I am a disaster and I am sorry. Exam period is over soon and hopefully I'll manage a normal scedue then. Sorry again _ just know that I won't abadon this but rl is a bitch

Thank you all so much for reading and the amazing support you are giving me!

And of course thanks to the amazing betas who help me, Nantai and Chocomieux! Love you guys!

Enjoy and as usually tell me what you think! I love reading your reactions!

"He kissed me! Can you believe it? He kissed me!" Hermione was pacing in front of the Tv in Oliver's new flat, two streets away from her place, and therefore from his old one, as he tried to watch a football game.

"I can believe it. And I am not even remotely surprised," Oliver said and put one of the baby carrots he was eating into his mouth.

"What's even worse, I kissed him back! I can't believe it!" Hermione continued, ignoring him completely.

"I am not surprised about that either," Oliver said, sounding more and more amused with every passing minute. "It's as surprising as it was for you finding out about Marcus and me. Except it is even less, because I knew about the whole chat thing. So not surprising at all."

Hermione stopped pacing and turned to glare at him. "It's not the same," she stomped her foot like a defiant child.

"Oh really," Oliver put away the bowl with his carrots and sat up straighter. "In what way exactly? You hated each other at school, you kind of met somewhere you didn't expect to, you challenge each other, there is chemistry. Where exactly is it different? And don't say anything about the content of my pants!"

Hermione averted her eyes, sulking silently. She hated it when he was right.

"I thought so," Oliver said and tapped the couch next to him. "Come on, sit down and let's watch something. This game is boring anyway."

"How can you tell? You weren't able to see much," Hermione said, but sat down next to him.

"I just do, okay?" Oliver threw an arm around her. "Now, what do you want to watch?"

Draco threw another empty plastic cup into the trash, trying to not think and overanalyze the previous evening. It was hard. He was replaying everything in his head, asking himself if his behaviour had been acceptable, or if he had crossed some lines.

He had kissed Granger and it had been amazing but they had both been drunk and that was an issue. Sure, he backed off when she pushed him away, but that she had to push him away in the first place did not sit right with him.

And of course there was still the fear of what she would make ofthe incident now that she was sober.

"Oh, you are almost done cleaning," Theo said in surprise, walking out of the room he and Draco had slept in, still in his sleeping clothes.

"I couldn't sleep," Draco put down the trash bag and rolled his shoulders. He really hadn't been able to sleep much, his mind keeping him awake most of the night. It had been awful. He had been seeing Granger's face every time he had closed his eyes and when he finally managed to chase her away the crippling self doubt had taken possession of him. Sometimes, he really hated his head.

"What's going on?" Theo asked, pouring himself some of the cold coffee Draco had made for himself. "Usually you'd be still asleep."

"Nothing."

Theo sighed. Loud. "Is it because you kissed Granger?"

Draco froze. He had not realized anybody who mattered had noticed it. He hadn't seen any of his friends nearby when Granger had pushed him away and none of them had said a word the previous evening.

"Calm down," Theo said in between sips, "I don't think Blaise and Pansy saw anything and I am certainly not going to tell them."

"Thanks," Draco mumbled and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. "Do you think I fucked up?"

He didn't know why he was asking Theo of all people, a person who didn't show any interest in romantic relationships at all and therefore had no experience. Maybe he was asking exactly because of that - it meant a completely objective point of view, didn't it?

"She didn't slap you," Theo stated flatly and Draco blinked.

He certainly hadn't expected that answer.

"I think that's a good sign considering Granger's tendency to violence, especially towards you," Theo continued. "That means it could have been worse. Of course, it has been a really bold move and things will look different without the haze of alcohol but honestly, you would've danced around each other for ages if nothing had happened. This way things will somehow move on. The question is in which direction."

Draco nodded. Theo was right. At least something was happening. He wasn't sure if he was ready for it, but as he was impatient at the best of times it was probably a good thing.

"Why don't you date anyway?" Draco asked suddenly. He had been considering the question for a very long time now, never really mustering the courage to ask before. It was something they all wanted to ask, but never dared as Theo was quite a private person even towards his friends. They had settled for jokes, hoping that he would address it himself but it never happened and Draco had finally asked. Even though he really hadn't intended to.

Theo froze. He put down his cup slowly and sat down opposite Draco.

"You've all been dying to ask me that for ages, I am sure. Honestly, I am surprised it is you who finally did it. I've always expected Pansy to be the one who lost patience first, considering her interest in other people's lives."

Draco bit his lip, not sure how to respond. He felt bad for confronting Theo like this.

"Stop overthinking!" Theo said harshly.

Draco's eyes flew up to him. He didn't seem angry. Instead, there was a foreign expression on his face. Determination.

"I am really not interested in people that way. Don't ask me why, but I really don't get what you are talking about when you discuss relationships and sex and honestly I don't really want to. Judging by the way you all act it has to be really bothersome."

Draco nodded numbly. He had kind of expected something like that, but it was a completely different thing to have it spelled out so clearly. Not that he minded at all. It was rather Theo's way of keeping things to himself.

"You know you can talk to any of us about everything, right?" Draco asked, trying to convey all his feelings into the question.

Theo didn't respond at first as he played with the hem of his hoodie. "It's… not easy," he said finally and Draco understood immediately.

Theo, like himself, came from an old family with slightly, no, completely, askew believes about themselves and their own superiority to other people and had grown up with loving but emotionally distant parents. Theo's situation was even worse, as his mother had died when he was very young.

Draco couldn't imagine how his life would've been without his mother, the person who had kept their family together after everything. It was a terrible thought.

"We are here for you whenever you want to try. I am sure Pansy and Blaise agree."

Before Theo could reply, the door to Pansy's room swung open and she walked out, the embodiment of hangover and lack of sleep.

"What are you two doing up so early?" she slurred, squinting at them from between her eyelashes, glued together with mascara. They were the only ones allowed to ever see her like that.

Theo was up, putting on fresh coffee before she finished the question and she sat down on his vacant chair.

"My head is killing me. How is it possible you are fine?"

Draco ignored her early morning ramble. "Is your one-night stand gone?" he asked instead.

"Do you think I would be here looking like this if he wasn't?" Pansy replied, reaching greedily for the cup Theo put in front of her.

When she put it like that, Draco had to admit it really had been a stupid question.

By Sunday lunchtime Hermione was positively vibrating from anxiety and excitement of seeing Harry again.

Unfortunately, she still didn't know what and how much she was going to tell him about the Malfoy situation. When she had called him, she hadn't been taking Oliver into equation. She hadn't known that he was back at that time and had been ready to tell him everything.

Now, it didn't seem necessary to make him angry and worried. Because that's what he would become - angry and worried. After all, it was Malfoy. Basically anybody else would have been better. Maybe not Goyle, but other than that…

Speaking of Malfoy, they hadn't talked or texted or anything since he had brought her home on Friday and she really didn't know how to feel about it. On the one hand, she was hurt even if she wouldn't admit it to anybody, not even to Oliver. On the other, she really wanted to put off talking to him for as long as possible. One way or another, it sucked.

Hermione almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the bell, having lost track of time, as deep in thought as she was, and ran to the door.

She opened it to see Harry's smiling face behind those ridiculous round glasses he was still wearing. One look at his shoulder-length hair and short beard told her just how long they hadn't seen each other. The last time she had seen him he had looked more like himself and less like his godfather Sirius.

"Hello," Harry said with a grin and shoved a box into her hands. "It's dessert," he explained at her questioning look, "put it away so I can hug you without either of us ending up covered in chocolate."

"It's good to see you," Hermione laughed and walked into the small kitchen, knowing that Harry would follow. There wasn't much space to get lost after all.

She had barely put down the cake-box and Harry was already pulling her into a hug which she enthusiastically returned.

"How are you?" she asked as he sat down and she put on water for tea.

They caught up with each other's lives as they ate salad, couscous, ratatouille and farfalle since meat was off table thanks to Harry's newfound vegetarianism. When he finally decided to try it out, she hadn't been too surprised as he had always loved animals.

Hermione had tried that herself a few times but while she was organized in a lot of things, she wasn't too good at taking care of herself and had given in for one reason or another every time. Now she settled for eating meat rarely. That worked.

"I think I'll have to break up with Ginny," Harry pushed his empty plate away, not looking at Hermione.

Thinking back to the talk she had had with Ginny what- two weeks ago? Less? More? Hermione wasn't sure. Since the whole thing with Malfoy had begun she had lost all sense of reality. But she remembered the conversation in the campus cafe where Ginny had told her about a possible break-up and how she didn't manage to do it. It seemed she still hadn't.

"We are on another break and honestly, I don't know where this is going," Harry continued, obviously misinterpreting the silence as surprise.

"Harry," Hermione cut in, "you don't have to justify it. Do whatever makes you happy. Ginny will understand." She will be relieved. But she couldn't say that.

"Do you really think that?" Harry looked at her hopefully but the expression changed into guilt immediately. He felt bad for wanting an out of the relationship. But he still wanted out. That much was clear. Too bad both parties still loved their partner and didn't want to hurt each other while well, hurting each other. The tragedy of life.

"I do. Talk to her about it. You will probably both cry and feel bad for a few days, but it will be better in the long run. You have had several breaks by now, after all and it doesn't help."

Harry smiled. It was obvious that he had needed to hear that. "Thank you, Hermione."

She returned the smile and stood up to get the dessert plates so they could eat the cake Harry had bought.

"But enough of that. Tell me about your love life. Something new on the horizon?"

Hermione froze. She still hadn't decided how much she wanted to tell him.

"Define new," she said carefully and put the plates and the box on the table.

Harry rose an eyebrow, prompting her to speak and put a piece of cake on their plate when she didn't move to do so herself.

"I am kinda seeing someone?" Hermione sank into her chair. "It's new, it's confusing and I have no idea where it is going. It will probably end horribly."

Harry frowned. "Do I know that person?" When she nodded weakly, he squinted at her from behind his glasses. "Who?"

"Promise me you won't throw a fit," Hermione said and buried her face in her hands. She was already regretting that she had said anything. But then, it was better to tell Harry now than later. If there was a later, he would be angry at her not just because of whom but because she didn't tell him as well. She remembered the Yule Ball too well. This was for the best. Or that's what she wanted to make herself believe. It didn't work too good.

He hummed and Hermione took a deep breath.

"Malfoy," she mumbled, not daring to look at Harry.

He blinked. He blinked again. Nothing happened. "You are serious, aren't you?" he stated, looking as if somebody had hit him over the head.

"Unfortunately," Hermione sighed and pulled her plate towards herself. "Trust me, I know how stupid it is. It's completely irrational and so naive. I hate it. But I can't help it. It started accidentally and now we are kinda going with it and I can't stop it and it's not possible to get him out of the way and, ARGH," Hermione pulled on her hair.

Harry barely managed to pull the plate away again before Hermione put her elbow on the spot where it had been just seconds ago as he watched her in fascination.

"You really like him," he said with awe and Hermione glared at him.

"Yes. I do. And I really don't know how my taste in men got this bad. From Victor and Ron to Malfoy…"

"Don't forget McLaggen," Harry supplied unhelpfully.

Hermione groaned and suddenly her face lighted up. "Oh god! I almost forgot about that!" And suddenly, she was telling him about the ''hotness competition'' between the two blonds and Harry knocked his glasses from one ear by facepalming too hard as he laughed at the picture.

And right there, even though it was only for a very short moment, all was well.

"Be careful if you are really going to pursue this further. Promise me to think about it again. This really isn't your best idea." Harry said when he finally gathered his things a few hours later. "If he hurts you in any way tell me. Ron and I will come over immediately and make the ferret regret the day he was born."

Hermione rolled her eyes. All in all, Harry took it way better than she had expected, but it was clear that he wasn't going to act like he thought it was a good idea. He trusted her and still they both knew it was necessary that at least somebody stayed skeptical.

She herself wasn't too sure about anything Malfoy-related after all, but it had been nice to talk to Harry about it. Especially as he lacked Oliver's bias concerning falling in love with a school bully and therefore looked at it in a more rational way.

"I doubt that he will be more than powder when you arrive if he hurts me. Oliver will break all his bones."

"Good," Harry said cheerfully and Hermione rolled her eyes before hugging him goodbye.

She really loved her ridiculous overprotective friends.