Dear Readers,
I owe you my apologies.
I have no idea how this is going to go. I am very much not relationship aware, and have trouble understanding romantic relationships. I am basing this story off of snippets I have observed in my life. Because of this, I am going to give you what each character is facing at the moment.
Harry has realized the society that surrounds them in the wizarding world is heavily patriarchal and is having trouble finding a balance of what he thinks this new world believes and what Uncle Vernon did and what he thinks should be right. He is aware that the Slytherin house is a lot more political than Gryffindor as far as he can tell. He knows that being uninformed he couldn't act on it, but the trouble he is having is how much should he act? That is aside his near daily fights with Dudley. They have completely changed in tone from how they used to, and have become usually mildly teasing without meaning to hurt on both sides.
Ron is feeling challenged about his way of life, and has a crush on Hermione, but wonders if he will be welcomed to try because of how he and Hermione clashed in fourth year.
Hermione is a proud muggleborn witch with a good example of how parents and romantic partners should act. She has seen how they act more professionally in the work place, and so, doesn't see the adult Malfoys as completely cold because she recognizes the public mask. That said, she believes that the woman has as much to say in the marriage as the man, though she does know that sometimes compromises on less important things are necessary to have a good relationship. One date was kind of nice, but she's been fighting the boy since she arrived almost, so she doesn't know what to do at this point.
Draco is caught in a mess. He is proud of his parents, proud of his way of life, his associations mostly, and can generally keep a secret. However, some of his founding principles to his way of thinking as taught by his parents have never been more shaken than before this year. However, he doesn't want to let his parents down, and doesn't know how honouring his parents in his new way of thinking will work, especially as he has switched sides from them.
So, this story is going into hiatus, or this might be the ending. I might put the scenes for the continuation of this story into Potter-Slytherin Curse's continuation.
The thing that Harry bribes Hermione with? Homework help and chocolate pudding. This started in fourth year when Hermione seemed like the only one of the two closest friends he had that believed him. He might not be the best, but he puts effort into it.
Sincerely,
lvidler