Chapter 7

Setting up

"Honestly Harry, could Hermione BE any slower?" Ginny whined.

"Well, you know how long it takes her to get ready now. Ha, I bet she's trying to impress us with something new that Ron got for her.."

"Maybe, but have you noticed anything different about Ron lately?"

(A while back...)

Harry walked up to the cafe that Ron asked to meet him at. He steeped in and saw in the corner booth Ron. He sat a little fidgety.

"Ron? Hey mate, how are you, you look like hell."

"Really Harry thanks because I feel like it." They both laughed.

"So what did you want to talk about? You're not in trouble are you? Harry asked.

"No, not really. Well not now, but I might be.."

"What? Is it Hermione? What's happened?"

"Well you see I love Hermione dearly, you know that, but you see uhh."

"C'mon it can't be that bad, I mean you can tell me anything, have you talked to her?"

"I can't tell her this, you have to keep it a secret, ok promise me."

"You know you can trust me, tell me."

"Ok, I've been having an affair.." His voice trailed off, and he looked away.

"WHAT?!?! With who, for how long? Why?" Harry screamed.

"Well umm since I've been Minister of Magic, and with various females. Hermione doesn't know, but I had to tell someone, oh and Harry Hermione must never know."

"Why did you tell me this? Do you think I can keep this from her? How thick could you get, honestly Ron, you're going to get caught."

"No I won't. I've been doing it for seven months now, and well I needed to tell someone. So I thought about you, my best friend, you."

"I can't believe this.. How could you?"

"I don't know just girls like me now, and well Hermione doesn't."

"She loves you Ron." Harry said irritated.

"I know, but it's just different. Were different. I just need excitement."

"I know how you feel, but Ron that's terrible.. I don't know if I can keep this a secret, especially since Ginny and I, and well Ginny and Hermione are best friends."

"If you're my friend Harry you'll keep this a secret, ok. Besides, maybe you'd like to go 'hunting' with me? You know find a new victim." Ron laughed.

"Yes, I'm your friend, I'll do this, but you have to stop, ok?"

"Oh yea sure." Harry knew that Ron had no intention of stopping, but it just made it easier for him to believe he would, then if he did get found out Harry would be the one who convinced him to stop, and believed he stopped.

(End Of Flashback)

Harry hated lying to Ginny, but he had to honor his promise.

"No, why?" He said indifferently.

"Oh, he's just not he same, I guess more twitchy."

"Really, I haven't noticed."

"Hummmm" Ginny eyed him, and then turned when she heard a door shut. "You can't hear everything in this house."

"Heheh, maybe we can make some noise." Harry stated seductively.

"Harry! You're so bad!" They shared a heartfelt laugh.

Hermione and Draco had finished dressing, and were just about to head down when Draco grabbed her arm. His eyes were pleading to just stay here, forever.

"I don't want to do this; it would be weird, besides who is it?" He said.

"People, now come on. " She stated. After a minute she added, "Please?" She pouted.

"Ugh bloody hell." He hung his head down and allowed Hermione to pull his arm as if he were a dog. Draco really enjoyed her pout, it was just too much and she knew she had him.

Hermione and Draco walked down the hall and down the stairs into the lounge to see their awaiting friends.

Harry and Ginny raised to see Hermione, but were shocked to see Draco Malfoy standing behind her with his usual smug smirk on his face.

"Harry! Ginny! So good to see you! How are you? Are you here to help?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Whoa Hermione, I think we need to ask you the questions." Harry nodded towards Draco whose smirk doubled mockingly.

"Harry, Draco has been very helpful, he's here just to help set up."

"Something about this is odd." Harry said. "It's not in a 'Malfoy' to help anyone."

"Harry, maybe he just wants to help and that's all." Ginny finally spoke. She held her hand out to Draco to shake, but Draco grabbed it lightly and kissed the top, barely grazing his lips over. It was enough to make Ginny blush profusely. Harry narrowed his eyes, and possessively put his arms around her.

"I don't like this." Harry's voice dropped. "At all."

"Well, Potter, I'm here of my own intentions, and in order to have an excellent turn out one would need me in order to do that." He smirked towards Harry, but smiled when Hermione turned around.

"Harry, Draco won't bother you, and vice versa, so lets just have fun setting up!" Exclaimed Ginny as she locked arms with Hermione.

"Yes, lets all just get along!" Hermione joined in leading Ginny towards the ball.

"We shall have a grand time." Draco stated sarcastically. His eyes narrowed towards Harry. He followed Hermione. Harry stood for a moment in his anger than ran to catch up with Ginny grabbing her hand.

Hermione walked them into the ballroom. See this is where I plan it to be. Perfect isn't it. Ginny and Harry were standing a little to the left, and didn't notice Hermione lean against Draco. She leaned into his chest feeling his heartbeat, as he placed his hand on her heart. Noticing that their heartbeats were synchronized. They looked up at each other, then Ginny's voice pulled them into reality, still unaware of their little display of affection they pulled away and walked towards the window.

"Wow you're right 'Mione this place is perfect! You could have a buffet table there, and oh oh a disco ball, umm oh yea right here could be a DJ place and speakers! Oh my this is going to be great! Wait are you going to have a band? hmm This is so exciting!"

"Whoa Gin, this isn't 20 questions." Harry laughed.

"Finally you say something worth while." Draco hissed.

"Now now, Ginny there's going to be a band. The Weird Sisters are playing."

"Oh wow! That's amazing I hear they're really expensive.." Her voice trailed off.

"I imagine they are but Ron wants the best." She said indifferently.

"This is going to be so fun! What are our first orders?" Ginny smiled.

"Well me and Ginny will decorate while the boys will move everything in and out." Her eyes fell on Draco. "Ok guys lets go!"

The boys groaned, and the girls gladly marched off arm in arm to gather the decorations. Draco walked over to the couch and flicked his wand. It levitated for a moment, and he signaled for Harry to get the other end. Harry glared and then spat. "If you're so god damn great then you can do it yourself!"

"I understand if you are of weaker breeding, and are ashamed to show your weakness, but this isn't for me it's for Hermione. Just something for you to consider Potter." Draco drawled lazily.

Harry threw his hands in the air and reluctantly helped Draco move the couch. With their wands drawn they lead the couch to the outside lounge, and put it in the spare room. Ron's junk room.

"Honestly, he makes a disgraceful man of wealth. Muggle artifacts interesting." Draco looked around in disgust. "Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, oh and Potter by apple I mean son and by tree I mean his muggle loving father." He laughed at his little comment.

"Draco your beneath dirt. Why don't you just sod off. Nobody wants you here. Just go and do everyone a favor. Ron is twice the man you'll ever be."

"You really think that? Well then why does he leave his goddess of a wife alone just for meaningless snogs? Do you think you're the only one who knows? Just for that I'm three times the man he'll ever be!" This was the first time Harry had ever heard Draco get angry over a muggleborn. He was shocked at his passion on the subject, but revolted at the thought of Draco being better than Ron, even thought Ron was a cheat, he wasn't an asshole.

"Sod off Draco, you don't know the half of it!"

"Do I? I know more than you think, I know more than you think you know." He smiled coolly and glared. The smile burned into Harry's brain. Mocking him, testing him, almost daring him to attack.

The boys cleared the rest of the ballroom without any talk. They all cleaned the house with a snap of their fingers, and mostly help from the house elves in their little outfits. By the time lunch came around they were all exhausted and a little dirty. They all decided to sit out on the patio looking over the grounds, and eat lunch under the sun, and chirping birds. The day was brilliant putting everyone at ease they all sat down, Harry sitting next to Ginny and across from Hermione who was next to Draco.

"So how's the decorating going?" Harry asked careful to avoid Draco's eyes. "We didn't get to see it, I think you guys might want to check the doors."

"Why?" Ginny laughed.

"Well they wouldn't let us in after we cleaned it. We tried everything, but they were stuck." Harry said.

"Haha Harry it's a secret we put a charm on it, and then we put chairs under the handles." Ginny was in hysterics, and now almost as red as her hair.

"Oh well then that explains it." He said.

Just then lunch was served, and everyone grabbed their cups of pumpkin juice for a toast.

"To new beginnings, and good times." Hermione said her eyes set on Draco, who smiled softly.

"Here here!" Chimed in Ginny and Harry. They all drank their juice and ate in for the most part silence. Hermione kept sneaking glances at Draco, who was looking at nothing in particular. One of his gracefully skilled hands lay by his side, and inched it's way over to Hermione. Her leg gently rubbed his sending shivers through his thighs. Harry and Ginny were oblivious to their little romantic touches. Draco's slender finger ran along slowly down Hermione's wrist and hand. She bit her bottom lip as it moved over her leg, and down her thigh. His leg creeped up her thigh leaving her stranded, and shivering. Just then Harry spoke.

"Hermione are you alright? You look a little shaken?"

"I'm alright just the heat I guess. Strange weather for October wouldn't you say?" She looked up into Draco's steel gray eyes longing for his touch.

"Yes rather strange, but much appreciated." He said. "I think I like the change. I love the excitement of the unknown."

"Oh yes. I like to try new things, it's the spice of life." She couldn't take her eyes from him.

"I like change too. I think I'm the fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl." Ginny piped in only to not be heard.

"Hermione what are you doing?" Harry stated flatly.

"Hypnotic, aren't they?" Draco smiled.

"Yes, very." Hermione ripped her eyes away. Feeling a sudden emptiness, and a need for him.

Harry shook his head. "You don't look well, shall we go in?"

"Oh no, lets go for a walk, I'm fine now I promise." She said. Her and Ginny rose with the boys following behind. 'Get a grip Hermione, you're going to blow your cover. He's just so much. I need him again. I need him more than ever. Now. they mustn't suspect anything. Relax.' Hermione told herself. Inside she was having a mental show down, with too many conflictions to deal with. She knew she would have to talk to Draco about it. 'He's the only one who can help me....I just know it.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sorry guys, I have a slight case of Strepthroat, not good...I've been out for a week or so. My fever is only a 100 degrees now, so if this story is a little disillusioned well sorry I'm kind of out of it, but Fleur De Serpent, well she keeps me going, thank you all for reading and your support to everyone!! Honestly I love you guys!