Chapter 3 of Phases: Deals and Secrets

Author: SpikeslilSlayer

Rating: PG-13 for adult content, language, violence, R in later chapters, bla bla bla, you all know this already, and to tell the truth it's not as bad as I'm making it seem, I'm just playing it safe.

Pairing: Draco/Hermione, George/Hermione FLIRTING ONLY. (Oh yeah, and I changed my mind about the whole Harry/Ginny thing. Or at least I have for now.)

Disclaimer: "Delivery for Miss Rowling!" I chirped happily, butterflies having a fight in my stomach. The guard eyed me, then the manuscript and flowers in my hands. "You write fanfiction, don't you?" My eyes widened. "What? N-no, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, good sir!" He motioned and two more guards came over, picking me up and sending the flowers scattering. "Take her to the cell." "Noooo!" I cried, horrified. "I'm sorry! I just wanted to show her my work! I wrote the disclaimers! I don't own Harry Potter, okay? She does! The great Goddess of all that is Harry does," I ended in a whisper. The guards locked the cell door and walked away as I sat down next to a girl about a year older than me. "Hi," I said miserably. She looked at me pityingly. "Delivery person?" "Yup." "Next time, try maintenance." "Got it."

Harry sat alone in a compartment, waiting for his friends to arrive. Uncle Vernon had dropped him off at Platform 9 ¾ for the first time since his first year at Hogwarts. Aunt Petunia had made him, apparently, and Dumbledore, who agreed, had hinted that he would see Ron at Diagon Alley. That was all that kept him alive the whole summer. Ron had only written once over the holidays, and that was to say that they couldn't send any more owls, as they feared they were being intercepted. He also wrote that Hermione couldn't write either, as her parents were extremely worried about the rise of Voldemort, and had pretty much confined her to the Muggle world. Of course, Hermione wouldn't own up to it. She still liked to think that Muggles and Wizards would mix one day.

But Harry didn't worry much about Hermione. She had Ron as her keeper, and although Ron had hinted once or twice about his feelings for the young woman, Harry knew it was purely platonic for Hermione. She was just that kind of person and friend. But Mione had her secrets as well.

She had told Harry about her meeting with Malfoy, and had also thrown in blushingly his last words about it being a compliment.

"I don't see why he would mean it, Harry, he was probably just trying to stay out of trouble," Hermione had whispered over the table in the Leaky Cauldron while the others ordered their lunch.

"Maybe he was shocked when he saw you in something other than oversized robes, and something unfamiliar and flattering," he said teasingly, gesturing to her tight belly shirt. Mione chuckled appreciatively.

"I guess you're right. But that still doesn't explain why he went out of his way to call after me."

Harry still wondered about that as Ron, Ginny, and Hermione herself came through the door.

"We'll see you in a bit, eh Harry?" Ron asked, leaving with Mione to go to the prefects' compartment.

Ginny and Harry had just settled down to a game of Exploding Snap when Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood came in.

"Hello Harry, Ginny. How was your summer?" Luna asked, and Harry noticed that she was a bit less mysterious than usual, almost as if their recent experience in the Department of Mysteries had toned her dreamy factor down a bit.

"Fine," Ginny answered, turning to Neville. "All right, Nev?" she asked.

Neville nodded his head firmly. "I'm fine. And you, Harry? Are you still upset about Sirius?"

Harry nodded slowly. Both Luna and Neville looked curious about the now- dead man, and he hadn't said anything about him since Neville had said he was sorry.

"He was my godfather," he said shortly, staring straight ahead. "And he was innocent. He was my father's best friend and his best man at his wedding to my mum. He was all I had left."

Turning to the window and determinedly blinking back tears, he was surprised when Neville patted him on the back.

"It's okay, Harry. I know how you feel."

Harry gave a weak smile. "I know you do."

Ginny, who had been staring oddly at this scene, got up abruptly. "I'll be right back, I just have to go to the loo."

"I'll come with you," Luna said, and followed her out.

"Strange," Harry said, shaking his head. Neville smiled.

"Well, that is the mystery that is women."

"You said it."

* * *

Hermione rolled her eyes after the new Head Girl had given her speech. She would hate to tell Harry this, but this year the Head Girl was Cho Chang. Cho had blibbered on about feeling togetherness and creating peace between the houses, and at the end burst into tears about the tension between students 'these days'.

To her dismay, Hermione was seated right next to Malfoy. Ron was on her other side, and from the glares that he was giving her confronter, which she concluded were normal, Mione was glad she had only told Harry about what happened in Diagon Alley between them. And what was weird about Malfoy was that he kept shooting her these glances as they passed while everyone was patrolling the corridors. Hermione decided they were of hate and malice, definitely not of the checking-out variety. Aside from him, Ron was acting strangely too.

Every time they passed in patrol, Ron would "accidentally" brush shoulders with her. And when Malfoy glanced at her, he would glare back at his enemy. Too much testosterone, Mione thought, smiling faintly.

Hermione got off duty before Ron did, so she returned to Harry's compartment.

"Hey Harry, hey Neville, Luna, Gin," she said, coming to sit beside Harry.

"Hey, Harry, Ron's been acting weird," Hermione started nervously.

"Weird? What kind of weird?" Ginny asked, sitting up straighter.

"Well, he keeps glaring at Malfoy especially, and I think it's because he keeps looking at me. And then he keeps touching me," she finished, rubbing her shoulder absently.

"I think the Malfoy thing, with him looking at you, has to do with what we were talking about." Hermione nodded and Harry continued. "And Ron.well, Ron has been fancying you for a while now."

"What?" she cried, shocked. "No, no-Ron is, he's just-Ron! We've all been best friends since first year, how can he. oh, lord."

Ginny covered a giggle.

"Oh, shut it, Ginny," Hermione barked. Just then Ron walked through the open door. She straightened up out of the slumping position she was in.

"Ron, hi. Hey look guys; it's Ron. Heh. Well, I've got to.go to the loo. Okay goodbye." Hermione dashed out of the compartment. Everyone was stifling his or her laughter and Ron was looking around suspiciously.

"What?"

* * *

Hermione walked slowly through the train, checking each compartment for Parvati and Lavender, the only two girl friends she had. They must be in the back, she thought, and then her mind wandered to the subject of Ron.

The way she thought of it was this: Ron was like a brother to her, as was Harry. They had been her greatest friends since their first year, when they had saved her from that stupid troll. And five years of friendship, and more than just that, the deepest trust, shouldn't be broken by some little crush. If her and Ron ended up going out, and then broke up, it would be too awkward. Hermione didn't want to lose the great things she had going for her, and she doubted that neither Harry nor Ron did either.

Hermione ended up at the second to last compartment on the train. She slid open the door only to find Malfoy sitting there.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said once again out of the manners that had been drilled into her by her Muggle parents. She turned to leave.

"Granger," Draco said suddenly, and Hermione turned back.

"What?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about Diagon Alley,"

Hermione arched her eyebrows. "You're sorry about Diagon Alley?"

Draco smirked. She was going to make him admit it. "I'm sorry I bumped into you, and that I said that about you. I didn't mean it that way though, I meant it as a compliment."

"Then you definitely need to work on your compliments," she said, giggling, but still staying where she was.

"Yeah, I guess I do," he replied, remembering that he had said the exact same thing. "So-anyway, I was actually coming to find you."

"Oh really? Why?" Hermione asked, wracking her brain and finding no reason to stay there, but still rooted to the spot.

"Well, Professor McGonagall said you were the best in our year in Transfiguration, and I needed some help."

"Really?" she asked again, this time much more interested. She sat down next to him. "What with?"

"Well, the whole Transfiguring thing, really," Draco said, and Hermione giggled again.

"Why aren't you biting my head off like you usually do?" he asked suddenly. Mione stopped laughing.

"I could ask you the same question."

"Because I hate my father, and although I'm in Slytherin, it doesn't mean I want to go join the Death Eaters when I'm out of Hogwarts. And, because you look like you've just eaten a vomit-flavored Every Flavored Bean," Draco replied, and Hermione smiled sadly.

"I normally only snap to defend someone, it's usually Ron and Harry doing the whole rival thing. I'm the one who says 'All the houses should get along.' Of course, no one listens to me, I'm just the silly Muggle-born who's a know-it-all and who's fancied by a boy who could ruin everything," she babbled. Draco looked at her curiously.

"Who?"

"Who who?" asked Hermione, nonplussed. He raised his eyebrows.

"Who's the boy who fancies you?"

"Oh-" Mione said, blushing as she realized she almost spilled the beans. "It's no one, really, and you wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

"Okay. Maybe you'll tell me one day," Malfoy shrugged it off, returning to their previous subject. "So, when can we meet for Transfiguration lessons?"

"Well, it depends on our new schedules. How about I'll meet you in the library the morning before classes start? We can set something up then," she answered, standing up.

"Alright. You promise?"

He looked at her with such sincerity that she gazed down at him curiously before answering earnestly, "Of course. So, where are Crabbe and Goyle?"

Draco shrugged. "Probably eating somewhere. Thanks for your help."

"Okay. Well, I'd better go, or Ron'll be out looking for me." Hermione winced momentarily and then left with a swift wave.

'What's Weasley got to do with anything?' Malfoy asked himself, then plastered a smirk on his face as Crabbe and Goyle returned.

* * *

A/N: See, I told you this would be longer! I hope it explains a bit more,
too. The next chapter I promise will be longer. I have written very long
stories/epics before, but I'm pretty pressed for time when my mom's
around. She makes me so nervous! And I think the whole "teen rebellion"
thing is pounded into my brain. I blast my music until my dad yells at
me, and when he once called upstairs while I was on ff.net, "Em, what do
you want for dinner?" I called back, "Okay!" automatically. Geez.