A/n: Okay, here's the newest chapter. We certainly only have one, maybe two chapters to go now. I'm not sure if the next will be the last, or if I'll write an epilogue. Some stories don't need epilogues, so it depends. Check the author's note in the next chapter to be sure! I really liked this chapter a lot because it did have some good aspects. For those who have been wondering though, I take back the possibility of lemons in this story. It just didn't fit in. Thanks to my beta Tessa Cresswell!

Although Hermione did floo Harry later as planned, she did not learn anything in specific about how his talk with Luna went. All she knew was that the blonde haired woman had agreed to return to London, if only because she had a job back there waiting for her. Again, Hermione couldn't get any specifics.

She visited Malfoy Manor again the day they returned to Britain. It had only been four days since she had agreed to chance a possibly horrific relationship with Draco, but so far the benefits were outweighing the possible issues. No, her friends still had no idea what was going on, but she honestly didn't care. Whatever was going on with Harry and Luna sat heavily in her mind, and she intended to discover where the two stood with each other before mentioning her relationship with a certain former Slytherin to her friends. As she had told Draco before, there were already enough complications with the puzzle.

He was kissing her when they arrived before she ever had the chance to utter a word. He had been doing that for days, kissing her just as much as they spoke. It was quite surreal to get used to, but she wasn't complaining. Despite the playboy background he could be very gentle with his kisses when he tried. She just needed to get it through her head that Draco would continue to kiss her whenever he pleased, no matter what she said.

Quickly, they ended up on the bed, Hermione sitting on his lap. He had quickly gotten it through his head that she did not like to rush anything, and had stopped trying to push her. Instead, he found he was quite content- at least, for now- with kissing the girl. Eventually he expected her to cave and let more happen, but for now he was happy.

Neither was prepared when the floo roared to life moments later, and instead of tossing her off his lap he gripped the woman tightly and held her in place, peering around her curvy form sitting on his lap to see who was being moronic enough to disturb their peace. Her nails digging into his shoulders gave him a good hint though at who it really was.

"Blaise, go away," he muttered, deciding it was time to ease her off his lap. She let go of him- glaring at him the entire time for keeping her there.

The blonde's friend paid him no mind and stepped out of the fireplace, dusting off his shoulders. "I need to speak with you Draco," he replied, giving the brunette a sideways look. "And apparently we have more to talk about than I thought."

Draco bit his lip. If Blaise didn't intrude on his home all the time he would have no idea that Hermione was there at all. The fact that the Italian believed he had a right to declare that they needed to talk about anything was absurd and he had to work to keep from throwing crude words immediately at the misinformed man.

"You can wait; you were not invited here. If you have not gathered from the scarcity of replies I sent your way while in Italy, I have grown tired of your petty dilemmas with the Weasley girl because you do originate many of them. Now leave and I will floo you when I am not already occupied."

Beside him, Hermione felt her cheeks heat up. Shifting so she didn't feel quite so much like the Italian was following her every move, she spoke to her boyfriend, "It's alright Draco, I should be going and getting my things unpacked. Besides, I haven't gotten to speak with Luna at all since yesterday, and I really need to speak to her about her dates." Alessio came to mind, and she recalled the man's movie-star quality looks, but his horrid attitude. The one time she really spent in the man's presence all she learned was that he was very possessive and controlling. She couldn't stand him.

Blonde eyebrows shot up. "Nonsense," he snapped, turning to glare at Blaise again, "You shouldn't feel the urge to leave if you don't want to. You were invited here."

She moved her eyes to indicate to Draco that Blaise really did look irritated, and stood. "No, that's fine, really. I have to get my things unpacked." Moving, she nearly bent in to kiss him but decided the idea was foolish at the last moment and turned away. But Draco- always the more daring of the two- pulled her back roughly by the hand and pulled her down, kissing her deeply in front of Zabini before he released.

"I'll floo you later," he said, and from the tone she suspected that he meant he would like to come over so they could speak- or kiss- some more.

She nodded in return, and quickly grabbed her things after a rushed goodbye. She didn't speak a word to Blaise, but that seemed to work out perfectly since the Italian seemed to be at an inner struggle with himself about whether or not to watch the curves of her body while she worked. When she did finally leave, she felt better.

Draco glared at his friend when she had gone. "Don't stare at her like that; she is not one of your games Zabini. You will do well to keep your distance with Hermione."

"I expected you would say something about my staring," he replied, sitting down in a chair nearby. "What with the embrace the two of you were in upon my arrival, I suspect that if the floo didn't make noise you would never have noticed my presence."

The blonde's expression did not ease up one bit. "Why are you here?"

A dark eyebrow shot up. "Why was she?"

"She is none of your concern and it will serve you well to drop the topic."

"But Draco, have you lost your mind? She's a-"

The blonde was out of his seat before the Italian could finish his statement, wedging his wand so hard into the git's neck that the chair toppled over as he attempted to put space between his skin and the protruding object.

"Don't finish that statement. If you want to be racist about what you saw, then you can get up and get the fuck out of my home right now. I won't stand for it Blaise, period."

From his position on the floor, Zabini blinked up at him many times. "I've never seen you so defensive Draco- about anyone."

He shrugged, stepping away. "Just don't bring it up again. Like I said, I won't tolerate it. Whom I date in my relationships is entirely my choice and I do not give a fuck if her blood is different from mine. It's genetics Blaise; her parents were muggles therefore she has to be a Mudblood. My parents are Pureblood's and therefore I had to be a Pureblood. But aside from a title there is no relevance to the words and I won't have you calling her such a degrading name in my house- or my presence."

Blaise looked surprised. "You were calling her a M- one of them not long ago. Such a drastic change in such a short time, don't you think?"

"No." He didn't offer more of an explanation, and when the blonde did move out of his friend's vision the visitor decided to pick himself- and his seat- up again. When he was resituated, he found that Draco still sat glaring his way. In all honesty, Blaise couldn't recall a time when Draco got so defensive about someone he brought home. Was there more to the story than a one night stand like the Italian suggested- like something happening in Italy? Perhaps he would have to try and find out, but for just then he didn't think he wanted to. He did come to the Manor with a different determination than asking Malfoy about his love life.

"It's Ginny-" the Italian began, ready to change topics. But the blonde sighed and held up a hand before he could utter anything more.

"I don't want to hear about your failing relationship. I don't care for it. There's always something amiss between you and that redhead, and although I did let my mind become far too full with the facts of your misguided relationship at some point, I'm finished with it now. Nothing will ever work out between the two of you until you can decide and agree to both stop developing ridiculous, unneeded drama and quit flirting openly in front of each other. How many relationships do you really think thrive that way? Few and far, and yours is certainly not working this way. Unless you can convince her to stop cheating on each other, then you will never get anywhere and may as well drop the bitch for someone else; someone you're not going to drop every twenty minutes for someone new or maybe you just won't find anyone at all- I don't know Blaise! Quit fucking around and something good might happen."

It was quiet for a moment following the pale man's rant. Then, Blaise stood and brushed off his robes. "Interesting points," he drawled. "Perhaps I will think on them." He turned away, the blonde's words echoing in his head for the first time. It was bizarre, but as the man spewed bit after bit about loyalty and trust, he couldn't erase the second long image in his mind of Draco and Granger kissing, and the sense of trust that they appeared to embody in each other. Did the blonde speak from his own current experiences with Hermione, or was this honestly what he just saw through his own eyes? The Italian wasn't sure, but it put a sinking feeling in his stomach. Why could opposites like Granger and Draco work while people, who were similar, like he and Ginny, had so many problems? Suddenly he found that he was developing a major headache.

"You're leaving?" the blonde asked, surprised. He expected a long argument with minimal talking, not his opinion and a quick goodbye on Blaise's part. At that rate, Hermione could've stayed!

"I just realized I have something I really need to do," the Italian muttered, hurrying on to the floo. He grabbed some powder quickly, his mind spinning.

Why do they work, when we don't last longer than a week? I don't ever remember feeling honestly loved by Ginny, just wanted. Is that the difference between our relationships?

As Blaise made to leave Draco nearly told him to not blab to others about his relationship, but quickly changed his mind. Hermione may not want everyone to know, but he didn't see a problem with it. They didn't exchange another word as the Italian left, the space now empty aside from his unpacked luggage.

Sighing, the blonde placed his head in his hands. Not only was the drama far from over, but now he had to discuss this with Hermione. He didn't think Blaise and Ginny deserved any help at all anymore with their relationship and it was all up to the two of them, but that didn't excuse his need to talk. Flopping on the bed, he closed his eyes. Had she waited just ten minutes, she would still be there and they could resume their blissful kissing. But now he would have to floo her and probably inform her of what happened during the conversation, and he wasn't looking forward to it.

I see why no one takes on the task of being a relationship god. It works if you're single and alone, but the second you get a relationship of your own the self-designated job suddenly becomes a burden. I mean, it ruined my time with Hermione after our trip. I doubt I'll be keeping this position much longer; I have my own relationship to work with now.

A week passed and Blaise did not return to the Manor to be a pain. Hermione did get to see Luna, and their talk was pleasant enough. From what she could gather, the girl was still with Alessio, making things work from different countries. She thought that sounded like a ton of work to keep a relationship with someone she had only known a few weeks, but Luna did not care to hear those opinions from Hermione's mouth. Anything that even hinted towards dumping the attractive man went through one ear and went out her other. The topic was quickly dropped.

The brunette also ended up learning about Harry's participation in things. He seemed completely compelled to get Luna to want him again- an idea she refused to voice her opinion on whenever they spoke- and get her to drop the foreign man she currently dated. He didn't seem to like Alessio one bit, and it grinded on his nerves that when he finally did want Luna, want her in the same way she had always wanted him, that she wouldn't give him a second glance. Sometimes Hermione wondered if his opportunity had simply passed him up and if Luna was tired of letting her heart be dragged around. In all honesty Hermione couldn't blame her; she wouldn't wait up for someone who couldn't give her the time of day until now either.

After being informed of what little Blaise did actually say- including his racist comment- the girl began watching Ginny as well whenever she was around. She always had an unexplainable letter with her- one she would not share- which was paired with either a smile or frown, never consistently just one. Hermione wasn't entirely sure what that signaled to, but Draco did say one day that he had seen Blaise writing letters on occasion. They put two and two together and shared a smile. Perhaps he was making an effort.

Hermione was in her home one day waiting for Draco to arrive when her floo roared to life and she spun to greet him. It had been nearly a month since Italy, and they had progressed more in their physical relationship. She didn't give into him yet, but the thought was there. She just didn't prefer to sleep with a man unless she really believed that the relationship was going somewhere good. And with Draco she was beginning to get that exact fuzzy feeling in her stomach. It was a good sign.

However, the person stumbling out to throw her arms around her was not Draco at all. The blonde hair could be mistaken to be his, if it were perhaps shorter and not accompanied by a female form. Luan threw her arms around Hermione, causing the both of them to stumble and then flip over the back of the couch. Immediately she knew this conversation would be long, and obviously disrupt any plans with Draco again.

Thankfully, Blaise had been keeping his mouth shut about them so far, and as far as they knew, remained to be the only one to know the truth. So if Draco did arrive they could pass it off as merely conversing among friends (though of her many friends, Hermione believed that Luna knew the most about what her true interactions were with Malfoy) though it would discourage her idea to go ahead and finally sleep with the blonde. There went that plan for the day. It would be risky to attempt anything not because they might be discovered by Luna but because Hermione simply didn't know how long this meeting would last.

"Luna, what's wrong?" she asked, immediately clicking into her comforting friend mode. They straightened themselves out and Hermione brushed the girl's blonde locks back while folding her legs, thankful that she had not worn a skirt that day. "Are you alright?"

She shrugged at first, slowly calming herself down now that the brunette was spending the time to rub her back in soothing circles, attempting to calm her nerves. When she finally did speak, it took many shaky breaths before she could get out what she wanted.

"Alessio is cheating on me."

She held her tongue, refusing to point out that was something that was quite likely to happen from the start. A month long of conversing rarely through the floo channels was not enough to support an estranged relationship unless the people are really in love, and although she knew that this had been the path Luna's bizarre relationship was following she did feel a bit bad that the girl seemed so torn up about it.

"I'm sorry," she said at length when she couldn't think of anything suitable to say. How does one comfort someone when they are this distraught over something that would only end in tragedy? Unable to think of another way to deal with things, she continued on the same path she had been attempting to in her mind, trying to map a path of conversation that wouldn't make the girl cry louder. "How did you find this out?"

She wiggled out of her grip, whipping her eyes. "I was flooing him today, and just like the last few days he seemed really uncomfortable and distracted. Today when I flooed him a girl popped into the scene and told me they'd been sleeping together and that I needed to get over the delusion that something would happen between us." She scoffed, though it sounded more like a hurt choke. "I should've known that it was all a lie. Why would it be anything else?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, frowning. "Didn't you want to believe that he was good for you?"

The blonde threw her hands up. "But it wasn't! I wanted to be with Alessio more than anything, but for all the wrong reasons. He didn't really care for me as a person, just as something pretty to look at. I knew that from the start, yet I chose to ignore the truth." She sniffed. "Harry was right."

"Pardon?" Just then, the floo roared to life and Hermione turned around with a hopeless expression on her face the same time Luna did to see Draco walking out of the fireplace. He paused in his movements, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Alessio cheated on me!" Luna blurted out, falling back against the cushions with a loud sigh. Out of the corner of his eye he pleaded with Hermione for some sort of explanation, but she gestured for him to leave and go to the bedroom. She doubted he would help one bit at that point.

"I'll just… go over here," he muttered, quickly removing himself from the conversation. He shot his girlfriend a look as he passed, letting her know that she would owe him an explanation later. That was something she wouldn't be looking forward to.

When he was gone, Hermione rubbed her friends shoulder again. "Now, what were you saying about Harry?"

She sat up and sniffed again, but her tears were gone. "When he found me in Italy and we spoke, he kept badgering me about being used. But I didn't want to listen to him, after all, he let Ginny use and abuse him for ages! I just didn't see how he could be so blind to his mistreatment yet pick up on mine so quickly. It didn't make sense, and I didn't want to accept it. I didn't want to even consider that Harry could be right on this one." She shrugged. "I just enjoyed feeling like someone cared about me, really, really cared."

"Your friends care," Hermione attempted, but the girl shot her a glance.

"That's not the same, and you know it. I wanted someone that would hold me when I cried and hug me, kiss me, and make me feel better than I ever have before. I wanted someone who really saw me, not saw through me like Harry always has. I let myself believe Alessio was that relic, simply because he had a way with words." She sighed, picking up her legs to wrap her arms around them. "I let myself be tricked."

"Everyone gets tricked; when things seem good you don't want to consider that there might be holes in the person's words, and that everything may be a delusion. You did what is natural Luna; you fell for an easy talking kind of guy. It's simple as that."

Luna shook her head. "Merlin, I'm stupid. I didn't have my wits about me." She tilted her head, glancing at Hermione again. "I want the kind of chemistry that you and Draco have."

Immediately, Hermione's cheeks colored. "What? Me and Draco? Are you-"

"You don't have to lie you know Hermione," she cut in, smiling softly. "I figured it out. His face dropped when he noticed me, and he attempted to hide those flowers by shrinking them."

She frowned. There were flowers? But if the girl saw flowers, then she knew something was up. She didn't exactly think lying would benefit her at that point, and she didn't want to drag the conversation out too terribly long. "Is it that obvious?"

Luna grinned through her tear streaked cheeks. "The flowers helped me figure it out, but yes, I would say it's obvious- when you're together. And, when you're apart too. I'm sure neither of you notice it, but you talk about each other constantly. I hear about it occasionally from you, but I think he just searches me out at work because I'll listen to him drone on about you through my lunch break. It's a cute sort of relationship Hermione. I don't understand why you try to hide it."

"You really think Harry and Ron- and the majority of Britain- would take the news kindly? There would be an uproar if people found out!"

She shrugged. "If you two keep acting the way you are, you'll never have to tell anyone. Everyone will figure it out for themselves." She stood, brushing at her eyes one last time. "I'll let you have your time together though, since I am sure that I have interrupted your time together."

"Oh Luna, you don't have to-"

She held up a hand. "It's okay Hermione, really. In fact, I think there is someone I need to go talk to. I'm starting to hear his words again."

The brunette frowned, though Harry popped into her mind at Luna's words. Still, she didn't want to voice it. "Who?" she asked as her friend hurried to the fireplace.

The blonde smiled back. "A friend."

The following morning Hermione woke up beside Draco. She didn't remember a lot of the night before, but perhaps that's because she was so hyped up on her own anticipation that she was delirious. She did remember speaking to Luna at some point, but the rest was a blur. The only other thing she remembered was sleeping with Draco, and his body working against her own to cause her to moan in pleasure. Yes, the night had been quite enjoyable.

It took a bit to untangle their naked bodies, but eventually she succeeded. When she began walking, it was obvious that there was more than a bit of soreness between her legs, but she didn't care. The adventures from last night made it totally worth it.

The girl was on her way to make some coffee for the both of them when she noticed something. Perched outside her window sat an owl, and immediately she let the creature in. It made its way to her kitchen table, and she followed behind before taking the letter attached. It seemed quite early for mail.

Flipping the card over, she read the short note scrawled there.

Talking to you last night made me realize my own foolishness. I didn't ever realize that I was hurting myself more than even Harry by going through a relationship with Alessio, but now I do. I did some thinking after leaving your apartment- and Draco- and came to a conclusion. I've gone to find Harry and speak to him, really speak to him, so don't wait up. Tell Malfoy I won't be at work today, because I will be otherwise occupied. I haven't the slightest idea yet if this is a good idea or not, but I figured I have to try. We have been playing around long enough, it's time Harry and I make up our minds. I will owl you this evening- or tomorrow- with news about what has come from all of this. Thanks for listening last night Hermione.

~Luna

A giant grin spread across the girl's features, and she couldn't contain her excitement. Fisting the letter in her hand she rushed back to her bedroom- completely forgetting about the bird- and jumped back into the warmth of her sheets, waking the naked form of her boyfriend immediately. He bolted up, looking alarmed, and she thought it was kind of cute.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes, but she only chuckled.

"It's going to be a good day Draco."

"It's too bloody early for it to be day yet. Go back to sleep."

She smiled again, sitting up to hug him. He embraced her back, still seeming puzzled. "No, it's going to be perfect. I think we may have finally done something right as relationship gods; we didn't meddle."