After a moment Hermione pulled away, slightly red in the face.
"I'm sorry Draco. I'm just not…Ron was so recent and…"
Draco nodded, a look of pure understanding on his face.
"I understand. Don't worry. No need to get into a panic and no need to make things awkward. Okay?"
Hermione smiled at him, relieved. He knew her so well that it was strange. Ron even didn't know her this well despite having been her best friend for years. She looked down, pulling her napkin to shreds.
"Thanks…it's not that I don't like you…I do. You've changed so much since Hogwarts and I'm really glad that we've gotten this chance to get to one another again, but…if I were to…date you, then I don't want it to be doomed from the start because I'm not ready. You deserve that I…am prepared to try to…" As her face began to grow redder, she trailed off, not daring to look at Draco, who was bound to have an amused look on his face. However, contrary to her expectations, Draco said gently,
"I understand…" and after a pause, he continued, "I'm willing to wait until you feel you are ready."
Draco didn't know where these words sprang from, but Hermione looked up at him gratefully, smiling. Then endeavouring to finish their meal they talked of commonplace topics, though somehow the kiss hung between them, not uncomfortably.
GROWING UP
Harry knocked hesitantly at the door of Cho's office. Hearing her distant voice, he entered, not sure if this was the best idea. Cho, looking up at him, brightened and waved him in.
"Harry, hi. Um, I hope that Ginny wasn't too upset at finding us talking…"
Harry sat down slowly on a chair and said simply,
"We broke up."
Cho looked shocked.
"Harry, oh Merlin, I'm so sorry…I hope that it wasn't because of me…"
Harry shook his head quickly.
"No, of course not! That was just the last straw for her…we were just arguing so much that she couldn't take it anymore. I proposed to her in the hope that it would improve matters, but I guess I was just holding onto the idea of us being together…it just seemed to make so much sense when we were younger. But I was fooling myself."
Cho came around the desk so that she was sitting in the chair next to him. For a long time they did not talk, comfortable with the silence. There was nothing to say and they both knew it. Then Cho said quietly,
"I have a confession, Harry. I need to tell you, but I'm afraid that you…won't want to see me again once I say it because I'm not proud of it, but it's a fact so I am going to tell you and just hope that you won't walk out. But if you do, I won't blame you."
Harry looked at her intently.
"Cho, nothing you could say would make me walk out unless you wanted me to."
Cho smiled at him, a wavering smile. Taking a deep breath she said,
"I wanted desperately for Ginny to be jealous. I acted in every possible way to make her jealous because when I saw you again I realized that I…I love you and I didn't want you to be with her and I saw the ring on her finger and I…don't know. I just did it and I didn't think. So if you want to walk out I understand, but I…really hope you don't."
Harry stood up and looked down at her for a moment, the shock in his face evident. Then he bent down and kissed her on the lips, hard. She responded immediately, surprised, but immensely grateful.