A/N: I apologize for the long wait, I can't believe it's been almost a month! Time really flies when you're annoyingly busy.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter, uploaded on a Friday because it's ready!

HBSJ

Chapter 13

"Where did she go?" His question was curt and to the point. Draco didn't waste any time with preliminary bullshit, he needed to find Granger.

Blaise's eyes rose all the way up to his hairline. "Well excuse you for being a cunt. Here I was, having a grand old time flirting with your gorgeous mother with Harry as my wingman and then, out of bloody nowhere, Hermione shows up and snags Harry right from under me. It was plain rude. Even the Duchess noticed her looking out of sorts."

Draco couldn't stop the flinch at his words. Blaise turned his head so slowly to face Draco full on, evidently suspicious. He'd always been too dramatic for his own good. "But why did she look out of sorts Drake?"

Blaise looked almost innocent, but Draco could full well see the cogs turning in his brain. Draco scoffed at the question and raked his hands through his hair, ignoring for the moment that Blaise had been intentionally flirting with his mother. As per fucking usual.

"I fucked it up." He whispered it mostly to himself but Blaise must've heard him because he barked a laugh. Draco scowled at him. "You're a shit friend."

That only made Blaise laugh harder. He needed new friends. Preferably ones who were very afraid of him. Or at least afraid of him enough to not fucking laugh at him.

Blaise's laugh subsided to be replaced with an incredulous expression. "Honestly, I don't give a shite what you think about me right now. What the fuck did you do?"

"I… I kissed her." His voice was rough and he looked around desperately for a glimpse of her but to no avail. She had disappeared along with Harry and he had no idea what had just happened. Why had he kissed her? Why the hell had that seemed like a reasonable response to her questions? And why had she run from him?

His eyes were still scanning the enclosed area and they seemed to hone in on Riddle, who was currently in the process of charming his father and his cronies. Draco felt the bile rise up in his throat at the sight of his father being taken in by such a man.

Blaise was still chuckling. "It was about bloody time." But then he followed Draco's line of sight. "Wait, was it Riddle that made you finally do something about it?"

"No! No, it wasn't like that." He protested, but he wasn't so sure within himself. Had he only kissed her because he was provoked by Riddle flirting with her? Because he didn't think so, but how could he actually be certain?

He was so out of sorts that he didn't even know up from fucking down anymore.

He had to get himself together. To focus. He was at a public event with the press crawling around everywhere, digging for his every flaw.

He clenched his jaw reflexively and closed his eyes.

Fuck, he'd really messed it up.

Blaise snapped his fingers in front of him. "Wake the fuck up Drake. So you fucked up, it happens. Own it, apologize, move forward. Or cut your losses. Whatever you need to do, do it, but stop this train wreck of a pity-shitshow you've got going."

Draco scowled at him angrily. "Gee, thanks for that less-than inspiring peptalk."

"Who needs a peptalk? I'm on fucking fire!" It was Theo with a drink that suspiciously looked like a Long Island Iced Tea. He took a long sip. "Daph was off because… Well I don't know why but I was talking to these chicks and she seemed as if she needed a cheering. And then Pans came out of the house looking weird so we gave her drinks too. This day is turning into a party!"

Pansy and Daphne were walking up behind him, both women looking rather tipsy and cheerful with the same drinks as Theo. Draco was amazed that they were still somewhat steady in their heels.

This day was turning into a fucking train wreck. Except for the kiss, he just couldn't bring himself to regret it.

He was happy that Pansy was more jovial though, Daphne and Theo had a way of lightening almost everyone's mood, except his it would seem.

Her hand was clutched in Harry's as if her life depended on it.

They were walking calmly, weaving through the throngs of people to get as far away from the private area as possible.

They weren't known, they weren't hounded by the press or anyone else. They were just anonymous like every other attendees outside the ropes of the private area.

Harry kept on walking away from the crowds and finally, they came to a gazeebo overlooking a lake. He pulled her to the bench and took a deep breath. "First, don't mention any names, I'll know who you're talking about."

She frowned, puzzled about the direction of his thoughts. "Why?"

He sighed again, sounding tired and yet beyond his years. "We might think we're alone but then someone overhears something they weren't supposed to and the next thing we know, it's plastered all over the tabloids."

She nodded, not having thought much about the paps before. Before she came to Dartmoor the press had been a source of information to her but now, on the other side of it, his point was extremely valid.

He smiled and scooted closer to put his arm around her shoulders. "So what happened?"

She looked out onto the lake, there were a couple of swans moving lazily around and the willow trees were hanging over the edge with the branches dipping through the surface. It was beautiful and so familiar. She had been coming here for most of her life and she had played in and around this lake so many times.

But now she felt disconnected from it all, from the beauty surrounding her because she couldn't focus on any of it. All she saw was Draco's stricken expression just before she ran away from him.

Her eyes blurred with tears and she choked back another sob, trying to hold it in but failing miserably. "We kissed Harry."

He chuckled slightly and she thought his reaction was a bit tame for the complicating feelings battling within her. "It was about time. You've been on that path since before you even arrived."

"No we haven't. It was awful Harry, we were fighting about something strange and then suddenly we were kissing." She thought back, through the numb walk through the Badminton grounds with Harry and before that. Before, when she was in that library and, for a brief moment in time, had felt more complete than she ever had before.

Harry shrugged. "That sounds rather normal to me."

"Normal?" She was shocked by his lack of outrage. She felt somewhat outraged herself. "I've never experienced anything like it."

He chuckled again and she considered smacking him over his head but he shocked her again. This time to her very core. "You haven't experienced it before because you haven't experienced passion like that before."

"Passion?!" She spluttered and stood up, unable to sit down any longer.

He held up his hands in surrender with an alarmed expression. "Alright, okay, calm down." He eyed her mischievously. "Perhaps we need to start over?"

But she wasn't listening to him anymore, she was pacing back and forth with only her thoughts for company.

What was she going to tell Ginny? Should she even tell her? Probably not. Ginny was very single-minded in her pursuit of Draco and nothing good would ever come out of that conversation.

Right, not an option then.

"Hermione?" But Harry's attempt at getting her attention went unnoticed. She paced on, deep in thought.

What had happened? And how had it happened?

She was so incredibly confused and frustrated with herself and the entire situation she had gotten herself in. Because there was no doubt about it, Draco may have initiated their kiss but she had participated just as willingly. Never once had she considered breaking away from him during their kiss.

That kiss…

That kiss had just been something else.

"Hermione?"

She had acted like a bit of coward. Which was highly unusual for her. Running from a complicated situation really wasn't like her but this, whatever it could be called, was scary.

She paced back and forth, debating what to do.

On one hand, she could just ignore all of this. Ignore that it had happened and pretend that nothing had changed in any way between her and Draco.

But it had. Everything had changed and she couldn't just ignore that. So that's a no then.

On the other hand, she couldn't just prance around and tell everyone to get their input, that would be both too embarrassing and counter-productive to her resolution to not tell Ginny. So also not a possibility.

The third option was the most subtle and probably the right one. But it was also the hardest.

It required her to keep it secret from everyone and then acknowledging what happened to privately to Draco. Which would probably also require her to give him an explanation for why she had run from him.

And she didn't really want to do that. But she should… probably.

"Hermione!"

She frowned, suddenly remembering Harry's presence. "What?"

He rolled his eyes. "You have to calm down, you've been pacing for ages, muttering to yourself."

She was about to give him a snarky reply when he cut her off. "Look, it's really not that bad. It was a kiss Hermione, just a kiss. Relax, you'll be fine."

She grit her teeth. It wasn't just a kiss, it was… something entirely other. But she wouldn't be able to explain what it was to Harry. She couldn't even explain it to herself. Shite.

"Hermione?"

So how could she explain it to Draco? How could she explain why she had run?

She turned around and mid-pace she collided with something hard.

"Can I have your fucking attention now?" It was a miffed Harry and she could tell he was two minutes away from leaving her to stew in her own mess. And that wouldn't do, she needed him.

She looked up at him and he had a hard edge to his gaze and it made her snap out of it. She deflated completely and sank down on the bench again. "I'm sorry Harry, I just don't know what to do."

He huffed out a breath and sat down next to her. "You don't have to know what to do, you just have to pull yourself together for today and we'll deal with all of this tomorrow. Can you do that?"

She wasn't sure, could she?

He smiled broadly and gave her a tight hug. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving your side for the rest of the day."

Engulfed in the safety and confort of Harry's arms, Hermione could feel the tears pressing forward again. She forced them back with a bit of a sniffle. "You're my best friend, you know."

He grinned. "I know." He got up. "Now come on, slap some lipstick back on those kissy-lips and let's return to pavilion, I'm sure more than one person is starting to wonder where we went.

She smiled and wiped a stray tear from her eye while making a face at him. "Right, let's go then."

Draco was brooding by the drinks table with a Theo-special as he had taken to call it, in his hand, annoyed at the way this entire day was turning out.

Nothing had gone as planned, and despite the fact that he couldn't make himself regret kissing Hermione, he really shouldn't have done it.

"I do believe sulking is prohibited at an event like this my darling." He looked up to see his aunt Lucretia peering at him with a discerning expression. "I also believe that you are in out of your depth with that one my dear nephew." She had always been too observant.

He cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Perhaps it would work this once?

She ignored him completely and took his arm, walking him away from everyone else. "I know of the family, they are very different from us are they not?"

Draco cleared his throat, deciding to stop pretending he didn't know who she was talking about. "I don't see how that matters. If it was a commoner, perhaps it would be an issue but,-"

"But nothing. A Baron's daughter is the same as a commoner and you know it. You know your Debrett's as well as I do and she and her family are not listed in the top layers because they are not aristocrats. The title of Baron Heathgate may go to the son but for all intents and purposes, miss Granger is a commoner."

He bristled. "Just because…"

She cut him off but her tone was kind. "You know there is more to it than that Draco. You are directly connected to the crown, your affiliations, your relationships and your eventual wife all matter. No matter who you choose, they will be dissected and discussed widely. Are you ready to put her in the direct pathway of the press and their dishonest tactics?"

He deflated and thought about it. It was an easy answer; No. He would never willingly put anyone through that. She was warning him, he knew that but it was difficult to accept that he was such a bad bargain.

"Have you talked some sense into my son perchance?"

Great, now his mother had decided to insert herself into the conversation.

His aunt quirked a smile. "Not sense, no. I do believe he can do that on his own, I have that much faith in his mental facilities." She winked at him with a grin. He narrowed his eyes at her and her grin merely widened. "But a cautioning. She needs to be tough."

Narcissa's eyebrows rose. "And have you gotten to know her aunt?"

Aunt Lucretia waved the question away. "Of course not, you know that. The Princess Royal is not defined by normalcy but I am defined by eccentrics." She paused. "And a keen eye." The latter part was said directly to him and he kept his relaxed stance only by sheer mental force.

He watched the pair of them, both looking much younger than their actual ages, and considered the strangeness of the world he had been born into. It wasn't the first time this train of thought had crossed his mind.

Beside him, two of the most influential women of British High Society, ton leaders as they were known, were discussing his love life in great detail without requiring his opinion in the least.

Sometimes it baffled him that anyone would covet the kind of life they had. Sure, they had money but they also have responsibilities much larger than any one of them. The crown and the duchy were both handed down for lord knows how many generations. It had to be nurtured, to be well-kept, to be prosperous through the times and to evolve with the times. And the money all had places to go, taxes, properties and maintenance.

He zoned back just in time it seemed. "-and I do believe she may just become quite the asset to your family."

His mother scoffed softly. "She may be highly intelligent but she is not as polished as would be expected of her. The press would rip her to shreds."

Aunt Lucretia smirked wickedly. "I have a gut feeling that this girl just might have the gumption needed to take on whatever comes her way."

He couldn't argue there, Hermione wouldn't be fazed in the slightest by most things.

His aunt kept on talking as if he wasn't there. "A wedding to a commoner might be singular but it is not unheard of, even one of the princes have chosen a woman from a different sphere than us."

His brows knit, were they planning his life?

His mother stiffened suddenly and cocked her head slightly. "My darling aunt,-" Her smile had gone rigid and she spoke through her teeth. "-we are being scrutinized by that Skeeter woman yet again." She put a hand through Draco's arm. "Draco, do please escort us towards the pavilion, I believe we should like to sit in the shade for a spot of refreshment."

He nodded did as he was bid, because that was his part in the heritage at this point in time. He was to be courteous and perfect. To act within the boundaries set by his birth and legacy.

He couldn't help but say to the both of them on the way to the pavilion. "Do tell me when I have to arrive at the church. It would look quite horrible if the groom was late, would it not?"

His mother merely smirked but aunt Lucretia barked a laugh loud enough for people to turn their heads. "You are my very favourite nephew, but I'm sure you already knew that."

He smiled, genuinely and fondly at her. "And you are my favourite of aunts."

By the time they returned, almost two hours later, Hermione felt much more calm.

The sun was lower and the warm afternoon was making everyone cheerful. She and Harry had walked slowly back towards the pavilion arm in arm, talking and laughing about everything and nothing.

Harry had this wonderful way of setting her at ease, of helping her and making everything seem better at least for the moment.

They re-entered the private enclosure, ignoring the clamour at the entrance and walked over to where Will was standing talking to Astoria. They smiled as she and Harry approached and Will put his arm around her. "Hey little sister, are you feeling better?"

She grimaced something that could pass for a smile. "Much better, thank you. What has happened while we were gone?"

Will was about to reply when Astoria asked calmly and sweetly. "You still have a greenish tint to your skin, perhaps you need some chocolate? It always helps me when I'm feeling faint."

Hermione smiled again, genuinely this time. "Perhaps that would be just the thing." She had gotten to know Astoria a bit over the past week at Dartmoor and she was very practical and direct, like a female version of her brother.

A thought struck her and she looked between them. Astoria was beautiful with a slight blush to her cheeks and Will was looking at her with a sparkle in his eyes that she had never seen in him before.

Will had never been interested in women and Hermione had just accepted that as a part of who he was but this person, her own brother, was both familiar and strange to her. Fascinating.

Harry dragged Hermione away from the two, letting them get to know each other in private but Hermione was reluctant to go, she wanted to find out more about this new side of her brother.

They were approaching the pavilion when Ginny rushed over to them a bit wobbly as her heels kept sinking slightly into the grass. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"Oh, I just needed some air you know? Cormac has been following me around all day." She lied, hopefully convincingly.

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I know. He's been asking me all these creepy questions about you. But some day he will be a duke you know. It's a huge step up if you ask me, though he isn't as handsome as Draco of course."

Hermione smiled weakly as her heart pounded frantically in her chest. But Ginny just rattled on. "And then I met this really nice lady down by the souvenir shop, Rita something or other. She seemed real interested in all of us but I didn't tell her much of course. I mean, they are very secretive at Dartmoor, right?"

Ginny was about to go on but Harry broke in. "Do you remember her last name?"

Ginny was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Something like sitter perhaps?"

There was a gravelly quality to Harry's voice when he spoke that she had never heard before. "Or perhaps Rita Skeeter?"

And Hermione's stomach dropped. She just knew that Harry was right. Rita Skeeter, the famed and ferocious gossip reporter had targeted Ginny the moment she had left their enclosure.

"Yes! That's it!" She grinned but it faultered when she saw Harry's expression turn grim.

Ginny looked between the two of them questioningly. "What? It's not like she's anyone famous or anything."

Hermione blinked, trying to dissect this new development and it wasn't good. Who knew what Ginny might have said to Rita Skeeter without thinking.

"Who're you talking about?" It was Daphne and Pansy who ambled over arm in arm. To Hermione's untrained eyes, they looked slightly wobbly and their drinks looked suspiciously like something distinctly boozy.

Harry gave them both a sly once-over with a grin. "What are you drinking and where can I get one?"

The two ladies giggled happily and pointed unsteadily behind them and Daphne replied. "That cute waiter over by the bar has got some stuff hidden under the counter. Theo's named it after himself but I think it's just a normal drink."

Hermione was quite sure that it was true just by the state of them.

Ginny was looking between all of them, nonplussed. "Uhm, what's going on? Harry, why did you react like that because of Rita?" She smiled cheerfully. "She was perfectly nice."

Hermione didn't have to turn around, she just knew that he was there before he even opened his mouth. It seemed as if a sense of hers had tuned into him somehow. Damn annoying was what it was.

His low voice interrupted whatever Harry was about to say. "Have you been speaking to Rita Skeeter?"

A shocked silence settled over their little group. Except for Ginny, she still hadn't gotten it but in her defence, no one had thought to warn her about Skeeter.

"Well yes I did and she was very nice. What is wrong with all of you?" She looked around accusingly and Hermione decided to speak up before they began berating her.

"Gin, Skeeter is a reporter, someone who specifically digs up dirt about British aristocrats, including yourself and your family. She has been looking out for stuff about the Malfoy family."

Ginny didn't say anything, she was only looking at her wide-eyed with a rather panicked expression on her face.

Shit.

Hermione could just feel the tension around their little group.

They were all looking around as if asking each other what now?

Harry recovered first. "Right, let's get Blaise and Theo. I think it's getting somewhat late in the day and perhaps these two,-" He gestured to the two tipsies looking adorably confused on the side of the group. "-back to a bed or something."

Draco was obviously fuming, it was rolling off him almost visibly. He spoke through gritted teeth. "I've just texted the driver. Let's just get fucking out of here." He turned and walked away without a backwards glance, leaving the rest of them to scramble after him.

Elsewhere that same evening, Rita sat at her desk with a cup of tea looking at the material she had gathered that day. And to think, she'd even considered not going to Badminton.

The little treasure-trove of information she'd collected and the possibilities for articles were almost endless, especially with a little teeny tiny stretch of the imagination.

Now, all she had to do was research. She took a sip of her purr-fect tea.

Easy.

A/N: Please let me know what you think! Go on, spill the T!

HBSJ