Author's Note: I am so very sorry for the tremendously late update. Be assured that I haven't forgotten this story at all. It's just been a hectic couple of months with my best friend's dad dying, my cat dying, exams knocking at the door and just essentially life getting in the way of this story :(I'll be updating this weekly from now on. I love you and I hope you like this chapter.

Harry looked at Hermione, a tiny smirk dancing along the corner of his lips.

"And what would you have me drink? Wine doesn't do it for me", Harry drawled.

Hermione snapped her gaze back at him. Here she was thinking about how adorable he looked, and how much she missed him and the petty bastard was more concerned with riling her up. Rolling her eyes and wiping her brow, Hermione flicked a piece of non-existent lint from her coat. He did not have to come over. In fact, Hermione thought it would be better if he didn't. She did not trust herself around him and she sure as hell did not trust this Harry. He might look, talk and smell like her Harry, but there was a darker, snarkier vein flowing through him all the time. He laughed, but it was never real. His eyes were the same old as ever, with mischief crinkling the corners, but now there was something predatory lurking around the corner somewhere, something cold, hollow and inexpressibly empty.

Someone cleared their throat nearby. Oh right, he was still here. Hermione groaned internally. Why had she asked him if he wanted a drink? She would like the entire bottle right about now.

What Hermione also wanted right now was to run away from this place, from Harry, from everything and just forget about it all. But, who was she kidding? She was not going to leave now, when there was a chance that the DA was back in action. A bittersweet smile tugged at her lips as an image of a young Harry leading the DA sprung up unbidden. Tears swam up in her eyes. Hastily, she tried to blink them away.

"Geez, I know you all don't like us creatures, but I didn't know a drink with me would make you cry", Harry drawled from the willow he was leaning against. The wind had blown the hair onto his face and he looked miffed.

Hermione let out a shaky laugh. Considering it a sure waste of time even trying to bring her thoughts and feelings into a neat bundle, she pulled at his hand and motioned for him to follow her.

As Hermione closed the door to her tiny residence, she noticed Harry shuffling into the house and clearly having a hard time deciding where it was he should sit. This was not like last time. She had invited him here and he neither knew why, nor how he was supposed to behave around her now. He didn't have many friends and the only ones he had were creatures or a few colleagues with whom he sometimes went out for a Friday evening drink at the local pub. Ignoring him, Hermione headed straight for the kitchen. She fiddled with the kettle and the spoons as she put on some tea. Tea was scarce and she usually rationed it, but she had such a splitting headache that rationing would just not cut it today. Harry finally decided to sit on the chair in front of the kitchen counter and promptly started playing with the wind chime that she had hung above it.

"Here you go, Potter. Tea with herbs."

Harry stared at the cup in front of him and narrowed his eyes. He sniffed the orange liquid and looked up at her. "Why are you being so chummy with me? What do you know about me and why the fuck can I not remember? And seriously, tea?! Who gives tea to a vampire when there's a warm vein right in front of him?", he snarled menacingly. Hermione huffed and sat down. As tired as she was, she was not in the mood for a vampire's theatrics. Especially not this one's!

"You don't have to drink it if you don't want to. And as much as I'd like to tell you everything, I can't. Just know that you are important to me and I don't know but do you want to be friends? As much as I hate to say this, but I need you...your help I mean."

Harry stared at her. Important? To a witch?

"You'll have to be more forthcoming, darling. How exactly am I important and what do you want from me? And how do you know I won't ask a price for my help?"Harry stormed angrily as he stood up, pretty ready to leave.

Hermione sighed. This was getting to be more difficult than she had thought. Hermione placed her hand on Harry's palm and laced their fingers together. Harry flinched and tried to get his palm away, but she couldn't allow him to get away. She coaxed him to turn towards her and looked him in the eyes. "You will have to trust me. Just please. We need to get into the Carnivalesque Ball on Friday. You need to help me. Harry, I'm begging you."

He looked at her then. His lower lip quivered as he sat back down. Something flashed in front of his eyes. A young boy looking at a mirror. A young girl in a library. He shook his head. She had said his name. Maybe he could trust her. Maybe he could have her in his life for a bit longer that way?

"Deal. We do this together. But, one step out the way, Hermione, and I'm out. I won't look back."

Hermione smiled. This felt just like the old days, back in the forest, them against the world. As Harry reached for the cup of tea, Hermione's smile grew even wider. Maybe there was hope, yet? Just maybe?

Note: Next chapter, we will be seeing Harry and Hermione sneaking into the ball to find out more about what Daphne means. Let me know in the comments about what you think would happen because I already have an idea. Maybe yours would be the same. I'd really love to check other ideas as well.R n R= Love Love Love XO