GOD. These past few weeks have been a mess. Exams, my birthday, dates and of course I was sick, like everything has to happen at once. But enough of my excuses. Here is the next chapter and a warning for the next update: everything is going to be even crazier in the enxt few weeks because I have a very important eam coming um at the end of march and there is a convention before.

Speaking of the convention: If any of you is going to the Leipziger Buchmesse in Leipzig, Germany, tell me. I would love to chat! (or if you can't and still want to chat, I still have a tumblr - even if it seems kinda inactive!)

As always a lot of thanks to my betas Chocomieux and Nantai!

And of course a lot of thanks for your wonderful reviews and support! You are the best. Please enjoy and tell me what you think

-L

"Granger."

It was Monday morning and Hermione found herself standing face-to-face with Draco bloody Malfoy, who had kissed her two days ago, in front of the door leading to their classroom.

"Malfoy," she said as calmly as she could, even though she felt the heat spreading over her cheeks already.

"Get inside, for God's sake," Nott muttered from behind Malfoy, "you are in the way."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Malfoy was quicker. "After you," he said, motioning to Hermione that she should enter first.

At a lack of better things to do, she did and almost cheered when she realized, that he had taken the burden of deciding if they would sit together off of her. Because that's what you did, when you kissed, right? You sat next to each other in lectures, shared a table during lunch, studied together in the library… Or at least that's how Hermione imagined it if you liked the person you've kissed.

You usually avoided your One-Night-Stands if you were unlucky enough to share classes with them. At least, that's what Oliver, Jenny and Ginny had told her - not that any of them had had many One-Night-Stands… Especially not Ginny. But their friends had shared their experiences.

Speaking of Ginny, Hermione should really check up on her friend. She knew Harry went to see her after he left her place the previous evening, but she wasn't sure if he had finally broke up with her. He hadn't decided yet when he left.

But what did you do with a person who wasn't your friend, partner or one-night-stand? Was there even an etiquette for that?

"Granger? Hello?" Malfoy waved a hand in front of her face. "I am talking to you," he said.

Hermione blinked. "What do you want?" she asked. She hadn't even realize that she spaced off.

"Is the seat free?" He motioned next to her.

"Sure," she said. It was free. Jenny was not in this class with them. She had no reason to decline. She liked Malfoy. He should sit there. It was fine. She would ignore him for most of the lecture anyway.

She was wrong.

So, so wrong. After she answered the third question in row, he leaned over to whisper into her ear.

"You are such a know-it-all. I am really not sure if I love or hate it. It's hot and terrible at the same time."

She ignored the shivers sent by his hot breath against her ear and glared at him. "I couldn't care less," she whispered back and shot professor Shelby, who was looking straight at them, a stunning smile.

Of course, that prompted Malfoy to continue his commentary.

"Why do you try so much to be a teacher's pet? Most of them won't bother to learn your name anyway."

She elbowed him into the ribs without sparing him a single glance.

He gasped in pain and Hermione felt a little bit better about the whole thing.

Still, it had been a terrible idea to let Malfoy sit next to her. She didn't know what she expected. He was an arse and one simple kiss wouldn't change that. She should probably get back to ignoring and avoiding him. It would make her life so much easier.

"I am bored," he drawled and put his head on her shoulder.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Hermione shrieked a bit louder than she had intended, causing several heads to turn to look at them.

"Is everything alright, Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy?" Shelby asked, annoyed that they had interrupted his class yet again.

"Of course, Sir," Nott said from Malfoy's other side hastily and elbowed him himself. Apparently, Hermione wasn't the only one who wasn't happy about his behaviour.

She didn't react to anything he said or did during the remainder of the lecture, not even bothering to move her leg when their knees touched with the exception of being asked if she could pick up Nott's pen that had rolled next to her foot.

As soon as class was over, Hermione stood up and walked out wordlessly. She was above this.

"That went well," Theo said dryly as soon as Granger was out of earshot. "You could not have made a bigger fool out of yourself. What were you thinking?

Draco shrugged. He knew that he had messed up. Again. It hadn't been intentional.

"I guess I just wanted her attention? I honestly don't know," he ran a hand through his hair as they walked out of the room. Why was he always such a dick when it came to Granger? Or was he bad at dealing with people in general? Probably both. He should send his father a Thank-you-card. Thank you for making me an emotionally unavailable fuck-up who has no idea how to behave towards his peers. A+ parenting skills. Love, your only son.

"She'll get over it," Theo, probably sensing his mood, said. "Just don't bother her in class anymore. It's Granger after all."

Draco clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms. He needed to calm down. Theo wasn't the one he should direct his anger at. It was his own fault.

"I know," he said hoarsely. "That's the problem. I can't deal with her because it is Granger."

Theo didn't bother to reply as they walked outside to meet up with Blaise, who would join them for the next lesson.

A lesson where he wouldn't bother Granger.

"It really is over," Ginny said in the strangest detached voice, that painfully reminded Hermione of the time after their school shooting. Ginny had used that voice back then a lot. It meant she was trying not to cry.

"Do you want to go somewhere more private?" Hermione asked. It hadn't been the best of ideas to get to the café for this conversation, despite them having such amazing cakes and hot chocolate. They would be needing both it seemed, but she could have taken them to Ginny's or her own place.

"It's alright," Ginny said, her fingers tight around her cup. "It was long overdue and it's for the best."

Hermione gave her friend a sympathetic smile. She knew exactly what she was talking about.

"You can still feel bad and be sad," she said. Ginny had the tendency to suppress her feelings to not show any weaknesses, just the way she herself did. It was quite a common trait in people around her, it seemed. A very unhealthy one.

"I know," Ginny said and started drawing patterns on the table with her finger. "It's just so stupid. I knew it was coming, I anticipated it and I wanted it, but I still feel terrible. I am not supposed to feel terrible! We both wanted to break up."

Hermione took Ginny's hand, squeezing it while she wiped away stray tears with her other.

"Do you want company today?" Hermione asked and Ginny nodded.

Sometimes, friends were just what you needed to cure a broken heart - even if you broke it yourself.

The bell rang. It rang again. Nothing.

"Are you sure he is home?" Ginny asked sceptically.

They stood in front of Oliver's door, wanting to ask him if he wanted to watch Buffy with them. Hermione had already texted and called him, but didn't get an reply. It was common knowledge, that he barely used his phone, so it was nothing special and they decided to drop by on the way to Hermione's flat. It wasn't far after all.

"He should be. He told me yesterday he would," Hermione said and rang again.

"I'm coming," they heard Oliver's voice from inside and Ginny sighed, shaking her head slightly.

They could hear him fumble with the keys and the door opened.

Hermione blinked. Oliver was standing there in nothing but a blanket around his waist, his hair messy and a his body glistering thanks to a fine sweat film covering it.

They stared at each other in silent shock.

"I found my wallet," another voice came from behind Oliver and a man in nothing but his pants appeared behind him. A man Hermione had seen before - Marcus Flint. Sure, he had matured and changed quite a lot since the last time she had seen him in school, but it was definitely him. The dark hair and eyes and the fact that he was obviously sleeping with Oliver let no space for doubt.

"It's not the pizza," Oliver supplied unhelpfully and ran a hand over his face.

"Marcus, I am not sure you remember Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley. They went to school with us," he said. "Hermione, Ginny, meet Marcus Flint, my boyfriend."

"It's nice to see you again," Hermione said automatically. Apparently her reflexes had taken over and she was quite thankful for it. While she had obviously known about this, it was entirely a different matter to see them like this. It would have been less shocking if they were dressed and had not been having sex just minutes before. This felt similar to catching her brother in bed with someone. It was awkward. For all of them apparently.

"Weasley? I know some of your brothers," Flint said in an attempt to make small talk. "Percy Weasley was in my year."

"And Charlie was a legend at school, I know," Ginny said, knowing exactly what was coming. Hermione had witnessed this dialogue often enough that a lot of older students from their former school were only able to identify Ginny thanks to Charlie's extraordinary football skills. As Flint was playing football, it was clear he was about to say that.

"We wanted to ask if you would like to watch Buffy with us," Hermione said quickly, "but as you are obviously busy, we will leave now. See you later."

She took Ginny's arm and dragged her away, desperate to get to her own place. Pictures of Flint and Oliver together unfolding themselves in front of her inner eye. Screw the brother comparison. All the football fantasies about people she knew re-emerged in her head, Ollie, Flint, Harry, the twins, Zabini and of course Malfoy… No, she couldn't get down that particular path. Not with Malfoy. Especially not since she knew how he looked naked.

She knew how he looked naked, Hermione realized with horror. And she liked it. She was screwed.

How could somebody with such a terrible personality look that good? Even those scars…

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked her and Hermione realized that they were already almost at her house and she hadn't said a single word.

"Yes," she said with a grimace. "I just had the weirdest mental images and needed to get away." And then, she proceeded to tell Ginny all about the naked football players in her head, including some of Ginny's brothers, that were making her crazy. But of course, she didn't bother to mention what she knew about Malfoy. It was her secret after all.

"I really can't decide who of you is the worse lost case," Theo said, looking between his three friends sitting on the couch in his flat, all looking rather gumpy.

"I mean, it's quite normal for Draco to be a disaster when it's about Granger, but I didn't expect you to be lovesick as well, Pansy."

Pansy crossed her arms over her chest, avoiding his eyes, while Draco simply stared at some point in the distance.

He really wasn't in the mood to deal with the disasters that were the lovelife of his friends on top of his own.

"And I am not even going to address you, Blaise, because honestly, how did you think it was a good idea to go on a date with Astoria and then kiss Daphne in the same decade? Hell, even the same century would probably be too little!"

Draco had to agree with that. Going after siblings was never a good idea. Even he himself had enough common sense to understand that. But this was Blaise…

"I was drunk and she kissed me first," he said and Pansy scoffed.

"Daphne didn't know about the date yet and it was your responsibility to say no!" Theo glared at him.

"I thought you didn't want to discuss this," Blaise muttered into the pillow he was hugging.

Draco felt sorry for him. He went on that terrible date with Astoria and now had to deal with a really angry Daphne because of something she did. It wasn't like it had been something serious between him and her younger sister.

But he knew from own experience that arguing with Daphne whenever her sister was concerned was futile. Maybe this was Astoria's way to get back at him because he had kissed Granger? Would she go so far and use his friend? He seriously doubted it. It was probably just Daphne feeling betrayed and not special enough for Blaise.

Mrs. Greengrass had always made jabs at Daphne about her not having a boyfriend back when he was dating Astoria and maybe she had developed a complex or something. He didn't care too much, but it annoyed him that Blaise got sucked into that.

"And what exactly is your problem Pans?" Blaise asked Pansy who was still studying the floor and had contributed to the conversation even less than Draco had.

She whispered and Theo turned to Draco, a pleading look on his face.

Draco had always been the one closest to Pansy and had always managed to get things out of her. If she had been like this since before he arrived, it meant that it wouldn't be easy even for him to get her to talk.

It was a miracle Theo managed to get her to admit that it was about a man or something remotely related to sex, or love.

"We can't help you if you don't talk to us," Draco said slowly, carefully studying Pansy's face for even the slightest change. "What happened? Did somebody hurt you?"

She shook her head and some tension left his body. If somebody had hurt Pansy, that bastard would have not survived the day. He would have taken care of it. Blaise and Theo would have been glad to help too, he was sure.

"Then what is it?"

Pansy took a deep breath. "I think I have a crush on someone," she said, red as a tomato.

Draco let out a surprised, relieved laugh, earning himself a nasty glare. It was worth it. While Pansy having crushes was extremely rare and she really hated it, it was way better than any other of the possibilities he had been imagining.

"Who is the lucky guy?" Blaise asked carefully, putting his life at risk with the question. It seemed he didn't fear her anymore, after having experienced the full extent of Daphne's wrath.

Pansy shook her head.

"Oh come oooon," Blaise whined and Draco bit the inside of his cheek. For some reason the situation was hilarious to him. It was weirdly surreal while being so ordinary. He glanced at Theo who looked ready to kill them all and turned back to Pansy.

"It can't be worse than me liking Granger," he said and she sighed.

"Fine," she said, making a point to roll her eyes. "McLaggen."

Draco blinked.

Blaise started laughing uncontrollably and Pansy pushed him off the couch.

Theo walked out of the room.

Pansy liked Cormac McLaggen. That was unexpected at the least, bat-shit crazy at most.

Hell, even her crush on his kinda-convict uncle/cousin/whatever Sirius Black when they had been teenagers had made more sense.

"I knoooow," she squealed, burying her head in her hands. "I can't believe it myself."

"You are all bloody idiots," Theo, who returned from the kitchen with a bottle of vodka, orange juice and glasses said. "I don't even know why I still put up with you."

"You love us, that's why," Blaise said, reaching for the drinks, his usual cocky grin back on his face. Pansy's news clearly improved his mood. No wonder - Pansy admitting that she liked McLaggen was an once-in-a-lifetime thing. It would be interesting to watch where it would go.

"Was he your mysterious one-night-stand from the party?" Draco asked, taking a glass from Blaise.

"No," she said, gritting her teeth. "He wasn't even there. Didn't come despite being invited. Someone told me this morning it was because he had a date. It stung. That's how I found out."

Blaise patted her head. "You'll get over it," he said. "It's not like any woman can stand McLaggen for longer than a few days. He'll be single and free in no time."

Pansy shrugged. "Hopefully you are right."

"You are all bloody idiots," Theo muttered behind his glass, but they didn't hear him.

"To bad choices," Draco said and rose his glass.