Author's note: gee, thanks for those reviews! You guys are great. And, yes I know that you guys will never let RWHG happen, at least not in this story. I wont let it happen, or rather, I wont let it continue all throughout. So don't y'all worry, this is still DMGH:) there will be bumps along the way, but eventually, they'll get there. Lol.

My apologies for asking for your feedback before writing out the story. I appreciate your honesty and I'm glad that most of you readers are generally liking how it's going so far. I supposed it would have been enjoyable to have your inputs in before creating the next chapter. However, I still am very glad for the comments, but will not be asking for them as I did with that "vote".

And, to make up for the wait you guys have been patiently doing as the story flows along, I give you chapter 26.

Enjoy :)

Chapter 26

Something clicked in Hermione at that instant. Like something snapped, some light bulb was turned on inside of her, that awoke her to a sort of vague but strong realization.

The slits of her lids narrowed and her head tilted slightly to the side, as she eyed him with a feeling of awe and great curiosity.

Malfoy's smirk turned into a frown.

"What?" he sneered.

Hermione said nothing. Her anger vanished, replaced with her mind buzzing with all sorts of questions, as she studied him, intrigued by Draco all of a sudden.

Draco, though hiding it extremely well, felt a lurch in his stomach. What the fuck is she thinking? … He did not like that look on her face, that look that seemed to try its best to penetrate the front he always put up. He became aware at the beat of his heart pounding.

Draco Malfoy was nervous.

He let out a low snarl at her, and he turned his back to leave. But before doing so, he muttered "stupid mudblood" just loud enough for her to hear, in order not to acknowledge defeat but instead give the impression that he got bored. Then he briskly made his way to his room.

Hermione frowned. "There's something strange about that Draco Malfoy."

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron asks. They were having lunch at the great hall, and Hermione seemed to be distracted the whole morning. They hadn't even discussed what happened between them earlier, and usually, Hermione was a mouthful.

"Im fine." She said blankly.

They were all dubious, of course. She seemed to be strangely dazed. Ron shrugged, hoping that it wasn't about anything doubtful towards him, and that it could just be one of those days…

Hermione was dazed. She seemed utterly puzzled over Malfoy. "It's been seven years," she awed, "and still no one has seen the other side of him."

Something in her was triggered when she saw him smirk that last time. It's always been the same smirk, year after year.

That sour, mocking and sinister smirk…

Surely, there would have been times when that smirk would turn into a sincere smile?

But she had never seen it. She had never seen Draco with anything but a negative emotion written all over him.

"Snape is evil." Ginny sighed loudly, disrupting Hermione's thoughts, as the flame-haired female complained over potions.

Hermione blinked and looked at them. "Do you ever really believe that someone is capable of being purely evil?"

"Snape is." Ginny giggled.

"No, but I mean, seriously. Is it possible that someone is just pure evil?"

"Well," Ron gulped, "you-know-who probably is…"

"You-know-who used to be a normal teenage boy. At some point, Tom Riddle must've felt some genuine pleasant feelings?"

Ginny shuddered at the name of Tom Riddle, and Hermione noticed.

"I.. I-I'm sorry, Gin. Im just rambling stupidly again… forget everything I just said."

Everyone remained quiet.

"Pass the pumpkin juice, please." She said, breaking the silence.

Draco grimaced as he tasted the bitter liquor in his mouth. But he enjoyed strong drinks, they made him feel more masculine, more in control, able to indulge in intensity.

"Maybe we should call it off."

"Your loss anyway."

"Is it really, Draco?"

Draco let out a small growl.

"Why her? You know you'll have anyone else to fuck. Pansy's been whimpering for you for weeks now. How come you suddenly refuse to let out your own sexual stress? You're getting incredibly cranky."

"Reserved." He answered as coolly as he could. "Here's a tip: Controlling yourself will make things more pleasurable when you receive it the next time." He took a sip. "Imagine being deprived of something so wonderful… the next time, you can indulge and it will be better than ever."

"Still confident in getting her, eh?"

"Well you've definitely been no help."

"I said I was sorry."

Draco said nothing.

"I guess some things are easier said than done."

"More difficult to be accomplished, but not necessarily impossible."

"Bedding the mudblood…?" Blaise scoffed.

Draco nodded. "Like I said, Blaise, it doesn't matter if its you or me or Weasley. She's buried herself in books, she's bound to agree."

"I guess so. No one can ignore their sexual needs for too long."

"Indeed." Draco took a long sip from his glass and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To see Pansy."

"Ron," Hermione began, "we need to talk."

Ron raised an eyebrow questioningly, but Hermione raised hers warningly. She pulled him into the corner of the Gryffindor common room.

"What did I do?" Ron pretended to whine and pout.

"You're acting like an idiot." Hermione smirked.

"Well," he started, smirking back at her and moving closer, "you're the one who fell in love with the idiot." He kissed her right on the lips, but he noticed that the curve of her mouth had transformed reluctantly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" she mumbled.

"Yeah right." He took her hand and squeezed it lightly. "Tell me…"

Hermione sighed.

"Ron, about last night…"

"Is this what this is all about….?"

To no one else's surprise but hers, Hermione found herself squirming uncomfortably.

"Hermione…" Ron whispered gently, "it's all right. I love you the same."

"Ron, stop, please."

Ron opened his mouth, but closed it again, urging her to talk and looking at her intently to listen.

"I… I really don't know… I'm really not sure about… about this… about everything…"

"What do you mean everything? … about us?"

Hermione said nothing.

"Do you love me, Hermione?" Ron asked slowly.

She looked up to meet his eyes. "I do." She whispered.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"I don't know…"

"Hermione, we've known each other for so long..."

"Yes. That's why. That's exactly why, Ron. For years I've been hiding what I feel for you."

"Well, same with me. For years I've been hiding my admiration for the beautiful lady who has always been with me. I waited, I debated… And extreme joy for me to find out that the girl I love loves me too. Why should things change between us now?"

"Maybe you waited too long…" she whispered bitterly in her mind.

"Have things changed, Hermione?"

"Things have definitely changed. We both know that."

Author's note: I hope you guys liked that. I'm continuously editing the story as I go along, I admit. But that's because one of my beliefs in writing is re-writing. More or less, im pretty sure of what will happen. I just need to organize a bit. Lol ;)

This chapter, in a nutshell, explains how Hermione's conjured up some hypotheses on Draco, lets you peek into more of Draco and Blaise's world, and shows the current events in Ron and Hermione's relationship. I believe the first part of this chapter was the most significant.

hope you guys can review. i recently explored and loser me, i just found out about the stats. this story ison 254 favs and 143 alerts! what a delight.i hope i get more reviews from you guys.

In the next chapter: surprises! expect the unexpected... maybe. lol :)