Hermione didn't mean to turn Draco Malfoy into a tiger.

It was an accident, she promised.

It's just, she'd been itching to try out a new spell (she'd read about it in Transfiguration Charms by Augusta Weather that morning), and she and Malfoy had had a row, and it had seemed like the perfect time.

In the heat of the moment, she'd forgotten that the effects of the spell lasted one week.

She was pretty sure turning fellow Prefects into tigers would not help her get a head girl badge next year.

Had the spell been a regular one, she would simply utter a "Finite Incantatem" and demand (okay, beg) Malfoy not to tell anyone.

As it was, she was pretty sure Dumbledore would be able to trace the spell and figure out who had cast it. She didn't know how, but this was Dumbledore, after all.

No, she'd have to take care of Malfoy for the week, and then ask (fine, beg) him not to tell.

"Good thing it's Christmas," she told the tiger lying on the floor (she had petrified him as soon as she realized what she'd done, so he couldn't escape before she figured out a plan.) "Everyone will simply assume you went home."

But where to put a tiger?

Lavender had stayed at school (fawning over Ron, she imagined), and besides, there was no way she was letting Malfoy in her dorm. She couldn't use the Room of Requirement, Harry and Ron would wonder what she was doing there all the time.

She'd have to use the Prefect Common Room. No one ever went in there, after all.

"Alright," she said. "You're coming to the Prefect Common Room with me. You can either walk there, or I'll levitate you."

The tiger couldn't do more than look at her, but she took that as a sign on consent.

"Finite Incantatem," she said, waving her wand.

Malfoy got to his feet and glared at her, flexing his claws.

"Try anything," she said. "And I'll petrify you again."

Malfoy growled, but allowed her to walk him to the Prefect Common Room all the same. She told him he'd better stay put, or there'd be consequences, and then made her way to the Gryffindor Common Room.

She supposed she'd have to spend her nights in the Prefect Common Room, babysitting Malfoy. She couldn't tell that to Harry though, when he asked why she was moving her stuff, so she said that Lavender had started talking in her sleep ("always going on about Won-Won; it's horribly annoying"), and she wanted some peace and quiet over the holidays.

Luckily, Harry accepted the story easily.

When she left the common room, she noticed Lavender and Ron were wrapped up in each other's arms and eating each other's faces again, but she found she didn't mind.

Her fascination with Ron had ended abruptly -about as abruptly as her fascination with Malfoy had started.

Harry hadn't known it, but she had listened to his suspicions about Malfoy being a Death Eater, and had watched him much more closely this year. She didn't see how he could be a Death Eater, though.

If anything, he seemed happier this year.

She figured it was because his father was in prison. Which meant that he hadn't liked what his father was doing.

And why would he be happier if he wasn't a Death Eater?

She was thinking about this while she sat, watching the tiger Malfoy.

"You make a cute tiger," she said, reaching over to pet him.

He glared. She smiled. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone how cute you can be."

Malfoy made a huffing noise.

"Well," Hermione said. "It's dinner time. You stay here, and I'll get us something to eat." She laughed. "I doubt there'll be tiger food in the Great Hall though."

There wasn't any raw meat offered in the Great Hall, so she settled for a great hunk of steak.

Harry and Ron both stared at her.

She pretended to think they were staring because she was leaving early, not because she had a bunch of steak along with her normal amount of food.

"I promised a first year I'd help them study over dinner. Be in the library if you need me."

Harry and Ron stared at her, to the steak, then looked at each other, and shrugged. ("Whatever," said Ron. "See you later," said Harry.)

That wasn't too bad, she thought, as she returned to the Prefect Common Room.

Malfoy was very happy to see the food.

"Now," Hermione said sternly. "Just because you've got four legs, doesn't mean you can eat like a slob. Goodness knows why I liked Ron all those years, he eats like a pig. I supposed Lavender finds it attractive..." then she remembered who she was talking to, and blushing, began eating her dinner.

Malfoy finished before her, (although, she noticed, he did make a bit of an effort to eat slowly and cleanly), and then he looked up at her.

"I suppose you want more, do you?" Hermione said. "Well, begging doesn't work on me."

Malfoy walked over to her and lay his head on her lap. He looked up at her with sad eyes, and mewed hopefully.

"Oh, alright. Because it's almost Christmas. And I'm full."

And she gave him the rest of her food.

The main reason she (quite) liked Malfoy now happened a couple of months ago.

For the first time in decades, a muggleborn had been sorted into Slytherin. A little girl named Susan Hoggs (as if having that last name wasn't unfortunate enough). She was bullied horrendously, and Hermione wished she could help, but she knew that even first year Slytherins wouldn't listen to a Gryffindor Prefect.

Even though she didn't think he was a Death Eater, Hermione was sure that Malfoy was part of the bullying. After all, he'd bullied her for the past five years. She figured the reason he had let up a bit on her this year was the fact that now he had Susan to torment, too.

And that was what she had believed, until two months ago.

She had taken a different way back to the common room after dinner (she'd wanted to ask professor Flitwick a question but he hadn't been in his office) and on this route, she had stumbled across Malfoy and a tearful Susan.

She'd stopped. Neither had noticed her as Malfoy was speaking, and Susan was listening avidly. Hermione had stayed quiet, listening.

"-had a chance to think this summer," Malfoy was saying, "and I've realized that blood, I mean, it's all the same. Pureblood, Halfblood, Muggleborn. It's stupid. I don't know why I used to care so much."

Hermione was stared, wide eyed. Surely this wasn't Draco Malfoy saying these things.

But it was.

Susan seemed to be as shocked as Hermione. She said nothing.

"I can see from your face that you've been told stories about me." Malfoy smiled bitterly. "Trust me, I've changed. And if... anyone gives you trouble, than tell me, and I'll... I'll get them to stop."

Hermione had grinned, simply beamed, hearing that. Malfoy had looked slightly embarrassed after that little speech. He had patted Susan on the shoulder, and walked off. Susan had stood there, now smiling slightly. She wiped her tear stained face (Malfoy must have come across her crying, Hermione thought), and she too, had walked away.

As for Hermione, she just stood there for a moment, reliving what she had just seen.

She'd harboured a rather large crush on Malfoy ever since.

It was nearly nightfall, and Hermione realized the Prefect Common Room did not have any beds.

She transfigured the couch into a comfy replica of her bed at her house. As soon as she'd done that, Malfoy leapt onto it, and curled into a ball.

"Now, now," Hermione said. "That's mine. Animals sleep on the floor."

Malfoy stayed put,

Hermione sighed. "Oh, all right," she said, and lay down on the bed. "Just stay near the bottom."

She fell asleep almost instantly.

The next few days progressed rather smoothly, considering.

She hadn't had to hex Malfoy once.

Now she sat on the ground, leaning against a chair, reading (Hogwarts; A History, for the tenth time!) while Malfoy sat beside her, resting, while she stroked his head.

She wondered if his real hair was that silky soft.

She looked at him, and he opened his eyes slightly to watch her.

"I saw you with Susan, in the corridor. A couple months ago."

She'd wanted to talk to him about it for ages, but couldn't work up the nerve. It seemed easier now that he couldn't talk back.

"That was a really nice thing you did. I had always assumed that you were a part of the bullying. But you're actually a good person..." Hermione smiled slightly. "Seeing you do that really made me happy. And I... I don't hate you anymore. Harry thinks you're a Death Eater, but I know you're not. We can't judge people on what their parents have done. Or even what they've done in the past. It's the present that counts..." she trailed off.

"Anyway," she said. "I've been wanting to tell you that. I just never found the time. So. Um. Yeah. I guess that's it."

She had avoided Malfoy's gaze for all of this, but now she glanced at him. He was staring at her. He leaned forward, and put his head in her lap. She put her hand on his head to stroke him.

"You really are sweet," she mumbled.

Hermione was somewhat dreading the time when Malfoy would transform back into his human self.

It was just that, when Malfoy became a human again, she wouldn't spend nearly so much time with him. Now she spent almost all of her day with him. Harry and Ron wondered why she was neglecting them so much recently.

"It's a busy week," Hermione told them during dinner on Christmas Eve. "Um. Lots of Arithmancy homework."

Ron laughed. "Man, I'm so glad I didn't take that class. Why didn't you drop it, 'Mione?"

"Because I got an O in it Ron. And I find it fascinating."

She was glad they had believed her so quickly.

"Okay, but tomorrow's Christmas, Hermione, and you need a break. So you'd better spend some time with us," Harry said.

Hermione sighed. "I'll try."

She had been planning to spend Christmas with Malfoy (she had even ordered chocolates for him from Honeydukes' Owl Order system for a Christmas present), but she supposed she had been abandoning her friends a bit lately.

"Yeah," she said. "I promise to spend a little time with you, on Christmas, at least."

They beamed.

"Well, it's Christmas Eve," Hermione told Malfoy. "It's a pity you weren't at the feast; the big tree really was pretty this year."

Something in the window caught her eye. Little white sparkles were falling from the sky.

"It's snowing outside!" Hermione rushed to the window. "I love snow on Christmas Eve! My favourite kind!"

She sat there, watching the snow for a while. It was so magical. She smiled to herself. She, a witch, thought that something as simple as snow was magical.

"So pretty..." she murmured. "You should come here, you're missing out," she told Malfoy. "Although I suppose you want to go to sleep, do you? It is getting rather late."

Malfoy yawned.

Hermione went to the loo to change into her pyjamas, then returned and slipped into bed. She looked at Malfoy.

"Only tonight and tomorrow night and you'll return to your normal self again, huh?"

Malfoy moved forwards and butted his head under her arm.

Hermione smiled. "Good night, Draco," she said.

She dreamt of snowflakes and Christmas carols.

Hermione awoke cuddling Malfoy the tiger like a teddy bear. Then she remembered.

"It's Christmas!" she said excitedly.

Malfoy was still asleep. Hermione pouted, then tapped him.

Nothing.

She tapped him again.

Still nothing.

She jabbed him in the stomach.

His eyes flew open.

"Merry Christmas!"

He yawned.

"Oh, wake up, you! I've got you a present!"

His eyes widened.

"Yes, I really did. Consider it an apology for making you spend your holiday as a beast."

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a nicely wrapped gift box. "Here you are!"

Malfoy tore the present open. Hermione smiled. It looked odd, a giant tiger ripping through a gift. She watched him open the box of Honeydukes chocolates and hoped he liked it. She wasn't sure why exactly she was giving him a present, but she had gotten the idea and next thing she knew she was ordering the chocolates by Owl Order.

"For when you become a human again," Hermione said.

Which was tomorrow, she thought. She was looking forwards to seeing Malfoy as himself again, but after what was sure to be an awkward goodbye (she wondered how he reacted to being treated like a stuffed animal.) he would go on his way, and she would go back to watching him from afar.

Watching him from afar... That sounded mildly stalkerish now that Hermione thought about it. She grimaced.

"Um, anyway," she said. "What would like to do -oh! I forgot. I promised Harry and Ron I'd spend some time with them. I'd better join them for awhile after breakfast.

Malfoy growled.

"What?" Hermione laughed. "Are you jealous? You are, aren't you?" (for Malfoy had looked determinedly at his feet) "Don't worry. I have plenty of time for you. Tell you what, after lunch, how about we go on a walk outside. You must be tired of being cooped up in this room."

She made for the exit. "See you later, then."

Harry and Ron were both most impressed with her Christmas presents this year. She had gone the easy route and simply given them a bucket load of candy. She remembered the year she had given them homework planners and figured that might be the reason they were extra pleased that she had given them candy.

"I love Christmas," Ron said, grinning. "Even though I'm not at home this year."

"Yeah," Harry said. "Christmas is good."

Hermione smiled. Christmas was one of her favourite times of the year.

"And I just love spending it with you guys," Ron said. "Especially you, Hermione."

Hermione sighed. "What do you want?"

Ron grinned sheepishly. "It's just, that, well, I haven't actually started that Potions essay."

Hermione sighed again. "It's Christmas, Ron, I'm not doing your essay!" Seeing his crestfallen face, she added, "I will help you though. Just not today."

Ron beamed. "Thanks, Hermione!"

"Help you, Ron, but I'm not doing it for you," Hermione said.

"I know," said Ron.

Harry stood up. "I reckon we'd better get to lunch. I promised I'd meet Ginny at one."

He sounded almost giddy saying it. Hermione smiled. "Yeah, let's go."

Ron nodded. "I have plans with Lavender after lunch too, so let's go."

As they made their way downstairs, Hermione thought about how she was the only one of her friends without an other half. She sighed.

"Something wrong?" Harry asked.

"No," Hermione said, "just thinking."

She wished sometimes she was in a relationship. Only she made that hard, with the guys she liked.

First there was Viktor Krum, who was from Bulgaria, and a professional Quidditch player at that. She didn't like him enough to start a long distance relationship though. Then came her best friend Ron, who was blind as a bat to romantics. How he had managed to enchant Lavender, she'd never know. And now, Draco Malfoy, who had been her tormentor for years. The chances of Malfoy ever liking her back were less than zero.

Hermione glared at her toast.

Then she worried someone might see, and forced herself to appear pleasant again.

She wished lunch was over, and she could go on that walk with Malfoy.

If only he was a human, and still wanted to walk with her.

She and Malfoy walked through the hallways to get outside. She was glad that most of the students had gone home for the holidays. Although there was one second year who had seen her walking with a tiger and given them a strange look.

"It's a nice day for a walk," she said when they arrived outside. "Not too cold."

She breathed in deeply. "I love the smell of a winter's day. And I love walks in the snow." She sighed. "Unfortunately, Harry and Ron prefer to play chess inside by the fire. But I suppose today Harry'll be off somewhere with Ginny; I'm so happy for them, they just got together recently, and they're both much happier now. And Ron's off with Lavender. I don't really know what he sees in her, she's a bit of an idiot. But she can be sweet, so there's that." She laughed. "And Ron's a bit of an idiot too, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Am I a bad friend for saying that? I'm sorry I'm babbling so much, Malfoy, this reminds me of being with my cat, and I tend to babble a bit with him, too. I dunno, I guess it's just easier to talk to animals. That was probably insulting. Sorry, I'll, uh, I'll stop talking now."

And they walked the rest in silence.

Not an awkward silence, though. A comfortable silence, like between friends or something. But she was pretty sure that Malfoy didn't want to be her friend. Although if he didn't believe in blood supremacy anymore... But he'd had all year to talk to her if he'd wanted to, but all they did was argue. Maybe he really did find her annoying, and he hadn't just been saying that because she was a mudblood. But then why would he let her cuddle with him last night?

Hermione was confused, and she hated being confused.

Maybe tomorrow, when Malfoy was himself again, she'd have some answers.

By the time they returned to the castle, it was almost dinner. Hermione hadn't ever had a walk that long, or that nice.

"That was good," Hermione said. "Maybe we could do it again sometime."

Malfoy looked at her, but didn't make any sign like he did or didn't want that.

"Well, I'm going to get us some dinner," she said. "Excited for your last meal as a tiger?"

At the dinner table, watching Ginny sitting with Harry and Lavender sitting with Ron, Hermione felt again that feeling of longing and loneliness.

Not wanting to be the fifth wheel, she quickly prepared her and Malfoy's food and said "I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll turn in early."

"Good night," Ginny and Lavender said in unison.

"Happy Christmas," said Harry.

"See ya," said Ron.

Hermione returned to the Prefect's Common Room and gave Malfoy his dinner. They ate in silence. When they were finished, Hermione went to go change and then crawled into bed.

"You must be happy. You'll probably transform back over night," Hermione told Malfoy. "It'll be good to have things back to normal, won't it -oh!"

For Malfoy had leapt onto the bed and poked his head under her arms, just like the previous night. Hermione wasn't sure what to make of that.

But he was warm and fluffy, so she buried her face into his back, and whispered, "Good night."

She soon fell asleep.

When Hermione woke up, she was warm and toasty.

Curious about the source of this warmth, she cracked open an eye -and found herself in the tight embrace of Draco Malfoy.

It felt very nice.

She snuggled closer to him and felt his arms tighten around her.

She glanced at his face to find him awake and smiling sleepily at her.

"Hey," she whispered. "You're you again."

"No kidding," he mumbled. "You're not going to poke me and wake me up again today, are you?"

"No." Hermione said. She wondered why she was still in his arms if he'd woken up and realized what he was doing.

"Good," he said, and closed his eyes.

"You know you're currently cuddling with a mudblood, right?"

Malfoy opened his eyes again. "And you know I don't care about that anymore, right?"

"But then," Hermione said. "Does that mean we're... friends?"

He frowned. "Friends?"

She winced. "Unless you don't want to be. Maybe my being a mudblood isn't the only reason you don't like me."

She hoped he didn't hate her. That would break her heart.

"Actually," he murmured. "I'd like to be a bit more than friends, if you don't mind."

Her eyes widened. Had she heard him correctly? Maybe he'd said something else. But 'more than friends' and 'I hate you mudblood' didn't sound similar at all.

"M-more than friends?" she repeated.

He nodded.

"B- but then-"

"Shh..." he whispered. "You think too much. It's quite endearing."

She blushed. "Really? Ron thinks it's annoying."

"Yes, well, Weasley is an idiot. If he wasn't, he would have seen what was in front of him and taken it."

"You mean me?"

He nodded like it was obvious.

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Malfoy thought Ron was an idiot for not liking her? He thought she was endearing?

He wanted to be with her?

"When you transformed me into a tiger, I was actually quite happy. I could get you to warm up to me. I had a whole speech ready about how I don't care about blood anymore, but since you saw me with Susan, I suppose it doesn't matter."

He hooked a finger under her chine, tilting it up so she was looking into his eyes. "You know, you're a rather large part of the reason I changed my views."

"M-me?"

He smirked. "You're stuttering an awful lot this morning. Is your mouth broken?"

She figured by the smug look on his face that he had figured out she liked him back.

"Sorry," she said.

"That's okay," he replied. "I know the perfect remedy for a broken mouth."

And he kissed her.

His hair was as soft as his tiger fur, Hermione thought dreamily.

And then he deepened the kiss, and she could think no more.

The End