Don't Hurt Her

Draco transfigured his motorcycle into a car and drove himself, Harry and Ron to a nearby town, where they ate lunch at a big pizza place.

"I hope bribing works," Draco said, hoping to kill the tension between them, "this place has great dishes. I'd recommend the chicken mar-"

"Just lead us to a table and start your excuses," Harry said sternly.

"We're only here because of Emelyn and Hermione."

Draco gulped. "I understand." He turned to the woman who was waiting to seat them. "Three please."

"Drey Meyer, is that you?" the woman asked.

"Marie, hi, how are you?" Draco asked.

"I'm great, but you won't be," Marie said. "I haven't seen you in almost a year. How have you been?"

"Fine," he replied politely. "I'm staying with Emelyn again and her cousins."

Marie looked over at Harry and Ron, who were trying to understand the situation. "Well hello there. So you're Lynn's cousins, huh? Well I'll be sure to bring you all out something nice."

The older woman took them to a booth in the middle of the room by the wall and took their drink orders before leaving them.

"Emelyn's known her son since the first grade, so I've met her a few times," Draco explained.

"She seems to like you," Ron said. "Apparently she doesn't know you that well."

"I'm a different person when I'm here," Draco said, trying not to break eye contact. He was ashamed of the way Harry and Ron knew him, and he wasn't going to mess up on trying to make up for it.

"Ten for two."

"Splitting hairs."

"Who are you trying to kid?"

"Wait." Ron looked at Harry, shocked. "Ron, wait a minute." He looked at Draco and said, "You've been coming here for how many years again?"

"Eight or nine years now. Sometimes I come during school vacations."

Marie came back with their drinks. "You kids ready to order?"

"Could you give us another minu-"

"Actually," Ron interrupted as he opened his menu, "I'll start off with the hot wings. Then I'll have the Chicken Cacciatore, and the Pasta Paradise."

"What an appetite," Marie said with a smile. She turned to Harry. "How about you?"

"Er, I'll have the Italian Sampler and a Rigatoni A La Vodka," Harry told her. "Oh, and garlic knots please."

"They're on their way hun." She turned to Draco. "I like these kids; they eat a lot and know the word 'please,' unlike some kids I know."

"Hm, I wonder who that could have been," Harry said sarcastically.

"This one over here," Marie began, nodding over at Draco, "the first time he shows up here with Emelyn he spent the entire time trying to impress her; acting all big shot. You know what she does? She blows him off, but not before telling him off. Took place right in this booth I think."

"Thanks Marie," Draco said, hoping to end story time. "It was years ago and I would like a Philadelphia Special and French fries. Oh, and a chocolate milk."

Marie finished writing everything down and looked at the boys. "I'll turn your side salads into a Greek. It'll be out in a few."

The boys watched as she left them and walked into the kitchen. A busboy came over and put a bowl of garlic knots on the table, which Draco offered to Harry and Ron right away, but they refused.

"Er, what were you saying before H-Neo?" Draco asked.

Harry leaned forward on the table. "You've been here all this time, you say that you're this completely different person when you're here, but why, then, are you such a complete arse at school?"

"Since you first arrived, the two of you have dyed your hair, gotten contacts, worn make-up, and have been spending a lot of time with two girls you hardly know," Draco said.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ron tried not to exclaim.

"Would either of you ever make such moves on a girl back at school?" Draco asked.

"No."

"I guess not."

"At the club you were in the center of a group of girls and you loved it."

"So?"

"What's your point?"

"Those two girls, do either of them know, er, who you are?"

"Well…."

"Er."

"Why not?"

"Tell them something that big?"

"They wouldn't understand."

"How so?"

"Something that big?"

"They'd go ballistic."

Harry and Ron looked at each other then back at Draco. He'd proven his point.

"Okay, fine Malfoy," Harry said. "We don't have to trust you, but we can keep your secret. The thing I don't get, though, is why?"

"Why what?"

"Why Hermione?"

Draco closed his eyes and sighed. He took a big bite of a garlic knot and looked up at his sworn enemies. "She's perfect."

"She's a mudblood."

"She's beautiful."

"So are a lot of girls."

"She's brilliant."

"She spends hours studying."

"She's the only person to really stand up to me."

"She slapped you."

"I recognized her from the highway. If I didn't feel this strongly, do you think that that would have happened?"

Ron rolled his eyes and crossed his arms and Harry leaned back in the chair. They sat in silence for a few minutes before the salad and appetizers came out, what was eaten quietly until Ron thought of a question for Draco.

"Why did you let us know that it's you?"

Draco thought for a moment. "I wanted you to know. I didn't feel right otherwise."

"We're not her parents. Why would you even give us a second thought?" Harry asked.

"I have no higher respect for anyone than I do for the two of you-"

"You have a great way of showing it."

"I wish to pursue things with Hermione, and when I tell her that it is me and she knocks me unconscious, I want the two of you to help her understand why I've been lying."

"Well then give us a few more reasons Malfoy," Harry said. "We're listening."

"Drey is just so great," Hermione sighed. She stepped out of the dressing room and modeled her outfit for Emelyn.

"I know," Emelyn said, "You've said that at least three times since we left the house two hours ago. What do you think about this?"

"It's, er…"

"That's what I thought."

"Emelyn," Emelyn and Hermione turned around and looked up at Abigaile, who was with Lana, Lissie, Rita and Pop.

"Hey guys," Hermione said politely. She stepped back into the dressing room and changed back into her clothes.

"So I knew you couldn't keep away from me," she heard Emelyn say from the other side of the curtain. "What are you guys up to? Pop, are you separated from Nate?"

There was laughter among the girls.

"We were actually just going to lunch," Abigaile explained. "What are you doing here? Where's your cousin?"

"Private hell," Emelyn joked, knowing Hermione wasn't used to spending more than two minutes in a clothing store.

Hermione listened closely to hear what the girls had to say.

"I love your cousin Em," she heard Pop say. She looked in the mirror and fixed up the outfit she was trying on. "She's so…"

"Shy," Abigaile interrupted. "Why don't we take her out tonight? Just the girls?"

Hermione thought about the idea. She did like most of Emelyn's friends, but there was something about Abigaile that made her think twice.

"Well why don't you just ask her? Hermione, you done in there?" Emelyn called through the curtain.

Hermione stepped out of the dressing room to be met with a gasp from each girl.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked. "I'll go take it off."

"Don't your dare unless it's to buy is," Pop demanded.

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. There was one thing about this outfit that she was sure of; it wasn't her. The black skirt was short and straight. The black heels Emelyn found made her legs look miles long with a pink flower to match the pink halter that crossed in the back. It hugged her chest and flowed down to her hips. This wasn't what she would usually give a second look. It made her feel a little uncomfortable, but she had to admit that she looked really pretty.

"Wow," she gasped. "B-but what am I going to wear this to?" She asked, coming to her senses.

"Who cares!" Lissie exclaimed. "If you don't buy it, I will and give it to you as a present!"

Hermione blushed and looked at herself again. "Maybe I can wear it on a date."

"With Drae?" Lana teased.

Hermione hid her face with her hair so the girls couldn't see her red face, but it only made them laugh even more.

She bought the outfit and the girls all went out for lunch together.

"So how did he ask you out?" Rita asked with a sigh.

Hermione looked down at her plate. "I actually asked him out. Well, I asked him to be my date to the party and, well, yeah."

The girls giggled at her embarrassment, except for Abigaile.

"Do you think you're going to see each other when you go home?" Pop asked.

Hermione shrugged slowly. "I don't know. We both go to boarding schools, and mine doesn't have many authorized trips."

"That's too bad," Abigaile said. "So, this is just a summer fling then? Oh well, at least he's a good kisser," she finished with a wink.

Hermione didn't know what to say. All of the girls were stunned.

"Abigaile," Emelyn hissed, "why would you say something like that?"

Abigailed leaned back in her seat and looked at each of her friends. "What? We've all had our turn with him."

"Mine was on a dare and Lana, Lissie and Rita were while they were wasted," Pop shot at her.

"What about you Emelyn?" Hermione asked quietly, refusing to make eye contact with any of the girls. Emelyn looked away and bit her lip. "Em?"

Emelyn sighed. "We had sex," she mumbled.

"Wh-what?" Hermione asked. She could feel the tears filling her eyes as everything became blurry.

Emelyn looked at Hermione with pleading eyes. "Please Hermione, it didn't mean anything. It was one time and-"

"Don't even use the 'we were wasted' excuse Emelyn!" Hermione told her in a severe tone. "It's old and never good enough."

"It was when we were under house arrest," Emelyn tried to explain. "We were home one night and talking and he was telling me about his school and I was telling him about everyone here and we were talking about how we were both virgins and-"

"And you were tired of being one so you asked him?" Hermione shook her head. "You're such a slut. Why do you think my parents had to force me to come here? This is exactly why we were never friends. You don't think, you are reckless and impulsive and-"

"If I knew it would have hurt you, I would never have done such a stupid thing, but it happened and we both know that it was a mistake." The table was quiet with Emelyn's quiet explosion. The second her hand slammed onto the table to interrupt Hermione, everyone jumped up. They hadn't seen her like this in two years.

Hermione blinked a few times to push back the tears and wiped the few that had escaped away from her face. "I'm not like you guys. I spent my evenings and weekends reading and studying. I never really had friends until I met H-Neo and Chase, and the kind of fun and excitement that we have is nothing like yours. It's just, well, I'm not used to hearing about-"

"About the guy you like popping your cousin's cherry," Pop finished when she saw that Hermione was having trouble finding her words. She put her hand on Hermione's to comfort her. "We've all been there. Nate lost his virginity to Lissie when they were dating a few years ago."

Hermione looked at the girls. "It's diff-"

"I'm still a virgin," Pop interrupted. "Lissie, and Lana, are my step-sisters. Did I forget to mention that this happened when we were on a break? Hermione, yeah, we knew about your name, it's serious, we know, but don't let it come between you and Drae."

Hermione thought about it for a second. She looked at Emelyn. "I'm sorry I called you a slut."

"I'm sorry I told you about me and Drae."

"I'm sorry about me and Nate!" Lissie cried.

Everyone laughed and hugged Lissie.

"Potter, I've got to say this, but you're all right," Draco said as they got into the car. "You too Weasley. Who knew you two weren't just goody goodies who shared a brain?"

"Thanks," Ron said, "but you still can't insult us."

Draco looked down. "Sorry. Habit."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. The day was very civil. Draco paid for a delicious meal that lasted over an hour. After that, they walked around the small town, running into people Draco had come to know over the years. Nothing that happened or that they heard changed Harry or Ron's minds, but they wanted to hear what Draco had to say just in case anything were to happen. They didn't want to hurt Hermione or cause anything, so they decided not to tell her until they knew his true intentions. There was no need to upset anyone…yet.

"Kill the habit," Harry said severely.

Draco gulped and nodded. "Er, Emelyn said we should be home at four. She sort of set up a date for all of us."

"Sorry Malfoy, I have a lady," Harry said.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Not us, Pothead, the three of us, her, Hermione, Kira, Kim, Pop, Nate, Lana, Lissie, Rita, Bobby, Vinny, and dates. She thinks that if you two see me with friends and with Hermione. She really wants us to be friends."

"Like that's ever going to happen," Harry mumbled under is breath. He turned to Draco and said, "Malfoy, you may have been coming here for years and be a completely different person when you're here, but that only hurts your argument because we don't know how to treat you or what to expect. What if you're telling the truth about how you feel, but when you get back to school and ignore everything that happened, but Hermione recognizes you?"

Draco focused on the road as he drove back to Emelyn's house. He'd thought about that every year since he began coming here. He'd wanted to change for so long, but his father couldn't know. "Listen, I never had the opportunity to be with Hermione, and now I have it. I took advantage and didn't waste any time. I didn't have to tell either of you, but I did because I want your help for when I have to tell her that it's me."

"So, basically you want us to be there for her when you dump her to keep your 'pureblood rep'?"

"You prick."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Why would we do something like that?"

"You're sick."

"That isn't it," Draco said, trying to defend himself. "I've cared for her for years-"

"And treated her like crap for all of them."

Draco stopped the car at the light and looked at Harry. "What do I have to do? I don't want her to be hurt-"

"Then don't bloody hurt her!"

"Neo, you haven't touched your dinner," Lissie said. "Are you okay?"

Harry looked up. He'd been thinking about the car ride back to Emelyn's house all evening. Now they were at an elegant restaurant and Hermione and Draco hadn't stopped talking from beside one another down the round table. They hadn't eaten either, but that was because their mouths hadn't stopped moving for long enough to let anything in them.

"I'm fine," Harry blurted out. "Er, what were you all saying?"

"If you're going to keep staring at her all night, maybe I should just go," Kim hissed into Harry's ear as Lissie went back to her story about…whatever she was talking about.

Harry looked at Kim. He loved the time he'd been spending with her, yet she still didn't know that they went to school together. That was when it hit him. "Kim, it's you that I want to spend my time with. I just don't trust the bloke. Erm, I'm going to be right back. There's something I have to do."

A/M SORRYSORRYSORRY it took me so long to update. I PROMISE you that I'm going to keep them coming more often. ENJOY!