Can I Have More Than One Love

"Draco, why haven't you tried to hurt Harry?" Hermione asked Draco as they sat together on a bench in the courtyard by the garden. They were studying for the transfiguration final later that day. "I was never able to know why you didn't hurt Harry even after you saw him kill Voldemort and your dad with Dumbledore."

"I wanted to hurt him so bad," Draco started, while his face grew red. "I was trying to figure the right time and place, I missed my father very much. That was about the time when you came up to me in the library and asked me if I wanted to talk. When I was talking to you, you made me see that it would not be worth it and that... it's hard to explain... You made me see that, well; I did not have the same goals as my dad did. I mean, of course I did say I wanted muggle-borns to die, but I was just saying that because that was what my dad said. That's what he always to say, and when you were little you wanted to grow up just like your mom, right?"

"Yeah, when I was little I used to try and fix the plastic teeth on my dolls. So, are you and Harry ever going to be okay?"

"Hermione, he killed my dad. The most I can do now is put up with him. Whether my dad had good intentions or not, he killed him. It doesn't matter to me that he was fighting on the "wrong" side, he was my Dad, Hermione, the only Dad I'll ever have. That's all that there is."

"Well... I am extremely proud of you to face your problem."

"Now I have a question for you. What do you have to tell me in the library that you can't tell me here?"

"It's a secret! Oh, we better get going if we want to make it in time for the transfiguration final."

* * *

Hermione walked out of transfiguration feeling good because she knew she over prepared (yet again) and she aced the final. As she walked towards the common room, she met up with Ron.

"Hey, Hermione, have you decided whether or not you would be up to going to the dance tomorrow or is that what you are going to tell me when we go to the library tonight?" [This is confusing, you might want to restate]

"Well, I do have to discuss something about the dance, but I can't tell you right now," Hermione said getting flustered and her face getting hot. "Um, I have to go to the, er, Great Hall for a while to go see, er, if the paintings and ceiling can give me any idea for a book I am starting to write."

"Well, good luck Hermione." Ron disappeared up the staircase. Then Hermione walked out into the courtyard only to find Harry sitting on the bench studying. She went over and sat next to him.

"What are you studying for?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Just the Divinations final," Harry replied. "So, have you decided what you are going to wear to the dance?"

"Right now I have so much on my mind that I can't think straight. I'm going to ask Parivati [check character spelling name] to help me tonight."

"Hermione, is something going on, because I've seen you a little out of it because you were studying hard for tests, but it's the end of the year, and you finished all of your finals. In fact, you never have to take another test because this is our last year at Hogwarts." [Wait a sec, she just took her last final today--how can this be?]

"I know... I guess I'm just going to miss Hogwarts."

At that moment, Neville Longbottom walked up to Harry and Hermione.

"Hermione, I thought I would never find you," Neville said. "Have you been to the Owlery lately?"

"No, I haven't been there in a while," Hermione responded.

"Well, Professor McGonagall told me to take this to you because it has been sitting in the Owlery for a long time." Neville handed Hermione a parchment wrapped up tight.

"Thank you, Neville," Hermione said as she took the parchment. Neville walked out of the courtyard, back into the courtyard and then back out. He was still as forgetful as he was in First Year.

"I wonder what it is," Harry said looking eager.

Hermione slowly untied the string, and then unrolled the parchment. She read it quickly, her eyes widening.

"Read it out loud," Harry urged.

"Dear Miss Hermione Granger. We cordially invite you to study, with other select students from around the world, at Stockholm Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This gives you a chance to study and prepare to become a teacher at a top school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione jumped up and shrieked. With that, so did Harry.

"Hermione this is great!" Harry said smiling widely.

"I can't believe this!" Hermione squeaked as she gave Harry a tight hug. Suddenly Harry kissed Hermione. They both pulled back, a little in shock.

"Er, I guess I should go to my final before I'm late..." Harry said quickly. "So, should I meet you in the library tonight?"

"Yes," Hermione responded.

Harry grabbed his books, and then left the courtyard. Hermione sank down onto the bench. That was her first kiss. She had always expected her first kiss to be special, but somehow, it just felt weird.

* * *

Hermione stood on the balcony to her dormitory and looked out at the sunset. She had so much on her mind about the dance. Never in a million years would Hermione ever think she would have to worry about boys, and "social events." After a while, when the sun was just disappearing over the tops of the trees, Parivati came out and joined Hermione.

"Hermione, I just heard that you got accepted to some really good teaching school!" Parivati said excitedly. "That is so great!"

"Thank you, Parivati," Hermione replied.

"So have you been asked to the dance?"

"Yes."

"Well, whom are you going with?"

"I'm going to go find that out," Hermione said as she walked off the balcony, and back into her dormitory. She brushed her hair quickly, and smiled at herself in the mirror. The face that smiled back looked more like a grimace. She forced a smile on her face then walked out of the portrait hole.

As she made her way towards the library, she could feel her face and hands getting hot. Finally, she got there and saw Malfoy, Harry, and Ron all sitting at different tables, they obviously had not realized that they were all there for the same reason.

"You guys can all come and sit at this table," Hermione said loud enough for all them to hear. At her voice, they looked hesitantly up at each other. Slowly they came and sat at the table where Hermione was.

"Hermione, what is this about?" Ron asked. "Whey are they here?"

"Well, you see, you all have something in common," Hermione started. Hermione glanced at all of the faces around her, she could see that Draco was staring down at his hands, and his face was getting red. Enough pleasantries she decided, so cut to the chase. "You all, er, asked me to the dance."

"Yeah, and you said that you were going with me," Draco said looking up at her intently, his eyes sparkling.

"Wait," Harry said confused jerking his head at Draco, "She said yes to me."

"Guys, please, calm down," Hermione said calmly. "That is why I need to talk to you. I understand that if I were to bring a date to the dance I could only bring one person. Therefore, I had to make a decision on which I am going to bring. Ron and Harry, you guys are like brothers to me. Moreover, Draco, we seem like we are from different worlds. Therefore, I am going to have to go with where my heart is telling me to go. Right now, my heart is jumping towards..."