A/N: So this chapter's up pretty quickly, for me at least. I have no idea where this came from, but I hope you enjoy it. Apparently I'm a sucker for dialogue.

This chapter works better in 3rd person, considering there are a few different scenes, but the next chapter should be back to 1st person. Hopefully it's not too much of a bother for anyone. I apologize for any spelling/grammar related errors ahead of time.

Another shorter chapter, this time as a lead-in to some action.

Quick recap: Hermione met up with Draco in the library, where they attempted to have a profound discussion. Unfortunately, Blaise interrupted and ruined the moment.

Harry flew skillfully across the sky, throwing in a few loops here and there. His eyes were focused on the air before him, but his mind was elsewhere. He still worried about Hermione. He had come out the Quidditch Pitch under the pretense of practicing his seeking skills but had asked Ron to come along so they could talk.

"I don't know," Harry mused to Ron as the duo flew around the Quidditch Pitch, "I just have a bad feeling about whatever it is that Hermione's hiding from us." He paused to search the sky for the Golden Snitch, but still caught no sight of it. He looked back at Ron and asked curiously, "Aren't you worried?"

Ron sighed and shook his head. "Mate, Hermione's smarter than the both of us combined. She knows what she's doing."

"I know that," Harry replied, "but sometimes she lets things overwhelm her and then where would she be?"

"She'd be up to her nose in shit," Ron answered frankly. "But she would find a way out of it. And if that required our help, then she'd come to us and talk about it. Until then, all we can do is trust that she knows what she's doing."

Harry sighed but realized he couldn't come up with a good argument against the point. "When did you get so mature?" he joked.

Ron shrugged. "After the war I guess."

Hermione was sitting on her bed in her Head dorm, really wishing she had somehow thought up a way to politely decline Ginny's request for a sleepover. But she hadn't, so here she was being questioned by her closest female friend.

"You slept together?!" she screeched one she had gotten the entire story. "Oh my wizard god!" The shock melted from her features and Hermione knew the redhead was about to ask something very naughty, if her mischievous grin was anything to go by. "Was he good?"

"Ginny!" Hermione buried her face in her hands, hoping her blush would quickly fade. She wasn't a virgin anymore, but such blunt mentions of sex still embarrassed her, especially when said words were directed towards her.

"It's a reasonable question," Ginny retorted.

Hermione shook her head emphatically. "No, I am not discussing this with you."

"You will tell me every single dirty detail, Hermione Jean Granger, or else."

Hermione, a bit anxious as it was, snapped her head in Ginny's direction at the girl's words. "Or else what?" she asked cautiously, already dreading the answer.

"Or else," Ginny said with an impish grin, "I'll ask Malfoy myself."

Hermione burst into laughter, causing Ginny to frown. Wasn't that a good threat?

"What's so funny?"

Hermione, looking sufficiently guilty, calmed her breathing. "Sorry, Gin. That idea is just so ridiculous! Think about it, you asking Draco how good our sex was?" Hermione couldn't help but release a giggle at the image. "Besides, I doubt he'd want to talk to you. No offense."

Ginny shook her head fondly. "That is what caused your little laugh attack?" Ginny scoffed. "Hermione, this is me we're talking about. If I wanted to get something out of Malfoy, I could easily find a way to do so."

Hermione remained quiet. She knew that Ginny spoke only the truth and it worried her. What if Ginny did ever decide to speak with Draco? She shuddered at the thought.

"So, how good was he?" Ginny inquired again, knowing she had Hermione right where she wanted her.

"Utterly fantastic," Hermione sighed dreamily. "Honestly, I think it was better each time, although I have no idea how that's physically possible."

Ginny giggled. Rarely did one ever see Hermione Granger in such a state. She decided to take full advantage of the situation before the bookworm came back to her senses. "What was your favorite part?"

"His tongue. Ugh the things he does with that tongue."

"And what did he do with his tongue?"

"It was everywhere. God, it was amazing. It was as if –" Hermione stopped abruptly. "Why am I telling you this?"

Damn, Ginny thought. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. "I suppose I can wait for the other details."

"Gin, aren't you freaked out in the slightest?" Ginny had been nothing but calm since her short outburst when she first learned everything and Hermione wondered why her friend wasn't having a more explosive reaction.

"About you and Malfoy?" At Hermione's confirming nod, the redhead replied, "Not really. Not anymore, at least."

"Not anymore?"

"In the beginning, I thought he was using you. Or maybe he was your rebound after you broke things off with my brother." Hermione went to object, but Ginny motioned for her to be quiet. "I took time to accept it because I knew you wouldn't back down on your decision. But then I realized something. You're in love with the git."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "But – but how – how did you?" she stuttered.

"Your eyes light up when you see him in the corridors or at meals. You jumped straight to his defense around the boys. You sigh dreamily when you speak of him with me. Plus, you look like I did when I realized I loved Harry."

Hermione nodded. That made sense. Did her eyes really light up at the sight of Draco? She'd never noticed, but if Ginny said it then it must be true. "I never really noticed I was that obvious."

"Lovesick fools rarely see what's right under their noses," Ginny teased. Her tone turned serious quickly thereafter however and she asked, "What are you going to do? Have you told him?"

"No, I haven't."

"Well why not?"

"Draco's not one to share his feelings and it's so soon in our 'relationship' and I don't want to ruin things already!" the brunette rambled.

"Hermione, calm down." Ginny waited until her friend's hyperventilating subsided. "Now, you don't choose when you fall in love with someone. Besides, you've known one another for seven years!" Hermione made to protest but Ginny stopped her in her tracks. "Plus, I can tell he feels the same."

"Thanks Gin, for being so supportive and talking me through all this." Hermione was extremely grateful that Ginny had come around. It would have been horrid not having a girl friend to discuss all this with. Her friendships with Ron, Ginny, and Harry meant so much to her.

"No problem," Ginny replied with a smile. "So, what color do you want your nails painted this time?"

Meanwhile, in the Head Boy dorm, Draco endured a similar inquisition.

He had just walked inside and settled in for the night when a incessant tapping came on his bedroom window. Draco, knowing exactly who it would be, refrained from admitting entrance to the intruder and instead focused on trying to fall asleep. His efforts were for naught, however, when the tapping ceased and he heard soft footsteps approaching where he lay.

"It's amazing what a simple Alohomora can achieve," Blaise commented as he recklessly threw himself onto Draco's bed.

Draco groaned in annoyance. "Damn it Zabini. You almost smashed into me!" The blonde ran a hand through his already disheveled hair and scooted even further away from the dark-skinned lad.

Blaise rolled onto his side and grinned. "That was my original intention. Too bad I failed."

Draco scoffed. "And you think you're the mature one."

"No, I know I'm the mature one," Blaise countered, a self-satisfied grin stretching across his face.

"Whatever," Draco grumbled. He lay back on his pillow and closed his eyes, hoping that Blaise would get the message and just leave.

He didn't.

Blaise let out a yawn and stretched his arms above his head before burrowing down comfortably into the pillow beneath him. He snatched the blanket from around Draco and sighed contently. "This is nice," he stated. "I never knew your bed was this comfy."

Draco sighed irritably. "What is it that you want?"

Blaise peeked open on eye and retorted, "Who said I wanted anything?"

"Don't play stupid. We both know why you're here."

"I want the story behind you and Granger."

"You can't have it."

"Aw, come on Drake," Blaise whined. For someone who most girls believed to be nothing but suave charm, Blaise was such a child in private. "I thought I was your best friend? Best friends tell each other everything!" he protested.

"Why do you even care?"

"Because you're in love with Granger and I want to know how it happened."

Draco spluttered, nearly choking on his saliva. Blaise immediately sat him up and began patting him on the back while saying things like "You're okay," "Just breathe," and "I got you." Eventually Draco regained his bearings. The first thing he did was pull away from Blaise and glare daggers at the other boy. Oh, if only looks could kill.

"Don't look at me like that. You know I didn't mean for you to almost die."

"What did you mean, saying I'm in love with Granger?"

"Drake, it's pretty obvious."

Draco began to panic. If dolts like Blaise could figure it out, how soon would it be before all of Hogwarts knew?

"I'm going for a snack," Draco declared, quickly rising from his spot on the bed and throwing his school robes over his sleeping clothes. He needed to get away from Blaise before he had Draco spilling his deepest thoughts.

"This late at night?" Blaise inquired. When Draco didn't respond and walked quickly over to the portrait that led into his dorm, Blaise rushed after him. "Sounds good to me, mate."

Draco scowled over his shoulder at the persistent little bugger. "You weren't invited. Go back to your bed or something."

"Nah," Blaise grinned as he keeps pace with Draco's long strides down the corridor. "I prefer hanging out with you. Beats the damp of the Slytherin rooms, at least."

Draco released a long breath, but resigned himself to being stuck with Blaise for the night. "Whatever."

They roamed the darkened halls of Hogwarts toward the kitchen in silence; Draco seething, and Blaise knowing better than to push the blonde any further for the moment. No one crossed their path other than Nearly Headless Nick, who simply walked around them without a word.

Soon the portrait hole that designated the kitchens came into view. Draco reached up and tickled the piece of fruit impatiently, quickly twisting the doorknob that soon appeared afterward. As a younger student, he had come to see the elves when he couldn't sleep. Dobby would make him a glass of warm milk and he would always be internally grateful to the elf for still associating with him after how he had been treated at the Manor and (never to be said aloud) to Potter for freeing the elf when he did.

The sight that met Draco's eyes was not a welcome one.

Sitting at one of the center tables, conversing over a snack of Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties, were two-thirds of the infamous Golden Trio. The Weasel was stuffing his face, as per usual, while Potter looked more reflective as he picked at his food. Neither boy had heard Draco enter the room. But he had a feeling his luck wouldn't last long.

"What's the hold up, Drake?"

At the sound of Blaise's voice, the idiot and his sidekick turned toward the door. Potter's eyes immediately narrowed as they zoned in on Draco's form. Weasley's eyes widened and he dropped the cake he had been holding right onto the floor, making an odd squishing noise as it hit.

Draco stood his ground, his molten silver orbs burning into Potter's emerald green. There was no way he was going to let Potter chase him out of the kitchens without a fight. No damn way.

The hero of the Wizarding world slowly stood, his back ramrod straight and his shoulders firmly tense. "Malfoy."

Draco stared him down determinedly. "Potter."

In true poetic irony, two others voiced simultaneously, "Shit."

The kitchen was about to heat up.

A/N: So the question is: what will go down in the kitchens of Hogwarts? Will there be a duel of epic proportions? A civil discussion? One side backing down and leaving the room peacefully? Will the house elves get involved? That is for us to find out together, so if you have any ideas let me know!

On a side note, I feel as if I'm better with summaries than actual stories… weird.