Hermione didn't turn around right away. Part of the reason was because Draco's hold on her had magnified times ten. The other reason was that she was frozen to the spot, in utter disbelief that this was actually happening. Eventually she did manage to twist her body some so she could see Harry, obviously back from his assignment, and Ron standing not too far off and watching with shock and rage, respectively. Ginny was next to them sporting all sorts of shame. No, not shame, apologies? She mouthed the words, they saw the note, and Hermione understood. She hadn't said anything. Her friends had seen the note she'd left for Ginny saying that she would be out on the grounds. They had obviously gone to meet her here with Ginny in tow.

"What is going on here?" Ron said, his ears matching the shade of his hair. He took one step forward and raised an angry, shaking finger at them –well, at Draco in particular. "You get your hands off of her."

"Ron," Ginny said from behind her brother.

Draco scoffed. "And if I don't?"

"Malfoy," Hermione said as she turned to look at him. Draco only looked at her because of how desperate her voice sounded. Her voice, her eyes, everything about her pleaded him not to do anything he might regret. And yes, she was the only reason he hadn't yet stormed over and pummeled the man to the ground.

Draco closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "I'll go."

"What?" Hermione frowned. "I didn't ask you to go. You don't have to-"

"Yes, I do." Draco contradicted. "If I don't, I'm going to do or say something you're really not going to like. I'd rather prefer to stay on your good side."

That, however, didn't stop Draco from kissing her in front of them. A quick kiss. No tongue. But it was sufficient to further bewilder Harry and to enrage Ron to epic proportions.

"Gentlemen," Draco smirked before walking off, giving a nod to them and then to Ginny as he went. "Lady,"

"I'm really sorry, Hermione." Ginny said immediately once he was gone. "I tried-"

"Tried to do what exactly?" Ron rounded on his sister. "You knew she was out here with that…that…that prick?"

Hermione's anger flared. "Don't call him that."

Ron turned back to her. "Are you serious? You're going to defend him? Why?"

"I think the fact that you just walked in on Malfoy and I kissing each other kind of explains that."

Harry's face blanched. "Please tell me he Imperiused you."

"He did not!"

Ron snorted. "Are you sure?"

Hermione balled her fists and stopped her foot like a child. "Yes, I'm sure! Merlin, how can you both be so juvenile about this?"

Harry swallowed. "I don't think juvenile is the right word. It's just that-"

"It's bloody Malfoy!" Ron shouted. "There's no way you'd be anywhere near him willingly!"

Hermione groaned in frustration. "If you'd stop yelling for a moment and just let me explain-"

"Are you actually dating? When did this start?" Ron continued. "This week? Last week? Last month? Longer? Have you…? Have you slept with him?!"

"Ron," both Ginny and Harry addressed, but he wasn't listening.

"Ron," Hermione said, trying her best to rein in her frustration. "We shouldn't be talking about this here. So, please, let's just-"

"Answer me, Hermione."

"I won't. Not until you calm down-"

"Answer me right now!"

"No!"

"Hermione!"

"Ron!" Harry called his name.

"Ron, you cut this out right now!" Ginny admonished.

"No!" Ron shouted at them both. "Not until she-!"

"Will you all just be quiet?!" Hermione screamed at them. So much for keeping her rage on a leash. Now she was just as uncontrollable as Ron as she stormed over to him with her hands on her hips. "You want to know everything? Fine! I'm dating Draco Malfoy! Since January! And, by consequence, means that I've slept with him! Not once, not even twice! Several times! The first time was here on the Hogwarts grounds, if you'll believe it! Right on the snow! And the second time was in the library –in the restricted section no less! And on top of a table! It was the wobbliest table we could've possibly found, but it held up pretty well considering our antics. I can't even begin to describe all the times after! And you want to know what else, Ron? It's the best damn sex I've ever had in my life! Twenty out of ten! Twenty. Out of. Ten."

The moment Hermione stopped speaking she regretted every word she said. It was all true, but the way Ron was looking at her made a swell of guilt envelop her instantly.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione frowned. "I shouldn't have said-"

"It's fine." Ron said softly, his entire composure having deflated with each word she spoke. "I did want answers, didn't I?"

Hermione sighed. "You did, yes. But the way I said it… I shouldn't have-"

"Can I just ask one thing?"

"…What is it?"

"Your locket," he said, pointing to her neck. "Was he the reason you stopped wearing it? Or did you stop before?"

Hermione felt her heart break for him as he asked the question. She felt it break even more when she told him that it was before. And as he walked away she wondered if he would have been more or less upset if Draco had been the reason.

"Hermione?" Ginny said. Hermione looked at her. She hadn't even realized that Harry had gone after Ron and that they were the only two left out on the grounds.

"Oh, Ginny, I'm so sorry. What I said to Ron… I really shouldn't have. It was totally unacceptable."

"It's alright, I understand. You were upset."

"Being upset isn't an excuse." Hermione self-scolded. "I'm supposed to be the level-headed one. I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me."

"But it did." Ginny told her. "And you can't go back and change that now. You're just going to have deal with the consequences at hand."

Hermione huffed and crossed her arms. "You make that sound easy."

"Didn't say it would be. But hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Gin. What is it?"

Ginny was hesitant at first, but got it out after a deep breath. "I wasn't nearly as bad as Ron, was I?"

Hermione chuckled. "You were pretty close."

Ginny gave a mock shiver. "Can I ask you something else?"

"Go for it."

"Twenty out of ten?"

Hermione laughed. "Yes. Twenty out of ten."

Ginny grinned and put a comforting arm over the brunette's shoulders. "Oh yes, definitely better than you described."

"How exactly did you describe it?" Came Draco's voice as the two women entered the castle. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise while Ginny's face flushed terribly.

"Um," Ginny cleared her throat. "I'm going to find Harry and my brother. Hermione, I'll see you later. Malfoy,"

"Miss Weasley,"

Hermione tried to hide her smile as she watched Ginny walk away in embarrassment. She then turned to Draco who was wearing his own smile.

"Are you going to answer the question?"

"Later," Hermione promised with a shy grin. "I thought you had left?"

"Did you really think I was going to head to the other side of the castle while Weasley was foaming at the mouth?" Draco said as he gestured to the grounds. "I just couldn't be in front of the man without hexing him. I had to…you know…make sure you were okay. Are you?"

"I could be better." Hermione replied honestly. "I didn't want them to find out this way."

"You mean you didn't want him to find out this way. Potter looked a lot less concerned with the matter. Surprisingly,"

Hermione nodded. "I have to go talk to him. Do you mind?"

"Yes," Draco told her. "But I don't have much of a choice do I?" He sighed as he pulled her close. "Just…don't tell me what happens, alright? I might end up hexing Weasley anyway."

"Deal," Hermione said, being sure to kiss him hard enough to make him miss her. The lustful expression on his face was proof that she'd done well.

Author's note: Well, Ron was…well, Ron. You have to commend Draco though (*claps all around*) for keeping himself from hexing Ron into oblivion. And then there's Hermione... She certainly said a few things huh?

Thanks for reading everyone! :D

-WP