Hermione tossed her school bag on the floor and watched as it skidded to a stop against her trunk. She had just gotten back to the common room from checking out a book that she hoped would help decipher a rune that she was having a particularly hard time figuring out, when Lavender had started in on her conversation with Luna earlier.

"Did Pomfrey help you with your little problem Hermione?" The girl had asked with feigned concern.

She had just rolled her eyes and kept walking, trying her hardest not to let the chit get to her.

"That a no? Maybe we should petition McGonagall to have you removed from the dorm until you get it sorted..." A dirty blonde eyebrow had risen in challenge.

She had stopped instantly at the threat, her hands shaking at her side as she turned to face the witch, who was draped across the chair that she normally sat in. Puffed up like some brazen little peacock. The sneer she had used with Pansy settled onto Hermione's face as she responded slowly, making sure to pronounce each word clearly. "While you are at it you should let her know all of the secret spots you and Ron like to disappear to. I am certain she would be interested, you know how much trouble he would get in if he was found to be slacking on his duties."

The look of absolute confusion that had flitted across Lavender's face from her not backing down almost made her laugh, but the girl wasn't about to let her off now that she had new fuel to torment her with. She had tilted her head to the side before smirking. "You're just jealous."

A scoff was torn from her lips at the thought. "Do not flatter yourself, Brown."

"We both know that it's true 'Mione." Her voice dripped with contempt as she turned her nickname into a jeer.

"Ron? You think I am jealous of you over Ron?" Hermione had asked her incredulously.

"No... I know you are. Why else would you still be pissy over us dating?" The girl asked with a shrug of her shoulders.

She had shaken her head and taken a step closer so she could lower her voice, ensuring no one else would hear. "There is only one thing that we both know and that is... Every single time Ronald Weasley has you pressed up against a wall with his lips at your neck... It isn't you that he is imagining there with him. It isn't your name that he wants to be moaning into an ear. What you think is jealousy is really just pity for you both."

Hermione watched as the blood slowly drained from the girl's face and she instantly felt guilty. Once again she had found herself in the predicament of wishing she could go back in time for a redo. She should have just walked away…

Red splotches broke out across Lavender's cheeks as she kept her own voice barely above a whisper. "That is hilarious! You have done nothing but pine over my boyfriend for the last two years. He could have had you at any point, but he never made a move because he does not like you like that. Hell... He doesn't even like you at all anymore... So whatever grand delusions you have in your head are never going to happen. Got it?!"

Out of the corner of her eye she had noticed Harry and Ron come down from their dorm room and start to make their way over. She shook her head and sighed. "You can have him Lavender... The two of you deserve each other. I hope you have an amazing future filled with the childish games you like to play."

"You are such a bitch Hermione. It's a wonder anyone can put up with your presence for more than five seconds..." Lavender had vehemently whispered in the short amount of time it took for the two boys to approach.

They both picked up on the thick tension surrounding the little chat. Harry's forehead had wrinkled with worry and he looked like he was about to pull Hermione away while Ron had stared at the ground, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the stone. Obviously trying to pretend that if he ignored that situation it would go away.

In that moment all of her anger switched from the girl in the chair to the clueless boy standing a few feet away. She stomped over to stand in front of him before she snapped her fingers in his face to get his attention. As soon as his eyes had flicked to hers she started in. Using every ounce of her willpower to not yell. "If you would be so kind as to make sure to muzzle your feral shrew of a so-called girlfriend that would be wonderful. She has a big fucking mouth that is going to get you both into a lot of trouble if she isn't careful."

"Are you threatenin' me?" Ron had asked, more shocked than angry.

"No... I am warning you. That little bitch over there..." She gestured behind her. "Is going to make an enemy of me very quickly if she cannot learn how to leave me alone. And while she might not have enough brain cells to realize how bad of an idea that is... I am hoping to have more luck with you. I don't want issues. Understood Won-Won?"

The look she had to have been giving him was enough for him to see that she wasn't playing around. "Yeah... I'll... I'll talk to her."

"Good." She sighed heavily before turning to Harry and tried to give him a reassuring smile but was sure it was more of a grimace. "Have a good night. I am going to go to bed."

He nodded, not saying anything as he watched her escape to the momentary safety of the stairwell and empty dorm.

As she stood there her hands still itched to go back down there and slap the audacity right out of the broad, but she knew all that would do was cause another round of detentions. And while she had gotten off lightly the first time she could hardly imagine McGonagall being so understanding of physical violence a second time. Especially in such a short amount of time…

Another deep sigh left her lungs as she went over to the bag to make sure she hadn't broken anything in her outburst. Knowing her luck one of the unbreakable inkwells had shattered, staining most of her school supplies... What she found instead was an even bigger surprise. A small round black tin sat in the pocket that held her quills. There was a tag tied to it with a ribbon the exact shade of deep emerald green that represented Slytherin House.

On instinct her eyes shifted around the empty room before settling back on the piece of parchment. She flipped it over. His neat scrawl was cramped to fit on the small space:

A little something to help the burn...

They should be gone in a couple days.

Such a pity. You know how much I liked the look on you.

How many times did you think of me today?

The snake in me hopes it was every time you sat down.

-A Reluctantly Chivalrous Hero

She quickly unscrewed the top and sniffed the thick white paste. The faint scents of aloe and pot marigold hit her nose. Definitely a healing concoction then... The thought pulled her up short. He either had this kind of stuff on hand, which should probably cause warning bells to toll but oddly didn't. Or... Or he had made it for her... The fact that he had cared enough to slip anything to her was... Sweet.

Hermione stood and walked over to the full length mirror. She ran a finger through the satin-like mixture before flicking her skirt up over her bum. The cooling effect was instantaneous and she moaned. After a full day of the almost constant sting, that would shift into fire every time she forgot and actually put her full weight down when she sat, the sudden relief was a welcome change.

She couldn't find it in herself to regret allowing the spankings though... The fact that she carried the evidence of the time they spent together was weirdly erotic. She kind of understood why it had caused him to react the way he had…

The fact that she wasn't in the most private of settings registered and she blushed even though there was no one to see. She quickly went and changed into a pair of warm pajamas. After she climbed into bed she cast both a locking and muffling charm on the curtains that were supposed to ensure her privacy.

She had no reason to trust Lavender would listen to whatever Ron told her and she wasn't willing to risk the chance of retaliation…

-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-

The next week dragged on for what felt like ages. It took longer than she expected for her to receive the package from her mother. When it had finally shown up she had been called into McGonagall's office to get it. Her heart had started to hammer as soon as she received the unclear summons, thinking Lavender had followed through on her threat to go and speak with their Head of House.

Then she had arrived and saw the giant box in the corner…

Her mother hadn't listened about sending the twenty different cds she had listed. Instead she had sent her whole collection, some newer releases and "a few that your Father and I thought your friend might enjoy". She thanked her lucky stars that she had thought to send weightless wrap paper or the poor owl she had sent might not have made it under the weight!

She'd had to make up an excuse for wanting to diversify her fellow Gryffindor's musical tastes during the end of the year party to convince the Professor that she had no plans to start hawking muggle cds at a discounted price. While in the moment she had scoffed at the idea, she later realized that the woman would have had to deal with people like the Weasley twins her whole career. She had probably seen the ploy too many times to count.

It had taken a relatively short amount of time to then convince her that the muggle device wouldn't cause any type of damage to the castle or her fellow students due to the charms Mr. Weasley had taught her a few summers ago. She wasn't one-hundred percent sure that the radio wouldn't explode or gain sentience after a long period of exposure to the abundant magic within the school… It was closer to ninety-seven percent, but she was confident enough that everything would be fine. Especially when considering it had already been tested by the constant strain of numerous protection charms placed around her home after Voldermort's return without incident.

The next day Aunt Flo had visited right on time. While she had been grateful for the appearance, it also meant that she had to push off their next visit. Just the thought of having a conversation about her cycle with a boy made her palms start sweating. Much less having to tell Draco they could not do anything because of it... If the feelings weren't so pathetic she might have laughed at herself. Send her a Death Eater who wanted to kill her- Her mind was able to focus with an edge that was as sharp as a tack! Even hint at telling the boy who had seen more of her body than the Healers at Mungo's that she was on her period and she turned into an anxiety ridden mess.

So she had made up excuse after excuse for nights when she should have been available.

As if he could sense her trepidation, Draco had upped his affections. He would track her down in the Library and make sure to keep himself, and by extension the group around him, in her line of sight. He found ways to be able to pass her in the hallway or get her attention during class. And each time her eyes would find him, the stare that he would pierce her with left little to her imagination on exactly what he wanted to do the next time they were alone.

The little notes that she had grown accustomed to finding randomly seemed to appear every time she turned around. On a shelf in the library, by her feet at dinner, in her planner, on a chair in one of her classes, balanced on a window sill on her regular path for Prefect rounds. They were everywhere…

Some were a simple "Miss you." while others would verify everything that his searing looks said. In extreme detail... To the point that the graphic words would have her blushing and quickly shoving the note deep into her bag where there was no chance of accidentally falling out.

Ginny had even noticed a few times and pulled her to the side to tease her. "Lover Boy must be just as smitten. Pretty soon he isn't going to be able to contain himself and he is going to pull a stunt like from that movie you made me watch..."

The girl was, of course, referencing the scene in "Say Anything" when John Cusack is trying to win over Ione Skye. The thought of Draco doing something even close to that had made her snort. "Doubt it, but it's good to know my influence is rubbing off."

Ginny had given her a look like she didn't believe the bullcrap coming out her mouth before sauntering away.

If she was honest with herself she worried he would do something stupid. Not holding a muggle radio blaring a love ballad over his head outside her common room or anything that extreme, but from the way his tone had been shifting she was concerned he would just show up around Gryffindor Tower again. Thankfully he hadn't. He just kept up his teasing with the notes and heavy stares.

When she had woken up that morning there had been a smile on her face from the get go. After being infernally patient it was finally the day she was going to learn a little more about her hero…

-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-\?/-

Eek! Our girl is making enemies left and right…

I am opening up song suggestions for any decade! I loved ACupples suggestion for a song Draco might like soooo much that I am saying screw it and gonna use it in a future chapter, lol. Since I'm already messing with J.K.R.'s history, why not our own! ;)

Oh and reviews are ALWAYS welcome! I love hearing what you guys liked (or not!) in the chapter.

Anyways…

Thank you all for being such amazing readers and coming back to check out how the story is progressing. It is beyond humbling... Especially with how nervous I was putting it out there.

As Always!

Much love,

SlytherclawLuv

Usual Disclaimer (Because I haven't done one in awhile): J.K. Rowling is the sole owner and creator of the world and characters used within this fanfic. She is the Snickers while I am the Dollar Tree Knock Off version. I have never and will never receive any sort of compensation. Only follows, kudos, favorites, subscriptions and reviews.