A/N: Thanx for still reading and reviewing, I appreciate it. xx

Chapter 8

"Hey Draco" Blaise said cheerfully "you coming to Hogsmead?"

Draco cringed at Blaises cheerfulness, it was way too early in the morning for this.

"Yeah, why not, haven't got much else to do" Draco replied.


Hermione walked into the great hall and noticed Ginny with an annoyed expression on her face, sitting next to Harry, who looked nervous and Ron looking quite pissed off across from them.

"Uh, hi guys" she said.

"Hi Mione" Harry said, glad for the company of someone else.

Ginny looked up to see Hermione, but her eyes got side- tracked as a certain Slytherin looked her way. She gave a small smile as Blaise grinned at her. Ron caught this and started to go red with annoyance. Witnessing this, Hermione guessed the problem.

"Don't glare at me like that Ron. I told you last night, I will make my own friends whether you like it or not!" Ginny stated.

Ron was about to reply when Hermione spoke up.

"It's good that not all Slytherins are idiots."

But that seemed to be the wrong thing to say, as Ron got even more annoyed.

"Not you as well."

"I was just saying that it's good not to be insulted or glared at all the time by the majority of Slytherins anymore" Hermione defended.

"Yeah, she's right mate" Harry added, "life is a bit more peaceful."

Ron seemed to calm down at this.

"Yeah, I guess. I still don't like them though" he huffed.


The rest of breakfast and the trip to Hogsmead went by without incident. As they were walking Ron glanced at Hermione, who was in conversation with Ginny. She really was beautiful to him, apart from this morning they had been getting along much better. Maybe she was warming up to him a bit more.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked noticing Rons far away look.

"Nothing much, just…it's nothing" Ron sighed, not wanting to be caught out.

Harry however, followed his gaze and how it settled on Hermione. This isn't going to go well, he thought.

"You still like her, huh?" Harry asked.

Ron looked at his best friend, there was no use denying it, Harry would see straight through him.

"I can't help it" Ron admitted.

"Just don't do anything stupid" Harry warned, "she only likes you as a best friend."

Hermione looked over to Harry and Ron, who had stopped walking and smiled at them. Harry waved back and Ron grinned, Harry seriously hoped Ron didn't take it the wrong way.


"Hey Draco" Pansy drawled in what she hoped was a sexy voice, "want to find somewhere quiet?"

Draco shuddered at the thought, why couldn't she leave him alone.

"Pansy, go away" Blaise said rolling his eyes.

"I wasn't speaking to you" she drawled, "but if you're jealous of my affections being on someone else, I'm sure we can fix that"

"Pansy!" Draco said sharply, "go and annoy someone else, we're busy"

Pansy scowled at the two and flounced off, probably to the nearest male.

"Will that girl ever realise we are not remotely interested in her" Draco sighed.

"I think she gets some weird pleasure by being told to piss off" Blaise chuckled.

"I think you may be right there" Draco agreed.


As Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron continued to wander through Hogsmead after stopping in Honeydukes for sweets, Ginny saw a friend of hers walking alone just ahead of them. She also noticed Harry watch her.

"Why don't you go and talk to her" Ginny said, startling Harry.

"What?" Harry replied.

"Oh, come on. We know each other too well Harry Potter. I can see you like Nicole."

"OK, maybe a little" Harry admitted, "but I've only spoken to her once or twice"

"Well then you know she's lovely. Just ask her if she'd like to get a drink or something" Ginny encouraged, knowing her friend liked Harry.

"OK, I guess I could" Harry smiled, "you guys don't mind do you?" he continued turning to Ron and Hermione.

"Of course not" Hermione said.

With that Harry walked over to Nicole, leaving the other three behind.

"So" Ron said, "what do you wanna do now?"

"Walk around a bit more" Ginny suggested.

The three soon found themselves approaching a look out from which they could see the shrieking shack. It brought back a lot of memories. As the walked down the little slope Ginny saw Blaise and waved to him. He waved back and jogged over to them.

"Hi Blaise" Hermione said as she put her hand on Rons arm to stop him doing something stupid.

"Hey there" Blaise replied with a smile.

"How come you're on your own?" Ginny asked.

"Draco had stuff to get, and I felt like a walk" Blaise said, "we're meeting back up later. What you up to?"

"Nothing much" Ginny answered.

Blaise thought for a moment, he had time to spare, Ginny wasn't doing anything. He was sure she liked him, but didn't know whether it was the way that he likes her. He decided to take the chance, if he didn't ask he'd never know.

"Do you want to come for a drink with me?" he asked.

Ginny blushed, he noticed this and smiled, she was so adorable. Hermione and Ron saw this. Hermione was thrilled that Blaise asked, as she knew how much Ginny liked him. Ron was annoyed at first, then realised that if Ginny went with Blaise then he'd be left alone with Hermione. So for that moment he was happy to see the Slytherin.

"Would you guys mind?" Ginny asked the other two.

"You could come as well" Blaise offered.

Hermione sensed that the two would rather be alone, so declined the offer, which made Ron quite happy.

"Have fun" Ron said to his sister, which made her even happier.

Blaise and Ginny walked off, leaving Hermione and Ron alone.


"And then there were two" Hermione said as looked out toward the shrieking shack.

"Yeah" Ron said as he looked at Hermione.

After a few minutes Ron decided to speak to Hermione about the way he felt again. After all, she did say no to going with Ginny and Blaise, and kept touching his arm earlier. But it may have just been in a friendly way, well there was only one way to find out.

"H-hermione" Ron said.

"Yes Ron" she replied turning to face him.

"Uh, you know before, when I said I liked you" he started.

Hermione sighed inwardly, here we go again, she thought. Why couldn't he get the message? Hermione reluctantly nodded for him to continue.

"Well, I kinda still like you" he said quietly, "is there any chance we could be together?"

"Ron, you're one of my best friends. But that's all, I'm sorry I can't return your feelings" she replied.

"Oh" Ron said sadly, "I just thought that you may like me because you didn't go with Zabini and Ginny."

"Ron, Ginny and Blaise wanted to talk, it was obvious. I thought you were OK with that" Hermione replied.

"I was happy she went so I could speak to you" Ron told her.

"I'm sorry Ron" Hermione said quietly.

"Is there someone else?" he asked curiously.

"No" Hermione replied, however, images of Draco popped into her head, "look, I need to go to Flourish and Blotts."

Ron looked at her with wide eyes, he was trying to express his feelings and after rejecting him all she can think about is a book shop!

"Fine! Just go" he said firmly.

"Ron, I don't mean to hurt you but…" Hermione started quietly.

"I don't want to hear it Hermione" Ron said cutting her off, "just go."

Hermione looked at him, he wished he understood, she didn't have those feelings for him. Now it's like it was a few weeks ago.

She turned and left. Ron felt slightly guilty for shouting at her, but she made him so mad. There really was no chance for them.


Hermione walked into Flourish and Blotts, perhaps Ron had now finally got the message. She walked along the isles of books feeling a little better; Hermione loved the old book- shop.

About an hour of looking later, Hermione was ready to leave, her eyes were a bit red as she had been thinking about her argument with Ron and got a little upset.

She walked from the furthest isle, preoccupied with her thoughts. She was so deep in her thoughts that she missed the small step and fell forward. Hermione braced herself for the thud of the floor, but landed on something that definitely was not the floor.

She took a deep breath and inhaled the expensive cologne of what she had landed on. Instantly shivers went through her body, she knew that scent; and had a strange sense of déjà vu. Hermione's gaze travelled up and looked into grey eyes she knew all to well.

Draco looked up to meet the beautiful brown eyes of the person that had just collided with him. His breath caught in his chest and sparks of electricity coursed through him.

Draco looked at Hermione's face and noticed the redness around her eyes, indicating that she'd been crying, he had a strange urge to comfort her, his arms tightened around her waist.

This gesture whether meant or not caused Hermione's head to spin, without knowing it, she rested her forehead on Draco's shoulder. They stayed like that for a few moments until Hermione looked up and their eyes locked again. Tentatively Hermione brought her hand to his cheek and softly caressed it; Draco briefly closed his eyes under her touch.

"Hey, do you mind getting off me now?" Draco said, slapping himself mentally as he did. Since there was no one else around, he didn't want to be cruel.

Hermione immediately sprung up shaking her head, not again, she thought.


"There you are" Ron said upon finding her.

Harry and Nicole came around the corner with Ron to find Hermione and Draco staring at each other.

"Mione, are you OK?" Harry said.

"What did you do to her?" Ron shouted at Draco.

Draco sneered at Ron, "I didn't do anything Weasel, she walked into me."

Ron glared at him, whilst Hermione remained quiet.

"I've been looking for you lot" Ginny said rounding the corner with Blaise, interrupting the glaring contest.

"What's going on?" Blaise asked.

Nicole shrugged her shoulders, Draco and Ron still glared at each other, Hermione was looking a little flustered and confused so Harry spoke up.

"We just found Mione and Malfoy staring at each other, dunno what happened."

"It's probably his fault" Ron piped up pointing to Draco.

Ginny rolled her eyes and went over to Hermione, "Mione?" she said softly.

"I have better things to do" Draco said sharply, he thought he saw a brief look of confused pain on Hermiones face so decided against saying anything else.

As he walked past them Hermione finally spoke, "I-it was my fault, I-I bumped into him. Sorry"

Draco was stunned; she apologised, and why did her eyes glaze over when she fell on him? "I told you so Weasel" Draco spat, not being able to stop himself.

"Mystery finally solved" Blaise said with an amused tone, although both he and Ginny suspected something else happened due to the looks on their friends faces.

"We're off then" Blaise continued indicating to himself and Draco, "see you later" he finished and winked at Ginny.

"We better get going as well" Ginny suggested.

"Yeah, sure" Hermione said, getting her senses together, "Let me just get these books" she continued, retrieving the books from the floor.

"Go on, we'll meet you outside" Ron said.


As Hermione and Ron walked to the counter to pay Ron used the time to speak to Hermione again.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted, I know there's not going to be anything more then friendship between us" Ron told her.

"Thanks Ron, you know I never meant to hurt you" Hermione replied.

"Yeah, I know. And Mione, don't let Malfoy get to you" he continued, thinking her quietness was from Draco saying something derogatory.

Hermione smiled at him, glad to have her friend back. They left the bookstore to return back to Hogwarts.

A/N: I'll update as soon as I can, keep reading, I hope you're still enjoying this! xx