Draco and Hermione became friends over the course of weeks. Everything was weird at first but they warmed up to each other slowly. In the afternoons, they worked together on their homework then went their separate ways to hang out with their friends. At night after their patrolling duty, they talked until one of them fell asleep.

Hermione's birthday was arriving and professor McGonagal gave her permission to visit her parents the next day since her birthday was on a Friday.

The day before her birthday. Hermione woke up with a smile on her face. She went to wake up Draco but he wasn't there. She looked around the place and Draco was nowhere to be found. She sighed and gave up going into the bathroom to shower.

Draco said into the dorm and quickly made his was to his room setting two bags on his bed. He quickly hid the bags in his closet and raced out the door where Theo was waiting for him.

"Mate why are you in a hurry?" Theo asked.

"Tomorrow is Granger's birthday and she won't know what hit her." Draco smirked.

"Mate I know you hate her but-"

"I don't hate her." Draco snapped. He looked away looking forward with his natural cold gaze.

"Wait a minute! It all makes sense now!" Theo grinned from ear to ear.

"Could you be more specific Nott?" Draco rolled his eyes annoyingly.

"I mean, it makes sense, all of this. It makes sense why you've been unavailable on the afternoons. It makes sense that you do your homework and that you are constantly in a better mood. You must fancy her and that was not a prank you were planning. Plus isn't her birthday like tomorrow? Damn I owe Lovegood five galleons."

"I don't fancy her mate, but everything else is true. If you mention this to anyone I'll hex you. Wait you bet on this with Lovegood?! What the heck mate!"

Theo started running away knowing that Draco would probably do something bad to him. Draco didn't even bother chasing after him so he just went to the Great Hall.

"Mate Hermione is going to be so surprised to see us" Draco heard a voice saying that around the corner.

"Ron, you never told me what your surprise was going to be." 'Saint Potter' Draco thought.

"Oh I'm proposing to her." Ron said with excitement.

'What? He's proposing to Hermione? Why do I care? I don't. Yes you do Draco you're talking to yourself in your bloody head. Enough!' He took some steps back and began running screaming Theo's name so they wouldn't think he over heard.

"Bloody Hell that ferret is wankers. Do you think Em will say yes?" Ron asked Harry looking down.

"Of course she will mate. Now let's go surprise Hermione." Harry patted his friend's back as they walked off.

At the Great Hall

Draco stared at the Golden trio as they were laughing with Ginny and Luna. He couldn't take it anymore and began walking away to his class.

Hermione laughed with her friends like old times. Harry and Ron had asked Professor McGonagal to come visit her. She gladly agreed and invited them over but it had to be today because it was their off day from training. Ron was going to propose to Ember, a former Hufflepuff soon. Then something caught her eye, a tall blond exiting the Great Hall looking annoyed. Hermione bit her lip making a mental note that she would talk to him later. She didn't talk to him all day but that was because of classes.

In the afternoon, after Harry and Ron had left, she went up to talk to him. The only problem was that he was nowhere to be found. Again.

She decided to talk to him during their patrolling duty but he ignored her. She knew something was wrong by the look of his face. It wasn't a cold glare but a painful look.

She finally had given up when he locked himself in his room without a word. Then to top that off, it started raining. She put on his jumper that she never gave him back and curled up. Soon there was thunder.

Draco shot up from his bed and raced towards Hermione's room finding her quietly sobbing in her sleep. He went next to her shaking her lightly and she woke up.

"Draco?" She whispered.

"Hey, it's alright. It was just a dream, it's just thunder." He looked at her big brown eyes trying to calm her down.

The thunder got louder and louder every time. She hugged her stomach and Draco kept looking at her. He finally decided to pick her up and sitting on the bed hugging her. "Why did you ignore me today?" She whispered as she was calming down.

"I'm sorry, I just... I don't know." He rubbed her back gently. He looked over at her clock noticing it was already 12:01. "Happy birthday by the way."

"Thanks" she chuckled still having a runny nose from her sobbing.

The thunder didn't seem to stop so he didn't move at all. "Sleep Granger, I'm right here. Alright?"

She nodded burying her face on his chest before falling asleep. He waited a few minutes before placing her down on the bed wrapping her around a blanket. 'I should go because Weasley will probably propose to her soon'

"Draco?" Hermione woke up feeling cold after her heat source went away.

He walked over to her again, "how are you and the Weasel?"

"Oh that's why" she murmured to herself, thankfully Draco didn't hear. "We're alright. I probably shouldn't be telling you this but he's proposing to Ember by the end of the week."

Draco nodded, "you guys ended your relationship then?"

"Yeah, it was mutual." She heard thunder again, "great."

"I'm here remember. Thunder isn't going to do anything to you, they're just bad memories." He looked down feeling ashamed for talking like how he was doing.

Hermione smiled and went over to give him a hug instantly getting warm from his warmth.

"Is this my jumper Granger?" He chuckled once he saw the Slytherin crest on the jumper.

Hermione got red and pressed her face against the palms of her hands while nodding. "Sorry, I'll give it back to you." She started taking it off but Draco stopped her.

"It's alright, I have another one." Draco felt happy at the sight of her wearing his jumper but he didn't know why. "Go to sleep Granger, it's already too late."

"I can't, the thunder." She pointed up, "it doesn't bother me when I'm... never mind"

"Tell me." Draco glances at her brown eyes.

"It's nothing." Hermione said as she hugged her knees close to her.

"Come on, I'm not leaving until you fall asleep." Draco said putting the blanket on her to cover her up as much as possible.

She looked at him then laid down with the blanket wrapped around her.

It only took a few minutes for Hermione to fall asleep and Draco left. He had to wake up before her the next day and so when it was morning he did.

Draco quickly got her presents from his closet placing them on the bed then he grabbed the bag with party decorations from the muggle world and hung them around their common room. He made sure Hermione was still asleep before racing down to the kitchen getting a small piece of cake and running out before anyone saw him.

He gently knocked on Hermione's door and a minute later he saw a girl with a jumper too big for her and her hair messed up from sleeping. She was rubbing her eyes before looking around with her beautiful brown eyes. Her eyes soon widened and her arms crushed Draco with a hug.

Draco froze at first but he started warming up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Happy birthday" he whispered in his ear. "There's cake" and with that Hermione separated from him looking around to find the cake. "Oi! Granger, its in the coffee table."

He watched Hermione as she grabbed the cake and walked over to him. "Thank you!"

He chuckle as she ate the cake offering him a bit which he declined. "Do you want your gifts?"Draco asked still looking at her eating. Hermione nodded with excitement.

Draco went for her two gifts and sat down next to her handing her the first box. Hermione opened it and took out some books and a quill set with parchment. "Oh my, DRACO THIS IS AMAZING! Thank you thank you thank you!" She gave him a smile and he handed her the other box. It was much smaller and it contained some fine  jewelry. Her eyes widened, "this must've costed a fortune. You shouldn't have Draco."

"Hey I'm a Malfoy remember, I have enough money to buy thousands of those. Oh and this is from my mum. She also said thank you for sending a letter to the ministry saying she was an innocent woman." He handed her a necklace with a heart that had carved 'H'

"this is beautiful!" She exclaimed. "Help me put it on?"

Draco nodded and clipped the necklace around her. She turned around and gave him another hug making them both fall to the floor. "I'm so sorry!"

Draco chuckled still holding her by the waist, "it's alright, it's only a few broken ribs and bruises."

Hermione giggled burying her face on his shirt.

"Beautiful" Draco whispered but thankfully Hermione didn't catch what he had said. "Granger can you get off, I'm hungry."

"Oh sorry," she got up offering a hand for him to stand up "see you later."

Draco left without another word and went to look for Theo. Then he spotted his friend walking with Luna laughing.

"Today is Slytherin Quidditch tryouts, do you want to come watch?" Theo offered.

"I was going to hangout with Hermione but maybe I'll stop by for a while." She said before skipping off.

"Oh Theodore of course I'll marry you!" Draco mocked his friend.

"I'm going to kill you mate."

"By all means, please do." Draco grinned triumphantly.

"Why are you in such a good mood? Did Granger shag you? Is that why I heard a lot of noise last night? Were you two THAT loud?"

"Whatever mate" Draco rolled his eyes.

"You didn't deny it." Theo winked at his friend. "No but really, why are you in a good mood? I haven't seen you like this since.... well. Since that time Potter fell off his broom. Actually no, I don't think you've ever been like that."

Before he could answer Pansy came in running towards them. "Hide me!" She yelled getting behind them. "I was in the astronomy tower last night with Blaise and we made a bet about who would stay up later and he lost. I took advantage of it and drew a mustache on his face and maybe a unibrow. He woke up and began chasing me but I lost him on a turn. It's not as easy as it may seem to get away from the captain of the Quidditch team."

"Go to the heads common room, the password is lemon drops." Draco suggested.

"Thank you, please don't tell him where I am or I'll hex you." Pansy threatened them before running away.

A few seconds later Blaise ran towards them. Both Draco and Theo laughed, "nice look Zabini" Draco said.

"Shut up malfoy! Have you seen my girlfriend?! When I catch her I'm going to make out with her leaving her breathless wanting for more."

"Maybe she's in the Slytherin common room" Theo suggested trying to not laugh. Blaise nodded and began running towards that direction.

⚯͛ ⚯͛ ⚯͛

"Lemon drops!" Pansy screamed running into the heads common room.

"Draco what the he- hello Parkinson. Why are you here and how did you get here?" Hermione said as she came out of her room still wearing Draco's jumper.

"Hiding from Blaise, I painted a mustache and a unibrow on him while he was asleep." Pansy explained and looked at them smirked. "Is that Draco's jumper?"

Hermione turned bright crimson red and nodded.

"Why are you wearing his jumper?" Pansy asked.

Hermione quickly explained getting even redder as she spoke.

"Hermione, I know you two are just friends, but that is really cute!" Pansy exclaimed.

"Umm well if you excuse me I have to shower so then I can go to meet up with Gin."

Hermione began walking away but Pansy stopped her, "wait. Look I know we've had a rough relationship and all but I would like to start over and be your friend like Draco. Are you cool with that? Oh and by the way happy birthday."

"I would love to Pansy but I really must shower." Hermione scurried off to her bathroom shutting the doors.

Pansy sat down on the couch and began tapping her fingers on the thighs. Then there was someone opening the door slowly. She grabbed her wand and pointed at the door.