Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: I've been getting many questions lately on Harry's reason for not turning Draco in right away. I thought I had dropped a few hints that answered that, but I guess that's not the case. I did my best to answer most of them without making this a completely filler chapter. In fact, it's my longest chapter to date, totaling over 7,600 words. I hope you like the outcome and continue with the awesome feedback and constructive comments. Thank you also to my beta, Vincent, because he's pretty much the shit, and to Tony and Barton Fink for defending my story to the very end. You guys rock my world.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter of Jessica's Guide. All I have to my name is my writing and my slightly OOC characterizations.

Enjoy!

-

Gravity

"Something always brings me back to you
It never takes too long
No matter what I say or do
I still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone

Set me free, leave me be
I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity
Here I am and I stand so tall
I'm just the way I'm supposed to be
But you're on to me and all over me"
Sara Bareilles (Gravity)

There were so many emotions going through my head it was hard to grasp onto one and hold it.

Date. She was going to go on a date with him. And it didn't help that right after I erupted in a slew of emotional discharge, she looked at me with eyes that could kill. So, naturally, I did the first thing that popped into my head. I ran. Well, sprinted was more like it. But, of course, she followed. Soon after I stopped to take a breather, I heard her footsteps halt behind me.

"You could have at least hidden your displeasure with a scoff or something, Harry."

I turned and saw her with her hands around her chest, looking at me with a disapproving glare. "No I couldn't have. Damn it, Hermione I told you he was bad news. I told you he would make a move and this is how you heed my warning?"

She rolled her eyes. "Until I see proof, I won't believe you."

"I know. But unfortunately, I don't keep pictures of greasy little ferrets in my back pocket. The only way I could prove anything to you is with a pensieve."

"What's a pensieve?"

"A magical device that allows someone to see memories."

"Why don't you pull it out then?"

"I don't have one. The only person I know who owns one and would willingly give it up for my usage is Dumbledore."

"Ask for it then if you're so desperate." She sneered.

"It's a last resort. I know Draco will mess up and throw his mission into shit eventually."

"And how can you be so sure?"

"It's Malfoy. He couldn't complete his Charms coursework, let alone a mission that could rock the very core of his master's inner circle." I said confidently.

"You seem pretty confident." She said, looking me over once. "What if you're wrong?"

"I'm never wrong." I said smoothly.

"Everyone is wrong sometimes." She said resolutely.

"So you could very well be the one who is wrong here." I said with a smug smile.

She shrugged. "Possibly."

"Aha! A crack in the stubborn exterior!"

"It's not a crack, more like a dent." She corrected as if I had just answered a test question wrong. "I figure that anything a guy repeats must have some significance, no matter how absurd."

"So if I repeated that I wanted you to sleep with me?"

"Charming." She said dryly. "It's comments like that that make me question your priorities."

"Oh come off it, Hermione. You know I'm only joking. For now." She raised an eyebrow and I sobered. "I am repeating it for a reason. Draco is a Death Eater sent by his master to besot you."

She sighed. "Okay. It still doesn't change anything. The only thing that has been remotely affected is the dent in my stubborn exterior, though I still don't know why."

I held back screaming "BECAUSE IT'S TRUE!" and instead settled for nodding like a moron. "It's better than nothing, eh?"

"You would think. But it's going to take a lot more than a dent and a little voice in my subconscious to sway me."

"You know, if it were anything else, I would admire that trait in you."

"But?"

"But now it's just bloody annoying and pointless."

She chuckled and removed her hands from around her chest for the first time since our conversation started. I took that as a good sign. Her entire composure seemed to change and I started to relax.

"He asked me to invite you, you know." She said.

"Huh?"

"Drake. He wanted me to invite you to the Halloween Party."

A bitter smile spread across my face. "He would. I bet he even said my name wrong."

"He-wait, how did you know that?"

I tapped the side of my head with my index finger. "I know him better than you think. I spent five and a half years in school with him before he mysteriously came down with the Wizard Flu."

She nodded, though I knew it wasn't in understanding. "So do you want to go?"

"I'll think about it." I said honestly. It wasn't as if I had any plans that day anyway.

She smiled. "Good. It would be nice to get out, yeah?"

"Yeah." I agreed. "Do we actually have to dress up as something?"

"You can but it's not a requirement. I think it's a good opportunity to let loose."

"Oh yeah. Dressing up as a famous icon of horror or literature is a surefire way to get people to know the real you."

"Shut up, it's all in the spirit of the holiday."

I shrugged. "I don't have a taste for it since it's the day my parents died and everything."

Hermione stiffened. "Oh Harry, I completely forgot! I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

I held up a hand. "It's fine. Just because it holds a different meaning to me doesn't mean that I won't celebrate it. At Hogwarts we had an annual Halloween feast with floating pumpkins and everything. I didn't lock myself up in my dormitory and miss out on it, so I'm not going to skip out on a party just because it's on Halloween."

"So you're going?"

"I guess. Only if I can find a date."

"Why would you need a date?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't go to a party without a date or a wingman at the very least. It's, like, the code of parties."

"Oh, I'm sorry that I'm not familiar with your invisible book of social rules." She said in a heavy tone.

"You should be. My, my, you have much to learn."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"You have gorgeous eyes."

"W-what?"

I suddenly realized what I had just said. It came as a sort of shock to me seeing as I had been trying to act professional around her this past month and a half. "Sorry. I just… I said the first thing that popped into my head."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was blushing. "It… it's fine. I'm just not used to being complimented is all."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah. Kat doesn't count and not many guys have paid attention to me long enough to say things like that."

"Well it's their loss." I took a step closer. "You're a great girl, Hermione. I mean it. Even if you are a pain in the ass."

"Well thank you. You're not half bad yourself." She said shyly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a confused best friend anxiously awaiting my return along with an explanation as to why you stormed out of the cafeteria."

"Do you have a believable justification for my actions?" I asked coyly.

She gave me a look. "It doesn't take much to explain a teenage boy running out of a cafeteria after one of his female friends announced her date with another teenage boy. Gods, she is going to have a field day…"

"What are you going to say?" I asked, confused as to what she was going to say. Being a teenage boy also made me incredibly dense to the female mind.

"You're jealous." She answered simply.

"But I'm not."

"I know, but it's the only way that I can get her from suspecting anything. She already thinks you're jealous by the way your act whenever Drake is around anyway."

"That is not jealously, that's cold blooded hate." I said in defense.

"I know, I know, but Kat thinks any guy acting strange around another has to do with the opposite sex. It's just the way her brain is wired."

"Interesting."

"Yeah. Well, stay safe, and I'll see you next period."

"Alright."

With that said, she left. But there was a nagging sensation in my stomach as I watched her depart. Through my rage at her walking off with Draco I noticed that when they parted ways, after he planted that horrid kiss upon her cheek, she waved him goodbye as though she could not wait until their next meeting. I couldn't help but notice that she did no such thing with me and for some unknown reason it irked me. It was one of the many things that she did with Draco and not me, but the first to make me react in a way I could not recall doing before.

I think I'm losing my mind.

But, naturally, I didn't let that bother me for too long and began to slowly walk away to my next class. I could use a few more minutes to add some finishing touches to my coursework. It took me no more than two minutes to reach the room, but when I twisted the knob to let myself in I found it locked. I sighed and cursed my luck as I slid my bag off my shoulder and sat down on a nearby windowsill. It allowed me enough balance that when I pulled out my notebook, I could easily use my knees as an impromptu desk and make a few corrections to the problems.

I was never one to get too enamored with homework, but apparently today was an exception. When I felt a hand on my shoulder I felt as if I was being pulled out of a haze. Thankfully, almost nothing startled me, so when I arrived back to reality, I did so with a smile.

"Hey Kat."

"Hey Harry." She said with a grin. "Mind if I join you?"

"Erm, no. Go on ahead." I said, gesturing to the space beside me.

I knew it was useless to finish my assignment with her so close, so I reached for my bag and dumped my work back into it. I was about to zip it back up when Kat spoke. "So Hermione explained your little episode today at lunch."

I winced in pain as my finger got caught in between the zipper and the fabric of my bag. I held back any sound of pain as I removed it and wiped the little dot of blood that began to leak out of the wound on my jeans. "Oh?"

"I think it's quite cute that you're jealous of her going on a date with Drake."

"Cute?" I said in distaste.

"It's not a bad thing." She reassured, putting a hand on my leg. I looked down at the bold move and she removed it quickly, her cheeks flushing. "I think it's great you two found each other after all these years."

My eyes widened as I feared the worst. "She-she told you?"

"Of course. I am her best friend and all." She said teasingly. "It's a huge coincidence that your uncle chose to send you here, though. I mean, out of all the state schools in the London area you ended up at Livonia."

"My uncle?" I asked.

"Yeah. The uncle who you grew up with after your parents passed."

"Right." I said slowly. "Did she give you my entire life story or just the good bits?"

She giggled. "Just the good bits, I guess. I practically forced that much out of her your second day here."

"Thought I was stealing away your best mate, eh?" I asked coyly.

She shrugged. "It's a given. But you two go way back so I don't want to intrude on that bond."

I nodded. "You're a good friend to her."

"I like to think so. I am the one who kept on pushing her to go for Drake, after all."

"Why would you do that?" I asked hotly.

She seemed surprised at my response. "Well, she really likes him. But, of course, she is too shy to make a move so I helped her along. After realizing you two weren't already sleeping together, of course."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I jumped to conclusions. Hermione already berated me for it so there's no need to deny anything." She said, looking quite put out about the exchange. "It's just like me to assume the worst. Hermione was never one to have sex during school. It would take away from her study time."

"Really?" I asked, not quite surprised, but still a bit taken aback at it being said out loud. "It sounds to me like you want her to be more outgoing."

"I guess." She said. "But I still wouldn't change a thing about her."

"How is it someone like you befriended Hermione?" I asked curiously.

"It's a funny story, really." She said fondly. "We were both seven and our parents had just dropped us off when Hermione tripped on the sidewalk and everything fell out of her bag. I went over to help her pick it up, but a group of older kids got there first and started to kick around her things. She started yelling at them to stop but I knew it wouldn't do any good so I ran over and told them to leave her alone."

"You stopped a group of older kids?" I asked in wonder.

"No. We both were pushed to the ground and got our lunches stolen. But after they left she turned and smiled at me - you know, that Hermione smile - and thanked me for trying to help her. I said it was no problem but she wanted to repay me in some way so I said that if she agreed to be my friend, I would consider us even. We've been inseparable since."

"It's innocent events like those that define true friendship." I said wistfully.

"Wise words. I take it you have a friend like that as well?"

"Yeah, but we weren't talking about me. We were talking about you and Hermione."

"Well there's not much more to say unless I want to break the best friend code and live in guilt for the rest of my life."

"Completely understandable, though I still don't agree with you pushing Hermione and Drake together."

"What is your problem with Drake?" She asked. "I get that you're jealous and everything, but he's really a decent guy."

I bit back the first response that came to mind. I reminded myself that I was talking to a Muggle, and Hermione's best friend at that. "He just seems off to me."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever floats your boat."

I nodded and the two of us fell into an uncomfortable silence. I wanted to say something, but realized that there was nothing left for the two of us to talk about. I had never had an extended conversation with Kat before and now was definitely not the time to start. The only thing I needed to worry about was a date for the Halloween party. Without one I would have no chance of knowing what kinds of tricks that Draco was going to use on Hermione and would have a horrible time at a party which was never a good thing. It was then that an idea struck me.

"You're going to the Halloween party, right?" I asked.

"Of course. I just need to find a date first. I can't go to a party and show up single. Especially since Hermione has already gone off and got one."

I smirked. "Perfect. How would you like to go with me?"

"What? Are... are you serious?" She asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you fancy Hermione, don't you?"

"N-" I started, but then I remembered that I had to go along with what Hermione had told her. "I mean, I need to get over her somehow. She doesn't fancy me back anyway so why not move on quickly before growing attached?"

"But I'm her best friend. It just doesn't seem right."

"Do you want to be dateless to the party or not?"

"Harry, I can get another date. I'm not afraid to ask out the opposite sex like some people." She said as though she were talking to a five-year old.

I admit that I admired her approach. Not many girls could say something like that without giggling. But nevertheless, it was time to turn on the charm. "But I can't find another girl like you."

She smiled. "You're just saying that to get me to say yes."

"Is it working?"

She bit her lip. "A little. Keep going."

I smirked in triumph and pulled out a few old cards to add to the table. "I would really enjoy your company there. I need to get out and I can't think of anyone else to show me a good time."

A thoughtful look passed over her features. I looked at her expectantly as she contemplated her answer. She met my eyes with hers and smiled softly. "Sure. I'd love to go with you. But on one condition."

"What?"

"We're dressing up."

I plastered a smile on my face, even though my mind lurched in disapproval. "Of course."

The bell rang and students began to file into the hallway.

"Great. I'll talk to you later when I find some costumes." She said while grabbing her bag and standing up.

I stood up with her. "I'll be waiting."

Then, she did something I didn't expect. Leaning up on her toes, she placed her lips on mine in a soft kiss. It only lasted a moment, but it was enough to put a silly smile on my face. She turned around to leave after that and I couldn't help but sneak a look at her very nice behind as she bounced up and down.

"So what was that about?"

I turned and saw Hermione looking at me with an unreadable expression. She must have just arrived from lunch. I gave her a dazzling smile before replying. "I just asked Kat to go to the party with me."

"Oh." She said, nodding her head a bit. Before I could read the tone of her voice, she continued. "So you'll be going together, then?"

"That's generally the outcome of asking someone out." I replied with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's your date. I'll be with Drake the whole time anyway."

I thought her response cooler than I had grown accustomed to, but I ignored it and spoke shortly. "Right. Well, we should be getting to class, don't you think?"

She nodded. "After you."

Right before I turned to enter the room, I could have sworn I saw Hermione's strong composure fall a fraction. But surely it was just a trick of the eye. She was in an odd mood to begin with, so I didn't want to worry about the small things. I had a date with Kat to ponder over, not Hermione's ever changing moods.

Unfortunately, Kat wasn't the one I spent the entire class thinking about.

~*~

One week and two days later…

"I cannot believe I am doing this." I mumbled as I finished straightening my tie.

It wasn't as if it was a real date anyway, more like an outing to make sure Drake didn't make much progress with Hermione. And before you say anything, no it was not out of jealousy. It was my duty; what I was here for.

As a child growing up in the Wizarding world, I wasn't too familiar with the dressing up some Muggles did on Halloween. So when Kat insisted that we do just that for the party, I hesitantly agreed to be safe. A few days after, she approached me with a bag filled with clothes and said that we, Draco and Hermione included, would be going as a flapper group. Now, I had no idea what that meant, but I just smiled and nodded, taking the bag from her and peaking inside while she wasn't looking.

I ended up wearing a black and white pinstripe suit with matching hat. Though I still don't know what exactly I am going as, I'm going along with it on the prospect that I will figure it out when I see her half of the ensemble. If I still don't get it by then, I'll just subtly ask Hermione. There's no harm in that. At the moment, she and Kat were getting ready for the party in her room. They promised not to be long so as soon as I was finished putting together the outfit Kat had picked out for me, I headed out of my loft and into the main house to wait for them.

As soon as I entered the house, I could tell something was off. Sure enough, when I entered the foyer, I saw an unpleasant figure dressed in similar attire to mine, though his was reversed so that the smaller stripes were black and the majority was white. He must have heard my footsteps for he turned around and smirked.

"Hello, Potter."

"Malfoy."

"My don't you look dashing. Looks like Kat really went all out for this flapper theme. You look like you just stepped out of a bad porno."

I gritted my teeth, half because his insult was truly tasteless, and the other because he knew what the hell we were going as. "Likewise. The flower on your pocket really accents your feminine side, well done."

He sneered. "At least I can pull it off."

I snorted, knowing full well that he felt ridiculous. "Come off it, Malfoy. You hate being confined in Muggle clothes. Why don't you just go home to your silk robes and doting house elves where you belong? We both know that you won't pull this mission off without something going wrong. So please, save yourself from humiliation and turn back before I expose you for what you really are."

"Nice try, Potter, but you're wrong. I've got Hermione in my hands and there isn't a thing you can do about it. If you wanted to turn me in, you'd have done so by now. Obviously there is something, or someone, holding you back."

"What are you on about, ferret?"

"Oh fess up. You don't want to turn me in because you're afraid you'll break poor Hermione's heart."

"That's ridiculous!" I defended.

"Is it?" He asked smugly. "The moment she refused to believe you, you could have easily turned me in with a pensieve or photograph, but instead you choose not to. Is it because you do not have the resources? No, of course not. I suspect you've already alerted home base of my presence here. So why would you not get rid of me? I'm obviously the reason you're here. You know all about my plan and can get rid of me with one floo call. There is only one explanation. You're trying to do the admirable thing and let Hermione find out for herself so that you are not to blame for her unhappiness."

"You're insane. The reason for me not turning you in is of my own benefit, not Hermione's."

"So you don't care for her at all?"

"Of course I do." I said quickly. "She is my fiancée after all."

He briefly raised an eyebrow, a classic Malfoy move. "Touché, Potter."

"I was always the victor in our early disputes, after all. Then again, you always hid behind Crabbe and Goyle before I could really say anything too offensive."

"Clever, Potter. Did you come up with that yourself, or did your pet Weasels send you a how-to manual?"

"Shove it, Malfoy, before I get annoyed."

"Oh I'm so scared. What are you going to do? Pull out your wand in front of Hermione and hex me into oblivion? I don't think she'll react too well to her date being unconscious on the floor."

"You had better not try anything funny, Malfoy. I'll be watching your every move. I'm not afraid to send a jelly-legs jinx or two at you on the dance floor."

His lip curled. "You can try."

"I w-" I stopped mid-breath when I heard footsteps descending the stairs. Both Draco and I straightened our composures as our dates came into focus.

Kat came down first. She was wearing what appeared to be a dress of some sort. It was mid-thigh in length and seemed to be made out of a thin black fabric and layered with fringe that bounced and swayed when she moved, also emitting a light sound every few steps. A long pearl necklace was around her neck and tied in a large knot around her midsection. Her hair was styled in large curls that made her hair seem much shorter and atop it was a gold sequin headband with a bundle of black feathers attached on the side. The outfit was complete with black fishnet tights covering her creamy legs and high fuck-me heels that lifted her an extra three inches off the ground.

She smiled brightly as she caught my eye and I returned it with similar enthusiasm. She looked a picture in that outfit and I couldn't help but appreciate the wonders her shoes were doing for her legs. Only when I absorbed her outfit as a whole did I begin to recognize what the term "flapper" meant.

When Kat reached me on the floor, I greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "You look great."

"Thank you." She responded. "You look very dashing yourself."

"Well I tr-" I was interrupted mid-sentence once more by the sound of footsteps on the staircase. I turned away from Kat to see Hermione descending the staircase with a shy look on her face.

Her outfit was identical to Kat's except for her dress, which was a pearl white color, and her shoes, black flats that made barely a sound on the wood. But even though her outfit wasn't as black and alluring as Kat's, her appearance was more than enough to make my jaw drop. She looked like an angel; an angel that I couldn't take my eyes off of. Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment by the time she reached the bottom step.

I was speechless, though I wanted to say so many things.

"You look gorgeous." Draco said, taking her hand and kissing it chastely.

I held back my gag reflex at the gesture and tried my best to maintain a cool appearance. I wanted to be the one to touch and compliment her, not the slime ball she was blushing for.

Wait, what?

"I think we should head out before my parents arrive with the camera." Hermione said jokingly.

"Too late." A voice came from the living room.

Hermione's expression turned to one of annoyance as she turned to face an ecstatic looking Jane, holding a camera with her hands. Edward was behind her with a similar expression, but maintaining an unruffled air about him.

"Mum." Hermione groaned.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but this is your first date. And you all look so adorable in your little costumes." She cooed.

"I don't mind." Kat said breezily.

"Kat…" Hermione said warningly.

"It'll only take a moment." Jane said.

"But-"

"It's fine, Hermione. Your mother means well." Draco chirped.

My jaw locked as I saw Hermione begin to give into their pleas. The only two who hadn't said anything about the situation were myself and Edward. I looked back over to him to see his eyes focused Hermione, then shifting to Draco, whose arm was sliding around her waist. His expression clouded and swiftly, his eyes made contact with me quickly before going back to Hermione and Draco once more. It looked as though he was just realizing that Draco was Hermione's date. Before I could analyze any further, I was being pulled into a group shot with the others.

Thankfully, Draco and I were not positioned together. The people I was standing between were Kat and Hermione, Kat being on my left, and Hermione my right. I put my arm around Kat's waist when Jane announced to be ready, but for some reason, my eyes were drawn to Hermione just before I saw a flash in front of me. I turned to see the camera positioned atop Jane's eye.

"Harry, come on, look at the camera." She said teasingly.

"Sorry."

She pressed the button once more with my attention now drawn to her. The flash burned my eyes for a moment, but after blinking a few times, the afterglow was gone. We all dissembled from our pose together and Hermione pulled her mother aside and began to speak in hushed tones. I smiled at the exchange, but forced myself to look away.

"I swear, Hermione gets so weird whenever attention is paid to her." Kat said whilst shaking her head.

"Pardon?"

"You know, whenever anyone wants to take her picture or compliment her, she gets all defensive and tries to become invisible. If she just embraced it once and a while, she could really go places."

I briefly looked back over at her. "But then she wouldn't be Hermione." I added softly.

Kat gave me a look, but then smiled softly. "I suppose you're right."

Hermione returned from her chat with Jane and announced that it was time to leave. We all followed her outside and climbed into her car. She had volunteered to drive there and back since everyone agreed to meet at her house. I was forced into the back after an almost unnoticeable shove from Malfoy when I made a move for the passenger seat. I felt bittersweet as I settled for the back with Kat. Seeing Malfoy in my seat up front made me want to punch something, but having full opportunity to sneak glances at Hermione without her noticing was a nice boon.

The silent ride allowed me time to contemplate Malfoy's words before about my intentions for not turning him in. Sure, I cared for Hermione, but she wasn't the reason I was refraining from getting rid of him right away. It was so I could prove to myself that I could do it without assistance. It was because of my pride and nothing else. Hermione's benefit was just an added bonus.

Right?

No. No second guessing. My intentions are entirely my own so that I can complete this mission knowing I did it without assistance. I was to train Hermione, get rid of Draco Malfoy, and survive my mail-order seventh year. After that, I could return home and get back to my normal life with Ron and Ginny, the Order, Sirius, and the task I was born to complete - defeating Voldemort. Hermione was nowhere in my thoughts. Not even right now as I stared at the back of her head.

Stop it, Potter, you're entering dangerous territory. A warning voice said in the back of my head. You're here with Kat.

Yes, but the whole reason you invited her was so you could show up and spy on Hermione and Draco. Another voice chirped in, this one sneakier and inviting.

It is not spying, it's protecting. Hermione is still weak and Draco could take full advantage of that at any time.

You're just trying to make up excuses so you don't have to admit you care for Hermione.

Well, of course I care for her. She's my friend.

She's also your fiancée and she's here with another bloke.

That has nothing to do with it! Just because we're bonded doesn't mean I have any sort of claim on her.

Yes, it does. You are a part of her, even if neither of you realize it.

That's absurd. I know nothing of bonds, but what little I do know tells me that they can easily be lifted and transferred. They're flimsy and therefore mean little.

They are only as strong as the bonded make them.

Hermione is my friend.

And you're fiancée.

I had never realized you could give yourself a headache by thinking too much. I made a mental note to never have internal debates ever again because by the time we reached the party, my head was pounding. I exited the car with a hand on my head, trying to bear the pain. If only I was back at my loft so I could brew a potion or something to get rid of it. Silly me, I didn't know any first-aid charms.

"Are you alright?" I heard a soft voice ask from beside me.

I lifted my head to see Hermione looking at me worriedly. "I'm fine." I lied, removing my hand. "Just a bit dizzy from the car ride. Even after all the rides to school and back I'm still not used to the dragon."

She chuckled. "Is that your new name for my car, The Dragon?"

"The Dragon?" I repeated thoughtfully. "I like it."

She smiled and started to back up toward Draco. "I hope you enjoy the party Harry."

"You too." I said quietly. I wasn't sure if she heard me, but I chose to believe she did.

I walked over to Kat and let her lead me into the large house. It was even bigger than the Granger's, which was saying something. It was made entirely out of stone and stood three stories tall with windows so intricate I thought the belonged at a castle rather than a home. In fact, the whole place looked like a castle. It was no Hogwarts, but it was still quite overwhelming. As we entered, I heard a loud song playing around me. Their foyer was three times the size as the one we had just departed from and was decorated with plenty of expensive-looking furniture. People were scattered here and there as we maneuvered around the house. After arriving in the main area of the party, I deducted that there were very close to two hundred people here. The main room seemed to be an old ballroom of a sort, which brought me back to the assumption that this house was an old castle. There was a large area a few meters away where people were dancing and at the very end of the room was a booth with someone operating a large machine that seemed to be the source of the music.

Kat and I found a place to sit at a nearby table and she set down the bag she had grabbed on the way out. "You want something to eat?" She asked over the music.

"I'm alright, actually."

"You want to dance, then?" She asked, making a gesture over to the dance floor.

I shrugged, indifferent about the suggestion. "Sure."

She grinned and took my hand, pulling me onto the dance floor. The song was very upbeat and couples around us seemed to be dancing in a way I recognized from the Yule Ball my fourth year. A few years after that, I had taken a girl dancing at a Wizard club once when it first opened in London, hidden from Muggles. She had taught me how to dance like that quite skillfully. So thankfully, I wasn't completely clueless when Kat pressed herself against me. I grabbed her waist and held her to me as we moved our hips to the rhythm of the song. I buried my face in her neck for a moment, getting lost in the music. When I resurfaced, the song had changed to one of similar sound so we didn't cease dancing. I was actually beginning to enjoy myself when I saw a new couple join the mob on the floor.

Draco and Hermione were a few feet from us and I knew that Draco had done it on purpose, for when Hermione wound her hands around his neck he looked around her straight at me and winked. I felt a heat rise in me but tried to keep up my pace with Kat. I tried to avoid looking at them, but no matter how hard I did, they still managed to make their way into my vision. The way they were dancing was killing me - so close, so intimate. I knew I was dancing similarly, but seeing Hermione do it (and with Malfoy) pained me. I saw every touch, every grind, every fucking move they made and it was driving me insane.

I pulled away from Kat and spun her around to face me. She was flush from the fast movements and her hair was a little messed up, but she still looked every bit as cool as when I first saw her.

I leaned in close to her and spoke over the loud bass of the song. "I think I want that food now."

She nodded and we walked over to the long table filled with snacks and drinks of every variety. I grabbed a plate and piled it with crisps, candy, and tiny sandwiches before pouring myself and Kat some punch from the bowl which I suspected had already been spiked. But I didn't care.

When we went back to our table, I started to chug the punch and tasted the slight pinch of liquor embedded in the fruity mixture. It came as a nice relief and I set the cup down. Kat was looking at me in amusement.

"Thirsty much?"

I nodded. "A bit. I think someone spiked it, though."

She shrugged. "I'm not driving home."

She took a sip of her own and nodded to herself before grabbing one of the crisps on her plate and nibbling on it. I shifted my attention back to my own plate and tried to use my food and drink as a sponge to absorb all the bad things I was feeling. I downed three drinks in five minutes. There were so many thoughts going through my head it was hard to grab hold of them, but somehow, I could name one: jealousy. I was jealous of their closeness, of Malfoy's charming her, of them being together at all.

The song changed once more, this time to a soft, piano melody. The singer soon began to preach her lyrics in a melancholy tone and I let my eyes drift back to the dance floor. Sure enough, there Hermione and Draco were, now swaying in an intimate embrace. They were only a few inches apart, talking and smiling. It was then that I realized that I had to do something to break them apart. He was too close to her and she was enjoying herself too much. Maybe it was the faint buzz of the drinks I had just downed, or the fact that my headache was now gone, but something made me excuse myself and make a beeline for the dance floor.

I reached them quickly and tapped Draco's shoulder. Hard. He turned and saw me glaring at him. "Can we help you?"

"Excuse me." I said coldly, swiftly pushing him aside and standing in front of Hermione.

"What? You can't just interrupt me and my date."

"Well, I just did. You were dancing and whoosh, I'm cutting in." I said in a slightly dazed voice.

"But tha-"

"Drake, it's fine." Hermione said softly. "It'll only be one song."

A sour look passed over his face for a moment, but he brushed it off quickly and nodded. As soon as he turned his back, I wrapped my hands around Hermione's waist in a feather light touch and she moved her hands to my neck.

"Why did you do that?" She asked as we began to sway in time with the song.

"I had to do something." I said honestly. "I can't stand the fact that you're letting him touch you when he's only using you."

She sighed. "Harry I-"

"Please don't shoot down my honest warning again. Let's just enjoy the Draco-free moment."

She scrunched up her nose. "Fine. But we'll talk about this later."

"Fine."

I pulled her closer to me and out bodies became flush with each other. An unexpected jolt of electricity passed through my body at the movement and it took me a moment to begin moving again. She pressed her head to my chest and I smiled at the pleasant reaction I got from it. The song began to pick up pace slightly as the crescendo of piano and voice mixed together. I took a risk and pulled back from Hermione slightly to dip her. She looked at me with an odd expression on her face, but she was smiling, so I took it as a good sign. I pulled her back up and spun her around a few times before pulling her back to me and going back to the same position as we started, this time with the side of my face resting on her curls. Only when I felt her nuzzle against me did I go rigid.

She felt me stop dancing and looked up at me in question. "What's wrong?"

"I-I have to go." I said quickly.

Even though the entire point of me dancing with her was to prevent Draco from doing the same thing, something in the way she was making me feel scared me. There was something inside of me that was feeling things I hadn't before. So, I did the first thing that came to mind. I got out of there.

I rushed out of the ballroom and into the hallway where a few people were entering. I pushed past them and looked for a room. I found one near the end and opened the door to close myself inside. I kept the light dark, but I could tell that this room was no room at all, but a very large coat closet. I didn't want to move, though, for fear of running into Hermione again. I leaned against the door and banged my head a few times against it, trying to rid myself of these feelings. It didn't work. I cursed into the empty room. I knew that running wasn't the greatest decision, but it was a reflex. After a few minutes of being inside the confined space, I knew that I had to find some other way of ridding myself of these new feelings. I cracked open the door to get out, but heard a familiar rustle of fabric that made me stay within the darkness of the room.

The hallway was dim in itself, so I could only make out the silhouette of the person outside the room. But I recognized the dress instantly. Kat. Soon, a new plan began to form in my head and I grabbed a hold of it before I changed my mind. Reaching forward a few inches, I grabbed the silhouette's arm and pulled her to me. She let out a squeak of surprise and I closed the door before she could let out any noise of protest.

"I'm going insane." I said in a husky voice. "I need you."

"What?" She asked in a slightly higher voice than I was used to hearing from her.

I pulled her closer to me. "I need you."

"Dr-"

I placed a finger on her lips. "Shh."

Before she could say anything else, I removed my finger and cupped her face, placing my lips to hers. They were softer than I remembered. But, then again, she had pulled away before I could really grasp their overall feel. I decided that I liked them. A lot. I pulled her closer to me, my hand winding around her back. Our bodies became flush against each other and it was like two pieces of a puzzle finally clicking together. She fit perfectly. I deepened the kiss and I told myself that this was the best idea I had had in a while.

She began to respond and wound her hands up around my shoulder blades. We were practically one. I massaged her tongue with mine and she let out a moan of approval. I smiled into the kiss and continued teasing her. With all of our twisted limbs, we began to sway slightly on the spot. I broke out kiss for only a moment before reattaching and removing my hand from her face. I made a trail down to her breast and began to slightly caress it. She arched into me and I pulled away from our kiss once more to safely back her into the wall. As soon as we hit it, I tenderly kissed her neck before returning to her addicting lips.

My eyes fluttered closed as I began to pour my all into the kiss. I wanted this to be mindless - raw, even, filled with need. But it turned out to be quite tender. Perhaps that was exactly what I needed. The room was filled with our smacking lips and low moans of pleasure. I removed my hand from her breast and traced all the way down to the hem of her dress, trailing up her leg. She shivered and removed one of her hands from my shoulder to place on the wall, presumably to balance herself. I quickly removed the hand that was on her waist and blindly found her hand with mine, interlocking our fingers. I moved our arms up above our heads and on the way, bumped something upwards. A moment later, the room was flooded with light that I saw as an orange glow behind my eyelids. I pulled away from our kiss, wanting to look her in the eyes and thank her for being here for me. But the eyes I met weren't the dark blue that I had been expecting. Instead, I saw a pair of beautiful chocolate brown orbs and my stomach dropped to the floor as the hand I had been trailing up her leg went limp.

"Hermione?"

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