Friends Forever....Or Not?

Chapter 4

It was now official. Hermione and Draco were going out. They were boyfriend and girlfriend. They wanted to keep it a secret, but that didn't work. The whole school knew by the next day. This is not what they had wanted. Not at all.

"Can you believe her?" said Harry.

"I know!" said Ron. "What is she, some kind of slut?"

"I don't care about that," said Harry. "I just can't believe that it was with Draco. Of all the boys in this school, it had to be him." Harry was thinking to himself. Why was it Draco? Why couldn't it have been me? He wished it were.

"Well, Harry. I have to go," said Ron. "I promised Ginny that I would meet her in the library about five minutes ago. She's already going to get on my case because I'm late. Oh, well. Do you want to come with?"

"Ah, I think I'm going to stay here, Ok?" he said.

"That's fine. I'll see you later then!" said Ron.

"See you!"

All Harry anted to do was go to his room and be by himself. It was one of those times. He needed to think. Recently, he had started a journal. He really didn't put that much stuff in there. Not important stuff, anyway. Well, except for one thing: he started writing about how he felt for Hermione. That was some important stuff. He got his journal out from its hiding spot and started to write.

Dear Journal,

This is Harry, again. I can't stop thinking about Hermione, because everything I look at or do makes me think of her. I don't know what I should do. She deserves better than Malfoy. She deserves me. I should be with her, not Malfoy. I wonder if she has ever liked me in "that way." I know I do. I don't know if I should tell her or not. She probably wouldn't listen anyways. I need to talk to her. If only she'd let me. I just don't want her to get hurt by Malfoy. I know what he's really like. He had better not do anything to her or there's going to be hell to pay. Well, I had better go.

Harry

There. That made him feel better. Well, only a little, but at least it helped. Now all he had to do was figure out how to tell her. Which, if he ever did figure out how, he still wouldn't be able to tell her. Oh well. He sat on the windowsill for a while, thinking about things. He just didn't understand why this had to happen to him. Everything bad happened to him. Always. Once he finally realized that he actually had feelings for her, it was too late. He decided to try to get over her and get on with life. It worked for a little while, but not long.

* * *

Hermione was sitting in her Arithmancy class thinking about no other then, Draco. They decided to spend Halloween together, and like usual, all the students in their third year or above got to go to Hogsmeade on Halloween day. For once, Hermione couldn't wait for her class to be over with. That reason being today was Halloween and after class they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade.

"Ok, class," said her teacher. "Make sure your assignments are done for tomorrow and you may go."

All of the class left except for her. She stayed there, thinking. "Assignments?!" asked Hermione to herself. Then she asked out loud, "What assignments?!"

The teacher heard her. "The assignment that was assigned to you while you were off daydreaming, "said the teacher sharply. "I will repeat the assignment for you, Miss Granger, but it will cost Gryffindor ten points. Do you still want it?"

"Yes," she said quietly.

"You are to write an outline of Chapter Four in the book....Now go on!"

Hermione walked out of the classroom, very ashamed. That wasn't the first time she had been daydreaming in class. Although, it was the first time she'd ever gotten in trouble for it. Oh well, she thought. She went to go find Draco. She found him leaning against the door in a casual way. He looked so damn sexy when he did that.

Hermione snuck up behind him. "Hello, Draco," she said.

Draco, startled by her voice, jumped up. "Oh, hi! Sorry, I was in deep thought," he said.

"Don't worry; you looked kind of cute standing there like that. What were you thinking about?" asked Hermione out of curiosity.

"You."

"Oh," said Hermione, laughing. "I was thinking about too in my last class....It got me in trouble."

"But it was all worth, wasn't it?!" said Draco, being partially sarcastic.

"Of course!" she said. "I'd lose ten points from Gryffindor any day, if it meant thinking about you!"

"Well that's good to know," said Draco.

"Come on, we can talk on the way to Hogsmeade. Let's go," said Hermione.

"After you."

"You're so sweet Draco."

"Only for you, Hermione. You're my exception."

They kept this up as they walked to Hogsmeade. After about a half hour of walking, (and holding hands and talking and doing whatever else they do), they were there.

"So, where do you want to go first, Hermione?" asked Draco.

"I don't know....I guess I've been craving a butterbeer all day now. Shall we go to the Three Broomsticks and get one?" said Hermione.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, a butterbeer does sound good. It will warm us up....Come on," said Draco.

It was as busy as it could be. They luckily found a table, (for two!), and then went to order.

"One extra-large better beer, please," said Draco. "And put two straws in it, will you?"

"Ok," said the waiter. "One extra-large butterbeer with two straws, coming up."

"Hermione looked at him with curiosity in her eyes. "You really expect this to work, do you?"

"Why wouldn't it?" he said, innocently.

Hermione shrugged.

Draco picked it up and brought it over to there table. They started drinking it. Draco is right, Hermione thought to herself. It did work. Very well, indeed.

* * *

Harry and Ron had also decided to go to Hogsmeade. They were there now.

"Can we go to Zonko's?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, sure. If you want to," said Harry.

"I need to get some more Dungbombs. Fred and George took all of mine during the summer," said Ron.

"Wow, it's busy in here," said Harry as they walked into Zonko's. "I might as well buy something too, while I'm in here. Maybe I can find something to scare Dudley with. Then again, if I did, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon might get mad....very mad. I'll just find something for myself. I'd like to eat this summer!"

Ron went and got his Dungbombs. He picked up about twenty of them. "This should be enough," he said.

They went and paid for their items. (Harry also got some Dungbombs.)

"Do you want to go to the Shrieking Shack, Harry?" asked Ron, after they left Zonko's.

"Well, to be honest," replied Harry, "not really. It isn't as fun as it used to be now that we know the truth about it."

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. You're right, let's not go."

In there third year, they learned why the Shrieking Shack was thought to be haunted. Their old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Lupin, turned into a wolf every full moon. Since he was a threat to humans, he was locked up in the Shrieking Shack while he transformed. All of the howling made people think it was haunted. But now that Harry and Ron knew, it was no fun anymore.

"Well, how about we go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" asked Ron.

"Ok."

They walked over there and went inside. Harry happened to notice that sitting over in the corner, sharing a butterbeer, were no other than Hermione and Draco. He had completely forgotten about her until now. He forced himself to forget it again. It worked for a little while.

"Two medium butterbeers," said Ron to the waiter.

"Coming right up," the waiter said.

They got them and found a seat far from where Hermione and Draco were sitting.

"Ahh," said Ron. "I haven't had a butterbeer for a long time. I missed it."

"Yeah, me to," said Harry." It just warms your whole body up."

"Yes, it does!" agreed Ron.

They sat there for quiet a while, drinking their butterbeer. Finally, they were done. Harry looked around. Hermione and Draco weren't in their corner. They must have already left. Harry was glad.

"So, Ron. There isn't must time left before we have to go back to the castle. Do you want to make a quick run to Honeydukes and stock up on their candy?"

"Yeah! I almost forgot about Honeydukes. Come on!"

They left the Three Broomsticks and went over to Honeydukes. They brought as much stuff as they could fit into their pockets and arms.

"Well, I think we better start heading back," said Harry. "The Halloween feast is going to start in about an hour. That should give us time to get back and get ready to go."

"Yeah, oh fine," said Ron, not wanting to go back. "You're right. Let's go."

They started the long walk back, looking forward to the feast. They finally reached the castle. They could smell the food already. They walked up to their rooms, piled all their candy and sweets on their beds, washed up a bit, and went down to the feast.

"Wow!" exclaimed Harry, looking at the giant carved pumpkins floating in the air. He knew they were Hagrid's. He did this every Halloween. "They seem to get bigger every year, don't they Ron?"

"Yeah. You know Hagrid. He's always trying to top what he's already accomplished....Come on, let's go sit down."

They went to find a seat. They wanted to be as far away from Hermione as possible. Since Hermione was sitting at the way end of the table, they sat at the head of the table. They did feel a slight bit sorry for her. She was sitting all by herself. Without Draco, she had no one.

"May I have your attention, please?" said Dumbledore loudly. "I want to thank you all for coming and I hope you've had a very nice Halloween, because I know I did. Actually, I have a tradition for Halloween I do with my family. It all started when I was just a young boy. Every Halloween, I would go out and-"

He stopped his story when he heard Professor McGonagall clear her throat very loudly and gave him a look. She didn't want him to get into one of his long life stories as he usually does.

"Ahh, sorry. That's not important," continued Dumbledore. "Let's see, I hope you've had a wonderful Halloween and the feast may now begin."

And like usual, all the tables magically appeared with food at the wave of his wand. There wouldn't be a time where this did not amaze someone.

Everyone ate well into the night having second, third, and even fourth helpings. The food was that good. Finally, people started getting up and leaving. Harry and Ron were two of those people. It was getting late. They decided to go up and go to bed. They've had a long day and they were tired.

* * *

One thing Hermione hated about Draco was that he was in Slytherin. It wouldn't be so bad, but during feasts, each house had to sit at their own table. This meant that she couldn't sit next to Draco. Instead, she sat at the end of her table, all by herself. Well, at least she was until Ginny cane and sat by her. She was so grateful for Ginny.

"Hi, Hermione!" said Ginny, "Mind if I sit with you?"

"No, not at all. Actually, I'm really glad you came over here. I don't know if you've noticed but all the Gryffindors are mad at me for going out with a Slytherin. It's not my fault though. I really like him."

"Well, not all the Gryffindors are mad at you. I'm not. I know how you feel. I really like a boy too, only he doesn't know It," said Ginny.

"Really?!" said Hermione. "I had no idea. I suppose you wouldn't want to tell me about it, huh?"

"Well not to be mean, but nobody knows. And that's going to stay that way for now. I really don't want it going all over the school," said Ginny.

"Yeah, I understand," said Hermione. "Really, Ginny. Thank you so much for coming over here. I really needed someone to talk to. I really appreciate it."

"No problem," said Ginny. "You and I will always be friends. No matter what. Even if you aren't friends with my brother anymore."

"Hey, he started that fight, Ginny. Not me. I'm not ready to accept their apology. Not yet anyways."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Ginny. "He can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. I've had my share of fights with him, trust me."

"Yeah, I bet," said Hermione. "Well, if you're done eating, do you want to go to our common room for a bit before we go to bed? We could talk for a while."

"Yeah sure," she said. "But are you sure you don't want to go and talk to Draco?"

"I'm sure. He can wait till morning. I feel like talking to a friend tonight."

"Thanks!" said Ginny, smiling.

They walked up to the common room together and Hermione peeked inside. She breathed a sigh of relief. Harry and Ron weren't there. They must have gone to bed already. Ginny and her sat down in front of the fireplace and talked until two in the morning. It felt good to actually talk to a friend about important girl stuff. Eventually, they finally went to bed. Hermione thought to herself how lucky she was to have a boyfriend and even luckier to have a friend like Ginny. She fell asleep thinking about that.