me and only are really cool.

"Well...I did punch him. In the face...I guess that doesn't make it equal. And..I am Harry's best friend...not his..." She started to realise the point. "Wait, no! Wait! Yeah..." She was confused. She wasn't really that bothered about Malfoy. He did get on her nerves sometimes though. Especially with the insults...Her face was the picture of worry and confusion. "Well, whatever. Anyway, what if I tried to tell you never to see Lavender Brown again?" She demanded.

Ron bit back rude remarks. He didn't say anything for a minute or two, as the three of them walked in silence. "At least she's a gryffindor, and talking friendly-like to her, wouldn't make me feel guilty." He mumbled in response, for the rest of the walk to their classroom, he refused to look at Hermione. He couldn't decide himself whether he was in a bad mood with her not, when they arrived at the classroom, they entered to find most of the class was already there. Ron made his way to sit with Harry, trying to avoid Hermione for the moment.

"Pretend he's in it then you bubmling idiot." She glared at him and went to sit in an empty seat. She did feel, even though they were all best friends, they picked each other over her. She wasn't jealous...just slightly hurt.

"It wouldn't make any difference!" Ron said, through his teeth stubbornly, to her. He sat grumpily next to Harry. "You're on my side? Aren't you?" Ron asked in a flat tone, and looked at him. He glanced sideways at Hermione, he straightened up in his seat uncomfortabley, "You know," He mumbled to Harry, "I can't actually tell if she's defending herself, or if she's defending Malfoy."

"Myself you twit!" She hissed towards them. She was frustrated at their behaviour.
Harry shrugged. "Well...she is my best friend too. I don't want to pick between you two anyway. Stop fighting and get on with your work." He said in a motherly tone.

Ron refused to speak to Hermione for the rest of the day, simply believing that she was being ridiculous and that she would get over it soon enough. At the end of their last lesson of the day, transfiguration, Ron didn't bother waiting for either of them, and left on his own, straight back to the Gryffindor common room.


Draco walked through on the way to the Slytherin common room, he passed the classroom as Hermione came out. He hesitated on the spot for a moment, then walked over to her, even though he could see Potter with her. "Hey," He said to Hermione, trying to avoid looking at Potter.

"Hello" She said brightly, deliberately glaring at Harry. Harry looked around nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to another, wondering how to react around them being civil to each other. Maybe he should try...No. "Come on Hermione, Malfoy will be fine without your company. He's got his friends for that." He took a grip on her arm.

"Get off!" She hissed. He shrugged and walked away. "Don't blame me when he ties to kill you." She glared at his back and turned to Draco.

"Hi." She repeated.

Draco glared after Potter as he left. "What's wrong with saying hello, Potter?!" He yelled frustrated. He turned back to Hermione, thankful she didn't seem annoyed or angry by his presence. "They havn't been acting like that since this morning, have they?" He asked, praying that he wasn't the cause any fights between her and her friends. "And, are you going back to your common room now, or?" He asked her.

"They're always like it." She sighed, remembering countless times they were too protective over her. "I'm not really going anywhere...You? And Harry is probably just having a bad day, please feel free to ignore him." She rolled her eyes.

Draco frowned sligthly, "That doesn't sound very friend-like," He said, "I would've imagined they were a bit more friendly than that. And same," He added, "And also, I try to ignore Potter most of the time anyway, but..." He trailed off, trying to think up an excuse to be constantly starting arguements with Potter.

"He acts like a goodytwoshoes and gets on your nerves? He does that often." She rolled her eyes again. "He oftn gets credit for mine and Ron's help too. He doesn't say anything either." She gasped when she realised what she said. "I didn't say that." She stared at him, deadpan.

Draco smiled slightly, "If you really feel like that, then it's ok to say." He said. He paused for a moment, not sure what to say. He noticed they were still standing in the now empty hallway outside the classroom, "Um, should we go?" He asked her.

She stared at him, quite shocked he was smiling genuinely. "You should smile more often." She commented. "And where?" She raised an eyebrow. What is his angle...

Draco didn't say anything, where? damn. should've thought about that before asking the damn question. "Um.." He stalled. A number of places came to his mind, places at Hogwarts, Hogsmeade. But Hogwarts wasn't exactly the best place, and he didn't think she'd go to Hogsmeade with him. "How about, we just wander around, until we find somewhere? That way we aren't just standing in the middle of a hallway." He said quickly.

"Ok..." She said warily, interested why he has started talking to her. She wasnt complaining though, he was actuall quite nice to talk to, Harry and Ron obviously hadnt just talked to him. She liked talking. Most of the time, Harry and Ron would talk, she'd just pretend to listen. She nodded and started walking. She didn't say anything, she want quite sure how much to say wound him. It could go two ways. He was pretending to like her for some reason, or he actually liked her. She almost smiled at that. Draco Malfoy, liking a Gryffindor. she suddenly thoughof something. "Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" She raised her eyebrows. "Won't ruin your reputation or anything?" She was joking. Sort of.

Draco laughed lightly, the thought hadn't crossed his mind, he was really only worried about his reputation in Slytherin. "Well. Most of them, in Slytherin, are stupid anyway," He said, "I could probably tell them some excuse, and they'd believe it, and my reputation sticks." He said with a smile. Win-win.

She smiled slightly. "They cant be that stupid" She laughed, imagining the stupidity of the Slytherins. She was still wondering why he was being so nice. So. Confusing..."So, do you enjoy Hogwarts?" She'd never really asked him that. She'd never really asked him anything.

Draco pondered over the question, did he like Hogwarts? He never really thought about it. "Well..." He mumbled, and looked at the walls of the hallway they were wandering through, as if they'd give him an answer. "I suppose, it's not that bad." He replied.

"Good..." She went silent, not sure what else to ask him. He obviously wasn't very chatty. She smiled to herself, still thinking of what she was doing. A voice came out of nowhere. "That's enough now Malfoy, leave her alone." It was Harry. Hermione stopped walking and didn't say anything. "COme on..." Harry looked nervously a her, glaring at Draco at the same time.

Draco turned around reluctantly when he heard Potter's voice. "Potter, do you have nothing better to do? What do you mean leave her alone? I havn't done anything! What's wrong with talking?!" He said angrily, glaring daggers at him.

"Nothing unless it's you someone is talking to." He shot a glare at Draco then turned to Hermione. "Come on!" He gently took her arm and pulled her away from Draco. She reluctantly followed him, smiling apologetically to Draco. "Ron, help?" Harry said angrily.

Draco glared. "Oi! You don't control her life! She can make her own damn decisions!" He yelled angrily after them.

Ron walked towards Harry, as he was quite behind him, since he was reluctant to come. "Malfoy. Doesn't matter. Just stay the fuck away from Hermione." He mumbled, just loud enough for Draco to hear, Ron barely looked at Hermione, he just glared silently at Draco, then turned around and walked back to the common room, checking behind him, seeing if Hermione and Harry were following also.

"He's right you know, I can make m own decisions." She sighed, grumpily slumping into the sofa. "Thanks for looking out for me and all, but I'm a big girl now." She rolled her eyes. Harry silently sat next to her.
"But Hermione...it's Malfoy!" He looked to Ron, desperate for backup.
Hermione glared at them both, jumpin up in outrage. "Who cares if it only Malfoy." She mimicked Harry's voice. "I don't care who it is! I like talking!" Then with another glare at them both, she flounced angrily out of the room. Harry turned to Ron. "What is her problem?!"

Ron shrugged. "Honestly. I thought she wouldn't be so angry. Why does she care so much about talking to Malfoy... I mean. What kind of friend talks to your best friends' enemy?" He said, sitting down on the sofa with Harry.

"I'm sure she's got a good reason, it's not like she's stupid. She's very clever actually. What is she doing?" He still couldn't believe it. His Hermione was talking to his enemy, Malfoy. His Hermione! what was she thinking...He stood up quickly. "Malfoy is up to something. And as Hermione's best friends, we should find out. Now." He said angrily, standing up and grabbing Ron's sleeve.