Chapter 20: Making Amends
A/N: Disclaimer in first few chapters!

The next day saw Hermione walking down Diagon Alley with her small hand firmly tucked into Draco's larger one. People stared at the couple, blinked, rubbed their eyes, stared at them again and turned away, muttering "the world's gone mad." With two pairs of eyes sending murderous glares their way, the witches and wizards in Diagon Alley averted their gazes.

"Ah well..." Hermione spoke quietly to her boyfriend. "At least we are getting a bit of gossip going."

"Exactly," Draco chuckled, interlacing their fingers and making her gasp at the intimate action. She was just about to reply when they were rudely interrupted by a young male flinging his arms around Hermione's neck causing her to stumble backwards. She still had her hand in the blonde's so he ended up balancing the whole sorry lot.

"Potter.." Draco warned, drawing his wand out slowly and pointing at the raven-haired man's back. "I will advise you to let go of my girlfriend before you suffer the consequences."

As Harry heard this. he slowly let go of his best friend and turned to face his arch-nemesis to find the wizard sending a death glare his way.

"What are you doing here with this ferret, Mione?" Harry gritted out while standing protectively in front of her. To his immense surprise, the brunette witch went around him to stand next to the man who had called her Mudblood for most of their school years. That's when The-Boy-Who-Lived noticed their intimately tangled fingers.

"You're going out with HIM?!" he whisper-shouted.

"Oh for goodness sake, Harry Potter!" Hermione snapped as Draco put his wand away. "Give someone a chance for once in your life."

"Listen..." Harry started nervously, fiddling and twisting with his wedding ring on his right hand. "I'm really sorry about not believing you when you said Ron cheated on you. I should've listened to your side of the story before I blamed you." After he finished his plead for forgiveness, the messy haired man looked at the ground, seemingly entranced by the gravel stones that lined the alley.

"Look at me."

Hermione's soft tone caused her friend to look up and meet her warm gaze.

"You made a mistake, Harry," Hermione said with sincerity lacing her voice. "But I don't blame you for taking sides. Me? I've already forgiven you. Ron is the only one in the wrong here."

"Thanks, Herms," he replied, mischief dancing in his emerald eyes. Hermione sent daggers at him with her eyes as Draco tried to hide a snigger by coughing, to no avail. Poor Draco got the brunt of his girlfriend's anger as she turned her death gaze unto him.

"Oh I see..." she grinned, evilly, leaving the two boys frightened out of their lives. "You want to make up ridiculous nicknames for each other." Her eyes twinkling, she turned to Draco first.

"Drakiepoo," she cackled. He paled and looked like he was going to be sick. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Harry trying to sneak away.

"Now, now Harrykins" Hermione tutted and he groaned. "Now that we have that sorted, shall we go get a cup of coffee?"

"Why not?" Draco nodded while looking over at Harry. With a nudge from his girlfriend, he asked, albeit reluctantly, "Would you like to join us, Potter?"

"Sure," Harry shrugged. "I've got nothing else to do."

"Great!" the brightest witch of her age beamed. "Bonding time!"

A/N: It's short-I know! But I promise that I'll update again tomorrow.

Gentledove2~Thank you so much for that vote of confidence. Your review truly warmed my heart and made me feel as though someone is out there appreciating my writing.

Till tomorrow, my friends!