I don't own anything that you recognize

"Hey Ron," said Harry as he entered his dorm, where Ron was laying carelessly on his bed.

"I don't want to hear it mate, she's wrong. Malfoy is a git."

"Yes, but I think it's her choice whether she wants to date him of not."

"She still should've told me," muttered Ron. "Or at least, she should've told me sooner."

"Maybe," allowed Harry. "But again, I think that's her choice."

"He's going to hurt her."

"Then you should protect her."

"Sometimes," replied Ron quietly, "I think we can't protect her from everything we would like to. I mean, this isn't the only thing that she's keeping from us Harry, you know that. You've seen it too. As much as I hate to admit it, Malfoy did do good for her. She's happier, but something's just not right."

"I know mate," said Harry. "There's something she feels that she can't tell us, but what can we do about it?"

"Stop fighting with her over the fact that her boyfriend is a slimy git." Ron let out a sigh of resignation. "Even though he is." That said, Ron jumped from his bunk and went to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I've got a slimy git to warn," replied Ron with a grin.

"Don't kill him Ron," said Harry with a laugh. Ron noted that Harry said nothing about hitting Malfoy. He just said not to kill him.

"Bloody hell, I'm coming!" Whoever it was banging on the door, Draco was going to kill the. He threw the door open and sneered.

"Weasley," he muttered. "What do you want? Have you come to yell at Hermione some more? Sorry, she's at the library."

"Good," replied Ron, "then it's just the two of us. Let me give you a little warning Malfoy." Draco rolled his eyes and Ron went on. "If you hurt her, I'm going to take her from you."

"I would never hurt her." Ron regarded him with interest for a short while before speaking again.

"No, I don't think you would, intentionally. But when you screw this up, because I know you will, I don't want you near her you don't deserve her, and we both know it."

"I don't deserve her," said Draco evenly, "but she chose me anyway."

"And I won't do anything to screw up what the two of you have, because she does have a shot at happiness with you. Just know that if you hurt her, I'm going to make you pay for it." Just as Ron finished, they heard Hermione on the other side of the portrait. She entered and saw Ron standing by Draco.

"What do you want?" Her voice was brisk.

"I wanted to apologize Hermione. I'm really sorry for the way I acted earlier and all the things that I said. You should be allowed to date whoever you want without me getting angry at you, even if the guy you choose is a prick. It's your choice, after all. You just took me by surprise is all."

"Thank you Ron," she said, hugging him with her free arm. "You don't know how much this means to me." Ron wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight.

"I'm so sorry. I was such an arse."

"Yes, you were," she replied with a smile as she pulled away. "I'll forgive you anyways though. I told you I was nice."

"Sure, sure," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Just don't spring any other boyfriends on me, okay?"

"I won't." a moment of awkward silence followed.

"Well, that was pretty much it. I just wanted to let you know that I was sorry. I've got to get started on that potions essay now."

"I told you to start the last week!"

"Well I'm starting it now," he said defensively, stepping out of the portrait hole. "Bye Mione." The portrait closed behind him.

Hermione and Draco walked into the great hall together for dinner, attracting several cautious glances. If that didn't attract attention, them holding hands did. If one was particularly dense and still didn't get the message, the passionate kiss that they shared before separating clued them in. it was official. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were publicly dating.

Hermione walked to her table, ignoring the various stares, and sat beside Ginny and Lavander. Harry sat across from her with Ron to his right.

"You guys finally went public," mused Lavander. Hermione thought it odd because Lavander had only known about her and Draco for about a week. She had no time to comment though, because Dean cut in.

"You're dating Malfoy?!"

"That was my reaction," commented Ginny.

"Merlin," said Neville, "didn't see that coming."

"So you guys don't hate me?" asked Hermione sheepishly.

"Naw," replied Seamus. "Only the fact that we cant openly stare at you anymore. Now we have a jealous boyfriend to worry about. It was bound to happen sometime. So, what did Ron do when he found out?"

"I am not going to tell you about Ron's reaction to my dating Draco," said Hermione with a roll of her eyes.

"But I will," exclaimed Ginny. "He was bloody pissed!" Lavender laughed when Ron cut in with a grumble, telling Ginny to watch her language.

Hermione glanced to Draco to see how he was faring at his table. He was having a seemingly rough time.

"So Malfoy," said Blaise Zabini, a note of amusement in his tone, "when did you start dating mudbloods?"

"Yeah," added Goyle, "I thought you only wanted pure blood."

"Shut up," said Draco harshly, "and don't call her that."

"But Draco, it's the truth. She's so dirty. She's tainted," complained Pansy.

"You're dirtier than anyone I know Parkinson, so you're one to talk."

"You don't mean that Drakie," she said in denial. "You'll always love me. If not now, you will later."

"No," he replied, "I won't." Tears formed in her eyes."

"Draco, I hate you!"

"Good, then the feeling is mutual." Pansy stood and ran out of the great hall.

"You're heartless, even I have to admit that," said Blaise. "She's always been good to you." He leaned in closer to Draco, as if to share a secret. "I think she might even have the hots for you."

"Never should've taken her to that stupid ball," he sighed. "I should have just taken the punishment from father." He ate the rest of his meal in silence and then went straight to the Gryffindor table, receiving several glares and dirty looks.

He leaned over Hermione, placing his hands on the table around her. "Did you survive?" he whispered, nuzzling her neck, his warm breath tickling her ear.

"I survived," she murmured, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Did you? I saw Parkinson leave, what happened?"

"I just crushed her hopes of us dating," he replied. "Where she got the idea that I was madly in love with her, I've no clue. All in all, it actually went better than expected."

"Same here." She turned to her friends. "I'm going to get going. I have an essay to finish." Harry and Ron rolled her eyes as she stood to leave. Ron mumbled to Harry that the essay was probably due in two weeks time.

"You two behave yourselves!" called Lavander. Ginny nearly choked on the pumpkin juice she had been drinking, and she began to cough.

"Well, I suppose that ruins my plans," said Draco, his voice low, as he claimed Hermione's lips with his own. Hermione pulled away and swatted his arm in good humor.

"Bye guys, someone is on dire need of punishment." She then pulled Draco by his arm along the way to their common room Draco sauntered closer to her so that he could drape his arm over her shoulders.

When they entered their dorms, Draco spun Hermione into his arms and brushed his lips along her neck. "So," he murmured his breath hot on her skin, "what's my punishment?"

"Mmhm, I don't know," she said, her fingers tangling themselves in his soft hair, "but it's definitely coming."

"When?" he whispered.

"Later."