"Name three girls you would never date," offered Blaise.

Draco groaned. "There are too many!" Crabbe and Goyle snickered. Blaise let out a laugh.

"Fine, then. Just pick the three you'd rather be seen dead than dating."

He pondered this. "Narietta Jones," he said after a while. The boys burst out laughing.

"She must be like...five hundred pounds," Blaise laughed, hardly breathing.

"A Mudblood, too," added Draco, "along with like fifty zits on her forehead."

"Okay, next?" said Blaise. Draco scratched his chin.

"Hm..." he said, "Ginny Weasley."

"She's hot, though," said Blaise, "but a blood traitor."

"My point exactly," droned Draco, "besides, I don't think she's that hot."

"Fine, next?"

Draco thought. "Hermione Granger."

There was general agreement.

"Mudblood, friend of Potter and Weasel," Draco concluded.

"But...how about her looks?" asked Blaise mischievously, winking at his friend.

He shrugged. "She may be okay outward, but it's what's inside that counts," said Draco, pointing at his heart, "the blood that gets pumped from right here."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed, but Blaise was unconvinced.

"So you do think she's...pretty?"

"No," said Draco coldly, "I've seen better."

"You have to admit, though, that she's better-looking than Parkinson," grinned Blaise.

"You sound like you fancy the mudblood!" cried Draco, laughing.

Blaise shook his head. "No way," he said, "just because I think someone is hot it doesn't mean I like her."

"Alright, then," said Draco, "so I do guess Granger is better-looking than Pansy..."

"DRACO MALFOY!"

He turned. Pansy was standing at the doorway, fuming, "what did you just say?"

Draco rolled his eyes in silence. He wasn't really into the whole dramatic, emotional bull-crap.

"You think...you think that mudblood is prettier than me?" she cried, stomping her feet. Blaise smiled apologetically at Draco. She went on wailing and demandng an answer, and Draco was extremely annoyed by it all.

"Shut it, Parkinson," he droned, "if anything, it wasn't a lie." Goyle let out a small laughter despite himself, and Pansy sent a hex at him, knocking him backwards.

"So you fancy the mudblood bitch?" demanded Pansy, crossing her arms.

"He didn't say that, Parkinson," said Blaise.

"Nope, that I did not. I actually mentioned her as one of the three people I would never date," said Draco. He had really gone out of his way to explain this all to Parkinson, as he simply did not care, but he was willing to put together that long sentence to get her to just shut up.

"But you think she's pretty?" cried Pansy.

Draco stared at Blaise and his other friends for a while and smirked a little. "I guess a Malfoy never backs up on his word."

"First time I've heard that," snickered Blaise, as Draco did back up on a lot of things.

"Draco!" sobbed Pansy, "how could you? We're over!"

Draco rolled his eyes and leaned back. "Okay."

"Alright, fine, I'll-" her eyes widened at the realization; she had meant for him to beg for her mercy. "What?"

"You heard me," droned Draco, "I said okay. We're over."

"Wait, Draco-"

"Go away now." He gave a long yawn while Blaise stared at him and Pansy with amused interest.

"Draco, I was just kidding-"

"Well, I wasn't," said Draco simply. "Now get the hell out of here before Crabbe and Goyle hex you."

And so that was the end of the current relationship. And Draco Malfoy did not remain single very long.

A beam of bright sunlight shone through the window, and Hermione Granger fluttered her eyes open. She had a horrible headache and her stomach was sore as she hoisted herself up, yawning silently. She sleepily looked around her and realized that she did not recognize the room.

It looked pretty simplistic to her: a plain wooden door, a plain window with white curtains, and basically no other furniture. Except, of course, the bed she was sitting on. Plain...white...rather large...and...

Hermione threw her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.

His back was turned from her, but his pale blond hair and lightly muscular body was unmistakably those of Draco Malfoy...no question about that. And it was then that she realized, for the first time, that she was stark naked.

In a tiny shocked gasp she pulled the covers over her, accidentally causing the fabric to brush softly over his flawless skin as well. She froze, holding her breath. He did not stir. She sighed in relief as quietly as she could, quickly calculating which was the better choice- to beat him up till he's awake or to silently sneak out.

How did this happen, anyway? she pondered in horror. She strained to remember how she got to this room, but her horrid headache was keeping her from thinking clearly. And the shock wasn't helping, either. Making as little noise as possibly, Hermione slid out of the covers and set her bare feet on the carpeted floor.

Her clothes were torn up and scattered all across the room.

A mixture of fury and frustration swelled up inside her, and she felt like bursting into angry tears. She swallowed them, however, as she decided that the best thing to do is sneak out of the room as quiet as a mouse. Hermione began to pick up her torn undergarments, and, in doing so, found his clothes, including underwear, were on the floor as well. Her face turned scarlet as she realized that he was nude as she was. The white sheets covered his body waist-down, but this did not keep her from blushing madly. Shaking her head of such thoughts, she quickly and silently dressed herself as best as she could.

Maybe it's not him, she told herself once she was adequately covered. Of course, she'd be horrified to find herself with any guy, but Malfoy was the worst case scenario. But it never hurt to check...she tiptoed to his side of the bed.

She was not mistaken.

His face was almost angelic, she noticed in surprise. His pale skin seemed to be shining, emitting its own glow. She was almost shocked to find herself marveling at his delicate features.

Hermione shook her head. She was wasting her time- she had lots to think about and to, most importantly, remember once she got out of this room. She tiptoed back and headed for the door. Her fingers touched the knob.

"Good morning, Granger."

She froze on the spot.