Y'all, the amazing feedback and positivity surrounding this fic has me shook. Tango took first place in "Best Love Story" and "Best Relationship Development" in the Enchanted Awards. I cannot thank you enough. From the bottom, top, sides, all of my heart - thank you.

LondonsLegend deserves all of the love for beta'ing this chapter for me, and LightofEvolution for encouraging me to keep on keeping on, even when I feel at my lowest.

I won't make you wait so long for the next chapter.
With love,
~A.

All confessions

are odysseys.

~Raymond Queneau

Center Stage: Hermione Granger and company

Setting: The Wormy Dog

Hermione was a gifted woman, far beyond the strengths of her peers. But sitting here, between two of the sexiest bachelors to ever walk the streets of Diagon, her brain short circuited. Men were not her strong suit, especially when one was a previous wedding date to the other's now-canceled nuptials.

Charlie Weasley smiled comfortably, engulfing Hermione in a ferocious hug between his stunningly strong arms, his beard tickling her cheek. She remembered why it was Charlie to send her hormones into a frenzy before the slick-talking Slytherin beside her ever showed an ounce of interest; Charlie had all of the familiarities of home with the added bonus of dangerous dragon tamer. Hermione found herself inhaling his scent with vigor before he pulled back and kissed her on the cheek. It was innocent enough, but Draco's chilling quirk of an eyebrow was enough to make her feel as if she'd been caught with her hands down Charlie's pants.

Now wouldn't that be a sight?

"Charlie!" said Ginny again, "What the devil are you doing here?"

"I wasn't going to miss my baby sister's game, was I?" he asked, producing something small from his vest pocket and enlarging it: a bouquet of flowers, to which he handed to Ginny. "Shame it got canceled on account of the storm, though."

"You traveled all the way from Romania to watch my game?" Ginny asked, tearing up. Quickly, she dashed over and flung her arms around Charlie. "Thank you!"

Hermione glanced over to Harry, who kept fidgeting with something in the breast pocket of his coat. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though, before Draco cleared his throat and stood up from the table. "Excuse me. Need to use the loo." He left rigidly, causing all those at the table to exchange careful glances before all eyes fell on Hermione.

"What?" she finally sighed, exasperated.

"Malfoy? Really, Hermione?" asked Ron, stuffing some peanuts into his mouth and asking what everyone else was thinking.

"Yes? And?"

"And he doesn't give a flying fig about any of us," said Harry. "So what's he doing here?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, smacking her palm on the table. "Oh really, boys. Are you going to be childish now?"

Ron pretended to ponder her question for half a moment before decidedly nodding. "Yup. Where Malfoy's concerned."

"I happen to know for a fact that you and Draco have gotten along on multiple occasions-"

"That was before he made me puke slugs!" Ron protested.

"Well, you were caught snogging his fiance!" Hermione whispered loudly, trying not to draw the attention of the other patrons in the facility.

"She was snogging me!" Ron whispered back, albeit louder than Hermione.

"I've seemed to miss quite a lot," said Charlie, blinking between the two with an expression that could only be described as perplexed.

"I'll say," said Neville. "I'm just as confused."

"Maybe this isn't the best time to be talking about this," said Ginny, leaning over Hermione and swatting Ron upside the head. "Honestly, Ron. You always have the worst timing. And besides, George told me he saw you and Astoria Greengrass leaving the joke shop together last week."

"You what?" Hermione whipped her head around, catching the paling face of Ron.

"I...er...we're just...friends."

"Friends, is it?" continued Ginny. "Seems you're getting awfully friendly with someone who recently made a comeback to the menu again."

"Oy, oy! First of all, don't talk about her like she's a dinner plate." Ron shook his finger at Ginny. "And two, why can't I be friends with her? Hermione's over here canoodling with Malfoy-"

"I am not canoodling with him!" Hermione protested. "We are friends." Saying it out loud, she realized how ridiculous it was, same as Ron. Although...had Ron and Astoria…? He was wearing that 'just been shagged' face...Hermione knew that one. She'd given it to Ron often in their days together. Thinking about him and Astoria in bed together...ew. No. She didn't want to ponder it.

"Hey, now. Wasn't I supposed to be a date to these two's wedding?" asked Charlie, more amused than anything else.

"You were," said a cool, collected voice from the side. Draco had arrived back at the table, his arms folded over his chest. "I'm ever so glad my failures could be displayed like this for idle chit-chat."

"That's not what we were doing," Hermione insisted, shaking her head, her cheeks hot with blood.

"Wasn't it?"

"Listen here, Malfoy," said Ginny, grabbing him by the shoulders and shoving him back down in his seat, causing his eyes to widen and his mouth to gape slightly at the feeling of being put off balance. "No one here likes a brooder. You and Astoria made your bed. We all - well, most of us," she glanced over to Neville and Charlie, "know about it because we had to witness that disaster of a luncheon. So, instead of pointing fingers at us, know that we're holding your secrets close to our chests, and you best play nice this evening if you want that to continue."

Ron leaned over to Neville. "She's right mean when she's denied a game."

"Are we clear, Malfoy?"

Draco narrowed his eyes, scanning them over Ginny with ferocity. Then, to Hermione's amazement, they softened slightly, and he mumbled out, "Fine, I suppose. Far be it from me to piss on your parade."

"Thank you."

She relaxed her posture, stood back upright, and turned to Charlie. "A butterbeer, Char?"

"Firewhiskey, actually," he replied back. "I don't know if I can get through the night without it. Seeing a Malfoy dining out with the Weasleys…"

"Thankfully, not all of you," Draco smirked, toasting the table.

Hermione rolled her eyes, settling herself back into her chair with a decided stance on staying and not tearing out the door like she so desperately wanted to. The next half hour went off without a hitch, though neither she nor Draco had much to offer the table in terms of conversation. It didn't help that Charlie had taken to scooting his chair as close to Hermione as he could, draping his arm over the splat and, inadvertently, her shoulders.

Eventually, Charlie changed the subject back around to Draco once more. "So, do I still get to count myself as a plus one to your 'wedding of the century', Malfoy? Or has that dragon left the nest for brighter adventures?"

"Charlie-" Hermione warned, but Draco cut her off.

"No, it's alright. No use toeing around the issue." Draco leaned back and nudged Ron in the shoulder. "Weasley can attest to the separation of Astoria and I, can't you, Weaselbee?" Something like a guilty look filtered across Ron's face as he sat straight up in his chair, choking on his butterbeer.

"P-Pardon?"

"I seem to recall hearing through the grapevine that you and Astoria have been spending quite a bit of time together."

"I-I...I dunno about that...oh, I, uh, I think Neville's signalling me." Ron jumped up from his seat and rounded the other end of the table, over next to Harry and Neville, who were deep in conversation with each other. Draco wore a satisfied smirk worthy of his bullying youth, but he said nothing else on the subject.

That was, until Hermione asked, "Do I want to know?"

"Honestly? Probably not."

"So, fresh on the market then, Malfoy?" asked Charlie. "Bugger, I hope it was a decent break up, at the least."

"It was. And 'on the market' isn't quite the way I'd put it." Draco dragged his eyes over Hermione for half a moment.

"Well, welcome to the bachelor's club, in any case." Charlie stood from his seat. "First round's on me. Come on. You look as if you could use a drink." Before Draco could protest, Charlie had yanked him out of his seat and dragged him over to the bar top, leaving Hermione to herself. It took no time at all for Ginny to take Draco's vacant seat.

"Tough spot, Hermione," she said, glancing at Draco and Charlie. "At least they're getting along?"

"For now," Hermione commented, sipping on her butterbeer to keep herself occupied. "But this night isn't about me, anyway. How are you feeling?"

"A little better. To be perfectly frank, I'm a bit sloshed." Ginny gigled into her hand. "And Harry's acting rather odd this evening, have you noticed?"

"Has he?" The curly haired brunette darted her eyes over to Harry, who looked to be sweating up a storm, still patting his breast pocket every few moments and glancing at Ginny between them. Hermione's eyes went wide. No. Surely he didn't intend to…? Not tonight of all times? "I'm sure he's just thinking," she muttered, her gaze traveling back over to Draco, who was kicking back a shot of something with Charlie and laughing. What parallel universe had she fallen into where Draco Malfoy drank with a Weasley and Ginny hadn't put the pieces of Harry's plan together yet? Her head swam, either from the alcohol or the turn of events, and Hermione rested her forehead on the table.

"Hermione? Are you alright?"

"This night isn't going at all like I imagined it would."

"And how did you imagine it?" Ginny asked. "Besides my game, of course. - Oh. You mean Malfoy." She tapped her fingers on the table next to Hermione's head. "Yes, this is all rather...bemusing."

"I'll say."

"...I see you didn't follow my advice."

"What are you talking about? Hermione's muffled voice could be heard against the table. "I haven't done anything with him."

"I never said you did. But you're getting yourself mixed up in this. Too deep. You've gone and caught feelings, haven't you?"

"...No...Yes…"

"Hermione-"

"Don't start," Hermione whined, stealing a glance at Draco, who genuinely looked interested in whatever Charlie was saying to him.

"Just make sure you're not playing with too much fire. A little is fine, but enough will get you burned."

"You sound like your mother."

Ginny gasped. "Take that back! Take that back right now, Hermione!"

Hermione finally sat upright again, sticking her tongue out childishly and laughing quietly, like she used to when they were younger. It actually felt good to be so sassy - she'd nearly forgotten how to do it.

When Charlie and Draco arrived back at the table, taking their respected seats on either side of her, Draco slid her a bubbly, blue concoction in a shot glass and smirked. "Drink up."

"What is it?" she asked skeptically.

"A 'blue phoenix.' Figured it sounded worth a shot - and it was expensive, so don't you dare turn it down."

Charlie leaned in, clapping an arm on Hermione's back lightly. "Our Hermione's got grit. Don't you?"

Determined, Hermione nodded, picked up the glass, and threw the contents back in one gulp. The mixture bubbled in her mouth, but she swallowed it up, impressed by the taste. "It's like sweet tarts."

"Like what?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Muggle sweet."

"Ew."

"I have to say, Hermione, you're going to have to break him out of those muggle-hating habits if you two are dating now." Charlie leaned back in his chair and toasted his new mug of butterbeer in their direction.

Hermione's eyebrows shot up. "If we're-? What? What did you-?"

Dink, dink. Harry stood up from the table, patting his pocket yet again and interrupting the current conversations. His face was sallow, slightly sweaty, and he was looking to Ginny as if he might throw up.

He's really going to, Hermione thought.

"If...if I could have everyone's (hiccup) attention." Harry reached his arm out, ushering Ginny to stand by his side. The next moment, he was a nervous puddle of shaking as he took her hand in his and said, "I was going to do this at the game, but...well, our lives haven't gone according to plan ever, have they?" He laughed nervously, reaching into his vest and producing the ring he and Hermione selected that day back in Diagon Alley. Harry wasted no time in dropping to his knee, almost knocking a chair over in the process. All eyes were on them as he continued, "Gin, I-"

"Yes!" Ginny exclaimed, nodding like a bobble head doll, tears in her eyes.

"Really? You haven't even heard my speech." Harry sounded a bit disappointed. "I worked really hard on it." His lower lip protruded out.

"Flub the speech, Harry Potter. If you're asking me to marry you, the answer will always be yes, no matter how you say it."

Now, Harry grinned like a chesshire cat. "Wish I had known that before I practiced in the mirror half the night last night…you sure?" As Ginny nodded in delight, he slid the ring on her finger and stood upright before scooping her up and kissing her in a drunken, sloppy fashion.

Around the table were shouts of joy. Ron was pale but applauding, and Charlie smiled with a knowing twinkle in his eye. No wonder he was back in town…

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed at once. "Why didn't you tell me it would be tonight?"

Harry stopped kissing Ginny for momentarily to laugh and reply, "Because Gin can always read you like a book, Mione."

Hermione sat back in her chair, dumbfounded. It was a good reason. Her heart was overjoyed - until she looked to her left and spotted Draco Malfoy staring at the newly engaged couple as if he'd been struck in the gut. He said not a word, simply gawking with a paleness not even known to him. Eventually, Hermione reached over and placed her hand over his.

"Draco. A word?"

"Hmm?" He glanced her way. "What for?"

"Please?"

No one noticed as the two slipped out the front door into the rain outside. Hermione quickly summoned up an umbrella spell from the tip of her wand, giving them shelter from the pelting water falling over their heads. Draco was still quiet, staring at a puddle near their feet.

"You're hurting."

"Hurting...that's not the right word." He continued to stare at the puddle, shoving his hands in his pockets. "More like...reliving my greatest Hell." He stepped forward, as if to walk into the rain, but Hermione kept the umbrella over their heads, walking with him. They strode around the puddle as she followed him walking aimlessly down the street.

"Why did you tell Charlie we're dating?"

That caused him to stop in his tracks. He peered down to her. "Because we are."

"No we're-"

"Are you done lying to yourself, Hermione? Because I am." He turned his entire body toward her then, their bodies so close they could easily melt into each other. "Seeing those two get engaged...it didn't hurt. It was a wake up call."

"What?" She tilted her head.

He sighed, struggling to find the right words. "I'm a failure."

Hermione never thought she'd hear the 'great' Draco Malfoy utter that sentence. And hearing it...it made her skin crawl. "Why would you say that?"

"Failed engagement. Failed at making a name for myself. Failed at getting you to bloody well see-" He paused, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. It made her cheeks turn cherry pink. "I've been lying to you, Granger. And what's worse, I've been lying to myself for a long time. But I'm done with lying." He exhaled a shaky breath; the air was chilly, making it a puff of steam. "The truth is that I've fancied you well beyond the parameters of time I should have. I've had...thoughts about you. Dreams." It seemed it was his turn to blush, and he ducked his head slightly, less the cool Draco Malfoy from the magazines and more the shy boy who didn't know how to express himself. "I told Charlie Weasley we're dating, because we are. If you don't see that by now, then you're dafter than I gave you credit for - and I don't believe you're daft."

Hermione hadn't realized her mouth was hanging open until she whispered, "Thank you." It seemed like an appropriate response. Maybe.

Draco smirked. "You're welcome."

"You...wait...you...you've fancied me? For a long time? Not just-"

"If running into you again has taught me anything, it's that I can't keep ignoring things that are right in front of my face. Astoria and I were broken for a long time - it took you to help me realize it. It took you to inspire me to do something with my talents."

"What you're getting at is that I inspire you?" Her head felt like it was swimming. It could have been due to that 'blue phoenix', but she had an inkling it was because of Draco. Okay, more than an inkling.

"Don't get a big head about it," he said, smirking wider as he patted her on the head. The hand trailed down to her cheek, where he brushed his thumb across her cheekbone with seduction only a galleonaire playboy could. But the look in his eye was endearing.

"Are you drunk?" Hermione asked suddenly.

Draco knitted his eyebrows together. "I'm tipsy, but no, nowhere near-"

Before he had a chance to finish, Hermione hooked her fingers into the collar of his shirt and dragged his face down, smashing her lips on his in a less than provocative but all-together telling kiss.

Seconds dragged on. Draco melted into her touch, his lips moving against hers.

When he pulled away, he had a ring of pink dusting his cheeks that Hermione wasn't used to seeing but wasn't complaining about either. Frankly, he looked adorably attractive just so.

"I really don't want to go back to that party," he said quietly.

Hermione licked her lips, her heart pounding. "Neither do I."

It took him a moment to find the words again, but when he did, he settled on three. "Dessert? My place?"

This time, Hermione didn't hesitate, though she did say, "How about mine?"

Yesss...finally, a real lemon.