March, 1998

Hermione dressed in a pair of jeans, a decent shirt, and wrapped her cloak around her. She stopped and contemplated taking a scarf, knowing that it might be nippy as she traversed the halls. Eventually though she went without it and began cursing herself the moment she quietly slipped herself out of Gryffindor House.

It was two in the morning on a Saturday. Her Prefect duties had long been over, but now that meant that teachers would be patrolling. But, having been sneaking out of bed every other very early Saturday morning for just about seven years had made Hermione a pro. She knew where to hide and when. She knew which teachers would be patrolling which hallways and at what time. It made getting to the Room of Requirement all the more easier. They used to meet in various unlocked classrooms and, when the weather was good, outside in the ample cover the trees gave. But now this was the better option.

Hermione paced in front of the blank wall that was the Room of Requirement and concentrated on what she wanted. Eventually a door etched itself onto the wall and, when it was complete, she quickly threw herself inside at the hearing of nearing footsteps. Once inside she let out a sigh of relief and, soon after, a shiver.

"Why on earth is it so cold in here?" She asked as she held herself. Draco cocked a brow and then chuckled.

"I was completely burning up by the time I got here." He replied. He had his Slytherin scarf wrapped around his neck, his robe casually spread over him like a blanket as he lay stretched out on a sofa. As Hermione drew closer, Draco slipped the scarf off and handed it to her. "You obviously need this more than I do."

"A gentleman would offer me his robe as well." Hermione teased as she took the scarf from him. Draco smirked.

"When have you ever known me to be a gentleman?"

"Touché," She replied with a smile, but of course she knew better. Draco was a darling. She had always thought so (after getting to know him) and considered him her best friend. Merlin forbid Harry and Ron to hear her say that or to even know about the friendship that she and Draco had.

Little did her friends know (or Draco's for that matter), she and Draco had known each other way before Hogwarts. By some twist of fate, Hermione's dear ole Aunt Jillian was a witch and had married her uncle. She and Hermione were close and her Aunt Jillian had thought it to be a wonderful idea to take her to a wizard park. It was there that Hermione met the mean little blond boy who pushed her to the ground for being a girl, not to mention being a muggle. But Hermione was brought back to the park. Draco talked to her more and somehow Draco came to like the muggle girl he had made fun of. And Hermione lived to prove herself to the blond pest that she was as good as any witch.

Much to their surprise she got a Hogwarts letter. They had made plans then. They'd both get sorted into Slytherin, Hermione could meet his friends, and they'd all get along great. "But you can't tell them your parents are muggles, okay?" Draco had told her. Hermione hadn't understood, but in time she did. They were sorted into polar opposite Houses, which didn't make things any easier. Draco's friends made fun of her and the friends that she had made. She saw Draco less and less except for in class, but even then he was back to being the mean kid she had first met. How surprised Hermione had been one month into her first year when she received a letter from Draco asking to meet up in the middle of the night. "I thought you didn't like me anymore." Hermione had said sadly when they met. But Draco only smiled and gave her the biggest hug. "How could I? You're my best friend."

And best friends they were. Even if it was in secret...

"How's the girlfriend?" Hermione asked as she lay down on the sofa opposite him. The Room of Requirement was always set up the same way: two long sofas, a large rug, and a ton of bookshelves lined with books. It was all they needed.

"She's whiny and clingy."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, why are you dating her then?"

Draco shrugged and put his hands behind his head as he grinned. "She'd have me."

"You're sickening." Hermione rolled her eyes and Draco laughed. "Is that all you ever think about?"

"Not at all. I also think about money and how to make it."

"Shallow,"

"Well, excuse me. Not everyone can think about rainbows and unicorns all day."

Hermione huffed. "Add sexist to the list."

Draco smiled. If there was one thing that he loved to do, it was to annoy her. She had a million buttons to press and it was a true delight to hit them all. But, to stay on her good side, Draco rolled over onto his and stared at her. She was letting his scarf pull in and out between her fingers as she stared off into space. She always looked peaceful that way.

"You and Weasley still doing the little love dance?"

Hermione could feel herself blush terribly. "It's not a love dance... It's just...harmless...flirtation."

"If you two flirt anymore you'll end up alone with a house full of cats."

"Draco!"

"Oh, come on, Hermione." Draco moaned as he sat up. "I've been hearing you gush over Weasley since the summer. It's March. What's he waiting for? For all the men to die out so he's sure he's got a shot?"

"Draco, it's not like that." Hermione retaliated. "Ron and I have been friends for a long time. He probably just doesn't want to risk our friendship. I can respect that."

"We're been friends for much longer and I'd risk it in a heartbeat." Draco replied. Hermione stared at him and then began to smile.

"Thank you. But you know very well that I'd never date you."

"I could get you to come around."

Hermione laughed. "Oh, really?"

Draco sucked his teeth and nodded. "Oh, yes. Because in case you've forgotten, Miss Granger, Malfoys get what they want."

At that moment Draco rose from his seat. Hermione sat up from her laying down position and watched as Draco came closer. He slowly dropped to his knees, one by one, and placed his hands on either side of her on the sofa. "If I wanted you in that way, Hermione, I could have you."

Hermione stared Draco in the eyes. She could feel one of his hands resting on the lower part of her back. She sighed and thought what she always did as she brushed back some of his hair that had fallen into his face. He looked like an angel with his bright eyes and wonderful smile. A devilish angel, to be certain, but an angel nonetheless. "…If something happens between us by the time we're forty, I owe you ten galleons."

Draco laughed and leaned over to kiss Hermione on the forehead. "Deal."

…

Hermione and Draco parted ways just before the sun came up. The time between Friday night and Saturday morning was always the best and the worst for them. When they came together they could finally let loose. Draco wasn't a muggleborn hater. Hermione didn't detest him. They talked. They laughed. They harmlessly flirted. It felt like nothing could ever bother them when they were in the Room of Requirement. But the moment they left everything always grew somber. They knew what the week would hold when they went back to their respected Houses. Hermione would have to endure all of the hateful comments Harry and Ron would have to say about Draco and his family and she would have to agree. Although her "agreement" was never truly one. She tried her best to be on their side and Draco's. "You can't blame him for what he does. He probably had a tough home life," Hermione would say; her comments quickly being dismissed as though they were never heard. Draco's time was no easier. Sometimes Hermione would pass him and his friends and she could hear what his cohorts were saying about her and her muggleborn lineage. But never once did she ever hear Draco comment on it. He would always grow quiet and usually snarl. His friends thought that it was in agreement to what they were saying. Hermione, on the other hand, knew that it was because he hated it.

Sometimes Hermione wondered what it would've been like if she had been sorted into Slytherin with Draco or even vice versa. Or even if they just come clean about their friendship. Regardless of the alternate reality their friendship was in, Hermione imagined a hard time. He would still be a pureblood Malfoy boy, and Hermione would still be a muggleborn. It was a shame how fate dealt with them, but they still had their weekly night. They still had the stares across the room when they were sure no one was looking. And they would still have the risky hugs Draco would pull her into when the halls were empty.

At least they were in their seventh year. It would be better when they graduated. Or so Hermione hoped.

….

Author's note: Hello there! So I've been working on this for a little while now and decided to finally post it. I thought it would be different for me to write about Draco and Hermione being friends (and then some). Can't wait for you to read about their rocky rollercoaster of a life lol.

Feel free to leave a review! It'd be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

-WP :D