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Chapter 29 -

Draco's right hand was on top of her dress, resting on her thigh. He had just leaned over and kissed her shoulder, and now he was leaning over to kiss her lips, properly. He leaned his body into hers, and as she turned her face to his, to kiss him, she instead screamed. "Watch out!"

Oliver Wood came to a screeching halt within a meter of Draco and Hermione, as they sat together on the ground. Draco threw his body over hers, as Oliver climbed off his broom.

"Goodness, are you two okay? I'm dreadfully sorry. I didn't realize I was so close," Oliver said, reaching his hand out to Hermione.

Draco rolled off her body, and as he stood, he pushed Oliver's hand aside with his body. He reached down and helped Hermione stand. Soon, all the others were riding their brooms down to the trio.

Hermione was shaken, but all right. She brushed the skirt of her dress down, and said, "No harm, Oliver, just be careful."

He winked at her, and said to everyone, "Right chaps, back to the game." The rest of the group mounted their brooms, and sped back up to the sky. Oliver turned back to Hermione and said, "Sure you're alright there, Granger?"

"I'm fine, Oliver," Hermione said, "Thanks to Draco."

"Oh, right, Malfoy, thanks for saving our girl," Oliver said, slapping him, a bit hard, on the shoulder. He looked back at Hermione and said, "After the game, perhaps we could take a walk together, Hermione. Get reacquainted."

"You're out of line, Wood," Malfoy said.

Oliver looked confused, and said, "Excuse me, Malfoy? Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean, Hermione and I are together, so you won't be walking anywhere with her. I think you probably already deduced that, when you interrupted us by 'accidentally running into us' with your broom," Draco said, unabashed.

Oliver smiled, laughed, turned to Hermione and said, "Really? Malfoy? Goodness, Granger, I never would have guessed. How long have you two been dating?"

Before Hermione or Draco could answer, Ginny yelled, "Oliver, the game!"

"Right!" Oliver yelled back. He turned back to Hermione and said, "I still would like that walk, if your bodyguard would allow it. See you in a bit, Hermione. Malfoy." Oliver mounted his broom, kicked off hard from the ground, and rejoined the game.

Hermione was glad that Ginny called Oliver back to the game. She didn't want to tell him that Draco and she had only been dating for a day. He wouldn't have understood. Hermione wasn't even sure she understood. She turned back to Draco, and saw that he was walking down the hill, back toward the house.

She ran up to him, pulled on his arm, and said, "What's wrong?"

"So, you did date Wood?" Draco asked.

"Not really," Hermione said.

"He said he wanted to get 'reacquainted', which means you were once acquainted," Draco surmised.

"You are absurd!" Hermione stated.

"So, you never dated him?" Draco asked, feeling more at ease. There was an extended silence. He frowned. "Granger?"

"Fine, but it was only one date, a very long time ago, and right after Ron left," she admitted.

"You said you only had a crush on him, when you were young," Draco said.

"And that was true, I did," she assured him.

"You never said you dated!" Draco almost shouted. Hermione looked up at the sky, and she could see that everyone was playing except for Oliver, who was looking down at them.

"We didn't date!" Hermione seethed. "We just went out once."

Draco threw his hands in the air, and brought them to rest on her shoulders, and he said, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Granger, but going out once constitutes a date, hence, you dated!" He let go of her shoulders, and pointed up at Oliver. "Were you lying as well when you said he wasn't one of the five?"

"The five?" Hermione asked, "For goodness sakes, Draco! No he wasn't!"

"How can I believe that? You said you never dated him either, and yet I find out you did. So maybe when you say he wasn't one of the five men you had sex with, you were lying about that as well!" Draco spouted.

"He wasn't one of 'the five', Malfoy!" Hermione said, "Besides, I told you, we only went out once. I hardly think I would sleep with someone after only dating them once!"

"Really, Granger?" Draco said. "You haven't even dated me once, and you slept with me!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted saying them.

She looked so hurt, that he immediately felt ashamed. "That's a low blow, and uncalled for. Really, Draco, you said you wouldn't hurt me, but saying something like that hurts me more than Ron's cheating." She turned to leave him, but he grabbed her arm.

"That was bang out of line, but I won't apologize," Draco said. Damn, he should apologize, but he was still angry.

"I wouldn't expect you to, Malfoy. Not you. Never you. You wouldn't apologize for anything, would you?" She had tears in her eyes.

"Now you're out of line," he said softly. No she wasn't. He was now angrier with himself, than with her. He took a deep breath, and grabbed her hands. "Listen, Hermione, I'm a stupid fool. I apologize. I really do. I'm being a bloody, jealous, fool, and while it's not an excuse, it is the reason I'm acting this way."

"How could you bring up the fact that I slept with you like that?" she asked, leaning into his arms. He stroked her hair.

"I'm a bastard, that's why. Hey, Granger, why didn't it work with Wood? I mean, if you had a crush on him all those years, why didn't it work? Was he a cad, or something?" Draco could only hope. She walked back over to where they sat before, and sat back on the ground. He sat down beside her.

"I don't know why it didn't work. It just didn't," she said.

"Of course you know. Tell me," Draco prodded. She looked at the ground. He took her hand. "Isn't he your type?"

"No, I suppose he's my type," Hermione said meekly.

"If he's your type, then why aren't you walking around with an engagement ring on your finger? Why isn't he down here with you, instead of me?" Draco asked. She met his gaze and then looked away again. He put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Because."

"Because, why, Hermione?"

"Listen, Malfoy, Oliver is a kind, sweet, nice, good-looking man," Hermione said.

"But…" Draco coached.

"But nothing," Hermione said.

"There has to be a 'but'," Draco said.

"There is no 'but'," Hermione told him.

"There had better be a 'but' Hermione!" Draco said, turning his body to look at her.

"No, no 'but'," Hermione said. She tried to stand back up, but he grabbed her hands in his, keeping her on the ground.

"Granger, if that sentence doesn't have a 'but' in it, I swear, I am out of here!" he yelled.

"You're ridiculous," she said.

He stood up and started walking toward the house. She scrambled to her feet and ran after him. She grabbed his arm, turned him around, and said, "Fine! I thought of a 'but'!"

"Too late!" Draco said.

"No it's not," she said.

"I think I know when it's too late," he said.

"You can't decide when something is too late," she said. "Those are the types of decisions we must make together. I say it's not too late, you say it is. Since there is no consensus, it's not too late," Hermione reasoned.

Draco cocked his head to the side, narrowed one eye, and said, "It sounds like what you're saying is if you don't think it's too late, than it's not. It sounds as if what YOU want is the deciding factor."

She sighed, threw her hands in the air, and said, "You know what, Malfoy? You are right! It is too late!" Now she started toward the house. He caught up with her and turned her around.

"You can't decide it's too late!" he said.

"I certainly can, and I certainly did! Good day, Draco!" Hermione started back toward the house.

"Granger!" he bellowed. She stopped, but didn't turn around. "Do you know what this fight means? It means we're close to our first anniversary. My goodness, why didn't I see this before? Jealously, a lie, fighting…it all adds up!" She turned to tell him he was insane, when he grabbed her shoulders, pulled her toward him , and kissed her hard on the lips. "Happy Anniversary, darling."

She was beyond words. He was insane. She didn't know whether to kiss him back, or hex his arse into next week. Finally, she decided on a third choice of action. "May I tell you my 'but' now?"

He put his arms around her, kissing her neck. "Tell me, Hermione." His mouth left a trail of hot, wet kisses down the long column of her neck. He decided he would rather kiss her than fight with her any day.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her eyes closed. His mouth on her neck felt heavenly, and her legs felt weak in the knees.

His mouth traveled to the other side of her neck, where it left another row of kisses. "Tell me," he murmured against her pulse point.

"I was going to say that Oliver is one of the nicest, sweetest, kindest, best looking men I know…" before she could finish, he put his hand over her mouth.

"I recall that part, there's no need to reiterate old news, get to the 'but' part," he said staring in her eyes.

"But," she said, "He isn't you. He's not my soul mate. He's not who I was waiting for, looking for, hoping for, because I was waiting for you, Malfoy. I know that in my heart. I love you."

He smiled, but said, "Gee, all that build up for you to tell me something I already know. Where's the fun in that?"

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