Disclaimer- do you think, that if I owned Harry Potter, Hermione would be in love with Ron?
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Miles away from the bantering teens, there was silence.
Complete silence.
It was the kind of silence that is so absolute, it envelopes you in its spell. You don't breathe, for a moment. No one does. But, as suddenly as it is delivered does it pass.
"Well, that was, unexpected…" said McGonagall, a slight frown gracing her reputably impassive face.
Remus Lupin was the second to attempt speech.
"I never, such a, oh Merlin!" he said, staring, transfixed at the orb.
There, in a circle, sat a shocked Order of the Phoenix. They'd fought all sorts of evil, and trained for the better part of their adult lives, but nothing could've prepared them to witness this.
Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Well, that is not what I thought this was about," he began, staring down his spectacles at Snape, "however, we are to remain unchanged. What went on between those Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy is to remain between those two. Understood?"
18 heads nodded mutely. All eyes were on the head that didn't.
"If I may, Albus," said Snape, "I did not think such a thing would happen. Naturally, I thought Draco might take advantage of his position a little, and if things were getting out of hand, we would be able to stop it. That's why I told you about it. I did not know you would insist that we watch it for her safety, and I certainly did not know THIS was going to happen! I move that we erase his memory as well. No good can come of this fling."
"Oh, but Severus, it can! Don't you see?" said Molly Weasley.
Bill and Charlie looked at their mother like she was a lunatic.
"Right you are Molly, right you are. In times of such darkness, to expel something so light, so pure as love, it would be a monstrosity!" piped up Tonks, looking around at everyone.
"Well putNymphadora. I know that you are all a little iffy about this because of protectiveness of Hermione, and maybe even some of us, of young Mister Malfoy," he said, sending a knowing look at Snape, "but what just went on between those two has been harboring up for years. With such things, as a battle in our future, what would benefit us? What would benefit them? Mister Malfoy, on one side, Miss Granger on the other? Together, they could help the light side win! We've all seen the hesitation within Draco to become his father. He never thought he had a way out, not until tonight, at least. You love him Severus. Give him a chance do determine his own destiny! What do you want for the boy? Fighting against the good, engulfed in his hatred, or diminishing the darkness, exploding with love."
"Exploding with love, Albus? Miss Granger's a pretty young girl, how can you be sure it isn't just lust?"
"She is my student, and I care for her like I would my own child. Do you think I would let such a cunning boy near her if I thought he was driven by lust? No, Severus, there is more to the two of them then that. We have all been waiting for him to prove himself worthy of a chance. Now that it's come, are we going to take it away?"
"I suppose not, Albus."
"Very well then, meeting adjourned."
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Hermione rose the next morning, enveloped by the warmth of the Gryffindor common room. She looked up, to see the Boy-Who-Lived staring down at her. She had to giggle at the site, his eyes foggy with tiredness, his glasses ajar, and his hair more out of place than usual. They saw Ron and Ginny still asleep on the armchairs in front of them.
"If there's one thing all the Weasleys have a talent for, it would have to be sleeping." Hermione said.
"Absolutely" said Harry, glancing down at the smiling girl resting her head on his lap.
Ron, Ginny, and Harry had waited up for Hermione the night before. When she arrived with her lips bruised and hair ever-so bushier than usual, Harry had immediately noticed something was not right. His suspicions were confirmed when Hermione explained in detail what had happened in the detention, because he noted that simply cleaning a desk would not take Hermione the amount of time she had been missing for. However, he knew she wasn't lying, and he'd known that what she needed was not an interrogation; it was a fun night with her friends.
The four Gryffindors had fallen asleep together, laughing and chatting in their common room. Harry did not know what having parents was like, but as far as a family went, this was all he needed. Having three such wonderful friends was enough. He loved Ron and Hermione as if he was their brother. And Ginny, there was something else there. The whole house was filled with friends, and they would always be there for him. He understood he'd never be alone. He smiled, sheepishly at the thought.
"A penny for your thoughts," said Hermione, smiling at her friend.
"Just thinking about how great it is to have all of you guys. And well, you know, her." He said, nodding towards the redheaded beauty across from them.
There was nothing cuter than the blush that ensued.
Hermione smiled girlishly and sat up next to Harry on the sofa.
"When are you going to tell her Harry? I'm quite sure she loves you too." It had been almost a year since Harry had realized he was in love with his best friend's little sister.
"When I know we're both ready for it, 'Mione. I don't want to mess this up. She's important to me, you know."
A comfortable silence followed, and Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione.
"I had fun 'Mione, but I've got to get ready. You should get detention more often." He said, kissing her on the forehead and getting up.
"G'bye Harry. Do wake Ron. You know how he is when he misses breakfast. Ginny can sleep in though; she hasn't got a class until later today."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked up to their dormitories, and Ginny Weasley opened her eyes with a smirk.
'Not all Weasleys!'
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Draco walked into the great hall with a crick in his neck and a question in his mind.
'What the bloody hell is wrong with me?'
The Slytherin Prince had gotten very little sleep the night before, but was wide awake. A certain bushy-haired know-it-all had been running a marathon through his head all night.
'Okay Draco, calm down here. You are an incredibly sexy, witty, and suave Slytherin. You do not care about Granger, you simply thought she was a good snog. Yes, quite a good snog. You cannot let her be more than that. Do NOT care about her! If she goes and forgives you what is going to stop you from taking her again? No snogging Gryffindors allowed!'
If it would've been anyone else slamming their heads in their pudding, someone would've stopped him. But no one dare stop Draco Malfoy .