The train ride was as it always was, long, hot, but they were saved by the witch who brought the trolley full of pumpkin pasties, cool drinks, chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's every flavour beans, and all the other magical sweets and savouries that Harry and the lot enjoyed so much.

They arrived at school at day break, and shuffled into the hall for the feast. As the trio made there way to the Gryffindor table, heads wheeled around to look at the new, beautiful Hermione. A whispering arose, and Hermione smiled to herself. She'd enjoyed her time in France, where she'd been brought from the shadows to the front. She grinned to herself again, remembering when she had met Harry and Ron at Diagon Alley, and the look of surprise (in a good way!) on Harry's face, and the look of badly disguised awe on Ron's.

She sat between Harry and Ron, and they chatted away for a while. Harry looked around. Draco was staring right at them. There eyes met, and Draco sneered and turned away, and began talking to Crabbe. Professor Albus Dumbledore stood up, and silence washed over the room.

"Welcome everyone, to a new year at Hogwarts. The sorting ceremony will take place, after a few announcements, then the feast will begin! Firstly, I'd like to congratulate the new Head Boy and Girl this year. Head Boy is Richard Gavena from Ravenclaw."

A storm of applause arose from the Ravenclaw table. Dumbledore held up his hand for silence. "Yes very well done Richard. And the new Head Girl is Katie Bell from Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table exploded with applause.

"I'm sure our two new leaders will bring triumph to the school!" Dumbledore continued calling out the new prefects for that year, and asked all the prefects to meet with the new Head boy and Girl after the feast.

The usual sorting ceremony began, Gryffindor welcomed the new students to their seats. Then they ate the glorious feast, before it was time to go back to their Common rooms- except for the prefects who gathered around Katie and Richard. Harry walked alone to the Gryffindor common room and immediately got undressed and got into bed. He lay awake for a while thinking about Hermione. **When should I tell her? How should I tell her? What will Ron think? ** Until finally, he fell off to sleep.

******************************************************************** Ron and Hermione walked back to the Gryffindor common room with their new duties timetable. Ron glanced at Hermione's and realised that she would be working with Draco Malfoy most of the time.

"Haha," said Ron. " You have to work with that git Malfoy."

"Oh Ron he's not that bad..." said Hermione absent mindedly.

"Not that bad? Blimey Hermione he's an evil little brat who is bound to be a death eater one day- how can you possibly say he's 'not that bad'??"

"Well maybe he's changed."

"Yeah and pigs might fly... well I'm off to bed Hermione I'll see you in the morning."

"Bye," called Hermione.

Hermione walked upstairs into her dorm. and found the other Gryffindor 6th years fast asleep. She undressed and got into bed and lay awake thinking. ** Do I like Harry, or do I like Ron? Or is it someone else altogether?** and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

***********************************************************************

The first week past like a flash. Classes began, same as always, except for the behaviour of one person. Malfoy. He was actually behaving civil around the trio. Had his new post as a prefect matured him finally? Harry watched him carefully. One day, during Charms class, Draco leant over and whispered something into Hermione's ear. She giggled and whispered back. What was going on? Since when was Hermione even on speaking terms with Draco?

***********************************************************************

"Hermione, I've got something to tell you." said Draco, one fine sunny day, while he and Hermione were on prefect duty together, outside.

"What is it Draco?" asked Hermione.

" I... I.. I really like you."

"What??!" said a very perplexed Hermione.

"I mean I really really like you. And I'd like you to come to the next Hogsmeade visit with me."

Hermione was shocked beyond words. Here was the boy who had called her a mudblood so many times, was Harry's worst enemy, had brought her to tears on several occasions, caused her to result to physical violence, and was in Slytherin! She couldn't speak. She looked at him.

**He's quite hansom really, with that bright blonde hair, and those muscular shoulders and arms and chest, and that smile. **

"Malfoy do you mean what I think you mean? But, well, I'll have to think about it Draco. I mean, it's a bit strange you suddenly liking me. You used to completely hate me!"

" I know that Hermione, but everything has changed now. I'm a new person!"

"I noticed that. Well, ok then. We'll give it a go. For all we know we're a match made in heaven! Oh look at the time, prefect duties over! See you 'round!" Hermione rushed off, in a dream. She wanted to talk to Harry about this, Harry would understand.

**But I think I love Harry! ** She thought to herself. **But I guess since he hasn't made a move, I'd better take the next best offer. **

She found him in the library, studying. Studying?

"Harry! I've been looking for you! I've got something to tell you."

"Hi Hermione, I've got something to tell you too."

"Oh?" asked Hermione.

"Well Herms, it's just, it's just.. I think I like you. I mean, I think I really really like you."

**Shit!** Thought Hermione. **This is not happening! Why hadn't he told me this before! I've liked him for so long, but now it looks like it's too late.**

"Oh Harry! What are you talking about! Of course you like me! I'm one of your best friend!" **Oops that was dumb, that sounds stuck up, I didn't mean it like that, Ah! Take it back, take it back!**

"No Herms. I mean more than a friend."

**God how am I going to tell him, I'll just have to be as honest as I can.**

"Oh Harry, I've like you for... forever! Why couldn't you have asked me before!. But the thing is. well. you're too late."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Draco got in first. He asked me out just 10 minutes ago."

"Oh." said Harry. "That's fine, I just ah, thought I'd try, you know."

"I'm really sorry Harry." Hermione said, and she thought it best to leave now.

Harry felt his insides churn up inside him. **First Cho, now Herms, my best friend? Why didn't I tell her before? I had so many opportunities, but that bloody Malfoy got in first! So that's why he's been acting so strangely. **

Harry felt so many things. Anger, hurt, despair, desperation, and love. He must have Hermione! He liked her so much! And he knew Draco only suddenly liked her because of her looks. **But wait. I never liked her as more than a friend before she got so beautiful.** Said a little voice in his head. **Am I actually as bad as Malfoy? ** **Now of course I'm not!** Said another voice. **There are lots of pretty girls in the school who I haven't fallen for! I love Hermione for who she is! Her new looks just made me realise how I feel!** **But is it really love?** Said the other voice. **When I felt the same thing for Cho, before we'd even met, because of what she looked like...**

"Shut up!" said Harry allowed.

"Shhh!" Said Madame Pince. "Please dear, this is a library. Take your problems outside."

Harry packed his books in his bag, and stormed out. Harry headed towards the Common Room. He found Ron in there, playing exploding snap with Ginny and Neville . "Hi Harry!" called Ron. "Where's Herms?"

"I dunno. Listen Ron, I've got to talk to you."

"Ok," said Ron at once, seeing Harry was upset about something. "Sorry Gin and sorry Neville, we'll finish this later ok?"

"Sure ," said Neville, not really concentrating.

"Is everything ok Harry?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Fine."

Harry and Ron walked upstairs to their bedroom. Luckily Seamus and Dean weren't there.

"So what's up Harry?" asked Ron. "Is your scar hurting?"

"No no nothing like that." said Harry, sitting down on his bed. "It's stupid really. Well I never told you how I felt about Hermione but."

"Yeh but Harry! It was so obvious! I know you like her!"

"Oh, ok." said Harry, relieved he didn't have to tell her about that.

"Well, did she reject you? That's was bloody mean of her! She likes you too I know it! I can see it ... I'll."

"Shut up Ron! It's not like that!"

"Well what?"

"Malfoy. He. he asked her out before I did. Hermione's too decent to turn him down once she's accepted him."

" Oh bloody hell! Harry! Why didn't I act sooner... I mean... why didn't you act sooner.. oops.."

"What!! You... you like her too?"

"Yeah.. maybe I do.. .so what if I do, neither of us can have her so we should just both give up and find someone new..."

"I can't believe you never told me Ron! If it was so obvious with me then why wasn't it obvious with you? Wh... Ron? What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry... *laugh* Harry, it's just *laugh* that three of us like Hermione, and of the three of us Malfoy got there first! And we're the ones who spend the most time with her.. and jere we were thinking Malfoy likes us, but he actually just wanted to steal our girl! *laughs* Come on Harry he's a dick head! A piece of shit! Hermione will drop him straight away for sure... his true side will come out sooner or later... and then.. one of us... (preferably me) can get her! In fact I bags her next!"

"You can't bags a person.. she's not ours to own.. and we should just let her choose once she dumps Malfoy... and it should be me next since I've already asked her..."

"No! Harry that's not fair! I was about to ask her myself! "

Ron was no longer laughing, in fact he was red with anger. Harry was glaring at him menacingly, until he realised what was happening.

"Look at us Ron! We're fighting now...over Hermione.. our friend. I wish things would just go back to the way they were, before Hermione... I mean before we realised Hermione was... you know.."

"A girl?" suggested Ron.

"Yeah."

"Well I don't think that's going to happen Harry. I'm not giving up on her.:"

"Maybe we could try making her jealous? You go out with.. with... someone and I'll go out with Ginny and she'll realise she'd better drop Malfoy or she'll end up with neither of us."

"That's low Harry, real low. But you can do that if you want. I'm going to stay loyal and wait for her to drop Malfoy.

"You do that but I think my tactic will work better."

"Fine!"

"Good!"

"Good bye!"

**there u go, that was a bit better than the first chapter I hope! Anyway plz r&r so I can have the energy to write the next chapter. If u have any ideas id love to hear them, PLEASE REVIEW! Luv ya all! oh and i accidently deleted the story so i had to do it again... sorry Purebloodprincess and sweetytweety... ur reviews have disappeared... but plz review again! and to u:

Purebloodprincess- YES! I remember u! You were my most faithful reviewer last time! remain faithful and thankyou for your kind words!

sweetytweety- haha im glad u liked it i enjoyed writing that bit! and I'm proud to say yes.... Malfoy got her! hehe..... well for now.. anyway...... keep reading!