Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, own nothing.
A/N: Hello everyone! This is the sequel to "There's Always A Reason." I got pretty good feedback on that story and I had some more ideas to go on so here I am! I hope you all like this one as well. Be sure to let me know whether or not you like it though- Review please. :)
"Want to play a game?" Hermione's voice suddenly broke the silence. Her and Draco were huddled together on a couch in front of the fireplace, the rest of the students had long since gone to bed.
"Hmm?" Draco mused, raising one blonde eyebrow slightly. Giggling, Hermione twisted in Draco's arms so she was facing him, rather than the fire.
"I said," Hermione pretended to be annoyed, "do you want to play a game?" Smiling, Draco pulled Hermione back against his chest before mumbling his approval.
"What game do you want to play?" He asked, his voice husky with sleep. Hermione opened her mouth to respond before closing it abruptly and flushing. "Well?" Draco pushed, confused as to why she was blushing.
"Never mind." Hermione responded, sounded defeated. "You'll think it's stupid." She kept her eyes fixed on the fire, pointedly ignoring Draco's gaze.
"Mia," Draco whispered, gently placing his fingers under her chin so she'd look at him, "I won't think it's stupid. Now let's play a game." His soft smile grew larger as she hesitantly smiled back at him.
"It's called Twenty Questions- It's a muggle game." Hermione hurriedly explained at Draco's confused look. "We just go back and forth asking each other questions." Hermione felt herself blushing again but she refused to look away from Draco. "It's just... well I know you, but I don't really know you and, well, I'd like to." Hermione beamed as Draco agreed to play. "Okay, I'll start us off easy. What's your favorite color?"
"Midnight Blue." Draco answered, surprising Hermione. Laughing, Draco tickled her sides lightly, "Bet you thought I'd say green." Squirming away from Draco's fingers, Hermione nodded. "What's your favorite color Mia?"
"Green." Hermione mumbled. Not wanting to admit that to the Slytherin prince. Draco just smirked and wrapped his arms around her a little tighter, waiting for her next question. "What's your favorite part of being at Hogwarts?"
"Probably quidditch. It's the one thing, that in all my years here, I did for me. I wasn't trying to please my father, or impress anyone. I was playing because I truly enjoyed it and it was something I was good at." Draco smiled to himself at the thought.
The couple continued their questions late into the night, each question delving a little deeper than the last. Every few questions Draco would steal a kiss from Hermione, laughing as she forgot the question she was supposed to be answering at the time. Eventually the pair once again grew quiet, content to simply be in each others arms as they watched the flames dance in the fireplace.
Blaise woke alone in his dorm the night after the ball. Looking around, Blaise rolled his eyes when he saw that neither Theo's nor Draco's bed had been slept in the night before. Blaise quickly got ready and headed down to find his friends. As he walked towards the common room, he could hear various girls sighing and cooing at something. Blaise groaned. It was too early in the morning for some lovely-dovey whipped sap to be in the common room. When Blaise entered the common room, he saw Daphne and Pansy standing against the wall by the fireplace, both girls had very satisfied smiles on their faces, that is, until they saw Blaise. Looking at each other, the girls' eyes grew wide and both glanced quickly at one of the couches. Blaise followed their eyes and immediately felt the blood leave his face.
"What in the bloody hell?" Blaise roared, as Daphne and Pansy quickly made their way towards him. On the couch, Draco and Hermione were tangled up in each other, fast asleep. The blanket they had been covered with had long been forgotten on the floor. Blaise felt his anger rise a little more when he saw what Hermione was wearing. She was in the same set of pajamas that she had been in the day they caught the couple snogging on the couch. The same short-shorts, and tight tank top.
"Shut up!" Pansy hissed, attempting to pull Blaise out of the common room. "Do not wake them up." Daphne was shooing the other students out of the common room, hoping Blaise wouldn't hex Draco too much.
"Not bloody likely! Look at them! He- He took advantage of her." Blaise was still shouting, and the girls were too busy trying to shush him to notice that the sleeping couple was no longer sleeping.
"Blaise Zambini." Hermione snarled as she rose from the couch. "I am not a fucking five year old. Draco did not take advantage of me." Hermione's anger radiated around the room, instantly silencing her three arguing friends. "I asked him to stay with me last night, and it was the best bloody night I've had in a long time! We did not have sex. All we did was snog for crying out loud." Hermione walked closer to Blaise, jabbing her finger into his chest. "But if we did decide we were ready to shag, you had better realize I'm not going to ask for your bloody permission. If I want to do it, I'm going to do it. Merlin! I'm not going to have you threatening Draco or freaking out every time he touches me. I love him alright? Get it through your fucking head." With that, Hermione stormed up to the dorm, leaving four shocked Slytherins in her wake.
"I love her too Blaise." Draco spoke up, finally looking Blaise in the eye. "I would never do anything to hurt her, you have to believe that mate." Sighing, Blaise shrugged the girls' arms off of him and nodded.
"I know. I didn't mean to upset her, it's just, she's my sister. I just don't want to see her hurt, Drake." Blaise glanced towards the girls' dorms. "Can you guys go get her?" Blaise asked, turning to Daphne and Pansy. "I need to apologize." Nodding, the girls headed up towards their room. "I really am sorry mate." Blaise mumbled, feeling incredibly guilty for upsetting Hermione.
"It's alright Blaise. I can understand your reaction, you just need to get used to us. I'm not planning on letting her go anytime soon. I'm keeping her as long as she'll have me. I really do love her, Blaise." Blaise's reply was cut off by the girls sighing and Hermione rushing to wrap her arms around Draco.
"That's so sweet." She said, giving him a kiss on the lips. "I'm hope your ready to put up with me for a while then, because I can't imagine getting rid of you anytime soon." Laughing, Draco pulled Hermione closer and buried his face into her hair.
"That's great love." Daphne and Pansy were giggling in the background as Blaise tried not to roll his eyes. Draco was completely whipped, and Blaise could tell that he really did love Hermione.
"I hate to interrupt, again," Blaise said sheepishly, "but I am sorry Mya." Hermione turned to him, nodding.
"I know you are Blaise, but this isn't the first time we've had this conversation. You need to stop overreacting. I'm sick of having this exact same conversation over and over again." Hermione unwrapped herself from Draco and turned to give Blaise a hug. "You know I consider you my brother, but you need to relax. I'm only a few months younger than you." Blaise squeezed her a little tighter before releasing her back to Draco.
"Now who's ready for breakfast? I'm starving." Laughing, everyone else nodded and the grouped headed towards the Great Hall.
As Hermione left potions that afternoon, she headed towards the lake. She was the only one who had a free period since she refused to take Divination. Once she got closer to the lake, she noticed a familiar head of messy black hair standing near the edge.
"Harry?" She called out, gaining the boy's attention. Smiling, Harry raised a hand in greeting as he waited for Hermione to reach him.
"I've seen you come out here before Hermione. I thought maybe we could talk?" Nodding, Hermione sat down along the water's edge, patting the ground beside her and indicating for Harry to sit besides her.
"How are things in Gryffindor?" Hermione asked weakly, unsure of how to begin the conversation.
Harry shrugged noncommittally, "Alright I suppose. A little lonely without you though, to be honest. Ron isn't exactly in my good books and Ginny's been too busy with her group of friends so I haven't hardly spoken to her all year. But what about you? How are you doing in the snakes' lair?" Harry asked, laughing.
"It's great Harry, it really is." Hermione smiled softly at Harry. "I know you find it hard to believe but I'm really happy in Slytherin." The pair laughed as Hermione realized what she had just said. "Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be saying anything like that."
"So you and Draco are good then?" Harry turned to Hermione, watching her face light up as he mentioned Draco. "I can already tell you are." He said quietly, causing Hermione to turn towards him, surprised. "You look happier than I've ever seen you 'Mione. I could never give you that, and I don't know if anyone besides Draco will be able to bring you that happiness." Tears came to Hermione's eyes as she threw her arms around Harry's neck. His complete approval and understanding meant more to her than she ever could have asked for.
"I love him so much Harry. I find it hard to believe sometimes, that he could want someone like me when he could have his pick of any girl here at school." Hermione sighed as she voiced her insecurities for the first time.
"Mione, you listen to me." Harry took her hands and looked into her eyes. "You are amazing, don't you ever doubt it. If you don't believe me, then look at Draco. So what if he could have any girl at school. Not only has he chosen you, but he worships the ground you walk on. He loves you too 'Mione. Even I can see it." Hermione smiled and leaned into Harry's side.
"I've missed this Harry." She whispered. "I've missed you, and Ron, and us." Hermione's smiled sadly as she thought of her broken friendship with Ron. She still wasn't sure if they'd ever be able to fix it.
"Me too 'Mione. Me too." Harry mused quietly as he watched Hermione rise and head back towards the castle. Their free period was up soon. It hit Harry that he was no longer one of the most important people in her life. He knew that he was still very important to Hermione, but now Draco and Blaise held the top spots in her life.
