AN: I get quite a few reviews on the fact that I paint Ron and Ginny in a negative way. I'm sorry to disappoint these people but I have warned you by the comment in my summary. This chapter is also not for Ron and Ginny fans! Please keep in mind that this is a Dramione story with a side dish of Daphne and Harry...WARNING: NOT RON'S BRIGHTEST MOMENTS!
September flew by and before Hermione could even blink it was October already. Throughout September Hermione and Draco had been working hard to get their education got up to the standard they needed to get Draco into the University.
Next to that Hermione had been dealing with the drama caused by Harry and Ginny. After three weeks into their new school year Harry had decided to split up with Ginny. He had done what Draco had suggested and tried to figure out how he felt about Ginny. After a few weeks he figured that there just wasn't enough between them.
This caused a drama nobody was prepared for. Howlers from Molly, shouting matches with Ron and a very depressed Harry were daily occurrences for the next week. Ron blamed Harry for everything that was going wrong and Ginny was just edging him on.
Hermione found herself being caught in between as her two best friends were fighting. She tried to stay out of it but barely managed. It didn't help that Ginny seemed to be clinging to her more then usually.
Hermione often found herself to be happy to retreat to her dorms after dinner but even there they wouldn't let Hermione alone. All most each night either Ron or Ginny would come knocking at her door demanding time or help with their studies. After three times Draco got up angry and started to yell at Ginny about interrupting the privacy of the heads and study time for petty matters and should take it to the prefects.
Of course this caused another round of Ron going at Draco but Hermione found that she caring less and less about Ron's opinion. After a midnight discussion with Draco she started to realize that Ron really was just using her. Draco pointed out that a real friend would want to spend time with her without asking her to do his homework at least once.
These midnight discussions were a regular occurrence. It was the way how Hermione and Draco dealt with their nightmares. Almost daily it was either Draco or Hermione who woke up the other due to nightmares. More then once Hermione had suggested enlarging the bed and just sleep together but they never dared to really do it. Instead they joined each other in bed in the middle of the night, hid under the blankets and talk about trivial things or sometimes about the nightmare.
If it hadn't been for those moments or either Hermione or Draco would have snapped already and started to curse everything on sight. Those little intimate moments were like a balm on their strained nerves and helped release a lot of stress. Through these moments Hermione and Draco grew even closer. Where there first had been an awkward friendship, then love, there was now trust and a bond that could not be easily broken.
The whole school started to see that these headboy and headgirl were a team. Everybody saw that whatever people threw at them Draco and Hermione were able to deal with it in a composed and friendly way. And more important the whole school started to see the closeness growing between the two of them.
Much to Ron's complaining.
"But Hermione…" He whined.
"No Ron!" Hermione snapped and put down her fork. "It is your own fault that you left your homework till the last minute. I am not going to give up my study time to rescue you arse."
"But you can't let me fail. McGonagall will give me detention if I don't hand this in on time." He whined.
"I can and I will if you refuse to grow up and do your own damn work." She yelled at him. "For more then a month you have done absolutely nothing but claiming that your status as a war hero will get you into the Auror's office and shagging every girl you could get your hands on. You could have done your studying instead."
"But you study with the ferret." He said.
"Draco is willing to work hard for his grades and he repays me for it."
"Yeah, I bet he does. Good in bed, isn't he?" Ron snapped.
Around the table everybody fell quiet. Hermione was seething with anger and slapped Ron hard across the face. She took up her bag, grabbed a few slices of toast and left the hall. Her robes billowing behind her in a similar style as Severus Snape used to do.
Draco found her twenty minutes later, sitting below the tree where they had met so many years ago. Her face was wet with tears and her eyes staring across the lake. He sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her.
"Is it silly, Draco, that I could never let go of the hope that Ron and I could be real friends?" Hermione asked after a while. "I mean without Harry between us, I still had hope that somehow Ron had come to see me as more then just an easy way to good grades."
"No, it's not silly." Draco said. "You three were good friends for years. Especially with what you three have faced in the war. A normal person would have started to see you as a valuable friend and powerful ally not a slave to finish homework. At least you have Harry."
"Yes, Harry is a real friend. Neville and Luna as well. I feel stupid for not taking the time to make more friends."
"You are well on your way with Daphne, Tracy and Astoria. Even Blaise and Theo like you."
"Do they really?"
"Yes, they wouldn't lie about that. You can say about old pure-blood families all you want but they do value friendships and alliances."
Hermione nodded and sighed. She leaned against him and stared out over the lake. On the other side, the younger years were playing in the last sunshine of the year. Soon it would be too cold to be outside much. Draco waited for Hermione to speak again. Normally, when she was upset it would take her a while to sort through her own feelings and thoughts.
"I don't think I want to hide any longer, Draco. If Ron is thinking so bad of me, why would I value his opinion?" Hermione said after a while.
"You mean us?"
"Yes, for more then a month now I have been working myself up over his reaction. Molly counts as well but still… Ron was a friend and I valued his opinion. I guess it was wasted time." Hermione said sadly. "And I don't think it is fair to you. I care about you so much. Probably more than I care about Ron. Your opinion and feelings should count way above his."
"Thank you." He whispered and kissed the top of her head. "I would really be happy not to hide like this anymore but seriously, don't give up on a friendship just because you are angry."
"I'm not angry. I never was really angry. I was disappointed, mainly in myself. His comment drove home reality. Something I should have seen it years ago." Hermione said slowly. "I should have realized that Ron only spend time with me because of Harry. Harry is like my brother, his opinion is the only one that really counts."
Draco nodded and pulled her closer to him.
"Potter was really angry with the Weasel." He told her. "After you left he started yelling at Ron for being an ass and for being incredible rude. I think Blaise threw in a few insults as well. However Potter made it pretty clear that it was thanks to you that they managed to win the war and not because of the prick. I think the Weasel's fame with slowly die out."
"I do not wish any ill to Ron but it might be better if people started to see him for what he really is and not as the best friend of Harry Potter." Hermione sighed.
"What is left then?" Draco asked.
"Besides a lazy arse you mean?" Hermione chuckled. "Well Ron does have a very good tactical mind. On that alone he might get a job at the ministry or a Quidditch team."
"Alright, I'll give him that."
A comfortable silence fell around them. They sat there until it started to get too cold.
"We have a meeting with McGonagall." Hermione sighed as she got up. She held out her hand for Draco.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Hermione stated. "I know maybe it's not the best timing and it might only aid in Ron's conviction about us but I don't care anymore."
Draco smiled and gave her a quick kiss before they started their walk back to the castle. When they entered the halls people would stare at them. Especially at their hands, which still held on to each other. Hermione couldn't help but grin. She really didn't care anymore. The world could fall to pieces around them for all she cared.