It was late at night and Draco was laying on his bed, fully clothed, hands behind his head, bathed in moonlight that squeezed through the heavy green velvet curtains.
He couldn't sleep.
His mind was racing, trying to figure out what was happening to him.
It was a simple yes or no question. Did he like Hermione Granger?
Yes he liked her; she was a friendly person, a hard worker, not an eyesore either.
`I guess I could call her a friend or a friendly acquaintance' Draco mused `but more then a friend?'
That was hard to say.
Draco wasn't used to emotions that were usually good, unless it was a good feeling because he'd caused someone else misery.
He wasn't cruel or anything; it's was just the way he was raised. Every relationship was a business one, even his existence was to fulfill a family duty not because he was wanted by his parents.
But things were different with Hermione, she was nice to him because she wanted to be, she wasn't looking for money or "favors". At least he thought she wasn't.
He'd had a few girlfriends, but he couldn't see himself saying "me and Hermione? Yea we're together."
Draco sighed and rolled over on his side.
"Damnit this will keep me up," he muttered under his breath and went back to listing pros and cons of Hermione Granger.
././././.
"Harry can you please pay attention?"
"What? Oh sorry Mione just really tired," mumbled Harry though folded arms that he was resting his head on.
Hermione was dressed in a plush robe and matching slippers, with her purple nighty underneath. She was trying to help Harry with a Transfiguration paper at eleven at night and he wasn't even paying attention!
Harry had woken her up by calling up the girl's staircase, and asked her for help because he'd forgotten that the paper was due.
Harry was wearing pajama bottoms and a sweater, and even though he was the one who wanted the help he was the one who was falling asleep.
"Sorry! You wanted my help and now you're falling asleep, this is my time to sleep Harry I'm doing this because I'm your friend." Hermione glared at Harry before grabbing his sweater by the neck and raising his head up.
"Ow not so rough you beast!"
"Harry you may have celebrity status but you're really stupid to insult someone who's helping you," said Hermione looking very upset.
Harry who'd said it in jest realized that she was tired and on the edge, so he decided to lighten up the mood.
"Oh Hermione, wise, beautiful, caring, smart, compassionate, did I mention beautiful?" Harry said he fell off his chair and landed at Hermione's feet and with each compliment moved up from her feet to her knees, till he grabbed her hand and kissed it.
"Harry!" Hermione cried and wrenched her hand from his grasp; she was trying to keep a straight face but started to laugh.
Harry rested his chin on her knees, "how's that for an attempt to make amends for the insult?"
She cupped his face and leaned down, her hair veiling them from the rest of the room, "It's satisfactory."
Harry started to laugh but fell silent when he noticed how her eyes sparkled, how her lips were full and pink, her hands were soft and small, her hair was soft too went it brushed against his cheek. Like a scared animal Harry coughed in his throat and reached up and removed her hands from his face and sat up.
Hermione didn't anticipate that fast enough and got her forehead whacked by Harry's head.
"Ouch!" Hermione said as she clutched her head.
Harry, forgetting about how he was enthralled with this girl before, went to her right away and started asking if she was ok.
"Its fine forget about it Harry."
Harry knew Hermione was lying, ever since 1st year she always took on the tough guy persona, not crying unless she was all alone.
"Let me see, "Harry said removing her hand from her face.
He grimaced, his head had collided with the bridge of her eye and it was starting to swell.
"Don't worry about it I'll put ice on it later," said Hermione trying to get away from Harry's concerned glance.
She started to get up to leave but Harry caught her hand.
"How many times do we have to remind you?" Harry pointed his wand at her and said a small pain relieving charm that he used a lot in Quidditch, "you have a wand for a reason, no need for ice."
Hermione smiled, "thank you Harry."
"Look you don't have to help me with the paper, I'm sorry that I woke you up, I'm sorry about your head, and I…" Harry's stammering was cut off by Hermione's finger against his lips.
"It's alright," she said smiling.
She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "good night Harry," and started to walk towards the stairs.
Harry stood there, watching her go, trying to fight the urge to call her back and then kiss her senseless.
"Hermione!" he called out, but as soon as he did he wanted to take it back.
She turned, her wavy hair framing her face making her look ethereal, "yes?"
"Umm good night."
Hermione smiled, "good night Harry."
She turned, sighed and shook her head gently, then vanished up the stairs.
Harry groaned, and flopped down on a couch.
He wasn't supposed to feel that way about his best friend.
`Why not?' a voice asked in his head.
`Because I can't she's a friend nothing more
`She could always become more'
"I hate this!" Harry cried out to the empty common room, before getting up and going upstairs to bed.
././././.
Hermione didn't have trouble falling asleep; it's what happened after she was sleeping.
She saw that she was by the lake and her tree was right in front of her.
There was a laugh, then a childish giggle.
Hermione went closer and she was then looking at herself.
She thought it was herself, she was older.
The childish giggle was from the toddler who was being bounced on her lap.
The dream Hermione took no notice of Hermione and just continued to hold the toddler, who was facing her, by the hands and raising her knee up and down. Every time she did so, the toddler, who standing on her knee, would giggle.
`I wonder whose baby it is.' Hermione thought as she watched herself, `it must be mine but whose the father?'
She studied the baby, who had dark messy hair. `Almost like Harry, is it Harry's baby?'
Hermione gasped in shock, `Harry and I had a baby!'
But then the baby turned and looked at her, its eyes widening,, questioning at who she was, the baby had grey-blue eyes.
`Draco's eyes…. What does it mean?'
Then the toddler started to walk towards her, as he did it started to grownup. By the time it was in front of Hermione it was a grown-man.
But changes had happened, frightening ones.
It's eyes were blazing red, its skin pasty, thin lips and slits for nostrails, it's hair was gone too.
It had turned into Voldemort!
Hermione screamed as he rasied his wand to kill her as the words started to leave his mouth, Hermione tried to turn and run but couldn't.
"Hermione!" he was calling her name!
"Stay away!"
"Hermione!"
Hermione started to moan in her sleep and thrash about.
"Hermione!"
Someone was shaking her, "Hermione wake up," Lavender urgently whispered.
Hermione bolted upright into Lavender's arms.
"Hey its ok you were dreaming, and started to moan something awful, I woke up I thought you were in trouble," Lavender comforted Hermione.
Hermione was shaking but then sat up further in bed and got out of bed.
Lavender was sitting on her bed still.
"Where are you going? Hermione!" Lavender called out after her as Hermione raced from the girls' dorm.
Hermione didn't answer, her heart was still pounding and tears were still falling as she ran up to the boys' dorm.
She ran to the second bed over, and started shaking the occupant.
"Harry wake up you have to!" Hermione called out.
"What? What's going on?" Harry mumbled before looking up, "Mione what are you doing here?"
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