Warning: Slash mentioned in this chapter but otherwise, pretty tame. Unless you count me not making Ron a complete idiot. Otherwise, enjoy the story!

Added August 30th, 2006:
I just realized that my spell checker changed 'Malfoy' to 'Malloy'. (It thought the word was spelled wrong and if I change the word once, it does it automatically as I spell check the rest of the story.) Sorry about that! (Though I'm sure I have countless reviews telling me about this. Haven't read them yet. )

Guilt by Association

Chapter Two: No Sympathy for the Stupid, But We're Willing to Help! (Okay. Maybe not.)

0o0o0o0o From the PoV of Pansy Parkinson o0o0o0o0

I haven't been this visibly upset about anything since my father told me he would cut my allowance during our summer stay out our villa on the Italian country side– and all because of a stupid low score I got, courtesy of Professor McGonagall.

Draco Malfoy was, without a doubt, the most inconsiderate prat I have had the misfortune of trying to help! Here I am, taking time out of precious and irreplaceable year as the devastatingly beautiful beauty of Slytherin to put all my effort into try to help his love life then low and behold, he pulls some stunt like this!

Then, he has the personal gall to down right ignore my ranting when I'm displeased with his behavior!

I became Granger's friend for goodness sake! Okay so maybe that turned out to be a good thing and it had nothing to do with Draco–try giving me a bad grand now, you old hag!– as Hermione's actually not so bad. Though we strongly disagree about that entire house-elf issue. (I'm not doing housework and risking ruining my perfectly good manicures...)

We practically became best friends trying to put our own platonic boy-friends together.

I was so sure everything was right: the proper sexual tension was there, both were being so adorably stubborn until finally, I'd thought I'd talked dragon into making the first move.

And when it finally happened, Draco looked positively glowing. You just couldn't catch him in a bad mood! They were practically inseparable and as 'leaders' of their own respective houses, it did wonders for Dumbledore's 'Give house peace of chance!' campaign–seeing to of the most bitter rivals and enemies join together in such a way was enough of an inspiration to anyone.

Then Draco had to go and ruin his relationship, and thus, his happiness, and thus my peace and happiness.

I say peace because said blond is currently front of me right now, angsting all over my room and good carpet as he demands that I help him.

I yawned in a bored fashion before rolling my eyes in annoyance and began to clean my nails with a file.

"Draco darling, you're going to have to speak clear, concise sentences." I teased.

"Weasel and Zabini are up to something! They've put a damper on my relationship with Harr-Potter!" he fumed.

I paused in my finger nail cleaning and gave him a skeptical upward glance through my bangs. "Oh so, that little 'bet' you made with just about ever Slytherin boy in our year had nothing to do with it?"

Draco glared at me. "I wouldn't have broken up with Potter if–"

"You'd been serious about him in the first place," I cut him off, bored with the entire ordeal now, pausing to study my perfectly clean nail before moving on to the next one. "You ruined your own love life, then you down right ignored me when I tried to tell you about it. I could really careless about you trying to blame this on others when we both know it's all your fault."

Draco looked flabbergast for a brief moment before he gave this stare that seemed to radiate his displeasure with me? I'm guessing here because I'm not positive. Then it shifted into this down right anger, his eyes narrowing into slits and his lips curling into a tight frown. I ignored him, for the most part, in favor of a perfectly manicured nail until I could literally fell Drake trying to glare a hole through my person and chucking the stupid file away, I patted the cushion by me and rolled my eyes slightly.

As soon as my hand hit the pillow, he practically sat on my hand as he went into his angry rambling.

"Weasley's up to something."

"Do tell." Sarcasm. I love sarcasm. Draco? Not so much unless he's the one dishing it out.

"Are you going to take me seriously Parkinson?" he snapped and I pretended to flinch at his tone. "Oh, resorting to using my last name Drake? Now I am hurt." He didn't looked phased and I sighed. "Alright, alright, what are you going on about with Weasley?"

"He's keeping something from the mud–" I glared at him, my eyes narrowing on the spot and he glared at me in irritation before he continued. "Granger and Po–Harry! Something he doesn't want to tell Harry that has something to do with me!"

"What could he possibly know about you in regards to Harry that could be any worse from what you've already done?" I asked.

"To hell if I know Pansy!" he snapped. "I all know is Weasel said 'He shouldn't tell Harry because it wouldn't make a difference' and 'he deserved better than ferret' meaning, me–and don't you dare agree with him." He added quickly, and with attitude no less, when I opened my mouth to reply.

"Fine, I won't rub salt in the wound–yet." I agreed with a small wave before leaning back on the couch, pulling my legs up underneath me in a more comfortable position. "And you mentioned dear Blaise?"

"Haven't you noticed how he's acting?" Draco fumed, looking as though he had gotten slightly angrier just because I mentioned our best friend–or maybe I was solo in that depart now. "Ever since the dance, he's been all over Potter and he won't tell me any details of their relationship."

"Is he suppose to?" I asked honestly and he glared. "Really Drake: it's none of your business. Not anymore anyway of what his relationship to Harry is. You gave that up, not Blaise."

"He's not suppose to try anything regardless," Draco snapped and I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"You do not try to enter yourself into a romantic relationship with your supposed best friend's ex. How would you feel if I started going out with one of your old flames?" he challenged.

"Depends on said flame," I admitted. "Seeing how you treat your boyfriends, most notably your previous one, I wouldn't want you near my old flames–any of them."

"You're doing it again," he growled and I rolled my eyes. "Draco dear, what am I so suppose to do? Pretend you just didn't happen to completely shatter a boy's heart for no reason when you all but gave me your word that you were taking this whole relationship seriously? You not only lied to Harry, you lied to Granger but most importantly: you lied to me! And you had the nerve to turn around and use me all the same! You knew what you were planning to do from the start and used Granger and I to get to Harry."

Draco sighed. "Pansy, I didn't–"

"You did," I cut off, matter of factly. "You know, despite our history, Potter was actually a pretty nice boyfriend or dare I say–perfect boyfriend for you. A hell of an improvement from your last entries per say. He actually cared about you and your feelings and you treated him like shit. If he hates you, he's got every right to and you know that."

"I know!" he shouted finally, standing to his feet and beginning to pace and speak with his hands. "Look, I know what I did and damn it–I need to change it!"

I gave him a skeptical look. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice–"

"Pansy!" he growled and I simply stared. "What."

He let out another growl of frustration and I frowned at him. "Do you really except me to just jump on board and help you after all of this? Your only interested in Harry again because Blaise is showing interest. Once again, you're trying to use me to help you for all the wrong reasons."

"I'm not," he insisted with a shake of his head.

"Well you certainly aren't doing it because of some undying love for Harry, because if that were the case, you would have never–"

"You don't understand the situation so stop making assumptions," he snapped bitterly. "Look: I spoke with Granger–"

"Before or after she hit you?"

He glared and I quieted down.

"She told me that the night I was on my rounds, being a prefect and all–"

"Yes, we are all aware that Draco Malfoy is prefect, do continue," I teased and he glared at me yet, again.

"And Zabini was with me. Well we saw Harry, in a classroom, getting fucked into the desk by some Ravenclaw."

I paused beginning to rethink Draco's situation in all this. "Such vulgar language but please continue."

"I brought this to Granger's attention and she told me Harry wasn't even here that night–that he was completely off campus visiting with his godparent's mutt–or whatever he was doing."

I frowned. "So then the Harry you saw was either someone pretending to act like him just to fool you?"

Draco didn't reply, but instead stood up to pace around the room, looking as though he was in heavy thought. "After that, I broke everything off with Potter."

I looked at him curiously. "So what are you telling me Draco? That despite the fact that you'd already made your little plans, you'd put them on hold in favor of your developing feelings for Potter but once you thought he'd cheated on you, went through with it?"

He glanced over at me then looked down at the floor with a scowl. "I was going to do it either way Pansy."

"But Draco, you went out with Potter for more than half of the school year," I pointed out. "And you looked so happy when you were with him–or at least, the happiest I've ever seen you. The two of you were practically inseparable. You ate, slept, and let's face it–lived for Potter. You may be a good actor Drake, but not even you are that good."

His scowl deepened so I continued. "Just admit it: you got hurt when you thought Harry was cheating on you and because you didn't stop to analyze the situation properly and instead reacted in well, a very Draco Malfoy manner, which in this case, was reverting back to your original plan. And speaking of that, why on Earth you would make such a stupid bet with Theo of all people, is beyond me."

"Because at the time, I wasn't serious about Potter," he snapped angrily. "I didn't except that he'd actually make me–"

He paused in mid rant and stormed over to the fire place, deciding not to continue the statement. I took it for what it was worth and acted accordingly. "So you want me to help you get you and Potter back together?"

"No," he snapped quickly. "I want you to help me find out who set me up. I don't need to be in a relationship like that with Harr–Potter."

I raised an eyebrow. "Have you noticed that every time you try to call Harry by his first name, you force yourself to say 'Potter' instead? Or when you do say Potter, you give up and say 'Harry' instead? Don't you find that curious?"

He gave me such a withering look that even I had enough sense to leave it alone–for now.

Though Draco could be so cute when he was all upset about being caught and retreated back into his shelter called 'denial'. More so when he all but already said that he wanted to do exactly what I suggested. But for my own sanity, I won't call him on that right now.

"And how is it, that I may help you Drakey-poo?" I sing-sang finally, even nodding my head from side to side.

Oooo he gave me another withering glare at the nickname and I positively giggled. It was just so easy to get under his skin, how could I resist? He deserved it for all my trouble after all...

0o0o0o0o From the PoV of Draco Malfoy. Again. o0o0o0o0

I hate! Pansy.

She's my best friend, and I love her like a sister.

But I truly do hate her. I really do.

Because other than Harr–Potter–and I'm doing that again which leads me to my point– she's the only other person that can damn near read me like a book. She knows my moods, my thoughts, my emotions most of the time before I've ever said them and I hate her for it. It's hard to hide your feelings from someone that made it an art to know everything about you.

But she's wrong about Potter. She is. I don't love him anymore. Wait. I never did–certainly I grew attached to him, but I didn't/don't/never will love him.

I just hate that I was tricked into acting too soon by a dimwit like Weasel. Or Zabini. Or both, which ever, I don't care, whoever was responsible would feel my wrath.

"But then, how long were you going to keep up the act Drake?" Pansy asked after I explained everything that I wanted her to do.

I didn't answer because I was sick of her stupid questions...and besides, I didn't know how.

A few more months? Until the summer? Until I finally got bored with Potter–wait–he was interesting in the first place? Of course he was–I couldn't deny that. I loved getting to know him. And I lov–liked it when he smiled.

Po–har–Potarry's got a pretty smile. His eyes just seem to glow and his skin radiates when he smiles. It's contagious and you can't help but feel happy even if you're in the most sour of moods when he smiles at you.

Honestly, I've never seen anything more beautiful than Har..him smiling.

Oh wait, I'm lying. He looked absolutely gorgeous when withering underneath me in pure ecstacy. His eyes would haze over with lust and hunger. His cheeks get the lightest hint of rose and his lips: so deductible when their so red and bruised that they begged to be ravished.

Just thinking about it makes me want to punch something. Damn it! Why didn't I think about the sex! I'd never had such phenomenal, earth shattering, world moving, sex before in my life. That alone should have been more than enough to encourage me not to break up with him!

Oh! And the way he used to mewl when I touched his sweet spot just right, the way he'd throw his head back and pant, crying my name in the flurry of our passion. And good lord, could Harry give head– oh god.

What the hell is wrong with me? I ruined everything! We can't even be friends with benefits now!

I've gone completely off track now but good sex can do that. And even I have to give (sigh) Harry credit. Making a 'sex god' want to fall to their knees and beg for forgiveness just because you give good head alone is no easy feat. (And I'm the sexiest sex god there is, thank you.)

In any case, Pansy and I set our plan under way, speaking for the entire night (though Pansy seemed intent on constantly throwing my feelings for Potter–or what she imagined where my feelings–in my face as we went) and I must say, it is quite a simple yet good plan.

We set said plan into motion this morning: Gryffinwhores won the House Cup, no surprise there. Everyone was all happy and excited as the talked about what they'd do for the summer and keeping in touch.

I ignored them all, waiting anxiously for Pansy, who was taking her sweet damn time eating her toast and conversations with her little group of Slytherin girls before I finally got impatient enough to elbow her in the side. She glared at me before rolling her eyes and snorting "Oh all right!"

She stood up abruptly then sauntered her way over to the Gryffindor table, tapping Neville to move over so she could sit by Granger. I watched as the two began an animated conversation with one another and couldn't help the fleeting thought of why Granger just didn't punch Pansy in face for trying to talk to–hell not even her.

Certainly I already knew the answer but my face was still a little sore. I watched as Pansy asked Granger to come closer before she whispered something in her ear, the bushy haired mud–ggle born glaring at Pansy in pure bewilderment before Pansy motioned for her to calm down and she continued. I watched Weasel glance up from stuffing his face at the pair, Granger than Pansy then back to Granger before shooting a questioning glance at him. (It's just Potter Malfoy, get a hold of yourself...)

Harry (Damn it!)only hunched slightly before going back to his breakfast–or rather poking it–you know, he hasn't been eating normally.

He wasn't really eating yesterday at breakfast either, from what I saw and he barely touched dinner either. I felt a pang of guilt nott in my stomach. Maybe I did have more of an effect on him than I thought I did. And more importantly, that fact bothered me more than I knew it should. Yesterday I would have been more than a little happy to know I'd gotten under Harry's (damn) skin but today–and after talking so long to that stupid Pansy...

I stabbed my eggs as I watched Pansy and Granger talk for the next five minutes before laughing, Pansy finally stood up and came back to the Slytherin table. As nonchalantly as I could and without looking, I quietly asked Pansy what Granger said.

Pansy, a smug smirk on her face, grabbed another piece of toast before she turned to me. "She'll try but she promised she at least would meet with us. She refuses to help until she hears the entire story though. And she's only showing up at all to help... me."

Figures. "Understood."

My head shot up when Zabini snorted and I left Pansy to stare at me with interest.

He was reading a small piece of parchment and taking out a small quill pen, he scribbled something down before leaning back and slipping the note to Longbottom, who passed the note to Granger, who rolling her eyes before passing it to Harry (I give up.), scolding him a little about bother her and Neville constantly with 'silly letters' when he could just talk to Blaise. I watched Harry give her a playful hurt expression before he opened the note and read it, bursting into laughing and glancing over at Blaise that gave him a false innocent look and made some kind of stupid 'Jazz Hands' gesture, making him laugh harder.

And at that precise moment, I wanted to stab Blaise hands with my folk.

0o0o0o0o From the PoV of Hermione Granger. o0o0o0o0

Oh dear.

I can not believe Pansy has asked me to do this for her. It took all of my self control not to react too emotionally, as she asked me before hand not to draw any 'unwanted' attention to our conversation.

I'm sitting in our carriage now, looking over the beautiful landscape that was the Hogwarts grounds as it took as back to the station where we would board the Hogwarts Express back to platform 9 3/4. I was barely paying attention to Ronald or Harry as they sat across from me, playing a game of exploding snaps as they laughed.

I couldn't help but send Harry a little glance. I was happy to see that he wasn't completely depressed. Ronald had told me when he'd finally come back from where ever he'd gone to when he'd left that Harry was really depressed over what had happened with Draco and woke him up so they could talk.

As a matter of fact, even after Harry assured Ronald it was okay to go back to sleep, Harry confessed to me yesterday evening he hadn't gone to sleep, which was why he was slightly cranky and so sleepy the all day. (Though he got a good two hours of rest in History.)

He hadn't mentioned Draco once, except to congratulate me on a "well executed right hook that would make Ali proud", (Of course, Ronald was confused as he as no clue who or what Mr. Ali is.)and he'd pretty much pretended Draco wasn't around when we went to classes.

Which wasn't too hard for him, what with Ronald seeming to purposely keep him occupied. And Blaise Zabini's sudden interest in all things Harry.

I frowned at the thought as it brought me back to the situation at hand. I can not believe Pansy would remotely ask me to help get Harry and Draco back together after what that ferret had done!

The mere nerve of her astounded me really–Pansy, I have found, though a joy to know, can be quite pushy and demanding.

"Our hard work can't go to waste!" she insisted. "Draco's not being serious about all this, I know he's not! There's something else going on here and your precious 'Ronald' is in on all this!"

I had gotten particular sour at her accusing Ron of anything. Not because of my–feelings. But because Ronald would never work against Harry period, especially with the likes of Draco. Or in Pansy's case: Blaise Zabini.

I looked over at Ronald just as he let another snap go off. Certainly he didn't like Malfoy and it was no secret he hated Harry with him. But he would never intentionally try to hurt Harry–he'd seen how fond he was of Malfoy.

I sighed to myself. This entire plan was stupid: I was never going to get Ronald to agree to this. I'm not even certain I want any part of this. Oh Pansy better be right about all this.

It took us another half an hour to get to the train station and gathering our things, we started for our compartment–or at least, Harry did as I grabbed Ronald suddenly by the wrist and made him stop.

He looked back at me confused and so did Harry and I gave Harry a guilty and regretful smile. "I–want to be alone. With Ron. Together. Just us. For something–private?"

Ronald made a face at me as if he was completely shocked but Harry only nodded, this teasing smirk coming across his face as his eyes screamed he knew why I wanted to be alone with him.

Which, not by own fault, wasn't it.

"Mione, I don't think we should Harry alone," Ronald frowned but Harry shook his head, waving a hand. "No Ron, it's cool! Blaise invited me to sit with him anyway so it all works out."

"You've certainly been spending a lot of time talking to Blaise," I suggested and Harry smiled. "He's actually pretty nice now that I've gotten to know him properly. We actually have a lot in common."

"That's...nice," I replied with a weak smile before tugging first on Ronald's arm, then grabbing hold of his hand to drag him further down the train, ignoring a few giggles from our fellow house members. "Have fun Harry, we'll check on you in a bit!"

"Yes mother!" He called back before grabbing his trunk and going in another direction.

"Hermione, what's this about?" Ronald (I rather like his first name but it is easier to say Ron...which is probably why this is his nickname. I can be so...complicated...) asked nervously and I could seeing his cheeks ears turning red–that's such a cute trait he has–as I lead him into a compartment– where Pansy and Draco were already occupying, waiting for us.

Ron became red for an entirely different reason as he balled up his fist instantly and glared at me angrily. "Why are they–"

"Sit!" I instructed sternly, pointing to the seat across from them. He glared at me a moment longer before doing as I asked, slamming down his suitcase on the ground. I pulled mine inside and slid the compart door shut.

"Where's Harry?" Pansy inquired.

"With...Blaise," I admitted and Malfoy looked as though he were ready to hex me just for saying that. "What is Potarry doing with him?"

Ron sneered at him. "What the hell did you just say? "Po-wha?"

Pansy waved him off. "That's his way of trying to convince himself that he can still call Harry by his last name."

It became very silent inside the compartment after this and we all stared at one another, Draco and Ron practically trying to burn holes into one another while Pansy looked from boy to boy in aggravation. I simply watched the entire seen wearily while I played with my hands absently.

Harry might get suspicious or worse–find out what was happening and think we were trying to stab him in the back. But maybe with Zabini in the compartment with him, he probably wouldn't worry about us at all, least of all try coming to find us.

I saw Pansy sigh deeply before she opened the floor with a quiet suggestion, though I wasn't paying full attention to be honest and thus, hadn't heard exactly what she'd said.

"Why should we tell him?" Ron snapped finally, completely bringing me abruptly out of my thoughts as he glared at Malfoy. "It's not going to make any difference to Harry. Ferret was out to hurt Harry all along, all Zabini did was speed up the process."

Pansy looked triumphant and Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Works every time on an idiot."

Ron looked confused at them as I glared at him. "So you do know something about Blaise that I didn't!" Ron looked guilty for all of two seconds before he flared up again. "It's not important Hermione! Besides, it's not like Harry is going to care one way or the other!"

"And what exactly is this 'information' that Harry won't care about?" Pansy demanded, tapping her foot on the floor as the train jerked into movement, crossing her arms over her chest. Ron stubbornly looked at the floor and I jabbed him on his side with two fingers. "Ronald!"(I call him that when he's angered me as well.)

"Fine–fine!" he sighed in frustration, Malfoy glaring hatefully at him. He folded his own arms over his chest and began to ramble of an explanation in a less than enthused tone. "Blaise blackmailed Seamus into pretending he was Harry, Harry-Seamus slept with that bloke from Ravenclaw, Draco stopped pretending and became the asshole we all love to hate and now Blaise is trying to get in Harry's pants, how's that?" he finished, glaring at me.

I frowned. "Did you have to be so–"

"I knew it!" Malfoy snapped, throwing something he had been holding in his hands to the floor. I jumped as it shattered and Ron scowled at him. "Hey! That could have hit me you know!"

"That little shit–!" Draco snarled angrily. "He tricked me! He set me up!"

"Drake baby, calm down" Pansy cooed, taking of hold of Draco's hand and squeezing it, patting him on the back in a comforting manner to get the blond to settle down. "We'll deal with this–we will!" she insisted when he glared at her. "We'll just have to come up with something–"

"For what?" Ron snapped, glaring at Draco. "He went out of his way literally, to hurt Harry just for a few quick laugh at his expense Why should we," he pointed to himself and me rapidly before he continued. "Help him? He's the same careless, prejudiced, selfish, idiotic, pasty- faced bloody prat we've always known."

"But he's also the same careless, prejudiced, selfish, idiotic, pasty-faced bloody prat that loves Harry Potter," Pansy insisted, ignoring Draco's insulted glare her way and Ron looked at her as though she'd grown another head. " Oh? And when did that start? Sounds more like jealousy to me! "Oh poor me, Harry's world wasn't devastated and now he might be interested in my best mate! Oh why won't the world stop spinning yet? Boo hoo!'"

"Shut up Weasel," Malfoy snapped angrily but anyone that had ever known Ron knew that when he was on a roll...he stayed on that roll.

"Why should I, prat?" he snapped, eyes flashing. "I never liked you with Harry in the first place! I knew from the start that you hadn't really changed, that you never really would change! I was the president and C.E.O.," he turned to look at me. "C.E.O.?"

I nodded.

"C.E.O. of you not being with my best mate while everyone else wanted to pretend you were some turn around saint and what? What! Just because your little plan blew up in your face I'm suppose to feel sorry for you–and you can forget help you cause you can go rot for all I care. Face it: everyone hates you, those who weren't fooled by your little act still hates you, and thank Merlin cause now Harry couldn't give a warlock's ass about you."

We all sat there staring at him and Draco only narrowed his eyes. "Are you quite finished with your tirade Weasel?"

"Other than: 'I say we leave well enough alone'?" Ron retorted sarcastically. "Yep. All done, ferret face."

Pansy rolled her eyes at both of them and I sighed deeply.

"I don't like this either Ron but think about it," I began, looking over at him. "Blaise is no better than Malfoy if he resorted to blackmail and tricky just to break Harry and Malfoy up. We shouldn't want him with Zabini either."

"I don't," Ron admitted, rounding on me. "He's just as selfish. But the point is: he broke them up."

We all glared at him and he rolled his eyes. "Fine. But he only did what Draco was going to do in the first place. So as far as I'm concerned, it served a good purpose whereas ferret here only sole purpose was to hurt Harry from the start. Which one is worse to you?"

Malfoy stood up from his seat. "If I had known what Blaise was going to do, I never would have–"

"What? Made Harry think you actually cared about him?" Ron snapped. "Cause if I remember the story right, you'd already started doing that before Blaise tricked you!"

"I never would have broken up with Harry in the first place!" Draco screamed in fury before clamping his mouth shut, looking as alarmed as though he'd said far too much. He quickly turned away from the entire compartment, glaring out of the window as Pansy beamed with triumph for the second time, bouncing slightly in her seat.

Really, a Slytherin bouncing. It was...odd to watch. She calmed herself down, giving me a 'I told you so' look before standing up and masking her face in sympathy, touching Draco's shoulder. "Go on Dray. Just...let it all out. We'll understand."

Ron snorted and rolled his eyes and I glared at him before I watched Draco. He glared over at Pansy before sighing in frustration and pulling away from her, plopped down in his seat again.

"I'll admit it. I didn't have any intention of being serious about Potter at all. I was annoyed with you and Granger constantly trying to set us up. Then Nott thought it would be great fun to use your lack of matchmaking skills–"

"Lack?" both I and Pansy questioned insulted.

"Lack," he restated firmly. "Of matching skills to my advantage. A few boys in my year–including Zabini– bet that I wouldn't actually be able to get Harry to like me, let alone get him in bed. And a Malfoy doesn't turn down a challenge."

"A Malfoy is also a heartless bastard but hey? Who's keeping track?" Ron snorted sarcastically and we all glared at him. Though I had to silently commend him. Ron was coming up with some rather witty comebacks today.

"And at first, it was fun, watching Harry stubbornly fall for me–who wouldn't–shut up Weasel," he warned as Ron opened his mouth to retort. "But then–"

"– you actually got to know Harry for the caring, sweet, good hearted young man he is and realized that you yourself had fallen in love with him when you weren't suppose to care at all." I announced, cutting him off with a wave of my hand. "A story that's been done quite often, in real life and movies."

"Movies?" Ron and Malfoy asked confused and Pansy spoke up. "Muggle picture films."

"Don't worry about it," I snapped when I realized they still didn't get it. "The point is Draco, I'm still not certain that we should help you after what you've done."

"I messed up Granger, I get it," he snapped exasperated.

"No, I don't think you do," Ron snapped back coldly. "You don't know Harry like Hermione and I do."

Malfoy snorted. "I don't know Harry like you and Granger? I know Harry better than you and Granger!"

"Do you?" Ron challenged and I held up my hands. "It doesn't matter who knows who better than who! Either way, it's not going to be easy, even if we were to help you Draco!"

"She's right" Pansy sighed, crossing her legs and leaned back in her seat, watching all of us in a calculating manner. "Harry's got every reason to hate you, as I've expressed to before, if not more so than he had."

"And trust is a big issue in any relationship," I agreed. "In your case, the situation is even worse: You and Harry never got along in the first place."

"Thanks to Weasel," Malfoy spat, glaring at Ron.

"Thanks to you being a bloody prick," Ron fired back, fuming.

"For whatever reason, you hated each other for the past fifteen years before you decided it would be fun to play with Harry's heart," Pansy snapped, holding her hand up to cut the fussing boys off.

"You have to understand that despite everyone–and I mean practically my entire house including a select few from others–were against you and Harry dating from the start because...well..."

"You're a bloody prick–just call him a prick Mione. You always said telling the truth makes you feel good inside," Ron stated in a chipper manner and I glared at him to shut up before I continued.

"Look: Despite everything that Harry as been through in the past Draco, he is a person that is willing to trust just about anyone–once. However, with you, for obvious reasons, he was very reluctant to trust you, let alone actually think you may have changed for the better.

"But despite his own doubts, he was willing to give you a chance. And because of that chance, he ended up leaving his heart wide open to you. And you, for lack of better words, stumped all over it and threw it back up in his face in the worst possible way."

I sighed. "And once you loose trust with Harry, it's nearly impossible to earn it back Draco. If you know him a fraction of the way you claim to, you should already know why."

He adverted his eyes and Pansy sighed, giving a loud 'shoot'!

"Because of your stupid ego, we're not even at square one with this relationship–it's going to take Dumbledore himself to get Harry to trust someone he never really trusted in the first place! Besides, Harry seems to be genuinely interested in Zabini now."

The compartment was quiet and Draco looked as though he was sulking. Pansy smiled at him. "No worries Dray. Hermione and I got you together before, we can do it again."

Ron snorted and I elbowed him in the side. "I'm sure we can get Harry to come around."

"But why do we want to?" Ron grumbled, still glaring at Draco and I glared at him. "Ron, this isn't about you or your dislike for Draco–or anyone else's for that matter. It's about what's best for Harry!"

"All the more reason not to let this prat anywhere near him!" Ron insisted.

There was a heavy silence again and Ron and Draco began to stare one another down as Pansy and I waited anxiously to see if we'd have to break up a fight or if we'd have to continue sitting here in discomfort.

It was the latter, at least for the next several minutes before Ron finally sighed slightly in defeat next me, grumbling incoherently while Draco shifted in his seat and began to cuss Ron under his breath.

"Then it's settled?" Pansy asked, faking to be timid as she glanced around hopefully. That tone that didn't suit her in my opinion. She's usually so haughty. "We'll all help Draco and Harry get back together?"

"Who said I wanted to–"

"Shut up," she snapped at Draco viciously, making the teen jump back before she calmed down just as quickly, smoothing her skirt.

"Now we're all getting a little sick of this little play you're trying to put on Dray." she began in a professional tone. "You either want to get back together with Harry–for the right reasons. Or you don't and we've just been sitting here wasting our time. Or you're once again trying to use us for some stupid prank of yours."

She leaned over to him, giving him a dangerous glare. "And Pansy Parkingson is not one to be toyed with Draco Malfoy. Now I forgave you because I honestly believe deep down, you really do have the best of interest at heart. Don't prove me wrong. I'd hate to have to hurt you Dray. I real-ly would."

Malfoy glared at her in a challenging manner and when she didn't seem phased in the least he gave a surrendering sigh and sunk lower in his seat. "Now: Admit you actually love Harry."

"I don't love him," Draco snapped angrily before sulking again and sighing. "I...care deeply about him but I do not love him."

She gave a flashy smile before patting him on the back. "Good enough." Then she turned to us. "So, are we all on board then?" She flashed an encouraging smile Ron's way then mine and I glanced over at Ron, who stubbornly sat there with his arms crossed, glaring at each of us.

Pansy frowned but I patiently awaited his answer–or outburst.

"I don't like this Hermione." Calm. Quiet. Matter of fact. At least he wasn't screaming.

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know."

"He doesn't deserve him Hermione."

I nodded. "I know."

"And he's such an ugly , pointy nosed ferret, Hermione."

"I'm sitting right here, you damn–" Draco began before Pansy placed her hand over his mouth.

Ron looked over at me, frowning. "So then why are we helping him Hermione."

I gave a little sigh. "Because you and I both know that Harry's good at hiding his feelings and that he must miss Draco terribly. He's only able to avoid them because of all the attention Blaise is giving him but I don't believe Harry's interest is genuine. He and Draco: they were close Ron–and we both know that Harry loved him, if he doesn't still love him. He's confused and hurt right now and he's already lost so many people he's cared about in his life, for whatever reason. And Draco did make him so happy– to the point that he wouldn't have cared if the entire world had fallen apart around him as long as he could be with him... even if we all hate that he can do that for him."

"Who's side are you on Granger!" I heard Draco's muffled shout from behind Pansy's hand.

"We have to try Ron–for Harry. If they're not meant to be, then they just won't be and we can give up. But we have to make sure–we have to try. We owe it to Harry as his friends."

Ron glared at me for several minutes before he shot Malfoy a side glance, still glaring at him in mistrust. "How do we know you're any more serious than you were last time Malfoy? How are we suppose to know that you just won't use us to try and hurt Harry again?"

"If I wasn't serious, would I have come to you," he sneered. Ron and I looked at one another. Okay, maybe he would have come to me. But not Ronald. Never Ron.

We silently waited for Ron's verdict–five minutes to be exact–before my (He will be, really!) towering red head sighed deeply and slumped down further in his seat in defeat.

"We have all summer," he sighed. "To find a way to get Harry to talk to you, nevermind snog you."

He shuddered at the thought and Pansy clapped her hands together in victory while Draco looked from me to Ron before glancing back out of the window in heavy thought. I myself smiled. "Then we'd certainly better get started. And we'll start by thinking of a way to properly reestablish Draco as a 'positive' factor in Harry's life."

"And getting Dray to say 'Harry' again!" Pansy called. "Because he's driving me crazy with that."

"Yeah," Ron and I replied in unison as the three of us glared at Malfoy. He in turn, simply raised a middle finger at us he scowled out the window, never turning to face us.
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Author's Notes:
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