Disclaimer: NOT MINE. JK Rowling's precious, not my precious. tear

A/N: The ONLY WAY I will continue is if you review, but before I begin, let me thank Spork Princess for being my first reviewer…ever. It was thanks to her inspiration that I wrote this chapter, so thank you. Hope it cools down there! Please review so I feel loved. ENJOY!

Another A/N: I used a mean word in here, but I will explain why at the end. Please, I think it will make sense to you, so please just grin and bear it when you see it. I had to do so when I wrote it. But this all depends on what type of person you are… Enough babbling, Onto the story!

Chapter 3: Hawaiian Punch

Harry finally had the time to execute his dastardly plan upon the poor, frightened, unexpecting Draco. 'Whoa…' he thought to himself, 'better not be too evil, now.' But Harry was not going to hold back scaring poor Draco. If a cell-phone scared him that much, this was going to be much easier than he had originally thought. He went downstairs to make sure that he could show the object to Draco before they left. He told Draco to just sit where he was. But when Harry ran down to see if it was empty, he was quite dissatisfied. It was anything but empty from what Harry could see. So he sighed and retreated back to his room, where Draco jumped when he saw Harry come in.

"Don't do that…" Draco muttered, but before he had properly finished, he fainted. 'Well,' Harry thought, 'at least I still got to scare him…' but before anything else happened, he heard a loud "pop."

After hanging up the phone, Hermione had been hurrying around her room trying to get her things together. Sure she had been expecting Harry to call him, but not to go to The Burrow! That almost threw poor Hermione off her feet! But, being the witch she was, she handled it extraordinarily well and didn't let a seed of her distraught demeanor make its way through the phone and into Harry's ears. She just focused her negative energy into the things around her, which, during the summer did not include schoolwork, sadly enough. Instead, she just flurried all over looking for a few last things to pack up. Then she ran downstairs to her parents, hugging and kissing them both goodbye. She told them, "Harry…" and they simply nodded their heads. With her suitcase in hand and the 3 D's in mind, she was off to Harry's.

After the uncomfortable sensation was over, she looked around Harry's room, which, surprisingly enough, was pretty neat, for Harry, that is. But, what she saw next is what really frightened her. She could swear she saw Draco Malfoy, but she knew that was impossible. As she walked over to make sure she wasn't seeing things, she shrieked.

She was not dreaming.

"Harry!" she gasped, "What is he doing here? You better have a good reason for this!" With her hands on her hips, Hermione looked like she was ready to kill. But Harry quickly explained that Draco had come to him for help. Harry told her that he had pleaded, and that Draco was really in desperate need of help. He had only made one mistake, calling you a mudblood, he told Hermione. But when she heard this, she wouldn't even let Harry tell her that he hadn't meant it. She quickly got up from a chair she was relaxing in and strode over to Draco. With a quick uppercut across Draco's face, she had woken the fainted boy. When he looked up he shrieked to see Hermione standing there. Taking this as an insult, Hermione gave Draco another punch, and another one, and another one… She was pummeling him! Hard too…

Hermione seemed to be having fun, but Harry was not comfortable with her beating up his new… acquaintance.

Harry yelled, "HERMIONE! Stop it!"

When had Harry ever yelled at someone like that, he asked himself. And why had he done it, why was he so eager to protect Draco? I mean this was due payback for all he had done over the years, sure, but it still didn't feel right. When he met Hermione's eyes, with her fists at her side, she looked just as bemused as he felt, but she complied with his demands. She stopped, and what's more, she helped mend Draco's wounds. With a quick few swipes of her wand, she had his face looking much better than before.

With a truly thankful look upon his face, Draco told her, "Thanks, Hermione…. I understand how hard it is for… you to…accept me. But at least let me explain…" Hermione had a puzzled look on her face, but any of traces of anger had fled from it. Harry smiled when he saw that Hermione finally saw that Draco had some good in him. 'Phew,' he thought, and he eagerly listened to Draco's retelling of the past week. When he had finished, Hermione was about to break out in tears.

"Draco…I'm so sorry for punching you like that…. After all you've been through! Please forgive me!" When she finished apologizing, she jumped on Draco, hugging him and sobbing. All Draco could do was sit there, looking awkward. He decided to try to pat Hermione on the back, a feeble attempt to stop her from crying, but when he did this she just started bawling even harder. Harry couldn't help but laugh at this; it was totally funny to see Draco sitting there on his bed, looking so uncomfortable. It was when he laughed that Draco looked at him, smiling in response. Then it happened again.

The world paused.

Harry gasped from what he felt inside. But before he could do anything or figure out what was happening…

Their eyes broke apart.

Harry couldn't grasp what had just happened between Draco and him. 'What the bloody hell is happening to me?' he thought, and shook his head vigorously, trying to erase all his thoughts from his brain. When he looked up again, he saw Hermione still crying her eyes out, inundating poor Draco. But Draco looked distraught, in mental turmoil to say the least. In fact, Harry swore he saw Draco blushing. But, before he could look closer, whatever color that was in Draco's cheeks faded into the whiteness…

Draco was blushing. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He could swear he and Harry had something happening between them. When he looked into Harry's emerald eyes, he got lost in them and could not find his way out. 'This is happening too fast… I need to pull myself together,' thought Draco. 'I hope he doesn't think I'm sort of… fag…' Draco had finished blushing, but his mind wouldn't stop racing. Was he gay, what would he do if he was, and why hadn't he noticed before; they were all thoughts running around inside his head. But as much as he tried, he could not figure out what was going on with him. He decided to shelve this problem for the moment and keep trying to soothe the emotional Hermione. Thank goodness she seemed to be breaking out of the tear waterfall. After another minute, she had cried herself out and wiped away the last tear. She finally let a smile erupt across her face, exposing her perfect teeth. And then, her eyes twinkled with feeling.

She told Draco, "Thank you for consoling me, Draco. I am so sorry for everything I've done. Sorry I'm so hard-headed." And Harry and Draco smiled at this. Now they were practically sure that Hermione accepted Draco for who he was, despite his past.

Draco replied to her, "You're forgiven. But not like you needed to be. What you've done is nothing compared to what I've done to you guys. I'm sorry for calling you… a mud… those names." The glance that Harry had given Draco had made him stop saying mudblood right in his tracks and simply apologize generally. Hermione just smiled at this and hugged Draco again. She had forgiven Draco. And this time, he hugged her back, much to her joy, but not to his…

After seeing this, Harry coughed, "AHEM!" and cleared his throat, "Enough of this emotional crap you two!" he said in a friendly tone, joking with the two newfound friends. "We have to figure out what to do and soon. Hermione, that's why you're here. So, let's get working." The two both broke apart and nodded their heads in agreement with Harry. But before they delved into conversation…

Hermione sang out, with quite a determined fervor, "Before we get working, I thought we should have some Hawaiian Punch. You know, just to get our minds working. That's what I always do before a test and it has not failed me yet!" Harry and Draco looked at Hermione as though she was some lunatic on the loose, but she insisted that they follow her orders. So out of her large red bag flew her large jug of the red juice, followed by three paper cups. Then, the juice was poured into the cups, using magic of course. When the jug was finished, its cap came flying back on and screwed itself on. With one last flick of the wand, Hermione sent the jug back to her bag and the cups over to Harry and Draco. Miraculously, she did not spill a single drop of the stuff on the carpet. Harry and Draco both drank theirs rather quickly, not savoring each sip like Hermione did. No matter. It did, however, get their minds thinking, strangely enough.

After a long discussion, the threesome finally came to a consensus as to what Harry and Draco should do. After going to the Burrow and breaking the news to Ron and his family that Draco had come for their help, they decided that they should head over to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, using the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters as their base of operation. They kept thinking about what Draco should do. And soon they decided he should be with Harry at all times, in order for the optimal level of protection. They knew that if Draco was not with Harry, he would be in grave danger. (Bwahahahahaha I am pulling them together! Finally! Now back to the story) If Voldemort could ever find him alone…they knew he would be gone in an instant.

Even though this was an invasion upon Harry's privacy, he gladly accepted this plan, much to Draco and Hermione's surprise. Draco looked quite smug at Harry taken him in so eagerly, and Hermione simply shrugged it off. After a second, Harry himself was sort of surprised he had just done that. Why in the world had he done that? Hadn't he and Draco and him been mortal enemies just a few days ago? Nonetheless, despite what his mind thought, his heart pushed him into it. He didn't know why his heart was doing this to him, but he complied. He knew how strong his heart was. It was one of his most powerful weapons, Harry remembered Dumbledore telling him, and there was no way his mind could stand up to it. So he just continued listening…

So after what Draco and Harry were doing was decided, they now began to think about what Hermione and Ron were to do. They both wanted to return to school that year, but they both wanted to be there for Harry whenever they needed him, as they had promised him at the end of school. After just a few seconds of thought, Harry smiled at the simplicity of the solution to their situation. In fact, the solution seemed so right it was scary.

Harry told them immediately, "Hermione, you and Ron can go to school and still be there for me whenever I need you." When Harry said this, Hermione seemed to see what Harry had thought, but Harry continued on despite the look of glee she gave him. "See, I could give you both a ring that had a protean charm on it. Just like we used for the D.A. and just like the one Draco used." Draco's eyes darted away from the two furtive glances he received. But soon, the tension in the room drifted away, and Harry continued. "Whenever I would need you, it would simply become tighter upon you're finger…"

Hermione instantly piped up, "Oh, you could use the reducto charm on your own ring, Harry."

Harry replied, with a smile at Hermione's utter brilliance, "Exactly what I was thinking Hermione. Now that you would know when I needed you, the only problem is you getting there in time, which…"

This time, Draco beat him to the punch, "a portkey…" he muttered. Then he lit up, adding on, "Harry, I think that just might work! The rings…they would do the trick." Hermione looked a little hurt that someone else had figured something out before her, but she then thought of something.

"Two things, Harry. How are we going to get permission, and how will the port key take us to where you are?" Hermione asked, again a glow of triumph shining from her.

"Ahhhhh… Well I think McGonagall could try to pull some strings in the ministry for us, so that's permission. And as for being taken to the spot, I've heard of an updating portkey, one that would take you to wherever someone was. Hermione, I was hoping you would…" Harry said, but before he could finish, Hermione responded.

"Of course I'll research it Harry! You know how I LOVE the library. So I guess Ron and I will be able to go to school then, eh?"

"Definitely. Okay, so that's you two and us… Oh I guess Draco and I will go to Godric's Hollow soon and look for the horcruxes." Draco looked confused at the mention of the last word, but Hermione understood completely.

"Yes Harry. You need to find them all. And I think you should explain what exactly they are to Draco. He looks a little…er bemused to me. After we see Ron of course." And with a look at the both of them, she added, "Well get moving you two! We've got to go to The Burrow! And Draco… I think you need a change of clothes… those WILL not do. At all."

Draco blushed at this. He was quite aware that his whole appearance was just one mess. "I'll … um… get on it?"

Harry laughed. "I think I'll lend you some clothes, then we can be off to the burrow."

The three friends looked quite content as they rushed to leave. They knew things would only get tougher from here on out, but they couldn't help but be happy. Too bad something had to get in the way of this new friendship….

A/N: The Next update will be tomorrow, Monday, July 24, 2005, most likely in the afternoon. Thank you for reading so far. AND KEEP REVIEWING! I need some reviews people! Okay, now down to some business. I am well aware I used the f-word, (not that one, the other one, a three letter word ring a bell?) and felt as though it was sort of necessary. Hopefully, by now you realize that I am a GUY despite my pen name (it should have been given away by the make-up scene), and I personally have often thought about being called a fag. The real fear that it is, I thought it would be good to have Draco feel this right now, because not only does it embody his character, it shows how many people feel in that situation. So now that's out of the way. I hope you enjoy the rest. I finally got Draco and Harry an excuse to be close, so now it's just a matter of time! But first, at least one of them needs to accept that they're gay. REVIEW! Thank you reviewers. You know who are! And just so you know, I actually liked part of this chapter. The last part that is. Hermione and me are like twins!

Final A/N: Okay, so Hawaiian Punch was just a lame attempt to tell you about Hermione punching Draco out. But I tried to wrap it in with the chapter better by using it as a mental boost, sort of like Red Bull. Hey, don't you dare laugh at me. Well, since you read this far, I might as well tell you that the chapter of the fourth chapter is RONALD WEASLEY! Need I say more XD? Thanks for reading and you BETTER REVIEW. Thank you, come again!