A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! I'm going to try and make the chapters longer. Because it seems the slower I update, the better the chapters get because I have time instead of feeling rushed. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I have no idea where that copyright is…Oh yeah. I DON'T OWN ONE

Chapter 12: Close Call

"Quick!" Harry whispered. "Everyone get in!"

"I'm not getting in that," Draco said disgustedly.

"Yes you are," Hermione hissed. She tugged his wrist and pulled him in. Harry closed the cloak around everyone just as Dumbledore and Blackburn walked in.

"I saw them walk in," Blackburn said.

"Don't be lying to your old uncle," Dumbledore said with his twinkle.

"I'm not," Blackburn protested. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. He turned around, pretending he was fixing stuff on his desk, when he winked directly at the group of students. Harry pointed to the door with his eyes. The others nodded. They bustled out of the way, not making a sound.

"What do you think is up with the Polyjuice Potion?" Ron asked.

"I don't think we should look into it," Hermione told them. Harry and Ron both looked at her.

"What!" They cried in unison. Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Quit rushing into things and jumping to conclusions. Don't you think it's a little odd the Polyjuice Potion was there?"

"I'll say!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione closed her eyes, counted to five, and then spoke again.

"I mean just how obvious it was. It wasn't like we had to dig very far. If Professor Dumbledore and Professor Blackburn were hiding something from us, why would the potions bottle be right there?"

"I guess…" Harry said. "But why hide anything in the first place?" Hermione frowned. That was a good question.

"Hermione, I had a scar attack. Something's going on," Harry said.

"The fact that Snape is still around is what's bugging me," Ron said.

"Wouldn't he have been on the run?" Ron looked at Draco. "No offense." He added sarcastically. Draco just shrugged.

"AND," Ron yelled. "Why is Draco with you all the time now? It's like you guys are best friends," He growled.

'We're more than that.' Draco thought to himself. But he didn't say it.

"People change," Hermione told Ron with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Hermione, he's been nothing but a git to you the last six years, and now look at you. You and I have been--"

"Don't you dare compare Draco to yourself!" Hermione exclaimed shrilly. "You haven't been a friend to me at all by everything you've done,"

Harry had no idea how far the depth of their conversation went. He knew Ron messed up, but didn't know how. He and Draco looked at each other. They were both really uncomfortable with the former lovers' feud. As Ron and Hermione fought, Harry examined Draco. Hermione told him Draco changed. Harry was starting to think she was right. Draco seemed to be a little more protective over her. Especially when it came to Ron. It kind of hurt his feelings that Draco knew more about Hermione than Harry did the past few months.

"What are you staring at, Potter?" Draco asked. Harry sighed. Then again, maybe Draco hadn't changed at all. He certainly wasn't acting any different towards him.

"Nothing, Malfoy," Harry replied. There was an awkward silence. And an unbelievable amount of tension coming from Hermione and Draco. Harry wasn't sure if that was tension he should even bother asking about. Finally, he broke.

"Could someone please tell me what the bloody hell is going on!" He yelled.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"You know exactly what I mean. Why can't I be with my two best friends at the same time anymore? Why are you, Hermione, going everywhere with Draco at your side? Why, Ron, do you always look so guilty whenever you look Hermione's way?" Harry was almost fuming.

"There's a lot of scary stuff going on at Hogwarts. Dumbledore is back, and we don't know how. Voldemort is in power and we have to watch our backs because he could be planning anything. Draco's acting like your best friend, Hermione, and Ron and I don't know why. We have got to stick together. At this point, we can't trust anybody. And if I can't even trust my closest friends, I can't trust anyone else." Harry looked at Hermione, Draco, and Ron.

"Ron. What happened with you and Hermione?" Ron looked pained. He obviously didn't want to talk about it.

"I cheated on her," He finally choked out. Harry was taken aback by this news, but didn't let it show.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I…wanted…to have sex. I-It wasn't like I was using her, but--"

"You bastard," Draco seethed. He sprung at Ron, swinging his arms. Ron's cheek got caught in a left hook. Hermione pulled Draco back.

"Go ahead," Ron said. "I deserve it. I've deserved more than that, the way I have been treating her." Harry shook his head to himself.

"Hermione. Draco. What's going on with you?" Harry asked. Hermione and Draco looked at each other.

"We don't know how it happened," Hermione started off. "One minute Draco's acting his normal old self. And then the next minute…he's holding my hair back while my head is stuck in a toilet from…from finding out about what Ron did. And all of a sudden…everything's changed. He became sensitive and caring when I needed it." She was looking at Draco with her brown eyes full of love and admiration.

"Malfoy, Hermione has told me that you've changed. But I haven't seen any type of change in you. How do I know that you're genuine and not using Hermione to get closer to me as Voldemort's spy?" Draco flinched. He deserved that, but he recovered.

"Because, Potter…I don't want people to know my life story. People see me as this insensitive git. If they found things out about me, they'd never take me seriously."

"You've seen people die in front of you, Potter. I never have. Until this past summer. I just watched as my father took the life out of someone…I-I saw life leave someone's eyes. And then you find out he was married and was a father to a five-month old? I never knew what it was like to lose family members, Potter. But…but now I do. Not only will that five-month old grow up without a real father figure, but now I have the rest of my life without a father figure. I'm a Malfoy no longer. I just don't know who I am." Draco felt incredibly exposed. Hermione had tears in her eyes and was rubbing his back. Harry and Ron stood openmouthed. Draco just looked away. He took in a deep breath and walked away from them. Harry made a move to go after him, but Hermione stopped him.

"Let him walk around a bit. He needs some alone time." Harry nodded. Hermione felt Ron's stare.

"Hermione, I--"

"I know you're sorry, Ron. I accept your apology. It's going to be hard to forget, but I will forgive."

"D'you love him?" Harry asked Hermione softly.

"I don't know. I think I'm starting to," Was her careful reply.

When Hermione came back to the common room, she found Draco on the couch.

"Hey," Hermione said softly.

"Hey." Draco repeated. Hermione laid her head on his lap and swung her legs over so she was lying down on her back. Draco ran his fingers through her hair quietly.

"Do you think Dumbledore and Blackburn are bad?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," Draco replied softly. "I don't think we know enough."

Moments of silence passed. They weren't awkward silences, but comforting ones."

"McGonagall said the first Hogsmeade trip is going to be on Saturday. Do you want to go?" Draco asked. Hermione sat up and giggled.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe," Draco replied. He threaded his fingers through hers and connected his forehead to hers. "What do you say?" He asked. Hermione leaned in and kissed him gently.

"Yes," She whispered against his lips. He smiled, leaned in, and kissed her again.

"What news do you bring?" Voldemort hissed.

"There will be a Hogsmeade outing this Saturday, my Lord," The man replied.

"Ah, those old codgers," Voldemort said with a smirk. "They think that if they just tell those beloved school brats of theirs to stay in a group, that everybody will be fine."

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day. It was a nippy autumn day, but the sun was shining radiantly. Draco was getting nervous. This outing pretty much meant people were going to find out about he and Hermione. He wasn't sure how people were going to react.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Draco replied. "Just worried, that's all."

She tucked her head underneath his chin, and closed her eyes.

"It'll be okay," She mumbled. He stroked her back silently.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked, drawing away. Draco nodded his head.

The moment they just shared would be the last time they ever felt safe.