Draco sat quietly on the train. He couldn’t help but feel he was being watched though. He’d had that feeling for quite some time. Every time he walked past someone he felt they were watching. The train stopped and people started to get off. Draco waited ‘till everyone left his car.

He slowly started to walk towards the door. He then stopped. He thought he heard someone moving behind him. He then turned around and fired a spell at the direction he thought his stalker was. The supposed stalker fell to the ground.

It was Harry Potter.

He wasn’t dead. Just incapacitated.

Just as Draco suspected.

Harry dizzily looked up as Draco picked up Harry’s wand and threw it to the side.

“Do this again.” Draco said seriously “And I swear I will kill you.”

Draco walked out and got off the train.

Harry moaned and got up. The spell wore off and he got off the train. But Draco had already vanished.

“Damn.” he said quietly.

/////////////////////

Hermione sat next Ginny Weasley in Horace Slughorn’s class. Ginny was fiddling with her pencil. Horace was talking about spells that were really complex. Hermione tried to focus but then the pencil snapped.

“Miss Weasley.” Horace said “Are you paying attention?”

Ginny gasped slightly. “Um…uh…yes, sir.” Ginny said “I just…well…”

“It’s fine.” Horace said “Just go sharpen your pencil.”

Draco then walked in.

“Ah, Mr. Malfoy” Horace said “how nice you could attend. Go sit right over there.”

Draco sat across from Ginny and Hermione. Hermione started blushing like a silly person but returned her attention to her paper. Draco was busy on his paper.

Ginny was focused as well.

While she was focused on her paper, Hermione’s head was filled with fantasies of kissing Draco. Luckily, nobody noticed or knew.

Or so she thought.

/////////////////////

The ponies had been allowed by Horace to observe the class. Rainbow was doodling on a notepad. Fluttershy was looking at the ceiling. Pinkie Pie was napping. Applejack was eating a sandwich. Twilight was writing down Horace’s talk like what a court person does.

But Rarity was perplexed by something.

She noticed Hermione’s blushing and she noticed that she was sweating. Not a lot but for a fashionable pony like Rarity it was worth noting. She noticed Hermione drew faster then normal women (or ponies) do with pencils.

Horace stopped talking. Class had ended. The students got up and starting going their own ways. Draco stopped. Ginny got up and was getting her things. She turned to Draco. Draco walked off and headed out the door.

Hermione whispered something in Ginny’s ear and she nodded. The two walked out.

The ponies got up and followed the students.

Horace then said “Harry, can I see you for a minute?”

Harry stopped and turned around. Horace reached behind him and gave him a book.

“Here, take this and tell me what you find. Study it.” Horace said.

“I will, sir.” Harry said.

He walked with the other students and opened the book. On the second page it said This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince.

Curious.

/////////////////////

“Alright, what do you need?” Ginny said as Hermione shut the door behind them.

Hermione looked around to see if any one else was in the room. No. Good.

“Okay” she said “I’m worried about him.”

“Who?” Ginny asked.

“Draco.” Hermione said “He’s been acting very serious lately and he isn’t around much. What if he’s in danger?”

“That’s a valid worry.” Ginny said “If not a little extreme.”

“I want to make sure he’s all right.” Hermione said. “I know you’d do the same for Harry.”

Ginny gulped. Hermione had hit a cord.

“Of course I would.” Ginny said.

“So it’s a deal?” Hermione continued “You and me will secretly watch over Draco?”

“Deal.” Ginny said.

Ginny walked out and returned to her day.

Hermione however sat down and sighed.

Rarity and Applejack peeked their heads in.

“Hermione?” she asked “Are you okay?”

Hermione looked up.

“Yeah.” she replied.

“Can we do anything for you?” Rarity asked as she closed the door.

Getting lost is one thing. Hermione thought but she wisely didn’t say it. She started sweating again.

“You alright sugar cube?” Applejack asked.

Hermione didn’t answer. It didn’t take long for the gears to start turning in Rarity’s head. The blushing, the pencil movement, the sweating, the smiling. It all came together.

“Sweetie” Rarity said “you love Draco Malfoy don’t you?”

Hermione gasped. Damn it, she’d thought she’d kept it a secret.

“Wait, you mean she’s sweet for that Draco kid?” Applejack said. “How’d you do it?”

“It was easy.” Rarity said “When we met her and when we’ve been visiting Hogwarts she seems distracted. She been blushing a lot when around Draco and she smiles. More then what Ron and Harry usually say she does.”

Hermione’s cheeks were practically on fire. She turned her head to Applejack then Rarity.

“So, sugar cube” Applejack said “Are you sweet on Draco?”

Hermione sighed in defeat.

“Yes.” she said “I…I do love him.”

“So, how long has this been going on?’ Applejack and Rarity asked.

“I don’t know.” Hermione said “I really don’t.”

“But why?” Rarity asked “From what Twilight has told me, Draco is the son of Lucius Malfoy who tried to kill Harry, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Neville and you once.”

“I know, but” Hermione continued “he’s just so handsome. I know he’s mean sometimes but every time he talks to me, I….I feel special to him. But what can I do?”

Rarity tapped Hermione on the shoulder.

“Sweetie” she said “just be honest and tell him how you feel. Ask him out.”

Hermione smiled.

“But shouldn’t the guy ask the girl out? Not the other way around?” Applejack pointed out.

“Well, sometimes you gotta take the rules and twist them a little.” Rarity said. She turned her attention to Hermione. “Don’t worry, darling. Go. I’ll help find the perfect dress for your date.”

The three walked out.

/////////////////////

Harry studied the book. The spells were the most complex he’d ever seen. Hermione would love this. There were so many of them. It was making his head hurt. He saw spells for luck, for knocking people out and various others.

/////////////////////

Hermione showed off a pretty blue dress to Rarity. Rarity shook her head. Hermione sighed in disappointment and went back into her changing room to change. She then walked out in a much better looking red dress.

“Hmm, good” Rarity said “it’s good but it’s too summer. Wait for something like a wedding to dress in that.”

Hermione went back into her changing room and then a few minutes later was back in front of Rarity. This time, Hermione was wearing a beautiful pink Victorian-era style dress. It was her Yule Ball dress.

“Yes.” Rarity said “Ms. Granger, you’re ready.”

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