Hello dear reviewers and readers….terribly sorry for the long updates…(I know, it's becoming a bad habit)…but you know…things come in the way…yadayadayada…

But on a better note, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Wait! I totally forgot to thank those who read and reviewed…I found out that someone was copying my story like a few days back…why would anyone do something so stupid?...There's nothing to gain out of writing someone else's work…so why do it?

Or maybe she/he wanted to get my faithful reviewers! J hehe…

Ok, now read the chapter….

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My insides were just crawling thinking Draco was just using me. Sure, that girl wasn't so trustable, but you know, she seemed sincere to me.

Riiiiiiight.

But you know what? Though I'm still recovering from that injury at that house-elf rally in Burbank, I'm always ready to support a good cause. And this cause was kind of a payback for those years at Hogwarts (okay, I technically forgave him…) and maybe a reassurance that I wasn't falling for that rich, charismatic, handsome, downright sarcastic, smart, witty, no good son-of-a-bitch. Well, actually, Narcissa was pretty nice in her day.

But it's not her fault that her son turned out to be extremely uhhh…bad boy? Or should I say…hot?

Millions of girls must worship her picture to try to produce that type of offspring…look above for description…

But that little rendezvous with that ex-secretary is just getting to me. Sure, she showed me evidence that Draco was probably using me…for those little caresses and crap…but we hadn't had sex yet...I mean…we never had sex (or will)…but if he was using me, wouldn't he just get tired of all the slow uptake I was giving him? And wouldn't he talk to me right after that sneeze–attack on Christmas? He kind of seemed to be avoiding me at the moment.

We both were avoiding each other. Badly. Hello – we live in the same place, we work in the same place – it kind of leaves no place unvisited. It was really hard to talk to Draco after that kiss…especially at dinner…where everyday, he dropped a glass of wine on himself, and had to go to wash up – never bothering to return. He couldn't come up with anything better and plus we never looked each other in the eye.

And the worse part is, I got extremely bored when I couldn't –wouldn't-talk to Draco. Seriously, I can't believe how I managed at Hogwarts with two dimwits by my side; they couldn't even carry a conversation without Harry saying 'Quidditch' and Ron saying 'hungry'. And now I couldn't manage on my own, without Draco to taunt or use my witty sarcasm on.

Yeah, sure, I did think that maybe he could be using me, but this is how he acts in front of me after my sneeze-up: sputtering, turning red, avoiding me, and yeah that's pretty much it. I'm starting to think of him as Ron in 6th year when he started liking me.

Only I KNOW that he doesn't like me. But I'm confused: either that girl just wants me to get out of Draco's way or I'm just being paranoid. Surely, Harry would know a solution to this, wouldn't he?

Only a 5th year Hermione would've known what to do, but she wasn't the new-unimproved spaztic Hermione. She was a different me.

But here I am, entering Harry's home by simple methods of floo. Sure, it's more expensive than the normal apparition, but I'm just too confused about my feelings in life, I'm afraid I'll splinch myself.

"Harry? Haaaaarrryyy," I called out to him as I explored his home. It was quite comfortable, unlike most houses in the upscale neighborhood he lives in. Smaller than the Malfoy house, but I've known it longer, therefore I love it. Although the Malfoy house has…

Ugh, here I go again, absentmindedly connecting things to his house. Correction: mansion.

"Hermione? Where the hell are you," he distantly asked.

Honestly, I come from the same place every time, and he still asks me where I am when I enter.

"Gee Harry, I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore."

"Ok, Hermione, no need to get sarcastic," he said as he entered the kitchen.

We both did the ancient handshake of ours (actually, we invented it two weeks ago) and did the usual kisses and hugs.

"So, what'd you like-tea, coffee, oh shit- I forgot to get the beans- never mind, I'll just give you tea."

So like Harry to make mental notes while talking.

"Sure…we can talk about my problem while you make it."

"Do you ALWAYS have to have a problem whenever you come by? Oh and if it's about Draco, get over it and get with him already. You guys are practically dogs just waiting to get to each other. Seriously, when Draco called, I was like-"

"He called you?!?!"

"Uh…yeah…isn't that what best mates do?"

"Ugh Harry…what'd he say…nothing about me right?"

Utter silence…then…

"So anyway 'Mione, I think I've got some green tea in here, but it seems to be-"

"Oh God, don't be stupid Harry, stop avoiding the subject. You know Draco better. Did he say anything relating to me?"

I was itching to find out what he said about me. Literally, what was on my arms that made me itch?

"Hermione, stop itching your arms, there's salve in that cabinet over there, oh yes, he did mention something about you…"

"Oh my god, what'd he say, what'd he say???"

My excitement was taking over my sanity.

"I'm not saying."

He was trying hard to laugh. It wasn't funny.

"Oh come on please! He can't be more important than me! You know you love me!"

"God, Hermione, you know how to get to a guy," he said, rolling his eyes and pouring water into the teapot, as if that was the most important thing he had to do.

"Give me a hint?"

He looked at me incredulously.

"You're serious about this?"

God, how long does it take me to make my point?

"Harry, tell me, now. Otherwise, I'm leaving and you can consider yourself in a row with me."

"Don't do this to me, I hate being the advice column to both of you anyway," he said, then at the look on my face "…alright, alright. He said that after you sneezed he doesn't know if you're allergic to him. Oh yeah, he mentioned having unknown feelings about you. I told him it was love."

"He thinks I'm allergic to him? What is he a moron…you told him WHAT?!"

"That he's in love with you."

"How do you know that?"

"Hermione, I'm in love, I think I know how it feels."

"How do you know what he feels?"

"He told me what he felt, that's what I felt when I met Ginny. I know it's love, he doesn't. Get it? Oh yeah, quit questioning me."

I looked at him once. He was telling the truth. And Harry practices Legilimancy, so he practically knows when he knows the truth. Draco, in love with me, having troubles finding out if I'm allergic to him. The day came too late.

5 minutes later with a cup of tea in hand and listening to Harry rambling on about Quidditch, it hit me.

Draco Malfoy loved me.

I looked at Harry again, who was oblivious to me zoning out on him, and found my best friend in him. He truly was the greatest friend I could ever have.

"Harry," I said tentatively.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, a bloke has to know how many snitches he's caught in a-"

He was still in the Quidditch area of the conversation. Ugh.

"No, you stupid, about Draco?"

"Must we go through this again?"

I put down my teacup slowly and looked up at him.

"Yes, he loves you."

Before you could say "Draco Malfoy" I was out of my chair into Harry's lap, hugging him tightly, as if I'm the happiest thing in the world (uh..oh yeah I am), and the chair tumbles down.

So here I am, on top of Harry looking like I'm straddling him when really, it's just platonic hugging, when a hyper Ginny has to walk in.

"How DARE you touch him like that!"

Me and Harry look up and see Ginny staring at us with madness in her eyes. Harry starts:

"What are you talking about?"

While I say:

"It's not like it seems!"

And Ginny walks up to me and starts yelling mad, unrecognizable phrases, while I get off Harry and let him breathe. Now that all of us are up, the real fighting begins:

"I wasn't doing ANYTHING with Harry!"

"We were just hugging!"

"OH YEAH RIGHT, EXPECT ME TO FALL FOR THAT ONE RIGHT!"

"We were just hu-"

"'Mione was all happy so she basically jumped on me!"

"SHUT IT HARRY! I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WAITING TO GET ON HIM FOR YEARS HERMIONE, I KNOW IT!"

"Oh, yeah, right, puh-lease, Harry and me, that would never even work out!"

"Are you dissing me Hermione?"

"No Harry, it's just-"

"SHUT UP HARRY! I KNOW YOU WANT HIM, ADMIT IT! YOU NEED HIM! AND YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT ME, RIGHT! HE'S MY HUSBAND, BACK OFF!"

"OH PLEASE, I THOUGHT HARRY WAS GAY ONCE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, JEEZ!"

And there was silence after. A little-less hyper Ginny said:

"YOU HID YOUR SEXUALITY FROM ME! I LOVE YOU! I NEVER WOULD'VE EVEN THOUGHT YOU WERE GAY-"

"I'M NOT GAY!!! HOW COULD YOU THINK THAT HERMIONE?"

Ginny whirled on me and said:

"HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT I WOULDN'T CATCH YOU TRYING TO GET HIM FROM ME? HUH, HUH?," she said to me, while poking my shoulder.

"Ginny get OFF her! She doesn't want me, she wants Draco!"

Now Ginny was like:

"WHAT? I thought that was a joke…"

"No, I really do," I blushed, "have a thing for him."

It was the third silence before Ginny burst out laughing. And she laughed and laughed, muttering on and on about me and Draco, until she finally passed out. It was a good thing.

I asked Harry after he yelled at me for thinking he was gay:

"Is she high on that Mocha-latte from that Bulgarian Café in Diagon Alley?

"Yeah," he said with a pitying look on his face, "that place's addicting millions."

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Okie. I hope that was okay. Please review and tell me?

Sure, there was no dm/hg action, but there will be later (no graphics)

R&R