Chapter 1

Once again, Harry Potter had prevailed. He had managed to defeat Lord Voldemort every year, become Head Boy this year, and as of 20 minutes ago, stolen Draco's girlfriend. Draco and Cho had ben going out for 4 months, which makes one think they would be happy.

But famous, charming, innocent Potter had swooped in and carried Cho off on horseback.

Well, actually, he and Cho had been studying in the library when Pothead showed up and asked her some Transfiguration question. They disappeared to find the answer in a book.

An hour later, Draco figured he should go look for them. After all, no one could trust Potter near their girlfriends. He seemed to be into the whole one-night-stand thing.

Well that's exactly what Draco found.

Except part way through.

And in broad daylight.

And Cho saw him, but made no gesture to stop.

Since then he had run out of the library, skipped Care of Magical Creatures, and run up to the Astronomy Tower, where he was currently sitting.

'Frickin' Potter. All famous and shit. I bet it's all an act. I bet he's really cruel hearted and evil and... EW! It sounds like I'm describing myself. Except Potter chooses to be like that. Lucius forces me...'

His thoughts were interrupted when Hermione Granger burst into the room, crying. She slumped down in a corner with her head in her knees and let the tears flow while talking to herself.

"Ugh. Stupid, Stupid Hermione! Why do I even bother? He only notices girls with perfect hair, no brains, and two-"

"Talkin' 'bout Potter?"

"No, Trevor. Of course - holy shit! I didn't know anyone was up here! Especially not you Malfoy."

"Well seems as if you and I share a favorite thinking space."

"Thank you for pointing out that hidden fact Malfoy."

"Bet I paid more attention to you in the last thirty seconds than let's say... oh, I dunno... Potter?"

"Go to hell Malfoy. Harry cares about me, we're best friends."

"Oh dear, I seem to have hit a sore spot. Potter get another slut that doesn't happen to be you?"

"Yes, in fact. Except he already had his way with this one and they've decided that they want to make it a regular occurrence. Basically, they're going out."

"It'll never last."

"Well I wouldn't know, but maybe you would. Does Cho seem like Harry's type?"

Draco's blood ran cold. He thought this library incident would be another reason to beat Potter to a pulp and let Cho make excuses. That she would come crawling back and of course he would forgive her. But they were going out now? He and Cho hadn't even officially broken up! Bloody Hell! Did Potter breathe some sort of chemical that makes girls go crazy?

"I think we both have sore spots Malfoy."

"Well Granger, you know better than I do how it feels to be dumped. Does it ever go away?"

"Does anything make it feel better?"

"Revenge."

Draco got an evil look on his face so Hermione spoke up again.

"The kind that doesn't involve killing people."

"I wasn't thinking of killing people. What kind of revenge do you mean then?"

"Like when Dean left me for Lavender, I found those pictures Colin took of Dean crying after Snape had scolded him in class. I decorated the Gryffindor common room with 100 of those pitiful prints. He never found out it was me, and he was way to embarrassed to care. His pride is his weakness, see?"

"Never thought you could be so immature Granger."

"Hey, it worked didn't it?"

"Okay. So what's wonder boy's weakness?"

Harry having a weakness. His parents maybe, but some school child revenge shouldn't go as far as to insult the dead. Then a thought dawned on Draco.

"You."

"What about me?"

"You're Harry's weakness."

"Okay, let's start out with the fact that you just called Harry, well, Harry, then we'll move onto this crazy theory."

"I didn't expect you to realize that we've basically teamed up against Harry, or rather to break up Harry and Cho. Since we're conspiring as a team, we should probably start using a first name basis."

"I've never used your first name."

"In case you've forgotten, it's Draco."

"I'm not that stupid."

Draco smiled.

It was weird to see him smiling while no one else was suffering.

"Now," said Hermione, breaking the awkward silence, "what do you mean I'm Harry's weakness?"

"It's obvious that Harry's attached to you, even if it's not romantically. Imagine if you became someone else's best friend."

"I'm already best friends with Ron."

"Yeah, but so is Harry. Imagine you being best friends with someone he really hates."

"Like you?"

"We think alike Hermione."

"Why do you want to help me anyways?"

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm not sure you've thoroughly thought this through. Let me spell it out.

"You and I pretend to be best friends. Harry gets jealous, realizes what he's been ignoring, goes back to you. I forgive Cho and everything is better."

"What will your Slytherin posse think?"

"Cho and I have been dating for four months, since the first day of school. I've kind of drifted away from Slytherin."

"It's a deal then. We are officially best friends. Shake on it."

They shook hands and returned to their houses.

Hermione walked into a half deserted common room, hoping Harry would be there, yet not wanting to see him. It just so happened that he was in an armchair by the fireplace.

"Hermione, where have you been? You missed Care of Magical Creatures, and dinner, and it's almost 8:00. You barely made curfew."

"I was just hanging out with my friend in the Astronomy Tower."

"Who's your friend?"

"What's it to you?"

"Just curious."

"Well fuck off, okay?"

"Herms, tell me you have PMS and I'll totally disregard that you cursed."

"I don't have PMS, and I meant to curse. I'm sick and tired of you babying me. You can never look at me as an equal. Either I'm way too smart or I'm way too socially inept. Make up your mind, whether you'll treat me as a human being, or whether I should start looking for new friends."

"What's gotten into you? Is this about me and Cho?"

"Yes!"

Crap. How was she supposed to get herself out of this one? She needed to come up with good reasons to actually be mad about Cho, other than the fact that she loved Harry, and fast.

"You never told me you were still interested in her. I thought that stopped last year after the date from hell."

"Herms, you and I both know that's not what's really bothering you."

"You're right. You know she and Draco were pretty happy together. Why do you always have to stomp in and be wonder boy. Not every girl drools at the sight of you and that fucking scar is not a reason to steal other boys girlfriends!"

"God, are you high, or drunk, or under the Imperius? Please tell me something powerful is altering your wave of thought. Cho told me that she wasn't going to stay with your beloved Malfoy much longer and that she never stopped liking me."

"Harry, next time, let them break up before you swoop in and pick your victim. I'm sorry I got mad, but sometimes, you just don't think before you act."

"Okay. But just tell me who you were with."

"Jealous, are we?" said Hermione devilishly.

"No, overprotective."

"I was with Draco."

Harry's jaw dropped, but before he could say anything, Hermione had run up to the girl's dormitories.

Draco met the opposite fate in the Slytherin dorms. No one said anything to him, and the only thing he had relating to his new plan was a note from Cho.

Dear Draco,

I guess you know by now that I'm dating Harry. You should know that I will miss all the fun we had together, but I think we should both move on. Some are saying I'm a whore for going out with someone else before properly breaking up with you, so I think you can tell anyone who cares that we've split. I'm half doing this for your own good. Your house was starting to get lost without their leader and I was afraid they might hurt you for staying with me. I hope we can still be friends.

Best Wishes,

Cho Chang

'Still be friends? Oh Cho, soon, we will be much more than that.'

Draco put the letter in his drawer and pulled his pajamas out of his trunk. He slipped into them silently as not to wake his room mates. He climbed into his bed quickly, trying to avoid the cold December air. His sheets were terribly cold, but he got used to it and drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling quite rested. She actually felt comfortable talking to Harry about Cho. That didn't mean she liked the idea very much.

'What are you talking about, not liking the idea? You made a deal with the devil to break them up and get Harry to yourself. Of course you don't like the idea. In fact, it should make you sick to your stomach. Why am I not sick to my stomach...'

'Because you knew Harry liked Cho.'

'But it's supposed to be me and Harry forever.'

'Is it?'

'Yes.'

'That's a crazy theory.'

'Why.'

'Because it was theorized by someone who argues with themselves.'

'I do not!... Oh. Stop talking to me then, I need to go to breakfast.'

Actually, she had no where to be. It was 6:30 and every sane person in Gryffindor was still in bed. Harry and Ron probably wouldn't be up until 8ish. What did a bit of roaming ever hurt?

She walked down a back staircase that was lined with pictures. She took this route on her prefect rounds. She read every caption at least twice before she finally heard signs of life, voices, coming from the top of the staircase.

"Tough break with the girl, man."

"Her name is Cho, and I'm sure you don't feel sorry for me."

"Not really. You abandoned us, like you actually believe in that inter-house relationship crap."

"Well, you have to admit that it wouldn't hurt anyone. Hi Hermione."

Hermione was completely stunned to see Draco walking with Blaise Zabini. So stunned that she forgot about their deal for a moment and it took her a second to respond.

"Hi, Draco. How'd you sleep?"

"What do you care, mudblood?" spat Blaise.

"Blaise, come on. I thought we were more mature than calling people mudbloods. Besides, Hermione is nice. What are you doing down here so early Herms?"

"Just looking at pictures. I got up quite early and I was really bored."

"Well this staircase is probably not the best place to come in the mornings. It leads down to the dungeons where they keep us cranky Slytherins."

Draco and Hermione laughed merrily but Blaise looked as if he were going to puke at a moment's notice.

"I know all about the cranky Slytherins. I patrol these stairs at night for prefect duties."

"Draco," Blaise finally spoke up.

"Hmm."

"We better get to breakfast."

"Oh right then. We'll -ouch!- I'll see you around sometime," Draco said politely after receiving a mighty hard jab in the ribs from Blaise. The two boys trampled up the stairs and Hermione could hear the voices get louder and softer as the doors opened and closed behind them.

Three minutes later she went up to the great hall as well. She was hoping to find Harry in shock after last night's confession of her spending almost three hours talking with Draco. But Harry wasn't at breakfast. Harry wasn't in Potions. Harry wasn't in Magical History. It wasn't until Charms that she knew why Harry was missing. Because Cho was missing too. No way that was a coincidence.

After class, Hermione and Ron set out to look for Harry. Ron searched the places he and Harry normally went, while Hermione set out to her favorite spots. The first place Hermione went happened to be a bullseye. Although she couldn't figure out why Harry and Cho were in the library. Even though she was curious as to why they were there, they seemed to be talking about her, so she hid behind some bookshelves and listened.

"Harry, why do you hang out with her so much?"

"'Cause she's my best friend. Along with Ron that is."

"But she's so, I don't know the right word. She seems very clingy."

"She doesn't want to see me get hurt."

"That's not what I hear."

"What do you hear?"

"Well, this is just the gossip machine talking, not me, but people are saying she's only friends with you to get fame. They say she really doesn't like you at all."

"That's not true."

"Have you noticed her hanging out with other people lately? Maybe to get away from you?"

"N - yeah. Yeah last night..."

"Harry, you need to know who to trust. Like me, I'll always be there for you."

"Well I know Ron will too."

What? He should know that he could always count on her! Using him? For fame? Come one! She genuinely lik- loved Harry. She could feel tears running down her cheeks. Did he actually believe her? There was someone tapping her shoulder. Draco.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Shh."

"Okay," he whispered. "You're crying."

He looked around and spotted Harry and Cho sitting at a table nearby.

"Oh."

Before she could explain what happened, Draco had grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her to a nearby bookshelf. He grabbed the nearest Year 6 book and handed it to her.

"Study. It'll take your mind off th - it."

She didn't question him, but took the book entitled Death Potions and Potion Masks and went to sit down at a table near Harry and Cho's. She started reading it. Actually she was rereading it, since she had done extra credit on the subject in third year.

"Hi Hermione."

She looked up. It was Draco again. Hadn't he just left?

"Hi Draco."

'This better be going somewhere because I'm fucking confused.'

"How long've you been here? Lunch is almost over."

"Holy shot!" exclaimed Harry, "Lunch?"

But Hermione ignored him and carried on the conversation.

"I came here before lunch, but not many people were here. You wouldn't believe how silent it was. You could hear absolutely everything down to breathing. Everything."

She saw Harry's face go pale out of the corner of her eye.

"In fact, Draco, I believe I gained more knowledge listening than reading."

With that she stood up, satisfied that Harry had gotten her message. She and Draco left the library, her thanking him all the way.

"I didn't do it for you. If Cho knows how horribly Harry treats his friends then she'll drop that fucker like a rock."

"How'd you know I was crying cause of something they said?"

"I heard the whole conversation. More than you, in fact. Your love isn't much of a talker is he?"

"No, but that's why he is my love."

She didn't see Draco for the rest of the day, nor did she say one word to Harry. She skipped dinner and went straight to her dorm. Pulling the drapes around her bed, she started crying.

'This is so not going right. Harry is supposed to be jealous, not feel sorry. What if he finds out what we're doing? And how can I expect him to love me if he doesn't even fully trust me as a friend? I still don't know why they were in the library or why they skipped. God, this is so fucked up.'

She cried some more and finally fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would live up to her expectations.

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A/N: Hey. This is my third story, and I'm hoping to be better about updating this one. But do you know what encourages updates? I starts with an R and ends with EVIEW. If you're really so dumb that you can't figure that out, it's REVIEW. And please do. I love rhyming! Until next time,

Love,
Jenna

P.S. If I get 10 reviews, I'll drop all my homework and write away, but until then, you can expect an update in a week.()

P.P.S. No flames please.