Chapter 31

"Outrageous!" Hermione exclaimed after their "guests" had left. "He thinks you're using me? So he wants to resort to Veratiserum?! I can decide for myself who to trust!"

Draco sighed. "Well, it does mean he'll help with the trial, either way…"

Hermione sat with her arms crossed, feeling huffy. "Yeah. Cause he couldn't just do that anyways because I asked him to. He can't trust me to decide; it all has to go through him."

Draco grinned. "Hey, your starting to sound like me on the subject of Potter."

"Don't you start! He's still my friend; he's acting like this to try and protect me. Of course, it's horribly chauvinistic to think I need this kind of protection/interference in my love life, for gods sake! Argh!"

"I'm willing to do it, though, if it's the only way…"

"The only way to keep you out of Azkaban short of hightailing it? Yeah…it might be."

Draco was silent for a minute, sitting in the kitchen chair. In a low voice he said, "That's true…but I was going to say it's the only way I get to keep you…"

Hermione stared at him, and moved to sit in the chair beside him. She pulled it closer as she sat. "What do you mean?" She felt like he was saying something romantic, but that she wasn't quite grasping it.

His face flushed a bit, and he looked towards the fridge as he said, "I mean that if I don't do this, Potter won't believe me, and we'll both end up making it hell on you. Ok? I said it: I understand that he's your friend and that you can't just choose to exclude either one of us. Blah." His face turned a darker pink. "I mean that it's important to me that your happy…I don't want you to leave me alone…"

"So…you'll take Veratiserum, just so that I can be happy?"

Draco stood up and made for the living room. But Hermione wasn't about to let it go. She followed him, so he was forced to answer. "Yes, ok, geez…it's not a big deal…"

Not a big deal? He hadn't even been focusing on getting out of his imprisonment, but on her happiness? Involving the guy he hated most? He cared about her that much? It made Hermione really, really happy, so she found it to be a big deal. She smiled and Draco looked frustrated.

"Oh, come on…just forget it, ok? I don't like the sweet mushy crap…"

"But your saying you love me enough to put yourself at the mercy of your school-aged enemy." She was grinning now, and couldn't help hug him. "I'm not embarrassed to say it anymore, because I heard you say it to me. I love you."

Draco sighed, giving up. "Ok, yes, I'm the nicest guy in the whole wide world. Ugh."

She glanced up at him, waiting.

He groaned, but couldn't help the smile curving at the edge of his lips. "Fine, I love you too."

***

A couple hours later the two of them were seated on the living room couch, watching a movie Hermione put in. Harry and Ginny would be back tomorrow…

Hermione wasn't sure what to make of the situation. No way should Draco have to go through spilling his secrets to the mercy of someone he hates. But on the other hand Hermione was sure Harry wouldn't abuse the situation or anything…he wanted to know that Draco wasn't lying to her. He wanted to save her if he was.

But Hermione knew Draco wasn't using her. What would Harry do when he found out? Hopefully he would feel horrible about resorting to Veratiserum! Oh, yeah. Hermione was going to have words with him when this whole trial business was over.

But at least Harry was still her friend. Maybe everything would be ok, afterall. Just maybe, she could have her friends and Draco.

"Ok, I can understand the little fish talking, but why doesn't the shark eat him?" Draco asked, staring at the screen.

"Because the shark is nice."

"….so, what does the shark eat?"

"Hmm…they don't tell you, do they?"

Hermione had decided on a favorite Disney cartoon to entertain them for awhile. They didn't want to think about what was coming tomorrow. Secretly, Hermione was sure Draco was dreading that more than the trial. But he'd put up with it, just so Hermione wouldn't have to stress about him and Harry being at each other's throats.

Throughout the movie Draco continued asking questions. Just like when she was a kid, watching TV with her parents. She finally had to just tell him that it didn't have to make sense, and that a wizard questioning how impossible things happened was absurd.

When the movie was over, Hermione stood up and stretched.

"What do you want for dinner?" She asked.

Draco pretended to think hard about it, then said, "How about if we have some of those poppy-tarts?"

Hermione laughed. Draco frowned. "What?"

"Oh, it's just…they're normally for…" she smiled. "Nevermind, they sound delicious, actually."

Hermione skipped into the kitchen as Draco followed her.

She reached up in the cupboards, pressing herself against the counter, for the various flavors they had picked up yesterday. She yipped as she felt large hands grab her sides and lift her up the extra few inches so she was sitting on the counter. She was turned around now, meeting Draco level.

"Forget food, for now. I have something else in mind."

Hermione blinked, then smiled. "You have that something on your mind a lot, don't you?"

He grinned. "Well, when I'm around you and your curvy self…"

She rolled her eyes.

Draco pressed into her and kissed her. Whatever she was going to say deflated and she

sighed happily, putting her arms around Draco's neck. She wriggled closer. Now, the intention was to push against him, but when she tried to move up against the edge of the counter she slipped sideways into the sink, which was conveniently located right next to her.

This in itself would not have been too unfortunate. But, when falling, her hand had shot out to try and steady her.

Her hand had hit the faucet handle, splashing water all along the back of her.

She let out a squeal and jumped out of the sink and off the counter as quickly as possible.

She was making some awkward flapping movements with her arms as she cried out.

"Ah! Water, all OVER!"

Draco was bent over facing the opposite direction from Hermione. He was shaking.

"You had SO better not be laughing."

That was it. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst out into violent laughter.

Hermione glared. "Oh, yeah? Real funny."

She reached over to the sink and pulled out the extended faucet attachment.

Draco straightened up. He had an unsure smile on his face and a few small laughs escaped as he asked, "Wh…what is that thing?"

She grinned as she sprayed him full in the face with a stream of cold water.

"Ah!" He cried, backing up out of her reach as quickly as possible.

She started to copy his earlier laugh, and mercilessly followed him as far as the cord could go.

"Stop!" He was caught between outrage and amusement as Hermione turned off the sprayer.

She was cracking up herself. "The…the look on your face!" She managed.

Draco was standing with his hands held out, not even sure what to do with himself. Water was dripping from his hair. He reached around behind him for his wand.

Hermione's laughter died. "Hey, now. It wasn't that bad…"

But Draco was already casting "Aquamenti," and the great "Kitchen Water War" continued.

***

Author's comments:
Thank you everyone for the reviews! To answer some questions…

1. Yes, I had most of what I've been posting written during my trip to Croatia. I'm currently writing what I post now, though.

2. Thank you for the constructive criticism, too. There were a couple of chapters I posted before I spell-checked. (Totally spazzed on that, sorry!)

3. I'm working my way to the ending now. I estimate about 6 chapters or so left. Then again, I was going to end this like 20 chapters ago, so you never know! :heart:

Thank you all!