A/N: This chapter is long overdo. I am so sorry y'all for not posting sooner. I started another fic and this one was caught in its wave. But I am happy to say here is the latest chapter of A year like no other!

Disclaimer: I may love this series, but I did not create it.

Chapter 5
Tossing and Turning

Hermione plummeted through the fridge until she came upon a pint of chocolate ice cream. She grabbed the spoon and sat at the table eating the food quickly. After the ice cream she was till a tad hungry but she didn't know what she should eat with the ice cream. Once again she searched the fridge this time pulling out some left over pizza. Heating it up in the oven for a bit and then started to chew on it. Hermione didn't notice the boy standing behind her.

"Ice cream and pizza, that's my kind of meal," Draco commented from behind her. Hermione spun on her seat and her eyes rested on Draco's grey ones. She was relieved that it wasn't Ron standing in the door ledge. "Why weren't you at dinner with the rest of us? As pleasing as cold pizza and ice cream sound, I would prefer Molly's cooking any day."

"I kind of sent a note to Ron saying that I was breaking up with him during dinner. I didn't want to face him just yet. I know that he is going to be angry, and I am sorry if he places you in the blame. His temper can be a scary thing." Hermione told Draco.

"I don't find it scary at all Hermione. I find it too entertaining! What would be the point of tormenting him if I didn't enjoy his anger?"

"True." Hermione laughed and for once, Draco laughed too. Not the evil laugh that Hermione was used to hearing. A sincere laugh, like he really meant it. "I have never heard you laugh before. Sad enough as that is."

"Well the opportunity never came up to make fun of the Weasel without you cursing me." Draco said truthfully. They both took another laugh before the problem of the night came.

"You left me for lying scum like him?" Ron yelled as he came into the kitchen. It was obvious that he was searching for Hermione and was angry to see her company.

"Ron it wasn't that and you know it! You're taking this all too far! We just weren't meant to be together, got it? I don't have romantic feelings for you for the first time in 6 years! So I couldn't lead you on any longer. So I had to break it off. I'm sorry." Hermione was pleading. Draco took the opportunity to swiftly get out of the room.

"Don't run out Malfoy! You know that you're the cause of this! You coming here ruined my relationship with the girl I have always loved. Sure it took me 4 years to find out, but I have always loved you and I always will. Please take me back, Hermione, we were meant to be together." Ron was almost crying to Hermione and Hermione was scared to see him in this state.

"Ron, your going mad. Please go to bed and talk about it in the morning. You have had too much to drink." Hermione finally got to Ron and he headed up the stairs a little wobbly but he did make it up there.

"I'm sorry Draco. I knew this would happen, I just didn't know when. For some reason I knew all along that Ron and I just wouldn't work out. But that doesn't mean I didn't love him. I did, but I knew it was going to end. I shouldn't be ranting to you." Hermione ranted.

"Um.. No. It's okay, I'm fine with it." Draco replied. For some reason he just wanted to hear her voice more. It was addicting to him.

"No, I should really head upstairs. Goodnight Draco."

"Night love." Draco said, quickly realizing what he just said.

Hermione turned back around and faced Draco. "What was that?"

"I just said 'Night 'Mone'" Draco lied. His lying was quite obvious. Hermione turned around with a smile on her face. Draco had called her love. She headed to the room that she and Ginny shared and jumped into the bed. She got under the covers and started to drift off to sleep.

"Ron's really upset. You know, I always knew that you weren't going to be with my brother." Hermione didn't notice that Ginny was awake or she would have told her about her night.

"Ginny, I didn't know you were awake. I am sorry. Actually I always had a feeling that it wasn't going to work too. I just never thought it would be like this. I always thought I would be the heartbroken one. And I'm not. I am relieved that it is over. Your brother is too demanding."

"So what was the reason you let go of Ron?" Ginny asked. Personally she thought that Hermione was in love with Harry this entire time. Though she always knew that it would be her and Harry, until last June that is.

"Well in my little romantic daydreams I noticed that Ron just wasn't in them anymore. It was someone else." Hermione noticed Ginny sending her an evil glare. "No, it's not Harry. That would be gross. Plus everyone in the world knows that you two were made for each other." Ginny smiled but sent a look saying that she wanted to know who the guy was.

"I can't tell you who. Not yet at least. Just because you know everyone around here likes to snoop. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if someone was outside the door." Hermione said. She was right; there was someone outside their door. It was Ron, wanting to know the reasons Hermione left him. He was fuming and left the hall. He wasn't the only one that had trouble sleeping that night. Three teenagers spent most of their night tossing and turning. Hermione and Draco also sat up that night, thinking of each other.

The night seemed to drag on forever until finally the sun came out over the horizon. The sky had an early morning red. Hermione remembered the old sailor's saying from when she was a child. "Red skies at night, sailor's delight, red skies in the morning, sailors take warning." Hermione didn't need a sky to tell her that she wasn't going to have a good day. She really just wanted to stay in bed all day and not have to face the world ahead of her.

"Good Morning, 'Mione." Ginny said as she rubbed her eyes.

"More like good night. I didn't sleep a wink!" Hermione told her red-headed friend.

"Well aren't we perky in the morning. Don't worry 'Mione, go back to sleep. I will tell everyone that you are not well."

"Oh thank you Ginny. You don't know how much I appreciate it."

"I bet you were thinking about the mystery man all night." Ginny winked and continued on. "Now I think that I shouldn't cover for you, for I know no reason why you couldn't sleep. Now if I knew who this guy was… I could see reason to cover for you."

"Ginny, you are a cunning girl. Why weren't you in slytherin all along?" Hermione threw a pillow at her friend. "But if you really need to know…" Hermione pulled Ginny closer and whispered into her ear. "It's Neville." She joked. Ginny was laughing and then turned back for the real answer. "Ok…" Hermione said. "It's Malfoy. Now shut up."

Ginny was a little shocked but of course could put it all into play. "Makes sense. Now I have a girl to cover up. Try to get some sleep 'Mione."

"I'll try. Somehow get some food sent up here." Hermione said. Ginny nodded and headed down the stairs. She went to breakfast and covered for Hermione.

"She asked for someone to bring her food. She wants to make sure she isn't having a stomach bug. She thinks its just a bad sick bug, you know the achy I can't get out of bed type."

Draco noticed the lie right away. He wanted to know her true intentions but he couldn't find a way to get to her. Then he thought of something. "I will bring it up before I go clean the 3rd floor study."