A/N: Hey lovelies! I got really really amazing reviews from the last chapter which made me so happy I am starting with the next chapter the very next day! (Even though I have one last midterm tomorrow) But eh. At this point in life my brain is just like too numb about studies.

Throws candy and cookies at reviewers and followers and favoriters (?) and basically anyone who took out the time to read my story. Thank you!

Warning: This was kind of a filler chapter because the following few will be kind of action packed and drama filled hopefully so dont expect a lot happening in this one. However it was neccesary for the story to move forward! Lets see if my heart follows what my brain has in store xD

Onward with the tale!

Chapter 13: Waiting

By the time Hermione got back to the common room she was really feeling the tiredness seeping through her. She rubbed her arm and yawned as she slipped into bed. She didn't think she could get used to this ever. The way Half Veelas were dependent on their mates was absurd.

She fell asleep with muddled thoughts and narrowed eyebrows. Suffice to say she didn't get a good night's sleep.

On the other side of the castle, Draco was having trouble with the sandman too. Somehow he couldn't get the image of Hermione crying like that out of his mind. She was one of the strongest people he knew. She was so strong it annoyed him actually. It unnerved him that someone from a non magical family could take on so much. She had always been someone who shocked him. From her scathing comebacks to a certain punch, that woman had taken it upon herself to practically traumatize him with how much emotion she had packed in her tiny body. Not to mention that giant squid sized brain of hers. Malfoys never complimented someone, hence all he could say was he hated how many taunts of his father's he had had to endure because she had beaten his scores in all exams since first year.

He had never met someone who was so... obvious. And yet those two idiots who roamed around with her had no clue what she was on about half the time. He didn't know why she associated herself with them. If she had been a pureblood she would have fit right-

Draco caught himself. What was he thinking? Had he just deemed her intelligent enough to fit in with his own class...? He put a pillow on his head and refused to think about her for the rest of the night.

The next morning as he entered the Great Hall, Draco could at once feel the gaze of a certain Gryffindor on him. However, he actively refused to acknowledge her presence.

He and Blaise sat down in their usual place, beside Pansy. "Cheeri Owls?" She asked gesturing to the cereal bowl in front of her. Blaise took a helping as Draco said, "No I-" Before he stopped and shook his head at himself. She was watching and he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. "Actually, I would like some." He spoke. He spent the next few minutes pointedly eating his breakfast.

Sitting at her own table, Hermione noted his enthusiastic eating of cereal with a giggle. She deemed that he looked like a bit of an idiot. At least that meant she had won last night. She smirked.

In Potions class Hermione hummed to herself as she stirred her Wolfsbane.

"You seem happy, Mione." Ron said from besides her watching her smiling as she hummed.

"Oh? I do?" She said at his sudden observation. Then she nodded, "Guess I am a bit. This colour is the perfect silver so it's making me happy." She grinned. Ron laughed at the odd Gryffindor.

Draco watched the pair from his seat a row behind them. He was scowling slightly as he noticed her laughing.

"What's with the gloomy dark clouds?" Blaise asked from his side noticed the blond sulking.

"Look at her." Came the snappy reply. Blaise followed Draco's eyes to the Head Girl who was measuring Kumquat powder while chatting with Ron. "Look at her being grossly happy while making my life miserable." Blaise snorted and laughed.

Draco turned to him, arching a perfect eyebrow, "Why are you laughing now?"

"You're a weird man." Blaise said shaking slightly with laughter.

"I'm the weird one?" Draco gave him a look he had learned from his father. It sobered Blaise right up.

"Stop looking at me that way." Blaise said. "It's just that you refuse to acknowledge you're interested in her."

"Interested? Did you accidentally swallow some potion, Blaise?" Draco said actually surprised by his words.

"Yes, interested. Fine you may not like her on anything, but you've always been interested in her. And as a matter of fact her friends even. You are always on about how much you hate them, mate, but somehow you won't leave them alone. Especially her." Blaise replied getting back to chopping his roots.

"I just like annoying her." Draco replied simply.

"You like the challenge that she, and only she, provides, don't you?" Blaise asked him seriously.

Draco thought about it. Even though he genuinely liked annoying her two dunderheaded friends, it was arguments with her that he actually looked forward to. Where Weaselboy and the Boy Who Just Wouldn't Die were easy to provoke, she returned his comments with witty fervour. Over the years he had actually began to note her reactions and emotional cues, looking forward to using his knowledge about her to make her slip just enough to count as a victory. Her limits interested him, as did her zeal in countering him.

"I guess I do like trying to win against her." Draco relented.

"Mate I don't think it's even about the winning or losing at this point." Blaise said grinning. Then he giggled and flapped his hands in an exaggerated manner, "Ahhhh I ship it!" He squealed in a high pitched tone.

Draco hit him in the head with his potions book.

After lunch Draco went back to his dorm room and spotted the books on his side table. He glared at them, shook his head and headed to the washroom. When he returned, he could feel the books sitting right there waiting.

"Oh for fucks sake!" He exclaimed before picking one of them.

He remembered what he had said about this one, 'And the last is a fantasy novel written by a Muggleborn, based on Muggle mythology, which will show you how limited Pureblood imaginations really are.'

He opened the book titled, 'Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief' and began to read.

On the other side of the castle Hermione decided to go for a walk and visit Hagrid.

As she strolled down the castle grounds she was yet again reminded of how much power and magic it took to hide a huge place like this. The Wizarding World still amazed her and she had found herself at home amongst all the magic.

She knocked on Hagrid's door and smiled when she heard Fang's barking from inside.

"Shove off Fangs!" Came a bellow and Hagrid swung open the door to reveal the small Gryffindor, "Hermione!" He exclaimed pleased.

An hour later Hermione walked back to the common room feeling too tired. The way back seemed to never end and her body was hurting and sore.

She thanked the lords that she would see Malfoy soon and then shook her head when she realized the oddity of that thought process.

She dragged herself to the sofa and sunk into the pillows with a sigh. She then waited for her mate to arrive.

He never came.

A/N: Sorry for that cliff hanger. But I have a class in seven hours and it felt good to end here.

I'll see you guys soon tell me what you think!

Ciao for now, Alex.