Disclaimer: I, in no way, own the characters or scenes of Harry Potter

Chapter Twelve – Decisions Aren't Always Easy (and Hermione swoons)

Hermione woke herself with a strangled yell, sitting up so fast that Harry, whom she was sharing the couch with, toppled off the side, adding a yell to her own.

'Hermione? You alright?' George asked, his voice coming from her left. She heard a door open and Malfoy asked her the very same question. Harry merely grumbled.

'I'm fine,' she assured them once she had managed to slow her breathing, 'I am so sorry Harry!'

Harry grunted, lifting himself off the floor, swaying.

'Move over, 'Mione, I'm going back to sleep, and this time you can fall off.' he growled, albeit with a smile that Hermione only just managed to return as she shifted over to let Harry lie behind her, catching her breath when he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and snuggling against her like one would a teddy bear.

It was just a dream, Harry doesn't like me that way. It was just a dream! Hermione repeated these words to herself over and over, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach, the kind she usually got before an exam. She told herself, over and over, that she'd only dreamt something so ludicrous because of all the alcohol George had made her drink, that Ginny had absolutely nothing to be jealous of; she, Hermione, loved Harry Potter like a brother. Slowly she felt herself relax, repeating the soothing mantra, and Hermione let herself enjoy the comfort and warmth of Harry's arms as she dozed off.

Tomorrow I'll set things right. She told herself as she fell asleep, dreaming of classes, Firewhiskey and Truth or Dare, but no Harry.

Hermione groaned, pushing her plate aside so she could lay her head on the table.

'I hate George. And Fire Whiskey. But mostly George.' she mumbled, clutching her head.

'Come on Hermione, you have to eat, a greasy breakfast is the best cure for a hangover.' Ron told her, smiling brightly when she looked up to glare at him.

'Ron's right, that and Cream Soda, although I doubt we'd get any here,' Harry nodded.

Hermione switched her gaze from Ron to Harry, 'How is it that you two are so chipper and I feel like I've been run over by a Hippogriff?' she asked him, frowning, 'And how would you know about hangover cures, you've never had one!'

Harry flushed and quickly turned to talk to Neville, who looked like Hermione felt. Ron chuckled and Hermione sunk her head back onto the table with a groan as another wave of nausea rolled over her.

'It's not fair,' she muttered as someone sat down beside her, 'I'm the Head Girl, I am supposed to be responsible, and I have a hangover. I am going to kill George!'

The person beside her chuckled softly. 'How you feeling this morning sunshine?' drawled a soft voice and Hermione growled at him.

'Here, drink this.'

Hermione looked up to see Draco holding a small bottle filled with a thick red liquid out to her.

'It's a hangover cure,' he explained to her when she stared questionably at the bottle, 'the wizard equivalent of a Bloody Mary sans Vodka, except it works a lot better.'

Hermione's eyes lit up, making Ron chuckle, but when she reached to take the bottle Draco shook his head, stowing it in the pocket of his robes.

'You have to eat first,' he told her and she glared daggers at him, relenting when he only smiled at her patiently.

'Didn't McGonagall say the new DADA teacher would be arriving today?' Draco asked, glancing up at the staff table as Hermione pulled her plate back toward her and began eating the greasy bacon and eggs Harry had dished up for her with a grimace.

Ron, who, after Hermione's rant, was trying his best to be nice to Draco, glanced up at the empty seat at the staff table and shrugged, 'Maybe he thinks the job is still cursed?'

Draco frowned, 'Maybe…'

Speaking of McGonagall… Hermione glanced up at the Head Mistress, thinking of the decision she had made this morning while getting dressed. She decided to wait; it would make it easier if she only had to explain once.

'You done?' Draco asked her, pulling her out of her reverie, and Hermione nodded, muttering a soft 'Thanks' as she accepted the bottle from him, gulping it down gratefully. She was never, ever, ever, going to drink again.

It looked as if Ron's guess about the new professor might be right. The class was noisy as they waited, some students chatting, other students were starting on the homework set to them by professors in previous classes, Draco was writing a letter, Ron sat doodling in his textbook and Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure whether he should go up to the teachers desk and start a lesson. Hermione had just decided to go to Professor McGonagall and ask about the new professor when the door banged open and a young man hurried inside.

'Good Day class, I apologise for my tardiness.' He told them without looking up from the papers he was sorting through on his desk.

'There,' he muttered, pulling out a single sheet, 'Well, I am Professor Thomas Tarrant, though I'd prefer it if you all called me Tom, and I'll be your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

Professor Tarrant finally looked up, his hair no longer hiding his face, and the effect was instantaneous.

The boys' mouths fell open, the girls gasped and even Hermione, who had never done so before, swooned. The professor was, there was no other way to say it, gorgeous. Young, probably fresh from his studies, dark hair that rivaled Harry's black shock, and light brown eyes that seemed almost gold, stared back at the students.

Tom sighed as he took in the reactions of his students.

'I knew I should have worn a glamor,' he muttered to himself, then straightened up.

'Alright, I realize that many of you may already be smitten with me, thanks to my looks,' he scowled, 'but I am your Defense professor and I will act as such. I warn you that any attempt to win me over or,' he scowled again, 'seduce me will lead to disciplinary action.' He looked at Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil as he said this and they giggled.

'I have read the notes given to me by Professor McGonagall, and it seems as if Mr Potter has done an excellent job teaching you for the first week,' he nodded at Harry, who flushed, 'so I will continue with his line – Defensive Spells that are effective against Dark Creatures. Today I will revise Mr Potter's lessons and add a few notes.'

He picked up a stack of papers, scanned through them.

'Alright, if you will please look at the board,' he waved his wand and a black board appeared as well as a piece of chalk, which began writing by itself, 'And copy the following notes.' He paused, realizing that many, if not all, of the students were still staring at him.

'If you have not copied at least three quarters of the board by the end of the lesson you will receive a detention!' he growled and there was a flurry of activity as people pulled quills and parchment out of their bags.

It wasn't surprising that, by the end of the lesson, half the class were given detention.

'Hermione? Hermione, are you listening?'

Ron's voice and the pokes in her side brought Hermione out of her reverie. She blinked and looked around at Ron. Harry thought she looked quite surprised to see them there.

'Hermione, were you –' a sharp glare from Slughorn made Harry lower his voice to a whisper, 'Hermione, were you day dreaming?'

'No!' she whispered furiously and Ron, who was leaning over her shoulder to look at her notes, snickered.

'Oh yes you were!'

Hermione looked down and gasped, blushing furiously (much to the amusement of both Harry and Ron); instead of the notes she was supposed to be making on the theory lesson Professor Slughorn was giving them, there were doodles of Professor Tarrant's name surrounded by little hearts.

'Did you –' Harry earned himself another furious glare from Slughorn and sighed, pulling a clean sheet of parchment from his bag to write a note, which he slid over to Hermione.

Did you enjoy your day dream, 'Mione?

Ron guffawed and snatched the parchment away from Hermione before she could reply.

I bet it was a naughty day dream, look at her blush! Our Hermione is growing up!

Harry chuckled as he read Ron's input and Hermione blushed an even brighter red, snatching the sheet away from Ron.

I was NOT day dreaming! And you two, why are you writing stupid little notes instead of listening to Professor Slughorn?!

Hermione scribbled furiously, glaring at Harry when he took the sheet from her.

Just like you were? Don't worry, I took notes while you were lost in your fantasy, and you aren't the only one day dreaming, Slughorn already sent half the girls out. Are you ready for this afternoon?

Hermione frowned, what did he mean?

What do you mean, this afternoon?

Harry sighed as he took the paper from Hermione. He paused as Slughorn passed their table, then wrote his reply;

The Truth Test, 'Mione. McGonagall said we need to see her after lessons today, remember?

Hermione groaned; she had completely forgotten, she had been day dreaming about Tom – no, Professor Tarrant. Her heart sank as she remembered what she planned to do and with it she remembered the dream she had had.

Ron, who was reading the note, frowned and pulled it toward him.

Truth Test?

Harry, seeing that Hermione was, once again, lost in thought, explained;

McGonagall is going to give each me and Hermione a small dose of Veritaserum to find out if we lied when we said that we sleep together just because we have nightmares. She said that although she trusts us it's to ensure that we don't have ulterior motives.

Ron read this and nodded that he understood, but, before he could reply the bell signaling the end of lessons rang and there was a rush as students packed up and Slughorn tried vainly to give them homework.

'We need to find Malfoy,' Harry told Hermione once they were out of class, noticing that she looked distracted.

'Harry, Hermione, where are we supposed to meet McGonagall?' a voice called out.

'Speak of the devil,' Hermione muttered as Draco appeared, extracting himself from the throng of students filling the hall.

'The Head Mistress' office would be my guess,' Ron told them, 'See you at dinner?'

They nodded and he strode off, eager to eat. Draco, Harry and Hermione glanced at one another then shrugged, nodded and set off to find McGonagall.

'You are telling me that you no longer wish to share a room with Mr Potter?'

Hermione avoided Harry and Draco's stunned gazes as she nodded in answer to Professor McGonagall's question.

'Yes Professor.'

'And why, may I ask, have you decided this?' McGonagall seemed torn between confusion, relief and maybe even anger.

Hermione took a deep breath, she had prepared her reasons, or rather, excuses well.

'Well, we both are grown ups and if we cannot learn to help ourselves it could be detrimental to any other relationships the both of us may have. If Ginny Weasley hadn't understood then she may well have been jealous, and our friendship with Ronald was tested because of this. I just think that it's for the best.'

Hermione did not mention her dream, nor would she ever. Harry spoke for the first time since Hermione had started explaining her decision.

'Hermione, are you sure about this?' he asked her softly, sounding almost afraid, and she nodded, not allowing herself to hesitate.

'I am.'

Professor McGonagall looked between the two students and sighed, 'Very well. Mr Potter, do you agree with Miss Granger? You do realize that even if you do not I cannot go against her wishes, it would be very immoral of me to do so.'

Harry gazed at Hermione for a long moment, thinking hard.

'I suppose I do, Professor,' he told McGonagall, without looking away from Hermione.

Professor McGonagall nodded, 'Then you may go. There is no point in continuing the test. Good Evening.'

Harry and Hermione stood, waiting as Malfoy followed suit, greeted their Head Mistress and filed out of the office.

'Teenagers,' Minerva McGonagall muttered to herself as she turned to a pile of papers that needed to be marked, 'I will never understand them.

'Ah, my dear Minerva, that is for the best.' Laughed a soft voice from above her head and she chuckled as Dumbledore smiled down at her.

Outside the Head Mistress' office Harry turned to Draco and Hermione, 'I'm not really hungry so I'm going to see Ginny.'

'I'll come with you,' Hermione told him, laying a hand on his arm, but he shook her off, shaking his head, 'Madame Pomfrey told me we could only see her one at a time. I'll see you later.'

He walked off with his hands in his pockets and Hermione, who knew very well that Madame Pomfrey had said no such thing, watched him go. It was obvious that Harry wanted to be alone and Hermione felt guilty.

'Come on,' Draco said softly, taking her by the arm, 'Let's get something to eat.'

Hermione let Draco lead her away to the Great Hall, feeling guilty all the way there.

Dear Mum,

I did something bad today. I thought I was doing something good but now I don't think it was the best of all my ideas.

You see, Harry and I have been sharing a bed since the summer because he, well, we, kept having nightmares and when we came back to Hogwarts Professor McGonagall found out and was going to arrange, after the necessary questions and such, that we share a room here at Hogwarts. But today, when Professor McGonagall was about to do the final test and arrangements, I told her that I think that Harry and I should wean ourselves of our dependency of one another or it could hurt any other relationships we may have. Harry agreed but when Professor McGonagall had dismissed us he walked off and I haven't seen him since. I think he may be mad at me… I don't know why but I feel guilty for taking away the comfort I gave Harry, for taking away the knowledge that if he has a nightmare I'll be there to comfort him…

I know you know me well enough to realize that my reason for doing this is thin and unlike me, so, before you ask, I don't want to speak about my real reason.

I wish that you could really read this mum, I miss you and Dad terribly. I'm happy to be back at Hogwarts, to be finishing my school career, but it means that it'll be another year before I can come look for you and that breaks my heart. I wonder if you'll ever remember me.

I promise you, although you do not even know who I am, that I will study hard and pass my N.E.W.T exams and then I will come and find you.

I love and miss you both very much.

Love,

Hermione

Draco's heart broke as he stared down at the letter, Hermione's painfully neat handwriting marred by spots where her tears had fallen. It was late and Hermione lay curled up on the couch, fast asleep, her cheeks wet from tears, and Draco could not help but wish that he had never picked up the slip of parchment that had fallen from her hand.

Draco knew that Hermione missed her parents and, although she was pleased she got the chance to finish school, she hated that she couldn't be in Australia, tracking down her parents and restoring their memories. Draco also knew that Harry wasn't mad at her; he himself had tracked Harry down and confronted him. Harry had assured him that he wasn't mad at Hermione in the slightest, although he was confused, that he just needed a little time to think things through. Draco also knew that Ginny had woken up and that Harry had lied about the number of visitors so he could be alone with her.

Draco sighed and threw a blanket over her, and, without thinking, kissed her forehead softly.

'Sleep well, dream sweet, and do not despair; one day I will help you find them.'

A/N: Woah, that was a long chapter!

Anyway, I hope everyone likes this chapter, all the reviews I got for Chapter 11 went along the lines of What the Fuck?! Well, now you know…

Let me know what you think please!