*Hello good readers. Happy Valentine's Day! I realize I should have posted Draco and Hermione's date this week instead of last week. This week's post is definitely not Valentine material. Thanks to xMkx, Jasmineprnc, xoRetributionox, and Bellaroe for reviewing last chapter. Plus everyone who favorited and alerted! I'm coming up on 100 alerts, yay! A big thanks to Vamp1res Suck for reviewing every chapter while reading the story. You had some good questions that maybe other people would to know-personally, I don't think going to the movies is a good date-you can't talk. So I really didn't want them to go there. As far as how they get to places and pay for things, I'll leave that for readers to fill in-Draco and Harry have plenty of money, maybe the others get allowances, and apparate-it doesn't really matter, just take it on faith :) And most importantly, I assume Hermione is sensible enough to be discreet about contraception, which she's probably been using since she started dating Ron. Obviously, whatever she's using works-hence the 'bad timing' lol

r&r


The following morning, Draco and Hermione walked hand in hand to breakfast after a surprisingly restful night.

Hermione gave him a sideways look.

"I'm sorry about last night," she said.

"Last night was perfect. I loved our date."

"No, I'm talking about how it ended. Or rather, how it didn't end," she explained.

Draco stopped walking, pulling Hermione to a stop as well. "Hermione, everything about last night was perfect. I'm kind of glad we didn't -"

Draco stopped talking as some students walked past.

Hermione waited for them to pass. "Really," she said skeptically.

"I may have exaggerated a bit by saying glad. I only meant that this past week has been nice, because we've spent time really getting to know each other. I enjoy just spending time with you. It makes me feel . . . I feel like, you actually . . . like me."

Hermione blinked. "Of course I like you."

"But I mean as much as I like you." He paused. "Hermione, I-"

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled. She walked up to Draco and Hermione. "And how are you this morning?" she winked.

"You're awfully chipper," Hermione observed. "Your night with Harry must have gone well."

"As usual. But I've got gossip." Ginny looked over at Draco. "I don't think you'd be particularly interested. But how did you enjoy your walk through muggle London?"

"Surprisingly well, thank you," he smiled. "I discovered something called tiramisu. Have you tried it?"

"I don't much care for it myself, but that's progress for you. Isn't it?" Ginny managed a smiled that appeared genuine. Hermione hoped it was. They continued to walk together to the Great Hall, reminiscing about their meal the night before.

When they reached the doorway, Draco kissed Hermione's cheek. "Bye, love. I have to check on my Herbology project after breakfast. I'll see you in the room later?"

"Yeah, Ginny and I are going to the library anyway. Think about what you want to do tonight," Hermione said and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She and Ginny walked to their table while Draco sat down with Blaise and Pansy.

"So what's this gossip? Where are Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Harry's on his way. The gossip is that Lavender never came back last night. And Ron wasn't there when Harry went back to his dormitory. I don't understand him. He tells you he regrets breaking things off with you, but then spends the night with Lavender of all girls," Ginny told her.

"Ron's free to do as he pleases," Hermione said curtly.

"I know, but, still, I think he's leading her on. Even though you talked and decided not to get back together-"

"Ginny," Hermione warned. "Don't."

"I'm sorry. I just want things back the way they used to be with the four of us," Ginny apologized. She continued the gossip. "It seems as though everyone was hooking up last night."

"Really? Who else?" Hermione questioned.

"I could have sworn I saw Blaise kissing someone in a dark corner when Harry and I snuck back in. I think he was with another boy. I guess it could have been a girl with short hair. And Pavarti was out all night too. I have no idea who she may have been with. Not that I was complaining. Harry and I had the room to ourselves."

"Say no more," Hermione said quickly.

Ginny laughed, "So much for sharing. Does that mean you won't kiss and tell about your night?"

"Nothing to tell," Hermione said coyly.

"Please, after going all week without, there's nothing to tell?" Ginny asked.

Hermione cleared her throat. "It was bad timing, if you catch my drift."

"Bloody hell, Hermione! He must be going crazy."

"Actually, he told me he didn't really mind."

"You sure those old poofter rumors aren't true," Ginny joked.

Hermione glowered. "Positive." Hermione bit her lip. "Because, I'm in trouble if they are. Gin, I really think I'm falling."

hhhhhhhhhhdddddddddd

Draco sat on the couch in front of the fire, Hermione's head resting on his lap as she read. He had put his book down and began to stroke her hair. She momentarily stopped reading to gaze up at him.

"You look like you're in dreamland," Hermione smiled warmly.

"Sorry?" He focused on Hermione. "I didn't catch that."

"What are you thinking about?"

He chuckled quietly, "That I never thought I would be sitting here with you, like this, if anyone had asked six months ago."

"And where did you think you'd be?" Hermione asked.

His brow furrowed.

"I'm sorry, that was stupid, and insensitive. You were probably wondering if you were going to have a life to live."

He shook his head. "It's okay." To lighten the mood, he asked her the same question.

"I knew I wanted to come back here to finish. I figured I'd be working hard towards my N.E.W.T.s and continuing to work for house-elf rights."

Draco laughed, "And how is that different from what you're doing?"

"Well, for one, I'm studying in your lap," she grinned. "That's definitely something that wouldn't have been on my list of possibilities."

"To say the least," he agreed. "What about six months from now, after we leave here?"

"If you had asked me that at the beginning of the term, I would have said getting married." She said it so casually, he wasn't sure if he heard correctly.

"Sorry? Did you say you thought you would be getting married? To Weasley?"

"I think Ginny secretly had the whole thing all planned out. Maybe not so secretly. She'd always talk about how we'd be sisters some day. She may have been more upset about Ron breaking it off with me than either of us," Hermione tittered.

"You were planning to marry Weasley? It was that serious?" Draco's demeanor swiftly turned solemn.

"I don't know if it was so much planning as it was assumed. I'm practically a Weasley already. Molly and Arthur had taken me in like a second daughter." Hermione stopped talking when she saw the look on Draco's face, realizing how it must have sounded to him. Hermione sat up. "Oh, Draco, I didn't mean to go on like that. I'm happy with you. That was just a girlhood dream. I'd loved Ron for so long, I had unrealistic expectations. The reality of our relationship was far different." His expression didn't change as she went on. "I was upset to lose that at first, but I really am happy now. Truly."

Draco's expression was still serious. "How long were you in love with him?"

"I don't know exactly. It doesn't matter," Hermione said, attempting to dismiss it.

"Do you still love him?"

"Yes, but as my friend. I suppose I'll always love him in some way," she confessed. "You know, first love. I'm sure Pansy will forever have a place in your heart."

"But I never once wanted to marry her. I never considered a future with her. You had a future with the Weasleys."

"That's in the past." Hermione kissed him softly. "I'm with you, now."

Draco leaned on the couch back, contemplating Hermione's revelation.

"Hermione, I . . .I have something to tell you."

She sat, waiting for him to tell her whatever he was going to tell her. She remembered earlier, before breakfast, he started to say something when Ginny interrupted. She was hoping he was going to confess stronger feelings for her.

"Yes, Draco?" she prompted.

He looked away from the hopeful expression on her face.

"It was me, Hermione. I made Weasley break up with you."

Hermione sat up straight and leaned back slightly. Her eyes darted around the room in confusion. She was expecting to hear something altogether different. Hermione finally looked back to Draco, who was still staring into the fire.

"I had no idea what I was doing, how much it would really hurt you," he said quietly.

"Why would you, how could you make Ron leave me?" Hermione questioned.

Eventually, Draco looked her in the eye. "I didn't think he deserved you. But it wasn't my place to say."

"What did you do? Did you curse him?"

He closed his eyes. "Do you really think I would do that?"

Hermione thought for a moment or two.

"No," she answered. "But how would you get Ron to do . . . anything? He'd never listen to you."

"I sort of threatened him," Draco admitted.

"How? What did you do?" she yelled. It was like pulling teeth to get information from him. Hermione was losing patience. Having had enough, she stood.

"If you won't tell me, I'm going to find Ron," she huffed.

"You should. You said he wants you back. You should go to him," Draco told her, preoccupied.

Hermione was hurt. Draco was telling her to go back to Ron. Without even properly explaining himself? He wasn't even going to fight for her? Hermione assumed there was more to the story. She hoped Ron would be more forthcoming.

hhhhhhhhhhdddddddddd

When Hermione arrived at the Gryffindor common room, several students were lounging about, including Harry and Ginny.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shrugged. "I think he's in his dormitory," Harry said. "Hermione, what's wrong? You look upset."

She sighed, "Draco just told me that Ron broke up with me because of him. There's something suspicious going on between the two of them. Something they're covering up. Draco won't tell me anything. He actually told me to go to Ron." She was angry, but she was more sad.

Just then Ron walked into the common room. His eyes darted from Hermione to Harry to Ginny, then back to Hermione. He could see that her eyes were glistening.

Ron pursed his lips and snorted. "He fucking told you, didn't he?"

Hermione folded her arms across her chest and nodded, but said nothing.

"I can't believe he fucking told you. He gave me his word. I don't know what I was thinking, it's fucking Malfoy. His word means nothing."

Hermione felt her anger rising. At least Ron had confirmed that he and Draco were conspiring to keep secrets from her. She kept quiet, forcing Ron to continue the conversation alone.

"Did he tell you what he did? He blackmailed me basically, to get you away from me. And he probably, no definitely, cursed me into shagging Tracey in the first place. I'm sure of it."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "You shagged- . . . while we were together? How could you?"

"Wait, isn't that what Malfoy told you?"

"Oh, Ron, you didn't, really," Ginny said. "Did you?"

"I said I was cursed or something. It was some kind of magic, I swear. I didn't even like like her."

"That makes me feel loads better," Hermione muttered. "So let me see if I've got this. You shagged Tracey Davis. Draco knew about it and, what, threatened to tell me if you didn't break up with me. And for some unfathomable reason, you went along with it rather than tell me. The two of you have been covering it up for months. But now, you say it was magic."

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous."

"It is ridiculous. The two of you finally come to some sort of understanding, and it's to make a fool of me." Hermione's eyes began to well up.

"No, not to make a fool of you. To protect you. And our friendship." Ron punched the wall next to him. "I didn't have any proof. I was afraid you wouldn't believe me. You'd leave me and end our friendship. I couldn't stand the thought of that."

"So you beat me to the punch, saying you still wanted to be friends," Hermione said in a mocking tone. "You didn't even give me a chance. Maybe I would have believed you. Most likely, I wouldn't have believed Draco at the time anyway." Hermione frowned. "And what about Tracey? You weren't worried she'd tell?"

"We did a snitch jinx."

"Merlin, Ron. How far were you going to take this? Did you have to jinx anyone else? How many people know?"

"Hermione, please-"

She put her hand up. Ginny and Harry had been silently watching the exchange. Harry had spent most of the time cringing at the hole Ron seemed to be digging himself.

"Ron, come on. Give Hermione some space," Harry suggested.

"This is all Malfoy's fault. I told you he was manipulating you. He did it just so he could shag you."

"Well, congratulations, you've both really pulled the wool over my eyes. One of you fucked me over and the other just fucked me. Why don't you go bond over a butter beer."

Hermione stormed out. Ginny got up quickly and followed, but not before yelling at Ron. "You are such an arsehole."

Ron slumped down onto the couch as Ginny walked out. "Fucking Malfoy. Why did it have to be him?" he muttered.

"How did he even find out?" Harry asked. "Did Tracey tell him?"

"No, he, um, sort of walked in on us," Ron coughed.

"Blimey, that's awkward," Harry said.

"Yeah, and bloody convenient timing if you ask me," Ron added.

"You think it was a set up?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "You think Malfoy cursed you so he could catch you? All so he could get you away from Hermione and have her for himself? It sounds a little elaborate, doesn't it? I mean, why not simply give her a love potion."

"You even think I'm barmy," Ron complained.

"No, I'm only saying if a shag was all Malfoy wanted, it would have been easier for him to go directly for Hermione. What about Tracey? Could she have done something to you?"

"Nah, Tracey doesn't like me any more than I like her. She's a flirt, for sure. But after a few days, neither one of us could figure out why we did it in the first place," Ron told Harry.

"Sounds like a love potion to me," Harry said. "Both you and Tracey."

"Then it had to be Malfoy," Ron exclaimed.

"You should have been honest with her, Ron." Harry shook his head.

Ron hung his head. "I know. The thing is, we both got over the break up faster than I thought. It made me think I made the right decision. We didn't fight or anything, but we disagreed on so much. We nitpicked a lot. It was almost a relief when it was over and we went back to being friends-at least until today."

"She'll come around." Harry paused. "Ron, why did you tell her you wanted her back, then?"

"I dunno. I'd rather put up with a little nitpicking than see her with Malfoy, I guess."

"She deserves someone who really loves her, not someone who wants to save her from whatever you think you're saving her from."

Ron's head snapped toward Harry. "Are you saying you think Malfoy actually loves her? Have you gone totally off your trolley?"

Harry sighed, "No. But you can't control Hermione's love life. It's for her to decide. She knows the truth now." Harry chuckled. "She may not want either one of you, if I know Hermione."

"Yeah, thanks mate," Ron grumbled.

hhhhhhhhhhdddddddddd

Hermione and Ginny stepped into the common room as Draco was picking up a bag and hoisting it onto his shoulder. He picked up his book, the one Hermione gave him, from the table.

"What's all this?" Hermione asked.

"I thought I'd go to Slytherin to give you some space. I'm going to bunk with Blaise for a while," he answered. "You and Weasley can have a chance to talk alone."

"I did speak to Ron. He says you cursed him."

"Yes. As I recall, my father used that excuse, as well." Draco caught the look on Ginny's face. "Before you get your knickers in a bunch, I wasn't necessarily comparing your brother to my father. I was merely pointing out that it's an excuse that is nearly impossible to prove or disprove without witness."

"Did you, curse him?" Ginny asked.

"No. But again, I can't prove that. There's always room for doubt."

"He also said you did it only because you wanted to shag Hermione."

"Technically, I did and I have."

"You're not doing a very good job of making your case," Ginny offered.

"I'm not trying to. By now, all of you have made up your minds as to what happened and why. You'll believe your brother over me, because that's what you want to believe."

"I want to believe both of you," Hermione said.

"That's because you always see the positive, love. You want to figure out how we can both be telling the truth. But if you're thinking Tracey did something, she didn't. I can be pretty persuasive-she would have told."

Hermione slouched slightly. "Then there must be another explanation, for Ron's behavior anyway," she said. "You're stubbornly keeping mum."

"He cheated. I blackmailed. Maybe we're both just a couple of gits," Draco said, and left.

Ginny hesitated to say anything, but felt the need to point out the obvious. "What if that's all there is to it? Mione, what will you do? What if it's as simple as Draco just put it?"

"I don't know," Hermione answered. "But it can't be that simple. It would mean I've been so wrong about both of them."