Chapter One

"Ughh! I hate that him. He just makes me so angry."

"I know Harry but it…"

" It's been three days since he… um since he…"

" Won?" suggested Hermione.

"Since he not lost, and he's still gloating like the bloody ponce he is." finished Harry. As he said this he pounded his fist on the table and his goblet of pumpkin juice toppled over and drenched his eggs, sausage, and toast.

Ron strode into the Great Hall tousle-haired with his tie hanging untied around his shoulders. His eyes traveled from Hermione to Harry who was still shaking with rage and back to Hermione again. Ron raised his eyebrow.

"Malfoy" said Hermione

A look of comprehension dawned on Ron's face. He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and slid between Seamus and Harry to sit on the bench.

"Look mate," said Ron, "We played our best last Saturday and so did those wanking Slytherins, unfortunately their best was quite a bit better than normally so we lost…"

"We not won," corrected Harry.

"Not won, right" conceded Ron, "Either way, you didn't honestly think they would ever win a game against us I mean we're good, hell we're bloody fantastic but as much as I hate to admit it the Slytherins are pretty good as well and they won fair and square."

"Yeah well that doesn't mean he has to act like such a git," said Harry.

"Harry, Malfoy's always been a git but to be honest we wouldn't be acting to differently had it been us. Anyway it doesn't matter 'cause it'll never happen again" said Ron.

"I… we wouldn't…" Harry fell silent for a while and then grinned "I suppose you're right. Thanks, mate."

"No problem," said Ron. Then he picked up a piece of toast and got up. He then bent down to kiss Hermione quickly but forcefully enough to make her blush.

"I've got to see McGonagall about an extra credit assignment. G' bye, all."

"See you, Ron," said Harry.

"Bye," said Hermione who was still blushing.

"You know," said Harry as he watched Ron walk away, " I was a little worried when you and Ron started going out but he seems to have matured quite a bit. Looks like this has been really good for him."

"For both of us really," said Hermione. "Ever since Ron and I started dating I've really loosened up."

"Well then looks like everyone's happy," Harry said and then smiled. He hadn't known whether or not he should say anything but he had noticed that Hermione was a lot less nagging lately.

" Yeah, but …"said Hermione timidly

"Don't start, Hermione, I don't need a girlfriend," interrupted Harry. He knew where she was headed as they had had this argument several times before.

"I know you don't need a one, but don't you think you'd be happier if you had somebody," asked Hermione.

"Who would I 'have' Hermione," snapped Harry, he was getting annoyed.

"You know as well as I do that all practically all the available girls in the castle fancy you especially since you went helped Remus destroy Voldemort.

"Well what if I don't fancy a girl," said Harry.

"Oh. Well I… uh I'm sure there are plenty of um boys who would be glad to have you," said Hermione looking most uncomfortable.

"Wha? Oh gods Hermione I didn't mean it like that. I meant I don't fancy anyone," said Harry.

There was a very awkward silence.

"You were pretty quick to assume I was gay weren't you," said Harry feeling a little hurt.

"I'm sorry, it's just well you should've heard how it sounded," said Hermione looking ashamed.

Harry chuckled. "You're right, it did sound a little off. But don't worry, I'm straight and I'll find someone on my own time."

"You're right, sorry for meddling," said Hermione.

Harry wasn't at all angry with Hermione. He knew she had her reasons for worrying, but he had his for staying single. Harry had broken up with Ginny three months ago in August and he wasn't ready for the stress of another relationship.

FLASHBACK

"Harry can I come in," asked Ginny timidly.

"Yeah there's something I need to talk to you about," answered Harry.

Ginny rushed through the door to the room Fred and George's old room in which Harry was staying for the summer. "Good it's about time," she said.

Harry looked puzzled. Did she know what he wanted to talk about? Maybe she wanted the same thing; it would certainly make things easier.

"I mean it's been more than a month since you and Remus defeated Voldemort," she said huffily.

'One month and 12 days' thought Harry. Even though it seemed like just yesterday. It hadn't happen like Harry thought it would. Remus had done most of the work like finding and destroying the remaining horcruxes and so he had gotten most of the glory. Still Harry wasn't complaining, Remus had let him pull the trigger. Yes, after all the effort Voldemort had put into becoming indestructible, a muggle handgun had killed him.

"Earth to Harry. What's going on?" said Ginny.

"Oh right. Like I was saying I need to talk to you. I know that when I broke up with you at Dumbledore's funeral I said it was to protect you from Voldemort. And so I'm sure that you took that to mean that as soon as he was defeated we could get back together, but Ginny I don't think that's for the best."

"What… what do you mean not for the best, Harry we… we love each other?" stuttered Ginny.

"But you Ginny I thought you felt this way too. You said it was about time," said Harry feeling quite confused.

"About time for you to get back together with me, Idiot!" she screamed.

"Ginny I'm sorry I can't get back together with you. I just don't feel that way about you anymore," Harry said and then bowed his head.

"You… you, this has got to be… Harry don't do this you don't mean this," Ginny continued to stutter incoherently while the tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Harry got up off the bed and went to her. He tried to hold her and comfort her but she pushed him away.

"Were you lying?" Ginny asked fiercely staring at him through her now red eyes.

"No Ginny I told you I can't go out with you…

"No, Harry. When were dating all that stuff you said to me about the way you felt about loving me, were those lies?"

"Oh," said Harry guiltily, " well at the time I thought I meant them. And even know I do love you it's just not that kind of love. Ginny I'm sorry," he explained.

"Ron's going to be unbearable," said Ginny dryly.

"What?" asked Harry confusedly.

"Ron, he's never going to let me live this down. I can hear him now 'I told you a man's sister should never date his best mate'" she said imitating Ron, "Do we have to tell him now."

"Um, Ginny? I kind of already told him and Hermione.

"What?!"

"Ginny I had to explain it to him. If he would have found out before I got to talk to him he would've murdered me," Harry reasoned pleadingly.

"Oh sure so now the whole family knows that I got dumped by the boy who good for anyone."

"Ginny I…"

"Just get leave me alone!" she shouted and ran from the room.

END FLASHBACK

Oh course Ginny had forgiven him since then and apologized for loosing her temper but things were still very awkward. Harry wondered if they would ever be the same. Harry was brought back from his reflecting by Hermione's voice.

"Harry are you all right?"

"Yeah I'm fine," he answered. "Want to go to the library?'

"Sure, I wanted to look something up before Transfiguration anyway," said Hermione.

They left the waved good bye to Dean, Seamus, and Neville before leaving the Great Hall. Once out in the corridor, Harry spotted a large group of Slytherins talking loudly. Harry recognized Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Vincent Crabbe. The rest were sixth year girls he didn't know. Harry slowed his pace to hear what he was saying.

"Apparently the idiot couldn't tell I was feinting and so…" was all Harry could catch of Draco's sentence.

He was bragging about the match again. Surprisingly this didn't annoy Harry. What Ron had said had given him an idea.

"Hermione, go on to the library I'll catch up," said Harry distractedly.

Hermione followed Harry's line of vision to Malfoy and hesitated. Harry just let it go…"

"Oh it's not like that Hermione, I just wanted to chat with him," Harry said with a rather devilish looking grin, but when he saw that Hermione still looked reluctant he said, "Seriously Hermione it's nothing to worry about, go ahead and I'll be there in a minute."

She gave him one last disapproving look and walked off towards the library.

Harry watched her turn the corner and then started towards Draco.

Draco and his friends stopped talking when they noticed Harry and watched his approach.

"Come to take a few tips from a real quiditch player Potter," sneered Draco. His friends snickered.

"Sure as soon as you show me one," retorted Harry with a slight smile.

The grin slid off Draco's face. "What do you want Potter?" Draco asked with an air of impatience.

"No need to be so serious Malfoy, I just came over to compliment the way you flew the other day and to congratulate you on winning the match. You as well Zabini, you're much better keeper than that idiot Flint."

Both Draco and Blaise gawked at him, because both had been expecting some sort of rude or negative comment not a blatant compliment. What the hell is he playing at though Draco but he was still at a loss for words.

When nobody said anything Harry broke the silence.

"Bye then" he said and then winked for good measure.

The others continued their conversation after Harry left but Draco stood staring at Harry's back trying to find a hidden insult in his words.

As Harry walked away he had to fight to keep from laughing. 'Malfoy will be bothered half the day just trying to figure out why I complimented him,' he thought. Even though the words Harry had said to Draco were true and a part of him meant them. He had mostly said them for the satisfaction of confusing Malfoy.

Harry entered the library and found Hermione sitting alone at hers, Ron's, and Harry's favorite table towards the back. Harry sat down next to her.

"Now are you going to tell me what that was all about?" said Hermione sounding slightly agitated.

"Oh I just went to congratulate Malfoy on the match."

"Oh that's good of you. I always wonder when you and Malfoy would stop all that childish bickering," she said cheerily.

Harry thought it was a bit rich of her to call the way he and Malfoy argued childish considering how much she and Ron argued. But he didn't comment. He was still in a good mood because talking to Malfoy had made him feel like the bigger person but not in the way Hermione was thinking.