Chapter-5: You...?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Hi, guys. Exam finished and I'm so relieved.

Author's note: One of my wonderful readers has commented on love and relationship and I felt the need to say something in response to his/her statement. But alas there was way to reply. So I'm giving my reply here. First of all, I want to say that every people doesn't think like you or me. People have different opinion on life and love and everything. So when I say this then it's only my opinion not everyone's. I agree with your second statement. However I find it difficult to agree with you on your first statement. 'Love' in my opinion, isn't a something or someone that you can control as you see fit. Its not a toy you can play with or a machine that you can control with your mind and command as you like. You can't decide and control with whom you may fall in love with. It is something that cannot see coming or get a warning beforehand. It occurs suddenly and slowly. You can't touch it. Can't hold it. And can't control it. Its just feeling you get when you care enough about another person.

To answer you second statement, I also hate short-term relationships and also don't believe in such. I support long-term relationships with commitments. I'm not afraid of making any commitments and think that it is good to be in a relationship where both are committed to each other. I think it shows that how much effort the other is putting to make the relationship work and the relationship is successful. So finally I want to say that whatever you may think about love and relationship, it's totally your own opinion. And I'm just sharing my opinion on the subject.

~Thanks for the review~

Draco was very much frustrated and angry. He didn't get a ounce of sleep last night seeing as he was waiting up for that bloody woman who forgot to call him. What was he thinking? Waiting up the whole night for a stranger whom he met just yesterday. Well, ok. He talked to her on phone.

Yeah. And I didn't even see her. She's a complete stranger to me. Why I'm even bothering with her I don't know? This is all because of Astoria. Draco thought bitterly.

A few months ago, Draco and Astoria broke up when Draco found out that Astoria was seeing Theodore Nott behind his back when he and Astoria was still in relationship. Their relationship ended with a good two hours of shouting and arguing. That time, Astoria blamed him that he couldn't keep a decent witch. His pride and ego got hurt terribly when she said this and from the on Draco was completely picky about entering into another relationship and since then he was single. He didn't want someone who love him only for his money and influence.

After his father going to Askaban and with his mother totally distressed over it, Draco had to take the responsibility of the whole company and his mother on his shoulder. By now, with the support of his mother and the help from the employees of the company he was able to become one of the youngest successors of Malfoy Industries. It's been two years since the war and everything was going alright until his recent break with his girlfriend of seven months. Following his breakup, his mother become persistent and told him that he should marry quickly and bring home a lovely wife.

She even brought some proposal for him that annoyed him to no end. All the girls were beautiful and from rich and influential family but he refused all of them. When his mother looked that it was useless to bring proposals, she stopped doing that and started pestering him about which girls he met everyday or if he met someone new.

Truth to be told, after his heartbreak from Astoria he became wary of getting into another relationship and worse falling in love. He actually loved Astoria a lot. He didn't want to get hurt again. But that woman. There was something about her that attracted him to her. That was why, he was so anxious and excited about the prospect of having the chance to talk to her again.

But she didn't call him. Maybe he was wrong about her. Maybe not. All these thoughts and confusions frustrated him. He needed to let all his frustrations out. He needed a drink and someone to rent his thoughts to. Blaise. Draco thought with a smirk and got up to get ready to meet his best friend.

Hermione woke up in the morning feeling happy if not a little disconcerted. Like she was forgetting something but couldn't remember what. She got up early as always and got into shower. After half an hour of nice warm shower, she dressed and got herself a quick breakfast.

Hermione apparated to the Ministry of Magic. She walked into her own office and wasn't surprised in the least to see Harry sitting in her chair. Harry smiled at her as she entered the room and got up to greet her.

"Hello, Hermione. Fancy seeing you so early." Hermione swatted the black haired boy's arm playfully but couldn't help smiling herself. "Hello, Harry. It's nice to see you. So how are you?"

"Fine, I guess."

"Hmm...So... What are you doing here now? I mean, you are always welcome. But you just didn't come here to say 'hello' ."

"No. Well, you know about that case of Austria. Some Death Eaters hiding there..."

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, that lead was too a dead end. But we found some evidence. And it's some kind of code. And..."

"...you need me to intercept it."

"Right."

"Okay. I'll help."

Hermione sat on the chair of her desk with Harry sitting across from her. Hermione worked on some paperwork whilst listening to Harry filling her in about the recent findings of the case. After Hermione finished her work, she and Harry decided to eat lunch together and discuss the case more over lunch. She'd a meeting after lunch, so she wanted everything ready before meeting. So, she readied everything before going out for lunch with Harry.

Draco hurriedly finished his work and apparated straight to the Ministry. It was almost lunchtime, so he thought to go out with Blaise and get a quick lunch before going to a bar nearby. He went to the Auror's department and knocked on the door that bore the name 'Blaise' in golden letters. Blaise had been working in the Auror department for two years as Harry Potter's partner. As Potter was recently made the Head Auror position, so he asked Blaise to be his assistant. Over this two years, Potter and Blaise had become good friends.

Draco couldn't even start to think how that was even possible. He shook his head and strode inside the room with before Blaise could respond.

Blaise looked up to see Draco on his office door, not surprised in the least to see the blonde haired boy in his office at this time.

"What's up, man? Everything okay?" Blaise asked conversationally. Draco heaved a sigh plopping down in the chair in front of his desk. Ignoring his question, Draco proposed, "Let's get out for lunch." Blaise raised an eyebrow silently asking 'what is going on with you?' But when Draco didn't answer, he said, "I've already ordered lunch. The foods are always more than for one people. We could share the lunch and then go for a drink. My treat."

Draco thought about it for a while and replied, "Ok."

They ate together while Draco explained why he was in a grumpy mood today. After finishing lunch, Blaise cleared the table with a flick of his hand and started to sort out the papers of the case he was working on. Then he and Draco left his office.

They were just turning the corner of the corridor leading to the lifts when Draco suddenly bumped into someone. He looked up and saw Granger had bumped into him. Both opened their mouth and said simultaneously, "You...?" They closed their mouth. Instantly, his face darkened. His foul mood becoming more foul by the minute. Both Draco and Hermione stood their staring at each other, both of their faces turning into angry scowls. Both stood glaring at each other. Defiantly lifting their chins to show their superiority to each other.

After the war was over, Draco was freed given the fact that he was forced into being a Death Eater by Voldemort himself and he was a teenager who was doing what he was doing only to save his family. Even though Draco was civilized with most of the people fighting for the light side, his relationship with Hermione remained unchangeable. Because no attempts were made from either side of the party. There was too much animosity and hatred between them to ever recover that.

It wasn't like they even want to. And even if they did they didn't know how to. Because whenever they interacted with each other, they fought, shouted and insulted. They never uttered a sentenced that didn't contain or meant as an insult. One time they actually attempted when they were forced by Harry and Blaise and that turned into a disaster with Draco and Hermione accusing each other of being upright and prejudice. So both Harry and Blaise stopped trying.

After a few moments passed, Draco opened his mouth first, still continuing the staring contrast that was silently raging between them. "Watch where you're going, Granger." "I believe..." Hermione started with the same venom in her voice. "...that you're the one who was lost in his little world of thoughts." "Shut up, Granger. You don't know if I was walking looking down. For all I see and say is that you were one who was lost in your world of Weasley fantasies." Draco replied scornfully and raised an elegant eyebrow at her mockingly.

Hermione, on the other hand was fuming. She was so ready to hex the Malfoy prat to the next century. But she controlled her anger, chanting 'hes not worth it' 'hes not worth it' in her head like a mantra. Hermione suddenly smirked in a way that rival Malfoy's. "Well well, Malfoy. Why so sour? Did Greengrass broke your little heart? Oh sorry, I forgot you didn't have a heart."

It was known fact now to the Wizarding world that Draco actually loved Astoria Greengrass but she cheated on him with Theodore Nott. And that he was reluctant to get into another relationship after such heartbreak. Draco didn't know how the media got hold of this information. Only his mother and Blaise knew about this. And now the whole Wizarding community.

Draco started seeing red. He was about to respond with a 'Why you' when Blaise put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Let it go, mate." Draco shrugged his hand and left without so much as a glance towards anyone. Hermione curtly nodded her head to Blaise and also left hurriedly. As both Draco and Hermione left, Harry and Blaise sighed and thought Will they ever get over it? They talked to each other before leaving for the own destinations.

Another chapter here.

This chapter is mainly to show how the relationship between Draco and Hermione is.

So...Enjoy and review.