Hermione walked down to breakfast the following day with Harry and Ron. Harry was as depressed as ever and Ron was complaining loudly about Gryffindor's Slytherin defeat in the Quidditch match yesterday and defending Harry's failure to catch the Snitch.

"Of course you weren't on top form!" Ron was saying to Harry who remained silent and brooding "what with all this stuff with Ginny...seriously mate, don't worry about it she'll come round soon, you know what girls are like and you know Malfoy would never have caught that Snitch if you were concentrating properly"

Hermione, keen to make Harry feel better, spoke without thinking "even Malfoy admitted yesterday afternoon after the match your lack of concentration gave him the advantage" she said. "I heard him talking with the Slytherin Captain" she added hastily.

"When was this?" Ron mused "I didn't see Malfoy anywhere after the match, I would have thought he'd have spent the rest of the afternoon strutting around the corridors showing off, the little git. And where did you disappear to, anyway?" Ron added questioningly "Ginny said you'd gone back to the stands to get your cloak, but you didn't go back to the common room..."

"Yes, well I went to the library of course" said Hermione quickly "I wanted some peace and quiet"

"I thought the library shut at about five on Fridays...it's Madam Pince's evening off, isn't it?" said Ron to Hermione's immense annoyance.

"Well she had obviously chosen to keep it open later than usual" Hermione replied "oh look, there's Luna" and Hermione hurried ahead to greet her.

Luna was making her way towards the Great Hall, wearing her old Butterbeer cork necklace and holding a copy of The Hogwarts Times.

"Oh, hello Hermione" she said politely "how are you?"

"I've been better" Hermione admitted. "How is the Hogwarts Times coming along?"

"Very well, I'm really excited about it and daddy is so proud of me. Hello Harry, Ronald"

Harry and Ron had caught up with Hermione.

"There's an article about yesterday's Quidditch match in the school paper today" said Luna serenely "you should both read it"

"Er," said Ron, glancing at Harry who mumbled "see you in a bit" and skulked off into the Great Hall.

"Best not to go on about the match to Harry, Luna" said Ron.

"Ah" said Luna wisely "Losers Lurgy, is it?"

At that moment, Draco Malfoy strolled past them with a few Slytherins, most of whom were girls although Hermione noticed that he didn't look very cheerful or keen to be with them. He nodded at Ron and caught Hermione's eye. She looked at him sternly and he looked away and went into the Great Hall.

"Draco Malfoy is very popular now, isn't he" remarked Luna.

"There should be a rematch" grumbled Ron as he watched Malfoy walk past "it was unfair...Harry wasn't focusing enough"

"I don't think Madame Hooch will permit a rematch just because Harry is unhappy about breaking up with Ginny" reasoned Hermione "have you managed to find anything out about that, by the way?" Hermione asked Ron as they walked into the Great Hall with Luna.

"Well, Ginny's still angry" said Ron as Luna said farewell and joined the Ravenclaw Table "like, really angry" he elaborated "Harry's been trying to apologise over and over again but she's not having any of it. I mean, he shouldn't have snogged that Melody girl and I was quite angry when he did it but I know Harry...Luna said that girl jumped him. Harry loves Ginny; the last thing he wanted was for her to break up with him"

Hermione joined Ron on the bench and began buttering a slice of toast. Harry was idly stirring his porridge and kept looking down the table to where Ginny was sitting with her friends. Hermione knew Ginny was aware Harry kept staring at her but she was resolutely ignoring him.

"I think she's dragging this on for far too long, personally" said Hermione who was beginning to feel that Ginny had let Harry suffer enough now. Hermione took a bite of her toast and picked up the latest copy of The Hogwarts Times from in front of her. Luna had done a very good job reporting on the recent Quidditch match but, as Hermione had expected, rather too much of the paper was taken up with details on Nargles and Wrackspurts and there was a whole double page spread dedicated to Crumple Horned Snorcacks. Hermione turned past these articles without bothering to read them and skimmed through an article about the Transfiguration Club.

A few minutes later, during which Luna stopped by the Gryffindor Table to ask everyone's opinions on her first edition as editor (they all insisted it was very good, even the report on Wrackspurts) Hermione noticed Harry was not the only person throwing covert looks at Ginny. Melody Colton had been discharged from the Hospital Wing with her green pimples healed by Madam Pomfrey. She had a sour look on her face and kept glancing up from her copy of The Hogwarts Times to look at Ginny with a mutinous expression on her face. Occasionally, her gaze would go over to where Harry was sitting. Hermione watched her and saw her screw up The Hogwarts Times she had been reading and throw it down onto the table angrily before returning to her cereal. Hermione decided she would keep an eye on her for a while.

Hermione moved her gaze from the Ravenclaw Table to the Slytherin Table where Draco was talking with his friends. She stared at him until he looked at her and when he did, the smile that had been on his face a second before, faltered. Draco would seek her out soon enough, Hermione decided because he wouldn't want to waste all he had admitted to her yesterday evening, he wouldn't want to throw it all away, he would find her and apologise when he gathered enough courage to do it and if he didn't, Hermione thought bleakly, well, she wouldn't be offering him another chance. He could piss off and leave her alone.

Then a thought occurred to Hermione as she watched Neville unsuccessfully trying to practise his Transfiguration skills on a breakfast plate. What right did she have to be angry at all? She thought as Neville's dinner plate promptly exploded, sending shards of china flying across the table. She and Draco were barely even friends; he was quite entitled to do whatever he liked, including abandoning her to enjoy the company of the various promiscuous girls who followed him everywhere he went. The slim blonde girl with the pretty face was whispering something into Draco's ear with a smirk on her face. Both she and Draco turned their heads towards Hermione and Draco looked suddenly angry with his companion. He seized his books, scowled at the blonde girl and marched towards the doors, straight past Hermione who for a second, considered grabbing hold of him and asking what had happened.

"Doesn't look too happy, does he?" commented Ron about Malfoy as Neville gave a weary sigh and pulled another plate towards him "probably fallen out with one of his girlfriends"

"I hadn't noticed" said Hermione as the sound of shattering china echoed again around the Great Hall "Neville, what are you trying to do?" she said.

"Its homework" said Neville with desperation "I'm supposed to be turning this plate," he gestured at the debris scattered across the table "into a toad. If I haven't got it right by this afternoon's Transfiguration lesson, McGonagall's going to kill me; I'm already behind everyone else"

"You'll manage it" Hermione assured him "you're waving your wand around too much, that's why the plates keep exploding"

Hermione spent the rest of her breakfast hour trying to teach Neville how to successfully transfigure his plate and then walked with him, Harry and Ron to Charms. They would be with the Slytherins today, Hermione remembered.

"I reckon I might nearly have it" said Neville optimistically "the plate turned green like a toad, at least"

"Took me ages to master that one, Neville" said Ron reassuringly "even then my toad looked more like a frog but McGonagall seemed to think it was okay"

"This is a practical lesson so wands out please!" squeaked Professor Flitwick cheerily as they all filed into the classroom. "this spell will almost definitely appear on your N.E.W.T exams so I would like everybody's full attention...Mr Finnigan, no more chat for now please and if you would be so kind as to put that magazine away, Miss Brown we can begin"

Seamus fell silent and Lavender shoved her copy of The Hogwarts Times into her bag and Hermione took her books and wand out. Draco was doing the same at his desk across the classroom, looking bad tempered.

"This is a tricky little Charm," Professor Flitwick continued "so we will start by reading the theory first. Open your books to page twenty five and start reading the chapter on Object Charms...I've got a bag of bits and bobs here you can practise on afterwards"

After everyone had finished the chapter, they were required to choose an item from the bag Professor Flitwick had and Charm the object they chose to do something interesting. Marks would be given on imagination and spell quality. Hermione had picked a tiny model bird and it only took her five minutes to enchant it so it looked like a bluebird and fluttered around the classroom over people's heads, singing a pleasant tune.

"Wonderful, Miss Granger!" said Flitwick as the little bird fluttered down and perched on the brim of his hat "full marks!"

Ron was struggling with his object, an empty glass. Hermione watched him with interest and amusement as he worked, finally succeeding in filling the glass with water.

Hermione rolled her eyes "that's too simple" she told him "we're supposed to be being imaginative" she checked that Flitwick wasn't looking and quickly tapped Ron's glass with her wand. The water started to change colour, from pink to orange, to purple and blue.

"Brilliant, Hermione!" said Ron appreciatively as he watched his water go from sunshine yellow to lime green and back again.

Harry was working on a wrapped sweet, apparently trying to get it to change flavour and Neville had already managed to make the pencil he was supposed to be working on snap in half and had to ask Flitwick for something else to use.

Hermione could not see what Draco was doing as he had his back turned to her but a moment after she had looked toward him, something brightly coloured and glittering had floated off his desk and was sailing slowly through the air a few metres above the class. It soared over Hermione's head and then floated gently downwards and landed on the desk in front of her. Hermione stared at it. It was a flower, an exceptionally beautiful flower of pale pink and lilac with soft, iridescent, glittering petals that twinkled prettily in the sunshine streaming through the classroom window. It had caught the attention of Professor Flitwick who tottered over and picked it up off Hermione's desk to examine it before she could object.

"Ah, this is lovely...an example of excellent work" said Flitwick "but Miss Granger, you have already completed the assignment...I'm not permitted to give you extra credit for this –"

"It's not mine, Professor" said Hermione, aware that most of the class was now looking at her "its Malfoy's. It fluttered over here by accident"

"Is this correct?" Flitwick asked of Draco who replied simply

"It wasn't an accident, sir"

"Well, Mr Malfoy its full marks for you also. Very clever, very clever indeed" said Flitwick, replacing the flower on Hermione's desk and retreating back to his own looking pleased.

Ron leaned over the table and gave the flower a prod with his wand which caused its delicate petals to wilt and drain of colour.

"What did you do that for?" Hermione snapped before she could stop herself.

"I was checking it wasn't going to turn into a spider or something...that's just the sort of trick Malfoy would find funny...I was trying to help. Surely you didn't want to keep it?"

"No, of course not. I don't know what Malfoy was playing at" she said. Draco glanced over his shoulder and winked at her. Luckily Ron failed to spot this as Neville had just succeeded in making the little stout cauldron he had been given in replacement for the pencil explode all over his desk.

"Be careful, Mr Longbottom!" said Flitwick and repaired the cauldron with his wand as the class laughed.

It was Potions next but Draco had Transfiguration and Hermione, who wanted to speak about the flower, made her excuses to Ron and Harry and caught up with Draco outside Professor McGonagall's classroom. Disregarding the curious looks and scowls from the pack of Slytherin girls nearby, Hermione marched up to Draco and said

"I want to talk to you"

"Fine" said Draco and followed her along the corridor and into an empty classroom.

"What was all that about?"

"What was what all about?" said Draco "you look flustered" he observed, looking amused.

"Why did you give me that flower?"

"I thought it would be a nice gesture" Draco explained calmly.

"If you think that gaudy thing you conjured is going to count as an apology –"

"I thought from the look on your face you quite liked it" interrupted Draco "until Weasley decided to ruin it, the idiot. Anyway, what makes you think I have anything to apologise for?"

Hermione opened her mouth and then closed it again. "You...you left me in the middle of our conversation!" she said "it was rude, that's all"

"I thought we were finished talking by that point" replied Draco with a raised eyebrow and smirk "or did I imagine that you were about to kiss me?"

"Shut up!" Hermione told him "someone might hear"

"So what?" said Draco completely calm in contrast to Hermione who was growing more and more impatient with Draco's comments "I thought you didn't care what people thought of you"

"I don't" said Hermione

"Well then" concluded Draco "I'm not your boyfriend, Granger in case you hadn't noticed. If I want to run off with a girl or two for a couple of hours, it's nothing to do with you"

"I...what!" said Hermione, full of rage at this statement "I never...I don't –"

"But if it makes you feel any better, Granger I much prefer your company to anyone who you saw in the changing rooms that day" said Draco.

Hermione simultaneously felt wound up, insulted, angry and pleased that Draco preferred her company to the pretty blonde's. This myriad of emotions rendered her temporarily speechless and Draco laughed at her, pulling from his pocket the flower Ron had caused to wilt.

"I fixed it after you and Potty and the Weasel had left the classroom" said Draco and put it on one of the desks where it lay, glittering and shimmering "I'm going to be late for Transfiguration thanks to you" he sighed "might see you at lunch?"

"Er..." said Hermione, her eyes upon the flower.

Draco grinned at her and left the classroom. Hermione waited until his footsteps had faded away and then went to pick up the flower. She merely stood there, staring at it for several moments until she too realised she was going to be late for class, put the flower carefully into her schoolbag and left the empty classroom.

"This is ridiculous" complained Ron that evening in the Gryffindor common room "all this work!"

Hermione tried to block out Ron's voice and concentrate on her Transfiguration essay. Harry had given up on it an hour ago leaving his schoolbag and books in the common room. Hermione had considered taking out his things and doing some of the coursework for him as Harry had had enough worry recently with Ginny who was still not speaking to him. She already had enough work of her own to be getting on with, however and she had enough distractions as it was what with Draco Malfoy sending her glittery flowers and telling her he enjoyed her company.

A few first years skipped into the common room, making an unnecessary amount of noise. They all gathered around the chairs where Harry had left his bag and started talking excitedly about Quidditch.

"Oi, shut it!" Ron yelled at them "we're trying to work, here"

The first years ignored him.

"Little gits" Ron mumbled and returned to his homework.

An hour later, Hermione had finished her own essay and had agreed to check Ron's spelling which wasn't as bad as she had anticipated. She was just finishing it when Ginny appeared through the portrait hole and joined them, taking out her own homework.

"Hi Ginny" said Hermione "how are you?"

"Fine" Ginny replied "are you fixing Ron's homework for him again?" she asked.

"Only the spelling!" Ron replied "cheers, Hermione" he said, taking his essay back from her and sighing as he looked at the rest of the pile of coursework on the table in front of them. "Better get going on this lot I suppose"

"Isn't that Harry's bag?" said Ginny, looking over to the chairs the first years had vacated a few minutes earlier "I wondered...I thought he would be here, with you"

"Are you going to start talking to him again?" Ron asked hopefully.

"I don't know" said Ginny "I guess I'm thinking about it" she looked at the bag again and then frowned. She got to her feet and headed over to it.

"What's up?" Ron asked her but she did not reply.

Ginny reached for something that was hanging out of the side of Harry's open bag. Hermione thought this was peculiar as she remembered Harry buckling it shut before he went to bed. She and Ron looked on as Ginny pulled something bright pink out of the bag and held it up to her eye level, looking more disgusted than Hermione had ever seen her in her life.

Ginny turned and showed Hermione and Ron a scrap of lacy pink something with a small piece of parchment tied to it. It took Hermione a few seconds to realise that Ginny was holding up a pair of knickers.

"What!" exclaimed Ron "what are those doing in Harry's bag?"

"Quite" said Ginny "because they certainly aren't mine" she held the knickers in front of her gingerly and then pulled the parchment off.

"Harry," she read aloud, her voice quaking with fury and hurt "I thought you might want something to remember the other night. I can't wait until I see you again. Melody"

Ginny's jaw was trembling. She looked absolutely livid and then, looking as though she had made a decision, she drew her wand and still holding the frilly knickers and the attached note, made for the boy's staircase.

Ron looked at Hermione worriedly "do you think we should follow her?"

Hermione nodded feverishly "Yes, definitely"

They threw their homework down and ran up the stairs. Hermione could already hear yelling.

Harry was standing against the opposite wall in his pyjamas and looking every bit as though he had just been suddenly awoken by a furious Ginny Weasley who was rounding on Harry with her wand drawn.

"This has nothing to do with you two!" Ginny bellowed at Hermione and Ron, pointing her wand at them instead and Hermione instinctively drew her own which Ginny noticed but disregarded.

"If you're about to hex my best mate it's got everything to do with me!" said Ron.

"Oh that's it, take his side...I'm meant to be your sister!" Ginny yelled back, brandishing Melody's knickers "I suppose these just found their way into Harry's bag on their own, did they?" she shrieked.

"I'm not saying...I know...it's just...look, I know Harry's got some explaining –"

"Shut up, Ronald" said Ginny and Hermione thought it was wise for Ron to obey.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" demanded Harry who was staring from Ginny's wand to the pair of knickers in her hand "why are you holding a pair of knickers?" he asked her.

"Oh like you don't know!" shouted Ginny and she read Melody's note aloud to Harry as well.

"I haven't a clue what that's about" said Harry and Hermione knew then and there, by the bewildered look on Harry's face that Harry was not at fault here. "Melody must have planted them on me!"

"How?" Ginny asked, looking quite maniacally enraged now "you're lying, you've been lying all along and I'm stupid for letting this happen right under my nose. I was going to let this all go, you know, thought we could get back together and start again. That was before I saw these, of course" she said and hurled the knickers at Harry who batted them away as though they were poisonous.

"I've never seen those in my life!" Harry insisted and there was anger in his voice now too "you've got everything wrong Ginny...don't be stupid!"

"The least you could do is admit it!" wailed Ginny. There were tears in her eyes now "just tell me the truth, Harry"

"That is the truth! I'd never go near Melody Colton!" Harry told her.

Ginny stared at him and then swiftly raised her wand. Harry stared right back at her.

"You're going to attack me?" he asked "go ahead, fine...whatever. I don't care anymore. Leave me alone, Ginny"

Ginny lowered her wand and turned away before hurtling through the dormitory door, sobbing.

"Harry," said Hermione gently, perching on the end of Dean Thomas's empty bed "I know you're not lying, I know Melody put those knickers in your bag somehow, with the note"

"Thanks, Hermione" said Harry miserably.

"Yeah, we believe you, mate" said Ron quietly.

Hermione was suddenly very angry at Melody Colton "you wait until I get a hold of her!" she said "I won't let this go, Harry I'm going to make her admit to Ginny what she did!"

"Don't bother...leave it. It's all ruined now" said Harry in a voice that sounded so dejected that it brought a little lump to Hermione's throat.

"What a cow...well, what should we expect from someone related to Rita Skeeter" said Ron.

They left Harry alone after a while and returned to the Gryffindor common room and went over to collapse onto a sofa.

"I don't think Ginny's going to listen to reason" said Hermione unhappily "she's going to want proof Harry was set up before she even considers getting back together with him"

"Yeah" agreed Ron "but what proof is there?"

A first year climbed through the portrait hole and scuttled across the room, heading for her dormitory. Hermione watched her go and then a thought struck her.

"Those first years who were hanging around those chairs earlier," she said to Ron "Harry's bag was beside one of those chairs!"

Ron looked perplexed "Yeah, so?"

"So" said Hermione "one of them could have put those knickers into Harry's bag when we weren't looking! I thought Harry had closed it before he went to bed and then when the first years left and Ginny came in, the bag was open!"

"You reckon?" said Ron who seemed to think this unlikely "I dunno, I didn't see them go near the bag"

"Yes but we weren't watching them very closely, were we?" said Hermione reasonably "we were concentrating on our coursework, one of them could have very easily put the knickers in the bag while we were distracted"

"You think Melody asked one of the first years to do it?" said Ron.

"Yes, I do! It all makes sense" said Hermione "can you remember what any of them looked like?"

"Nope, they all look pretty much the same to me" said Ron "tiny and giggly"

"Well I'm going to find out which one it was and get them to tell Ginny what they did" said Hermione decidedly, packing up her books. It was past ten o clock now. "I'm going to bed, I'll see you tomorrow" and Hermione left for the girl's staircase, plotting how she would fix the mess Melody Colton had left behind.

It was Potions first lesson on Monday but Hermione and Ron were without Harry, who apparently had a cold and felt too ill to go to classes that morning. Hermione had spent her entire weekend working on her coursework so as not to fall behind and so had not had a chance to find out what Melody was up to. Neither had she spoken to Draco, who she only saw during mealtimes.

"Harry must be really depressed" said Hermione as she took out her cauldron and Professor Slughorn ambled past, calling to the class to be quiet.

"Yeah," whispered Ron "I'm going to go and see him as soon as classes are finished, see if I can cheer him up a bit. Don't count on it though"

"Quiet, Mr Weasley" warned Slughorn. They were with the Slytherins again and Malfoy was at his usual table with the pretty blonde who always sat next to him. Draco kept looking at Hermione and giving her little smiles. She wished he wouldn't keep looking at her; Ron was going to notice something in a minute.

The blonde girl poked Draco in the arm and said something quietly into his ear, sniggered and pointed very obviously at Hermione.

"I thought I told you," Hermione heard Draco say, his voice raised in indignation "not to talk like that about her!"

"Is there something wrong, Mr Malfoy?" queried Slughorn.

"Yes, Professor" said Draco clearly and politely "I don't think I want to sit next to Emily anymore"

The blonde girl, Emily, looked as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"What do you mean, you don't want to sit next to me?" she snapped.

"You see, Professor" Draco continued, ignoring Emily completely "she's been whispering nasty things about Granger in my ear ever since we came into class and I don't approve of the term "Mudblood". I'm sure you'll understand if I move places, sir"

"Is this true, Miss Green?" said Slughorn, gazing disapprovingly down at Emily "have you been using offensive language in my classroom?"

"Of course not sir!" said Emily and attempted a sweet smile "you know me, Professor"

"Yes, Miss Green indeed I do. I've had a few complaints about your behaviour from other female students...I was disinclined to believe them until now. I do not tolerate bullying in my classroom, Miss Green and I am taking this accusation quite seriously. You should be pleased I am not giving you detention"

"But sir!" said Emily desperately "Draco was lying, sir!"

"No I wasn't" said Draco "and I'll take Veritaserum to prove it if it'll get you away from me"

"That won't be necessary, Mr Malfoy" said Slughorn who was evidently eager to stop the situation getting out of hand, said quickly "I want to hear no more of this now" his eyes searched the room and came to rest on the empty place next to Hermione which Harry normally filled "Ah yes, Mr Malfoy you will take the seat next to Miss Granger...we have wasted enough time already without me arranging a new desk for you. Hop to it, then"

Draco gathered his things, ignored the scathing look Emily gave him and went to Hermione and Ron's desk.

"You've changed your tune" Ron muttered to Draco as he took his seat "since when did you care about people calling others Mudblood?"

"I changed my tune a while ago, Weasley now shut up or we'll all be given detention"

When Slughorn had explained the requirements for the lesson and everybody had gathered their ingredients and had begun working on their potions, light chatter broke out. It was one of the positives of having a lesson with Slughorn, that he allowed them to talk a little while they worked as long as it didn't distract them from their potion making.

"Was that why you were arguing with Emily the other day at breakfast?" Hermione asked Draco. Ron had left his chair to fetch some more lacewing flies from the store cupboard and Hermione had seized the opportunity to talk to Draco without Ron overhearing. "Because she was insulting me?"

Draco didn't look up from his cauldron when he answered her "I don't like the word Mudblood" he said "especially when it's used in reference to you. She's a nasty bitch anyway; I'm pleased to be shot of her. She should leave me alone, now"

"You've slept with her before, though" said Hermione and Draco's reply confirmed this assumption.

"Yeah, well...she wasn't even good at that. Stupid cow. She's always bullying the girls in the younger years, probably because she's so insecure herself. The amount of times she used to ask me if she was pretty...what a pain in the arse"

Hermione chose not to ask what Draco had said when Emily asked him that question. She didn't particularly want to know but Draco had answered without Hermione's questioning.

"She is pretty," Draco concluded "she'd be great if she wasn't such a bitch"

Hermione wanted desperately to know if Draco thought she was pretty and then scolded herself for being so petty and shallow. Draco was looking at her very closely; probably to see how she would react to Draco calling Emily pretty but Hermione ensured she gave away nothing in her expression and Draco returned to his cauldron as Ron reappeared beside her.

Hermione barely concentrated on her potion at all, so pleased was she that Draco had defended her and removed himself from Emily's company because she had insulted her. It was a buoyant feeling that she was sure not even the Elixir To Induce Euphoria they had been making could replicate.

Hermione ate dinner with Ron and Neville that evening. Ginny was absent and Harry had only appeared for a few minutes, tried to eat but then decided he wasn't hungry and returned to the common room.

"Where is Ginny?" Hermione asked Ron. She waited for him to swallow the small mountain of mashed potato he had shovelled into his mouth.

"I saw her before dinner" said Ron "she's probably gone off to plot revenge on Melody Colton. Any luck with those first years?"

"No" replied Hermione "I tried asking a few of them after Transfiguration earlier but they said they didn't know who had been in the common room yesterday evening...they could have been lying, of course"

"Not thinking of spiking first years with Veritaserum are you?" said Ron jokingly.

"Of course not" said Hermione "I'll get to the bottom of this somehow...I want to prove it was Melody who planted those knickers"

"What's all this about knickers?" said an upper class voice behind them.

"Malfoy," said Ron "what are you doing here? Go back to your own table, me and Hermione are talking"

"Yes, I heard...something about knickers...Was it about Grangers knickers? Because all know how much you'd like to get into those, Weasley so she probably already knows, no need to explain to her"

Both Hermione and Ron blushed.

"But you never know, she might even say yes" Draco went on, obviously enjoying himself "I doubt it though, I happen to personally know that Granger has much better taste in men than to go for you, Weasley. Never mind, eh?"

Hermione shot Draco a warning look.

"Malfoy if all you've come over here for is to spout bullshit then please leave" said Hermione.

"I just thought I'd come and say hello, seeing as us three are potions pals now" said Draco "where's Potter, anyway?"

"None of your business, Malfoy" said Hermione shortly.

"Well, have a nice evening then" said Draco cheerily and walked off.

"What a git...if the teachers weren't looking I'd have turned him into a ferret"

"Don't let him get to you"

"He may have saved your life, Hermione and stopped all this Muggle-born prejudice but he's still a bastard, isn't he?"

"Sometimes" said Hermione distractedly. She was watching Melody Colton at the Ravenclaw Table. She looked much happier than she had the other day. "Not always, he's okay sometimes"

"Well I've never seen him acting okay" replied Ron. He cleared his throat "just to let you know, Hermione...what Malfoy suggested...the knickers...I mean, your knickers, I don't want...I mean, unless –"

"Oh drop it Ron, forget it" said Hermione "why don't you go and find Harry, see if you can make him feel a bit better? I'm going to borrow some books from the library after dinner and I'll see you back in the common room"

Ron looked at his slice of unfinished gateau "What, now?"

"Yes Ron, now! Or is a slice of cake more important than your best friend's happiness?"

"Alright, Hermione calm down...I'm going" said Ron and she was finally able to finish her meal in peace. When she picked up her bag and walked through the Great Hall to head for the library, she spotted Melody Colton talking hurriedly with a Gryffindor first year boy. The first year said something and then she saw Melody say no and watched as Melody pushed the Gryffindor lightly away from her. The first year scurried off out of the Great Hall and Hermione followed.

"Hey!" she called after the boy "come back here!"

The boy looked around at her and then broke into a run. Hermione gave chase and finally cornered him on the second floor.

"Don't move!" she said and the first year eyed the prefect badge pinned to Hermione's lapel "what were you doing at the Ravenclaw Table, talking to Melody Colton?"

"I wasn't!" answered the first year unconvincingly.

"I saw you, now tell me why you were talking to her" Hermione demanded.

"She told me not to say anything..." said the first year slowly "especially to you or that other boy, the ginger one"

"Tell me, right now"

"Alright!" said the first year, giving in "she gave me..." and at this point the boy seemed to be struggling not to laugh "a pair of knickers and a note," he said with a giggle "and...And she told me to get them into Harry Potter's dormitory or in his bag or pocket or something and then she said she would give me a Galleon if I managed it..."

"Right" said Hermione.

"...there's a sale on at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and I needed the gold" the boy finished matter of factly.

"I'm sure you do" Hermione replied in a gentler voice than the one she had previously used "why were you at her table, though?"

"Well, I wanted to see if she had any more jobs she needed doing" the boy explained "but she told me to get lost. I got a Galleon out of it anyway, I suppose"

"Thanks" Hermione told the boy "and don't mention this to Melody, don't tell her that you told me okay?"

"I wouldn't want to. She'd probably hex me if I told her I'd blabbed. Can I go now?"

"Not yet" said Hermione "I want you to speak to my friend; I want you to tell her what you told me. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, I guess" said the boy "but not now, it's nearly curfew and I've got homework to do"

"Find me tomorrow evening in the common room," she told the boy and then added "and if you turn up, I'll give you a Galleon myself" she knew that the first year wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity of having more gold to spend on Fred and George's discounted products.

"Brilliant!" said the boy "can I go now?"

"Yes, yeah go" said Hermione and he ran off. It was too late for her to bother going all the way to the library now and so she headed back to Gryffindor common room. Her journey did not go undisturbed. Apparently, Draco had decided to memorise the route she took from the Great Hall to the common room because he was standing waiting for her in the next corridor.

"Are you stalking me now?" she asked as he fell into step beside her.

"Would you mind very much if I were?" Draco asked her "I just wanted to know if you fancied coming into Hogsmeade with me next week"

Hermione stopped walking. "Hogsmeade?" she replied.

"Yes, you know, the little village down the road from Hogwarts...you've been there a few times, it has lots of shops and a pub" said Draco mockingly.

"Erm..." said Hermione weakly.

"Look, if you'd rather not, I understand" said Draco.

"I'll...I'll think about it" said Hermione at last. Draco didn't seem surprised.

"You and thinking," he said "are you ever spontaneous?"

"I said I'll think about it, didn't I?" said Hermione "it's nearly curfew, you better get back to your common room"

"See you later, then" said Draco to her retreating back.

"Yeah, see you" Hermione replied. She reached the portrait hole, muttered the password to the Fat Lady and went upstairs to her dormitory where she sank onto her bed and took out the sparkling flower from her schoolbag. It really was quite an impressive piece of magic, she thought as she admired it. She thought then that Draco probably meant for her to appreciate the gesture rather than the skill involved to make it and then thought how he would have expected her to think that way. She smiled to herself as she looked at the flower and then placed it tenderly back in her bag.

Would their trip to Hogsmeade be like a date? Hermione thought. Would Draco take her to Madam Puddifoots? She hoped not. She suspected that this trip was less of a first date and more of a friendly sort of trip, designed so Draco could do what he had admitted to her he wanted to do...learn more about her, get to know her better. They had not had many opportunities to talk recently at all and Hermione had already decided she was going to go with Draco. She had probably known what her answer was the moment he had asked her. It would be nice, she thought, to get away from everyone for a while and go somewhere quiet and just talk. She didn't want another discussion about the war or what had happened during it; she didn't want to dwell on the past but look towards the future. She wanted to know how this friendship, this relationship that had blossomed between them was going to turn out. She was curious, interested and now she realised she was quite excited about the prospect of going to Hogsmeade. She would find Draco tomorrow and tell him so.

The day wore on slowly. They had a double helping of History of Magic in the morning and even Hermione was getting a little tired of Professor Binns' dreary voice. Ron had fallen into a light doze beside her and she poked him with her quill.

"Wake up!" she whispered "you're going to fail your N.E.W.T's!"

"So you keep telling me" said Ron with a yawn "what have I missed?"

"Half the lesson" said Hermione.

At lunch, she first sought out Ginny and explained to her that she should meet her in the common room that evening.

"Why?" said Ginny.

"I've been doing some digging about Melody Colton and there's something you should hear" said Hermione.

"Oh Hermione can't you just leave it?" said Ginny tiredly "stop trying to excuse Harry...I know he's your best friend but really, this has nothing to do with you"

"Just be in the common room after dinner," Hermione told her "alright?"

"Okay, fine" agreed Ginny "but I'm still not talking to Harry"

Next, Hermione needed to speak to Draco. Not wanting to attract curious looks from the Gryffindors and nasty ones from the Slytherins, she chose to catch him after lunch instead of going over to his table.

"I would like to go to Hogsmeade with you" she said "if you still want me to?"

"I haven't changed my mind" Draco replied.

Emily was skulking near the doors to the Great Hall and looking at Hermione as though she wanted nothing more than to throw a jinx at her. Hermione steered Draco away from her line of vision and said

"Alright. Well, I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall on Saturday morning, shall I?"

"Sounds like a plan. I can't wait" he said and took hold of her arm, giving it a squeeze "see you later" he muttered in her ear.

Hermione grinned to herself as she walked to Herbology with Harry who was still in a dismal mood and Ron who was hastily going over Hermione's History of Magic notes in an effort to make up for the time he was asleep in lesson.

"I think things might get better soon, Harry" she said as they entered the greenhouses.

"You think?" said Harry depressingly "I just don't know how to make this right" he said as they pulled on their gloves "she just flat out doesn't believe that I haven't cheated on her"

"Well, try not to worry too much" said Hermione "you need to make sure this doesn't affect your studies...you need full marks in the necessary subjects if you want to be an Auror, Harry"

"Yeah, thanks Hermione I'm well aware of that" Harry replied miserably as Professor Sprout said to the class

"Everyone have their protective gloves on now? Excellent, let's get on with the lesson, then"

They emerged from Herbology an hour later, covered in mud and made their way to Transfiguration. Draco had vacated his normal place next to Emily and was now sitting with a tall Slytherin boy whose name Hermione did not know.

Emily spent most of the lesson whispering with her friend whenever McGonagall's back was turned and giving Hermione the usual nasty looks. Draco headed over to Hermione's table, pretending he needed to borrow a quill and whispered in her ear.

"I see you still kept the flower that was, what was it? Gaudy...I think that's what you said" Draco nodded to her bag that was open at her feet. The sparkly flower could just about be seen resting on top of one of her books. She had been carrying it around with her ever since Draco had given it to her. It was the nicest gift she had ever received and that included the brand new copy of Hogwarts, A History that Harry had given to her for her last birthday.

Before Hermione could reply, Draco said "thanks for the quill, Granger" and returned to his seat.

Hermione thought the weekend could not arrive quickly enough.