Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Harry Potter, except those that clearly aren't from J.K. Rowling's stories. And since I expect anyone reading this by now to be a complete HP aficionado, I'm sure you'll know which ones they are.

Hello my wonderful readers! I am so sorry this took so long to be posted. A host of projects interfered. Also, I had originally planned for this to be a longer chapter, but then I realized the plot line that I was developing was inconsistent with previous chapters, so I had to rewrite it.

Please review. Your reviews are my inspiration to actually sit down and put fingers to keys, so to speak.

Also, I've started drawing Harry Potter fan art for my stories. You can find it here (ignore the spaces): thekiliki. deviantart .com

Enjoy!

Chapter 16 — Revelation

Hermione was nervous. Things just didn't make any sense. When Ron had burst in on her and Draco, she had expected the entire school to be abuzz with the news, if not within minutes, then at least by dinnertime. Yet it was one week later and not a whisper, not even a glance of suspicion trailed her steps. Instead, the school was absorbed with how Lavender Brown had ditched Ron for Dean Thomas, and if Ron turned red each time Hermione approached, it could as easily be due to her forceful rejection of his advances as it could be due to anything else. Once, she saw him touch his face as she passed by as though he could still feel the sting of her slap.

His reaction made Hermione feel triumphant and defeated all at the same time. Ron had been her best friend for years, but someone needed to put him in his place. She should have slapped him a long time ago. Still, he had been her friend, and she felt bad, because even if he hadn't been acting like a friend these last few months, truth be told, neither had she. But more than anything, she felt confused. Ron was acting as if he had never seen Hermione and Draco together at all. The relief and trepidation she had felt knowing they wouldn't have to pretend anymore had vanished, and what she felt in its place might well be called fear. Something was not right.

-:-+-:-+-:-+-:-

Draco sat on his bed, one leg swung over the edge, the other crossed beneath him as he leaned forward on his stomach, pouring over the scrap of parchment in his hand. Ostendio, he whispered, but nothing changed. No extra snippet of information, no name, no origin revealed itself to him beyond the message written in spidery black ink:

You owe me.

-:-+-:-+-:-+-:-

"Well?"

"Huh?" Hermione sputtered, her thought processes broken. She blinked. She was in the library with her quill poised over an essay; the ink on its tip had dried a long time ago.

Ginny was standing next to her, looking bemused. "Can I borrow your copy of Hogwarts, A History? I need it for an essay and all the library copies are checked out."

"Um, sure," Hermione agreed, not really listening; her mind had already reverted back to the issue of Ron. Was just waiting to release the news when it would do the most damage? Or did he truly not remember?

"Well, thanks," Ginny said, waving good-bye. The brunette barely seemed to notice her departure. She shook her head — Hermione had been acting strange ever since Ginny had come back from winter break. What was going on?

-:-+-:-+-:-+-:-

Hermione sighed and gave up on her essay. She had only written three feet, but she just couldn't concentrate. I'll finish it tomorrow, she thought, standing up. She quickly magicked her quill clean of the ink that had coagulated on the end and shoved all her supplies into her book bag, and headed out the door.

The way back to her dormitory seemed very long. More than once, she bumped into somebody and the third time this happened, she forced her thoughts into a small corner of her mind and resolved to concentrate on where she was going. She concentrated so hard that when she got back to her room, it took her a moment to notice that it was empty except for Ginny, who was sitting on Hermione's bed, idly twirling her wand.

"Ginny, what are you—"

Hermione broke off as with a flick of her wand, Ginny shut the door and transported a large dresser in front of it.

"Ginny, what's going on?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

Ginny just stared at her. "Were you ever going to tell me about this?" she demanded, picking something up from the comforter and shaking it in Hermione's direction. With a sinking feeling, Hermione recognized the scroll that Draco had sent her when she was sick. She had completely forgotten about it.

"That's mine," she said coldly, snatching it away from the redhead and shoving it back in her dresser drawer.

"I know," Ginny replied, just as cold. "I found it when I was looking for Hogwarts, A History."

"You had no business reading my mail."

"Oh, I didn't read it," Ginny laughed. "It wouldn't open for me. But I would be a fool if I didn't recognize the crest on the seal. Why do you have a letter from Malfoy in your dresser, Hermione?"

"I—" Ginny didn't miss the way Hermione's eyes darted around the room.

"I told Parvati and Lavender that Ernie MacMillan had been eyeing Parvati in Herbology. They're off to the library to make googly-eyes at him and no doubt giggle relentlessly." Ginny disliked the older girls nearly as much as Hermione did. "We have the room all to ourselves."

Hermione didn't say anything, just crossed the chamber and stood staring at a mirror without seeing her reflection. Many thoughts were crisscrossing through her mind and she was having trouble sorting through them all.

Part of her was angry at Ginny for finding her letter, but it wasn't Ginny's fault — she had given the girl permission to use her book. If anything, it was Hermione's own fault for forgetting about the letter in the first place. Part of her was afraid. Ginny knew that she had a letter from Draco and could do anything with that knowledge. True, Ginny was her best girl friend, but that didn't mean she still would be if she learned the truth about Draco. Of course, Hermione had expected the whole school to know the truth by know, not just her best friend, and it would be such a relief to finally tell somebody….

Her mind was far from made up as she turned back and sat on the bed, meeting Ginny's confused eyes with her own. I suppose I can tell her, she decided slowly, and if she reacts badly, I can Obliviate her. Part of her cringed at even contemplating such a betrayal, but she didn't have many options. She could just refuse to tell Ginny anything, but the redhead was even more curious than she was and would not stop haunting Hermione until she found out the truth. Hermione hoped that Ginny would not react badly.

"What do you want to know?" she asked at last, defeated.

A large grin split Ginny's face, but it was hedged by the caution in her eyes. "What's going on between you and Malfoy?" she demanded, getting straight to the point.

Hermione took a deep breath, and told her. It was a relief to tell somebody at last. Ginny sat quietly through it all, absorbing the information. Hermione didn't tell her everything — she could hardly explain her first few meetings with Draco without going into Harry's transfiguration, and the vow she had sworn was still in effect. She skimmed over how she had found Draco crying — that seemed too much like a breach of trust — but she described how things had grown between them over the break and how they had not stopped in the time since. She finally ended her recitation with Ron walking in on them kissing, and paused, waiting for Ginny to react.

"So Ron knows?" she asked.

"Yes. Well, at least I think he does," Hermione amended. "But he hasn't said anything about it and he's acting like nothing has happened."

"That doesn't sound like Ron," Ginny agreed, but other, more important questions than her brother's behavior were struggling to burst forth.

"So, is he a good kisser then?" Ginny asked.

"What! Well, yes, I suppose you could say that," Hermione answered, and then giggled, surprising herself. She started to blush. "Yes, he's quite good."

"Not to mention extremely hot."

"Ginny!"

"Oh, come on Hermione. Almost every girl in the school has had a crush on Draco Malfoy at some point in their lives. The air practically sizzles when he walks by. I just never thought that you would be the one to end up dating him."

"Neither did I," Hermione murmured.

"So then why, Hermione? I had to live through a whole summer of my brother and you dating, and I can tell you that you were never like this. You're positively giddy!"

"It was different with Ron," Hermione said, searching for the words that would let her explain. "It was like everyone expected us to get together. I know he's your brother, but honestly, if he hadn't been one of my best friends, I don't think I would have ever looked twice. With Draco…." Hermione's voice changed. Where before it had been almost pleading, now it became wistful, taking on a dreamy tone. "With Draco, I'm happy. He's intelligent, funny, thoughtful, charming…."

"Everything Ron is not."

Hermione blushed. "That's not what I meant."

"Ha! You don't have to defend my brother to me. I've told him for years he needs to smarten up his act. But Ron is Ron and Malfoy," Ginny grinned wickedly, "is Malfoy."

Hermione laughed. She couldn't help it. The two girls beamed at each other in perfect feminine understanding.

The door started to rattle. "Hey, what's the big idea?" Parvati's voice complained from the other side.

The girls jumped off the bed with a start.

"Just rearranging the furniture!" Ginny shouted. "One sec."

She turned to Hermione with a wry smile. "I'll find out about Ron, don't worry," she said, lifting her wand to remove the dresser. Before she cast the charm, she turned back and gave Hermione a big hug. "Thank you for trusting me."

Chapter 16 Summary:

Ron hasn't told anyone about seeing Hermione kissing Draco, and Hermione can't figure out why. Draco receives a mysterious note. Ginny finds Draco's letter to Hermione and the two girls have a talk.