Okay, so I didn't get the five reviews I asked for, but after having a good cry about it, I have decided to continue writing this story just because I can't bring myself to stop something once I start (I was just kidding about the crying thing). Also, I decided to put them in their seventh year, so this story doesn't necessarily follow the books since Dumbledore is still alive.
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He was sitting in the window seat by the large, open bay window with his back to them. His head was turned so he could watch the door and his arms were dangling out the window and couldn't be seen beneath the window ledge. Harry and Ron froze when they saw Draco. Draco froze too, but it was more because he couldn't move from the window for fear of dropping Hermione than his shock of seeing the two Gryffindors.
"Bloody Malfoy, what are you doing here?" Ron grated through clenched teeth.
Draco sneered at the red-head. "There was a meteor shower last night and I decided to watch the show. I happened to fall asleep and what a joy that I should be so rudely awakened by you two," he answered truthfully enough.
"You haven't seen Hermione, have you?" Harry asked, trying to ignore his hate for Draco.
"Why, have you lost her?" Draco laughed mirthlessly. "She's probably hanging around somewhere right under your nose and you're just too stupid to-ouch!" he stopped talking and wrenched his right hand back into the room where he stared at the scratch marks on his wrist. Suddenly, his face paled and he shot his arm back out and down as though he were searching for something.
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Hermione clung to Draco's hands as she dangled several stories above the ground while she listened to the veiled insults being bandied about in the room above her. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at how juvenile the boys all seemed to behave, despite the fact that they were all seventeen.
Tired of holding on to Draco's hands, Hermione began to look around for a ledge or foothold of any kind. When she looked down, she was relieved to see a wide ledge just a couple feet below her.
Draco had a death grip on her hands, and although she found it comforting that he seemed to care so much about whether or not she felt to her death, her shoulders were really starting to hurt, so she dug her nails into his wrist to get him to let go. She felt bad when she heard him scream, but she was also happy that he chose to let go, allowing her to drop easily onto the ledge where she moved a few feet away and hid behind the curve of the wall.
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Draco felt as though his stomach had dropped right out of his body. He didn't mean to let go of Hermione, it had just happened! Why the heck had she dug her nails into him, anyway?
Suddenly, he remembered that he had an audience, so he stood up, trying not to appear too shaken, and glared at Harry and Ron before exiting the room. It was all Draco could do to keep from bursting into a run before the door shut behind him.
"That was odd..." Harry said, staring at the space Draco had been occupying mere moments before.
"I'll say. What's gotten into that git, anyway?" Ron asked, glaring at the door.
"Who knows? He's been acting awfully strange lately, though." Harry was fidgeting with something in his pocket.
"Well, are you hungry? 'Cause I'm starved," Ron said, changing to a more appealing subject.
"I'll be down in a few minutes, you go ahead without me," Harry said. Ron just nodded and left.
Once he was gone, Harry pulled the piece of paper out of his map and muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," and touched his wand to the center before watching the spider web of lines spread away from the tip. When he looked at the Astronomy Tower, sure enough, there was his own dot, and another which said "Hermione Granger" just a short distance away. However, her dot appeared to be on the outside of the tower.
Suddenly, a light came on in the attic; metaphorically, of course. Harry leapt over to the open window and stuck his head out, looking around. "Hermione?" he called.
"Hi, Harry," he heard a feminine voice say from somewhere below him and to the right. Looking over, he saw Hermione standing against the wall of the Tower on a ledge. She seemed to be embarrassed about something, because she wouldn't quite make eye contact and her cheeks seemed flushed.
"Hermione, what are you doing out here? Let me help you in, okay?" he said, conjuring a small step ladder so she could climb in.
"Nothing," she responded. Unfortunately, Harry had already put two and two together.
"Hermione, why were you in the Astronomy Tower with Draco Malfoy?" he asked, his voice quiet.
"Oh, Harry! I-" she broke down sobbing. This wasn't at all how she had wanted to tell her best friend that she was dating his worst enemy.
"Did he hurt you?" Harry's eyes roved her face and body, searching for any signs of abuse.
"No, of course not! Harry, Draco and I are dating," she said, her voice dwindling to a whisper on the last word so that Harry had to strain to hear her.
"You're dating? What about Ron?" Harry asked with incredulity.
"I've moved on. I'm sorry, Harry, I know you don't like Draco. I didn't for a long time, either. We had a...well, a connection during our comas. I think we shared in an alternate reality type situation, as science fiction as that sounds. Anyway, I've discovered that he's really a sweet, gentle, compassionate person. He just has a bit of a temper and a bad-boy attitude that you have to get past first. Please, Harry, don't make trouble. I really am happy with Draco. And please don't tell Ron! I'm afraid of how he'll react. I want to do it in my own time. Promise me?" Hermione pleaded.
Harry was indecisive for a few moments. He couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed that his best friend was dating his worst enemy, but at the same time, she was his best friend and he knew Hermione would never try to hurt him. Grudgingly, he said, "Okay, Hermione, I promise. But if I ever find out that he's hurt you in any way, Malfoy will be singing soprano...permanently." He added a very demonstrative gesture, just to ensure that Hermione got the point. She smiled at his protectiveness and nodded in agreement.
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How was that? Review, please! Thanks to everyone who does review, by the way. I love you guys!