Chapter 3 – Suspicions
It seemed the day that Hermione had been dreading was upon them, the day Ron and Harry confronted her. It had started off as a normal enough day, people whispering at breakfast looking at her in curiosity as she seemed to glow after a night spent with Draco, spent studying together, often interrupted by kisses. This habit had them perfecting a ward that allowed people outside to just see them studying and quizzing each other, never suspecting anything off about it, and if anyone went to come near them while this ward was up, was redirected, wondering why they were going there in the first place. They didn't have to worry about the other members of the Golden Trio, Harry and Ron would rather eat their own socks than enter the library if Hermione wasn't forcing them.
But, by lunch she was getting warning vibes off them, they had been through so much together Hermione could nearly tell what they were thinking by their expressions. Right now, they were purposefully keeping their faces blank. That never boded well, if they didn't want her to know what was on their minds it was probably about her.
It seemed as usual that she was right when they stopped her outside of the Great Hall when she left lunch early. "We want to know what's going on, Hermione.", asked Harry, his green eyes staring at her intensely behind his horrible glasses. She made a mental note to see if Ginny and she could convince Harry to get new ones, she wasn't even sure that they worked completely.
While Hermione was thinking this, she was also moving to sooth the boys' suspicions, "What do you mean, what's going on? I tell you guys what I'm going and doing whenever I'm away from you two, seeing as we're all a little.. jumpy, after the war."
Ron scowled at her, "Well, I'm sure you've heard the… rumors about yourself."
Hermione arched a brow, "Which one? The popular ones seem to be that you, Neville, or Harry are cheating on your girlfriends to sneak off with me."
That caused both of them to glare at her while Harry carefully said, "Just the fact that you're sneaking off with someone. We ignored it for a while, thinking that you would tell us if you were dating anyone, because we know you wouldn't just go off and snog someone without dating them. But we started to notice that you had gotten this… glow, of happiness. Happiness that we know is caused by snogging. Don't you trust us, Hermione?"
Her heart broke listening to her best friends, she couldn't hide this from them anymore. So she took out her wand and put up a privacy ward around them and took a deep breath, "Well… Ginny knows this, and Tonks. I just hadn't told you guys yet because I wasn't sure how you guys would react but… You're right, I am dating someone. Before I tell you, please promise to keep an open mind?", when they nodded she spoke quickly to break through her nervousness, "It's Draco. I'm dating Draco Malfoy."
Harry grinned at her and gave her a hug, "Hey, I'm happy for you Hermione. And for Draco. You guys deserve happiness and I'm glad you found it with each other."
Hermione smiled at Harry, and then waited nervously for Ron's reaction, as he looked shocked. After a moment more, a slow smile slowly spread across his face as well, "Well, if that doesn't prove he's changed, nothing else will. I'm happy for you Hermione, even if it is that blond git.", he joked.
Hermione's smile grew in her relief and she hugged her boys, "Thanks for being so supportive guys. You're the best."
"Glad someone notices", Harry joked, causing them all to laugh.
Hermione's smile never faded or faltered as she walked to class with her best friends. Great friends, an amazing boyfriend, school was going fine and life was good. What more could a girl ask for? She should have realized with her luck, something would happen that tried to ruin that.
A/N: So sorry guys! School got busy but my semester is over now, so I'll try to update more!