My computer at home has pretty much died. My brother, Super IT Man, said he can fix it if I buy a new hard drive and Windows 7. Or I could buy a new computer. I should probably make up my mind sometime soon.

Chapter 14
"So, this entire time that you've been denying having a secret boyfriend, you've been with both Draco Malfoy and Marcus Flint?" Ginny asked. For the third time. In ten minutes.

"I wasn't dating Draco," Hermione pointed out. For the third time. In ten minutes.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Right, just shagging him while dating Flint," she clarified. "That's so much better, Hermione."

Hermione pursed her lips as she eyed her friend. What exactly was Ginny insinuating? That she was some wanton woman who jumped from one guy to the next? Or was she more upset that it was two Slytherins with whom she had formed relationships?

When she said nothing, Ginny continued, "I just think you were so much better off with Ron."

"Right, and he's dating Astoria Greengrass now," Hermione replied. "Ron and I are over. He's moved on, I've moved on. Now, I think it's your turn to move on."

"How do you know that he's happy with her?" Ginny countered. "You don't know that he's moved on. You've been so wrapped up in Malfoy and then Flint and then Malfoy again that you've pretty much ignored the rest of us. We were your friends first - Ron and Harry and me. But then Malfoy makes this proposal, and you tell us nothing about it. You've missed dinners, skipped dress fittings, ignored letters that we've sent. I can't help but feel like this is all Malfoy's fault. You wouldn't pull this if you weren't palling around with Slytherins."

Hermione rose from the sofa upon which the two sat, and exited the living room for the kitchen. She was angry, and made it known as she pulled open cabinets and slammed the closed. She filled the tea kettle with water and slammed it down on the stove with more force than necessary. The metal stove grates rattled from the pressure, but Hermione ignored it.

What was wrong with Draco and Marcus? Surely, both men had changed since their days at Hogwarts. Marcus was kind and warm, protective and gentlemanly. How no other girl had claimed him for herself was a mystery. If it hadn't been for Draco's heartfelt proclamation, she would still be with Marcus.

Draco.

There mere mention of his name, even in her own thoughts, brought a smile to Hermione's lips. He was Marcus's polar opposite. Draco was moody and difficult, but behind closed doors he was a different man. He had shared parts of his life with her that no one else had known. He had allowed her to get close and hadn't pushed her away. For the first time in years, Draco had allowed himself to care for someone, and he had chosen her.

So, what exactly was wrong with Draco and Marcus?

"I'm a big girl, Ginny," she said the second the kitchen door swung open. "I can make my own decisions about who I date and who I befriend. Now, I apologize for being too busy for wedding planning. You know the kind of hours I work. If my performance isn't up to snuff, then perhaps you should find yourself a new maid of honor."

Squaring her shoulders, Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine, I will," she replied with a defiant quirk of her eyebrows. "And if you're so busy, maybe you shouldn't even bother to come to the wedding. I'd hate to keep you from your oh so important career."

"Fine by me!" Hermione called after her as Ginny flounced out of the kitchen for the living room fireplace. "Fine by me," she added when the sound of the activated floo quieted down.

The kettle whistled and Hermione shut off the burner, no longer in the mood for tea. Once more the floo sounded, and she was sure it was Ginny back for round two. Armed only with her anger, she exited the kitchen to give the young witch another piece of her mind. "Listen, you've said your piece-" she stopped short. "Oh, hi."

Draco's eyebrows rose questioningly, but he said nothing. After dusting himself off, he stepped closer and greeted her with a kiss. "Hi," he replied. "Something the matter? It's not Flint again, is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "Ginny," she muttered. "It would seem that the second Saturday in August is suddenly free."

Furrowed brows accompanied his response. "Did she and Potter call off the wedding?" he asked.

Again she shook her head. "I don't feel like talking about it," she decided. "Tell me something happy. What did you come over for?"

"Astoria invited me and a plus one to dinner with her and Weasley," he told her.

"You're terrible at this game," she muttered. Walking away, she returned to the kitchen and quickly reheated the tea water. Draco followed and pulled two mugs from the cabinet. "Do they know about us? I mean, Ginny knows we're more serious than we were before. But does Astoria? Or Ron?"

He set a tea bag in each cup, and as she poured the water, he retrieved the milk and sugar. "If she does, she didn't let on," he told her as he prepared her tea - a splash of milk and two lumps of sugar. "We've made the papers a few times, but the Greengrasses don't put much stock in the Prophet."

Hermione took her cup and leaned against the counter beside the stove while Draco took a seat at the table. "I'm sorry," she said after some time, staring into the cream colored liquid. "I shouldn't have assumed I would be your plus one."

His tea forgotten, Draco rose and removed her mug from her hand. "Why wouldn't you be my date?" he wondered. Leaning down, he let his lips briefly ghost across her own. "We're dating now. Isn't it customary for the girl you're dating to be your date to these things?"

Settled in his arms, Hermione leaned her forehead against his chest. "Ginny and I fought," she told him. "Harry and Ron will know about it soon. It might be better for you to find someone else or go alone."

She felt his lips on her temple before he whispered in her ear, "I want you."

Her vision blurred as a tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm losing them," she whispered. "They're all I have left, and I'm gonna lose them."

Gone were the gentle touch of Draco's hands and the sweet kisses his lips provided. Looking up, she noticed that he had taken a step back. "What are you telling me?" he asked, his tone guarded. "If being with me means losing them, you'll choose them over me?"

"Draco, I-," she stopped. He was right, and nothing she could say would make that any better.

He waited. He waited for her to continue, to refute his claim. But she said nothing as two more tears dripped down her cheeks. "Goodbye, Hermione," he finally said.