Harry and Ron were sitting outside doing homework as Hermione walked out from the main doors. Harry lifted his glance to the girl, but decided it was for the best not to invite her to join them. Hermione saw the boys and glancing around herself; she walked to them and sat next to Harry.
"Hi Harry!" the girl says and looks only at Harry.
Harry grimaced slightly. Now would this be a happy little gathering between friends or what… "Hello. How are you doing?"
"Just fine. At least I have moved on with my life, it wasn't actually hard at all", Hermione taunted and glared at Ron. Ron blushed and was about to say something, but was interrupted by Draco Malfoy.
"Well would you look at that, the whole trio together. You two made up already?" Draco drawled and cast a disdainful look at Ron, who just glared back. Hermione blushed slightly and bowed her head. Harry was in whole another place, staring at Draco as enchanted.
"It's none of your business, you slithery slime ball!" Ron shouted.
"I'll take that as a 'no'. What a shame really… For you Ron, of course, but that's nothing new. Maybe you finally understood that you don't deserve a girl like her. I wasn't really sure about you being able to understand things, but as we all know, Weasleys are full of lices and surprises", Draco stated calmly.
Ron rushed up, followed by Harry who took a hold of his friend's shoulder. Hermione gulped and started to fidget, but didn't take any part to the conversation, which made Ron even more furious. Usually the girl was the first to bite back when Draco came yapping, but now all she did was sitting in the background like nothing was going on. Even Harry seemed reluctant to take part. What was wrong with these two? Or did Ron deserve this kind on humiliation in the mind of his friends? Ron was getting extremely pissed.
"What goes on with me and Hermione, does not concern you in any way. Ever! You just stay away from us! You have no right to judge me!" Ron shouted and tried to attack the boy. Draco settled for arching his eyebrows.
"Let it be, Draco. Don't hit a man when he's already down." Harry said and looked at the boy, almost pleading.
Ron glared at Harry. "Since when have you started to call Malfoy by his first name? And why do you bother asking anything from that idiot anyway?" Ron hissed ill-humoured and extremely hurt. Harry just shook his head.
Suddenly Hermione stood up and looked at Ron. "If you'd just forget about me and moved on with your life, instead of making an ass out of yourself. Draco just stated few facts. I'm sorry Ron, but our relationship can't be fixed. At least not like that. Come", Hermione said hastily and left the scene, Draco following her.
Ron gaped after them and wasn't sure whether he should go and beat up Malfoy or start to bawl in front of the whole school.
There was a hint of jealousy in Harry's eyes. It disappeared however, when Harry noticed Ron dropping to his knees to the ground. Harry watched Ron in silence. "Ron…" he begins.
"Leave me be. It seems that Hermione really did move on with her life. With that… that..." Ron snapped and stood up, starting to walk towards the lake.
Harry scratched his head and decided to head back to the school. He kept wondering when exactly Hermione and Draco had started to spend time together and what the deal with the two of them was.
Ron sat in the breakfast table and stared at his plate. "You're a complete fool, Ron", he mumbled to himself. "How could you mess everything up this badly", Ron sighed. The red hair was ruffled and the topmost shirt was inside out, signing that the boy's mind wasn't really in this world. He almost jumped out of his skin, when Harry patted him on the shoulder.
"O-Oh, hi Harry", Ron mumbled and grimaced.
"Your shirt is inside out, by the way", Harry noted as he sat down to the table.
"Yeah, it's fashionable nowadays in the Weasley family", Ron said sourly.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Harry asked filling his own plate.
"I guess not, I'm not that hungry… Where's Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Wasn't feeling like eating", Harry stated with a grimace.
"I have to go. See you." Ron stood up and trudged off like in sleep. Harry shook his head.
Hermione sat in the Common Room reading a book about Arithmancy. With a sigh Hermione noted, that reading was practically impossible, when her mind was occupied by Ron and Draco. What had she done yesterday? What if Malfoy starts to spread information and gossips around the school about it? She grimaced and noticed Ginny who sat down to the sofa.
"Good morning, Ginny", Hermione greeted.
"Good morning. I heard you and Ron are fighting. Is it true?" Ginny asked.
"In matter of fact, we broke up yesterday", Hermione corrected hastily and tried to look calm.
"Is it true that he cheated on you with Sara", the redhead asked.
"They are probably dating by now", Hermione snorted.
"That's really not like Ron at all. He loves you. You make a perfect couple", Ginny stated.
"Well he has a strange way of showing it", Hermione snorted and stood up. Storming out from the room she bumped into Ron at the doorway. "Your shirt is inside out", is the only comment Ron got as the girl walked off.
Ron grimaced and stepped inside the Common Room. "Hi Ginny", he said evadingly.
"If I were you, I'd go and sort things out with Hermione and quickly", Ginny snorted.
"I don't think she really cares. She's hanging with that freaking Malfoy nowadays", Ron stated grimly.
"You sure that's not just some kind of demonstration?" Ginny suggested.
Ron quieted down. "Why would Malfoy bother to take part? He hates Hermione's guts, she's a muggle-born", Ron reasoned in frustration.
"Ah, I've watched the son of Malfoy grow during this year and no, he hasn't said anything bad to Hermione in a long time, if you haven't noticed. When was the last time you heard him call someone a 'mudblood'? Only things he hates are you and Harry. Don't you get it? This is probably some fun way to irk you", Ginny explained like the matter was the simplest thing in the world. Ron seemed to be ready to attack someone.
"It's true… But he won't be getting my girl. No one plays games with my girl and humiliates me like this!" the boy exclaimed.
"Your? Hermione already dumped you. And at this rate the matter will stay like that, if you won't sort things out", Ginny said and patted her brother to his shoulder before she disappeared to the Dormitory.
The whole day Hermione kept avoiding both Weasley and Malfoy. She so didn't need to hear any witty comments nor lame apologies; she just wanted a moment of her own. Soon after the last class Hermione climbed to the North Tower and sat there quietly. It didn't take long, before quiet sobs filled the air. The girl didn't notice the door being opened and lifted his face up only when Malfoy was standing right before her. The blonde hair was in order this time, but the clothing was almost the same. Only a black collar-shirt, which was left unbuttoned, was new.
"Little Miss Granger is bawling her eyes out here without her Saviour", Draco said smiling and crouched down.
"Why do you keep appearing?" Hermione mumbled.
"I really don't know myself." Draco shrugged. "But no one stands to watch that crying. Don't be fool, Hermione, Ron isn't worth it", Draco snorted and wiped the girl's tears.
Hermione shivered slightly. What was going on? "Draco?" Hermione sobbed with surprised voice.
"Don't ask anything and we're both happy", the boy stated and kissed her.
At the same time Ginny and Harry were lying on a blanket in another empty classroom. Ginny was wearing only her underwear and Harry a pair of black jeans. Harry sighed. Ginny presses a kiss on the boy's chest, but it was clear that he couldn't care less.
"What's wrong with you? What's wrong with all of you?" Ginny finally murmured.
Harry sighed and watched the girl tiredly. "Hermione and Ron just have small problems", he stated.
"Is that why you're being like that? It's been like this for weeks. You've been avoiding me and every time were alone, you just want to play some stupid wizard's chess", Ginny said sounding miserable.
Harry grimaced. "I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind recently", he said.
"And what would be so important it passes your girlfriend? You-know-who?" Ginny snapped.
"No", Harry said and sat up. Pulling his shirt on, he stood up from the floor.
"Harry, don't go! Don't you love me anymore?" Ginny cried out.
Harry stopped by the doorway, like weighing up something. Turning around, the boy's face showed some kind of exhaustion. He seemed to be full of pain and negligence. "No. I don't love you. I haven't loved you for a long time. You can never be like the one I love", Harry said dreamlike and left the shocked girl crying in the room alone.
Draco sulked at the door of the North Tower and sighed. That boy was always late. Hermione had left an hour ago. Draco ruffled his hair when Harry appeared before him.
"There he is. I started to think the Wonder Boy had something better to do. What have you been up to?" Draco asked with a sneer.
"Dumped Ginny. She's not worth the pain. She should be free", Harry stated.
Draco shook his head. "What do you think you'll be gaining from that? Do you think you' could have me? You're so wrong. Oh the poor girl... And still you've become so tired, so nonchalant. You're using all of your energy for me. You know it's completely useless, don't you?" Draco finally asked, his eyes twinkling with some kind of danger.
Harry snorted and opened the door, pushing Draco inside. Harry didn't bother saying anything, he just walked to Draco. The shirt was pulled off quickly and passionate kisses were pressed against Draco's upper body. Draco stripped Harry's shirt with slow motions and with a broad smile. Harry's hands explored Draco's back and suddenly he slammed Draco against the nearby wall. Draco arched his eyebrows and took a hold of the boy's hips and just as quickly the places were switched.
"You will never be leading me, Potter", Draco whispered and kissed him with demand.
"I won't? What was the thing with you and Hermione yesterday?" Harry asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice, freeing Draco from his jeans at the same time.
Draco let out laughter. "Oh, the famous Harry Potter is jealous. Why? We're not a couple. You mean nothing to me, you know it. I've made it clear from the first moment, as you can remember. But still you keep trying", Draco said and looked at the other boy.
Harry lifted his glance also. "I am jealous. And don't say that, I know it myself. I just… don't want to believe it. You're capable of loving, you have to be. It doesn't matter what your father did, you cannot be pure ice, I know it. I see it in your eyes", Harry said quietly.
"Stupid and meaningless. You'd better believe it, so you save yourself from the heartache. No Harry, I'm not capable of loving. I don't know how to. But if I knew... If I knew how to, then I'm perfectly sure I'd love you, Harry", Draco said and stared Harry in the eye.
As Draco placed his hands to Harry's shoulders, he didn't know what to say. "But you're… shaking. You…" Harry started, but Draco just shook his head.
"I'm just your Saviour. I saved you back then, just like you saved me. And here we are. Maybe I shouldn't have let you save me… No Harry, I cannot give you what you want. What's going on between me and Hermione… I'm just saving her from herself, just like I saved you. Do you understand, Harry?" the boy said quietly and backed away from Harry. When Draco's hand stretched out to get his clothes, Harry rushed to hug him.
"Don't go. Not today…" Harry said with determination and kissed him passionately.