Chapter Three

Sunday Morning

I woke up with a sick, uneasy feeling. And for a while, I couldn't remember why.

Those were some sweet seconds.

Everything that happened last night hit me like a stampede of hippogriffs. I shook my head and looked at my bedside clock. It read 7: 46. It was a bit earlier then my usual Sunday wake- up. This was lucky. This way, I could avoid some people that I'd rather not mention early in the morning.

When I had gotten myself down to the Great Hall, I was relieved to find that there were only a few students down there, discluding Harry.

As for Draco, I wasn't ready to face him yet. In a way, I felt like I was cheating on him. I know I didn't do anything. But I had sort of wanted to. And that was only one step away from the worst, wasn't it?

I quickly grabbed some toast and started on my way, just in case.

The fact that it was Sunday was both good and bad. On one hand, it was good because I didn't have to sit next to Harry or Ron in any classes. On the other, there would be nothing to distract me, and I didn't want to be cooped up in my dormitory, as it was such a nice day outside.

Think, Hermione, I thought to myself. What could I do? Normally, I would either be hanging out with Harry and Ron, or being with Draco. I wasn't up for either choice.

What was Harry thinking! What was wrong with him! He liked me now! Well, he was about three months too late.

For a fleeting second, the phrase, forbidden fruit is always sweeter, popped into my head. Could that be what Harry was all about? Now that he couldn't have me, he wanted me?

But it sounded so unlike him. And now, I don't know what to do.

To my surprise, my feet had carried me to the land beside Hogwarts Lake, where Draco and I had had our first date. Shrugging, I sat down. Cracking open a book, I was very disappointed that I was about to spend my morning like this, at least until lunchtime, where I would have to face everything.

Lunch

I peeked cautiously around the doorframe of the Great Hall before entering. A second year Hufflepuff walked by, looking at me like I was crazy. Ron and Harry were there, both just starting to dig in.

I took a deep breath. Calm down. He's still my best friend, despite last night's actions. The prat…

I walked over to the table casually, sat down in my usual spot between the two, and took a drumstick.

"Where were you in the morning, Herms?" asked Ron, mouth full of potatoes. It appeared as though Harry had not told him.

"I woke up early", I replied shortly. All the while, I could feel Harry's eyes boring into me. I tried my hardest not to return his glance.

After that, no more words were exchanged. Conversation has pretty much gone dry, popped into my head.

Finishing off the last of my meal, I started to get up to leave, thinking that I was free. Too soon to talk. Harry grabbed my wrist, pulling me back a little, and said rather loudly, "I'll come with, Hermione. I think we should talk about… the Transfiguration assignment."

If Ron wasn't so preoccupied with eating, maybe he would have remembered that Professor McGonagall didn't even assign homework over the weekend.

Grudgingly, I walked out with him, all too aware of hid hand still holding my wrist. I pulled it away gently, trying not to offend him or anything.

Once we were clear of anyone else, I put my hands on my hips and said in an irritated fashion, "What?"

He looked at his shoes for a moment and said, "Hermione. I said I was sorry."

This calmed me down a bit. To my horror, I felt guilty for making me guilty. How I wished I had that kind of skill.

I sighed. "I know, Harry. I'm not mad at you. Sorry for being harsh."

I turned to leave, but he grasped my wrist and said, "Wait. Hermione, I meant what I said last night. And I want a chance."

I gaped openly at him. Was he serious? "Are you serious?"

He nodded. "At least let me take you out to dinner tonight. If not a date, let's call it…" he thought for a moment, "…a test run."

I actually considered considering it for a second there. But then, "No, Harry. I don't think that's such a great idea. Have you forgotten that I have a boyfriend?"

"I know that, and I understand that. But please, please give me a chance." He looked so vulnerable that I almost gave in. Instead, I just stood there. "And if you can honestly say you didn't enjoy yourself afterwards, I'll leave it alone, and we'll go back to being friends. What do you say?"

I gave a big sigh. "I can't believe I'm doing this", I muttered to myself.

He grinned. "Is that a yes?" I nodded.

His grin widened, and he picked me up and spun me around, causing me to yelp in surprise.

"I'll swing by at six. You won't regret it."

Oh, I suspected that I probably would.

A Few Hours Later- The "Test Run"

Dressed and ready to go, Harry arrived at six sharp. And to my pleasure and dismay, the date, I mean "test run", went great.

We went to a cozy little restaurant, where we talked, laughed, and I discovered that he liked me for a little over a month.

"I knew you were with Draco, and so I tried not to interfere. So I tried dating all these different girls, but in the end, they never really felt right. But when I'm with you, it's another story."

I was so unused to receiving romantic attention from him, and I could feel myself falling deeper and deeper for him, just as I had with Draco.

At the thought of Draco, my sweet uncheating boyfriend, I felt a series of guilt pangs.

In the end, I couldn't tell Harry that I didn't enjoy myself as I had originally planned to do, because it wasn't true, and he definitely would have seen through my lie.

So I ended up giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek, telling him I needed time to think. I doubt that it was satisfying, but he would just have to live with it.

As I walked into the Great Hall for desert (it was only 9), I felt a pair of arms go around me.

I went rigid for a second, thinking it was Harry. Then I realized that the scent was discreetly Draco.

I relaxed and turned to him, still displaying a painstakingly obvious guilty smile. "Hi, Draco." The pitch of my voice was unnaturally high.

His eyebrows went up at once and asked, "What's up with you?"

I laughed shrilly and responded, "Nothing, nothing at all. You?"

He stared at me for a second before saying, "Okay, I'm suspicious. What happened?"

Finally, I decided that I wasn't going to lie to him. He had the right to know.

But I didn't want to tell him there, where anyone could just lean over and eavesdrop. So I whispered, "Not here. I'll tell you later."

He just nodded and kissed me on the forehead. With that, he joined the rest of the Slytherin table.

It was strange. These past two years, the Slytherins and Gryffindors hadn't had nearly as much animosity as the previous years.

Perhaps it was because the Final Battle, the one that would determine the fate of the wizarding world, was approaching at a terrifying speed. And we all wanted as little enemies as possible. And although there were probably a lot of future deatheaters in that lot, we never pressed the subject anymore.

Afterwards, I took him into my room and sat him down. It was a hard thing to get out, but once I did, I was even more nervous about his reaction.

At first, he was stony silent. But I could see the wheels turning in his mind, trying to figure it all out. I held my breath.

He shook his head and punched my wall. It left a dent.

He turned back to me and asked, containing his anger, "Do you feel the same way about him?" He usually had no problem with Harry, but he had said "him" in a sort of contempt.

And how could I tell him the truth? He would hate me and leave me. How could you blame him? I'd probably do the same in his position. If I had ever found out that he liked another as well as me, I would be heartbroken. And I could never stay with him, knowing that.

So I had no choice but to lie. "No, Draco. Believe me, I don't like him that way. I like you."

He shook his head and sat down next to me. Then, he took my hands in his and looked deep into my eyes. "Really?"

His eyes were so full of hope, that I wanted to kill myself for being such an ass. "Yes." I pulled him to me and hugged him for a long time.

Next Morning

Now that Draco knew, it seemed as though he didn't want to leave me alone with Harry. At breakfast, instead of eating with the Slytherins like usual, he sat next to me, the spot that Harry usually took. It was a sort of protective I saw as both annoying and adorable.

Harry saw him and obediently went to sit at the other side of the table, right across from me.

When he sat down, he and Draco began a strange sort of unspoken staring contest, which was positively unnerving. Ron, apparently, took time from his eating to notice the tension. He waved a hand in between their faces, but got no reaction. He looked at me and said, "What's with them?"

I looked at the two of them nervously and replied, "Tell you later."

We had Defense Against the Dark Arts first with Slytherin. In all our years at Hogwarts, we never had a DADA teacher that lasted more then a year. This one was no different. Her name was Professor Lilan.

"I have news for you, students!" she clapped her hands excitedly. We are restarting a dueling club, a suggestion of the headmaster's. It will be at 5 o' clock in the evening, so sign up and polish your wands."

A buzz of conversation rippled over the classroom, passing over me.

I leaned over to Ron and Harry, as if everything was normal between all of us. "What do you think? This time, we can actually get something done, with a qualified teacher."

Ron nodded enthusiastically and turned to Harry. "What do you reckon, Harry?"

Harry nodded as well.

"Alright, everyone, settle down." Professor Lilan shushed everyone. "Now, please turn to page sixty- four…"

5 o' Clock

It looked like almost all the seventh years had shown up in the Great Hall. A big platform had again been set up, just like in second year.

Unfortunately, Snape was directing it, along with Professor McGonagall this time.

"Everyone, shut you mouths and listen up," said Snape scathingly to everyone. We went silent almost immediately.

McGonagall looked at him disapprovingly. "Thank you, Severus. Now, students, I trust that you all have your packets, informing you the appropriate curses for this occasion. Pair yourself up and after a while, we will select a group to come up and demonstrate."

I paired up with Ron, and for some reason, Draco and Harry ended up as partners. Needless to say, this made me extremely, extremely nervous.

They were looking at each other in a rather hostile manner. I gulped.

Ron noticed as well. He gestured at them and asked me, "What's with those two?"

"Uh…"

I could barely concentrate with Ron, for I was too preoccupied with keeping an eye on the two boys next to me. Noting that my eye was on them, they didn't to any harm to the other, other then disarming charms.

That is, until Snape called them up.

"Potter and Malfoy, come up! Show the rest of the students how to do a proper duel. Now, bow." They barely tilted their heads. "Good. Wands at the ready. One… two… three!"

Both of them shouted out curses at the same time. But they weren't just little disarming charms. It was like a repeat of second year.

I pushed my way up to the front.

"Ascendio cruseda!" shouted Draco, causing Harry to get shot backwards, sure to earn him a big bruise for later. I would have to treat that.

He got up and immediately yelled, "Fortindo scheto!"

A blinding light shot out of Harry's wand and raced towards Draco, somehow cutting up his face; I would have to treat those, too.

Once in a while, I would see their lips moving, signaling that they had said something to the other. And it couldn't be very pleasant, either, for every time, the other would curl their lips into a scowl and shoot off another curse.

I had a sinking feeling that they were fighting about me.

Finally, McGonagall disarmed the both of them and shouted at them both. It was expected; hell, if she didn't yell at them, I would have.

"…Inappropriate behavior…." I caught a few words but I was busy storming out of the Great Hall, furious at them and myself.