Hermiones eyes closed automatically and she smiled against the kiss, consumed in the moment.

All of the students in the room stared at them, shocked and curious. Draco pulled away and kissed Hermiones forehead, "That's good to know." he told her. As Hermiones heart rate slowed back to normal, she thought of Harry and Ron. "I want you to try and be friends with them." she said a abruptly.

"Harry and Ron?" Draco asked, laughing, "As if."

"I'm serious. If you wanted to see where it would go with us, you'd have to try to be their friend. Harry, at least."

"You can't actually expect Harry to forgive the past." he argued.

"Why not? I did. And there was a lot to forgive, Draco." Hermione said, crossing her arms.

Draco sighed, "Alright. For you, I will." he said, Hermione smiled triumphantly.

"How about you sit with us tomorrow at breakfast?" She asked. Draco raised an eyebrow. "You want everyone to see?" he asked in response. Hermione shrugged, "Like they won't already know after these kids get back to their houses." she gestured to the onlookers.

"What if they react badly?"

"Harry and Ron?" Hermione laughed, "I highly doubt they'll just curse you right there in the Great Hall. It's best to approach them where there's a crowd."

Draco laughed and agreed to go. They drank their butterbeers, ignoring the eyes on them.

They somehow, luckily, managed not to run into Harry and Ron in town. Once back outside in the cold, Draco wrapped his scarf around Hermione and they made their way back to the castle.

Draco walked Hermione to the portrait of the Fat Lady, kissed her goodbye and left, leaving his scarf with her. She went straight to her room upon entering and taking her coat and gloves off and sitting the scarf on the table next to the bed.

Hermione went downstairs and joined Harry on the couch. "Where's Ron?" She asked, although grateful he wasn't there.

"He's just still mad about seeing you with Draco." he told her.

"Are you mad?" she asked, but Harry smiled slightly at her.

"I'm not mad." he said, "A little confused, but not mad. I know that you can't control who you feel for. Look at Ginny and I." he continued. "You're my best friend, Mione. I'll always support you even if I don't completely agree with what you're doing."

Hermione hugged Harry and began to cry, "I'm so glad you said that! I was so worried you'd never talk to me again if I was honest with you!"

Harry patted her back, "Of course not." He said.

"However, I don't think it's going to be that simple with Ron." Harry stated. Hermione frowned, "I know. But.. I'm bringing Draco to sit with us at breakfast in the morning."

"Really?"

"Really." she said, giving him a hopeful smile, "You'll be nice, right?" she asked.

Harry sighed, "Yeah. Of course".

"Thank you." Hermione said, leaving to eat dinner in the Great Hall. She and Harry ate alone, not entirely sure where Ron was. They talked about their day, Hermione filled Harry in on the details of her life. Sometimes, she wished that Ginny hung out with them more than her other friends, so that she could have a girl to gossip with. "You should invite Ginny to sit with us at lunch more often." Hermione thought out loud. "Yeah I guess I could." Harry nodded. They sat silently for a moment.

"So.. Does this mean that you and Draco are like, a thing now?" Harry wondered.

Hermione giggled, "I don't know. I don't want to rush."

Harry nodded in agreement, "I don't think Ron's going to take this very well." he said.

"I know."

"But I still stand by what I said about supporting you no matter what. You're both my best friends."

"I know." Hermione said again, smiling softy. "He'll have to get over it eventually, won't he?" she questioned.

Harry chuckled, "I hope so."

When the two of them returned to Gryffindor tower, Harry went upstairs to find Ron and Hermione sat in an arm chair.

Parvati approached her and sat down. "You remember that dream I told you about?" she asked Hermione. Hermione nodded, "Yeah, why?" she asked, tensing up.

Parvati smirked, "It wasn't a dream." she said.

Hermione looked away and began giggling, as she did when she was nervous or lying.

"I saw the Slytherin scarf next to your bed." She laughed.

Hermione blushed, "Please don't say anything." she pleaded.

"Your secret is safe with me." Parvati replied, pretending to zip her lips, "But tell me. What's a good girl like you doing taking midnight broom rides with Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione laughed softly. "How could I know you would keep my secrets?" she pondered.

Parvati shrugged, "You'd just have to trust me, I suppose. I'd bet you're dying to have a girl to talk to, always hanging around with those two boys." she answered.

"I was actually just thinking that." Hermione said. "Well, I don't really know how it happened. We ran into each other a couple times and talked and I just.." she hesitated for a moment, "I don't know. He's so different now."

"A good different?" she asked.

Hermione nodded, "I suppose so, yes. He's just trying to cope like the rest of us. He's more human that Harry, Ron, and I ever gave him credit for. Draco is sweet underneath his tough exterior. I didn't expect it." she said, sighing.

Parvati smiled, "You sound stressed about it. Why?" she asked.

"Because he's Draco Malfoy! He tormented us for years, he tried to kill Dumbledore, he fought for the wrong side. I'm suppose to despise him." Hermione told her, frowning.

"Yes, but you don't." Parvati replied, "Do you truly believe that he's changed?" she asked.

"Yes." Hermione said, "It's almost as if he's an entirely different person."

"So what's the issue? You like him, and he obviously likes you if he's showing up at your window in the dead of night."

"Ron is the issue." Hermione answered.

"Oh, that's really great to know, Hermione." Ron said, making her jump.

"I didn't realize you were in here. How long were you eavesdropping?!" Hermione yelled.

"Long enough." Ron told her, going upstairs before she could stop him. She knew Harry would talk to him up there.

Hermione slouched down in the chair with her arms crossed. "He's unbelievable. He didn't even hear the rest of the conversation." she said, seething.

"How is he the issue, exactly?" Parvati asked curiously.

Hermione frowned, "At the end of the war, when we thought we were going to die, we confessed our love for one another." she said, "But when we made it, I realized that I really didn't feel that way. I was just afraid of dying alone." Hermione continued, "I told Ron and he agreed with me that we should just be friends, but he recently told me that he loves me and never wanted to just be my friend. And now he's upset because I don't want that. Draco is just the icing on the cake." she finished, hugging her knees to her chest.

"I think that if he really loves you, he should want you to be happy. Same goes for if he's really your friend. Friends are supposed to support you no matter what. What does Harry think?" she asked.

"He's confused and doesn't fully understand it, but he's willing to make an effort if it's what I want." Hermione answered.

"Well, that's good. I'm going to head to bed, but maybe we could sit together at lunch tomorrow afternoon?" Parvati asked.

Hermione nodded, "Sounds great." She smiled.

Hermione and Parvati hadn't ever been more than acquaintances, but this year had been full of unlikely relationships, so who knew?

Hermione herself went upstairs soon after. As she changed into her night clothes, she picked up Dracos scarf and brought it close to her chest. It held his scent strongly and she smiled, putting it under her pillow as she laid down and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Hermione waited for Harry in the common room to go down to breakfast. Harry ran down the stairs, carrying a paper. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked, worried.

Harry sighed and handed her the paper. "Ron has decided that he no longer wishes to finish his education. He left after I fell asleep last night. I have no clue where he could've went." he said.

Hermione read over the note, guilt-stricken. It didn't say anything about her, just that he couldn't handle it and so on. But she knew that it was her fault. "We have to find him. Don't we?"

Harry sighed, "He's of age. There isn't much we can do. Nobody can force him to come back. I sent an owl to find him, we'll just have to wait it out." he said.

"Let's just go." Hermione said, rubbing her temples. Harry obliged and they climbed out of the portrait hole, where Draco stood waiting.

"Good morning." he said to them, cheerily. "Where's Weasel?" he asked.

Hermione breathed heavily, ready to scream. The day was not starting well.

"He's not here. He left." Hermione said sharply, walking quickly and ahead of Harry and Draco.

"Is she okay? What does she mean, he left?" Draco asked, looking at Harry.

"She means that he left. He wrote a note about how he couldn't handle all of this and left after everyone was sleeping." Harry answered dryly, "Hermione is blaming herself."

Draco bit his lip, "It's my fault." he said quietly. Harry looked over at him. "Honestly, it's not. Not just your fault, anyway. It's a mixture of things. His brothers death has been really hard on him and his family, and then Hermione did break his heart. But she would've done that with or without you, Draco. Don't blame yourself. Please. We already have to convince her that it isn't her fault." Harry said, frowning as they walked a few feet behind Hermione.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Draco asked.

"Because Hermione is my best friend. If you're a part of her life, I'm a part of yours. I don't think it'd go smoothly if I was a complete wanker. She's fierce." Harry laughed.

The three of them entered the Great Hall, and all eyes turned to them. What a sight to see, Hermione Granger with Draco Malfoy on one side and Harry Potter on the other. Harry laughed and they all sat down, casually eating as though this was normal. Parvati waved to Hermione, and she waved back. There was a lot of whispering, which eventually died down.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked, stroking Hermiones cheek.

"Am I okay?" Hermione stated, and suddenly burst into tears. "Am I OKAY?" she exclaimed, "HOW COULD I BE OKAY? My best friend is missing in action and it's my fault!" she yelled hysterically.

"Mione, calm down." Harry told her.

"You expect me to be calm?!" she asked desperately, falling into Dracos arms and crying.

Draco wrapped his arms around her and patted her back, looking at Harry for guidance but Harry was also at a loss. "We should take her out of here." he whispered. Draco nodded, standing and bringing Hermione with him, who continued to cry, and he and Harry took her out of the Great Hall.

"We'll go to Gryffindor tower." Harry said, and they walked that way.

Hermione walked slowly with Dracos arm around her waist. She felt heavy and numb, like her heart had literally broken.

She didn't feel romantically for Ron, but that didn't change how much she loved him as a brother. She didn't want to hurt him at all, and one of the last things he'd heard her say was that he was the issue.