"Hermione can I talk to you please?" Harry was leaning over the back of the couch that Hermione was laying on. She was staring into the fire with a large smile on her face, thinking about the water fight they had been in again today.
"Sure Harry, what's up?" She said sitting up so that Harry could sit next to her. It was late and Ron had already gone to bed, there were only around five people still in common room. Hermione looked up at Harry and was instantly worried; he was looking a little worried himself. His eyes were sad, and he was wearing a frown. He wasn't looking right at her but off to the side near her right ear, "Harry what's wrong?"
"I was just thinking, you know that Ron and Luna have been seeing each other and that Cho and I are getting pretty serious." He sat down next to her, leaning his head back against the cushions. After a moment of silence Hermione urged him to continue, "Well, I've noticed that you've been sad lately. I don't know why and I don't think Ron's noticed, but I can tell. Some times you look over at the Slytherin table and scowl." He looked over at her stunned face. "I know you like him Hermione, you can stop acting now."
"B-but, H-how?" She stuttered her eyes widening to big round globes. He couldn't know she had convinced every one that she didn't like him; Harry had never known how had he guessed this late? She hadn't talked to Draco in weeks! He hadn't so much as smirked at her and she hadn't said a single word to him and she would have sworn that she was getting better at staring at him.
"Well he has a thing for you to, you know. He's always hanging around and walking you to class, he watches you, when he doesn't sit with us, at lunch." Hermione almost cried out in surprise and relief, he was talking about Adrian, not Malfoy. "I think you should tell him. I mean if you don't then you're just going to go on and be miserable. Plus he really likes you; I asked the twins he never stops talking about you when they are together."
"Well, I mean I do like him but- but I don't know!" She bowed her head, her smile had faded. This was something she had been struggling with, if she took the next step and started dating Adrian what would happen if she couldn't forget Malfoy? "There is another guy that I like, but he hasn't shown any signs but what if when I start dating Adrian and he decides he wants to be with me instead of his little skank girl friend? Or what if I don't date Adrian and the other guy never wants me? I've been thinking about it for a while. Adrian isn't the reason I've been upset when I think of him I smile and when I think of the other guy I want to cry." She looked over at Harry, Harry that she had help save the wizarding world with more then once, but yet she couldn't tell him who this other guy was.
"Who is he?" He asked her now, as she knew he would.
"No one important." She sighed and slide off the couch and to the floor were she laid on her stomach staring into the fire.
"Well alls I know is that you should tell Adrian how you feel. I mean you liked Ron forever and never got around to telling him then summer came and you guys turned into the most craved after people here, and you still don't realize you liked each other." He laughed and stood up. "Don't let that happen with Adrian." He paused before adding in a louder voice, "Well I'm off to bed see you in the morning." She told him good night then continued to lie in front of the fire until one of the house elves came up and put it out.
Hermione was still confused when she went to bed so she tossed and turned for at least a good hour before finally coming to the conclusion that if she didn't have the rest of her life to wait for Malfoy, and she really did like Adrian. In the morning she was going to tell him. She was going to ask Adrian if he would go out with her.
Morning
Hermione woke up ten minutes before any one else and raced to the showers. By the time she got done the rest of the girls in the dorm were awake and Ginny was sitting on her bed tying her shoes.
"Ginny, can I barrow your black top please?" she asked as she shuffled through her trunk for her new jeans.
"What you getting fancy for?" Ginny asked tossing her the shirt and smiling as she grabbed the jeans out of her own trunk and gave them to Hermione. "I barrowed them yesterday."
"I'm gonna talk to Adrian today." She said smiling as she said his name.
"So, you talk to him every day what's so diff- OH!" she giggled, "Your going to ask him out aren't you?!" She gave Hermione a huge hug and kissed her cheek. "I knew you'd get over Malfoy." She smiled down at Hermione who had gone totally still. "Oh I followed you to the Room of Requirements one night, don't worry I didn't tell anyone." Again she smiled this time she walked to the door and winked before skipping out.
Hermione finished dressing and went down stairs where the boys were waiting for her. Smiling they made their ways to the Great Hall for breakfast. Once in she smiled at Harry and walked over to the Slytherin table, where she plopped down next to Adrian.
"Well, hello there." He smiled as his eyes skimmed her black tank top and new jeans. It wasn't every day she wore something other then her robes. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked lifting a spoon of porridge to his mouth.
"I'd like to talk to you." She smiled, "after breakfast, it's kind of important. Can you meet me by the lake?" she asked her eyes never leaving his. She was smiling from ear to ear and it was a genuine smile not a fake. She really liked Adrian and if she were lucky he would like her too.
"Certainly, Whacha want to talk about?" He wondered as he skimmed the table and found Malfoy looking at him with hatred in his grey eyes. Giving Malfoy a small smile he turned his head back towards Hermione, who was looking down at her hands. They hadn't kissed since that one night in front of the Slytherin common room, Adrian wanted to. He dreamt about it, day dreamed about it. Some times he leaned in closer to her catching himself just in time.
"It's private." She winked up at him and giggled, "To many ears here." She let her eyes travel the length of the table not stopping for a second on Malfoy. She leaned her head on Adrian's arm and sighed. "I am so tired, I just wann-wanna sleep." She yawned. "But I suppose I should get back to my table, I'm getting some evil looks from that girl right there." She nodded her head towards a blond girl sitting two seats down and a crossed the table.
"Ok see you after breakfast." He laughed as she got up and slumped back to her table.
"I am so excited!" she squealed as she sat down next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table. "He is so cute and funny!" She looked over at his back and smiled.
"You are so lucky! I wish Harry would look at me like you look at him." She smiled at her friend; Ginny had always nursed her crush on Harry. She never stopped liking him even though he didn't show the least bit of interest.
"Maybe one day." Hermione said looking down the table at her best friends. Ron was staring over at the Ravenclaw table smiling at Luna and Harry was chatting with Neville. "He seems to be infatuated with Cho Chang right now." She patted Ginny on the back and continued to eat a muffin.
"Hermione," Ginny said some twenty minutes later. "It's almost time for you to meet him." Hermione's stomach jumped and fluttered before settling back down. She was really going to do this, maybe he would kiss her. She hadn't forgotten the kiss they had shared in that hall, she also hadn't forgotten the kisses she had shared with Malfoy. At the thought of Malfoy her smile faded, what was she doing? What if she hurt Adrian?
Hermione skipped out of the Castle and down to the lake. Adrian was reading behind a tree, his dark haired head was bent over the book. His deep blue eyes roaming the pages, Hermione snuck up behind him.
"What ya' reading?" she asked sinking down next to him. He instantly closed the book and smiled at her.
"Nothing good, some light reading for History." His smiled turned into a wicked grin. "What'd you want to talk about?" He winked and laughed when Hermione didn't fail to turn red.
"Well it's kinda complicated." She said, "I tell you almost everything you know. I even told you when I started to have feelings for you and how I didn't know if they were just because we were so close or because I really liked you." She paused to take a breath and look up at him. "Well I think I may know now what that feeling was." She smiled out over the water. "Since I met you things have been great. You're funny and sweet, best of all you made me forget about Malfoy. I really like you Adrian; I wanted to know if you, well you know, you liked me to." Hermione turned instantly red and she looked down at the grass, picking it and rolling it between her fingers.
Beside her Adrian laughed making Hermione turn redder. "Can't you tell?" He asked looking down at her red face. "I make excuses to hangout with you, I walk you to class, I even try to make you laugh even when I don't know what to say." He shook his head. "But you were dead set on Malfoy, you were so worried that he would be mad, or that somehow he would start hating you again."
"So you like me?" She smiled up at him. This year had been going so weird, first Ron and Harry got girlfriends. Then Malfoy decided on her for about a week. Now she was going to ask a Slytherin out! "Enough to, you know date?" she had to make sure, just in case he was only talking about friends.
"Of course, what'd you think I hang around for?" He smiled and shook his head, "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade?"
"Right now?"
"Yea I told Madam Puddifoot that when you came to your senses I would tell her." He laughed and stood up, holding out a hand for her to rise. When she took his hand he pulled her up and hugged her tight. "I am so happy I could sing." He laughed and then let go of her, Hermione was smiling. She hadn't been this happy in a long time, not since before Malfoy. Taking his hand she placed it on her shoulder and linked her arm around his middle then walked back to the castle.
