Draco tried to shrug off everything he was feeling as he walked down the alley, ocassi0nally swerving to avoid strangers since he was so deep in thought.

He realized how incredibly confusing things were between him and Harry at the moment and it made him feel all out of whack, like he was losing something that was really important, though he didn't know what it was.

But they had too much history, after all. Draco didn't know - surprise there, what was he certain of these days? - if they could be accquantances, let alone friends, and if everyone else could live it down.

Truth be told, for some reason, he liked the stupid conversations with Harry over the past two days even though he couldn't even remember half the things they talked about. They acted, not mature or even civil, but oblivious, and it was strange. It was strange how someone can take a handful of memories and twist them and pull them until they don't mean anything anymore.

"Malfoy?" a voice said, and Draco looked up to see that he'd almost collided with Hermione Granger, whose hands were filled with books, most of them which she had somehow dropped on the ground.

"What?" he asked, watching her pick up her things. She scowled as she stood back up and brushed off her knees with one hand, the other holding the stack of books, which were now caked with snow. Her cheeks were rosy red from the cold and she looked like she were about to have a heart-attack.

"I-" she started reluctantley, as if she knew what she wanted to say but she wasn't sure if she should say it or not. "What's going on between you and Harry? You were acting like old friends last night and I saw you talking in the cafe a few minutes ago. Why? What's going on?" she said frantically without stopping to take a breath.

"Nothing's going on," Draco scoffed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Honestly? Do you think I'm stupid?" Hermione said scornfully, and Draco almost laughed outloud. Anyone who went to school with Hermione knew that, though she was Muggle born, she was not stupid, nor had she ever acted like it in her whole life.

"No," he said slowly, not wanting to set anything off that was unecessary. "I'm just telling the truth."

"I can sense a lie with my eyes closed, Malfoy."

"It's quite funny, actually. By now I would've thought we could be on first name basis," Draco said sarcastically, attempting to change the subject.

"Fine. . . Draco," she gulped and closed her eyes as if saying his name made her sick. "You didn't answer my question."

"Yes I did."

"You didn't answer it truthfully!" Hermione yelped angrily, and when the blond didn't say anything, she went on. "Don't you think that's kind of risky? Being friends with him? It's like crossing lines and opening doors that shouldn't be crossed or opened," she finished with an anxious look on her face.

"No," Draco said, knitting his eyebrows. "I don't know. I'm not afraid to take risks, but it isn't like that. We talk like we know what's going on, but we don't. We don't know anything. And I guess the only real thing we can offer each other here is forgiveness. He seems to be fine with that. I don't know exactly why I'm okay with it, but I am, and that's that."

"Oh," Hermione glanced around nervously. She seemed at a loss of what to say. "I mean - that's - well, when you put it that way it doesn't sound so bad. I just - look, I don't know what's gotten into both of you, but I'm - I don't know. I don't know what I'm gonna do!"

"You don't have to do anything," Draco said stiffly. "Because this isn't even about you."

She looked taken aback for a moment, but then she sighed, and Draco could tell that if she wasn't carrying a million and one books she would've raised her hands in defeat. "Fine. Fine, but just. . . be careful. He doesn't need anything else to worry about losing. Not that you'd know, of course. And if you're joking around with this, I swear I'll - I'll - you don't want to know what I'll do."

"I'm not joking," Draco shrugged. "About anything. Besides, I'd never wanna face your wrath, Hermione."

The corners of her mouth twitched, and, unable to help it, formed into a smile. "You keep that in mind," she said and gained a firm grip on her stack of books once more which were slipping from her hands. "Well, take care, Draco Malfoy. If I suspect anything fishy, you will be hearing from me," she said, and with a nod of her head, started down the alley once more, leaving an uneasy blond in her wake.


Hermione saw a figure which was obviously Ron in the distance - whom she'd left at The Apothecary, a random store which he liked to go in to check out things, though Hermione found it thoroughly boring - and rushed to catch up to him.

"Were you just chatting with Malfoy?" her fiance asked in a surprised and somewhat disgusted tone when she reached him.

"Yes," she panted as they walked along the street. "I was."

Ron glanced sideways at her. "Why?"

"I was asking about Harry. You know, I saw them in some cafe after I left The Apothecary. When I went to go find you again I saw Malfoy and so I just had to say something."

"Ah," Ron said, suddenly more interested. "So? What's going on?"

"I- well, he didn't say much. I guess both of them are willing to - er - put the past behind them."

"That's odd," Ron scratched his chin impassively.

"I dunno, Ron. Maybe Harry's just lonely. We're engaged, Ginny's seeing someone else, and everyone has just taken up arms in the revolution of relationships! He needs a friend."

"We're his friends," Ron said defensively.

"It's different now! Do you really expect Harry to be as comfortable and open around us as he was before? Wipe that look off your face. You know I'm right! He probably feels like he's annoying us all the time or like we want to be alone and don't care about him anymore."

"But that's not true," Ron said.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "I know that, Ron, but does he? Now help me carry these books; their getting heavy."