Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.. as much as I want to..

….Another apology?

Three days later and Draco hadn't apologized to Hermione. Once. In fact, they hadn't even spoken, whenever Blaise and Ginny hung out they made sure they had a valid excuse not to join them.

Ever since the kiss Hermione had been either in her room or in the library, staying quiet the whole time and only talking when she had to. She was sat in the hall at the Gryffindor table when Ginny came and plonked herself down next to her. She smiled at her friend and then at the boy beside her. Blaise had gone and sat at the Gryffindor table and was doing very well ignoring the glares that were being thrown his way.

"Hey 'Mione, we haven't hung out in ages.." Ginny complained, but smiling at her friend still. Hermione smiled back slightly.

"I know, but I've just been so busy, you know? With homework and stuff.." Hermione lied, truth was she had no homework and all she was doing was spending her time reading.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Well, you are spending tonight with us, after lessons we're all going to the lake again." She said, not leaving room for argument.

"When you say 'we' you mean..?"

"Blaise and I and you and Draco," Ginny said cheerily. Hermione shook her head.

"Then I'm not going." She stated, turning back to her plate. Ginny frowned and glanced at Blaise, he just shrugged in response.

"Why? I would have thought since Draco apologized you and he would be alright now," Ginny said, oblivious.

Hermione turned to look at her, "Apologized?" She said incredulously, "Draco Malfoy didn't apologize to me. Nor do I expect him to." She stated.

Ginny turned to Blaise and glared, not specifically at him but at the subject in general. "I'm gonna kill him." She said coldly.

Hermione looked at her in amusement, "Feel free," She said, turning back to her plate once more.

As if on cue, Draco walked through the hall doors, completely carefree, until he saw the looks Blaise and Ginny were giving him.

Blaise got up and walked over to his best mate, "Dude, we need to talk don't ya think?" He said, grabbing Draco by the arm and dragging him out of the hall.

Ginny turned to Hermione smiling, "Blaise. You gotta love him," She said nonchalantly. Hermione raised an eyebrow at her, too which Ginny just shrugged.

The hall doors opened again and this time Harry and Ron walked in and over to the Gryffindor table. They sat down and started eating, "Hey, Hermione, what we got first?" Harry asked.

Hermione answered instantly, "Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherin's,"

Harry and Ron groaned in unison, making Hermione smile. She had missed them lately, they had been tied up with Quidditch and last minute Homework, whereas Hermione had been tied up with hanging out with Ginny and Blaise, whilst trying to avoid Draco.

Meanwhile, Blaise was having a little 'chat' with Draco in the Slytherin common room.

"Why haven't you apologized to Hermione yet?!" He demanded, glaring at Draco.

"Because."

"Because what?"

Draco stood up angrily, "Because Blaise, she hates me! That isn't going to change with an apology! I kissed her for crying out loud!"

Blaise nodded, "I am very well aware that you happened to kiss Hermione. I was there. But it's a start by apologizing. Now I suggest you do it today, before we all hang out at the lake."

Draco looked at him, "Blaise, I can't. Something changed with that kiss, no I don't fancy her!" He added, seeing Blaise's look, "But, I don't know!"

"Dude, get a grip, apologize to Hermione and then have fun at the lake tonight." He said before walking out.

Draco groaned and turned and punch the closest wall to him, not hard enough to break any bones but hard enough to send a shock of pain through him.

He cursed out loud before following Blaise out of the common room. He took his time walking to the great hall, trying with all his might to think of what to say.

"I'm sorry Hermione I shouldn't- No. Hermione I want to apologize…- No, don't want the know it all to repeat everything she said before… eugh!" He mumbled under his breath the whole time.

When reaching the hall he took a breath before walking in quietly, trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

A few heads popped up from the conversations to see who it was, but other than that, he had succeeded.

He made his way over to the Gryffindor table and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder, she started and turned around.

"Oi! Ferret! Get off her!" Ron shouted, glaring intently.

He ignored them and looked at Hermione, she was glaring as well. "Can I talk to you a moment Hermione? In private?" He asked.

Harry stood up shaking his head, "Uh uh Malfoy! You're not going anywhere with Hermione!" He stated firmly, Ginny looked at Blaise uneasily.

Draco shot a glare at Harry, "I do believe Potter, I was talking to your friend here, not you. So I would appreciate it if you kept your nose out!" He said, his voice laced with venom. He turned back to Hermione.

"You have two minutes." She said coldly, before standing up and walking out of the hall. Draco glared at both Harry and Ron before following her, leaving the two of them red faced with anger.

"Make it quick Malfoy, what do you want?" She said.

He gulped, he wasn't much of a Malfoy anymore.. how many times had he apologized to Hermione now?

"About what happened in Hogsmeade. I didn't mean to call you a Mudblood." He held up a hand to stop whatever Hermione was about to say, "No, hear me out. I know I shouldn't have called you that, no one should. It just came out because, it was the easier than explaining the real reason. And then… the kiss… I'm sorry about that, I didn't know what to do, you were gonna leave and not hear my explanation and it was the only thing I thought would stop you.."

He looked at Hermione afterwards, she was looking at him, not sure whether to believe him or not.

"I'm willing to forget about the kiss, provided you never touch me without my permission." He nodded, "What hurt though, is the petty name calling. It shouldn't but it does Malfoy. Because it's true. What reason was bad enough that you couldn't just tell me and not resort to name calling?" She asked, a little bit of hurt in her voice.

Draco ran a hand through his hair, "I can't tell you, well I could. But. I need to keep what little dignity I have left," He tried a small smile to Hermione, seeing if she would smile back.

She gave him a look and rolled her eyes, "You have no dignity left." She commented. "Look, I don't want later to be awkward for Ginny or Blaise for that matter, so for their sakes let's get along."

He nodded, "Okay, for their sakes…"

She offered him a small smile, which he returned before going back into the hall, Draco let out a breath and walked out of the castle to get some air, not hungry anymore. It hadn't gone as bad as he thought, but it could certainly have gone better…

R&R