Ok So here's Chapter 9! Please PLEASE review! I haven't touched this story in so long and I don't know how I'm doing. Feedback = better story! =D.

Disclaimer: See Chapter one.

......HD......HD = interval break.

Here we go:-

Harry had read the same sentence for over half an hour.

With an annoyed grunt he stood up and threw the last bit of paperwork in the "tomorrow" basket before stalking out the door.

Ron met up with him as he too finished his paperwork. "Hey mate. You alright?"

"Hey, yeah I'm right." Harry replied avoiding eye contact.

"Did Ginny give you a hard time?" Ron said as they approached the floo.

"Well I wouldn't call it a 'hard' time." Harry replied cryptically.

"Ok Listen, Hermione hasn't seen you in ages and I know she wants to. She thinks I'm up to something and honestly; I am. I'm waiting for the right time to pop the question you know? Come over, tell us about what happened with Ginny and it'd distract her from being so suspicious with me." Ron said in a weirdly hushed tone.

Harry sighed. "Is there anything you can do by yourself?" he said with an amused smile.

Ron smiled a huge smile. "Not without you mate!" clapping him on the back.

He was about to reach for the floo powder before he remembered Draco.

"Oh wait, I'll be over at your house in a few moments, I just gotta tell Draco." Harry said.

"I still don't know why you're living with Malfoy. You guys seem awfully chummy." Ron said resentfully.

"Ron, I've said this so many times. He's a good guy and you know it." Harry said with an annoyed sigh, turning to face him.

"Yeah...But it's Malfoy." Ron mumbled.

"Ron!"

"Ok! Ok! I'll see you at my house in a few minutes." He said as he disappeared in a green puff of smoke.

Harry followed soon after and headed out of the Ministry to the Apparition point. With a bang he appeared in the alleyway and he quickly strode to the entrance of Draco's house.

Entering the mansion he called out Draco's name. He looked in the kitchens and the lower rooms. He was just about to head up the stairs when a voice stopped him.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up to see Draco standing at the top of the stairs...shirtless. Harry had to grab the railing to stop him from doubling-over from the familiar feeling in his stomach.

He felt like he was in some movie. Worse, he felt the girl in the movie.

"You alright Harry?" Draco said, making his way down the stairs.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." Harry said, straightening up.

"So did you think about what I said today?" Draco said as he stood in front of Harry.

"Um not really, I haven't really had time. I just came back in a hurry to tell you I'm going to have dinner at Ron's; just for tonight." Harry replied.

A look of disappointment flashed across Draco's face.

"Oh that's alright." Draco said. "I'll see you at work tomorrow morning." He continued before making his way back upstairs again.

"Um ok." Harry said softly before exiting the house.

He couldn't help but feel a bit a tad guilty. Probably because he didn't think very hard on what Draco said. The feeling however didn't dissipate as he apparated outside of Ron and Hermione's place.

After knocking on the door he swallowed hard and tried to will away the feeling in his stomach; it was growing harder than ever.

"Harry!! Oh Harry!" Hermione said, pulling him in for a hug.

"Hey Hermione. Oh oh oh...a wizard needs to breathe." he said.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm just so glad to see you. I haven't seen you in weeks and I start hearing things about you and Ginny?" she said with concern laced in her voice.

"Yeah, that's actually half the reason why I'm here. I said I'd tell Ron what happened between me and Ginny today. I'll fill you in on everything else as well." Harry said as he stepped across the threshold.

He followed Hermione past the living room and into the kitchen where, surprisingly Ron was standing by the stove.

"Ron? You're actually cooking?" Harry said incredulously.

"Yeah he wishes, he's just looking over the pot roast that took me half a day to make." Hermione said with an amused smile; nudging Ron over with her hip as she took the spoon from him.

"Well you wouldn't have to worry about it if we just used house elves." Ron said.

"Ron we've been through this." Hermione said as she fished out the roasted vegetables and placed them on a plate.

"Yeah...but it doesn't mean I have to like it." Ron mumbled taking a seat at the dining table.

Harry snorted as he sat opposite Ron. Hermione elegantly floated the huge pot roast and the vegetables to the centre of the table before sitting at the head of the table.

"Alright Harry, so what's happening." Hermione said, prompting Harry to tell the story of his life that was currently a fiasco.

"Ok did Ron tell you what happened so far?" Harry said, already digging into this dinner.

"Well he told me Ginny and Dean were...you know." Hermione said carefully.

"Yeah that sticky little tosspot, if I-

"Ron!" Hermione said, scolding him.

"Sorry." He mumbled, digging back into his food.

"Ok well, I might as well tell you from the start." Harry said. "Basically, I came back from work one day early because according to Shaklebolt I looked like an inferi. Ginny and Dean were going at it in our bedroom." Harry said, staring intently at his food. He heard Hemione gasp.

"She wanted to talk but I needed to get out of the house so I wouldn't do anything I'd regret. So I left to the Three Broomsticks, saw Draco, talked for a bit and then he offered me a place to stay so I took him on it; since he lives so close to me anyway." Harry continued.

Hermione had stopped eating now and was watching Harry intently. Ron on the other hand, was shovelling food down his throat like he was afraid the food would run off his plate.

"She came to work the day after and we talked at the Three Broomsticks when I was on a lunch break. She told she didn't love me the way a girlfriend should. And I told her I felt the same. It was a little awkward, but we agreed it was best to have some time-off. But then Dean walked in and I sort of freaked out so I ran out. Then it finally hit Ron and he punched Dean in the face-

"Ron!" Hermione said.

Ron flushed slightly and glared at Harry. "I'm sorry Hermione but he deserved it."

Hermione surprisingly didn't do anything but simply sigh.

"What happened after that Harry?"

"So Draco and I pulled Ron off Dean. Ron left home, Draco healed up Dean's nose before we left. Unfortunately when we looked back in the Three Broomsticks Dean and Ginny were wrapped around each other like a pair of eels." Harry said.

"What?!" Hermione said.

"Yeah...so basically we agreed we'd go on a break and the next thing I know she's already snogging the life out of Dean." Harry said.

Harry knew the next part neither of them really knew.

"Ron you might want to listen in on this part, I didn't tell you either."

Ron looked up from his almost finished meal curiously.

"So...I got really annoyed and when Draco and I got back to his mansion I demanded Firewhiskey and we sort of...got a little...off the rocker if you know what I mean." Harry quickly finished.

"WHAT?!"

"HARRY!" Ron and Hermione yelled at the same time. It wasn't usual for Harry to turn to alcohol to fix his problems.

"Harry, you never drink to solve problems! What changed?! You don't want to make this a habit."

Hermione's lecture was being rivalled by Ron's; which sounded something like:

"What the hell Harry? Did Malfoy make you do it? I knew he was bad news!! "

"GUYS!"

Both fell silent.

"Just relax, it was a one-off thing. No Hermione, it won't become a habit, I was just cutting loose for one night. And no Ron, DRACO didn't make me do it. In fact, he sort of discouraged it." Harry said, glowering at the both of them.

At the explanation they relaxed slightly.

"Well as long as you're ok now and you don't feel the need to become a problem drinker." Hermione said.

"No, I don't. But anyway, I got off my rocker and then came late to work with a bit of a headache and got pretty hurt in the arena simulation. Draco healed me up and we were heading to lunch when Ginny appeared again." Harry continued; subtly leaving out the kissing part.

"And here's the weird part. She said she came to see me to apologize for hurting me and she didn't mean it, then she got all shocked when I told her that our time-out was probably permanent. But she was the one who told me first that she didn't love me like a girlfriend should and I told her that I didn't love her like a boyfriend should. We had AGREED that the relationship wouldn't work. And when I questioned her about her weird attitude, she suddenly got all confused...like she had been charmed or something. She didn't seem to understand why she was there or what she was doing or anything. Then a second later, she was fine again! She started blabbing about loving Dean and sorry she was hurting me and how she was moving into Dean's house in some secret room so Maria wouldn't know!" Harry was out of his chair and pacing by the time he was finished; hands waving in the air.

"Ginny's doing WHAT?!" Ron yelled, jumping up.

"Ron calm down!" Hermione said, pulling Ron down again. "That's really strange Harry; so she just changed her mind back and forth? And you say she didn't really know what was going on?" Hermione said leaning forward.

Harry sat back down. "Yeah, she just seemed really confused, like she didn't know what she was saying."

"Mmm well that sounds strange enough, but have you thought maybe she was just indecisive or something Harry?" Hermione said.

It seemed Ron had gone silent with rage; his fists clenched on the table.

"That's what Draco said but she just didn't seem that way! It was different! Maybe I should show you my memory through a pensive or something." Harry said, eyes wide.

"Look Harry, I've known you for ages and we all know you can be a little...headstrong? You know, diving headfirst into things without thinking. Maybe you're just looking too into it. Ginny's probably as confused as you are right now. Don't get me wrong, I in no way condone what she's done; it's totally wrong, but maybe you should just let this rest for a bit." Hermione said, laying her hand on Harry's comfortingly.

Harry frowned. Hermione was always known as the logical one. Taking her advice wouldn't be a bad thing.

"Well you're probably right Herm. I'll let this rest; for now. I have a feeling she's going to come approach me again." Harry said with a slight frown.

"Ok goo-

"Are you two just gonna forget that Ginny's moving in with Dean?! And he's married! How could she?! And how could HE?!" Ron said, his face flushing red.

"Ron we didn't say we'd forget about, we haven't even discussed it!" Hermione replied turning to him.

"There's nothing to discuss, I'm going to impound his face in! You and Ginny were all fine and then he comes along and everything's just screwed up! Why did he have to freaking enchant that stupid kettle!"

Harry thought Ron's face was going to explode.

"Ronald Weasley, calm DOWN! No-one's face is going to be impounded in!" Hermione shouted grabbing Ron's face.

"Alright, but I'm really not happy about this! Are you guys really just going to let Ginny move in with Dean? Harry! YOU have morals! You're not gonna let this happen are you?" Ron said turning to Harry.

"I've got morals sure, but that's GINNY'S morals not mine. If she wants to move in with Dean after cheating on me that's her choice." Harry said.

"I thought you cared about her!!" Ron shouted.

"I do care about her!" Harry yelled back. "Couldn't you see that from the way I was freaking out before about how Ginny was acting?"

"Shut it the both of you!" Hermione yelled slamming her hands down on the table.

"Ron, of course Harry cares about Ginny, don't be stupid. And Harry, sure they're Ginny's morals but that doesn't mean you have to sit there and watch it if it's not the greatest moral choice!" Hermione snapped at the both of them.

They both looked down in slight guilt.

"Look it's late and we're all tired. Let's have lunch again soon. How about Saturday? Two days away? And then we can talk about what to do then alright you two?" Hermione said logically.

They nodded in compliance.

"Anyway, thanks for having me over guys, we haven't hung out in ages." Harry said smiling brightly.

"It's been wonderful Harry!" Hermione said.

"Yeah mate, despite the news that you brought it was great to have dinner." Ron agreed.

"Right, well I'm gonna head out, I'll see you tomorrow at work Ron."

Ron replied with a groan.

They walked Harry out to the door where Hermione gave him a tight hug. "I'll see you Saturday Harry, take it easy." Hermione said.

As Harry was about to leave Hermione leant forward quickly and whispered so only that Harry could hear.

"And I want to talk to you about Draco as well on Saturday. You're not very subtle Harry." She said with a smirk.

Harry gasped and a slight flush came across his face before he bolted from the house leaving a smirking Hermione and a confused Ron.

Yes I know it's short but it felt like the right place to stop. I'm trying to be more consistent with updating as you may have noticed =D! I'm hoping you like it!

PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I can't write any better if I don't get any feedback!

=D!