Unofficial Portkey Archive

Keeping With the Company

by coven

Rated PG-13

Hermione offers her best friend Harry a place to stay after a girl discards him. Harry accepts, knowing that the arrangement is indefinite until he finds a suitable place for himself, but things take a strange turn when they both find out that keeping each other company is turning out to be a permanent thing after all.

Disclaimer:

This is a Harry Potter fan fiction. Standard disclaimers apply.

Notes:

Uploaded by request. This is the same unedited and non beta-read version of the fic that I first posted about 4 years ago. If there are inconsistencies, OOC characters, plot holes, grammar and typo errors, and if the formatting sucks (I had to format it to Word from PDF) then I apologize. I haven't gone over it again and I crossed my fingers that you would be forgiving enough when I clicked the upload button.

A million thanks to all those who still like to read this fic after all this time. It really means so much to me! Props to gal-texter too, since she loves you all enough to keep on contacting me. Haha.

Yes, there is some minor Draco-Hermione thing going on here in some parts so for die-hard Harry-Hermione fans, you've been warned!

Cheers!

CHAPTERS 7-11

Chapter 7: That's Amore

Dinner was uneventful after the tickle-fight incident. To Hermione's surprise, Ron and Artie behaved themselves rather well as there was no mention of whatever the father-and-son team had witnessed a while ago. Even Harry himself was carrying on as usual.

"Ron," Hermione snorted in mild revulsion. "Chinese take-out?"

Ron looked slightly offended.

"I did say we were to eat dinner right? Did I mention that I would make it?"

Artie shook his head and snickered.

"Dad tried," the boy said. "But he burnt the shepherd's pie. You should see the smoke in the kitchen…"

Ron gave his son a withering look that only made Artie laugh harder.

"Thanks a lot pal," Ron muttered, taking the boxes out of their bags.

Hermione took pity on him and kissed her ruffled friend on the cheek.

"Sorry," she said. "I don't care if it's fish and chips. It's your day today. Congratulations."

"Well," Harry said, finding himself a spot beside Artie on the floor. "Take-out or not, I'm hungry!"

Hermione handed out boxes and chopsticks. The boys grabbed them eagerly and with the only girl in the room muttering something about the similarities between hungry men and pigs, they began to eat.

Since dinner was a pretty much informal affair, in the middle of it, Harry gave Artie two tickets with locker room passes to his team's first game of the season next weekend. Artie whooped in joy and started babbling on about which friend he wanted to bring along to the game. Hermione instinctively knew that the tickets were a way of atonement for not being a devoted godparent for months. She smiled as her three boys started a long and animated chatter on quidditch- a subject, which although her very close friends considered themselves experts on, she could find no affinity with. She then grabbed the opportunity to reflect on the circumstances.

She knew she overreacted earlier. She also knew that she could have handled the situation better. And she knew that what Harry said a while ago to Ron's teasing hurt her somewhat. Who wouldn't when you found out that the person you've just realized that you're in love with would not be able to return the feelings? But wasn't it what she wanted in the first place- better to save the friendship rather than indulge in a possible romance?

Wait, she was twenty-seven, for heaven's sake and not getting any younger. She was no longer interested in brief encounters. She's already looking for a lifetime partner! And here was her chance, an opening for exactly that. She knew she should just grab the opportunity, but Hermione had never been a risk-taker. She had gotten along with reason better since she could remember. She would rather weigh the situation up, find the pros and cons, and then settle on a decision that would benefit all those concerned. And what reason was telling her to do now was to save the friendship. For the first time in her life, Hermione doubted her mind and wanted to follow her heart. Could she do it? Would she do it? Could she just curse common sense to hell altogether and then face the consequences later?

Harry watched as a myriad of emotions played across Hermione's face. What was she thinking about? Did the thing he had said earlier bother her? Oh, he had indeed dug his own grave with that. He remembered the frown she put on afterwards. Could he dare hope that the frown was in his favour? But didn't she say that her having sex with him was improbable? Of course, the physical merits of the idea actually happening weren't his priority right now, but how could he be hopeful in the emotion department when judging by the discussion earlier, there was a huge possibility that Hermione find the thought of him and her together as not viable - or a blow to his ego, possibly revolting.

Ron watched as the wheels in both of his friends' heads turn. It was pretty amusing to see Hermione direct furtive glances at Harry when she thought the bloke wasn't looking, and Harry doing the same when he thought she wasn't looking. From his point-of-view, it was like watching a tennis match. Knowing his best friends very well, Ron knew that the two fools loved each other as more than platonic. He watched, observed, and took notes - uncharacteristic things for him to do but would surely make Luna and Hermione proud. Oh sure, it was really friendly in the beginning, but their years of being together, specially when Ron and Luna got married, made it certain that Harry and Hermione's relationship would develop into something more than friendship. He and Luna had discussed this often enough, and his wife had dissuaded him time and again to not meddle in his friends' lives. It had frustrated him, to say the least, at having to promise not to. But it was so hard, when the only people who didn't see this were the two of them! Heck, even his kid evidently knew about it too. Ron sighed and silently asked Luna for forgiveness. He usually kept his promises but drastic situations call for drastic measures - and this one needed more than that.

"Oh look, Dad, there's an owl at the window!"

Three heads turned towards the magnificent snow owl perched impatiently on the window ledge, waiting with an air of royalty about it.

"Draco's new owl," Hermione muttered as she got up from her place on the floor and proceeded towards the window.

"Well," Ron said, a little put off for having been interrupted. "Will you look at that? Even the git's owl has caught up with its owner's conceit."

Harry scowled as Hermione got the note attached to its leg. What did Malfoy want now? Wasn't it way past office hours?

As Harry was contemplating evil thoughts towards Draco, Artie, fascinated with the bird, offered the owl a small bowl of water and some snacks-all of which the bird scoffed with an imperious hoot, and to which Artie only laughed and said, "Wicked!"

"Uncle Harry, the owl is so cool!" he said, running back to his godfather's side. "It has got a personality. I wish Hedwig is here, I'm sure it would be fun to watch how she would size that one up."

Harry only grunted his agreement, still watching Hermione's face for clues on to what the letter was about. Well, she was pursing her lips. It was definitely about something serious then.

"Oh…" Artie said knowingly.

"So," Ron said walking behind Hermione. "What does Malfoy want?"

Harry tried not to perk his ears up too much.

"I have to go," Hermione said absently. "I'm sorry Ron, Artie. I'll make up for it next time. Harry, I'm not sure what time I'll get back. Don't wait up for me, okay?"

Harry nodded and accepted Hermione's kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Ron," Hermione added as she kissed him and Artie. But to the boy she whispered, "Hide the brownies where your Dad won't find them."

"Thanks, Aunt Hermione," Artie said giving her a hug in return and whispered back. "He won't stand a chance."

She laughed and with a wave, disapparated.

Ron let out an audible sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"Imagine that," he said. "What could Malfoy want with her this time?"

"This time?" Harry asked, plainly curious.

Ron hid his smile by taking a sip from his glass.

"Yeah," he said nonchalantly. Apparently, this was the opening he was waiting for. "Sorry to say this, mate. But ever since you took off with Bianca, those two, well… they got a lot closer. "

"Oh yeah?" Harry said, frowning. "What do you mean by closer?"

"Well, every week they would usually have a… what does your Aunt Hermione call it again?"

"Muggle Friday," Artie said, busy answering a crossword puzzle on a magazine. "Uncle Draco and Aunt Hermione would do muggle things every Friday. They would even let me tag along sometimes."

"There you go," Ron said, stretching his tall frame on the sofa. "Muggle Friday."

Harry ignored him, and focused more instead on Artie.

"You call Malfoy, Uncle Draco?" he asked.

Artie nodded.

"He's okay," he said, knowingly adding fuel to the fire. "He often takes me and Aunt Hermione out for ice cream, and he knows a lot about conspiracy theories. He has this incredible premise on dragons that I'm sure Uncle Charlie would find amusing… by the way Uncle Harry, do you know an eight-letter word for smitten?"

"Besotted," Harry answered absently. "So what do you do on Muggle Fridays?"

The boy shrugged.

"I've only been with them a few times, but they were lots of fun. We would go to picnics, or just window-shop around the department stores. Twelve letter word for envy?"

"Covetousness," Harry replied.

"Oh yeah," Ron added, almost choking on his drink this time. "Hermione mentioned that at first it was practical education for Draco since they always had to pose as muggle couples on assignment, but they had started to enjoy it so much, they decided to make it tradition."

"I bet Malfoy did," Harry muttered. "Anything weird going on during this tradition?"

"What do you mean by weird, Uncle Harry?" Artie asked innocently.

Harry caught himself and had the grace to look embarrassed. He knew it wasn't fair to ask a child these questions, but a guy whose woman is being taken from under his nose must take some form of action. He was going to mask the question, hoping that the kid was buying it, but knew at the back of his mind that Artie knew what he was talking about. So, Harry decided to do the direct approach.

"Were they acting funny?"

"Oh," Artie said. "You mean like were they doing lovey-dovey stuff?"

"Whatever," Harry said sulkily.

"I want to hear this," Ron said eagerly, to which Harry answered with an impatient shush.

Artie grinned at his Dad before proceeding, "The first time I was with them, we watched a muggle cartoon at the theatre. Uncle Draco bought us a tub of popcorn with lots of butter. I asked to sit beside the aisle because I tend to go to the bathroom a lot. Well, Uncle Draco had his arm around Aunt Hermione and she didn't seem to mind. I didn't really pay attention to them because the movie was really good. Besides, they had a world of their own. They were always whispering things to each other. Dad, any ten-letter word for angered?"

"Infuriated," Harry answered easily, after all that was what he was feeling at the moment.

Ron cleared his throat as he saw the vein at Harry's temple pulsing wildly.

"Son,' he said to Artie. "Why don't you take your crossword with you downstairs? Your Uncle Harry and I need to talk."

Artie rolled his eyes and reluctantly got his magazine.

"Dad," he whispered to Ron as he walked past him to the door. "I'm not really working on a crossword puzzle."

"Which is what I consider lying, my boy," Ron replied, also in a whisper. "Now scamper along mate, and leave the rest to the expert."

"Good luck then," he answered with an impish salute and ran out of the room.

Harry, who was too lost in his jealousy, was unaware of their exchange.

"Okay," Ron said. "Spill it out."

"Spill what out?"

"Whatever hex or curse you've been conjuring to get at Malfoy," Ron calmly explained. "Aren't we friends here, mate? Admit that you are in love with our best friend and that you are jealous of the ferret."

Harry whipped his head towards the other man.

"What… how… why…"

"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron guffawed.

"Is it that obvious?" Harry said sheepishly.

"What do you mean?" Ron gaped at the gob smacked fellow. "I can tell you love her when I come within a ten-foot radius of the two of you."

"I'm sorry because I only found out today," Harry replied sarcastically, suddenly feeling foolish about everything. Was he really that clueless? Hold the question because he already knew the answer.

"Well that's pathetic mate," Ron clapped Harry at the back. "We've been waiting years for this moment."

"We?" the other bloke asked incredulously.

Ron shrugged.

"I, Luna, Mum, Dad, my bloody siblings, people from school, even Artie knows about it."

Harry tiredly rub at the nape of his neck and smiled wryly.

"No wonder that boy has become too much of a wise-crack lately."

"Still is smarter than you though," Ron commented. "I was worried that you would wait twelve more years, when Artie is old enough to marry Hermione himself, before you do anything."

"Hahaha…"

The two friends drank the last drops of their snifter, each deep in his thoughts. Harry was embarrassed to know that he was the last to realize. He thought it only happened in books or movies.

"So when did you know?" Harry asked.

"Is that a serious question?" Ron stared down at his friend who was sitting on the floor.

Harry looked up at him and nodded.

Ron exhaled, forehead furrowed.

"Actually, mate, I really don't have the exact time or date," he admitted. "It just felt right you know. You always had this thing going on, and you had always understood each other on a level that even I couldn't get into. You could communicate by merely exchanging looks and stuff like that."

"You know what's funny?" Harry asked rhetorically. "In all the years that we've been in and out of relationships with other people, why find out now? Why not then so it could have spared me the trouble of going through all of that!"

"Ah," Ron said. "That's the mystery of life. For everything there is a purpose, you know that mate. If you had realized it before, would you value her just as much as you do now that you've both been through so many things together?"

"Well it sucks," Harry said grudgingly. "Besides it's still Hermione. Then or now, it's still her."

Ron laughed then turned serious.

"So now that I know that you know that you love Hermione what are you planning to do?"

Harry grimaced. He hadn't gotten to that part of the problem yet.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know if she loves me," Harry mumbled.

"That's ridiculous," Ron roared. "Of course she does!"

"She does?" Harry asked, looking like a hopeful child.

"If you don't know then I won't tell you," Ron answered in distaste.

Silence.

It was Harry who spoke first, "I'm willing to take a risk Ron, but I'm not sure if she does, being Hermione and all. Besides, I don't want to lose the friendship."

"Friendship? Sorry, but that is bull!" Ron sneered. "I am not sure if you're really getting this, Harry. You've been friends for so long to let anything come between the two of you. Trust me on this mate, she loves you. And she won't do anything unless you do something first."

"How?" the poor man desperately implored. "Without even twenty-four hours of breaking things off with Bianca I just go at her and tell her I love her, that I want to marry her? I'm still winning her back as a friend as is…"

Harry sighed, "I'll give it a week, Ron. Just a week to find my footing."

Ron stood up, got the empty glasses, and refilled them.

"I don't know Harry, that's moving things too slow."

Harry accepted the glass and thoughtfully stared at the pale amber liquid.

"I want this to be perfect, Ron. I want it to be her."

"Well I hope you make good use of your week because there is also Malfoy to consider."

"Yeah… Malfoy…"

"Well," Ron raised his glass. "This is to you then, mate. May you succeed in winning your fair lady's heart."

"Hear, hear," Harry said, downing the whole glass.

*****

"Draco Malfoy, I swear I'm going to tie you to your broom and send you off to the Womping Willow and then I'll dump your stinking corpse in the Forbidden Forest."

"Baby, don't be mad at me!"

It would have been really amusing to watch the two, if it was the Comedy Hour. Hermione was clutching at her wand so tightly, that the sides of her hand had gone white. Draco, on the other hand was holding his hands in surrender, behind an enormous potted plant.

"Oh, don't you oh baby me, you big fat arse!" Hermione emphasized each word clearly. "And when did you learn to say that stupid form of endearment?"

Draco shrugged.

"Uhh, muggle ladies seem to like it."

"Well, it doesn't suit you using it so quit the word," Hermione dismissed, transfiguring her wand back to a ring, and violently shoved it on her finger. She breathed deeply before continuing, "And what in Hagrid's hut were you thinking of making me worried all for a jolt of your ego."

"Hey," Draco brightened up, deciding that the coast was clear. "You were worried?"

"Don't change the subject, Malfoy," she warned, plopping herself on Draco's living room couch, and sighed. "Of course I was worried. You're my friend! Congratulations on debunking the Doctor's diagnosis, by the way."

Draco cautiously seated himself beside his partner, and propped his feet on the coffee table. "I don't know why you're so worked-up with all of this."

"It's not just that you git…"

"Then what is it?" he asked. "What's twisting your knickers up? Because honestly, you look like Peeve's girlfriend."

"Oh yes, thanks a lot," Hermione swatted Draco's arm. "You sure make it easy to be sympathetic with you. And stop mentioning my unmentionables. It doesn't sound decent coming from you."

"And you're making me feel better," Draco said, dramatically clutching at his chest. "That's the proverbial pot calling the kettle black. So Miss Granger, what is bothering you? I'm sure I didn't write in my letter that you come barging here right now. My news could have waited until tomorrow."

Hermione suddenly became absorbed with the hem of her sweater. She even tried clearing her throat, but all that came out was a, "AdjusgadagetaweifromHarry…"

"What is that again?

"I said," Hermione said through gritted teeth. "I just had to get away from Harry and I used your letter as an excuse to flee."

"Well, well, well…" Draco rubbed his hands together and smugly continued. "Finally you've had your moment of revelation then. Good for you and about time I must say. But where is that Gryffindor courage? I didn't know members of your house can be so cowardly as to run away from something as dreary as staying in the company of Potter, and which mind you is something that you have been doing all your life?"

"Oh, it's your entire fault," Hermione jabbed at Draco. "Without your damn teasing and… and pushing then it shouldn't have happened."

"This is bloody fantastic! My Hermione is having a dumb moment. Do you honestly believe what you're saying?"

"No…"

Draco laughed out loud.

"You're too cute for your own good, Hermione."

"Malfoy…"

"Now it's Malfoy," Draco said with an eyebrow raised.

"I don't feel like calling you 'Draco' right now," Hermione retorted childishly. "I'm warning you… Your fountain of wit and humour has long gone dry."

"Okay," Draco surrendered. "I apologize for my offensive behaviour. What gives?"

Hermione stood up and started pacing in front of her partner who just patiently sat and watched her. She took her time to answer.

"I love him."

"Ouch, I shouldn't have asked."

"Draco…"

"Good, it's now back to Draco. Okay, go on."

"He was there," she said with a frown. "He was standing in front of me, and then- wham!"

"Ah," Draco said. "That's amore!"

"Are you quoting a muggle song?"

"Maybe," he grinned. "And why are you telling me this and not Weasley?"

"Because there was no opportunity. Harry was there, and I needed to unload this."

"Well, I'm honoured."

"Not so fast," Hermione sneered. "You were just filling in."

"Hey, you're learning fast!"

"Well, that's me brainy Hermione Granger for you," Hermione said and did a nice genuflect. "Smart in everything except her own troubles."

She sat back down beside Draco.

"Of the heart," the man added.

She nodded at that, "Yeah, of the heart."

"Well," Draco exclaimed. "What's your plan? Because you should better do something about this."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed morosely. "I'm aware of that."

"Why the long face?" Draco asked. "You're an Auror and one of the best, if I might add. I mean why not see this as a covert operation or something?"

Hermione cheered up a bit at that. If there was anything she was best at, its being an Auror.

"You know what," she said, gaining a little confidence. "You're absolutely right."

"Then you go on tell him out right!"

"Yes!" she exclaimed then checked herself. "No… wait… how can it be a covert operation if I just tell him out right?"

"I was just trying to catch you there," Draco admitted with a smile. "Besides, what's wrong with just telling it to him straight?"

"Because I don't want to look like I'm the one doing the pursuing."

"You are so old-fashioned. At this day and age, women can actually speak their minds."

"No, I am not giving him the satisfaction of being the one to say it first," Hermione spoke adamantly.

"Aha, so that's the root of it all. You're just scared."

"I am not!"

"You are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Oh, this is so immature," Hermione scoffed. "All right, I'm scared. Okay? I admit it. I'm scared. I don't want to be rejected. Besides, I want to make sure …"

"That he loves you back?" Draco asked knowingly.

"Yeah, I don't want to lose him, Draco," she said softly. "Besides, I just want to be sure that he loves me back and not because I gave him the idea first."

"I don't think you'll ever lose him," he replied confidently.

"But this changes it all," Hermione moaned. "I can lose the friendship and gain a love, or lose a love but then lose a friendship in the process too."

"Or you can gain both?" Draco offered.

"But that would be wishful thinking," Hermione sighed.

"You know," Draco said in a disbelieving tone. "You are the most insecure achiever I know. Have faith in yourself for a change."

"Easy for you to say," Hermione scoffed. "Have you seen the girls Harry dated? Bianca for one… Perfect hair, perfect smile… my god even her breasts are perfect."

"Well, has it ever occurred to you that those are also the reasons why he just discarded them easily?"

"You are completely missing the point here…"

"No, it is you are completely missing the point here," Draco said, grabbing a hold of Hermione's arms. "If you accuse me of being that shallow then I'd be angry with you. Are you accusing Potter of that?

"No… he's the least shallow person I know."

"And I am just beef jerky," he joked. "Hermione Granger, look at me."

Draco gently cupped her chin with his hand.

"You can't be unsure of yourself over looks. Who says you aren't pretty?"

Hermione stayed silent, but allowed herself to be embraced by the man. "You have the prettiest brown eyes, that can make a man drown in them… and from my current vantage point, I can feel that your breasts aren't that bad."

She instantly broke free from his hold and scolded him.

"Draco!"

"Kidding," Draco gamely let go and laughed. "Woman, you sure are worked up."

Hermione laughed with him. Later on, she took his hand in hers and looked him in the eye.

"You know, Draco, I could never have imagined going to you for anything seventeen years ago. I am so glad I got to know you better."

"Well, I am the regular Doctor Love," Draco winked. "And believe me Granger, if my old self would see me now, he would have committed suicide. But then again, he would've been too scared to do that."

"Thanks," Hermione said, and she meant it.

"Hey, anytime baby!"

Hermione grinned and accidentally caught the time on the grandfather's clock.

"Goodness, its midnight!"

"Yep, it's midnight," Draco confirmed, letting go of her hand. "Someone is probably wearing the floor of Granger-Potter residence off at the moment."

"Well, I guess I have to go," Hermione said as she stood up to leave. "Congratulations on the… er, test result. Thanks, again."

Draco stood up also.

"Go now before I decide to celebrate my rediscovered virility with you."

"Ewww…." Hermione stuck a finger in her mouth. "You do have the knack of ruining a moment at the last minute do you?"

"Graduated summa cum laude on it. And Granger…"

"Yes?"

"I'm rooting for you!" Draco said simply.

"See you tomorrow," Hermione smiled before disapparating, leaving Draco standing alone in the living room of Malfoy Manor.

"And that, Draco Malfoy," he said with finality. "Is it."

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to get up. I just wanted to know if you're awake."

"Well, I'm awake."

"Obviously. Listen, I… well…"

"Is there something wrong? Look, I'll get the door…"

"No… nothing's wrong. I just…I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Uh, okay… yeah, tomorrow."

…

"Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione."

Chapter 8: Voices Carry

"What are you being so angry about?" Hermione asked viciously. "I don't get it why you have to shout just to get your point across!"

"Shut up!" Harry yelled back. "Let's cut to the chase."

He stepped towards her menacingly.

"Okay, fine!" Hermione said, tilting her chin upwards challengingly, but it didn't prepare her for what Harry had in store for her.

Harry grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him. So close, that their foreheads were touching.

"Let go of me!" Hermione asked, trying to squirm away from his clinch, but Harry only tightened his hold on her. "What are you bloody doing, Harry James Potter?"

"This."

It took a while before it registered on Hermione that Harry was indeed kissing her.

Never, not even once, in her more x-certified dreams did it come close to this utterly dumbfounding, soul-searing moment.

"Let me in, Hermione," Harry whispered hoarsely against her lips.

"My God," Hermione gasped, feeling his tongue gaining entrance to her mouth. She hanged on to at Harry's shoulders, for her knees had certainly turned to liquid. "You feel… so…"

"Hermione…"

"Hmm?"

"Hermione…"

"You're so…"

"Hermione…"

"Harry…"

"Hermione, wake up!"

"What the… ouch!"

Hermione Granger, who had woken from her delicious dream in a start, had quickly bolted sitting up. It was beyond her lethargic reason to think that someone would be hovering over her. For sure, it wasn't her fault then if she had almost cracked Harry Potter's head open when she accidentally crashed hers to his.

"Oh my God, Harry!"

"No… I'm… awake… Mrs. Weasley…"

Hermione gasped and leaned down from her bed over Harry's sprawled figure on the floor.

"I am so sorry, Harry," she apologized profusely. "Are you okay… wait…"

Harry groaned and sat up, a hand on his aching forehead.

"I'm okay," he mumbled.

Hermione scampered to get her wand from her side table and cast a quick spell on Harry.

"Better?"

"Wow, thanks and good morning to you too…" Harry said, slowly standing up. "Remind me not to startle you awake ever again. By the way, what was that about?"

"What was about what?" she asked, shrugging into her dressing gown.

"You tell me," Harry said, casually sitting on her bed and trying to relish the warmth he could still feel there. "You were moaning."

Hermione stopped in the middle of tying her hair.

"Oh…"

"I was already up when I heard you," he explained. "I thought something bad was happening. Hey, I was so scared. When I took the liberty of barging in you were writhing and you look like you were in pain."

"I… I was just having a… an improbable dream," Hermione stuttered. Did he just say writhing?

"About?"

"I forgot already," she evaded by walking to the bathroom to wash her face. "Er, was I really moaning? Did I say anything uhmmm… was I talking?

"Nothing intelligible really," Harry answered, craning his neck to see if Hermione could see him. "You were just that… moaning."

"Thank God," Hermione muttered, patting her face dry with a towel. This was turning out to be a very big joke - on her. She looked at herself in the mirror, and cursed as she found herself quite pale. Well, it was better than the tell tale blush of embarrassment. Merlin's beard! If she wasn't in love with the bloke she could have just stated the truth to which they would probably tease and share a big laugh later. Unfortunately she was in love with him, and like anyone caught doing forbidden acts, she lied. Well, it wasn't really a lie, she just played with semantics a little. Today was the day to start on her little "covert mission" - as Draco had put it. Would she be able to pull it off? Only time could tell now.

"I'm a woman, hear me roar," Hermione grunted. She made a face at her reflection and walked with a little more confidence back to her bedroom.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

Hermione stared as she caught his best friend with his head buried in her pillow. Harry guiltily looked up and hastily plumped up the pillow.

"I… was…," he started trying to find an excuse that wouldn't sound stupid. "What's your shampoo?" He nearly kicked himself.

"Come again?" Hermione was still staring at him incredulously.

With his fingers crossed behind his back, he tried to finish the fib he started. "I was going to make your bed when I just smelled something on your pillow. I realized it was your shampoo - cinnamon?"

"You were sniffing my pillow?" Hermione asked, still not moving from the bathroom doorway.

"Uhmm… I love cinnamon," he improvised weakly, feeling like it was McGonagall interrogating him.

"Harry…" Hermione's voice trailed as she walked towards him.

Harry could only stare as she came a lot closer. He felt his breath hitch and catch in his throat. What was she doing? He gulped as she stopped in front of him. With an innocent smile on her face that belied the very strange glint in her eyes, Hermione slowly lifted her hand. Harry watched in fascination as the long tapered fingers rested on his own that clutched her pillow.

"Harry…"

"Yeah?" he answered dumbly. It was no surprise there since it seemed that all blood from his head had gone some place else.

Hermione brushed his hand away and grabbed at her pillow. With a giggle, she said, "Go get your own pillow to sniff."

"What?"

Hermione laughed.

"I said go get your own pillow to sniff," Hermione repeated, pinching Harry's cheek playfully. "Hey, on second thought, let's get some breakfast I'm starving."

Harry watched in disbelief as Hermione lavishly buttered her toast, and heaped a hefty amount of scrambled eggs and bacon on her plate. Was it just his imagination, or was Hermione acting a little seductive a while ago? He caught the playful child-like grin she was flashing at him from across the table, and mentally shook his head? Seductive? Hermione? If there was one thing that he found refreshing about Hermione was the fact that she didn't need to be pretentious to be beautiful. She could go out of the house even without make-up on. She could also just get away with a ratty shirt and tattered jeans, and she wouldn't care. She wasn't posturing, or trying too hard. She was just being Hermione! Seductive? It was just probably him and his overactive hormones.

He had woken up early that morning to prepare breakfast for her. He told Ron that he would find if he could be anything else other than a friend in Hermione's life. With the other girls, he just gave it a go and they were more than willing to tag along for the ride. But with her, he felt that it wouldn't be right. He knew because he had felt the need to woo her, to make her feel special, and to just basically love her. If it was going to take more than a week to make Hermione love him, he would still persevere. He had waited until this time to grasp it, and although he'd rather speed the process up, if waiting was the key to her heart, then Harry Potter would wait year if need be, just for that.

Yet, the picture of her in bed, moaning and writhing was way too much for him to handle. He didn't tell Hermione that he had been standing at her bedside, just watching her for a full minute before realizing why he was there in the first place.

"This is absolutely wonderful, Harry!" Hermione said in gratitude as she swallowed a bite of the bacon-and-egg meal. "I haven't had any decent breakfast for a long time now. I was always too lazy to cook, being alone and all. Why aren't you eating?"

"I think you're eating enough for both of us," he said carelessly.

"Har-ry," Hermione whined. "You're so mean… Oh my, are those your famous croissants? Gimme! Gimme!"

If there was one thing that Harry had to thank the Dursleys for, it was the fact that they had unknowingly taught him to cook. He had even used this skill more than once during his soul-searching days, as he would often get odd- jobs along the way.

Harry laughed at Hermione's excitement and just shoved the plate towards her.

"Where are you putting them away?" Harry asked.

"I exercise," Hermione replied, as she put jam on her croissant. "Oh what a plonker!"

Harry instinctively put his knees together as Hermione began to lick dripped jam off her wrist.

He cleared his throat and shifted in his chair, painfully.

"Is there anything wrong Harry?"

"Yeah, just not… uhm hungry," he said. He just couldn't state the truth so Harry cursed mentally. Harry tried desperately to think of something that could alleviate his predicament. And he knew exactly what.

"So how is Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Hermione remembered what had transpired last night and suddenly felt hungrier.

"He's fine," she said, swallowing.

"Is this something about the thing that you wouldn't want me to know?"

"Harry," Hermione replied pushing her plate away from her, and getting her glass of pumpkin juice. "Not this again!"

"No," he said in defence. "Honestly, I just want to know if it's about that."

Hermione eyed him if he was indeed being honest.

"Well," she said with a shrug. "If you must know… yes, it was about that."

"Oh," Harry's instinct was right after all.

"I know that look."

Harry downed a glass of water.

"Hermione… I need to know…"

"What?"

He took her hand in his.

"Is Draco … I mean… Draco is…"

Rrring!

Hermione yelped at the sound. It was obvious that the moment was broken.

"Merlin's beard!" she said. "Wow, I'm so used to wizarding ways that I've almost forgotten the sound of a telephone. Harry, can you hold that thought for a sec?"

Harry couldn't decide whether to be relieved or vexed. He chose the first.

"Uhh… yeah…"

Harry mouthed a silent scream. He stood up and walked towards the sink. He turned the faucet on full blast and put his head under it.

"Ginny, oh my God!" Hermione's voice permeated through the kitchen. "Harry, it's Ginny!"

Harry turned the faucet off and shook his head. With water still dripping, he walked to the hall where Hermione stood, a hand on her hip while the other one cradled the phone.

"Hi Ginny!" Harry yelled.

"Harry what the…" Hermione said to Harry, motioning on the 'wet look' he was sporting. "Harry says hi… No… he's still buff… Ginny says she'll kick your ass on your next game."

"I'm not going to comment on that," he answered, winking at Hermione who rolled her eyes.

"He's not commenting on that."

"Hermione," Harry tapped her on the shoulder. "I'll just get ready. I have training today."

Hermione nodded.

"Catch you later, Ginny!" Harry yelled as he walked towards his room.

"He says he'll catch you later," Hermione repeated with a laugh. "Why use the phone?"

"Just wanted to," said Ginny Weasley. "Something to tell Dad, you know, that I've used a 'fellytone.' So…"

Hermione sat on a nearby stool.

"What do you mean, 'so'?"

"I heard Harry's your new housemate."

"My, my, word travels fast doesn't it?" Hermione answered dryly.

She heard Ginny laugh.

"Yes," came her voice. "If the messenger is my brother."

Hermione chuckled.

"Things never change, huh?"

"So…"

"There you go again," Hermione insisted. "Can you please explicate that monosyllable further?"

"Anything NC 17 going on yet?"

"You're nuts," Hermione exclaimed. "Of course there isn't any 'NC 17' going on."

"R?"

"No!"

"PG 13?"

"No…"

"That sucks," said the girl on the other end of the line.

"Ginny, I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Hermione, haven't you forgotten about my seventh year?"

"What's with your seventh year?" she asked, honestly baffled.

"My birthday, firewhiskey… ring any bell?"

"Oh bloody hell …" Hermione gasped.

"I see that it does," Ginny laughed.

"Ginevra Weasley… have you told anybody about that?"

"No, I haven't," Ginny vehemently denied. "So have you done it yet?"

"No!" Hermione almost choked.

"But you have plans of doing so, right?"

"But… but… but…"

"You explicitly said that memorable night that quote 'if given a chance that Harry Potter and I get to play house, I'll make sure he'll be my Daddy' and quote"

A mumbled "That was the firewhisky talking," was Hermione's excuse.

"You're kidding right?"

"No!"

"Wait," Ginny insisted. "Is any other guy lurking around?"

"No…" Hermione answered truthfully. How could there be? "It's just things are complicated right now."

"How?"

"No blurting out yet, even Ron doesn't know about this," Hermione whispered.

"Oh… something incriminating!"

"Ginny!"

"What?"

"Promise you won't tell anyone!"

"Jeez," Ginny mumbled. "Alright, I promise."

Hermione looked left and right.

"I just found out that I love him," she barely whispered.

"What?"

"I said," Hermione looked around again then continued a little above a whisper this time. "I just found out that I love him."

"What?"

"Merlin, Ginny," Hermione screamed, standing from the chair. "I said I fucking found out I love him!"

"Well, there's no need to curse!"

"Ginny Weasley!"

Ginny laughed.

"Kidding, Hermione…Well, finally Hermione Granger admits she likes Harry Potter. Hermione Potter, what a lovely name!"

"Ginny…"

Hermione sank back to her chair, drained.

"Do you know how long we've waited for this moment? Haven't you known that you loved him all this time? You wouldn't have made that comment drunk or not if you didn't."

"Well, at that time it was just a crush and hormones."

"But not this time, right?"

"Yeah," Hermione said, playing with the phone's cord. "Not this time."

"So how did you know?"

Hermione laughed hollowly.

"Draco."

"Draco?" There was an incredulous tone in Ginny's voice now. "What about him?"

"He made me realize that I was in love with him the whole time."

"Him being Harry. Let's make that clear."

"Of course."

"Oh wow, so you owe that git now?"

"I guess so," Hermione shrugged. "After all he'd put me through."

"Yes coach!" Ginny shouted. "Oh darn, this is ridiculous. Coach is raising hell already. I've got to go dear, but I want to hear every juicy detail of this."

"Yeah, but don't forget about your promise."

"Of course," Ginny said abruptly. "About time, about time I should say. Oh whatever happens fill me in okay?"

"Yes, Mummy Ginny"

Ginny laughed.

"Have fun Hermione!" she said. "I'll be back soon. Do you know that Italy has some really fine men? Anyway, you have to tell me everything… Yes coach! What a slave driver! I'll see you then. Oh yeah, you love Harry right?"

"Yes I do," Hermione said exasperatedly. "I love him like mad."

She smiled as she heard her friend squeal.

"Word of advice though, make sure you get him. Snatch him and tie him up as soon as possible or else he'll get away like the snitch he chases."

"You quidditch players you… go before you get thrown out for over chatting."

"Ciao!"

"Bye…"

*****

"I just found out that I love him…"

"Well, at that time it was just a crush and hormones…"

"Yeah, not this time…"

"Draco…"

"He made me realize that I was in love with him the whole time…"

"I guess so, after all he'd put me through…"

"Yes I do, I love him like mad…"

Harry couldn't do a thing but stare blankly at his sad reflection on the mirror.

Chapter 9: Small Talks

Hermione hung up the phone and went to the spare room Harry was occupying. Still grinning from her conversation with Ginny, she knocked.

"Harry?"

She knocked again. No answer.

Hermione frowned and turned the knob. She poked her head in a little.

"Harry, are you dressed?"

Still, there was only silence. Hermione opened the door wider and stepped in.

There was no one inside.

"Funny, I'm sure he wouldn't just go without telling me."

Hermione searched the entire place but couldn't find him. Still a little puzzled, she went to the bathroom, deciding that Harry must have been in a hurry. She let out a small sigh of relief, realizing that meant she would have to deal with him later. There was work waiting for her at the office, and a possibility of something else later in the evening. All was well.

For now.

*****

"Are you sure about this?" Ron asked.

"It's a wonder I didn't get splinched apparating here," Harry answered, his face buried in his hands.

"This can't be true. There must be some explanation…"

"I've heard enough 'explanation,' thank you," Harry retorted sarcastically. "How clear can it be? She was talking to Ginny about how she loved Malfoy 'like mad'."

"Aren't you being a little too hasty, mate?"

Harry glared at his friend.

"Ron," he warned. "Let's not go there."

Ron held his hands up in front of him.

"Okay, Harry if that's what you want. But hear me out on this. All I'm saying is there must be more to this than… that!"

"I bet," Harry muttered then groaned. "How can I be so stupid thinking I had a chance with her?"

Ron sighed, laying a hand on the other man's shoulder.

"Let's talk to Ginny."

"No!"

"It's going to clear a lot of things."

"It's just going to put your sister on the spot."

Ron didn't answer.

Harry stood up.

"I'll deal with this myself."

Ron caught his best friend's arm, and looked him straight in the eye.

"No blood, or Unforgivables."

"Just a few broken bones."

"Harry…"

Harry broke free from Ron's grasp.

"Come on, give me enough credit."

"Just think first," Ron warned. "Think before you do anything you'd regret later on."

The two friends regarded each other cautiously before Harry reluctantly nodded and went.

Artie heard his Uncle Harry disapparate. He waited for a full five minutes, before knocking on the door.

"Dad?"

"Yeah."

Artie strode in.

"Can I go to Flourish and Botts for a while, I heard they have a new shipment of books. Please?"

Ron glanced at the clock and sighed. It was only nine in the morning.

"Okay," he said. "Just stay there until I pick you up for lunch."

"Yes!"

"No talking to strangers. You know the drill."

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, scamper. Your Uncle Harry has turned into a lovesick puppy, and I still have a lot of things to do."

Artie just chuckled.

"Bye Dad!"

Ron shook his head and returned to the paperwork he was trying to accomplish, without any success. He swore to God, he didn't know so much could happen in two days.

"Harry, you plonker," he sighed. He stood up from his desk and walked towards the fireplace.

In a while, Ginny's face appeared on the flames.

"Hey there Weasley King," Ginny cheerfully greeted him.

"We need back up," he simply said.

*****

"So do you have anything to do tonight?"

Draco flashed a grin at the girl on the reception desk of the Ministry. Hermione might not like him enough to go into a more romantic relationship with him, but it didn't mean that he couldn't explore other possibilities. Besides, Wendy Poppy sure looked fit. It was obvious that the girl had tendencies of being a Pansy Parkinson, but that was how he wanted things to be anyway, for the meantime, while he bravely mended his broken heart.

"Are you hitting on me, Mr. Malfoy?" The girl giggled flirtatiously.

"Maybe," Draco teased with a wink.

"Excuse me, Mr. Draco Malfoy?" one of the security personnel interrupted. "There is someone to see you, sir."

"Hmm?"

"He's waiting in the lobby."

Draco thanked the man.

"Well, Ms. Poppy. Catch you later."

The sound of giggles faded as Draco walked towards the lobby. The personnel motioned to one of the seats. Draco fixed his robes.

"Yes, I'm Draco Malfoy…"

"What's up," said a very familiar voice. "Uncle Draco!"

****

"Your kid Malfoy?"

"I didn't know you had one…"

"Do the girls know about this?"

"So with whom did you have him?"

Draco heaved out a very exasperated sigh and refrained from answering. He had been barraged with inquisitions from the lobby and based on experience; one question answered would mean hundreds more asked. Even Poppy, the receptionist, had given him a look. Unfortunately for him, Weasley's kid didn't contradict the accusations and looked as if he was even enjoying himself. Draco quickly ushered Artie in his office, glad that Hermione wasn't in yet.

"Does your Dad even know you're here?"

Artie grinned.

"Not really."

"Merlin Artie," Draco dragged a hand through his hair. "You're going to get me into trouble."

"Well, I'm supposed to be at Flourish and Botts," Artie said with a shrug. "But I have two and a half hours to get there yet."

"Coffee?"

Artie shook his head.

"Are you sure it's me and not Hermione you wanted to see?"

"Yeah."

"So what brings you here then?"

"You know you look like someone," the boy said as he eyed the man thoughtfully. "I just don't know who…"

"I'm not going to play games with you Artie. I've been there and I didn't like it."

Artie merely sighed.

"If I'm going to ask you a question, would you promise to answer as honestly as you can?"

"Sure," Draco answered, leaning against his desk, coffee mug in hand. "Fire away!"

"Are you and Aunt Hermione together, like boyfriend-girlfriend together?"

Draco almost spat his coffee on the kid. He forced himself to swallow instead.

"What the…"

Artie cleared his throat.

"What kind of question is that?"

"A serious one."

Draco eyed the kid and decided he was serious.

"Of course not."

Artie eyed the man and decided he was telling the truth.

"Okay, thanks Uncle Draco."

Artie popped up from the seat and proceeded to walk out when Draco held out an arm and stopped him.

"Wait a minute… what's that about?"

"Uhh…"

"Don't consider lying kid, or your Dad will soon have your arse."

Artie scowled.

"You're a meanie!"

Draco smirked.

"Try me."

Artie's shoulders slumped and trudged back to his seat.

"Uncle Harry heard Aunt Hermione spoke to Aunt Ginny on the telephone. He said that she said that she's in love with you."

"What? Who's in love with me?"

Draco sat beside Artie.

"Aunt Hermione."

Draco laughed.

"For a second there, I thought it was Red."

Artie wrinkled his nose.

"Now why would Aunt Ginny like you? No offence, Uncle Draco but she prefers dark blokes."

Draco looked at the kid weirdly. Artie ignored this and continued.

"I heard when Uncle Harry had another talk with Dad just an hour ago."

"I didn't know eavesdropping was hot this season… anyway… that's impossible."

"Do you know something about it then?"

"I don't even know why I am discussing Hermione's love life with you," Draco smiled wryly. "But you're a smart one. First things first, this will not go beyond this room."

Artie nodded.

"Next, you're too precocious for your own good so try not to botch things up for your godparents."

"Hey! It's not my fault if they are that slow."

"I know kid…" Draco said with an exasperated sigh. "It's sad… But you have yet to agree to the second rule."

"Yeah…" Artie rolled his eyes. "Okay, Uncle Draco."

Draco drank from his mug.

"Your Aunt Hermione went to me last night because she was too distressed in finding out she's in love with your Uncle Harry."

"That's wicked!" Artie exclaimed excitedly. "So that means Uncle Harry was daft enough to get meaning from just one side of a conversation?"

"Does your Uncle Harry know you call him bad things behind his back?"

Artie grinned.

"No, but he deserves it."

"A kid after my own heart… wait… What's Harry going to do now?"

Artie shrugged.

"I don't know, but he sure is massively furious."

"Oh boy…" Draco winced. "This means he's going after me. Sometimes I'd just like to lock those two up in a room set with anti-disapparating charm…"

…

"Uncle Draco…"

"Artie Weasley…"

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"No, are you thinking what I am thinking?"

Draco stood up.

"Come on, let's discuss this brilliant plan somewhere."

"Somewhere with ice cream, preferably."

Draco nodded.

"Let's owl your Dad first."

"Oh, come on Uncle Draco."

"Lest he charges me with kidnapping."

Artie shrugged and watched his Aunt's partner scribble something on paper, which Draco attached to the leg of the magnificent owl Artie saw last night.

"So are you ready kid?"

"Yeah!"

"By the way Uncle Draco."

"What?"

"I now know who you look like."

"Who?"

Artie whispered to him.

"What?!"

*****

"Potter!"

"Yeah?"

"You've got a visitor."

Harry shrugged into a clean sweatshirt as he heard his teammates' whistles echo in the locker room. He had just put his glasses on when the click of ice-pick heels stopped right behind his locker door.

"Hi Harry."

Harry slammed his locker shot and put on a rather frosty smile.

"What brings you here?"

*****

"Uncle Draco, this is not good," Artie said as he stopped in his tracks just as they were about to turn around the corner.

"You can say that again, sport."

Draco pulled Artie against the wall as they watched Harry and Bianca enter the shop.

"What is Bianca doing here, and with Uncle Harry?"

"Beats me mate…"

"Draco Malfoy… Artie Weasley… What are you two doing here?"

The dynamic duo froze at the sound of the voice. Artie turned slowly.

"Hello," he gulped. "Aunt Hermione…"

"Does your Dad know your whereabouts?" Hermione admonished with her arms across her chest. It didn't bother that Artie and Draco looked really uncomfortable with them in the middle of a public sidewalk. It only went to show how formidable Hermione could be.

"Yeah," Artie squirmed under his Aunt Hermione's gaze. "Uncle Draco owled him."

"And why would he do that?" Hermione said, turning to Draco.

"Hermione, give the kid a break…"

"Draco," Hermione said. "Why is Artie here?"

"Because he wanted to ask me something," Draco said nonchalantly.

"About what?" she demanded.

"About the purple-rimmed-horned dragon," Artie answered, improvised. He ignored the 'What are you doing' look on Draco's face.

"Then why didn't you just owl him?" Hermione asked the kid.

"Dad sent Pig Jr. out and hadn't returned yet so I decided to go ask him myself."

"Is this true, Draco?"

Draco had to swallow hard.

"Of course."

"I have a feeling something's up…" Hermione said, sounding unconvinced.

"What do you mean?" Draco placated his partner. To Artie he asked, "Is there anything up?"

"No," the boy shook his head vigorously. "Nothing… nothing's up."

"Well," Hermione said, shoving the issue aside for the moment. "Since we're here, why don't we get some ice cream after which, you young man must go back to your Dad's shop."

She then started to walk towards the ice cream parlor.

"No!" Both man and boy shouted.

Hermione stopped, and turned. She looked at the horrified look on the two's faces.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"Ahem…" Draco cleared his throat and coughed. "I have a sore throat."

"Yeah, Aunt Hermione," Artie added. "I read somewhere about cold stuff and sore throat don't go well together. No… Ice cream? I don't think so."

"Wait, what's gotten into both of you?"

The sound of a familiar shrill voice interrupted them.

"That is so funny Harry!"

"Hey, Hermione," Draco ran in front of Hermione, trying to block her view. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Wait…" Hermione tried to look over Draco's shoulders. "Isn't that…"

"Aunt Hermione can we just get a butterbeer or something?" Artie said, tugging her away from the direction of the ice cream parlor.

"Shut up the two of you!"

Hermione ordered, and pushed Draco away. Her heart stopped as she saw something that she didn't expect - a few feet away from them, just in front of the ice cream parlor, was Harry with his supposedly ex-fiancée Bianca. And they were kissing.

"Harry?"

*****

"So I'll see you tonight?" Bianca purred, touching Harry's arm.

"Of course," Harry said, trying to unlatch the woman's claws from him.

Bianca laughed.

"Bye Harry," she said, smiling slyly. "For now!"

With that, she kissed him fully on the lips.

"Ta-ta!"

"Harry?"

Harry turned around upon hearing a familiar voice. His eyes widened with surprise. Not only were Draco Malfoy and Artie Weasley were there, but also…

"Hermione…"

Draco and Artie stepped back as Hermione went off in a violent 'poof.'

"I guess the plan doesn't go into action now, huh?" Artie asked the older man.

Draco sighed and nodded.

"I'll look for Hermione," he said. "Take Harry."

Artie saluted and ran towards his godfather who was still a bit dazed.

"Uncle Harry," Artie tugged at the sleeve of his shirt. "Are you okay?"

Harry looked down and nodded.

"I screwed up again huh?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Artie nodded sadly.

Harry slumped down on the sidewalk and buried his head in his arms. Artie followed suit and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" he asked the kid.

"If it's any consolation," Artie said. "I'm on your side."

Harry rumpled Artie's hair as he laughed hollowly and thought that he needed all the help he could get.

Chapter 10: Cornflake Girl

Draco paced the lobby as he used his magic-generated cellular phone.

"I know it has been all day!" he hissed. "No, you'd better tell Romeo not to go here. She's… yes, blistering… exactly! That's the word. Weasley? Hello? Potter… calm down! No, I wouldn't advise that… I don't care if you damn faced Voldemort all by your friggin' lonesome. I myself would rather go against his incarnate than Hermione at this moment… Look, listen to Weasley. Go home, try to find a way to atone yourself… Now give it back to Weasley… Weasley? Thank Merlin! Okay, I'll try my best to talk to her. You do your part. KEEP POTTER AT BAY! Yes…yes… I'll keep you posted. Okay, I hope this works."

"Well," Draco exhaled, putting his phone inside his shirt pocket. "Here goes nothing!"

"Get out, Malfoy," Hermione ordered in a frighteningly calm voice.

Draco suppressed the urge to shiver as he stepped inside the office.

"Okay," he persisted, taking in the piles of paper on Hermione's 'out' tray, and dozens more on the 'in' tray. "I know you're upset, but isn't this a tad too much?"

"I am not upset," Hermione answered, tightlipped without looking up from her work.

"Oh really," Draco sniggered, deciding to be very brave. "Then how do you explain this?"

"What?" Hermione said defensively, her magic pen writing on a scroll as she filed in reports. "As you can see I'm busy working."

"At a very rapid pace," Draco retorted as he cleared a tiny space on Hermione's table, and with disregard to his partner's finer feelings, he settled his bum on it. "Which you usually do when you're in a mood."

Hermione looked up this time, and with a glare said, "Malfoy, if you're not going to help me with paperwork then might as well get out of here."

Draco put a hand on his chest.

"Come on Hermione this is my office too."

"Then act as if it is," Hermione muttered, resuming her work.

"Hey," Draco took hold of her pen and commanded it to stop. "You do know that you're overreacting."

She stopped working altogether and pushed her swivel chair away, tiredly.

"I am not overreacting."

"All right… jumping into conclusions then," Draco offered. "What was the first rule Moody drilled in our heads? NEVER ASSUME."

Hermione snorted. Her eyes were closed as she rubbed at her aching forehead.

"I did not assume," she said, opening one eye. "Second rule - the evidence tells the truth."

"What evidence are you talking about?" Draco asked.

"Oh," Hermione exclaimed, suddenly standing up evading the question. "This conversation is not going anywhere."

"But are you sure that's what you really saw?" Draco persisted.

"Leave it, Draco."

"I mean," he went on. "You should consider all the angles."

"I said leave it."

"Fine," Draco mock-sighed, getting off the table and proceeded to walk towards his table but stopped and turned around. "Can I ask you one other thing though?"

Hermione counted one to ten. She just wanted to shut Draco up, but she needed the distraction. She was hurting, and she was overworking.

"I'm warning you," she said. "If this is…"

"No," Draco interrupted. "This is a harmless, honest-to-goodness safe question."

And to prove it, he crossed his fingers over his heart.

"Alright," Hermione gave in. "What is it?"

"Do you think I look like Eminem?"

Hermione looked at him incredulously.

"What?" she blurted out, coming out of her initial shock.

"You know," Draco said matter-of-factly. "Eminem… Marhsall Mathers… Slim Shady… Eminem? Artie said I look like him."

Hermione stared at him and saw that he was serious.

"Who's Eminem?"

"Wait," Draco gasped. "You don't know Eminem?"

"Should I know him?"

"I don't believe this!" Draco exclaimed and walked over to where Hermione was. He placed his hands on her arms. "You're a muggle and you don't know him?"

Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She decided to step back and get behind her desk once again.

"Your knowledge of muggles has become pretty impressive Draco," she said. "But seriously, I'm tired of this conversation."

"Okay," Draco said a little too happily, which was a dead-give-away to what he was getting at. "This obviously isn't working. You know what, you should talk to HIM."

"Will you just get out Draco!" Hermione shouted.

Draco was about to say something when a hesitant knock at the door interrupted him.

"Excuse me," Sara, one of the junior Aurors poked her head in. "I'm sorry but there's a Bianca Thompson to see you Miss Granger."

"Well," Draco said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving now."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and to the girl said, "Thanks Sara, send her in."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Draco cautioned.

"Just shut it Draco, for once!" she barked.

"Well," Draco started. "I won't be offended by that one. Okay, okay… I'm sorry. I'll just sit here and…"

"No," Hermione said firmly. "You're not staying."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked skeptically. "What if…"

For the first time since that morning, Hermione smiled.

"Oh no," she said. "Nothing's going to happen to me."

"It's not you I'm worried about," Draco grumbled. "It's her!"

"Well," Hermione shrugged, and walked towards the door. She opened it wide, and showed Draco his way out. "Thank you for your concern then."

"But…"

"And Draco, I haven't forgotten the fact that you weren't going to tell me about Harry and Bianca," she said. "We'll talk about that some other time."

Draco hesitantly walked out, knowing he had lost to Hermione.

"I'm being dismissed by my own partner… in our own office," he mumbled. "I can't believe she doesn't know Eminem!"

But the truth was Hermione was nervous. In just a couple of minutes, she was able to fix her desk, rearrange her robes, and smoothed her hair.

"It's only the witch," she said to compose herself, but found the statement to be on the ridiculous side, so she chuckled. And that was how Bianca found her.

"Hello, Hermione," the tall, voluptuous woman drawled.

Hermione was vexed at the malicious glint in the other woman's eyes as she was caught in another stupid moment. All the psyching up she did went down the drain as she suddenly felt ugly and inept.

"Hello, Bianca," she said, standing up. She may be not as beautiful as Bianca, but she had manners.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted you," she said with a false sweetness in her voice, raising her brow over the pile of papers on Hermione's desk.

"Not at all," Hermione said just as sweetly, lying through her teeth. "It's alright. Would you care to sit down?"

"Why thank you," Bianca laughed her perfect laugh. She sat down, crossing her perfect legs. "But I'm not staying long."

"Honestly," Hermione said frankly. "I don't know why you're here. Shouldn't it be Harry you should be seeing?"

Oh yes, she could be bitchy too.

"We already saw each other earlier," she said leaning back, her designer blouse stretching over perfect breasts.

Hermione shifted in her seat, chin pointing haughtily upwards.

"Really?"

"We had to meet with the solicitors tonight," Bianca answered. "We bought some property together, which by the way is the reason why I'm here. Could you tell Harry darling that the solicitors couldn't come, so I'm postponing the meeting for Wednesday instead?

"What?"

Bianca sighed.

"My new boyfriend works here," she explained patiently, as if she was talking to a small child. "And since I went to visit him, I thought I'd just drop by. I'm allergic to owls you see, and since Harry's staying at your place, I thought you could just tell him."

"You're asking me to become messenger?"

"Why not?"

"Wait," Hermione shook her head and looked at Bianca askance. "So you're not back together?"

Bianca laughed once more, but this time there was true humor in it.

"Harry and I?" she retorted, as if the idea was entirely stupid even to think of. "Of course not! Oh you foolish girl. Why would I want him back? I've never even had him!"

"What do you mean?" Hermione was at a complete loss.

"You honestly do not know?" the other woman inquired.

"Why would I ask?" Hermione volleyed back.

Bianca looked at her oddly.

"Fair enough," she said with a shrug then added straightforwardly, "I've never had him because he had you all the while."

"This is a joke right?"

"Darling," Bianca said huskily. "Do you honestly think I'm the type of woman who jokes around?"

Hermione merely shook her head.

"The reason why I broke things off with Harry was the fact that the engagement was a farce," Bianca said, looking at her pointedly. "I was the fiancé and to whom does he go to first if he needed anything besides sex? His best friend."

"But surely…"

"Oh, I do admit I never loved him," Bianca interrupted. "But it didn't mean I couldn't get jealous."

Hermione found all of it hard to believe.

"You were jealous of me?"

A corner of Bianca's lip tilted.

"I do not mean to offend you," she said in a bored manner. "I know that you're the smartest witch of this age. But I find it amusing how you cannot pick up on this."

Hermione merely stared at her.

"Unless… are you in love with Harry?"

Hermione laughed this time, then stopped midway- lest Bianca would think she was really a nut ball.

"You know what," she said calmly. "Why don't we discuss this over dinner?"

Bianca smiled knowingly.

"I take that as a yes," Harry Potter's ex-fiancé said. "And sure, I would love too."

"What?" Ron shouted through the speaker, as how he would usually use the phone. "Why did you leave her?"

"I had to," came Draco Malfoy's voice. "She locked me out of the office and Moody had also sent for me."

"So where is she?" he asked, closing the door so that Harry couldn't hear him. Judging by the events that had just happened, one-sided phone conversations and Harry Potter do not gel well together.

"Don't worry I had her tracked down," Draco replied tiredly. "She is having dinner with Bianca."

"She is what?"

"I know… Look, I'm on my way to get her. You just keep to your role."

Ron rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right," he said. "As Harry's nanny." He could hear the smirk from the other end of the line.

"So how is he doing?"

Ron smiled.

"Artie is keeping him preoccupied."

"I wonder how. You got one very smart kid there, by the way."

"Of course," the proud Dad smiled. "By the way, Ginny is here, said she's willing to lend a hand."

"Well," Draco replied. "Better if Red is willing to lend both."

"I know," Ron agreed.

"You sure pick your friends well, Weasley."

Ron laughed at that.

"Go on Malfoy, see to Hermione," he said. "Otherwise, this will go on and on and we'll never have peace again in our small part of the universe."

"No offense," Draco said. "But haven't you noticed that your wife is rubbing off on you."

"You're just jealous Malfoy."

"Yeah, yeah… see you at the Potter-Granger residence in an hour then."

"Go, Agent Malfoy."

"Shut it, Weasley."

"Shut it, Malfoy."

And the two anxious men went and proceeded to do their part of their plan.

Meanwhile…

"Another round here pleesh!" Hermione bellowed to the bartender.

Men glanced appreciatively at the two women at the bar- both attractive in her own right. One was a blond bombshell who looked as if she knew about her own allure, while the other was a brunette with fire in her eyes, and was so unaware of her own beauty.

"Yes," Bianca, who by experience, knew how not to get drunk, coherently said. "And he has this really annoying habit of furrowing his forehead when he finds something displeasing."

"Really?" Hermione asked as she gulped her drink. "I find it endearing."

"Well, you're the one who's in love with him. I guess you would," Bianca pointed out.

"Says the girl who couldn't take his claws off Harry Potter's arm," Hermione tried to snort but ended with a hiccup.

"It's all in the past my dear," Bianca replied with a toss of her beautiful head. "Besides, who was the one making cow eyes over her best friend when he's not looking?"

"I be-eg your pardon!" Hermione cried, sitting fully on her seat. "I do not resemble a cow in whatever way. And what you say that I was 'doing cow eyes' is what I prefer calling an appraisal."

"Semantically the same darling," Bianca said.

"Are we drunk?" Hermione asked.

The other woman laughed.

"You are."

"I think it's your ploy," Hermione accused. "I can't believe this… I would never have dreamed that I would be drinking with you or of even talking with you in an amicable social manner."

"I know," Bianca agreed. "We aren't each other's cup of tea, aren't we?"

"That's one way of putting it," Hermione nodded then added, "Anyway Bianca, I'd like to apologize for imagining your death in a thousand ways."

"Just a thousand?" Bianca rejoined. "Oh, don't worry it was mutual. By the way, you should know that I purposely made excuses so Harry couldn't see you."

"I knew it was the case," Hermione shrugged.

"But I'm not sorry," Bianca said. "Our relationship was brief, but the sex was amazing."

Hermione laughed.

"You're just saying that!"

"Actually you should know that Harry…" Bianca leaned in and whispered something to Hermione's ear.

"So…" Hermione said, almost choking on her drink and getting very red all of a sudden. "Well… uhm… I… I don't know what to say anymore."

"How about thanks for the tip?" Bianca said as she slid off the barstool.

"Yes," Hermione drunk and dazed said. "That would be okay. Good luck, and thanks so much for the honesty…and the tip."

"No problem," Bianca smiled. "Thanks for dinner."

Hermione watched as Bianca walked away. What now? She motioned to the bartender.

"Can I have another martini please?"

Chapter 11: Punch-drunk Love

The atmosphere in Hermione's flat was thick with tension as three and a half people waited for her in varying degrees of anxiety.

Ron was in the kitchen busying himself with a tower of sandwiches, not minding the fact that he was consuming his friends' week's worth of food. His reason for his intrusion was it being a payment for all the headaches his best friends were giving him with their latest blunder.

Ginny, who had volunteered to help, was playing nanny to Harry's repentant lover. As an adversary in the field of professional quidditch, she was sadistically enjoying Harry's worry and discomfort, and was willing to add fuel to fire.

And Artie, the precocious one, remained calm and keenly observant. After all, what was he to do? He was only a kid.

"I cannot believe I'm letting you do this to me," grumbled Harry as he stood up for the -nth time to pace.

"I'm sorry dear," Ginny said, feeling anything but. "We believe that this is for the best."

"For whom?" Harry asked sarcastically, stopping a moment.

Ginny merely smiled.

"For everyone," she said calmly. " This is killing us too, don't you know that?"

Artie decided to butt in.

"Better than quidditch huh, Aunt Ginny?" he asked with a grin.

"Absolutely, positively better, Artie-kid," Ginny solemnly answered with a glint in her eyes.

Harry sighed and sat down once more. His hair was dishevelled from being run through by his fingers. He looked as he felt- tired.

"Look Ginny," he said pointedly. "I miss you and everything but you are certainly not one of my most favourite people right now."

Ginny laughed.

"That doesn't mean pooh!" she replied. "You say that to me every time our teams have a game against each other."

Harry removed his glasses, rubbed at his eyes and said, "But this is different."

The female Weasley snorted.

"Oh yes, different, " she rejoined sarcastically. "It is not my fault if you are on the losing side this time."

"Ginny…" Harry warned, placing his glasses back on.

"Oops," she retorted and rolled her eyes. "Not very bright of me to have said that. But really, Harry. You brought this unto yourself."

And for the first time during their repartee, Harry agreed.

"Tell me about it," he said.

"Aunt Ginny," Artie interjected. "Is it true that you had a crush on Uncle Harry when you were my age?"

"Oh yeah," Ginny said in a bored manner. "I was really bonkers over him. But I outgrew it, thank Merlin!"

"Hey," Harry complained. "That doesn't sound like a compliment!"

"Of course it isn't," Ginny said matter-of-factly.

Ron chose the moment to walk in.

"I just got off the phone with the ferret," he reported. "He said they're on their way."

"Oh my God," Harry gulped.

"Nervous?" Ron asked.

"No," Harry said truthfully. "More of scared."

Ron looked at him in the eyes.

"This may be your last chance mate," he said gravely.

Harry nodded.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Draco was trying very hard, not to his amusement but that of the bartender's, to keep a terribly pissed Hermione from sliding down the barstool.

"Draco…" Hermione gasped. "I don't… feel… well…"

"Just hold it for a while," Draco said through gritted teeth.

"Your wife?" the bartender asked, cutting in.

"No," Draco answered with a weak smile while constantly propping Hermione up against the bar. "Fortunately. Thanks for looking out for her."

"Nah," the other man barked out a laugh. "She sure is a change from the many pissed-ass blokes here. Are you flooing her?"

"No…" Hermione said, vehemently shaking her head. "Not the flu… hate colds…"

"Granger he's talking about the floo network," Draco explained tiredly, and to the man added, "Er, we're apparating instead."

"Why didn't you say so?"

"Hermione hooked her arm around Draco's neck, almost causing him to lose balance.

"Why do I keep getting into situations like this?" Draco muttered. "I must have gotten it from my Mother's side of the family. Damn martyrs…"

Swallowing an expletive, he swept her up.

"Am I pissed?" Hermione moaned as Draco carried her to the door. "I think I am."

Draco had to smile wryly.

"Well," he said. "You had a few glasses over your limit."

Hermione sighed, still in Draco's arms.

"It's Bianca's fault," she said, pouting a little. "She should have stopped me. Well, what can you say about Harry's girlfriends? They're all bitches. Am I bitch, Draco?"

"That's pretty debatable," he smirked.

"Hey," Hermione cheerfully said. "You know what… Bianca's not my enemy…"

"Huh?" Draco grunted, stopping to adjust his hold on the squirming girl. "Alright then who is?"

"Put me down first and I'll tell you," she ordered.

"I don't think so, Hermione…"

She then turned on her charm on full blast.

"Please?" she said as she smiled at her friend.

Draco slowly put her down. He thought it was better to humour her, than be the receiving end of a drunken tirade.

"So," he said after putting her down. "Who is it?"

"Harry of course…" Hermione said forlornly. "He broke my heart. Right into two like this…"

"Ow!" Draco cride out loud. "Er Hermione, that's my arm there…"

"Sorry," she said and giggled before adding, "Hey Draco, do you love me?"

"What?"

Hermione toyed with the collar of Draco's shirt.

"Do you love me?" she repeated.

"Yeah," Draco gulped, feeling that he was getting into something he didn't want to get involved with. "Of course I do."

"Okay," Hermione nodded, obviously pleased with his answer. "Do you always like the gifts I give you?"

"Uhmm…" Draco murmured. "Hermione we'd better go."

"Do you?"

"Yes, yes…" Draco muttered, putting his arm around Hermione's waist for support. "Come on... woah! What are you doing Granger?"

Hermione was tugging at his belt.

"I want to know if you're wearing the Sponge Bob boxers I gave you last Christmas…" she answered, giggling.

"Honey," Draco said, finally disentangling her hands from his pants. "They're in the laundry. I just wore them yesterday."

"Oh good…"

And she finally left it at that.

"Thank Merlin!" Draco almost cried out in relief. "Well, got to get you out of here… Potter's gonna have my head on a platter if I don't"

"Wait…" Hermione began to struggle once again. "No… need to be pretty… Harry likes pretty girls."

Draco was almost at the end of his straw.

"Okay, but just a few minutes," he said as he led Hermione in the women's loo.

"Yeah… got to go…" Hermione started but didn't make it far.

"Hermione!"

"Sorry…," she said weakly. "Shame on me… what a waste of dinner!"

"All you had to do was to make sure she gets home!"

Not even in Draco's childhood was he chastised in such a manner. And if it wasn't for the fact that there were other problems to contend with, he was all ready to take on Ron. Draco turned off the faucet of the sink he was dunking his head into.

"She did get home," he hissed, turning his wet head towards the other man.

"Drunk?" Ron asked pointedly, and sighed. "I should have known when you called me to say that you will apparate in the kitchen."

"Look," Draco started. "I did my best…"

"Jeez, you're all acting like kids," Artie said as he walked to the kitchen to get some water. Then he caught sight of his godmother. "Woah, is that Aunt Hermione?"

"Hi there Artie…" came the muffled sound.

"Er hi… Aunt Hermione."

If it wasn't enough, Ginny also chose the time to butt in.

"Weasley King… Wonder Ferret …"

"Would you stop it Red?" Draco snapped at her.

"Fine," Ginny said with a shrug, plopping down on the counter stool before seeing Hermione with her upper body slumped across the island counter. "Hermione? Gads Malfoy, what ever did you do to her?"

"What do you want, Ginny?" Ron asked.

"Pretty-boy there is getting impatient," she replied nodding towards the direction of the hall.

"Just humour him for a while," Draco said dismissively getting a water glass.

Ginny rolled her eyes at that.

"Easy for you to say… oh-oh!"

"What the bloody hell is going on here?"

Four different heads turned towards the voice of the one-and-only Harry Potter.

"Way to go, Red…" Draco said, raising his glass before tossing its contents in.

"Hey," Ginny retorted defensively. "I told you he was getting impatient."

Harry took in the scene warily. Artie was propped on the counter beside the sink with Ron at his side, a sandwich in hand. Draco was leaning against the fridge with his water glass. Ginny was poised and sitting on one of the stools. And then there was an unmistakably human body slumped across the island counter. Was it-

"Hermione?"

"Harry?" said the voice coming from the body.

"You're drunk!" Harry exclaimed, without anything better to say. Hermione straightened up and sat beside Ginny.

"Of course I am, silly!" she said with a foolish grin on her face. "I drank almost a whole bottle of fire whiskey and about three glasses of martini. Too bad, Bianca had to go home…"

"Bianca?" Harry asked incredulously, and to Draco added. "Malfoy, whatever did you do to her?"

"Hey, don't look at me," the other man said, raising his now-empty hands, palms up towards Harry. "I just delivered the goods. Nobody said to bring her back in good condition."

"I'm honestly getting a headache here," Harry said, exhaustion making his voice a little groggy. "Woah… Hermione!"

In a beat, the woman found enough strength to plaster herself to Harry's body, her hands doing a take-two with his belt.

"I wanna see something…" she said teasingly.

"Dad!" Artie shouted as Ron covered his son's eyes with the hand not holding food.

"Not until you're a little older boy," Ron said, still confused if he was finding the scene funny or frustrating.

"She did that to me too," Draco added.

"What?"

It was Harry who turned to jealous-mode.

"I was just checking if Draco was wearing the boxers I gave him," Hermione explained as she tried to keep Harry's hands from guarding his fly.

Draco caught the look Harry was directing at him.

"I didn't let her, I swear!"

"Shut it!" Ginny shouted, taking charge of the situation.

And everybody did.

"Oh Merlin," she started. "This is turning to be such a circus! Can we all please calm down?"

She walked towards Harry and with a slap at his bottom and a wink at Hermione said, "Harry, be a dear and get Hermione to her room. She's all but ready to hit the sack."

Hermione huffed with consternation, and turning to her female friend said, "I beg your pardon Mummy Ginny … I think I can still… whoa!"

Harry caught her at the waist before she could topple over.

Ginny sighed.

"I rest my case," she said with a smile. "Now Harry, please?"

"Come on lover boy, take me to bed!" demanded the woman in Harry's arms. With another squeal from Hermione, Harry lifted her up and started towards her bedroom.

"I sure hope you're getting your money's worth," he shouted over Hermione's head, as he bore her away.

"More than what we've bargained for, actually," Draco smirked.

"Good luck, pal!" Ron said with a nod of his head.

"Sweet dreams Aunt Hermione!" cheered Artie.

"G'night!" Hermione shouted back.

"Ooh… hurry up now!" Ginny bellowed, to which Harry doubled his pace. There was something about Ginny Weasley giving out orders. And Ron voiced this same opinion out as soon as the two star-crossed lovers were out of earshot.

"I swear, Ginny. You're sounding more and more like Mum."

"Quit it," Ginny said, a little distracted because she was watching whether Harry was already inside Hermione's room. Seeing that he was she then ordered, "Draco, do what you're supposed to do. Jeez, and they say that we are the chattier sex."

"You're so pushy Red," Draco retorted as he silently made his way down the hallway, the others following suit. "I'm beginning to like you."

"Ewww!" Ginny cringed. "Stop hitting on me and get on with it."

"I hope this works," Ron said, shaking his head.

"Trust me, Dad it will."

"I hope so too…" Ginny whispered.

"Well," Draco said determinedly rolling up his sleeves. "Let's keep our fingers crossed. Here goes nothing!"

Harry flinched as Hermione's breath tickled his neck. Of course, he didn't want to unceremoniously drop the woman, but if he didn't hurry up soon, he might. He had committed several follies concerning her in the past two days that he didn't want to add another one to the growing items on the list. He almost sighed with relief as he reached the door of Hermione's room. With his back, he nudged the door open and kicked it back to close. He gently laid Hermione on the bed. He looked down at her and thought that she looked uncomfortable in her office robes. Under normal circumstances, he would have remedied that himself but the circumstances weren't normal so he decided to call Ginny for help.

"Wait here, Hermione," he whispered. Hermione merely grunted her disagreement.

Harry walked towards the door and found it locked. He tried the bathroom door and still found it to be locked.

"Don't even bother hollering," Hermione gruffly called out. "Your friends have deserted us."

"What?" Harry exclaimed. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at how the situation was getting crazier by the minute. "What's going on?"

"I think it was Draco, or was it Ron… well, whoever it was who said, 'The only key to this is an anti-disapparating charm,'" Hermione answered with her face against her pillow.

"I can't believe they are doing this to us," Harry said forlornly, still standing. "They're only adding pain to injury."

"What are you griping about then?" Hermione said. "Use magic."

"I don't have my wand," Hermione almost laughed at the hopelessness in Harry's voice as he answered. "And even if I use wandless magic it would take me hours to finally get the appropriate charm. I know. Why don't you do it?"

"Too tired," Hermione said with a sigh, and sat up. "Then let it be Harry. You look knackered yourself. Why don't you just stay here then?"

"Easy for you to say," Harry muttered.

"Come on," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Like I would jump at you." This time she crossed her fingers under the sheets.

Harry looked at Hermione and the bed, and back at Hermione again, his face contorted in doubt and self-preservation. Like a man being led to the lion's den, he walked towards the bed. He tentatively took his shoes off and sat uncomfortably next to Hermione.

Hermione stared at him dumbfounded and finally, with the humour of Harry's almost robotic-movements and the irony of the situation, given the fact that they were snug in each other's arms two nights ago, Hermione gave in and laughed. And she laughed even harder when she saw the chary look in Harry's face. Wiping the tears off her cheeks, yet still chuckling, she climbed off the bed and got a nightshirt from her closet.

"What are you doing?" Harry croaked in alarm.

"I'm changing," Hermione said as she stepped out of her robes and the dress underneath, giving Harry a nice view of Hermione in her underwear.

"I…I… know that," Harry stammered, closing his eyes, though not soon enough. "But…"

"Harry Potter," Hermione said teasingly, pulling the nightshirt down. "Don't tell me you're going shy on me now."

"No, I just don't think it's a good idea," he muttered with a pout.

"What?" Hermione asked as she bounced on top of the bed.

"Nothing," Harry answered. "Are you done?"

Hermione smiled painfully.

"Yup," she said as Harry opened his eyes. "You want to change?"

Harry smiled wryly and shook his head.

If Hermione was dismayed, she didn't show it.

"Well," she said with a shrug. "What are you doing sitting? Might as well sleep too."

"But, Ron…"

"Harry," she explained patiently while plumping up her pillows, and giving one to Harry. "I don't think they'll be staying long after pulling off that stunt."

Harry placed his hands under his head.

"You have great friends Hermione Granger."

"Well, so do you, Harry Potter," she answered, eyes closed. "Good night."

"Good night," Harry muttered. He was tired but he couldn't sleep. He just couldn't help but stare at the face beside him. How could he be such a fool, making a mess out of everything? Hermione had been there almost all of his life, and for the first time he felt pain being beside her. Oh how Voldemort must have been laughing at him right now. He stayed there, just staring for a while that he almost jumped when Hermione's voice suddenly broke into the silence.

"Keep at it," said her muffled voice. "And I'll turn to stone."

"Shit…" Harry let out in surprise.

Hermione opened an eye.

"Thought I was sleeping huh?" she said. "Don't worry, I'm getting there."

"Hermione," he said, relaxing a bit. "You never cease to surprise me."

"Eh?"

"Uhmm…"

Hermione turned on her side to face him.

"Harry, I know you're trying to say something. I maybe a little pissed, but I am still in charge of my better faculties."

Harry inhaled for courage. Might as well be honest now.

"I'm sorry about this morning," he started. "I didn't plan on seeing Bianca…"

"Oh pooh!" Hermione said with a small chuckle. "Bianca told me about the thing with the solicitors. By the way, she wanted me to relay to you that she postponed the meeting to some other time. But then again, it's of no use now right?

"She spoke to you?" Harry faced her, shock replacing his more remorseful mood.

"Of course," she continued. "She's my new drinking buddy! Boy can she hold her drink, unlike me I guess."

"You were with her all this time?"

"Uh-huh" Hermione said with a nod. "You know, I can now see why you fell for her. She's so perfect! I also found out that she has a brain under that big hair… what? What's so funny?"

"No," Harry chuckled. If it didn't beat all! He was worried to death about Hermione's reaction to what she saw early that morning, and there she was confessing she was being buddy-buddy with his ex-fiancée. What was he to do then but laugh at the bizarre turn of events? "No, go on."

"You're enjoying this huh?" Hermione said with mock-disgust. "Well since I'm on the roll here, I'll probably go all the way. Tell me Harry, I know you can supply the answer. Are Bianca's breasts real? Coz they're so…" she continued, making motions with her hands.

"Hermione!"

"Come on," she said, slapping Harry's arm. "Humour drunk old Hermione."

"Uhmm… yeah… they're real," Harry said, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Oh well, I guess they are," she answered with a shrug. "Now Harry James Potter, you have that look on your face that spells indecisiveness."

"I'm debating whether I should rid you of your drunkenness."

"Why?"

"Although I really find you endearing and cute at the moment," he said,

almost back to his former self. "I know that you wouldn't appreciate the hangover I'm sure you are going to have tomorrow. And…"

"And?"

"And I want you sober when I tell you… stuff," he said a little confidently.

"What stuff?"

"Uhmm… I… stuff."

Suddenly Harry felt his confidence slipping away as he saw the seriousness in Hermione's eyes.

"Ah… stuff," he said becoming evasive. "I think I prefer you staying drunk. Goodnight!"

Hermione violently grabbed him up so that they sat on the bed facing each other.

"Oh no, you don't go retreating on me this time Potter," she warned. "Don't start something you don't have the guts to end!"

This time, Harry didn't bother to hide the pain he was feeling. If anything, he was being torn apart with all the different thoughts going on in his head. At least one thing was clear, if everything should have to end, then it should end now.

"Please?" Hermione said, this time there was no mistake in the break in her voice. It was like the time when he was leaving Auror training. Hermione never pleaded. But she pleaded then for him to explain, and she was pleading at him now. He placed a hand on her cheek.

"I think…" he began. "Oh! Hermione, do you love me? I mean, more than as a best friend. What I'm trying to say is… Hell, I want to know if there is a remote chance that…"

Harry's voice broke.

"Hermione… I'm afraid that I have fallen in love with you…"

"Harry…" Hermione started to say something but Harry silenced her by placing a finger on her lips.

"No, don't say anything. It's okay if the feeling isn't mutual, I just wanted it off of my system, and I'm sorry. I know I should have chosen a different way to announce it, but it's killing me the past few days. This morning was the last straw. I…"

Harry couldn't say anything anymore. Hermione had pulled his hand away. She was looking at him with so much love in her eyes. And Harry just sat there, frozen as he watched Hermione placed her lips on his in a sweet, tender kiss. If this was a dream, Harry didn't want to wake up. He drank her in. Her taste, her scent, her whole being… Hermione.

Hermione thought it was perfect, more than any of her vivid dreams could attempt. This was real. This was Harry James Potter, the man she loved, and right now, whom she was kissing.

"Wow," Harry said, as Hermione reluctantly pulled away from him.

"And to think I was the drunk one," Hermione said a little embarrassed but clearly not regretting what she just did. "Oh Harry, we're fools."

"I…I…I…" Harry stuttered.

"I love you, Harry Potter," Hermione said it for him.

"I… I don't know what to say," Harry said, a hand on his mouth. He still couldn't believe what just happened.

Hermione grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"Then shut up and kiss me," she ordered with a mischievous smile on her face, all the hurt and confusion forgotten.

Harry was only glad to oblige.

*****

"I think your brother is having a hard time putting Artie to sleep," Draco said as he nursed a coffee mug in his hand. He was in Ron's living room with Ginny sitting on the rocking chair in front of him, drinking from her own mug.

"I can just imagine," Ginny said. "That kid is a handful, but I love him anyway. Do you know that Ron spoils that kid rotten? I'm glad Luna is coming home tomorrow."

"So," Draco said after a while. "What do you think is going on right now?"

Ginny laughed.

"Can't just let it go huh?"

Draco shrugged and took a sip at his coffee before speaking.

"Well, I don't want to think our efforts are being wasted."

Ginny smiled amicably.

"I'm sure they aren't," she said. "After all, Hermione has the upper hand."

Draco nodded at this.

"To Potter and his future wife then," he said, raising his mug.

"Cheers," Ginny said, raising hers likewise.

"Hey Malfoy," she said after taking a gulp. "Out of curiosity, you aren't jealous, are you?"

Draco winced.

"Maybe a little. But if I had really wanted to go for it, I would have given Potter a run for his money."

Ginny chuckled, knowing that what he said was true.

"What happened with you and Hermione, anyway?"

"Nothing," he replied matter-of-factly. "We went out once. It went all right but it wasn't working that way for her, you know. All she talked about the whole dinner was 'Harry this, Harry that.' I knew then I lost once again to Potter. But it's okay, I didn't lose her completely because she turned out to be an okay best friend- for a muggle."

"Aww…" Ginny teased, placing a hand at her heart. "You're going soft, Malfoy."

"And you still have that sassy mouth of yours Red," Draco teased back.

"Yup," Ginny nodded. "Still intact!"

Draco laughed.

"So, you going to bed?"

"Actually," Ginny said. "I'm a little hungry and knowing Ron and Artie they've eaten everything in the house."

"I'm a little hungry myself," he said. "Do you fancy sharing a meal with me then?"

She felt weird as Draco regarded her funny.

"Fish and chips?" she asked, trying to shrug the feeling off.

"Why not?" Draco said.

Ginny smiled at him.

"Then I'd love to."

*****

"Dad?"

"You're still not asleep?"

"I was thinking. Uncle Draco didn't set the charm did he?"

"No he didn't son, just please try to sleep."

"Dad?"

"Artie…"

I'm just glad Mom's going home tomorrow."

"Me too."

"Dad?"

"Now what?"

"I love you."

"Love you too, son… now sleep!"

****

"Well I guess the next thing in the agenda is a wedding?"

"Of course," Harry agreed, as she lay in Harry's arms, sober and sated. "We got the chronology a little messed- up, huh? I used to think the wedding night comes after the wedding."

"Who says this is the wedding night?" Harry said, biting Hermione's ear lobe softly. "Wait until you have the wedding night!"

"Honestly!" she shrieked. "Think of all the years we've wasted."

Harry delighted in the fact that she was ticklish there.

"Uhmm…" he whispered into her ear. "I'd like to think you were a fast worker. We've only been living together two days and now this. I never knew that playing house with you would be exciting."

"If you did?" Hermione pretended that she didn't know.

"Then I should have proposed to do it a long time ago," he said, surprising Hermione as he got up from the bed and walked towards the door.

"Harry James Potter, where are you going?"

But she really couldn't complain, after all Harry was parading in all his naked glory for her eyes to feast to their content. Oblivious to the fact that Hermione was eyeing him gleefully, Harry put his arms across his chest in a thoughtful manner.

"I still can't figure out how they were able to set an anti-disapparating charm here."

"Honestly, Harry… try this."

Harry turned and gaped at the object Hermione was dangling from her forefinger.

"A key?" he almost bellowed, walking back towards her. "Hermione…"

"Harry, Draco simply locked the door."

Harry grabbed the key from her and threw it somewhere.

"Eep!"

"What do you mean?" Harry said, pinning Hermione on the bed. "But you said…"

"Well," Hermione explained, not at all bothered with the dangerous glint in Harry's eyes. "Your friends were planning to do just that, set an anti-disapparating charm that is. On our way back here, Draco accidentally let the cat out of the bag, so to speak. And I told him his plan wouldn't work because you were too good for that. And so I suggested to him to just lock the door. Because I knew that since we have been so used to wizarding ways that simple muggle situations tend to befuddle us. Of course, there was the chance that the plan might have backfired but it was a chance I was willing to take."

Harry groaned as Hermione's lips found its target. "I think I'd better marry you soon. I don't want a round two of this…merry-go-round thing that happened!"

Hermione giggled.

"Well how about another round of…"

Harry grinned despite himself.

"Uhmm, I like where this is leading to."

"Uh-huh," retorted Hermione. "Besides, I need to prove one other thing."

Harry raised a brow at this.

"What?"

And Hermione whispered it to his ear,

Harry's eyes widened.

"She told you that?"

"So is it true?" Hermione asked back.

Harry wiggled his brows suggestively.

"Why don't you find out for yourself?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe," Harry answered.

"I can never back out of a challenge," Hermione replied.

Harry laughed and groaned as Hermione proceeded to prove just that.

The End