I'm back!!! Didja miss me? Hehe…my exams are done and apparently I did have free time on my hands and I was itching to get back to the story…

So, chapter 13…you know, I've been thinking I'm going a little slow on this…do you think it needs to develop faster?

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"Good morning! It's a splendid day, isn't it?"

Ron stared at Harry for a second, then leaned over to Hermione who was sitting next to him and whispered loudly.

"Hermione, you carry extra pills, right? I think Harry forgot his medication today…we'd better give him double his dose, just to be on the safe side…"

Harry simply smiled.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Do you know why? Because today is such an amazing day!"

And Harry beamed and opened a menu.

Ron stared.

"Hermione, he's scaring me…you think Umbridge found some way to possess people?"

Now Harry was humming. Faintly and horribly out of tune, but still…there it was.

Ron seemed to have had enough.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

Harry laughed lightly.

"Ron, what are you talking about?"

"You're not Harry! Who are you? Harry is never this…chirpy so early in the morning! Trust me, I know! I have the scars to prove it! Ergo, you are not Harry! Who are you?"

Harry turned to Hermione, looking a little put off.

"I'm not really that bad, am I?"

"Well, there was that one Christmas at the Weasleys with the twins…"

Harry's smile slipped a bit more.

"Oh yeah…"

Hermione smiled at him comfortingly.

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad. You know how Ron overreacts. So tell us, why so chipper?"

Her smile widened a little.

"You left early. And I didn't see Malfoy later, either. Did something happen?"

Harry's smile grew.

"Well…"

Hermione gasped and squealed softly, like a true romantic.

"I knew it! I said so, didn't I, Ron? I knew something happened! So?"

Harry shrugged, suddenly nonchalant.

"So?"

Hermione became a little impatient.

"So…what happened?"

Ron chose this moment to join in.

"I'll tell you what happened…he ditched us at the most boring event in the world with the weirdest people on the face of this planet and went gallivanting God knows where with that git without a care in the world for his poor friends!"

Hermione waved him off.

"Ignore him, he's still mad he had to wear a tie and no one else did."

Harry was staring at Ron.

"Gallivanting? I didn't know people still said that…"

Ron went red.

"You know, my mum uses it a lot when she's yelling at the twins…it rubs off…of course I'm mad about the tie!" he said louder than before, clearly changing the subject, "I looked like a bloody ape standing there with that horrible substitute for a noose around my neck while everyone else got to breathe!"

Hermione stared at him coldly.

"Yes, because it was so different from how you usually look…"

Ron glared at her.

Hermione glared back, then suddenly dropped it and turned back to Harry.

"So, Harry, do we get to know what happened last night or not?"

There was an angelic smile on her face. Harry, who was used to these sudden changes in mood, grinned sympathetically at Ron who was looking very confused, and started to recount the happenings of the night before.

The three of them were sitting around a table at their regular diner. It was a routine they followed, meeting for breakfast once a week, since it was so difficult to meet when they were all working.

"…And then we said goodbye."

Hermione looked a little skeptically at Harry as he wound up his narrative.

"That's it?"

Harry looked up from his eggs.

"What d'you mean?"

"I mean that's all you did? You walked, talked, got coffee, talked about his angsty past and walked up to your house? That's it?"

Ron stared at Hermione.

"Hermione…isn't that enough?"

Hermione waved him off again and narrowed her eyes.

"I don't believe you. I mean come on; this is Malfoy we're talking about. You couldn't walk one step at school without seeing girls swoon over him. I'm sure something happened. You're hiding something from us."

She pointed at Harry accusingly.

Harry raised his hands in surrender.

"Hermione, I really don't know what you're talking about."

Nevertheless, a light pink rose on his face.

Hermione spotted it and crowed triumphantly.

"Ha! I knew it! Spill, Potter!"

Harry leaned away from the crazy loon he called a friend.

"It's nothing…he just…we just…it…I…he…just…kissed me."

The last two words were almost inaudible, but Hermione who was practically leaning over the table at this point, heard them.

She squealed, louder this time.

"He kissed you? That's so sweet! Oh, Harry, I'm so happy! Tell me all about it!"

Ron had gone a bit green.

"He did what?"

Harry looked anxiously at Ron.

"Ron…this…isn't going to be a problem, is it?"

Ron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he was smiling slightly.

"Harry, mate, if that git ever hurts you I'll kill him with my bare hands."

Harry smiled, knowing this was the closest Ron would ever come to voicing his acceptance.

Hermione looked at the two of them.

"Alright, that's enough male bonding, you're making me cry…now tell me about the kiss!"

Hermione leaned forward eagerly.

Ron went green again and began looking around frantically.

Harry sighed.

"Well…it was…"

When his eyes became dreamy, Ron began searching even more desperately.

"Oh look, a coffee machine! Wow, I haven't seen one of those in a while! Fascinating, aren't they? I'll just go take a look…"

He was out of his chair before he had finished talking.

Hermione watched him go, giggling softly.

"Oh, how I love winding him up…"

She turned to Harry.

"So, really, how was it?"

Harry looked into his coffee cup for a moment. When he finally looked up, his eyes were shining.

"It was…the best kiss I've ever had."

Hermione grinned.

"Better than Cho Chang's?"

Harry grinned back.

"Oh, much better. And drier."

Hermione laughed. Then she looked at Harry more carefully.

"You look happy. More than you've been in a while. Are you happy, Harry?"

Harry considered this.

"I think…I am."

He smiled.

Hermione sighed.

"Good. I was getting worried about you for a while there."

Harry looked into his cup again as Ron cautiously sat back down his seat.

"I didn't honestly expect this to happen, you know? It's just such a relief to able to work this out."

Ron scratched the back of his head as he always did when he was going to say something 'mushy'.

"Well, Harry, even though it is Malfoy…I suppose you could have done worse."

Harry looked up at his best friend.

"Ron…"

Ron looked away, embarrassed.

"Yeah, yeah, right pair of girls, aren't we? I'm going to get some more ham, it's divine…"

Hermione watched him go incredulously.

"That man's stomach…never fails to amaze me."

Harry turned back to her.

"Hey Hermione…"

"Yeah?"

"I saw Zabini talking to you yesterday."

Hermione took a sip of coffee.

"So?"

"You tell me. You're the one who's always saying that people can change."

Hermione stirred her coffee.

"Blaise…you know how he was, Harry. The perennial flirt. He's not worth the trouble."

"And yet you call him Blaise."

Hermione looked up, matching his stare.

"And yet, there's something about him that's different. More mature."

"And it's a problem…because?"

"It's too simple. There's a catch."

"There doesn't have to be."

"There is." she said, contemplatively. "There always is."

"Why do I get the feeling you've changed the subject?"

"What are you two talking about?"

"Zabini's got a crush on Hermione."

Ron looked devastated.

"Hermione! Not you too!"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"For god's sake, Ron, can't you tell a joke apart from fact? How old are you exactly?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Plenty! For example, most people your age can identify jokes. Most people your age don't grab all the ham available at one time. Most people your age cut their food into chewable pieces when they eat. Most people your age chew when they eat. Most people your age don't have the manners of a pig…"

"Most people your age doze off in front of afternoon soaps and play bingo on Friday evening."

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"You'd know wouldn't you? Seeing that 'Cauldron of Love' is your favourite show…"

Ron glared.

"Hey, that was one time! And I wasn't even watching it! My mum forgot to put it off and I was too tired to bother!"

"Oh really? Then why did Mrs. Weasley send you an owl last week asking what potion Rutherford used on Gretchen in Thursday's episode?"

"The owl was misdirected!"

"Oh? So then Mrs. Weasley has two sons named Ron?"

Ron glared some more.

"…Shut up."

Harry recovered from his silent laughing fit, deciding to put a stop to this.

"Hey, come on you guys, that's enough."

The two of them subsided somewhat. There was silence as they ate. Then, Harry spoke up, grinning slightly.

"So…what potion was it?"

Ron growled and threw a piece of ham at Harry, who ducked, choking with laughter as Hermione bent double in her seat and the other customers in the diner looked on.

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Draco's day was just as splendid so far. All his morning clients commented to themselves about what a relief it was to see Mr. Malfoy smiling…though he seemed not to have heard a word they had said. Ceci had had to stay in his office to make sure he paid attention, which hadn't been easy. She'd had to make little excuses to go near enough to Draco to pinch him and keep him from drifting off. It wouldn't do to grin like a maniac while discussing campaign budgets after all.

His day looked set to continue just as splendidly, when just before lunch, Cory and Zach Belmonte walked in. Draco's good mood went down the drain as soon as he saw Cory.

His eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?"

Cory studied him for a while, then smiled calmly.

"Zach had an appointment with you to discuss the sponsorship, did he not? I thought I'd tag along. After all, I am on his board of advisors…"

"You're his only advisor, and since it's his team, I don't see how this concerns you."

Blaise walked in, staring suspiciously at Cory. He turned to Zach.

"What is he doing here? I thought I told you I never want to see him here."

Zach ran his hand through his hair looking frustrated.

"Hey, I didn't bring him here. He was waiting outside when I got here. One of the girls outside is new, right? She was almost ready to let him in. I barely caught up with him coming in here."

Blaise turned to Cory and his eyes darkened.

"Get out. I thought I told you I never want you in this office again. Or anywhere near Draco for that matter."

His hand unconsciously went towards his wand.

Cory followed his hand and he raised one eyebrow.

"Relax, Blaise. I just wanted to see Draco's campaign. I've heard a lot about it from Zach. It sounds interesting."

"It's none of your business…"

"Blaise, it's okay."

Blaise turned to Draco who was leaning back in his chair, looking as composed as ever. His face was completely blank.

"But, Draco…"

Draco looked at Blaise.

"It's okay. He's still a client. If, he wants to see who he's going to collaborate with, we have to oblige."

Blaise looked incredulous.

"Draco…"

Draco's eyes flashed. He got up and walked past Blaise, going over to a small cabinet and taking out a bottle filled with amber-coloured liquid. Slowly, making sure the other two wouldn't hear, he spoke.

"Blaise, we're running a business. We cannot afford to let personal feelings get in the way of business. It's unprofessional."

Turning around, he smiled politely at Cory.

"Of course, it would be my pleasure. Would you like a drink?"

Cory smiled.

"That would be nice."

Draco turned to Blaise.

"Blaise, would you mind fetching Ceci and asking her to get those mock-ups we made the other day?"

Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."

He left, casting a warning look at Cory as he left.

Draco turned back to the Belmontes.

"Please have a seat. I'll run you through the basic premise so you get a general idea of what we'll be doing."

As Draco spoke, Zach kept a wary eye on his cousin. He didn't quite understand what Cory was up to yet, but the only other time he'd been unable to read his brother was in the days before the whole mess between him and Draco happened. He almost shuddered as he remembered how Draco had been after that day. He still remembered Draco's eyes and hoped fervently that he'd never see that look again. He'd never be able to forgive Cory…but he'd never be able to forgive himself either.

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