A/N: And so we continue... I'm sorry to admit, Ron is completely absent from this chapter. HOWEVER, I do hope the fact that I updated makes up for this, as he will definitely be in the next one.

I hope all is well with you, reader.

Disclaimer: I STILL DON'T OWN THIS AND IT MAKES ME SAD :(

Upon realizing who it was that had bumped into her, Hermione's lips slid into a friendly smile.

"Hello Harry," she greeted, her voice sounding just as warm and caring as ever - in spite of the fact that she had been left, just that previous night, by her boyfriend of six years.

He wasn't sure what to respond with. What did one say in this sort of situation? So sorry for running you over. I was clearly distracted by the thought of your ex-fiancee. You know, our mutual best friend since we were eleven. The same man whose name I spent screaming in ecstasy the entire night. Oh, and by the way, nice jumper.

"Er. Sorry for almost knocking you over," Harry began, convincing himself that he sounded more embarrassed by his actions than nervous about hers. "Wasn't exactly watching where I was going."

The smile remained on her face as she replied. "It's quite alright, Harry. No permanent injuries." Her teeth were just as perfect as they had been since her trip to see Madam Pomfrey their fifth year. "Besides, the weather's nice out today, isn't it?"

He followed her gaze upwards, looking at the sky, and was surprised to find that, for once, it was blue and completely free of clouds - a rare thing in London.

"It is," he agreed. Then, his green eyes fell back to her. It didn't seem to him a good sign that their conversation had fallen to the weather. That was generally a topic during small talk and they were supposed to be best friends, weren't they?

Looking down at her side, he noticed she was carrying an overnight bag. "Am I keeping you from getting somewhere?"

At his question, her cheeks flushed lightly. "Oh no, of course not," she hurriedly replied.

He gave her a pointed look, which clearly said he didn't believe her.

Realizing she couldn't lie to him, she heaved an exasperated sigh and came clean.

"Alright, yes, if you must know," Hermione replied. "But you must promise not to tell Ronald if I tell you."

Harry's brow arched in curiosity. Where could she possibly be going that she didn't want Ron to know about? What had she possibly done? And could it possibly be worse than Ron staying with her when he knew he wanted to be with Harry? "I promise."

She recycled his pointed look from earlier, her brown eyes disbelieving of his promise.

At this, he smiled. Neither of them could lie to the other. He supposed it was the curse of having been friends for too long. "Fine. I promise to try to keep my mouth shut."

This response seemed to satisfy her. "Here, let's go into this coffee house. If I'm going to tell you the story, I'm going to need copious amounts of sugar."

Harry chuckled at this, but obediently followed her.

Once they were inside and had their respective drinks, they took a seat at a small table in the back corner.

It was a few moments after they had sat down before Hermione actually spoke.

"Harry, you know that I love Ron..." Harry nodded; this was something that no one would ever contest - especially not anyone who had been to Hogwarts with them. "But, in the past few months... I've realized a few things. Some of them are about Ron, but most of them are about me."

He sat, ever the diligent listener, watching her stir the sugar into her tea as she spoke.

"One of these things is that, though I do love Ronald, I'm not in love with him anymore."

In spite of himself, his eyes widened in surprise. Hermione, not in love with Ron? What was this world coming to?

"Additionally," the young brunette continued. "I've discovered that I am in love with someone else." Once more, her cheeks burned a deep rose color. "Harry... I've been having an affair."

If Harry had been expecting a confession from her, this had not been it.

His mouth was slack. An affair? Hermione? No... "That's... impossible," Harry said after a moment. Hermione having an affair was like Hermione not doing her homework or Hermione failing her O.W.L.S. In other words, clearly not possible.

She smiled sheepishly at his response. It was obviously what she had expected him to say. "That's what I thought," she replied before taking a sip of her tea.

"Who is he?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. Who could possibly be better than Ron? Surely no one of this caliber existed. The world could not contain someone like that.

At this question, Hermione bit down on her bottom lip, making evident her nerves. "I'm... not sure if I should tell you," she said after a few moments.

"You don't have to," he assured her, giving her a small, comforting smile. "I was merely curious."

A few more seconds of silence passed between them before she said the name of the one person he would never have imagined her to have anything to do with.

"Draco Malfoy."

It was as if she had just cursed him. He couldn't speak. He could merely stare at her with wide eyes in complete bewilderment.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you," she said sadly, frowning slightly.

Her frown seemed to jolt him from his scrambled thoughts.

"You're... seeing Draco Malfoy? The same Draco from school? The one who caused us endless years of suffering?"

She nodded. "He's actually quite nice once you get to know him. I'm not surprised Myrtle became fond of him sixth year." As she spoke she looked down at her cup; almost afraid, it seemed, to look up at Harry.

"Blimey..." He was still shocked. Hermione and Draco? He hadn't set out of his flat this morning expecting to be knocked on his arse by a confession like this. He looked to her. "He makes you happy?"

Hermione's brown eyes met his emerald ones and she nodded, smiling slightly.

"When I worked late, he would come to my office with dinner. And his kisses..."

"Oi," Harry cried, stopping her before she could finished that sentence. There were just some things that mates didn't tell one another and how well Draco Malfoy snogged was definitely one of them.

The young witch blushed before muttering a sheepish apology.

"So, is that where you're headed? To Draco's?"

Harry was certain he had never seen a more radiant smile on Hermione's face than the one she had now.

"Yes," she began; her voice holding the same note of unmistakeable affection that he had heard Fleur speak in when she and Bill were married. "He's just gotten a flat down from the Leaky Cauldron. He's asked me to move in with him."

He hesitated. All his instincts said to warn her that perhaps that wouldn't be the best idea. However, he knew Hermione was, in fact, the brightest witch he'd ever met and that she was old enough to make her own choices.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you," Hermione replied. "I realize the effort it took for you to say that." Her smile remained as she looked at him.

However, after a moment, her gaze trailed to the clock on the wall and she gasped. "Is that the time? Oh! I'm late!" She hurriedly stood up, grabbing her bag.

Harry smiled in amusement, watching her in her flustered state.

"Oh Harry, you understand, right?"

He nodded, his green eyes twinkling as he fought back his urge to laugh. "Go on. You can give me your written formal apologize later."

She punched him in the arm lightly. "Git." Then, with a smile and a wave, she disappeared out of the coffee shop and into the streets of London.

Once he was alone, Harry was left with a moral decision: to tell Ron or not...

I hope you enjoyed it. It's much longer than the last, which pleased me greatly...
If you'd like to review, I encourage this. However, it is not expected. :)

Love,
Mella