She slipped out from the warm covers. The moonlight was shining through her big bay windows. It glimmered on her white skin before she pulled her cotton robes. Hermione looked at Ron, sleeping deeply. He and Harry had just gotten here two days ago and she had already slept with him. She was hoping mostly to get Draco from her mind. She did love Ron, but it wasn't the same feeling she shared when she just thought of the blond dragon.

She met them at the entrance and took Ron's hand immediately. He blushed so deeply and it made his freckles stand out. She could feel him tremble every time she spoke. Hermione broke the connection and felt so guilty for not feeling the way he did.

"I have to keep trying," Hermione said to herself. "I can't like Draco anymore. I must settle for what will work." The small conversation she had with her room maid, Egoise, had made her see. Also, Draco was drunk when he said those things to her. What if he was seeing someone else? She couldn't believe she was swooning over one little kiss from Malfoy.

"Hey guys!" They gave quick hugs and Ron and Harry looked around. "I'm so happy you're here. Neville is here for another week, too. He actually can get away from his Gran today. We can go do something fun without his Gran accusing us of getting him in trouble again." They all laughed. Even though Neville's grandma wanted him to be a strong wizard like his parents, she was offended when Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gotten Neville into trouble with Voldemort so soon in his 5th year. She was always telling him to stay away from "those three." The trio was proud of him, though, and that was most important to him.

"So, Hermione," asked Harry, "what have you been doing?"

She perched her lips together and sighed. She had been sitting in her room most everyday just reading.or crying. Neville had visited her once a day and was sworn to secrecy not to tell Harry or Ron. It was hard even now to get out and want to do something but if she would have left, the guys would have known something was wrong.

"I've just been enjoying the outdoors," she lied.

"I heard they had Wizards chess tournaments," Ron remarked gleefully. "I'm going to enter and win the 50 Galleon prize. WHOA! Harry, look at that Quidditch field! Bloody hell!"

Harry patted the broom he had at his side. "Let's go! Hermione get on."

"I think I will ride with Ron this time," she blushed. "You go a little too fast, Harry."

Ron went red again when she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Ok then," Harry smiled. Harry's broom lifted up in a flash and he soared to the field. Ron lifted up a little slower, since Hermione had mentioned Harry went too fast. They slowly flew by all the booths and above all the people. She told him about the Hoola girls and how she had picked him up one to wear.

'He's matured so much and is handsome. He's so nice to me as well. Why shouldn't we be together? What do I care if Dra.Malfoy likes me? His way of life is way too different from mine. He wouldn't stay with me.'

"I'm so happy that you're here, Ron," she whispered in his ear. He turned his cheek to her and she kissed it.

"Yeah.I'm really glad I'm here too." He tried to hide his excitement. He put a large hand on his cheek. His smile spread to his ears. "I'm really, really glad, Hermione."

After watching them play Quidditch for an eternity, Neville met them at the ground. They ate dinner in the hotel this time, hoping to save a little money for the Fairy Festival that was going on tomorrow. At the end of the day Ron walked her to her room and he had taken her hand before she could act.

"I don't know any poems or how to cook, Hermione. I'm dirt poor. I can't do a lot of things and I know I'm not great looking but." he stopped her from saying anything. "But I know I can treat you really good and I won't ever hurt you. Sometimes when I'm sitting alone, thinking of you I feel like if I could just hear your voice I wouldn't even care about hearing anything else," he laughed, "and yes I even want to hear your insults."

She smiled and put both hands to her face. "I.I."

"Oh!" He looked nervous all of a sudden. "Don't answer now. Just go think it out and I'll see you in the morning." He pecked her on the cheek and left her standing there, looking bewildered.

The next day had been a little awkward. Hermione suspected Ron wanted an answer soon because he kept taking little glances at her and smiling back down at whatever he was reading.

There weren't many things on the resort to do on this particular day because it was the 4th annual Fairy Festival. Most people came to the resort just for this one festival because they had just about everything there, including the ancient fairies of old that hosted and planned the festival in secret. No man had been allowed to see the ancient fairies for fear that their beautiful would kill them instantly. The Ancient ones are a very small race but all arrived on the stage at the beginning of the day, all wearing veils.

A lot of men and a few women began shouting to take off the veil. They wanted to see the face of them for beneath the veils their faces were glowing with excitement. Hermione was silently wishing she could see them and could only guess how sad it would be if you couldn't show your face and had to live in hiding. The queen fairy was much smaller then the rest of them, and appeared to be a little girl. She chose such a form because she was so old, but yearned to be young and innocent again.

Harry was whistling and offering the highest bid for just a small glace but Ron wasn't paying any attention to the fairies. His eyes were locked on her. She waved politely and stepped next to him. "Hi, Ron." She ran the heel of her foot along the ground and acted like she was studying the grass. The band struck up in a waltz after the fairies finished their speech and getting what little social interaction they would get for another year. Harry moved to the side and began chatting to another girl about Quidditch.

"Hi, Hermione," he said. He held his hand out in front of her. She placed her small hand in his sweaty, shaking palm. The violins were so slow and comforting but it didn't break the tension.

"I'm not well dressed for this," she said quietly. Ron tilted her head up to look at him.

"Just wear a smile for always, and that's all you'll need."

Hermione pressed herself against Ron's chest and sighed deeply. She was trying to get Draco's face out of her head; trying to wish that he was the one saying those things to her. Ron was trying so hard and though he was attractive.he wasn't Draco Malfoy. Ron was Ron. Yet.Draco Malfoy was Draco Malfoy.

"Ron.I want to be with you always," she managed to say. She craned her neck up and kissed him on his bottom lip. Her mind panicked for a moment and her eyes searched the crowd for someone staring at her but everyone was too busy dancing.

He didn't really kiss her back but he did quit dancing. The smile slid from his face for a moment. He couldn't believe what he heard. "Ron? Are you ok?" Did he see the momentary fear in her eyes?

Ron Weasley wasn't much in the way of muscles but he lifted her light torso into the air and laughed wildly, as if she were a child. He gave her a bear hug that was completely comfortable, unlike some of their other hugs that had been ridged and misplaced. "Of course I am! I'm perfect!"

"Well," she said, laughing, "don't kick your heels or anything."

**

Be known to no one else, someone did see the romantic scene between the red-head and blushing girl. He was wearing robes that were everything but his size and the hem came to the middle of his shin. The shoulders seems were ripping at the size of the man's shoulders but the hood hid his face and that's the important part.

He cracked his hands by making a huge fist and stood up. If he had been a dumb man, he would have ran into the crowd and beat the man's face in but he turned his back and strode off into the forest, his fists tight and his fingers digging into the palms of them. He didn't notice the trail of blood he left behind him.

**

So, Hermione was now here again, in her cotton robes, and Ron snoring slowly in her bed. She had thought she would forget Draco this way, but it only made it terribly worse. Her heart sank. There should be a law forbidding people to date until their 30, she thought. It was all so complicated! Why do I even need a boyfriend? I don't! I don't.need.Malfoy.

She sighed and stood up. She couldn't sit in this room. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a white tee-shirt Ron had worn under his robes this evening. It smelled like his cologn and Hermione's eyes welled up with tears.

She was such a liar and a terrible one at that. She couldn't go on pretending Ron was the one she wanted forever when some days she would wish he had pale skin free of freckles and blond hair. She couldn't want him to be someone else everyday.

The halls were long and quiet but she wasn't paying attention as she rushed to the elevator. She jabbed the button with her thumb, knowing full well it wasn't going to come any faster.

"You sure do get busy quick," a voice drawled. Draco stared down at her with daggers in his eyes. "In a hurry? I would like to speak with you," he growled. When the elevator doors opened he pushed her in.