In her previous years at Hogwarts, the time had flown by, and that's what happened in the past three weeks. Hermione, Ginny and Luna were as close as ever. She had not seen much of Draco Malfoy, just the quick glance or wink. Ron was ok. Still too controlling though, but Hermione knew she had to do something about it.

Finding Ginny at lunch, they went to sit on one of the wooden benches facing the Black Lake.

"I have something to ask Ginny..." Hermione said.

"Ok," Ginny replied. "Ask away!"

"Please do not be offended," Hermione explained. "But I do not think Ron is the one for me."

"Why?" Ginny questioned. "Is something wrong?"

Hermione looked away from her. "No, not really."

"So what is it then?"

"I just think we are drifting apart. I think I am a different person now to who Ron fell in love with."

"Don't say that Hermione!" Ginny reassured her. "He really loves you!"

"If you say so."

"What makes you doubt he doesn't?"

"I do not doubt it," Hermione said. She hated lying to Ginny, but it was the only way. "I think I am the problem. I'm not good enough for him. He needs someone that makes him happier than I do."

"I don't think that's true," Ginny said honestly. "But if you think the best thing to do is break up with him, I support your decision."

"Thank you, Ginny. I think I will tell him today."

Walking slowly back up to the castle, Hermione saw Luna. Having their lessons together now was great, as they were never together in previous years. Having their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with Aberforth Dumbledore (as he hadn't been able to teach until now), the two wanted to be early. Hermione had thought that Harry would have been asked to do the lessons. But, as he was still continuing with his own studies, he wouldn't have been able to.

Having twenty minutes before the lesson, Hermione and Luna grabbed some food to eat on the way up to the classroom.

"How well do you think Aberforth is going to teach?" Luna asked.

"I think he will be great probably. He was amazing during the Battle of Hogwarts. I think it will be hard for us though because he looks so much like Dumbledore."

"I wonder what he will ask us to call him?"

"Maybe not Dumbledore," Hermione suggested. "I think he will know that it will be too weird for us."

"I hope so." Luna agreed. "It would be strange for me to call him Professor Dumbledore."

After five minutes in the Great Hall, eating a bacon sandwich each, they made their way up the moving staircases to Aberforth Dumbledore's classroom. With ten minutes to go before the start, Aberforth let the girls come in early. But, Hermione was stopped by someone and pulled aside.

"What are you doing?"

"It's only me!"

"Wow, Draco!" Hermione said. "You haven't spoken to me in weeks and now you want to talk."

"Calm down! I just wanted to say hi, because I feel bad for not saying it over the last three weeks."

"Ok, hi. I've got to get to class now."

"We have the same lesson you know!" Draco laughed. "I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"That's just great."

"How's everything with Ron anyway?"

"Why are you asking that?" Hermione frowned.

"I'm just concerned since what happened."

"It's not your business Draco!"

"I just wanted to make sure you're ok!"

"Just stop trying to Draco."

"I'm sorry..."

"Just leave me alone Malfoy," Hermione muttered, walking into the classroom.

Seating herself next to Harry and Luna, Aberforth addressed the class.

"Good afternoon," Aberforth said. "As some of you might not know me, I'm Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore's brother. I will be teaching your Defence Against the Dark Arts for your final year at Hogwarts. For this lesson, we will take it relatively easy. We will be practising the 'Expelliarmus' spell as it is extremely useful. I have put everyone in pairs. Go up to the notice board at the back and check who you are with."

Hermione got up from her seat and checked on the notice board to see who she was with.

"Wow!" Hermione thought. "Just the person I didn't want."

Walking over to Draco, Hermione tapped him on the back. "You're with me."

"Someone's happy today." Draco winked. "Let's do what he has asked of us then."

Moving over to an empty space in the room, the pair got out their wands.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted.

"Mione," Draco said. "You're going to have to try harder than that."

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted when Draco's guard was down, making him fly through the air.

Jumping up, Draco looked dazed but ended up stumbling over to Hermione.

"Is that trying harder?" Hermione smirked.

"I guess so!" Draco laughed. "I'm sorry for earlier by the way."

"It's alright really," Hermione said. "I just got a bit annoyed."

"Don't worry, it won't happen again."

"No," Hermione disagreed. "I like how you care."

Hermione looked at the ground feeling a little embarrassed.

"I kinda like it too," Draco replied.

"This is so weird."

"I know. But, I like talking to you."

"Same." Hermione agreed. "It's nice! We just get along."

"It's nice to be accepted for once," Draco explained.

"Excuse me!" Aberforth called out. "Draco and Hermione! Stop chatting and do some work!"

They both blushed and got back to work.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco called.

"Protego!" Hermione said protecting herself.

"Damn! You're one hell of a good dueller."

"Thanks!" Hermione said bowing.

Draco laughed at her loudly, causing everyone to look at him. Harry beckoned Hermione over to him.

"What was that all about?" Harry questioned.

"It's nothing. He was just laughing!"

"Why are you being so friendly with him?" Seamus asked.

"I'm not!" Hermione denied.

"It looks like it!" Ron disagreed.

"He said yes to your agreement, Harry." Hermione protested. "He's changed!"

"We still don't know if we can trust him, Hermione!" Neville explained.

"Ok, fine!" Hermione glared. "Have it your way!"

Hermione walked back over to Draco and started firing angry Expelliarmus spells at him. Defending every single one, Draco was eventually tired out. He dropped on the floor. Rushing over to him, Hermione fell to her knees at his side.

"Draco!" Hermione called. "Are you ok? I'm so sorry!"

"I think I'm fine. Don't worry."

"I still feel bad!"

"You were only angry because Potter and Weasel didn't want us to be friendly!" Draco whispered.

"True, but you broke a rule!" Hermione whispered back. "You did not say Harry and Ron."

"They don't deserve to be called that since they were rude to you."

A smile crept up on Hermione's face. "Thank you."

"Miss Granger, please take Mr Malfoy to the Infirmary just for precautions."

Helping Draco up, they walked up together. Strolling through the corridors together, the pair were in utter silence. Excited voices came from the first-year classrooms. Hermione grinned at the fact that this was her school. It's a magnificent castle. It's quirky teachers. It's amazing students.

"Why did they say you shouldn't be friendly with me?" Draco asked, breaking the silence.

"Because they do not know if they can trust you."

"You do know that you can trust me?"

"Of course!" Hermione smiled, looking at him.

At the Infirmary, Madam Pomfrey decided to keep Draco in just for the rest of the day, to keep an eye on him. She allowed Hermione to stay with him.

"I've been here too many times," Hermione said.

"You haven't hurt yourself that much have you?"

"No!" Hermione explained. "I've only been here a few times for myself, but the majority was for friends."

"I've never been in here for someone else, just like no one has anyone been in here for me. So thank you, I guess, for being here."

"It's not a problem. I'd hope you would do it for me."

Feeling drowsy, Hermione lay back in the armchair next to Draco's bed. Rubbing her eyes, she realised that she had fallen asleep. Hermione felt a blanket covering her. She had seen it on Draco's bed, who was also sleeping before she had fallen asleep. He must have laid it on her while she was sleeping. Smiling to herself, Hermione held Draco's hand that was nearest to her, drawing a letter 'D' with her finger.

Hermione dropped his hand when the doors of the Infirmary burst open. She looked towards Madam Pomfrey's office and saw she had been not heard it. Ron came storming towards her, seized her by the arm and began to drag her out.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "Stop it!"

"No!"

"Let me go!"

"We haven't known where you were!"

"So?"

"I was worried!" Ron shouted.

"Sure you were worried, Ronald." Hermione criticised. "Keep your voice down - there are people trying to sleep."

"Why are you hanging out with him?"

"I'm not hanging out with him!"

"You've been here for hours," Ron argued in a whisper. "You were supposed to leave him here and then come back to class!"

"On whose terms? Aberforth's? Or yours?"

Ron's mouth gapped open. "I'm fed up with your attitude!"

"Well, I'm fed up with you!" You can't expect me to keep on letting you treat me like this!"

"What will you do?"

"Oh, Ronald. They are so many things I can do. But I'm a good person so I won't do them!"

"You're pathetic and a coward!"

"Am I clone because it sounds like you're talking about yourself?"

Ron groaned angrily. "Don't speak to me like that again!"

"Ron, I think we should break up..."

"WHAT?" Ron roared, moving closer to Hermione.

"I think...we should break up..." Hermione whispered. She could feel Ron's hot breath on her face.

"Who put you up to his? Did he?" Ron pointed to Draco and advanced on his sleeping figure.

"No!" Hermione called out. She caught Ron by the jumper and pulled him backwards. "Stop it! Leave him alone! We are over Ron!"

"Oh, we are so not," Ron whispered slyly. "You may not be my girlfriend anymore but I still have control over you."

Before he left Ron made a jab at Hermione, punching her in the stomach. Hermione fell to the floor as she groaned in pain.

"RON WEASLEY!" Madam Pomfrey shouted. "HOW DARE YOU PUNCH ANOTHER STUDENT! GET OUT BEFORE I CALL PROFESSOR McGONAGALL!"

Ron gave Hermione one more evil look before he scrambled out of the Infirmary.

"Are you alright, dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked helping Hermione up from the floor.

"I think I'm ok." Hermione winced, clutching her stomach.

Madam Pomfrey helped Hermione to the armchair next to Draco's bed.

"I'm glad he's got you as a friend."

"Pardon?"

"Draco." Madam Pomfrey indicated. "I'm glad he's got you as a friend."

"Oh."

"He's had some troubles in the past, and having no real friends didn't do him any good."

"I didn't know."

"He seems happier. I just hope it stays that way."

"Me too." Hermione agreed.

"He'll need to leave in a few hours but you two deserve the rest." Madam Pomfrey explained. "I'll tell you when you should leave."

"Thank you," Hermione said as Madam Pomfrey walked back into her office.

Tears started to fall from Hermione's eyes uncontrollably. Using her hands to wipe them away, the tears soon cleared but more sprung back. Opening her eyes she saw a tissue in front of her. Draco was holding out a tissue for her.

"This is my last one, but I think you need it more than I do."

"Thank you." Hermione sniffed wiping her eyes with the tissue.

"So what happened?"

She recalled everything from when Ron first walked in, to him about to attack's Draco, to her breaking up with Ron, to Madam Pomfrey shouting at Ron.

"I'm going to kill him!"

"Don't worry. I'm not his girlfriend anymore, he cannot control me." Hermione said placing her hand on Draco's.

They both blushed but neither took their hand away.

"I'm glad I met you, Hermione."

"I'm glad I met you too Draco," Hermione replied squeezing his hand.