Nearly a week passed by since Harry and Ron had seen Hermione and Draco together. They hadn't really seen her much, she was always avoiding them, it seemed. She would practically run down the halls in order to go to class, and always managed to come in the classes they had together just before the bell and right after class was over, so they didn't have a chance to confront her. As soon as they would come into the common room, she would dash up to her dorm. Once, outraged by overhearing a remark Draco made to Crabbe and Goyle about her, he was headed to the girls dormitory to see her, but was shortly intersepted by Parvati and Lavender. They had obviously been in on the recently formed relationship. But why? They were Griffyndors and Draco was a....a....oh alright...he was a SLYTHERIN!
"For gods sake girls, you know about this? Why don't you talk to her, tell her...tell her he's no good. He's a complete....a complete-"
" RON! That's enough!"
Hermione had come out of the door, hearing all the yelling. Ron could be very loud when he needed to be.
"Ron, you want to know why I am with Draco?" The grimace, then gulp she could see in Ron's throat told her he did...
"Ever since you and Harry have been fighting about me, you never really stopped to consider how it was making ME feel. I never want to hurt you, EITHER of you. But you didn't seem to care if you hurt ME. I don't want to lose our friendship!" Parvati and Lavender were leaning against the wall scowling at ron. Parvati decided she would interupt her friend for a moment.
"Ron, you and Harry fighting, had such an affect on Hermione here. You never even stopped to think about what you were doing to poor Granger! Neither of you thought about talking to HER about it! You two had her worrying about you and she cried herself to sleep almost every night thinking about losing your...and Harrys friendship!"
"Anyway," Hermione continued as Ron gulped yet again...Hermione, he thought, CRYING over us? He felt his heart swell with regret..."Even Draco noticed what you were doing to me. Draco, Ron, our enemy...so I thought." she continued as Ron's face redened at the thought of DRACO, Draco Malfoy, touching HIS friend.
"One day, you two had a big fight and I ran to the empty DADA classroom to cry. Malfoy had come back to get the book that was taken away from him, when he saw me in the back corner, crying. I knew he was going to say something, but was surprised when he came over and knelt beside me. His face showed something I had never seen before, CONCERN, Ron. He didn't say anything, but he knelt down and HUGGED me. He just held me while I cried. Something no one has ever done for me before. Later, we talked about you guys. He was so mad at you, but he showed nothing but compassion toward me as we spoke. I know you three will never get along, but will you just, please, don't be mad at me. I have needed someone for a long time, and Malfoy is what I need right now. He understands what I am going through. He has apologized for all of the things he has said to me, Ron, but I know that won't convince you. You weren't there, Ron, you didn't see his eyes, see them when they looked into mine to tell me of all the things he regretted. He poured his soul out to me" Ron had to keep himself from sniggering as he thought about what she had said, MALFOY? Having a SOUL? Who'd have thought....But his thoughts were interupted as Hermione continued.
"And I poured my soul out to him Ron. Everything that has been bothering me. He just listened to me, and I could tell he really cared. Just do me a favor and talk to Harry, Ron. Please. Stay my friend, stay HIS friend. Please understand Ron. I know how pigheade...uh..erm, subborn you can be" Hermione blushed as her story began to sink in. He made a sort of a grunt, which Hermione knew as a sort of laugh. She smiled at him, her big brown eyes glassy from the tears she held back. He laughed. He had forgiven her, even though she knew he would never forgive Mal..er Draco. It would take some getting used to, to remember to call him Draco. Then, Ron did something she didn't expect him to, she thought it might take a while for him to do it again. She wrapped her arms around him in the hug he had given her. She heard a faint
and quick "i'm sorry...." in her ear, that was Ron's apology. She sighed with relief until she spotted half the common room looking at her with knowing eyes. They had heard every word. Ron had gotten their attention from his yelling, she supposed. Then Harry came over, his eyes pointed to the floor. "I am sorry Hermione....Ron..." He lifted his eyes in time to see Hermione and Ron pull him into their hug.
Fred and George had come in the common room just in time to hear their brother apologize, something they had rarely seen from Ron. They slumped sheepishly over to them looking at the floor and muttering 'I'm sorries' under their breaths, obviousley mocking Harry and Ron for being so, well, pigheaded.
" Oh no," chortled Ron, "your not getting in on this hug...Uhn uh!" But just as soon as the words left Ron's mouth, the two twins jumped on them, Ron guessed as an attempted hug, and they fell to the ground laughing.
The laughter suddenly ceased as Snape entered the common room. What was HE doing in here? He began to speak in that slimy voice of his, and called for Hermione to come forward. He spoke quietly, though you could see Hermione getting red in the face with rage. He smiled deviously as he left, and Hermione stomped over to Harry and Ron. Only a few rage filled words left her mouth in a hoarse scream before she ran up to the girls dorm
"SNAPE, FOUND OUT, PANSY TOLD, ME AND MALFOY, IN THE DADA CLASSROOM, KISSING......JEALOUS BITTER....FIFTY POINTS..."
They also found out that she'd gotten TWO detentions with Snape (NOT a person you'd want to spend a detention with) and Malfoy didn't even get yelled at. WHY...Harry wanted to KILL Snape!
___________

The next morning at breakfast, he saw Hermione with a red, swollen face, with Malfoy's arm around her. Man, did Harry HATE him! But, to his amazement, Malfoy's face had ALSO looked like he'd been crying all night. Hermione came to sit next to Harry, and Harry saw Malfoy look longingly after her, then sit at his OWN table, far away from any other Slytherin, he noticed. He took a bite of buttered toast, before speaking to Hermione
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A/N:Sorry, first writing, anyone like it? If not, then oh well, alas I tried! I started this as an addition to a love story message board....I don't think I am going to keep it as a love story though...I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet, though I'll figure something out. Reviews everyone! I want to know if you like it so I can continue the story! I don't want to write more if no one likes it!!! Loves and huggles!!!!