**I do not own Harry Potter!** : )
"This isn't easy for me to say… so listen up, you bloody Gryffindors. As you know, Harry and I have started dating earlier this year, and things are getting more serious now. And, if I am going to be spending most of my time with Harry… that means I'll be seeing more of the lot of you." Said Draco Malfoy as he nervously paced back and forth throughout the hallway.
"First, I-I apologize to you, Granger." Announced the blond Malfoy, who now tried to hide sheepishly behind Harry. "I- I never had the right to call you that – filthy word that I am trying to delete from my vocabulary. I am sorry for that now. I was a stupid kid, and truth be told I was always… jealous of you." He finished with a gulp.
Hermione's eyes widened at his words. Jealous of me, why? You have way more than I ever could."
"It's not about that," Continued the Slytherin boy, shaking his head. "When I was younger, father always shamed me for my grades. As a Malfoy, I was always expected to be the best at everything. When mother wasn't around, he'd always tell me I'd never amount to anything. Especially if I was always bested by a – well, that word I'm not going to use anymore." He stared at the ground now, and shuffled his feet with embarrassment.
"Already making progress, then, I see." Said Hermione with a wink. "And, Draco, I can clearly see what a difference Harry has made on you. If you would like to, I am willing to move forward and forget the past. I am willing to take small steps with you and perhaps you can do a few favors for me to make up for your past transgressions." She finished with a sly smirk of her own.
"Y-yes, very well, Granger." Draco was growing even more nervous now, and awkwardly fumbled with his Q-cards with his written apology. He knew that he would be as nervous as hell, and did not want to forget anything that he wanted to say. Next is you, Weasley. You better listen really bloody carefully, because I'm sure as hell NOT going to repeat this ever again." He glared down at the ginger male, who was seriously enjoying his bucket of exploding Popcorn as he leaned back to fully take in Malfoy's entire apology.
"You're more than what I gave you credit for, and you're definitely more than a sidekick…" Draco gulped, his face now turning bright red. He jumped in annoyance at the sound of Ron's exploding Popcorn kernels as he chewed them loudly for extra emphasis.
"Harry! This git is really – "
"Hush, love." Harry encouraged with a gently hand on Draco's shoulder. "He may be taunting you now, but he'll respect you all the more for apologizing to him. Besides, I'll deal with him for being annoying later."
Ron's smile fell now, and he sank lower in his chair out of shame.
Draco, however, gave the Weasley boy a triumphant smirk, but turned serious again as he realized that Harry's attention was back on the both of them. "Weasley, I'm not only sorry for the things I have said to you, but I also apologize for the way I treated your entire family. I never had a tight nit family like that who loved each other, and I always envied that. The way your mother dotes on you, how close you are to your father, even the way that you and your siblings always support each other."
Ron's bucket of popcorn was now on the ground, scattered and forgotten. The red headed boy's jaw was now wide opened, the remaining snacks in his mouth falling out of it, much to Hermione's disgust who rolled her eyes. "You serious? Why would someone with a huge manor and a rich family be jealous of someone who gets nothing but second - hand clothes, and lives in a cramped - up burrow with no personal space?"
Draco smiled at the boy's naivety. "Yes, I do live in a big manor with rich parents, but as I've said to Hermione, my family is hardly as loving as yours is. We never do things as a family, and the three of us are always in separate rooms in that big house. I know it must be hard not having your 'personal space', but trust me, having six siblings beats a cold, empty house with nothing but a piano to keep you company." The Slytherin almost looked like he was lost in his own head. "I try to keep the mood light with music, especially after all of the horror my family faced with Voldemort himself in our house, but no one ever hears the music anyways as the manor is so large, and, I also promise to apologize to your family in person one day."
The once smug Ron Weasley now looked like he was on the verge of tears.
By the end of the apology, both Harry and Hermione had Draco in a suffocating bear hug.
"Don't worry about us, we'll invade your personal space as much as you want us to." Said Hermione, her hugs as tight as a boa constrictor's.
Ron sighed heavily and paced the floor with occasional glances at Draco.
However, Draco was not making things easier on Ron, either. With his wide gray eyes constantly staring at him and his bottom lip in a small pout.
Eventually, the ginger shook his head and surrendered to the Malfoy's charms. He walked over to the blond and placed an awkward but supportive hand on his shoulder. "Hey… look at that. One of the first times that I'm ever touching you, and I'm NOT bursting into flames."
Ron's girlfriend, Hermione was not pleased with his comment and stomped on his foot. "Do you have to make every sensitive moment into a joke, Ronald?"
The man grumbled. "Come on, 'Mione. We don't want to scare the ferret off by being too mushy, do we?"
Harry and Draco were now left to themselves, as the other couple were now oblivious to the rest of the world and continued to bicker.
"He's pouring your heart out to you and you're still making jokes!"
"Are not!"
"Should we- um… do anything about that?" Draco asked Harry, who shook his head in response.
"Nah. They'll be going at it for hours. Before I started dating you, I was actually starting to go mad from their constant bickering, and I was always trying to find someone else to talk to."
Draco nodded. "Ah. Well, if we have a few hours, should we go to Hogsmeade?"
Potter chuckled. "Definitely. I know you want a butterbeer to satisfy your sweet tooth craving, as always."
Draco captured Harry's hand into his and offered his boyfriend a sly smirk. "As always, Potter."