DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters associated with the original novels.

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Chapter 11: Friends Again

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"Hello Mione." Hermione turned around to face Ron who was walking towards her from the castle. She was sitting on the grass in front of the lake all by herself. They were now into week two of the reunion and Hermione had a break between classes. She had come down to the lake to think. "Where's Malfoy?"

"In detention," Hermione smiled her eyes still on the lake. "Some people never learn."

"Who's he got detention with?" Ron asked standing over her and looking out onto the black water.

"Snape."

"Really?" Ron cocked a red eyebrow. "I always thought he was Snape's favorite student."

"Me too, but I guess since Snape found out Draco was involved with me, he's not so popular with certain groups."

"I guess not," Ron shrugged.

"Have a seat Ron," Hermione patted the patch of grass beside her. "You're scaring me just standing there."

"I thought you'd never ask," Ron smiled genuinely at her. "I thought maybe you had gotten rude in your old age."

"Whatever Ronald Weasley," Hermione slapped him playfully in the arm.

"Oh I forgot, you're high class."

"Yeah and you better not forget it either." The two old friends smiled at each other.

"I doubt you'll let me." Ron mumbled with a smirk. Hermione's smile turned thoughtful.

Ron had really grown up over the years. He looked less like an awkward young boy and more like a comfortable with himself man. His red hair was a little darker in color and hung with a nice wave down just to the top of his ears. The freckles that had once covered his face were less prominent but they were still there helping him to keep his youthful look. It also looked like he had grown out of his lankiness and filled out quite a bit. Hermione couldn't help but smile with a bit of pride over how much Ron had grown up.

"Is something wrong, Hermione?" Ron's red eyebrows furrowed nervously. She had been staring at him for about five minutes with a glazed look in her eye.

"Oh no, sorry Ron," Hermione replied giving her head a little shake. "I got lost in my own thoughts."

"I figured," Ron smiled.

"Why the sudden change Ron?" Hermione couldn't help but ask. "The last few days you haven't spoken to me and now it's almost like old times. What's going on?"

"Well I came to find you so we could talk things out and have things be like old times," Ron replied looking out onto the lake with the Giant Squid.

"Do you hate me?"

"Not anymore."

"Did you hate me?" Hermione asked sheepishly not making eye contact with him.

"Yes," he answered honestly. "I hated you for leaving without telling us why. I hated myself for not being a better friend during seventh year, and I hated Draco." Hermione's eyes shot to his face.

"Why did you hate Draco for my disappearance?"

"I…I thought he had done something," Ron replied. "I thought he was the reason you left us."

"But why would you think of him?" Hermione asked begging to understand what he was telling her. "No one knew we were together at that time."

"I did," he confessed staring right into her eyes.

Hermione's mouth opened and closed. She tried to say something but every time she thought she had the right question another one would pop into her mind.

"You look like a fish," Ron told her with a chuckle. Hermione blushed with a sheepish grin and finally found the simplest question to get her answer.

"How?"

"I saw you two making out down a corridor once between classes."

"Oh gosh," Hermione groaned burying her face in her hands. "I'm such a skank."

"You're not a skank Hermione," Ron put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I must admit I was surprised to see you snogging with someone down a dark corridor but even more surprised when I realized it was Draco Malfoy you were snogging with."

"Is that why you stopped talking to me?" Hermione asked trying to put the past facts together. "Because I didn't tell you and Harry about Draco and me?"

"Kinda," he replied slowly. "I was also a little jealous." Hermione couldn't help but gape at him. She could see his ears turning pink. "I liked you."

"I…I…" Hermione stuttered. "I don't know what to say to that." The answer sounded lame to her ears but it was true he had left her speechless.

"You don't have to try and make any excuses 'Mione," Ron told her with a small smile. "I know you and Draco are together."

"Oh Ron," Hermione flung her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. "You're the best friend a girl could ask for." She pushed back so she could see his face and smiled at him. "I love you."

"Like a friend," Ron added a little tinge of bitterness in his tone. Hermione bit her lip not sure what to say to that. "But I'm happy with that." He beamed at her. "I want to be friends again."

"So do I," Hermione sighed with a smile. It was hard not to smile knowing that things were now okay between Ron and her.

"I can see why you're a model," Ron said surprising Hermione a little. "You always had a great smile."

"I did not," Hermione shot back with a laugh. "I only got a 'great' smile after I shrunk my front teeth down to average size."

"True."

"Ugh, my teeth were awful and so was my hair," she grimaced stroking her now curly locks.

"You're too hard on yourself."

"And you didn't think anything was wrong with yourself when you were younger? You were always perfect?" she grinned.

"Okay, so I wasn't perfect," Ron shrugged. "But we all have little things that we hate about ourselves."

"Yes but I don't remember you being this well built," Hermione smirked pinching his bicep, which you could tell even under his sweater was defined.

"Alright I admit, I've been working out," Ron replied with a straight face as if it was the biggest secret.

"Obviously," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Any special reason?"

"You mean besides the fact that woman just can't seem to keep their hands off me?" he said with a cheeky grin. Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile at his joking. "You are definitely one out of touch witch." Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him feeling very confused. "I play for the Chudley Cannons. The best keeper they've ever had. Got us all the way to the Finals last year."

"Wow Ron, that's great," Hermione congratulated him. "You're right I really am out of touch with everything to do with the wizarding world. Hadn't even touched a wand until a few days ago."

"Yes, I think we could all tell you were a little rusty."

"I wasn't that bad," Hermione shot back defensively.

"Hermione, your potion turned piss yellow when it was suppose to be pea green, you gave Neville breasts, and you set Professor Flitwick's robes on fire," Ron rattled off a few classroom mishaps. "It was like you were in first year again except you weren't even that bad then. You were more like Neville in first year."

"Okay, fine but other than those I haven't done too badly," Hermione huffed crossing her arms against her chest.

"She also stripped Neville of his manhood when she gave him those breasts," Draco added suddenly appearing behind them.

"Oh," Ron winced clutching his own. "That's just wrong." Hermione swatted him in the arm.

"He was doing just fine on his own, you didn't have to help him," Hermione shot a glare up at Draco who was standing over her.

"Sorry, love but I couldn't help but add my two bits," Draco smiled down at her.

"Thanks for the warning mate," Ron said getting to his feet. "I know not to pair up with Hermione for the rest of the week." Ron brushed off his pants and moved to leave. "Nice chatting with you Mione. See you two later." He gave them a short wave then trudged back up to the castle.

Draco sat down on the grass behind Hermione and pulled her to him so she was leaning up against his chest.

"How was detention?"

"Hell in a classroom," Draco replied with a sigh. "Alphabetizing Snape's potions cabinet is not exactly my idea of fun."

"That's why it was detention," Hermione reminded him.

"Yes, well it wasn't how I wanted to spend my afternoon," Draco grumbled. Hermione leaned back further and kissed his cheek.

"Poor baby," she cooed tickling his chin with her finger. Draco looked down at her completely not amused by her patronizing. "Sorry babe, but now you know what it was like for the rest of us. Snape always made his detentions horribly boring and they usually consisted of us cleaning part of his classroom."

"So you're saying I got what I deserved?"

"No, I don't think Snape was fair in giving you the detention this time since there where many other times that you should have had it instead of Harry or someone else, but it's about time you got one."

"Thank you my love," Draco smiled down at her. "It's nice to know who's side you're on."

"Oh stop it," Hermione swatted him in the arm. "You know I still love you."

"I know," he held her chin up between his thumb and index finger. "I love you too." He brought his lips down and kissed her. Hermione shifted so she no longer had her back to him so she could wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer.

"We should get inside," Draco said gently pulling his lips away from hers even though it killed him to do so. "It's starting to get dark." Hermione nodded. Draco got to his feet then offered his hand to help her up. They walked hand in hand back up to the castle.

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Hey Everybody!!! I didn't abandon this story I just had to come up with something worth posting. I think I finally have so I hope you enjoy this new update after months without anything. Enjoy!

Miss Wright

THANKS TO THE REVIEWERS ;)

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i heart the quiet one: yeah Draco took the suddenly becoming a daddy thing very well didn't he? You will find out more about the kids a little later. More in the chapter after this one which I have started a bit and they will be entering the story very soon as well. I got the name Caden off and like the meaning which is fighter. Thanks for the review ;)

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