Hermione woke up the next morning in her bed although she didn't remember actually going to bed. She remembered telling Ron about everything and then crying a lot. But of course, she must have gone to bed eventually.

She sat up, opening and closing her eyes in an attempt to clear her vision. The sun was shining through the large window, she could see it through the cracks in her velvet curtains. Her eyes felt really heavy and she was surprised they even opened. She must have cried more than she thought. Probably had cried herself to sleep like so many nights before.

Hermione pushed the curtains aside and saw that Lavender and Parvati were still asleep which meant she wasn't late for class. But probably had missed breakfast.

She put her feet to the ground and pushed off the bed. She wobbled a moment before steadying herself and heading to the shower.

Once the hot water was steaming down on her, she let the salty tears fall. She didn't care who heard, who saw. She only needed to get it out. To be free of the memory causing her to build walls to keep her friends out. A half hour later, she turned off the scalding water and got dressed. The memory might not have been washed down the drain, but her crying days were over. She made a pact with herself not to cry anymore especially about things that were out of her control.

Hermione's face was blotchy and red as she made her way to the Great Hall. She'd spent way to much time in the shower and she knew she was late for class already. But she needed food...she needed something to fill the emptiness that was surrounding her.

The Hall was empty when she got there, which she was grateful for. She sat down and began devouring leftovers...toast, eggs, bacon...anything. Breakfast must have just ended because otherwise the food would have been cleared away by the house-elves. As she stuffed a spoonful of porridge, her stomach growled. She felt like she hadn't eaten for days, and really, maybe she hadn't.

"Hungry?"

Hermione glanced up. Oliver Wood was standing in front of her, at the opposite side of the table.

"Yesh," said Hermione, her mouth full. She quickly swallowed, then downed some warm pumpkin juice. She didn't seem to notice that it should have been cold.

Oliver chuckled, "I missed breakfast too, mind if I join you? I think it's okay we eat together seeing as how we're the only two in the Hall. Seems silly for me to go sit at the head table."

Hermione's face suddenly became very red. She had no idea why. She looked down at her plate, wishing the blush away. Then she looked up at him, "I don't mind."

Oliver sat, piling food onto a clean plate. "Are you late for class?"

"Er---yes. I slept late."

"Oh, tough night?"

Hermione laughed, "That's an understatement."

Oliver looked up at her suddenly. She blushed...again. "Are you okay?" He asked her, his voice very soft and filled with concern.

"Yes," she wiped her mouth, "I'm fine. Thanks." She stood up. "Except I'm late for class. I'd better go."

Oliver nodded. She started for the door, but stopped when she heard his voice. "I could write you a note if you want to finish eating."

She turned around to face him. He was smiling.

"Okay," she said, sitting once more. She watched him eat, no longer hungry. "When is your first class?"

That was the first semi-intelligent thing she'd said to him...she was surprised with herself. She suddenly felt very hot, though and wondered why she'd chosen to wear a sweater under her robes.

Oliver looked surprised at her too. "This afternoon."

Hermione nodded, thinking up a good conversational question. "Do you miss playing?"

"What do you think?" He asked, his eyes twinkling.

"I think you do...if your complete love of the game is any indication." She laughed.

Oliver shrugged, "It's gotten worse since going professional."

"I'll bet," said Hermione, grinning at him.

"When I was here at school, I was a bit....mad....but now...." he shook his head, "I'm really, very and completely mad."

Hermione laughed, "No, you're not. You're just energetic."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You can tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth. You're not mad. You just love what you do. I think that's wonderful. To be able to do something that you love so much. And yeah----you like to win, but that's just your competitive nature. There's nothing wrong with that."

Oliver shrugged, "I suppose you're right. But I am trying to tone it down a bit."

"Don't. I think people like you because they know you love what you're doing...and you show it." Since when do you know, Hermione? She shook her head, erasing her thoughts. It doesn't matter, just don't let him change for anyone but himself.

Hermione didn't know what to say, "I mean---"

"No, you're probably right." Oliver stated, chewing some toast.

Hermione watched him for a few minutes, not wanting to turn away. He didn't seem to notice, but kept his head down, eating.

Finally, he spoke. "Sometimes I wonder if people love me for me. You know?"

Hermione sighed heavily, staring at him. Could it be that he actually had the same feelings as she did? Just thinking that, maybe, just maybe they had something in common...well, Hermione felt a chill go up her spine and she shivered. But she recovered quickly, "Yeah. I know. I feel the same way sometimes."

He looked up at her, "Really?"

"Yeah. Since this summer, people treat me differently just because I look like a girl." She blushed. "I hate it. Sometimes I wish I still looked the same as I did when I was twelve." She brought her shoulders up, then let them down easily.

"Don't wish that, Hermione. You're beautiful. Don't let anyone make you wish you weren't who you are." He shook his head, looking like he was angry at the world. "I should probably say those things to my mirror."

Hermione chuckled, "Yeah." She reached across the table and took his hand. It was warm to her touch. Her hands were freezing, but he didn't flinch. When she touched him, it was like a fire shooting through her fingertips, to her hands, up her arms...warming her all at once. It felt so....right. "You're a good person, Oliver. Just because you're good looking and people like you because of it, doesn't make you less of a good person."

Oliver smiled at her, putting his other hand on top of hers, sending sparks through her. It felt like a fire had erupted from his hands and rushed over her. "Thank you."

Hermione blushed again. A common occurance around him. "No. Thank you."

Off in the distance, the bell rang. She'd missed the first half hour of Potions. This was not good. She stood up, pulling her hand away from him. They began to go cold again almost immediately.

"I missed half of Potions!"

"Here," he grabbed a piece of parchment from his pocket and scribbled a note. "You were with me and we were working on polishing the brooms for my first class." He handed her the note.

"Thanks," she said hurriedly. She gave him a quick smile before running out of the Hall...smack dab into the person she really didn't want to see.

"Where you off to, Granger?" Draco Malfoy drawled, blocking her way to the dungeons, purposely. He looked like one of his goons all of a sudden.

"Potions. Please move, I don't want to be any later."

"You've already got detention, I suspect. Where have you been? Not skipping class I hope. Professor Snape would be very unhappy to hear that." He grinned at her.

"I didn't skip. I was with Oliver...Professor Wood...we were polishing the brooms."

"In the Great Hall?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "Tut tut."

"Malfoy, please---" she begged. "---please let me by."

Draco crossed his arms across his chest. "What's in it for me?"

Hermione sighed. "Just let me by."

"I could do that. But I could just tell Snape you were with Oliver....alone."

"I told you I was polishing the brooms," said Hermione desperately.

"Not in the Great Hall you weren't. I saw you come from there. Is there something going on between you and a professor?"

"Of course not!" Hermione yelled shrilly. "I mean, no. There isn't. He just needed my help."

Draco sneered at her. "I'll cover for you if you want."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell Snape you were out on the grounds, but you're even later because I asked you to help me get the things I need to get for him."

Hermione sighed loudly. "What's in it for you?"

"I don't know," he said, "you tell me."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want what most of the blokes in this school want," teased Draco.

Hermione rolled her eyes and reiterated, "What. Do. You. Want?"

"I've got a bet going on with some of the Slytherins."

"So?" Hermione was beginning to get very cross, very quickly. "Get on with it, please."

Draco leaned against the wall, but was still blocking her path. "The bet was 100 Galleons to whoever can get you to go out with them first."

"That's totally barbaric! How can you bet on me?"

"If you hadn't noticed, Granger, you've grown up...quite nicely."

"You don't need 100 Galleons, Malfoy. You've got enough money in your manor." She said 'manor' like it was a nasty word.

"That's not the point. The point is who wins. I want to win. If you act like my girlfriend for one month, I'll cover for you today in Potions....and once more if you want to have another little rendezvous with Wood."

"I didn't have a little rendezvous with Wood, Malfoy. And I don't plan on having another. So I guess I don't need you."

"Oh you need me, all right," said Draco smugly. "Snape won't believe you were polishing brooms anymore than I would believe it...and I saw that you weren't. If you want to get out of detention...a few detentions, then take me up on my offer."

Hermione rolled her eyes to the ceiling in an attempt to stall for time. "I still don't understand why you bet on me. Why didn't you bet on someone pretty like Pansy Parkinson? She's blonde, she wouldn't care."

Draco said seriously, "What made you think you weren't pretty?"

Hermione stared at him like he'd suddenly turned into a raging hippogriff. "Nothing, I just--"

"You are beautiful. I suggest you take the time to realize that. Now---" He uncrossed his arms and started walking past her, toward the stairway to the kitchens. "---I have to get some food for Professor Snape's experiment and I've already wasted enough time." He paused, looking at her. "Do we have a deal?"

"Girlfriend for a month you said?"

Draco grinned evilly, "Yes and you can't tell Potty or Weasel either."

"Fine." She threw her hands in the air, surrendering. "I'll do it. But only for a month. And I want you to cover for me in Potions three times, not counting today."

"Three times, IN ALL. Counting today." Draco suggested.

Hermione sighed, "Oh all right. But no snogging or hugging or hand holding. None of that."

"Now, Granger. How are they going to know we're really dating if there's none of that stuff?"

"You can't call me Granger either," she said, ignoring his question.

"All right. Fine. Hermione, you call me Draco. One month, no telling ANYONE that this is a deal. I'll cover for you THREE times only and there WILL be snogging----only a little. No making out unless you really want to." He winked at her, "Hugging is a maybe...depending on how it goes. Hand holding is necessary."

Hermione thought for a minute, replaying his words in his mind. "Fine."

"Good. Come on, then." He walked off towards the stairs, Hermione trotting along behind him.

"Malfoy!" Called Snape's cold voice from inside the dim Potions lab. "Where have you been?"

Draco entered the classroom, carrying what looked to be chocolate pudding in large containers. Hermione followed in behind, arms full with a pudding type substance, the color of salmon.

"Miss Granger, how nice of you to join us---" he looked at his watch, "---fourty five minutes late." His voice was dripping with hatred and his eyes were narrowed coldly at her.

"She was with me, Professor," said Malfoy, setting his pudding on the professor's desk and then helping Hermione with hers. "I found her in the hallway just outside your classroom, sir, right after I left. I asked her to help me."

Snape eyed them cautiously. "All right, then. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. Take a seat next to him, Granger, he'll explain what we're doing."

Hermione nodded to him and quickly took her seat. This had to be too good to be true.

Draco leaned over to her a few seconds before the bell rang for lunch. "It's time to start pretending. Walk with me to the Hall."

Hermione nodded reluctantly. The bell rang and the scuffling of feet could be heard as people shuffled by, out the door. Draco stood up and instantly Hermione did the same.

"Where were you?" Ron asked her, stopping in front of the desk. Harry was standing behind him.

"Slept late, I was eating."

Ron nodded. "Well, come on then. Lunch." He started walking off.

"Ready?" Draco asked Hermione. She swallowed and nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Harry staring at them like they were completely out of their minds. She didn't have time to even smile when she was whisked away, out the door, behind Draco and his cronies.

Ron watched them pass with a very bemused expression on his face. Hermione didn't even look at him. When Harry met Ron outside the classroom, in the stairway, Ron had apparently learned to speak again.

"What is she doing with Malfoy?"

Harry shrugged, "Dunno, but I'm going to find out."

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