A/N: Sorry it's been forever since the last update – I've been absolutely swamped at work! But here is 11! I promise to try and be better at updating

Sooooo Draco and Hermione's budding relationship? And what do you guys think is Luna's relevance in the story?

Read and Review, but most importantly Enjoy

Chapter 11:

The week passed and Draco had decided to continue life as it had been; he would act as though the kiss they had shared had never happened. Hermione seemed to notice this, and graciously played along. He sensed that she was confused about their encounter, but she did not talk to him about it, and when she noticed that he wanted to move on, she moved on with him. Granted, dinner conversation was not as lively and flirting was non-existent, they still enjoyed each other's company, spending hours in the reading room. He appreciated her understanding and assumed that she had had the same thought process as him – it would never work out.

However, this did not mean that Draco had forgotten about their shared moment – quite the contrary. Their kiss was plaguing Draco. He could not forget about it; he couldn't forget about her! How sweet her lips were, how warm and calming her eyes had been. He could hardly stand being in the same room with her because all he would do was peek at her from above his book or watched her as she spoke to him. He watched her as her brow furrow when she was annoyed. Her eyes would narrow when she didn't understand something. When she was intrigued or thinking about something very hard she would lick her lips.

He had spent his week like this: silently keeping her company, but also watching and learning her movements and behaviours. He was doing it now. He watched as she started to fidget her toes, something she did when she was uncomfortable, he had learned. She was onto him! He glanced down at his book once more, rereading the same line he had glanced at for the past hour. He finally passed the line and read on. It was going to be a long day.

oooooooooo

Ginny sat cross-legged on the couch reading a Muggle women's magazine as she heard Harry enter their flat through the fireplace.

"Ginn?" Harry called, looking to see where she was.

"I'm in here!" She answered. She watched him enter the room and sit down next to her. His hair was especially ruffled, a sign that he had been pulling on it a lot, which meant that he was stressed. "What is it?" She inquired.

Harry sighed, "I have to go see Malfoy…his trial date has been announced. It's going to the press tomorrow." Ginny looked into her lap; he had had a tough day indeed. Ginny was not sure why, but she knew that Harry was paying an abnormal amount of attention to Draco Malfoy's case. He had been more stressed and immediately changed the subject whenever she wanted to talk about it. But, as his girlfriend, she wanted to do whatever in her power to support him.

"Do you want me to come with you? We could make it a dinner! We could even bring Ronald! Just like old times…but with Malfoy." She said reassuring him.

She watched him as he visibly relaxed and grinned at her, "Would you? It wouldn't be half as awkward with you there. Plus, I think Hermione has been dying to see you!"

"Of course she has. I'll just owl Ron then…" she started, moving towards the parchment and quill sitting on the other side of the room.

Harry reached out and gently grabbed her arm to stop her, "Ginny, I don't think that's a good idea. They're not really speaking right now…" he said awkwardly sensing that she had not really known the extent of how bad their break-up had gotten.

"Well, he needs to learn how to interact with her now that they're not in a relationship. She may have broken up with him – and broken his heart in the process – but she still wants to be friends and I think this will be good for him," she said, "Plus, I'm his sister." Ginny stated matter-of-factly.

Harry shook his head – she was impossible to sway once she had made up her mind, "Alright, but I'm warning you, Malfoy being there triggers a nerve for him. It might not end well."

"Well he better hope for his sake that it does!" Ginny retorted fiercely. She then stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen with her quill and parchment in hand, sending a letter to Ron informing him to be at their flat for dinner. Harry had followed her into the kitchen and watched her write the note. When she was finished he scribbled a small note to Hermione informing her that he was coming over with food later to talk to Malfoy.

Hours later, Ron appeared in their kitchen just as planned. Ginny had been waiting for him. "Sit down," she started with a steady tone. He obliged her with a confused and slightly worried look on his face, "We are going to Grimmauld tonight for dinner. You are coming with us, no questions," she stated as Ron's mouth dropped and he started to moan in protest, "You will behave or else Mum will hear about it."

Ron grimaced, but knew better than to question Ginny. Harry then entered the room, giving the elder redhead an apologetic look, and the three of them stepped into the fireplace. Ginny gulped; she really hoped she hoped he would obey her, at least just this once.

ooooooooooooo

Hermione sat reading at the kitchen table waiting for Harry to walk out of the floo at any moment. The fireplace rumbled and Hermione watched as three bodies walked out of her floo. Her stomach dropped as she saw Ron shuffle out of the floo shyly; he knew he was not welcome. Hermione swallowed her pride as she hugged and welcomed them all, including Ron. She was going to show him that she had moved on, that she did not need a man anymore; she was going to be civil. This was going to be a taste of what their friendship would be like.

"Let me just go get Malfoy," she started walking towards the stairs, "You guys can set the table." She walked up the stairs as she heard them start to move about the kitchen.

"Why do I need to be here…Why does Malfoy need to be here!" Hermione heard Ron grumble in the kitchen.

"Ronald! You are here to be with Hermione!" Ginny replied fiercely back at him, trying to keep her voice down.

"Yeah, but the bloody ferret is here!" he retorted.

Hermione frowned and wondered if Ron really knew why Malfoy was here; surely not. Sure, Ron was in the Order and worked with Harry, but Harry was higher up than Ron and often worked directly with the Minister of Magic. Ron couldn't have this kind of clearance. She thought of how Ron would react if he had known, would he be such a prat? She wondered how he would even react if Harry had told him – not well. Ron hated Draco.

She reached Malfoy's room and knocked lightly. Her mind quickly flashed back to the week earlier. She looked back towards her room as though she were watching the whole situation again. She watched as she covered Malfoy's hand on her cheek and as he bent down slowly to put his lips on hers. Their interaction had decreased since their encounter, and Hermione was upset that something had changed. She had sensed that Malfoy still wanted her company, but did not want to talk about or even acknowledge their kiss. She understood; he was going on trial; he was going to Azkaban. They were both being rational, which was the best route to take in this complicated situation. But Hermione could not help to feel slightly upset that things hadn't taken off with Draco. This kind of romance was something she had never experienced before, especially not with Ron. But there couldn't be anything else between her and Draco. It was good vs. evil; light vs. dark. She was the Hermione Granger best friend of the Harry Potter. She thought of why Harry was downstairs – there had probably been a development in Malfoy's case.

She attention refocused as Malfoy opened the door and looked down at her, "Yes?" he inquired.

"Harry and Ginny…and Ron are here with dinner." She said warily. He visibly tensed and a scowl came over his face. He grunted a response and nudged passed her walking down the stairs. She followed him down and they both entered the kitchen. Ginny was already seated at the table with her head in her hands. Harry was standing behind his chair looking stressed. Ron was leaning against the kitchen counter staring at his shoes awkwardly.

"Potter," he nodded towards Harry, "Ginny" he said in a nicer tone in the red-haired witch's direction, "Weasley" Malfoy ended darkly.

"Malfoy" Harry said. Hermione watched as he sat down next to Ginny. Hermione moved towards the table, calculating where she would sit. She could sit next to Malfoy, but that would get a nasty rise out of Ron. She could sit at the head of the table, leaving Ron and Malfoy sitting next to each other, which was the worst possible scenario. She decided on sitting across from Harry, which was putting herself between Malfoy and Ron. Malfoy followed her quietly directing himself towards the head of the table. Ron acted quickly, jumping ahead of Malfoy and sitting himself at the head of the table. Malfoy exhaled calmly and rerouted himself to sit on Hermione's other side.

They all tucked into the Chinese Food that Harry and Ginny had brought. The meal was relatively quiet, with Ginny and Hermione trying to make as much small talk as they could. They talked about possible future shopping trips, maybe going out a few more times. They had tried to include the boys, but none of them were really keen on talking. Ron barely uttered a word, and spent the majority of dinner glaring in Malfoy's direction as if he were to spontaneously combust at any moment. Malfoy innocently kept his head down and ate his food.

Hermione mustered her Gryffindor courage and turned in Ron's direction, "How have your past few weeks been Ronald?" she asked in a friendly tone.

He finally took his gaze off the blonde wizard at the end of the table looking to Hermione, "They've been good 'Mione. I've been working a lot, you know, at the Ministry of Magic…in the Law Enforcement Division." His eyes shifted back to Malfoy, "Had a good week we did; sent away five Death Eaters," a sneer spread across his face, "soon to be six."

Hermione heard Ginny drop her fork and Harry's arm move in Ron's direction. She quickly glanced at Malfoy, who had lost interest in his food and was now glaring daggers at the wizard at the head of the table. "Ron that is quite enough!" Hermione bellowed, "Malfoy is a guest in this house and he will be treated as so until other plans are made! Please be respectful Ronald!" he looked down to his food once more, muttering to himself, avoiding Ginny's murderous gaze.

Harry took the opportunity to change the subject, hopefully getting away from Ginny and her wrath. He cleared his throat and looked across the table to Hermione, "May I have a word with you and Malfoy please?" Hermione's stomach dropped. This was it; this was Harry's news. But why was she being called with him? Her question was quickly answered as soon as they entered the reading room and Harry spoke again, "'Mione, I brought you in here too because I didn't want you in the kitchen right now, and I figured you would hear about this soon enough," He stared at them awkwardly clearly not wanting to say what came next, "Malfoy…your trial date has been announced. It will be in the papers tomorrow I presume, which is why I came over here tonight. I wanted you to hear it from me. The trial will be in 6 weeks: September 30th."

Hermione turned her gaze to Malfoy; he was a stone, not letting any emotion pass out of him. "Thanks Potter" he muttered and walked out of the room and up the stairs.

"What's gotten into him?" Hermione heard Ron shout rudely from the kitchen. Soon after she heard shuffling and re-entered the kitchen to see Ginny with a firm grasp on Ron's robes, Ron looking utterly terrified. Harry leaned over and whispered that they were leaving. She hugged him goodbye and flashed a sympathetic look Ginny's way; she had only been trying to help. She sighed as they walked into the floo, disappearing, Ron would eventually come around.

She then magically cleaned the kitchen, something she rarely did, but she had different matters to attend to. She tiptoed up the stairs and approached Malfoy's door. She just wanted to check on him, make sure he was ok. She knocked once and cracked open the door, "Malfoy? Can I come in?" His gaze did not change but he mumbled a quiet approval. She quietly walked in and closed the door behind her. His room was so plain, nothing personal at all. She noticed the suit he had wore for his birthday was laid out on a chair, and that the small journal she had given him a week earlier sitting on his desk. She looked at him; his back turned away from the door, looking out his dark window. His back was slumped and he slowly lowered his head as she carefully sat next to him, "Are you alright?" she questioned softly.

Draco sighed and ran a nervous hand through his blonde hair, "I can't say that I was surprised, but I can't say that I'm not scared either." He started in whisper, "I've seen what that place does to people; what it's done to my father." Hermione wanted to touch him, to comfort him, to hug him and baby him until he didn't hurt anymore, but this was Malfoy not a small first year.

She brought her hand up and massage his shoulder, "It will be alrigh…"

"He loves me you know – my father – he does." He started, shifting his weight to look at her, "He's a good man – a sometime confused and detached man – but good nonetheless. Remember when you said that you saw me with my mom in the Great Hall? He told me then. He said, 'Son, I loved your mother very much, and I love you. And I'm sorry. I will rot in Azkaban for my mistakes.' But I'm not like him. I'm not confused or detached. I know!" Hermione was taken aback, there was so much fire in his voice. He stared out the window again for a long time, not saying anything. Eventually, he looked to his hands again, his voice softening, "But I messed up; I did the wrong thing. And I'm sorry. I will rot in Azkaban for my mistakes."

Hermione had never seen so much passion in Draco Malfoy's young eyes. They were wide and he was speaking quickly. Hermione brought both her hands to his face, turning it to look at her, "Shhhhh" she whispered to him, watching him calm at her touch. She looked into his eyes as he had done to her a week before, but there was no happiness like before, only worry. Hermione knew then: Malfoy had not wanted this; he had never wanted this! Malfoy was not evil.

She gaze dipped to his lips, soft and gentle, then back to his worried eyes. She slowly approached her face towards his; longing to feel the tenderness that she had felt one night a week ago, but a strong hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Hermione, I can't do this now," Draco said quietly, "I think you should go." His face was still warm in her hands, but his eyes did not look back at her, they were looking down to the bed once more. She lowered her hands, raised herself and quietly walked out of the room, neither of them saying another word.