A/N: Hello, fellow readers and reviewers! Don't mind me, just a little author's babble …

In light of the new book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,I must give my warning now. I started writing this story before I read HBP, so I'm not going to change everything to suit the sixth book. Although my story takes place in Harry, Ron and Hermione's seventh year, the events that happened in HBP will not be present. However, there will be some signs from HBP every now and then … spells, potions, couplings, new characters … just things that may have appeared in HBP. So, there may be a couple of slight spoilers in here, I'm not quite sure. If there are though, they will be miniscule. I just thought you all, as loyal Harry Potter fans, deserved fair warning! Okay, I've finished blabbering. If you took the time to read this, I commend you, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the story! I know I'll enjoy writing it!

Summary: As part of her Potions class, Hermione is required to brew the most powerful love potion known to witches and wizards everywhere. Just one more ingredient and it would be perfect; however, before she gets a chance to add the ingredient, Draco Malfoy comes along and gulps it down. Now, because of that missing ingredient, Draco has fallen into a love obsession with Hermione, possibly indefinitely. Can Hermione put things right? What happens when maybe, just maybe, Draco finds a way into her heart?

The Test

"I don't see it!" Ron Weasley cried as he strained his neck to peer over the heads of hundreds of Hogwarts students, hoping to catch a glint of the shiny, red Head Boy badge among the sea of students.

"Neither do I!" Harry Potter agreed as he too searched for the gleaming badge; yet, no luck came to him either.

Hermione Granger seemed to be the only one at the Gryffindor table who was not investigating the mystery of the missing Head Boy badge. Instead, she calmly ate her meal, thoroughly appreciating the feast spread out before her after enduring the lengthy trip to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express.

"Hermione, why aren't you the least bit curious?" Ron demanded, obviously annoyed at Hermione's coolness.

"Because I don't see any reason to fret." Hermione replied as she wiped a speck of dirt off of her own Head Girl badge. "I'm sure the Head Boy is just late or sick or something. Or perhaps he isn't wearing his badge. Maybe he's shy."

"When have you ever seen a Head Boy or Girl not wear their badge to the feast? In fact, I'm sure that they must be forced to wear it, otherwise students wouldn't know who to go to with any problems or questions that they have." Ron said, grinning and feeling incredibly proud of himself for rebutting to Hermione's statement.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm sure Dumbledore has a reasonable explanation. Now sit down and eat up or they'll clear the plates away and leave you to starve."

Ron and Harry glared at her before taking a seat; however, they never missed an opportunity to continue visually hunting around the Great Hall in search of the Head Boy badge while Hermione preoccupied herself with her roast beef.

Finally, after endless minutes of torture, every table surface in the Great Hall cleared itself down to the kitchen for the house-elves to take care of. The entire Great Hall fell silent; obviously, Harry and Ron were not the only ones curious as to who the Head Boy was. Draco Malfoy, who could be seen across the Hall at the Slytherin table, was the only one chatting nonchalantly to his Slytherin cronies; Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. He seemed almost angry; perhaps he was livid that he himself had not received the Head Boy badge.

As Professor Dumbledore arose from his seat and stood before his students, he could not help but smile at the abrupt silence that had initiated even before he had risen. "Welcome," he began. "To those who are new to Hogwarts. To those who have been here before, welcome back. The first thing I would like to address is our new Head Girl, Hermione Granger. Miss Granger, I know you'll make Hogwarts proud."

Hermione beamed a vibrant shade of red as the entire Hall erupted into applause, with the exception of Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins who looked none too pleased at all.

"As many of you may have noticed, there is no Head Boy among us," Dumbledore continued once the uproar died down a bit. "This is due to the three extraordinary males who have each earned the significant title through academics, personal achievements, and contributions to the school. The three that I speak of are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy."

Harry and Ron both grinned and flushed with embarrassment, while Malfoy could be seen at the Slytherin table smirking to his cronies. His look quite clearly read, Of course me.

"However, it is quite obvious that only one Head Boy may be selected. Professor McGonagall and I pondered the solution to this dilemma for days, but alas, no decision could be made. So, we have decided on a test; a short, simple test to be written now. No preparation is necessary; Professor McGonagall and I shall award the highest grade the Head Boy position. This test is all about knowledge. What you have learned up to this point. Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Mr Malfoy, may you please approach the staff table?"

Harry and Ron both looked dazed by such overwhelming news. The Head Boy position was still available! Unbelievable. Eventually, they got over their daze quick enough to get up and walk towards Dumbledore. Malfoy, on the other hand, showed no emotion as he made his way to the front of the Great Hall.

Professor Dumbledore handed each boy a piece of parchment and directed them through the door behind the staff table. This was the door that Harry had had to go through when his name was chosen from the Goblet of Fire; he had been shocked at that time as well.

Once every boy had their piece of parchment, they followed Professor McGonagall into the room, each one shaking with anticipation; except, of course, for Malfoy.

As the boys wrote the test, Dumbledore continued with the remainder of the school rules and restrictions, as well as introducing the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (Professor Gellar). Hermione, however, was preoccupied with her thoughts. She had been with Harry and Ron at the Burrow when she received her Head Girl badge, and when neither Harry nor Ron had received Head Boy, she was incredibly disappointed. And now, all of a sudden, both boys were getting the chance to claim the title! Hermione almost felt thrilled, and perhaps she would have been ecstatic had Malfoy not also been selected. How could he be, anyways? Sure, he was smart, but he wasn't brilliant. And personal achievements? What, a couple of good Quidditch games every now and then? Sure, he managed to secure a spot on the team in his second year, and he beat almost every team with the exception of Gryffindor, but he'd never won the Quidditch Cup. What was there to brag about? And contributions to the school! Did that include his mother's generous donations to ensure Malfoy's spot as Head Boy? No, overall, Malfoy was not worthy of the Head Boy position. He shouldn't have even been qualified to write the test. Harry and Ron were brilliant, though. One of them ought to surpass Malfoy, without a doubt.

Hermione sighed. Please don't make Malfoy Head Boy. God, please don't make Malfoy Head Boy.

Twenty minutes later, Professor McGonagall emerged from the door behind the staff table, clutching three pieces of parchments in her hand. Harry, Ron and Malfoy filed out of the room after her, each heading back to their table.

"Dumbledore said a short, simple test!" Ron hissed as he sat back down in his seat next to Hermione.

"Short and simple. What a load of crap!" Harry cried, plopping himself down in the vacant seat beside Hermione and dropping his head into his arms.

"It couldn't have been that bad." Hermione replied, attempting to comfort the boys.

"'Who invented the Ronvunctus Curse'? How the hell am I supposed to know?" Ron cried, rubbing his temples as though he had just written his NEWTs.

"Morris Everett." Hermione replied. "He didn't mean to invent it; he was playing around with his cousin one day when he was just a small boy and things just sort of fell into place."

Ron glared at Hermione, obviously jealous of her extensive knowledge. "Well why couldn't you tell me that when I was in there!" He cried, jerking his thumb at the door behind the staff table.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It was in our notes for History of Magic two years ago, Ronald. In fact, it was a question on the OWLs."

Ron stared at her, dumbfounded. "How you remember notes from two years ago is beyond me." He replied, shaking his head disapprovingly.

Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, Dumbledore stood up, prepared to announce the position of Head Boy. So, she chose to ignore Ron's comment and instead focused all of her attention upon the Headmaster. Harry lifted his head, anxious to hear whether or not he beat Ron and Malfoy on the test.

"Professor McGonagall and I have examined each test thoroughly," Dumbledore said loudly, catching the attention of every student in the Hall.

Harry and Ron gaped at Dumbledore with their mouths hanging open; Hermione half expected drool to start trickling down their chins. Malfoy, on the other hand, sat with his fellow Slytherins, his elbow resting on the table and his cheek slumped in his palm. He did not look anxious or excited; quite the contrary, actually. He looked bored! Malfoy was honored among two other students out of over twenty seventh-year boys to earn the most important position that he had ever faced in his life, and he looked like he couldn't give a rat's tail about it.

Hermione threw him a disgusted look before turning to face Dumbledore, who continued with his speech. "Each test was astoundingly close in grade percentage; however, one student excelled the other two and earned the title of Head Boy with incredible knowledge and understanding." Dumbledore lifted the Head Boy badge from off of the staff table and presented it to the student population, allowing its gleaming exterior to glint off of the walls for a moment or two. "And now, without further ado, I would like to introduce Hogwarts new Head Boy … Draco Malfoy."