HELLO! THE "_" MEANS A CHANGE IN POV, THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON THIS CHAPTER I FELT THE NEED TO CHANGE POV WITHIN THE CHAPTER! I HOPE YOU LIKE IT SO FAR!

Hermione felt rage coursing through her veins. The pure audacity of this man was unmatched and it made her irrationally angry. They were having such a nice day, getting along and even enjoying each other's company. Only to have Ronald come bursting in, ruining it all. She couldn't focus on the fact that Draco had stepped in to protect her, nor could she focus on the fact that she was happy about that. She couldn't think about anything other than her anger towards her former best friend and lover. She'd ask him what he was thinking, but she was pretty sure she already knew. He thought that she should be happy to see him, that she should defend him no matter what. He thought that Draco's mere presence was a betrayal, and she knew she'd never convince him otherwise. So instead of trying, all she did was step forward and greet him, through the skin of her teeth.

"Ronald." She seethed. She noticed Draco stiffen next to her, and Harry stepped forward protectively. Ginny seemingly stayed back, which was an odd reaction for her to have.

"That's all you have to say! While standing next to this…this…DEATH EATER!" Ron's words were fast and sharp. He emphasized the last two words for dramatic effect.

"I didn't realize standing next to a person was a crime." Hermione retorted, voice even. She could feel how uncomfortable the words Ron said made Draco, his breaths short and jagged in her ear.

"Bloody hell Hermione! Are you a traitor now too?" Ron asked, throwing his hands in the air aggressively.

"Ronald go home." Hermione said, ignoring his statement completely. Hermione suddenly felt Draco move away from her, she turned slightly to see him talking with Ginny for a split second and leaving a second later with a POP. Hermione wondered where he went, but turned back to Ron to see if he had noticed. He was so caught up in his own world, that he had not.

"HE'S A DEATH EATER! A MURDERER AND YOU STAND WITH HIM INSTEAD OF WITH ME?!" Ron's rage had reached a new level, his jealousy obviously running wild. Hermione was just about to tell him that Draco had left when she heard two more POPs. She was stunned to see George there, looking almost just as mad as Ron. "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MINE AND YOU!" Ron rounded on Harry. "ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MY BEST FRIEND BUT YOU ARE BREAKING BREAD WITH THE LIKES OF HIM?" Ron was inches from Harry's face, but Harry was unphased. Hermione felt Draco return to his earlier spot next to her, and she instinctively reached her hand back to graze his. She felt a familiar spark, but was ripped from her thoughts by George's booming voice.

"OY!" George yelled, causing Ron to pause for the first time. "Why are you being such an outright git?" George asked, hands on his hips similar to how Mrs Weasley does.

"DO YOU NO-"

"Inside voices Ronald." George spat mockingly, pulling out a chair and sitting on it with his leg crossed.

"NOT NO-" This time Ron was not interrupted, but merely silenced. Hermione spun around to her friends as Ron rambled on all the while no one could hear him.

"I'm sorry, but I can't." She said softly, making her way past her friends and out the back door of the home. It seemed Ron had finally noticed that he was silenced, as he crossed his arms and finally stopped trying to talk.

"I should…" Draco started, but Harry interjected.

"Let me…" Draco looked unconvinced, so Harry added. "...please." Harry's voice was soft, and Draco nodded. Harry spun on his heels and headed after Hermione.

"While he's erm…unable to speak." George said awkwardly. "Can I ask what is going on with you two?" George said, a hint of humor to his voice. Draco glanced at Ron, who seemed enraged by his brother's question.

"He can still hear us, you know." Draco answered, eyeing George suspiciously.

"Oh I know, I just wanted to see how you'd react." George answered, laughing to himself.

"Cut it out George." Ginny said sharply. "I sent him to get you so you could diffuse this, not add to his bad behavior." Ginny looked madder than Draco had ever seen her. Her face was the same shade as her hair, a trait she seemed to share with her older brother. Draco wondered how often this type of thing happened, considering how nonchalantly it was being handled by his siblings.

"What exactly do you want me to do Gin? He's gone absolutely mental!" George said, pointing at Ron aggressively.

"He can hear you." Draco stated firmly.

"I know that." George said plainly back.

"He'll also be able to speak back pretty soon." Draco said, causing the siblings to look at him quite confused. "Hermione has been gone for a bit, and spells don't linger on a person for that long once the caster changes focus." Draco said in a tone that almost matched Hermione's know it all one.

"No wonder she li-"

"I can fix that." Ginny jumped in, eyeing George. Even though Ginny tried to save it, Draco knew exactly what George was going to say. She likes me? No he's just trying to get a rise out of me, it's gotta be. Draco was seconds away from getting caught up in his thoughts when he heard Ron's booming voice again, this time yelling at George.

"I thought you were fixing it." Draco whispered to Ginny.

"No matter how long we force him to be silent, it'll never fix the issue at hand." Ginny said stoically. Draco didn't necessarily disagree with her, but he was surprised by how unemotional she was about it all. The way she was handling the situation was very…Slytherin of her. Draco smirked at the thought, and then excused himself. He was pretty sure whatever needed to be said would be between the three siblings. Draco went to find Aunt Meda, to apologize for it all, but found her sitting in the living room, perfectly peaceful. As he watched her knitting calmly, he suddenly connected all the dots.

"You did this on purpose." He said, causing her to chuckle lightly.

"In truth, I didn't think he would come." Andromeda said, putting her project down on the table.

"Well he did, and it's chaotic." Draco said, taking a seat next to her. He glanced around, wondering where Harry and Hermione got off to.

"They are out back dear." She said, creepingly on point to what he was thinking. "She's fine." She added, and Draco relaxed a little bit. "I saw you today you know…stepping in front of her like that." Andromeda had a wide smile on her face. "Even if you don't like her yet, she's bringing out sides of you that I'd like to see more of."

Draco wanted to tell her she was wrong, but he couldn't. He felt oddly protective over her today, and that was a feeling he had long thought was gone from him. The last person he felt this way for was his mother, and he shuddered at the thought of what his "protection" got her. He decided at that moment that he needed to be much more careful with Hermione. He wouldn't choose to sit on the sidelines for fear of overstepping, he'd just act. In one swift motion, he rose from his spot and made his way towards the backyard.

Hermione knew someone would follow her, but she didn't care much. She needed to get out of that toxic interaction as fast as possible. She passed Andromeda on her way out, and she wondered where Teddy was. She was sure he was just in his room playing with something, or maybe Ron had scared him into hiding out for a bit. Hermione made her way to the swinging bench in the yard, and let herself fill with the rage she was trying to control back there. She punched the rubber column next to her, but it didn't make her feel much better.

"He's an ass." She heard Harry's voice before she felt him sit beside her. He draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "He has no right to act this way." He added, trying his best to console her.

"I'm tired of it." Hermione answered, voice hoarse with emotion.

"Me too." There was a comfortable silence that fell between them, understanding each other so well. "Even if you did like Malfoy…" Harry started, and Hermione immediately jumped out of his grasp, ready to argue. Harry put his hand up in protest of her reaction, and rolled his eyes before speaking again. "...I did say if." He paused, Hermione sat back down. "That's your business. He has no right to make any demands out of you." Harry said firmly.

"Well that may be true, but it hasn't stopped him from trying." Hermione answered sadly.

"'Mione, I love Ron, I really really do, but I also love you." Harry's voice was soft, Hermione's eyes welled up with tears.

"Love you too Harry." Hermione barely got the words out. Although her and Harry had always been very close, they weren't big on feelings. It was awkward to express them so freely, but it was words they already knew were true. "I still love Ron too…" Harry eyed her. "...somewhere deep down…" She added, smiling slightly. "...but I am really happy where I am now, and as much as I hate to admit it, Malfoy is part of that happiness in a small way." Hermione felt as though she was searching for her feelings to be validated. "I am not going to sabotage myself to make him happy anymore." Hermione's mini speech ended with a firmer, more confident tone behind it.

"You shouldn't have had to in the first place." Harry answered evenly, turning slightly to look at Hermione more fully. "I know you always liked Ron, but I think a part of you was always compromising what you really wanted by being with him." Harry's words hit Hermione like a train. She knew he was right, and that's what made it sting even more. "'Mione, you deserve a guy who is everything you want. You deserve a guy that can match your intelligence, but doesn't need to. You deserve a guy who has more than the emotional range of a teaspoon." Hermione and Harry laughed harder than expected. "Sorry I had to." Harry added, still calming down from his laughing fit. "I mean it though "Mione. I want you to get everything you ever wanted from a guy, and I can obviously see that Ron was not checking the boxes." Harry finished his speech and got up from his seat. Hermione looked at him strangely, and he leaned down to her. "Ron will be gone by the time you come back in, but maybe you should be honest with him in the meantime." Harry whispered, kissing her lightly on the head and shooting a glance towards the house. Hermione saw that Draco was heading towards her, looking rather worried.

For a split second Hermione froze. She knew what Harry meant, but how could he expect her to announce feelings to a man who all but despises her. Maybe Harry doesn't think Draco hates me anymore. Maybe he sees something I don't. What am I supposed to do? Tell him I felt safe with him today? How lame does that sound? I don't even know if what I am feeling is feelings, or just dislike moving to tolerance. Okay maybe a little more than tolerance. Hermione continued to argue with herself until Draco arrived in front of her. Neither of them said a word while Draco took the seat that Harry left open beside her.