Chapter 5: Strange Things, Talking and The Plan.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize from the Harry Potter books, they are owned by the wonderful writer, J.K. Rowling! And I don't own Jennifer Lopez, she owns herself as well as her song I'm Gonna Be Alright! I also don't own Eminem, he owns himself and his song, Cleaning Out My Closet! I don't anything but the plot!

(A/N Thanks to Eliza, Amanda, EclipseKlutz, and SpEcIaL oNe for reviewing chapter 4!!! PLEASE review!!!!! Thanks for reading! And sorry for the long wait, I've been sick. Well, hope you like this chapter!!)

Hermione woke up early, 8:54 in the morning. She looked down and saw Draco's arm still draped around her and his head resting on her shoulder. He was still sleeping, and Hermione didn't want to wake him so she just lay there for a while, thinking. If Harry is going out with Ginny, she thought, I'm free to go out with Draco! This was perfect! She almost jumped up, but stopped herself, remembering Draco was still asleep. So Hermione decided to wait a while before telling him.

After a few minutes, she got bored and reached across the table quietly to get the stereo remote. Hermione picked it up off the floor and switched on the music, careful to turn it down so it wouldn't wake up Draco. She searched the CD for a while until she found the song she wanted to listen to. I'm Gonna Be Alright by Jennifer Lopez.

It's funny cause for a while

I walked around with a smile but

Deep inside I could hear voices telling me this ain't right

Don't you know it's not for you

I always knew what I had to do

But it's hard to get away

Because I love you I just tried to stay

I used to say I couldn't do it, but I did it

After telling everybody that I wasn't with it

Though it brings tears to my eyes, I can feel it

And I know inside I'm gonna be alright



At this point Hermione turned up the music a touch and sang along.

I used to say I couldn't do it, but I did it

After telling everybody that I wasn't with it

Though it brings tears to my eyes, I can feel it

And I know inside I'm gonna be alright



Friends of mine say to me

They say you got control over me

You're not alone, I played a part

I saw the way you were from the start

Could I expect so much from you

You had a girl when I first met you

Did the best that you could do

Now I realize I can't change you

I used to say I couldn't do it, but I did it

After telling everybody that I wasn't with it

Though it brings tears to my eyes, I can feel it

And I know inside I'm gonna be alright



Draco started to stir and woke up, but Hermione didn't notice him so he lay perfectly still and listened to her sing.



I used to say I couldn't do it, but I did it

After telling everybody that I wasn't with it

Though it brings tears to my eyes, I can feel it

And I know inside I'm gonna be alright

Said I wouldn't walk away

Somedays I want to stay

But leaving you is what I need to do to be okay

Never thought it would be true

Me livin' without you

But now it's time for me to make a move



I used to say I couldn't do it, but I did it

After telling everybody that I wasn't with it

Though it brings tears to my eyes, I can feel it

And I know inside I'm gonna be alright



Draco started clapping as the song faded away and another song came on.

"You're a really good singer, Hermione!" he laughed at the shocked expression on her face.

"I-I thought you were asleep!" she stammered.

"Well, I woke up!"

"You could have told me!"

"But the you would have stopped singing!" Draco complained.

"Ya, but still!" Hermione argued.

"Why don't you share your singing with anyone?" Draco asked, getting more serious.

"I don't know. I'm too shy I guess." She admitted.

"Oh."

"Ya."

"So....." Draco said, obviously trying to say something, but not quite getting it out.

"What?" She asked, looking at his face.

"Well..." he answered, putting on the smirk that Hermione had seen so many times since their first year. But this time it was softer, more kind. "Well, now that we've slept together, will you be my girlfriend?"

"That's not fair!" Hermione said, putting a pretend mad and offended look on her face. "But yes, I will be your girlfriend."

"Good. Now, my princess, let's go down to breakfast, shall we?" Draco said, getting up and holding his arm out for her. Hermione giggled and took his arm.

They walked down to the Great Hall together but stopped at the doors.

"So, are we keeping this a secret or are we telling the whole school?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione lovingly.

"Umm, how about we just tell our closest friends? Plus I'll tell Harry and Ginny, to show them I don't care about Harry anymore?" Hermione suggested.

"Sure. I don't have any close friends, but I'll tell Pansy, maybe it will make her leave me alone for once!"

"Ok. I'll see you after breakfast I guess."

"Ya, see you soon." Draco replied, kissing Hermione on the cheek.

"Bye." Hermione waved to him as she entered the Great Hall. He waved back and headed to the Slytherin table.

(Hermione's POV)

"Hi Ron!" I smiled as I reached the Gryffindor table.

"Hey Hermione! How are you doing?"

"Good!" I answered. Then I noticed Harry and Ginny across the table. "Hi." I said shortly, but they didn't answer.

"So, what are you doing these days, Mione?" Ron asked, breaking the silence. "We haven't seen you for a while."

"Uh, not too much. But I have something I need to talk to you about." I replied, dragging him from the table as I spoke.

"What is it, Herm? Can't we just stay at the table?" "No! Look, I need to tell you something...well, Draco and-" but Ron cut me off.

"Since when are you calling Malfoy by his first name?" He stared at me, scared of what might come next.

"Well, me and Draco are.are going out now."

"WHAT??" Ron simply exploded. There was absolutely nothing that I could do about it.

"Like I said, we're going out." I said a little more confidently than I felt. "Like boyfriend and girlfriend? Does that ring a bell?"

"I iknow/i what it means! But.how could you? He's been our enemy since the first year!"

"Well, he changed!" I argued.

"And what about Harry?"

I was shocked! Didn't he know about Harry and Ginny yet?

"Ron? Umm, don't you know? About Harry and Ginny?" I carefully asked.

"Huh?"

So I told Ron the whole story.

"I'll kill him!" Ron almost yelled when I was done. "I'll kill him! I will!"

"No, Ron, please! You'll get expelled!"

"But what are we going to do?"

"Ron, we can't do anything!"

"But.but Ginny!"

"Ron, they are in love! Whatever we say, it won't make a difference to them!" I replied angrily.

"I know, but can't we at least try? I don't want my best friend dating my little sister!"

"Well..why don't you talk to Ginny?"

Ron snorted. "Ya, like that will work!"

"Ok..........we'll think of a plan. But I'm not making any promises that I'll do it."

"Whatever."

"Meet me at the library after dinner."

"There's a library at Hogwarts?"

"Ron!"

"Just kidding! That sounds good, meet you there!" Then he turned and went back into the Great Hall. I followed him and sat down across from Harry and Ginny.

"Uh, I thought you guys should know something. I'm going out with Draco." Harry looked amazed, very surprised and in a way, jealous. Ginny just looked like she was going to faint.

"Ser-seriously?" Harry stammered.

"Ya, well I have to go back to our Common Room. See you later!" I got up and waved to Harry, Ginny and Ron and then left.

I walked back to the Common Room and found Draco sitting on the couch and listening to Cleaning Out My Closet by Eminem. He was singing along, but only slightly.



I'm sorry, Mama. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to make you cry,

But tonight I'm cleanin' out my closet.

I got some skeletons in my closet and I don't know if no one knows it.

So before they throw me inside my coffin and close it,

I'm expose it.

I'll take you back to 73 before I ever had a multi-platinum sellin' CD.

I was a baby, maybe I was just a couple of months.

My father must have had his panties up in a bunch,

Cuz he split.

I wonder if he even kissed me goodbye.

No, I don't on second thought,

I just wished he would die.

Look at Hailie and I couldn't picture leavin' her side.

Even if I hated Kim, I grit my teeth and I'd try to make it work with her at least for Hailie's sake.

I maybe made some mistakes but I'm only human. But I'm man enough to face them today.

What I did was stupid, no doubt it was dumb, but the smartest thing I did was take them bullets out of that gun.

Cuz id'a killed 'em, I would have shot Kim an' him both.

It's my life, I'd like to welcome y'all to The Eminem Show.



"Uh, Draco?" I interrupted.

"Oh! Hi Hermione!" he grabbed the remote and switched the stereo off. "How was breakfast?"

"It was Ok I guess. I told Ron about us, but he didn't know about Harry and Ginny yet, so I told him that too. And we are meeting at the library tonight after dinner to talk."

"Did you tell Potter?"

"Ya, he and Ginny were really surprised." I smiled as I remembered the look on Harry's face. It was almost a jealous face, but at the same time surprised and a little.happy.

There was a knock on the door. I got up and opened it to find Harry standing there.

"We need to talk, Hermione." Harry said angrily.

"About what?" I asked innocently.

"You. And Malfoy. How could you Hermione? How?"

"Just as easily as you and Ginny got together! Now leave!"

Suddenly, Harry sprang forward and kissed me on the lips. I pulled away and checked to see if Draco had seen it. He hadn't.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I whispered angrily.

"What did it look like?" Harry answered mischievously.

I, surprising both myself and Harry, reached forward and slapped Harry with all my might. He staggered backwards, holding the bright red spot on his cheek where I had hit him.

"Harry. I don't love you anymore. I love Draco now, so just.oh just go away Harry!" I half yelled, half cried.

"Fine! I will. Goodbye!" he answered, still clutching the spot on his cheek (now greeny purple in colour) with both hands.

"Good Riddens!" I called after him as he started to the Gryffindor Common Room. "And don't expect anymore help on you homework!"

"Everything OK?" Draco asked, looking concerned as I walked back into the living room.

"Sure. Whatever. I won't be at dinner tonight. Can you tell Ron to come here instead of the library?"

"Ya, I'll tell him."

"Thanks." I answered with a weak smile.

"No problem."

(End of POV)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I better get down to dinner. I'll see you after?" Draco said, after a long time of just talking, plus some crying on Hermione's part.

"Ya. Bye." Was all Hermione said in return. Draco turned and headed down to the Great Hall.

(Ron's POV)

As I walked towards the Great Hall, Draco came up to me. Very uncharacteristic of him!

"Uh, hi Draco." I stammered as he came nearer.

"Listen Weasley, Hermione's not coming to dinner because of your friend Potter and you have to meet her at our common room, got it?"

"Ya, I'll-I'll be there." I stuttered back. Still the same old Malfoy to us.

"Good." Then he turned and opened the doors and entered the Great Hall. I followed him, sat down at the Gryffindor table and started to eat.



After the spectacular 5-course meal, I started getting up to see Hermione, but Harry stopped me.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To go see Hermione. Why?" I started to get suspicious. Harry never asked a lot of questions.

"And why are you going to see Hermione?" Harry replied, totally avoiding my question.

"We are going on a vacation to the Bahamas and I want her opinion on a pair of socks." I answered sarcastically. Harry looked very confused so I decided to explain it to him.

"I was kidding, Harry. We are going to talk. Is that a problem?"

"Not really. See you later I guess."

"Ya." I started towards the door again and this time I actually made it. As I walked to Hermione's common room and knocked.

The door opened almost immediately and Hermione stood there, in a plain red shirt, blue jeans and a blanket over her shoulders, not to mention the unmistakable sign that she had been crying: Hermione's face was bright red, almost as red as her shirt, and her eyes were puffy and pink. She held a tissue in her hand and the box in the other.

"Hi Ron." She sniffed "Come in."

"Hermione? Are you OK?" I asked sounding concerned.

"Not particularly."

"Anything you want to talk about? You know I'll listen."

"Ya, actually, can we talk before we start plan making?"

"Sure."

"Thanks. Well, It all started this morning. I woke up on the couch with Draco and....."

Hermione went on and on. Her feelings, her problems, her fears and her rare happy times. I listened, not saying a word for over an hour, and I got to know her better than I had ever known her before, in the 7 years that we had been friends.

"That feels so good, for everything to be out in the open!" She smiled as she finished. "Thank you so much for listening Ron! You really are a true friend."

"Aww, stop it Hermione! You're making me blush!"

"Now, let's get to work on this plan to make Harry and Ginny's life a living hell!"

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"Ok, so when you leave the Great Hall, I'll be there with the ketchup and-" but Ron never got to finish, because at that moment Draco walked in looking tired and bored.

"Hi Hermione. Are you feeling better?" After Hermione nodded in reply, Draco moved onto me. "And why are you still here, Weasley?"

"Uhhh."

"We are making a plan to get back at Harry and Ginny." I silently thanked Hermione and looked towards Draco to see what he said.

"Oh. Well, you might want to get back soon, Weasley, it's almost past hours."

And unfortunately, he was right.

"Well, I better go Hermione, but we can finish the plan tomorrow and start part 1 on Tuesday! Bye"

"Bye Ron!"

(A/N Hehehe!!! And I know Hermione would never do this, but it's my fanfic, right?! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon......In the meantime, please reveiw!!!! Please please please!!! Thanks for reading!)