Disclaimer: It aint mine and all that jazz.

.:H:F:.

"So, Hermione, shall we go?" Harry asked nervously. Hermione nodded with a smile.

"It seems kind of, um, odd, going out with you. I mean, you're my best friend," Hermione said as they walked into the Italian restaurant called Le Bella Donna. They were led to a candlelit table and served two glasses of wine.

"I know what you mean. So, 'Mione, I've read all of your articles, you're a wonderful writer. But why'd you start working for the prophet? I thought you hated it."

"Yeah, well, I thought if I started working for it maybe I could tone the gossiping down a bit. It seems to be working... sort of. Well, at least a few articles have gone back to just the facts. What do you do for a living? I don't believe you ever said," she replied.

Harry answered after the waiter was done taking their orders, "I decided not to become an auror after the war because I couldn't bring myself to kill more people, so I decided to become a healer. I work on the sixth floor of St. Mungo's."

"But I thought St. Mungo's only had five floors?"

"The sixth floor is kept secret; it was where people hurt in the war were healed, and now it's where we heal aurors," he told her. They talked for a while, wondering where their food was. At a quarter until ten a disheveled chef ran out of the kitchens.

"Fire! Everyone out! Fire!" he waved his arms about as the fire alarm went off. Everyone hurried out of the small restaurant and went their separate ways to either find another place to dine or go home. The only place in the small town that was still open was Mario's Pizzeria.

"Well, at least we got Italian food," Harry said with a grin that made his emerald eyes twinkle. Hermione smiled back. They finished their pepperoni pizza and started to walk back to the Burrow. It was snowing. "We could just apparate," Harry suggested.

"Nah, come on!" Hermione pulled him out into the street and began skipping around and pulling him along. "Isn't it beautiful? I just love the snow... It's so fragile and soft. It's like beauty in miniature form," she caught a flake on her tongue and sighed.

"Hermione, I'm sorry tonight was a bust. I didn't mean for it to turn out like this," Harry smiled apologetically as they walked up the driveway.

"Harry, I think tonight turned out perfectly. Pizza's my favorite food and the snow is just a wonderful touch, don't you think?" she grabbed his hand and started spinning around and dancing. Harry laughed and put his arms around her waste, spinning her through the air.

"How come I never knew how spontaneous you are?" he asked as he set her back down but kept his arms where they were.

"I don't like to show it too much," she replied. He leaned closer and kissed her. She put her arms around his neck and slipped in her tongue. When they broke up for air, they made their way up to their rooms to sleep. "Good night," Hermione said and gave him one more kiss. She walked into her room and collapsed her bed. She fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

She woke up to a red head staring at her expectantly. "Spill! How was the date?" Ginny asked as Hermione groggily sat up. She told Ginny about having to eat at the pizza parlor, and dancing in the snow. When she got to the part about the kiss, Ginny practically squealed. "That is so sweet! A kiss in the falling snow. It reminds me of mine and Seamus' first date. We kissed in the pouring rain..." She sighed at the memory and got a dreamy look in her eyes. Hermione smiled.

"It was just perfect! I didn't think it would work out that good because Harry and I had been just friends for so long, but..." she sighed and adopted the same look as Ginny. Mrs. Weasley's voice floated up the stairs and they hastily got dressed and went down to breakfast. Hermione sat down in front of Harry, and Ginny sat beside her husband. Everyone chatted happily about the upcoming holiday; well, everyone except Fred. Hermione stopped her conversation for a moment to survey the solitary twin. He looked grouchy and hadn't said a word the whole morning.

"Fred, is something wrong?" Hermione asked. Startled that anyone was talking to him, the man looked up at her.

"No. I'm fine," he grumbled and went back to his eggs. Hermione gave him a questioning look but continued talking. After breakfast, the group went to Diagon Alley to finish holiday shopping and to just all around have a good time. They stepped into a seafood restaurant for lunch around one o'clock and were stunned by the beautiful architecture.

The door was a tall archway, and the inside was all wood. There were cherry wood beams forming an intricate pattern on the ceiling, and tall teardrop shaped windows covering the walls. The floor was a mixture of striped tiger wood and ebony, depicting a ship with winded sails. They were ushered to the only table that would hold fifteen in the very back. When the waiter came to take their drink order, he stopped at Harry and fixed him with an awe struck hazel gaze.

"Harry? Harry Potter? Remember me? Chet O'Donnell. We were-" he didn't get to finish because Harry cut him off.

"Best mates when I went into hiding. Yep, great friends," Harry said, but sounded a mite nervous. No one really took notice. After everyone had gotten their food, Harry excused himself to the bathroom. He stepped onto the checkered linoleum, and Chet stepped in after him. He gave Harry a stern look that was returned with a meek smile.

"You never told them, did you?" he asked. Harry shook his head and looked down. Chet sighed. "I really missed you, ya' know," he stepped closer and put his arms around Harry's neck. Harry pulled back and shook his head, no.

"Chet, I can't; I have a girlfriend now. I- I'm going to go straight. It's easier that way, less questions and awkward moments if no one knows," Harry said. Chet raised an eyebrow and put his arms around the other man once more.

"My da' always said that you should be true to your heart; you're not being true are ya'?" he whispered and leaned down. He kissed Harry full on the mouth, and Harry kissed back without hesitation. The swinging door behind them whipped open and the two men tried to break apart as quickly as possible. But it was too late, Draco had seen everything. Draco turned on his heel and went out the way he came. Harry watched as he left and felt his whole world deteriorate. He hurried out of the bathroom and back to the table to find Draco chatting casually with the rest of the group. He raised an arched eyebrow as Harry sat down, and Harry felt his cheeks turn crimson. Draco just smirked, as if he was waiting to ruin Harry's life with this dirty secret.

They left the restaurant and headed back to the Burrow after a long day of shopping. Fred still had been silent, and Hermione was getting worried. When they had all apparated into the house, Hermione pulled Fred aside. "What is up with you?" she asked softly. "Is something wrong?" He looked her over, opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it and shook his head.

"You wouldn't get it. No, better yet, you wouldn't care," he said nonchalantly. He made to leave but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"Fred, what is this about? Why won't you just tell me? Anyone could see something's up in that head of yours, what is it? What's got you so down?" she asked, now exasperated. He was about to say something when they heard a shout that cut him off.

"Malfoy, get your arse over here right now!" Harry yelled at the retreating back that had kept refusing to talk to him. He turned around and raised that damned eyebrow of his. Harry noticed everyone was staring at him. He blushed and stuttered, "Uh, Draco and I were just going to go, uh, go talk about some business." He grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him outside before he could protest.

"Harry, whatever do you want?" he asked batting his eyelashes.

"Cut the crap Malfoy, we both know what you saw."

"Well, if you think I'm going to tell anyone, you're wrong. But if you really don't like Hermione, you should tell her," Draco replied and looked around at the creek that ran through the back of the Weasley's property.

"I know, I know. But- wait, why are you turning down a chance to ruin my life?" Harry said suspiciously

"Because, I'm gay. And there's nothing wrong with it; be proud of who you are," he clapped him on the back. Harry eyed him suspiciously.

"I've never seen the moral side of you before... Well, um, thanks," Harry said nervously and walked back into the house.

.:H:F:.

A/N: Ok, late chapter, I know, sorry! Ya, it's kind of short, oh well. Review!