Weeks passed and their secret remained such; however, as each day wore on, Hermione found it harder and harder to walk down the hallway and not say anything to Draco. Instead, she focused intently on the floor, thinking of their night meetings. They got together as much as possible, but it was starting to get tougher as the classes became more advanced.

In the time that Hermione wished she could be spending with Draco was instead used with Harry, doing homework and studying. Ron was still not talking her; instead, he sought revenge by kissing Romilda Vane as much as possible. Hermione and Harry both found this more than amusing, especially since Romilda seemed so disgusted not too long ago when Ron had eaten her love potion.

After a scheduled assembly between Hermione and Draco got cancelled, Hermione couldn’t take it anymore. She was tired of not seeing Draco, and tired of having to hide. Finally, she stormed over to his House table and sat next to him.

His eyes grew wide out of shock. “What’re you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Now?” he hissed.

“Yes, now,” she answered, disregarding the glares from her opposing House.

He turned around and she followed suit, their backs now to the curious ears. “What?”

“I want you to tell your dad. It’s hard enough hiding this at school, but I would at least calm down some if you talked to him.”

He bit his lip. “Me telling my dad is like you telling the school. You know what would happen.”

“I know,” she sighed, knowing he was right.

“Listen, I’ll make you a deal. When you tell the Gryffindors, I’ll tell my father that we’re together.”

She shook his hand and smiled. “All right. See you later.” With that said, she approached Harry and he stared at her blankly.

“What’s up?”

“I'm going out with Draco,” she nodded quietly.

“WHAT?!”

Ron jumped and turned around. “Harry, mate, you trying to kill me? What’s wrong? Hermione kissing another Slytherin?”

“No,” he said coolly, standing up. “The same one. She’s with Malfoy now.”

….

“You going to talk to me yet?” Hermione asked Harry softly in class. He’d tried to avoid sitting next to her, but the professor wouldn’t allow for him to change seats.

“No. You’re dead to me.”

Hermione sat back, wondering what she’d gotten herself in to.

….

“You actually told people?” Draco roared as soon as he entered the Room of Requirement.

“Yes, that was our deal, was it not?”

“But- but I didn’t actually expect you to follow through with it!” he spluttered, sitting down. He ran his fingers through hair, frustrated. “We’re dead. It’s our last year, and we’re going to be despised.”

“As if you’re not already,” Hermione teased, but her face fell. “I'm sorry. I know it’s not the time for jokes. I just figured that you were serious earlier, saying that you’d tell your father if I told the school … so I did.”

“I was serious,” he replied honestly, smiling at her weakly. “I just didn’t think that it would happen so soon.”

“Well … It did.”

“You ready for tomorrow?”

“No,” she laughed. “Especially with double potions first. This should be … interesting.”

“That’s not exactly my definition of ‘interesting.’”

….

Draco met Hermione in the Great Hall the next morning, and whispers automatically rose. It wasn’t helping that they left holding hands. Out in the hallway, Draco shook his head and pushed a lock of Hermione’s hair behind her ears.

“Who ever knew being so rebellious could be so much fun?” he smiled, leaning down and kissing her.

“I did,” she grinned, and they walked to Potions, hand in hand.

….
“She’s in my seat!” Pansy barked upon entering the room. Draco had instructed Hermione to sit next to him; after all, it didn’t appear as though Harry wanted to be near her.

“Actually, she’s in her seat. Why don’t you go sit with Potty or Weasel?”

As the class wore on and more insults came flying her way, Hermione couldn’t help but to groan. “This is just one class … wait until we get to dinner. What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,” he whispered back. “Run?”

She rolled her eyes, dropping in two scoops of crushed salamander scales into her cauldron. “Let’s act like… like we’re a couple, and just ignore them.”

“Smart idea,” he agreed, smirking a little. “But really, have anything new? Something everyone isn’t already expecting?”

Hermione smacked him in the arm, but giggled nonetheless.