The Ferret, The Weasel, and The Granger.

Real love's so hard to find,

Just when you think you've found it,

The illusion's in your eyes…

He watched her, his eyes swirled with grey mountain top mist as he wondered what she was doing here, Malfoy assumed that she would be with the rest of the Gryffindor's celebrating their obviously biased win against Slytherin in the latest Quidditch game, Draco was certain that the old dragon himself was controlling the snitch so Potty would catch it every time the game came towards the end and Slytherin had even the slightest of leads, stupid Potter. Draco supposed that it was understandable as to why Granger wouldn't be with them, she never really seemed to interested in the game its self and, of course, there was that issue with her and the dynamic duo, but he supposed that that had started because of him, last week in this very room...

Draco had known for a little while that Granger had a somewhat thing for Weasley, Merlin knows why, it's not like Draco watched her or anything but it's hard to avoid that giant bush of hair plus the Weasel always stands out due to his mop too. Last Saturday Draco was surprised, to say the least, when Weasley walked into the Library of his own accord, the prat has properly never even read a whole book, and he didn't come here to read either as he walked straight over to Granger who as per usual had her frizzy mound buried deep in a book. Now Draco didn't eavesdrop, his mother taught him better than that, but he couldn't help but over hear what they said due to the Weasels boisterous voice.

"Hey 'mione, what'cha reading?" He said as he clambered down next to her, her head sprung up from her book and she looked overly delighted to see the stupid lug.

"Ron! Ah it's good to see you, I thought you had all day practice today before the game next week?" She placed a book mark between the pages she was on and closed her book giving him her full attention.

"Actually I do, that's kind of why I'm here I won't have much time to go over my Potions essay what with all the practice and I was wondering if you could look over it?" He put his parchment paper in front of her as if he didn't care if she wanted to or not.

"Oh, well sure Ron but I actually haven't finished my-"

"Great, thanks for the help 'mione, see you later" Interrupting her, he got up and left not even giving her a look of acknowledgement.

Granger sighed, got up and when over to the potions section, where a certain blonde haired, silver eyed, Slytherin was sitting. Draco observed Granger as she ran a finger across the spines of worn books, bronze met with silver as their eyes locked, Hermione simply looked away and continued to look for the book she needed.

"Looking for something Granger?" Draco asked knowing all too well what she was looking for.

"Yes Malfoy as a matter of fact I'm looking for a book, shocker I know, a book in the Library? I must be out of my mind!" Hermione replied with sarcasm dripping of every single word.

"Ah, you must be since you willing to do everything Potty and the Weasel ask you to."

"I'm not a slave Malfoy, I'm a good friend not that you'd know what that is like." She glared at him as she wore a faint smile, he knew as well as she did that at times like these when they were alone, their little fights of quick witted remarks weren't to be taken with total seriousness.

"You're right Granger, I suppose I wouldn't but if I did I wouldn't allow my good friends to use me to do their homework!" Draco retorted with a venomous tone as he said 'their' obviously referring to the dream team themselves.

"Firstly, no you wouldn't do someone else's homework but you would make someone do your own, Secondly, I'm not doing Ron's homework for him I'm just checking over it before he hands it in, and Finally, Draco Lucius Malfoy, you eavesdropper! Mind your own business." She found her book and sat back down at her table, Draco followed shortly sitting opposite her as he didn't want to sit where Ron had.

"As true as your first statement may be I am no eavesdropper, I simply overheard what you were saying to Weaselbe, so Hermione Jean Granger let us see how much 'checking' you will have to do for your good friend."

Hermione huffed at Malfoy and turned over Ron's parchment paper… he had written a paragraph… on the wrong potion. Draco couldn't contain his laughter, not only had he proved Hermione wrong but he had just witnessed the extent of Weasley's idiocy.

"Haha, what did I say, have fun with that Granger." He looked up to see her reaction expecting her to be livid and her hair flying everywhere but instead she just looked, sad.

"Do- do you really think that they use me?" She looked into his eyes, the pools that led to his soul he hoped that she wouldn't see the pity that he felt for her, he tried to conceal it with a scowl and that appeared to have worked as Hermione sighed and began to write a new essay for Ron. Draco didn't say a word but instead took her quill and the Weasel's mockery of an essay, he read over the paragraph and scribbled some things around it.

"Give him that, Potty may not use you but he definitely under appreciates you and as for the Weasel, well he's just a dick." With that Draco got up and left the Library, as he walked out he saw Hermione faintly smiling to herself.

The following morning Draco watched the clan of ginger haired Gryffindor's practically inhale their food, manners of which the-boy-who-has-a-scar-on-his-head had picked up on, the Weaselette, however, was sat on the Ravenclaw table with Loony Luna she appeared to be not as manner-less as the rest of her family but she had left Granger alone, something Hermione obviously didn't mind since she seemed content with reading the Daily Prophet undisturbed. Unfortunately for her she was interrupted by everyone's favourite Weasley.

"Oh, 'mione did you manage to look over my potions essay?" Ron said with a mouth full of food which he didn't even bother to cover with his hand.

Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust at the sight of chewed up food tumbling around the Weasels mouth. "Actually, yes Ronald, now where did I – ah here it is." She said as she removed the folded up piece of parchment paper from her cloak pocket and handed it over to Ron.

"Oh cheers Hermi-" He fell quiet. A smirk crept onto Draco's face as observed the scene, he wasn't looking at them or eavesdropping, he was observing, they were after all in his direct line of vison. Laughter exploded from the notorious pranking twins as they looked over their brother's shoulders to read what had caused Ron to stop in the middle of his sentence.

"What's so funny?" asked Harry as he took the parchment from Ron's hands, he scanned over it and let out a snort before joining the twins in their laughter, by now the small but famous group of Gryffindor's had caught the attention of most people in the hall people were starting to swarm them to see what was funny and when they did they too began to laugh, even Draco himself let out a small chucked at the Weasels embarrassment. The laughter quickly turned into muffled giggles as Professor Snape made his way over to where all the commotion had started.

With a scowl on his face he snatched the parchment from Potters hands and read what it had said;

The Volubilis Potion – Essay by Ronald Weasley Checked by Draco Malfoy.

To make (brew) this potion, you have to heat the initial ingredients (failure to mention said initial ingredients) until it turns red, then grey (green). Next, you (the potion-maker) has to add Saltwater (Honeywater) until the liquid turns pink. The brew has to be cooled, (Wrong, it has to be heated again) until it turns orange. When clover (mint) sprigs are added, the potion turns into a shade of green. The potion has to be heated once more, until it turns black (blue). Then, more clover (its mint you fool) sprigs are to be added. By this time the potion should be have turned pink again. Boiled (Stewed – just like your brain) Mandrake is to be added next, then the potion turns red (orange – Weasel are you colour-blind?). A small (failure to mention correct measurements (also just like your little weasel)) amount of powdered (Syrup of) Hellebore should be added next, turning the potion blue. To finish the brew, you have to heat the potion until it's red and heat it some more until it turns a light yellow (most potion masters describe this as 'pleasant yellow' but you do you Weaselbe). Once finished, the potion should release some light (sparks- which can be hazardous so failure to mention danger hazards).

Over all judgement – Failure to mention hazards, failure to mention correct measurements, possibly colour-blind, failure in mentioning correct ingredients, failure in correct terminology. Honestly Weasley, maybe you should get yourself checked into St. Mungos I don't think everything is working upstairs if you understand what I mean, which you properly don't. From now on stop scrounging off Granger and do your own fucking homework, and don't use Quidditch as an excuse since I to play Quidditch and have the second best grades in the school, first of course goes to none other than Miss Hermione Granger herself, know-it-all. Anyway sod-off and grow a brain. – D. Malfoy

P.S. The potion we had homework on was the Veritaserum potion you incompetent imbecile.

Snape looked over to Hermione who had gone back to reading the Prophet, she had a cup of what appeared to be green tea which she raised towards the end of Slytherin table where Draco was sat, he raised his back and the both drank at the same time. Snape threw the paper back down to where an ever growing red faced Weasley was sat, he turned and walked back to his seat at the top of the hall, he sat silently and all the other students sat back where they belonged.

"10 points to Slytherin." Snape announced smugly, Slytherin cheered and laughed at the other houses but mostly Gryffindor. Ron's face fell into a glare and instead of scowling at the Slytherin Prince he sent the dirty looks towards Hermione before storming out of the Hall.

From that day onwards Ron hadn't spoken a word to Hermione, in fact Pansy had said that he saw him shove past Granger knocking her over, surprisingly Pansy then began to rant in front of the whole common room about how Weaselbe was only picking on Granger because he was afraid of Slytherin and so he took it out on her, she then proceeded to say to Draco and her close friends how Granger had actually helped her with her Charms work that day and although she was a 'know-it-all-mudblood' Pansy felt that she had to repay her and so she hexed the Weasel for her and helped her up, Draco found this to be a strange thing for Pansy to do but, he told her this and Parkinson began to rant again about how no matter how much she disliked Hermione she hated the Weasel more – something about him being a sexist pig. Either way throughout the week the Weasel began to be colder to Hermione and even managed to get Potty and the rest of their clan against her who knows how he did that, but either way it wasn't the first time that none of them would let Hermione explain her side of the situation.

Hence why she was now alone in the Library reading at candle light whilst all her good friends were celebrating their latest victory.

"Well, well, well, not celebrating?" Draco asked as he sauntered into the candle light, the sudden presence of someone else shocked Hermione making her gasp.

"Oh, it's you." She replied seeming almost disappointed.

"Granger please, everyone knows you secretly love me, there's no need to harbour your feelings when we are alone like this." Draco sat next to her and began to play with one of her curls, twirling it between his fingers.

She slapped his hand away and closed her book not even bothering to mark where she was reading, "As if, what do you want Malfoy."

"Why are you here all alone, being angsty in the dark is more Potters style it doesn't really suit you,"

"I don't think 'angsty' is a word,"

"That doesn't answer my question bookworm." He said as he picked up the book that she had been reading to see he title '101 Ways to Cure a Broken Heart'.

"Oh you aren't crying over Weasley are you? He deserved what he got lazy git-"

"I've lost all my friends Malfoy! Everyone hates me now, even Harry isn't talking to me saying how I shouldn't have hexed him, when I didn't hex him at all! It's all infuriating because I don't know if Ron is lying to them or not but they won't let me defend myself either way, plus now Ron won't even look at me and when he does it's only dirty looks full of hate and-"

"Granger, please you're making my ears bleed I can only listen to you talk about Weasley for so long," She sighed and slumped into her chair muttering a sorry as she did so. Draco sighed, he knew he was supposed to hate her, and he know what would happen if anyone ever found out that he didn't but… he had always liked her, ever since first year when he stupidly told his father of his crush on her and how she was muggleborn, that's when the prejudice really began and when he got his first ever dose of the Cruciatus Curse – he was only mean to her in order to hide his feelings as he didn't want her to ever get Crucioed like he had.

"You know, I'm sure Potty and Weaselette will listen to you if not you could always go to Loon-uh Luna, and anyway you shouldn't like the Weasel, at the very least he should be your 'friend' but nothing more." Draco declared as he straightened his back and sat up straight making sure to avoid her eyes as he knew that if her looked at her he might just melt.

"Oh? And why is that?" She asked faintly as she too sat up but instead of facing forward she turned to face him.

He looked at her, she looked tired and her hair was all frizzy, but in that moment Draco didn't care he

had harboured his feelings for her for too long, and so he ignored the screams that his father may

have for him and the pain he may have to endure and thought of her and her bronze eyes, and her

sea of hair, and her rose bud lips.

He lent forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, as he pulled away he looked in her eyes with a

serious state and whispered…

"His kisses probably taste like slugs."

Hermione burst out into laughter falling into Draco's shoulder as she tried to control herself, he placed

his arms around her and listened to her laugh that he caused, and in that moment he vowed that no

matter what he would have to go through to be able to make her laugh and smile instead of yell and

cry was more than enough for him. She stopped laughing and wiped away tears from her eyes,

Hermione moved herself of his shoulder but his arms remained around her.

"Well, one could argue that your kisses would taste like ferret's breath." She said with a smile on her

face and a mischievous glint in her eyes, Draco smirked and moved one of his hands to cup her face.

"Let's test that theory then shall we," he said against her cheek as he left butterfly kisses across her

face before meeting her lips with his own, as they kissed Hermione's arms made their way around

Draco's neck deepening their kiss, he felt her smile into their kiss and he pulled away. Bronze met

silver once again in that moment Draco could of sworn that he felt the world stop.

"So, do my kisses taste like ferret breath?"

"You know what, I'm not sure"

"Well then, I guess we will have to run a few more tests then"

"I guess so."

Draco watched the Gryffindor table from over the top of the Daily Prophet, as per usual they inhaled their food as if they hadn't been fed before, except for Ronald Weasley who seemed to be busy trying to retrieve his breakfast from Lavender Brown's mouth, their sloppy early morning make-out session was enough to put Draco off his breakfast, he pushed away his food and finished his tea before leaving the Slytherin table. As he got up he glanced over at Hermione who was laughing with Fred and George, they had appeared to have transfigured something into a miniature catapult and where now flinging food at Lavender and her Won-Won.

"Guys seriously come on." Said Ron as he threw a piece of toast back at them.

"I don't see why you have to bother us Hermione, I know you're jealous because Won-Won loves me but-"

"Why on Earth would Granger be jealous of you and your oaf of a boyfriend?" Draco spat as he interrupted Lavender, everyone was shocked to find that Malfoy had come exceptionally close to the Gryffindor table and was now in fact proceeding closer towards a certain Princess of said house.

"Prophet?" He said as he held the newspaper out for Hermione, she finished her green tea and took The Daily Prophet from Draco.

"Thank you, but I'm afraid I don't have time to read it right now, early Charms class." She explained as she stood up from the dining table

"Ah well in that case allow me to walk you class, Hermione." Draco offered as he held out his hand, numerous jaws dropped and several witches and wizards had their hands on their wands.

"Oh why thank you Draco, how kind of you." Hermione replied as she took his hand allowing their fingers to interlock, if shock were a noise right now it would be deafening.

"Well for you, my love, anything," Draco said as he lifted their hands to his lips and placed a soft kiss to her hand.

With that, the Prince of Slytherin and the Princess of Gryffindor left the Hall, hand-in-hand not caring about the ruckus that now came from the hall and the joking concerns of the Weasley twins asking if she was under some kind of spell or had been poisoned by a love potion, their love would be difficult but they were both just too damn stubborn to care.

If love was easy to find,

We wouldn't need it to complete our lives…

- The End -

Disclaimer - I do not own the Harry Potter franchise or characters. I also don't own the lyrics used.

Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed this little one shot that I had on my mind, I've had writers block recently and this came out of no where. Please review and tell me what you thought! Also the lyrics at the start and end of this story are from Phoney Ppl's song Why iii Love The Moon, which is a great song so you should listen to it, that whole album is pretty amazing to be honest.