"Everybody?" Draco Malfoy paled and almost jumped out of his skin. "It's - It's a lie! You've been spreading bloody lies about me! You absolute idiot, Weasley, I'm going to kill you..."

"Good luck," grinned Ginny simply. "But now everybody knows that DRACO MALFOY LOVES HERMIONE GRANGER!" She shouted. The whole dungeon turned their heads. Several people started to snigger and Draco went bright red. Then everybody started to laugh and turned back to their potions. Ginny was looking incredibly satisfied, and so was I. 

"You - you --" Draco was a total loss for words. Then he exploded. "What are you trying to do to me?" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the dungeons. Everybody looked up and stared after him, wide-eyed and shocked.

"Back to your potions, everyone!" Shouted Slughorn over the chatter that had started to break out. He bustled over to me and Ginny, still standing and watching the place where he'd stood just a moment ago. We were too stunned to speak, although Ginny didn't look like she cared much.

"What on earth happened?" Slughorn asked us, looking concerned.

"He provoked me, sir," said Ginny quickly, before I could speak. "So I said something to him, and he ran off." Ginny struggled to conceal a small smile. Slughorn didn't look like he was buying it.

"A convincing lie, Miss Weasley," said Slughorn thoughtfully, a smile playing on his lips. "But I can't help thinking that what you yelled across my classrom about Mr Malfoy was rather inappropriate. So, I'm afraid I'll take 10 points from Gryffindor, and, let's see....can I see you and Miss Granger after dinner with Mr Malfoy?"

Ginny groaned. I cut in swiftly, "Yes, professor. We're sorry."

Professor Slughorn smiled at me, then turned away and returned to his desk. Ginny seemed to have forgotten about her potion, and instead stood chatting to me for the remainder of the lesson.

"That proves it," hissed Ginny, looking pleased with herself as I stirred. "He's got feelings of his own. Why else would he run away?"

I nodded, although inside I was bursting with delight. Draco must like me back. He must!

"What do we do now, though?" I asked, looking over my shoulder. Slughorn was at his desk, hardly looking at us. I lowered my voice and whispered, "We'll see him in detention tonight, Gin."

"I know," said Ginny, her eyes sparkling. "It's the perfect moment! After the detention, you can talk to him. Tell him that you know he likes you. Get him to confess."

I bit my lip. "It doesn't sound like a brilliant plan, Gin," I said slowly. "And not something I find very comfortable."

Ginny waved my excuse away. "Stop worrying, Hermione! Look, we've got dinner after this, that gives you a good hour to think about what to say, and --"

"Miss Weasley, forgive me for saying so, but I don't think you've been at your bench once for the whole of this lesson." Ginny grinned.

"No professor, I haven't," she agreed. Then she pointed to her own bench. "But to be fair, neither has Zabini, either." Slughorn followed her gaze to where Ginny's partner was chatting a few benches away with some Slytherin friends.

Slughorn furrowed his brow and stormed after the Slytherins while Ginny and I laughed. A few moments later, I had magicked away the fire heating my cauldron, corked and bottled a sample of my potion for testing, and then left the dungeon with Ginny.

"I wonder if we'll see him at dinner," said Ginny, as we entered the hall after the other Gryffindors. We scanned the Slytherin table, but there was no sign of him.

"Maybe I should go and see if he's in our dormitory," I said worriedly. "I didn't think you made him that upset, Gin."

"Well, I wouldn't have done if the stupid prat could just admit he likes you!" Protested Ginny angrily. Then she grinned. "But you should definitely go see him. He might confess his love and live happily ever after."

"Yeah, right," I mumbled. "I'll be back." I smiled over my shoulder at her and headed up to the dorm. I could hear the creaking of wooden floorboards above me, and I knew there was somebody moving around up there.

I moved quietly up the steps and tentatively pushed open the dormitory door. Inside was Draco Malfoy, sitting on the end of his bed, his head in his hands.

"Draco?" I asked softly. The softness of my voice astounded me. He'd been horrible to me - why wasn't I angry with him?

He looked up, his eyes red and bloodshot, his face stained with tears. I'd never seen him like this before. I sat down on the bed next to him and he started to shuffle away.

"Why did you leave?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "Why are you like this?"

His hand slipped across the bed and came to rest on mine. I looked up, startled, my heart hammering in my chest, but I didn't move away.

"I like you, 'mione," he offered in a strained voice, looking straight ahead. He sniffed delicately. "But I didn't think..."

"I like you too," I said, without a moment's hesitation. I stood up and his hand slid easily away from mine. I bent down, kissed his forehead lightly, then headed for the door.

"Hermione?" He called after me, his voice still sounding strained, cracked, watery.

I turned around.

"Did you know?" He asked weakly. I took a step towards him, confused.

"Know what?" I asked hesitantly.

"Amortentia...it smells of you." I blushed crimson as my heart dropped into my shoes and my knees buckled a little.

"No it doesn't," I managed softly. "It smells like you."