A/n- Well, I do hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter! Nothen much more to say then 'thanks' to everyone to reviewed and to everyone who's reading!

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter… oh think of the possibilities!

Summary: The yarn begins to unravel.


Jackknifed


Draco had flown Hermione up to the top of the Owlry, dipping low so her feet touched the stone.Hermione slid off, tentatively, clasping Draco's hand so she wouldn't fall, touching her shoes down onto the packed snow. Her hand, although she was firmly grounded, was still lofted.

"See you tomorrow." Malfoy murmured, dipping the broom a little lower, although he did not touch down. "You're sure you'll come?"

Hermione nodded.

"Why wouldn't I?" She smiled, her cheeks feeling warm against the winter wind.

Draco smiled back, bringing her fingers to him, brushing them softly with his lips, a pink tinge upon his face, Hermione's too.

As the broom dipped to the wind, their hands, that little connection, wavered. It would become taunt as the broom rose and slack as it dipped.

But gradually, they had to let go, if only for a moment, if only for a day.

Hermione watched as Malfoy spurred his broom higher and out to the Quidditch pitch. She waved, but he hadn't, he just turned round and smiled, a soothing, real smile. That was all she needed to feel his affection.

.o.o.o.o.

"Oh, is it not an absolutely perfect day?"

Both Harry and Ron looked up from their positions in front of the Common Room fire. They watched as Hermione bounded down from the girl's dorm, nearly two steps at a time, beaming at them.

"Where've you been?" Ron barked from his Transfiguration homework. Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him, still grinning.

"What ever do you mean, Ronald?"

"We didn't see you last night."

Hermione waved a hand flippantly.

"Library."

"But it was Friday! You have all weekend!"

"No, I don't" She said matter of factly. "I'm going to watch the Quidditch match today and wanted to finish my work early." She paused for a moment. "Why don't you two come with me, I could always use the company."

Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"I've got work, mate." Ron said flatly.

"I'll go with you, Hermione." Harry smiled, setting down his book. Hermione clapped her hands together. "Ravenclaw and Slytherin, right?" Hermione nodded. "Hmm, should be a good game, if Malfoy does a few more aerial tricks I'd say I'd be worth watching."

Ron snorted.

"Maybe a Quidditch post'll impale the bastard."

"Ron!"

But they ignored her, both laughing heartily.

Hermione folded her arms, looking out the window at the snowy landscape, the iced Quidditch pitch, like a little cupcake, the goals like candles.

For a moment she let her mind wander away, thinking how perfect it would be to sit alone in those stands and watch Malfoy catch the snitch- just for her.

Maybe they'd kiss, chastely, for the first time, her leaning out over the railing, Draco on the back of his broom, hovering just near her.

She wished he'd had kissed her yesterday, with the snow falling all around them, his hands cupping her face, his pale eyes gazing deeply into hers.

His eyes.

They filled her vision when he looked at her.

Ah… Hermione sighed inwardly. So this was what love was like, then.

That little admittance should have shocked Hermione. It was Malfoy after all! But instead, her face flushed and she grasped at the faint hope that he felt the same.

"Hermione. Hermione? Mate, she's gone all…" And Ron made a little swirling motion with his hands over his head.

Harry rolled his eyes at Ron and tugged on Hermione's sleeve. Her eyes widened and she swiveled her head around to look at them. Harry grinned.

"We're going to be late if you don't stop daydreaming." He said with a laugh in his voice.

Hermione nodded, a small smile appearing on her lips.

Ron waved to them as they exited the portrait hole.

"You know, Hermione, we should have waited for Ron to finish…" Harry sighed as they walked down the steps to the Entrance Hall, second guessing his decision. A crowd of students milled about, also going to the game.

Hermione's brows drew together in a worried look.

"Why?" She didn't have the faintest idea what he was getting at.

"Well, you know." Harry adjusted his glasses, rubbing his right shoulder where a quaffle had hit him the week before, absently. "I think he fancies you." His voice pitched low at the last part.

Hermione choked and Harry gave her a look.

"I- really?"

Harry snorted but said nothing, Hermione fiddled with her scarf.

They didn't say another word until they were out on the grounds, trudging through the snow on the way to the pitch.

"Why did you want to see Quidditch? I thought you hated it." Harry helped Hermione up the steps of the Ravenclaw stands. Hermione shrugged, avoiding his gaze but murmuring something under her breath.

They sat in the front row with the rest of the Ravenclaw house, a few Hufflepuffs, and even fewer Gryffindors.

Hermione looked out over to the Slytherin side of the pitch, watching the players mount their broom and rocket into the air. Everyone around her hissed as they flew past, yet, Hermione stayed silent.

Draco lofted himself high above the goal posts, his silver hair nearly shining the snow flurry. Hermione caught a glimpse of his Slytherin scarf bellowing out from around his neck.

She couldn't see his face though, through all the wind and white.

Harry and the crowd around Hermione stood, jumping to their feet as a Slytherin Chaser whizzed by their head, cheering as three Ravenclaws tailed him in pursuit.

A cheer went up and Hermione started off her seat, gasping.

Draco was in a dive, yet, his broom spun sharply sideways as a bludger nearly unseated him.

Harry nudged her arm, grinning, and Hermione gave a weak smile back.

"Maybe Ron'll be right." He said nastily.

"Mmm."

"What?"

"Oh- uhm, hope so, yeah." Hermione buried her face in her gloves briefly.

This was such a bad idea, coming to the match, bringing Harry with her. What was she thinking? Bloody idiot!

Draco dipped downward, sharply, avoiding another player as he sped down the pitch. Hermione's hands balled into fists on her knees.

Just don't get hurt. She pleaded silently.

She lost sight of him for a moment and she went still, waiting, the crowd around her erupting at another Ravenclaw score.

She didn't see Harry looking at her, noticing her tension, her quietness, the way her eyes darted uneasily around the field.

Before he could ask her what was wrong, Malfoy shot up out of no where in front of them, the snitch inches away from his finger tips. The crowd jumped back in shock, a noise rising into the air like a jet engine slowly turning over.

Harry heard a loud intake of breath from his right, Hermione uttering a surprised noise.

The snitch darted back and forth, climbing up and up. Malfoy rolled over and was able to graze the golden flicker with his fingertips.

Hermione tensed.

Malfoy's glove closed around the beating wings, his broom leveling out, his body twisted nearly all the way over. He descended slowly, letting his broom down as he righted himself.

Hermione bit down on her lips to stop from smiling.

"That was a quick game." Harry sighed, sounding disappointed.

"Yes." Hermione squeaked out.

Malfoy dipped down in front of the stands, off a ways towards the middle of the pitch. He cupped his hands together, yelling.

"Oiy, Potter, that's how you play Quidditch!"

Harry ignored him, but Hermione looked up to meet his eyes. Malfoy dropped his hands, his sadistic smirk falling, and just looked at her, a small flicker in the back of his eyes.

"Come on, Hermione, we don't need Malfoy leering at you." Harry grabbed her upper arm and pulled her along into the crowd exiting the stands. Hermione didn't try and wrench her arm out of his grasp; she knew that if she put up a fight it would be even more suspicious.

Draco still sat on his broom, watching as Hermione ducked out of sight. His grip around the snitch tightened.

Hermione and Harry rounded the pitch, starting out towards the castle.

"Waste of time, sorry bout that Hermione." Harry said good-naturedly. "Knew you wanted a fun game." He seemed to think that Slytherin losing was preferable to her.

Overhead, a green and silver blur flew. They both looked up to see Draco Malfoy, still on his broom, rounding above the Greenhouses and off to the other side of the castle.

"Wonder where that prat's going."

Hermione said nothing.

She knew where he was going.

"Hey, Harry." She said, turning to him with a big smile. "Thanks for coming with me; I really needed some fresh air!" She clasped the boy in a brief hug. "I think I forgot my bag in the Library, I'm going to go get it. I'll see you later."

She ran off towards the castle, Harry looking after her.

He shoved his hands into his pockets.

Library!

Typical Hermione.

He smiled and shook his head, headed towards the Common Room, meeting Dean Thomas half way there.

"Hey, Harry, exciting game, wasn't it?"

Harry nodded absently.

"Kind of a nice little detour from the Potion's homework, I'll tell you." The boy continued. "I mean, come on, I've been working on it for three days and I'm still not done."

Harry's eyes went wide.

"Oh, no." He murmured. Dean looked at him. "I completely forgot about that." The other boy laughed, clapping him on the shoulder.

"You better get started, mate"

Harry laughed, uttering a small thanks, running up the stairs to the Portrait Hole.

"Fanged Frisbees." He stated, standing in front of the large woman leaning against her gilded frame. She set the tea she was sipping down upon a tiny little table opposite her.

"What are you in such a rush for?" Her voice, a little too high, grated on Harry's mind; he grit his teeth.

"Look, are you going to open or not?"

The Fat Lady sniffed disapprovingly, looking down her nose at him as she swung open.

Harry clamored in and saw Ron asleep on the couch in front of the fire.

So much for getting your homework done, eh? Harry thought, grinning.

He sat down opposite and pushed his Charms homework, Transfiguration homework, and Hurbology homework out of the way, pulling his Potions paper towards him.

Sucking on a sugar quill, Harry rummaged through the paper, writing a scattered sentence every so often about the ten uses of something or other.

Half an hour ticked by and the sugary sweet Harry had indulged in was gone.

The homework, however, still remained.

Harry squinted at a particularly challenging question, a hand in his hair, tousling it. His nose was scrunched up, eyes focused.

What was the answer?

He hadn't taken any notes last week… why didn't he ever take any notes in class?

Oh. He thought, setting down his quill, picking up his bag.

Hermione always took notes, didn't she?

She was in the Library right then, wasn't she?

He'd just pop in and ask for some help, it wouldn't bother her.

Giving a reproachful look at Ron, Harry got up and left the Common Room.


A/N- kind of longer then usual... ten guesses where Hermione is!

Three more chapters & an epilogue comming up next.

You know, I really like being able to update so fast, although that means that the story is over with quicker. But, hey, school starts again Monday so you'll have to wait at least a week for the next one, that long enough?

Next one is nearly all Harry's POV, weird, init?

Review!