Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: So sorry for another long wait. Many thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! A huge thanks to my beta, Modges, who looked this over for me even though she is still sick. Now, enjoy!

Hermione woke up slowly, stretching her body out across her bed. She had just had a wonderful dream about the day she went over to Theo's to talk about their relationship. Of course, her dream hadn't ended the same way her actual visit did.

She had left Theo and Blaise's flat shortly after snogging Blaise. The looks both men were giving her made her slightly nervous so she decided to take her leave, but not before coming to an agreement to take the physical aspect of their relationship slowly. Very slowly. Rolling onto her back, Hermione was very much starting to regret the 'slowly' part of their agreement. Merlin, the two of them were just so damn sexy! In the month that had passed since she agreed to give them a go, they had limited themselves to chaste pecks on the cheek or lips. The only good thing to come out of taking it slowly was that the three of them have spent many hours talking about everything imaginable. But, damn it, she wanted more! She had certainly gotten more in her dream. Instead of her leaving, Theo had pulled her against him and lowered his lips to hers. Blaise came up behind her and started trailing small kisses down her neck, while gently stroking his hands down...WAIT! No more, she could not think about that dream anymore. At the rate she was going, she was going to need to change her knickers.

Again.

Hermione let out a groan, forcing herself to get out of bed. Spending time with Theo and Blaise had thus far been limited to dining exclusively at their flat. Hermione wasn't exactly overjoyed at the prospect of going out in public. Not that she was embarrassed to be seen with them; that wasn't it. What was bothering her was the prospect of being hounded by the press about the recent changes in her life. She had finally let Theo and Blaise talk her into dining out on the town that evening and they were planning on taking her to the hottest new restaurant in Diagon Alley. According to them, the food and service were beyond compare and it was the new "in" place for the movers and shakers in magical London which meant the chances of their evening becoming front page news in the Daily Prophet were extremely high.

There was a small part of her that wanted to drag Harry along for support but she didn't even want to consider what the paper would have to say about that.

Besides, she knew Harry had his own evening plans, even if he absolutely refused to discuss them.

Deciding she needed to find something to take her mind off of the evening ahead, Hermione ventured into the library to do a bit of research on triads. She had managed to find very few that dealt with the subject at all and it had taken her the better part of a month just to track them down. The ones she had read through so far had provided frustratingly little new information and she didn't expect the remaining volumes to deviate from this pattern . Hermione wasn't particularly surprised, as choosing to spend one's life in a relationship with two other people was still considered a bit scandalous in certain circles of magical society. Those who dared to choose to eschew traditional marriage in favor of forming a triad would no doubt feel it to be a very private affair and she was certain they wouldn't care to see their relationship becoming gossip fodder any more than she did.

With a sigh, she picked up one of the remaining books, made herself comfortable and dove in.

Hours later, she confirmed it was yet another unhelpful book. Rolling her head to help ease the pain in her neck, she noted that there were only a couple hours left until it was time to leave. Wanting to make the most of the rare public appearance, she decided to take a soak in the tub and take her time with her hair and makeup. Luckily, her now straight hair was much easier to deal with than the bushy curls. That was certainly one thing she was extremely grateful for! While she soaked, she allowed herself to daydream about her upcoming date. Well, if she was being honest, she was daydreaming about what she wanted to happen after the date. All the innocent kisses were driving her insane, especially since she had caught Blaise and Theo snogging a couple of times. Feeling somewhat left out, she decided she was going to bring it up when they returned to Blaise and Theo's flat after dinner. Merlin, she was ready for a good snogging. Jumping slightly when her wand starting buzzing, she realized she had stayed in the tub long enough. Thank goodness she had set an alarm charm on it.

Once she was completely ready, wearing a lovely purple dress that Narcissa had forced her to buy; she took one last look in the mirror. She had to admit, her mother had excellent taste in clothing. Pushing back the thought that this might be a mistake, she walked to her Floo. Seconds later found her standing in Theo's living room with two incredibly sexy men gaping at her.

"Hermione. Gods, you look incredible."

Blaise said nothing, just nodded his agreement. She chuckled softly.

"What's this? Have I rendered the great Blaise Zabini speechless?"

Blaise cleared his throat. "Sorry. You look so beautiful that you took my breath away."

Hermione colored slightly. While she had gotten somewhat used to them throwing compliments her away, she still couldn't help but blush.

"You both look extremely handsome as well. Shall we go?"

Blaise offered his arm and as soon as she took it, they appeared in front of the restaurant. Theo was right behind them. Taking a deep breath as to steady herself, she allowed Blaise to escort her in. She was not surprised to see that the restaurant was almost full to capacity. She did a quick scan of the room, looking briefly for any threats. While the war was over and no one knew who she was, it didn't hurt to take precautions. Constant Vigilance.

The three of them followed the hostess to their table, which was located in a back corner. Perfect, nice and private, considering how many people were here. After handing them their menus, the hostess left them alone. Taking a look at the menu, she realized this was a place where you ordered by touching your wand to your selection. She really liked that idea and thought it was brilliant. After placing her order, she placed her menu on the table and looked up at both her...boyfriends? That sounded slightly childish. Lovers? Well, they weren't really that, now were they? She supposed they were technically her fiancés.

"So, Blaise, did you see the article in the newest edition of Potions Monthly? It was really interesting and I thought you might want to apply it to..."

She trailed off and both men looked at her, slightly confused.

They were sure the look on their faces matched hers, but she wasn't looking at them. She seemed to be staring past them, at something on the other side of the restaurant.

"Cara? What is it?"

"Is...is that Harry?"

They both shifted in their seats so they could see what she was. As they did, Harry Potter came into view. They were certain it wasn't Harry's presence that had her so surprised but rather his companion.

"Yes, that does appear to be Harry Potter," Theo answered.

"But... is that Parkinson with him?"

"Yes, that is most definitely Pansy."

Her face seemed to drop at the confirmation, changing quickly from confused, to shocked, to hurt.

Theo had a fleeting thought that if she was that hurt over seeing Harry with another woman, that maybe there was some truth to the rumors. He quickly put that thought out of his mind, hoping there was another explanation. He looked at Blaise and could tell he had the same thought.

"What's wrong, bella? Are you upset that Harry's out on a date? Or is it who he's on a date with?"

"What? No, I'm not upset about Harry being on a date or the fact that he's with Parkinson. I'm just feeling a little hurt that he felt he couldn't tell me about it, that's all. It's not a big deal; I'll just talk to him about it tomorrow."

Theo and Blaise relaxed visibly as she clarified her reaction to Harry's surprise date and they quickly resumed their leisurely discussion over a lovely dinner. The conversation flowed freely, the food was superb and she was having a wonderful time. All of her previous worries about being seen out in the wizarding world had seemed to dissipate into thin air.

Less than five minutes later, Hermione knew she had spoken way too soon.

Just as she and her companions finished dinner and were perusing the fabulous dessert options, a loud crash was heard from the other side of the restaurant. The room, which had been fairly noisy, suddenly descended into an ominous silence. When she spotted the origin of the disturbance, her face abruptly drained off all color. There, standing next to Harry and Pansy's table, stood a red-faced Ronald Weasley. Ron's wand was already drawn and he was aiming it squarely at Harry's chest.

At that, Hermione immediately leapt up from her chair. She felt either Theo or Blaise grab her arm but she quickly shook them off, muttering a quick sticking charm under her breath to ensure they couldn't follow her. Then she dashed over to Harry's table as fast as she could. As she approached she could just make out some of Ron's growled words including 'Slytherin', 'slut' and 'traitor'. She scoffed mentally at Ron calling Harry, of all people, a traitor. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, Ronald really had some nerve.

Harry glanced up as she approached and his eyes silently begged her to leave and let him handle situation.

Hermione ignored him and drew her own wand.

"I strongly suggest you lower your wand, Mr. Weasley."

At the sound of her voice, Ron whirled around to face her, the initial shock on his face quickly morphing into an angry sneer.

"And a Malfoy too, Harry? I never thought you could sink so low!"

"I don't believe it's any of your business what I do with my life, Ron. You made it quite clear you wanted nothing to do with me. Now, why don't you just leave me to my date before someone gets hurt?"

"Is that a threat? Is the great Harry Potter threatening me? I'm surprised Hermione isn't here with you. Everyone knows she's your whore. Or has she stopped being even good enough for that? I always thought she was nothing but a frigid bitch."

At Ron's vicious words, Hermione choked on a gasp and fought back tears of rage. Ronald Weasley was not worth her tears, she decided. One look at Harry's face confirmed he was well past furious now. As was she. So she did something she hadn't done since third year. She drew back and punched Ron in the face as hard as she could. She had to admit, it sure felt good. Just then, she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist, attempting to pull her away from the slumping redhead. Struggling at first, Hermione soon realized the arms belonged to Blaise, who must've managed to free himself from her hastily applied sticking charm. She noticed that Theo, Harry and Pansy were following them away from Ron, who was lying out cold on the pristine marble floor. They entered what appeared to be one of the restaurant's private dining rooms, where all three men turned on her looking quite put out. She lifted her head proudly, not sorry in the least for punching out her former friend. As far as she was concerned, Ron deserved every bit of it. The four were roused from their standoff when Pansy dissolved into helpless giggles of mirth.

"Just what is so funny, Pansy?"

"Well, Theo, nothing much besides the fact that your girlfriend there just knocked out a wizard three times her size. Did you see his face? It was priceless!"

She shot a smile at Pansy, grateful for one person on her side.

"What were you thinking? You could have been hurt! And you two!" Harry exclaimed as he rounded on Blaise and Theo. "There are two of you and only one of her! Why didn't you stop her?"

Both men looked down when Harry asked that question, whispering under their breaths.

"What was that? I can't hear you."

Theo cleared his throat. 'Sticking charm' was all he said in explanation. At that, Pansy's giggling turned into full out laughter.

"Oh, this is such fun! Sticking charm! That is completely devious. I think I'm going to like you. Since I didn't get a chance to talk to you at your party, let me re-introduce myself. I'm Pansy Parkinson."

Hermione chanced a quick look at Harry, as she wasn't quite sure how to handle this. If Harry was serious about Pansy, and Hermione had a feeling he was, she was going to find out that Cassiopeia Malfoy was Hermione Granger eventually. Harry, noticing the unasked question on her face, gave a brief nod.

"I believe we are already acquainted, Parkinson. My name is Hermione Granger."

Pansy's jaw dropped in a completely inelegant way. The shock of finding out that Hermione Granger is Draco Malfoy's twin sister was clearly evident on her face.

"Well. Just went I thought this evening couldn't get any more surprising."

"Could we just get back to the issue at hand, please?"

"I'm sorry, Harry. When I saw him standing over you like that, with his wand pointed at you, I just lost it. He's hurt you so much and I wasn't just going to sit there and do nothing."

The look on Harry's face softened at her words. He walked up to her and drew her into his arms.

"You scared me," he murmured into her hair. Letting her go, he addressed them all. "We are going to need some damage control. The press is going to be all over this. I'm not worried about me, but they are certainly going to be interested to know why Hermione punched Ron for talking badly about someone she shouldn't even know."

Hermione paled slightly at Harry's words. She hadn't even thought of that in her rush to Harry's side. So far, her secret had been kept from the Wizarding world and she wanted to keep it that way. Theo was the one that answered Harry's concerns.

"I'm sure Lord Malfoy will be able to take care of it. However, anything they say will only be speculation. The best idea here might be to say nothing."

"I agree," Blaise said, finally speaking up. "I don't think there is much to worry about. I doubt Weasley will be stupid enough to do anything that might earn your ire again."

"You never know. He's not known for being the smartest one, especially when he is fuming."

Harry chuckled slightly at her words, knowing them to be true.

"I think we should be leaving, cara. Let's leave these two to finish their date."

Hermione nodded and shot Harry a look that clearly said she was going to want to discuss his date at a later point. Harry said nothing, just smiled at her. She let Blaise usher her back through the restaurant, with Theo trailing behind. They reached the Apparition point and within seconds were back at the flat. She looked around and noticed Theo had not followed them. She raised a questioning eyebrow to Blaise.

"He stayed to talk to the manager and settle the bill. He should be along in a moment."

He was right, as not a minute later, Theo popped into the flat. The two men stood side by side, just looking at her, their expressions unreadable.

"I understand if you are mad at me, but I'm not going to apologize. I would do it again."

Theo sighed. "We aren't mad, Hermione. We were worried. Weasley looked mad enough to kill when he looked at you. You can't have forgotten the less than friendly feelings between the Weasleys and the Malfoys? We just don't want to see you hurt."

Well, when he put it that way...Hermione did feel somewhat sorry. She certainly never meant to worry them. When she articulated that sentiment to them, Theo came up to her and gave her a hug. He buried his face in her hair and she could have sworn she heard him mumble how much he loved her. He pulled back and looked at her. Hermione could see the love, tinged with worry, in his eyes. He lifted his hand and stroked a finger down her cheek. He was so close! Hermione decided to take a chance and closed the distance between them. As her lips touched his, memories of their previous time together came rushing forward. Oh how she had missed kissing him! She could feel him starting to pull away, his intent on keeping the kiss innocent was clear. She wasn't having any of that though, not this time. She fisted her hands in his shirt, much like the first time she kissed Blaise, not letting him move away. She parted her lips slightly in a clear invitation that she wanted more. Theo stiffened slightly at her move, but with a groan, he yanked her even closer to him. Taking her invitation, he slipped his tongue in her mouth to deepen the kiss. The hands that were on her waist began to draw circles up her side. She let out a small moan. It had been so long since anyone touched her in this way and it felt wonderful. Just then, she felt another body press up against her back. A finger trailed slowly down her exposed neck, followed by open mouthed kisses. Unused to such sensations, she let out an even louder moan. Blaise reached the junction of her neck and shoulder and bit down gently. He kissed his way back up until he ended at her ear. With a quick lick to her lobe, he whispered, "You taste like ambrosia, mia bella."

Needing to catch her breath, she pulled away from Theo, turning her head slightly to look at Blaise. The heat in his eyes as he looked at her nearly set her on fire. She turned back to Theo, who was looking at her in the same way. She was sure the look was mirrored in her own eyes.

"I've been wanting to do that for weeks now."

Theo looked surprised.

"But I thought you wanted to take things slowly?"

"I did, I still do. But I think I'm up for a bit of snogging, especially if it's going to be like that all the time. Besides, you two are still all over each other and I was feeling a bit left out."

"Bella, we certainly didn't mean to make you feel left out. We thought we were respecting your wishes. Believe me, there is nothing we want more than you."

Blaise's words lit her up with happiness. She wouldn't admit it to either of them, but she had been starting to feel insecure, to a small extent. She turned back to Blaise and gave him a big smile. He smiled back at her before capturing her lips in another scorching kiss. 'Oh yes,' she thought. 'I can certainly get used to this.'

A/N2: I need to quickly complain about whatever FF did to their Doc Manager. None of the formatting copies and pastes anymore! I think I got everything, but if I missed a formatting thing, I apologize. Anyway, up next, Draco finds out what his sister did last night. Please review!