Disclaimer: Credit goes to JK Rowling...(and a few other companies, people, etc. who probably own a little bit of The Boy Who Lived...)

A/N: This was my first fanfic EVER. I wrote this about two years ago, WAAAAY before OOTP, so there are a lot of things that won't fit in with canon. My writing was horrible, and I switched back and forth between plot lines...but I still think this is a pretty darn good story. However, it is the only thing I have EVER completed in all the fanfics I've ever tried to write...so I thought I'd just post it online...It is a love triangle sort of thing...Hermione likes Harry, Ron, and there's some Draco in there too...so if you don't like this...then don't read it... Well, enjoy my REALLY old fanfic...

Chapter Five - If Only

Hermione felt the wet grass squish in her shoes. She was running along the lake trying to get to the one rock that Draco hold told her to meet him at over a half hour ago. The wind was blowing in her hair and she was running as fast as she could.

"Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry! I was..." she breathed when she got there.

"It's alright, you're worth waiting for." Draco smiled, patting the ground beside him, motioning her to sit down.

Hermione sat down and scooted over to the edge to dangle her legs over the edge.

"Don't fall; I wouldn't particularly enjoy jumping in the icy cold water to save you, Hermione." Draco whispered.

"Hey, I really appreciated the roses today, thanks, it meant a lot." Hermione beamed.

"Roses?" Draco asked. "What roses...?"

"Oh, Nevermind." Hermione said, feeling embarrassed.

"Hey, Hermione," Draco went on, ignoring the roses statement. "I hate to leave you sitting here all alone but, I gotta go up to my Common Room, I have a surprise for you. I'll be back down in a few with your surprise, ok? Don't move from this spot!" Draco said standing up.

"Um, ok...hurry back!" Hermione replied.

As Draco ran off, Hermione watched him go away. She sighed heavily and took out her journal which she carried around with her at all times.

Dear Diary,
I am so confused. Tomorrow is the Ball and I have yet to ask anyone. I am starting to think that I don't even want a date. It is just too much trouble, pain, and heart breaking to handle much longer. I'm not sure if I even like Harry anymore. And Ginny is one of my best friends; I know she could never speak to me again if I asked Harry to the Ball. But like I said earlier, there is one other person. Draco is so sweet and kind and nice; he has changed so much. I am starting to think he really does like me. But when I'm with him, everything feels right and I have not a care in the world I really don't know who to ask. I may end up just taking Ron as my last resort. I think he likes me too, and I had a crush on him a while ago, but things just didn't work out, and I made some horrible choices. I think that I'm starting to like him again... Maybe he sent me the roses? But first before I ask anyone to the dance I must first figure out who I really love. Wow, I can't believe I just wrote that. Love...it's such a powerful word. Am I in love? And if so, with whom?
Sincerely,
Hermione

........

"Hermione!" Draco yelled as he ran towards her holding a black box in his arms. He sat down next to her on the rock and gave her the box. "Here you go, my love."

Hermione just looked up at Draco, she thought to herself, "Did he just call me his love?" She opened the box to find a single carnation and a piece of parchment inside. She unfolded the paper and on it was written a poem:

I've made a lot of mistakes,
I don't doubt that.
But for some reason,
You make me want to change
And be a better person.
I can just look at you
And get lost in your stunning eyes.
It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside.
Is this what love feels like?
I can just hear your voice
And my heart automatically melts.
It sometimes gives me the butterflies.
Is this what love feels like?
I can just touch your arm
And I feel your baby soft skin.
My finger trembles as I touch you.
Is this what love feels like?
All I have to do is think of you
And my heart flip flops in my chest.
All I have to do is see you
And my eyes double take just to see you again.
Is this what love feels like?
Or really, is this Heaven?
Because every time I'm with you,
I feel I'm in Heaven,
Because I'm with one of God's angels.
Hopefully you can one day forgive me.
I've done some horrible things to you.
I promise to change.
Because I'm willing to do anything,
Just to spend time with one of God's angels.

Hermione finished reading the poem with tears running down her face. "It's beautiful, Draco."

"I knew you'd like it...I'm glad your better now." Draco kissed her forehead. "Well I'd love to sit here and talk with you some more, but it's getting late. Can I walk you up to your Common Room or should I just walk you into the Great Hall?"

"Um, maybe it would be safer if you just walked me to the Great Hall..." She said. Draco stood up and put out a hand to help Hermione up. She grabbed his hand and stood up. Hermione just kept holding on to his hand and they held hands as they walked around the lake back into the Great Hall.

Before they stepped inside the doors, Draco stopped, so Hermione stopped as well. "What is it Draco?" She whispered.

Draco slowly leaned in to kiss her, but Hermione didn't know what to do. She had never been kissed before and she wasn't even sure if she should kiss Draco, so she pulled back. Draco got the hint and hugged her and left.

"Bye..." Hermione whispered. She made her way up seven staircases to get to Gryffindor Tower. "Hobbit Feet!" She exclaimed as she made her way to the Portrait Hole. She climbed in and Harry and Ron were sitting in the Common Room playing Wizard's Chess.

"Well hello there!" Ron said in a cheerful tone and with a big smile on his face.

"Hey Herm..." Harry uttered softly, not nearly in as good of a mood as Ron.

"Hey...what's the matter Harry?" Hermione asked, but Harry just shrugged his shoulders. Ron started laughing.

"I beat him at chess all six times that we've played!" Ron laughed. Harry reached over and punched Ron in the arm. Ron immediately stopped laughing. "Ow, what was that for?!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Shut up will you?"

Ron just looked at Herm and shook his head. "Harry's probably pms-ing." Ron mouthed. Hermione had to hold her stomach to keep herself from laughing; her face was turning bright red. She sat down on the couch next to Harry.

"Where have you been, Hermione?" Harry queried. "Were you with Malfoy?"

"No I have not." Hermione answered without pausing.

"Then where were you?!" Harry shouted.

There was a pause.

"Harry, there's no need to shout..." Ron said quietly.

"Oh, right, whatever." Harry said and picked up his Potions homework and moved over to a table in the corner to work on his homework alone.

"Hermione, really, where were you?" Ron asked her.

"I went down to the kitchens, Ron, really." She replied.

"Look, I know you think Malfoy has changed," Ron started. "And maybe he has, who knows for sure." He added seeing Hermione open her mouth to interrupt. "But you really don't see why everyone is freaking out so much over it? He has done some horrible things to everyone, especially you."

"But Ron he apologized!" Hermione pleaded.

"Was he sincere? What has he ever done to prove to you that he can actually be a caring and thoughtful person? Maybe it's all just an act, Hermione. But I'm not here telling you who you can and can't hang out with. But Hermione, watch out for yourself, I don't want you to get hurt, alright?"

"Oh Ron!" Hermione reached over and hugged Ron real tight. "You're the only one that understands...or willing to try and understand...Ron, thank you so much." She kissed him on the cheek.

Ron just sat there stunned. He rubbed his cheek where she had kissed him and he could feel himself going bright red. "Uh...um...uh...no problem." He stuttered.

Ginny started walking down the dormitory steps and walked over to the couch where Hermione and Ron were sitting.

"Have you seen Har...?" She cut herself off as her eyes drifted over to the corner where Harry was doing his homework. She squealed and ran back up the stairs.

"What's with her?" Ron asked. Hermione just giggled.

"Oh, nothing..."

After about a half an hour, Harry finally got up and walked back over to Ron and Hermione.

"Hermione, look..." he began. Hermione just looked up at him. "Um, well, I apologize for blowing up at you. I overheard your and Ron's conversation and I'm sorry."

Hermione got up and hugged Harry. "I was hoping we could be able to forgive each other. I don't want to lose you Harry..." she said with tears in her eyes. "As a friend of course..." she added quickly. Harry hugged her back.

Ginny walked back down the stairs and saw Harry and Hermione hugging. She stopped in place and sat there staring at them. When Harry and Hermione pulled back, Hermione saw Ginny.

"How could you?!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny, what?" Hermione replied.

"How could you?!" Ginny repeated her voice shaky.

"Ginny...what is it?" Harry asked politely.

"Oh shut up Harry! You're the problem here anyways!" Ginny shrieked.

"Harry's the problem?" Ron said to himself.

"You stay out of it too, Ron!" Ginny shouted.

There was an awkward pause.

"Ginny...nothing happened. Harry and I were in a fight. We just made up and we were hugging, like friends do, that's all!" Hermione claimed.

"Oh yeah, sure! You knew I was going to ask him to the Ball tonight, but no! You got to him first! You knew, Hermione, you knew! How could you do this to me?!" Ginny cried.

"Got to me first?" Harry thought to himself.

"Ginny, I wasn't even going to ask Harry to the Ball! I was going to go with Ron, remember?" Hermione was starting to get very uneasy.

"Oh, that makes me feel SO great..." Harry accidentally said aloud.

Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all looked at Harry.

"Wha?" Harry said innocently.

Ron stood up and grabbed Harry's arm, "C'mon you need to come with me..."

Ron led Harry up the boys dormitories stairs. "Harry, is there anything you need to tell me?" Ron asked impatiently.

"No, you already know everything." Harry said, trying to make his way back down the staircase, but Ron stopped him.

"Look, you...we...need to work this out. Ginny obviously likes you, and you like Hermione. I'm just taking a shot in the dark here but I'm pretty sure Herm likes you too, Harry."

"Then why is she going to the dance with you?!" Harry interrupted.

"Harry, I'm really sorry," Ron replied. "But she's only going with me as a last resort, remember?"

"Yeah well, a last resort then, huh? Then if she likes me so much, why doesn't she ask me then she wouldn't have to go with you as a last resort!" Harry snapped.

Ron felt so horrible; he knew Harry liked Hermione, a lot. But Ron was starting to like her too.

Ron could hear Ginny and Hermione down in the Common Room still fighting. He made his way closer to the entrance to hear them a little easier. He didn't really want to eavesdrop, he was just curious...

"Hermione, look, you knew I was going to ask him!" Ginny was crying.

"Ginny, ok, this is going to sound so horrible, but it's the truth! It's not like Harry is your boyfriend, so he doesn't have to like you and only you!" Hermione was crying too. "Maybe he doesn't even like me in the first place, I'm pretty sure that I don't even like him anymore! But he's not yours, so you can't get mad at me or anybody for that matter, just for hugging him!"

"That was harsh, Herm, real harsh. You know what? Forget it! Forget I was ever your friend! You're just a bigheaded, stuck-up, know-it-all!" Ginny barked.

"Ok gosh, I didn't ask for your rude comments!" Hermione replied coolly.

"Leave me alone you Mudblood!" Ginny screamed.

Ron turned the corner in time to see Ginny run up the stairs and see Hermione fall on the floor crying.

"Herm!" Ron yelled as he ran over to her. "Don't listen to her, Herm." He sat down on the floor next to her.

"Ron, oh Ron, I'm sorry!" Hermione whimpered.

"Shh, you need to rest Hermione, you've been through a long day. First getting hurt and going to the Hospital Wing, you and Harry getting in a fight, you and Ginny getting in a fight...you need to get your rest ok?" Ron helped her up.

Hermione had tears flowing down her face. "Ron, did you hear what she called me? Oh Ron...she is one of my best friends! Or...she was..." Hermione sobbed.

"Herm, it's ok. Just go to bed, alright? I'll see you in the morning." Ron helped Hermione walk up the steps and led her into the Girl's Dormitories. "Night," he said and went to his own dorm.

Harry was already asleep, or at least, Ron thought so. All the other boys were already asleep as well. Ron changed into his pajamas and got into bed. He fell asleep immediately.

Harry, on the other hand, couldn't sleep; he tossed and turned the whole night but he could never manage to fall asleep, so he got up and sat by the window.

Harry put his head on his knees and stared blankly out into the darkness. "If only I had another chance..." He said aloud to himself. "If only I could take it back...If only I could go back in time, make everything right...If only..."

........

A/N: Please Review!