AN/: This chapter is middle length. Draco and Hermione are caught up to speed on the whole Ron situation, not much happens x Enjoy...and then review x

Chapter 17 : I Second That!

Just as Hermione and Draco were reaching the grand wooden doors of the Great Hall, him carrying her on his back, Draco suddenly stopped. This resulted in him very nearly dropping Hermione on her arse and her letting out a hefty, "Ooooff!...Draco!" She whined. He only laughed.

"Hehe, shit, sorry love." His grinned, lop-sided. How on earth did I ever hold a grudge against that adorable face? I guess he never used to smile like that before. Hermione said to herself as she shimmied down Draco's back landing firmly with two feet on the floor.

"Why'd you stop?" She questioned.

"Oh!" Draco said as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "I was wondering where you wanted to sit." He said glancing at the intimidating doors that were looming over the two of them. Hermione smiled and grasped Draco's hand, pulling him into the hall for lunch.

"Relax Draco, we'll just sit at..." But before she could get anymore out she was interrupted by Blaise yelling across the hall from the Gryffindor table, beckoning his friend over to where he was sitting with a wave of his hand. They didn't need to decide where to sit after all, it appeared their seats had already been chosen for them.

"HEY DRAKE! GUESS WHAT! ...RONALD WEASLEY'S A MASOCHIST!" Both Hermione and Draco's eyes were as wide as you can get, their eyebrows were nonexistent and their jaws were slack, unable to be of any use. Their expressions were not too different to those of various others in the hall who were trying to eat their lunch. Cutlery being dropped and the sound of choking on pumpkin juice could be heard along with the one or two...'Weasley's a what?!'

Zabini was grinning so much, Hermione was afraid his face would fall off.

Slowly, the two heads started to acknowledge the scene they saw before them. Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass sat next to each other with their backs to Hermione and Draco, both obviously trying to convey something hilarious to Blaise and Ginny who were sitting opposite them. Their faces all held expressions that were shining with amusement.

Draco looked at Hermione.

Hermione looked at Draco.

"I don't even know." Hermione said, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders before Draco could say anything. Both were utterly confused, but none the less made their way over to the table complete with red and gold napkins to sit with their friends? Are we all friends now? Both were wondering.

Draco spoke next, interrupting whatever was going on. It's peculiar, that's for sure. For one thing, I'm sitting at the ruddy Gryffindork table! Remember he is still Draco Malfoy.

"What the bloody hell is going on you four?" His eyebrows were tense. Hermione's expression mirrored his.

"I second that." She said.

Draco had sat down, one leg either side of the bench opposite Harry and Daphne, sideways on. Blaise and Ginny had shuffled along to make room for the two new-comers. Hermione copied his movements, sitting down in front of Draco, leaning her back on his chest. Their closeness didn't go unnoticed by many people, including Blaise and Ginny. Harry and Daphne were sort of in a hysterical world of their own and they weren't paying much attention to anything but themselves right at that moment.

If the whole thing with Ron hadn't happened earlier that morning, perhaps a few more people would have had something more objective to say about the Draco Malfoy and the Hermione Granger getting chummy but since the argument between two thirds of the golden trio did happen, everyone seemed to be surprisingly accepting, only a few people were giving them wary glances but nothing was said at all.

"Well..." Said Daphne looking at Draco, coming out of her laughter induced hypnotised state, managed to drag her eyes away from Harry for a moment to say, "Harry here saved your royally, stuck-up, Malfoy butt. Yours too, Hermione." She smiled, looking back at the boy with the scar, who also smiled back at her. "AND...it was in the most Slytherin way possible." She beamed.

Draco was intrigued and started to pile some food onto his plate, as did Hermione. "And how, may I ask, did Potter manage to do that?" Draco questioned, disbelievingly.

"And what's this all about Ron being a masochist?" Hermione asked.

"I second that." Draco said, using Hermione's words, nodding his head once towards her in agreement. Harry, Daphne, Blaise and Ginny all thought it was pretty damn cute how similar they could be. They don't even realise it, the four unlikely friends thought.

"Just wait for it mate, you'll love it!" Blaise said grinning. Harry smirked, Draco caught this.

"It's that good?" Draco was still sceptical.

"It's that good." Harry said smugly, proud of himself. His arms were crossed on the table in front of him and Harry was leaning forward on them, eager to tell Hermione and Draco what had happened.

...

By the time Harry and Daphne had finished re-telling the story. All six unlikely students were laughing together, practically pissing their pants.

"I never knew you had it in you, Potter." A smiling Draco praised, giving Harry an approving nod. Hermione noticed and smiled, coming from Draco that was practically like a bro hug.

Pointing an accusing finger in Draco's direction, "That's what I said!" a rosy face Daphne exclaimed as if it was the most amazing coincidence in the world, whilst flicking her long golden hair over her shoulder. At this they all chuckled.

"You are aware Harry, that Dumbledore probably knew you were lying." Stated Hermione, being the first one to come to her senses.

"Oh, of course." Harry said seriously. "But I think it's safe to say he's gonna let this one slide."

Daphne nodded her head. "The old coot had me confirm it and everything."

"Thank you Harry." Hermione said sincerely, giving him the warmest of smiles, to which he returned it. "I'm not usually one to not owning up to stuff but I think in this case Ron deserved the punch in the face."

"And the bitch slap." Added Blaise.

"Not to mention the kick in the balls." Said Ginny. They all grinned, thinking of Ron's swollen testicles and his masochistic ways.

"But seriously Potter," Draco said. "Thanks...for not getting any of us in the shit." Draco extended his arm out across the table and Harry wasted no time at all clasping it in his own and giving it a good, firm shake.

"Ron had it coming...and Hermione is like my baby sister." Harry said plain and simple.

"They were all silent for a moment before suddenly Ginny spoke.

"Guys. You are all aware that because of Zabini's big mouth over here the whole school probably thinks Ron enjoys having his balls pounded before sex." She said bluntly, her emerald eyes glistening with amusement.

"Huh! Ginerva Weasley. I'm sure I don't know what you mean!" Spoke Blaise in a fairly high-pitched voice. Blaise dramatically placed his hand over his chest and feigned a hurt and ignorant expression.

Can you believe it? They were laughing again.

...

Over at the teacher's table, a wise wizard with half-moon glasses, a long, grey beard and a twinkle in his eye was smiling brightly.

"Oh Severus, I believe you owe m..." Dumbledore started.

"Yes, yes, I know!" Snape sighed, exasperated. And handed over a leather pouch containing 10 gold galleons. "Interhouse unity my arse." He muttered miserably under his breath at having lost a bet to Dumbledore. But looking over at the far side of the hall, seeing his godson smiling brightly with true friends surrounding him, a part of Snape's cold demeanour couldn't help but melt at the sight. As Snape watched Draco bend down to place a quick kiss on the side of the insufferable know-it-all's cheek, his arms wrapped tightly around her, the potions professor couldn't help but be reminded of his lost love, the muggleborn Lily Evans and was so proud of Draco in that moment for having the courage to get what he wanted. Yes times are different now but still, it took guts. He was happy for his godson. If anyone had been watching closely they would have noticed Severus Snape's lip curl up, albeit very slightly but it was still there as he saw Miss Granger smile back up at the blonde boy, rewarding him with another kiss on the lips. That boy doesn't know how lucky he is. Snape thought. If I'm honest with myself she is perfect for him. I mean, by Salazar, they are the only two people in the wizarding and muggle world that can keep the other in line, for Merlin's sake. I hope he marries the damn witch...that way they can both get the other to shut up. Snape shook his head and went back to enjoying his lunch...well as much as he could with that bumbling oaf, Hagrid, sitting next to him. For fuck sake! I can't catch a break. Snape, took a large glug of his butter beer and even though slightly deflated, somehow, he struggled through the rest of lunch.

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