muscles were lean, now, and she had the makings of a four pack showing on her stomach. She felt lethal; she lost the awkwardness of her feet and could move quickly and gracefully on her feet.

She hadn't had much communication with her best friends. Draco, Harry, and Neville had all traveled to America because the ministry 'made' their parents take a vacation. Sybil had a beautiful two year old girl, who had her father's curly hair but her mother's personality. Draco was her big brother without question and Draco couldn't possible love her any more than he did. Michael Corner had spent the summer with his rich relatives while his parents renovated their house. Anthony Goldstein visited his family in Germany. Terry Booth had gone on a cruise to South America with his family.

Hermione hadn't told her friends what she had been doing over the summer, she felt they would tease her about it.

She rubbed the callus on her knuckles again and sighed. Her trunk was packed, Keema was ready to go, only to be able to be let out of her cage again.

She glanced at the clock; eight in the morning, and time to go to Hogwarts.

Draco spotted the back of her head and ran up behind her. "Granger," he barked. She spun around gracefully, her eyes wide. When her chocolate eyes landed on him, she wrapped him in a hug. His usual pale complexion was surprisingly darker and more living-human color than corpse, and his hair was considerably sun-tanned as well, and he had gotten his blond locks cut into a new hair style where it was a bit longer on top and parted to the side. "You've gotten taller!" He observed. Of course, so did he. Her forehead bumped his chin.

"Not tall enough," was her laughing reply. Sybil and Sirius caught up to them, then. Hermione grinned widely at her second-family. The both of them hugged her.

"Where are your parents?" Sybil asked looking around them.

"They had to open office this morning," Hermione shrugged nonchalantly. She had been with them every day this summer, and they had said their pleasant farewells over breakfast. "I can't believe Cissa's gotten this big!" Sybil had first approached Draco with the name idea for her baby after they found out the gender. At first, Draco wasn't sure he would be able to handle having a 'little sister' that's name was his mother's, but he had soon come around. He loved little Narcissa like nothing else, and he would miss her terribly, as he had the past two school years. Hermione took the baby girl from Sybil's arms. Cissa pressed a kiss to Hermione's cheek and hugged her around the neck.

Somehow, the baby girl Cissa had helped him grieve for his mother, by taking care of her, Draco could come to terms with his loss.

"Meenie!" The girl said. The baby couldn't pronounce Hermione, but managed Meenie. Draco teased Hermione for it, but Hermione didn't care. That two year old could call her anything.

"How are you doin', Cissa?" Hermione asked, her eyes bright. The little girl looked at her brother, her tiny little lips in a pout.

"Mad," she decided, which caused the rest of them to titter in laughter.

"Aw, don't be maaad," Draco told her, kissing her forehead. He produced a candy treat from his pocket and waved it in front of her face. She followed the treat with her eyes and made a grab for it. Draco let her catch it.

"Did you just bribe her?" Hermione asked, which caused Draco to snort.

"Of course I did." At least he wasn't in denial. Hermione kissed the girl before she handed him off to Draco. She hugged Sybil and Sirius.

"How was America?"

"Some how more humid than here," Sybil replied, "but gorgeous."

"We rode in a muggle airplane...it was..." Sirius couldn't find the words for it, "well I certainly won't be doing it again." Hermione laughed a little.

"What have you been up to dear?" Sybil asked. Her highly trained gaze picked up all of the changes in her girl's appearance; height, the texture of her hair, her sallow face, the darkened skin on her knuckles, and at last the appearance of the bra outline under her muggle clothes. The boys? None the wiser.

"Oh boring compared to you all's summer. I spent it with my parents, we stayed in London." The faint blush that colored her cheeks alerted Sybil to the lie...well maybe it wasn't a lie, but not the whole truth. Sybil didn't press. The Potter's arrived then, Lily supporting her six month baby bump. Rose held her father's hand as they walked up to them, but in Draco's presence she dropped her father's hand and went to talk to Cissa, who was still in Draco's arms. Harry and Draco exchanged a head nod then Harry gave Hermione a hug.

"Doing good, Meenie?" Harry asked. Hermione was OK with Cissa calling her that, not everyone else. Before Hermione could register her actions, she punched Harry's shoulder, playfully, but he still rubbed the spot.

"I'm doing good, Harry," she replied with a faint sneer. He cheekishly smiled. "What about you?"

"Oh good, glad to be back. The American accent is...strange."

"What about you, Rose?" Hermione asked the twelve year old. Rose turned to look at Hermione for a moment and then looked back at the baby without saying anything. Hermione shrugged. Rose has never opened up to Hermione and barely communicated with her at all. Draco, on the other hand...she nearly worshiped the ground he walked on.

The Weasley crew emerged from the barrier then. Harry and Ron did the nod thing, Ron gave Hermione a faint smile (no matter how much the two of them spent together in mutual company, they never got close). Fred and George enveloped Hermione into a hug at once, threatening to choke her. Ginny hugged Harry, Hermione, Rose, and Draco. They went through another round of 'how was your summer?' Hermione still didn't tell anyone about it. She just...just didn't.

When it neared eleven, the horde got onto the train. Hermione was seated with her trunk over head when she realized, "Where is Neville?" She asked.

"His grandmother passed away," Harry said sadly, "the funeral was today, his parents are gonna take him to Hogwarts. He should be there at dinner." Hermione nodded sadly and then sat down.

"What classes did you take this year?" Hermione asked them all curiously. She had dropped Divination halfway through last year, and then dropped Muggle Studies. She only had three extra classes this year; Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Arithmancy. She didn't want to use the time turner, like last year. At the very thought of it, her skin crawled with anxiety. It had just been too hard to keep the secret. Somehow, she had kept her very observant friends in the dark about it, though. Hermione really had no business taking Muggle Studies anyway.

"Care of Magical Creatures," Harry said, "and Divination." Hermione scowled and rolled her eyes; Divination was a waste of time.

"Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy," Draco admitted, giving Hermione an apologetic look, "I couldn't do Ancient Runes and do Quidditch." Hermione rolled her eyes, she could barely stand the sport any more. When Harry and Draco had made the house teams last year, both as seekers, their friendship had immediately turned into a stupid rivalry. Hermione constantly had to listen to one badmouth the other, her other friends were no different. A rift had formed between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor friends as soon as the two boys were told they made the team. It was absolutely ridiculous and for the entire month of November, Hermione didn't speak to any of them. She communicated her feelings via dueling club. After the first match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, where Gryffindor won, they managed to forgive and apologize and look passed the stupid rivalry, but it still annoyed Hermione to no end.

"That's all well and good, I suppose, don't expect me to do your Arithmancy work for you," she said hotly. Draco grinned at her and shook his head.

"Never!"

The conversation ended there but was picked up quickly after the trolley lady came by. With chocolates and sweets, they began discussing Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was the teacher, and he did a wonderful job...even if his method of teaching was very hands on. They were all excited to get started.

The new first years were sorted, and while they didn't know any of the new children, they still clapped and cheered whenever one was put into Gryffindor. After the sorting, Dumbledore took his place behind the podium and called for silence for there were a few announcements that he had to make.

Firstly, Remus Lupin wasn't the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher again this year-having taught these last two-but was replaced by a man named Gilderoy Lockhart. The girl's-not all of them, but a damned too many-were overjoyed at the news and had erupted into cheers and applause as the blond man in yellow robes stood up and waved. He had moved to make a speech, but Dumbledore quickly moved on.

The next announcement that Dumbledore had to make was about the Forbidden Forest, and how it was off limits unless someone wanted to be lost forever or die a horrible death. Hermione furrowed her brow in thought, as it seemed as if that was a bit heavy-handed, even for the Forest. He had never said anything like that before... With those words ringing in everyone's ears, the Start of the Year feast began.

"Why is he famous again?" Harry asked with a glance at their new professor after he had filled his plate.

"His books, that he wrote himself about the things he has done. He is rather conceited," Hermione spoke up. Instead of the supposed Defense Against the Dark Arts book, that had been used for the past few years, he had instead required his students to buy his books. Hermione found it ridiculous, and his books were hardly even educational!

"You know he received an Order of Merlin for the books and his achievements," Lavander Brown poked her rounded nose into their conversation. Hermione fought the urge to tell her off.

"Third Class," Hermione replied instead.

"That's more than you have," Lavender snapped.

"I'm 14. That's kind of how it is." Hermione rolled her eyes and then deliberately ignored the airheaded girl. Harry watched the exchange with faint grin.

"You're much more aggressive this year, Meenie." Harry told her. Hermione rolled her eyes and because he was across the table and couldn't punch him she settled for stomping on his toe. While he nursed it, they were joined by Neville. The boy was taller than Draco and Ron, and twice as awkward. He seemed to have grown too much, too fast. His poor teeth needed some assistance as well. He sat down next to Hermione and sullenly filled his plate. She rubbed his back.

"Hey 'Mione." At least it wasn't 'meenie.' "I'm fine. I wasn't all that close to my Gran anyway. She wore hat with a dead crow on top, and was super strict. I just don't like funerals, I guess." Neville shrugged and as he drank some, he glanced around. "How are you guys? Hermione, you changed your hair!" He not only noticed her braid, but also noticed how thin it was. She smiled faintly.

"Just a bit. I'm good," she replied. Harry excitedly announced to the three of them (Ron never had much to say whenever Hermione was around), that the new baby's gender was a boy. Lily and James had found out, but Harry wanted to wait until Neville was around to tell them. They all congratulated him. Hermione and Neville were only children, so they didn't really know what it was like to have a sibling-well more Hermione than Neville. Neville was raised with Harry practically, so he had Rose in a sense.

"Do they know what they are gonna name him?" Neville asked. Harry gave a shrug and said they should name him Harry the Second. It gave them all a good laugh.

After the feast was over, Hermione walked with Draco towards the common rooms, "Lily's baby is a boy, Harry told me." Hermione started with. Draco grinned and laughed a little, "that's awesome," he said. The baby would be born just a little before Christmas break, if not during.

"Tonks finished her auror training," Draco had remembered not telling that information to her during dinner, she grinned happily.

"I bet Mrs. Tonks is relieved." Hermione wasn't very close to the other 'half' of Draco's family, but Hermione had met Andromeda Tonks and Ted Tonks a few times, mainly last summer, and the Christmas during second year. Last Christmas, Hermione had spent it at Hogwarts, mostly sleeping and working ahead.

"Absolutely. They had a big party, or so I am told. We were still in the states, but Lupin and Moody were there." Hermione nodded her head in understanding. At this point they were at the splitting point on the stairs. "I'll see you for potions?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded and they hugged their goodnight.

In her dorm room, Hermione had to listen to Lavender gush to Parvati and Fay about Lockhart and how she couldn't wait for his class, he was just going to be brilliant. Hermione couldn't help her derisive snort, but Lavender didn't acknowledge her existence. Hermione got ready for bed, glad to get the stupid sports bra off-it was so tight and constrictive-and into a comfortable tanktop and pajama bottoms.

Professor Snape was in a particularly foul mood during potions class. All of his questions he asked were rhetorical and because of Hermione's hatred of doing poorly, she had blurted out the answers. By the end of class fifteen points had been deducted from Gryffindor. When class was dismissed, Hermione had lingered behind.

Snape was like...a distant uncle to her. She knew something was bothering him. "What is it, Professor? If I may ask..." Hermione said as Draco closed the door, leaving the two alone. Snape let out a very deep sigh and looked her over.

"While it is none of your business...it is the new professor," Snape said evenly. Hermione nodded in understanding.

"You want to be Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher?" She asked. For the past two years, Snape had filled in for Lupin, who was consistently absent every month for a week. Hermione knew why, and yet had never revealed it. Snape knew that Hermione knew, however. During one of the essay's that Snape had set for a DADA assignment, the topic was about werewolves and in the last line of her essay she had written, like a teacher at Hogwarts. She had gotten full marks on it.

"To be passed up by that...fr-man." Snape was never one to lose his temper, but Hermione could see how furious he truly was. Hermione shifted her books in her bag. They both were silent for a while. Hermione stood in front of his desk while he idly shuffled things around. Hermione had no idea what to say.

"Headmaster Dumbledore doesn't do anything without a reason," Hermione finally said, "so he wouldn't have hired Professor Lockhart and kept you Potions master, without a reason behind it." Snape paused in his shuffling of papers and let out another sigh. He sat down the papers and smiled at her.

"How very right you are, Miss Granger," he smiled a half smile, "fifteen points to Gryffindor." Hermione's smile was wide, as he undid the points he had taken from her earlier. "I suggest you hurry along now, your next class is set to start soon."

"I wouldn't want to be late for Professor Lockhart's first day," she said dryly, causing Snape to laugh in faint surprise-it was more of a sputter than a laugh. Hermione hurried from the classroom then.

Once she made it to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she was forced to sit in the back row-no matter how much she hates to do that, and next to two Slytherin boys, Crabbe and Goyle. They both sneered at her, to which she pulled her wand from her robes and pointed it at them from under the table. Their expressions were priceless.

Everyone knew of Hermione's dueling prowess.

Lockhart appeared at the other end of the room, from atop the stairs. "Ah, Good morning my fine fourth years!" He waved a hand in a flourish and Hermione could hear a few of the girl's hearts melting. She held back an eye roll.

She stowed her wand away with a glance at the two boys next to her, they were both looking at Lockhart and refused a glance in her direction.

"I am pleased to see everyone has a complete set of my books, well done!" He beamed as he stood at the front of the class, "and to start off the term, here is a little quiz to see how much you have read of them so far..." he handed out sheets of parchment to every row. When he got to Hermione, he smiled charmingly and she fought a scowl. His books were nothing but an extension of his ego. She took the quizzes from him and handed Grabbe and Goyle theirs.

Professor Lockhart went back to the front of the class, "You have thirty minutes to finish the quiz. Good luck, and begin!" Hermione launched into the quiz immediately.

"What is his favorite color?" Goyle growled under his breath. Hermione glanced at him as the two boys seemed to be working together, and then back at her own.

"Lilac," she said without thinking, "he said that in Year with the Yeti." Of course Hermione had read all of the books, she just didn't enjoy it. The two of them looked at her in surprise, and in response she scowled at them and finished her quiz. On the back of the last page, she wrote out with frustraiton; Professor, I don't understand what this has to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts at all.

At the end of the thirty minutes, Professor Lockhart took up all of the papers, again by walking around and taking them up by hand, and looked them over at the front of class. He made a disapproving tsk. "My favorite color is Lilac," he said sadly.

"Ah, but someone did know my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions. Miss Granger...where is Miss Granger?" Lockhart looked up and around the room. Hermione almost raised her hand, but she held still in her seat. Crabbe glanced at her and then raised his hand and pointed at her.

"Ah! There you are! Well done, full marks to Miss Granger!"

Hermione glared daggers at Crabbe, who laughed along with Goyle. "Miss Grangers seems to have asked me a question on her quiz, 'I don't understand what this has to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts at all.'" He read from her quiz. Hermione raised her chin and glared now at the professor. He laughed faintly and sat her quiz down.

"My dear girl, I hardly expect a fourteen year old to understand the concepts behind my methods, but I can assure you, they have helped me many a time. As you have clearly read in my books. It is my job to empower you against the most vile and evil creatures known to wizardkind, and it is very likely you will face your darkest fears in this classroom-"

"We covered Boggarts last year, Professor," Hermione couldn't help but interrupt him. "The creature that literally takes the form of our fears." Hermione still shutters thinking of McGonagall stepping out of the wardrobe telling her that she had failed all of her O.W.L.s. Professor Lockhart didn't seem to know what to do or say at the moment. "We finished the year with Werewolves and this year, in the Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection, we were set to start with vampires." At that, Professor Lockhart laughed.

"You seem to have forgotten one of my books, Voyages with Vampires, I cover my harrowing tale of discovering a vampire hidden among the cargo hold of a cruise ship from Australia to northern Europe. I hardly imagine that you expect a better lesson from the author of that Dark Forces book." The Professor waved his hand at the one Hermione had mentioned, which caused the girl to flush angrily.

"Professor, Headmaster Quentin Trimble wrote that book while he was Headmastered here at Hogwarts, which before he taught Defense Against the Dark Arts for years!"

"Yes, but did he ever deal with any of those things except outside the classroom?" Professor Lockhart seemed to think he won the argument, "My dear girl, I am led to believe you do very well in the classroom, but there is a guaranteed sort of safety in these walls that simply is not there in the real world, and this lesson is one that you are much too young to learn." Half of the room tittered with laughter.

"Professor, Hermione Granger has been the dueling Champion two out of the three years she has gone to Hogwarts!" Harry Potter interjected, which caused Hermione to flush.

"Dueling, eh?" Professor Lockhart drifted off into thought for a moment as he walked back towards the front of the classroom. He was about to say something when the bell rang. Hermione was the first out of the classroom.

The Library. Hermione felt truly relaxed here. She was in her favorite studying alcove, one in the shadow of the Restricted Section, with her nose shoved deeply into her Arithmancy book. Draco joined her quietly.

"I heard about your little...spat with Professor Lockhart," he said, bemused. Hermione lifted her gaze from her book once he spoke, rolled her eyes and shut her book.

"That man is an insult to Defense Against the Dark Arts, and professors!" She said, "Why on earth did Dumbledore hire him?!" She waved her hands exasperatedly and a nearby ghost ssshed her. Hermione glared faintly at the ghost and then looked back at Draco, as if he had the answer.

Draco shrugged, "I dunno, maybe he had no other options? Someone had to teach the subject."

"Yes, so why not Professor Snape? He has made it obvious to everyone since he has been teaching, he would rather be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione replied, to which Draco shrugged.

"I guess Dumbledore didn't know anyone who could take potions, then." Hermione seemed to think about this and nodded faintly.

"I guess that makes sense. How were your classes so far?" Hermione asked him. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors didn't share too many classes this year, they had double Transfigurations, Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures together.

"Good, though I am really just waiting for the season to start." Draco got a spark in his eye, which clued Hermione into changing the subject.

"You missed a lovely introduction in Ancient Runes," Hermione said, instead of mentioning the Q-word. Draco realized what she was doing and rolled his eyes.

"Naturally. But not all of us have as big a brain as you. I still can't quite understand how you managed to take all the classes last year. Divination and Muggle Studies were taught at the same time last year." Draco had nearly figured out her secret last year, and a cold sweat broke out on Hermione's neck. She was still supposed to keep the secret, even if she didn't have the Time Turner any longer.

"Never you mind, that year is over and done with, and it wasn't even worth it to begin with, I stressed way too much." Hermione flapped a hand.

"How about we stop by the kitchens before double Transfigurations for a snack?" Draco asked as he started to gather Hermione's books up. Hermione relented, as she had eaten very little for breakfast in her excitement, and yet her body was used to eating a bit more because of her training regime.

"Very well. I haven't visited the kitchens in quite a while anyway," Hermione started to swing her bag over her shoulder, yet Draco grabbed the strap and pulled it up onto his own shoulder. She glared faintly at him, but he didn't give her, her book bag back. Instead, he gave her the Arithmancy book she had been reading. She clutched it in her arms as the two left the Library and headed for the fifth floor.

It was nearly midnight. Draco had snuck out of the common room via secret passage. He wanted to go exploring and his thoughts had been stopping him from going to sleep. He was slinking around the Dungeons tonight. He hadn't really been down here before-besides Potions anyway. He rounded a corner and quickly pressed himself into the wall, behind a suit of armor.

Goyle and Crabbe were walking his way with a few dessert treats in their arms, "I thought she was gonna curse us." Their conversation reached his ears.

"Scared me too. You remember what she did to Blaze last year?" Draco grinned ruefully as he placed their conversation topic; Hermione. Last year, the Dueling Champion match was between Hermione and Blaze Zabini-Draco had had a broken arm via Quidditch and was not able to participate. Blaze had conjured up a snake to try and scare her, instead without missing a beat Hermione had levitated the snake and flung it at Blaze. The snake wrapped around his throat like a scarf and nearly choked him to death, if Professor Snape hadn't stepped in.

"It's not fair she's so scary and pretty at the same time." Goyle said, which somehow caused Draco's palms to clam up.

"Yeah! Pretty things are supposed to just be pretty and not dangerous, like flowers."

"You think flowers are pretty?" Goyle laughed at Crabbe.

"Oi! Shut up, you know what I meant." By that time the two boys had passed Draco and disappeared around the corner. Draco ran a hand through his hair, with a confused expression on his face.

Hermione? Pretty?

Two Slytherins thought she was pretty, and were scared of her?

Draco held the confused expression on his face while he made his way back up to his bed.

In the morning, Draco had dressed for classes while his mind was still on what he overhead last night. He got ready the same time as Michael and Terry, but couldn't bring himself out of his thoughts long enough to join them in conversation.

They were seated in the Great Hall by the time they had had enough, "What is up, Broodypants?" Michael asked him. Draco scowled faintly.

"I am not...brooding," he said with a dismissive wave.

"Then what has your knickers in a twist?" Terry asked immediately, causing the two boys to laugh.

"They are not!" He responded quickly, and then groaned. "I...just...nothing. It's nothing. I didn't get good sleep last night." He tried to think of something to say, but didn't manage anything. Michael and Terry exchanged a look. They knew him well enough to know something was bothering him, but Draco also took forever to put his thoughts into words.

"Good morning!" Hermione called, flopping into the open seat next to Draco. Draco was jarred at the sight of her. Her hair was in a brain on the back of her head (a French braid, he recalled from somewhere) and her cheeks were flushed, perhaps from jogging. She was in her Hogwarts robes, which he had seen her in a million times before.

Yet a word surfaced in his brain that he couldn't get to go away. Pretty. Her eyes, her nose, the way her cheeks lit up, her smile... She was pretty.

Very. Pretty. Draco glanced away and took a drink of his Pumpkin juice.

So she was pretty? Why did it even matter? She was his best mate. The two did basically everything together. She was the first friend he had made at Hogwarts and had stuck by him through everything. She was also pretty, and that shouldn't matter.

But it did somehow. Draco shook himself out of his thoughts and tried to smile at her without giving himself away.

"What's wrong?" She asked instantly, almost reading him like a book.

"He says nothing," Michael told her. "I like your hair like that," Michael added suddenly. Hermione seemed caught off guard for a moment and then smiled at Michael and touched her braid.

"Thanks, it just doesn't bother me like this. Well I'm going to go sit with Harry and Neville, they had a few questions about Potions or something." She waved at her Ravenclaw friends and went to sit at the Gryffindor table. Draco glanced over his shoulder at her and then back at Michael with a quirked eyebrow. Draco had successfully not felt jealous somehow.

"Someone's crushing on Granger," Terry teased Michael, who rolled his eyes. Anthony sat down.

"Whose got a crush on Granger? Draco?" Anthony glanced at the blond boy, "it's about time. We were talking just yesterday how the two of you are always in the library, alone together." Draco's mouth popped open and he just stared at the boy.

"What?" Draco didn't even seem to...Him?

And Hermione?

What?

They-Library-alone?

"What?" He asked again.

"Oh come on, mate. We aren't stupid. You two have been inseparable since first year. It's not like its a bad thing. So spill." Anthony seemed so sure of himself, and Draco literally had no idea where this was coming from.

"Oh, lay off him, Tony." Michael said, though Draco noticed a faint flush and a flat look in his eyes as he said this. Draco couldn't process all that had just happened in the short amount of time, so he dismissed himself quickly and headed towards Charms with the Slytherins.

Is he cute, or just awkward?