Anything Easy

Anything Easy
by V-Star

Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn’t mine. Duh. Life sucks, don’t it? So does my grammar in this little tidbit…anyway, this ficlet is all mine. Falling for the First Time belongs to the Barenaked Ladies, not me.

Author’s Note: All lyrics are in ~s and italics; all thoughts are in italics.

~I’m so cool; too bad I’m a loser~

Ron sighed for the thousandth time as he glanced at the clock. 12:25 PM- Hermione was due back here any second from work, and the place was still a mess. Oh well. Live and don’t learn, that seemed to be Ron’s motto considering the state of his apartment and the daily fits Hermione had regarding it. Hermione was, and always would be, a neat freak when it came to one’s living space. Her perfectionist attitude was that of a weapon to a practiced warrior- evidently powerful and dangerous. Too bad Ron never took the time to straighten up the kitchen once in awhile.

He and Hermione had been sharing an apartment in a small area of London since about a year after graduation from Hogwarts. Things generally went pretty well between them despite Hermione’s busy work schedule- Hermione was sort of an all around genius, as always, and henceforth was an assistant to the minister of magic. Ron was an Auror and professional chess player, but he and Hermione rarely saw each other during the workday. Hermione kept early hours and was home by mid afternoon; Ron slept until 1:00 and came back from work around the time Hermione left. There was scarcely a word between them in the mornings, with Ron so tired he could only just Apparate home and Hermione so overworked that she could barley find her own briefcase.

To say it bothered Ron that he hardly ever really talked to Hermione was accurate. Ron usually got into shouting match with her about the mess in the house, or about the lack of “proper” (or rather, nutritious) food Ron kept in the kitchen. Ron technically owned the apartment anyway, and although Hermione paid rent, there was hardly anyway to justify saying that they both owned it. Hermione worked hard and slept very little, thus causing her to be away almost 90 percent of the time.

Oh well. Time to face the music. Five…four…three….two…

”RONALD BLOODY WEASLEY!”

One. Ron grinned. Though the massive sound waves Hermione’s vocal chords generated where enough to break through the walls of Hogwarts, at least Ron could always count on the time when she would get home.

”How was work?” the redhead asked mildly, ignoring Hermione’s furious glare.

”Awful. I had some rich snob owling me today asking for permission to build on a settlement for freed house elves that was set aside a few years ago. Apparently the elves said it was OKAY for him to put a Muggle mini mall in the middle of their backyard!” responded a very frustrated Hermione, while glancing disapprovingly at the state of the apartment.

Uh oh. Work really had been awful, Ron speculated. Hermione was still very touchy about the way people treated house elves, and thus she often harangued anyone who wanted to interrupt her “liberations” of them. It was also common knowledge that rich wizards were keen on the idea of buying out nearly unpopulated areas of land which had been hidden from Muggles and developing Muggle establishments there. Once again came more common knowledge that Hermione hated the aristocracy for their mistreatment of their power and wealth.

Well, almost all of them, excluding her boss.

”You got stuck looking up laws again?” Ron asked, habitually starting to clean the domicile by picking things up. He didn’t want Hermione to stress to the point of killing him.

Hermione, who was a terribly attractive 24, flung herself into a chair and cast Ron the tired look of an old woman.

”Interpreting laws, Ron, not merely glancing at them. According to a lot of very complicated rules the ministry basically states that as long as the house elves are willing to part with the land, anybody can build anything there once they’ve purchased it!”

”Isn’t that fair?” Ron asked gently, summoning a stack of books back into their correct places. Hermione’s anger flared at once, and Ron knew he had said something wrong before she even retorted.

~I’m so smart, too bad I can’t get anything figured out~

”RONALD WEASLEY! HOW many times do I have to TELL you that HOUSE ELVES RESENT THEIR IMPRISONMENT!! YOU ACT AS THOUGH THEY’RE HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN TRAINED THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO SERVE WIZARDS!”

Ron moaned. This was sounding suspiciously like their 4^th year of Hogwarts again, and Ron didn’t really want to start off their few moments together on such a bad note. He changed conversational tactics at the speed of light.

”So what about your other duties? Anything good from the herbology department today? I hear Neville’s just discovered a new species of magical fern.”

Hermione relaxed a little bit at this, as she lay back in her chair.

”Well, actually it’s true. He did manage to find out some rather interesting properties about it as well, and I got to look over the lab reports before the minister signed them. It went very well, Neville was so proud. He’s been losing sleep lately, but I’ve never seen him happier since we all graduated from Hogwarts!”

Ron smiled faintly as he summoned a kettle to put water on for tea. Hermione always had a cup of tea with him when she got home before he had to go out himself.

”That’s great! Always knew Neville would be a bloody good use to our herbology laboratory.”

Hermione resisted the urge to chastise Ron about his language.

”Yes.” She said simply, pulling a footrest underneath her tired feet and casting off her pointed high heels. Hermione may have been a witch and a ministry official, but she dressed as though she were a member of the Muggle working class. Harry had once commented that she looked rather like a lawyer, in her black knee-high mini skirts, her perfectly tailored over jacket and her low cut, but still decent blouse. Hermione had also begun to take better care of her hairstyle since their school days, now preferring to tie it back after brushing it, rather than leaving it untamed. This was a change that Ron didn’t exactly mind- after all, spending time with a fully developed Hermione with cleavage and half bare legs…well, there were worse ways to spend a moment before a long evening of work. The thought of Hermione being pretty had always been one that made Ron wince, however, and he was soon back to focusing on preparing tea.

~I’m so brave too bad I’m a baby~

Figures he thought reproachfully to himself. You’re a bloody Auror and you still don’t have the courage to ask Hermione what the state of your relationship with her is. Ronald Weasley, you are a fool.

He certainly felt like one. Hermione was his best friend, (next to Harry of course) he lived with her, worked in the same building as her, and he still hadn’t dared to ask whether they were officially a couple or not.

Judging by the fact that neither of them ever dated, there was hope there, but Ronald Weasley was no longer one to trust hope completely. It was hope that often got beginner Aurors into trouble on their first cases, and Ron had long since gotten over the weakness of convincing himself that things were always going to be okay without his own actions being involved.

Stupid fate. Ron thought angrily at himself. You trusted fate to get you this far, and look what you’re missing? She’s gorgeous, popular and intelligent, you’re rather attractive, strong and finally courageous and you STILL haven’t got the girl!

”Ron, would you get that?” Hermione’s voice brought Ron out of his reverie. It was then that he realized the doorbell was buzzing.

”Come in!” Ron exclaimed, ignoring the comments about laziness from Hermione while also suspecting that he would be late for work. Nobody ever buzzed except for Harry, and when Harry visited them it was usually something serious.

True to his word, a rather tired and worn looking Harry Potter stepped through the door, dressed in a white button up shirt and black chinos. These were Harry’s “Muggle style dressy-casual” clothes, as Hermione called them, and Harry only wore them when he was attending something of substantial importance. His ruffled hair looked as though he had been trying to straighten it, and his green eyes looked as overworked as Hermione’s. Stepping in through the door wordlessly as Ron charmed it open for him, Harry gave off the aura of one who has decidedly had enough of some sort of shit.

 They were about to find out what that shit was, Ron decided, whether Harry liked it or not. Screw punctuality and catching death eaters…. well, maybe not the latter, but certainly the former.

”Oi, Harry, what’s up? You look awful.” Ron asked concernedly, gesturing with his wand at the unoccupied couch. The couch moved a few feet forward as Harry sank into it, forgetting about nearly all aspects of his general politeness.

”Nice of you to say to him, Ron.” Hermione scolded. Ron ignored this.

”’S all right Hermione. I’ve had a long week, that’s all.” Harry sighed, pushing his un-orderly bangs back with his right hand.

Ron glanced at the self-changing calendar. Blimey, only another week until his and Hermione’s vacation time! Maybe then they’d finally get to discuss something other than house elf rights. Maybe.

”What happened, Harry?” Hermione asked gently in her usual ‘I’m not being confrontational yet’ voice.

”Nothing much…I just had to go to a Death Eater trial the other day, that’s all.”

Ron and Hermione blinked. Usually, aside from the screams that sometimes arose from the audience in the midst of descriptions of “crimes”, attending a trial meant the conviction of a Death Eater, thus a pleasurable experience.

~I’m so fly, that’s probably why it feels just like I’m falling for the first time~

”That’s a bad thing? What happened?” Hermione said this, moving from her chair to the couch and next to Harry. She clasped his hand gently, providing him comfort. Ron tried not to show his jealousy. Hermione would never, could never hold his hand like that under any emotional circumstances among that barriers that their current relationship provided. It wasn’t that Hermione’s touch was a gesture of undying love to Harry- it was far from it, but it also meant something different to Ron, something Hermione had firmly indicated was best left swept under the rug. Ron sighed secretly as he took a position in the armchair opposite the one Hermione had been sitting in. The days when Hermione could hold his hand like that were gone, and it was his entire bloody fault.

”Well,” Harry began a little unsteadily, cutting Ron off from his wistful thoughts. “The trial was for one of our former classmates, you know, Vincent Crabbe from Slytherin.”

”Right. No problems, then right, Harry?” Ron asked, knowing this couldn’t have been the case.

”Did anybody mention something awful about him? Something grotesque?” Hermione asked sympathetically, her eyes fighting to make contact with Harry’s. The Boy Who Lived, or rather, the former “Boy” Who Lived, kept his head lowered, his upper body from the shoulders to waist propped up on his arms. He was leaning forward, his leads apart and his elbows resting on them to hold himself up.

”Oh come off it, Hermione!” Ron said exasperatedly (and a little too loudly) before he could stop himself. “This is Harry we’re talking about here, he’s not easily repulsed! Give him some credit!”

”Ronald Weasley, don’t you dare undermine my efforts to be supportive!”

It stunned them both when Harry next spoke, his words hanging heavily in the air once they left his lips.

”Actually, Hermione, Ron’s right, that’s not what happened….what happened was, I sort of…ran into Draco Malfoy.” The words fell across Harry’s tongue as he said them, almost like a waterfall that was hesitant to trickle but had just broken a dam. Hermione and Ron stared at him.

”Did you talk to him?” Hermione asked, though it was obvious she had no idea what sort of weight the question would hold. Ron wished she had bitten her tongue.

”He said hello, and I responded. But that wasn’t what really what got to me…” Harry stammered, and Ron half guessed what he was going to say before he said it.

”He’s got a new boyfriend. Brought him along. Nice guy, I guess…attractive, and wealthy, with the best of everything.”

Hermione bit her lip before she spoke. “Sounds exactly like Malfoy.”

Harry ignored her usage of his former lover’s last name as he continued to speak. It almost looked like he was only half listening to the world around him anyway.

”He’s not as attractive as Draco was….is…but they seemed rather content together.”

Ron felt an instant pang of emotion as he watched his best friend attempt to hold back from pouring his heart out. Not the sappy, warm and fuzzy romantic kind of emotion that Hermione had felt all those years ago when Harry had first admitted he was attracted to the Slytherin, no, this was a stab of an old familiar feeling where Malfoy was concerned. Rage. Pure hatred for the Slytherin erupted in Ron’s heart all over again, and Ron had to fight himself back from another outburst.

”Harry, don’t agonize over it…I’m sure Draco can’t possibly love him, you know him, he’s always so quick to change…partners…” Hermione trailed off, realizing that her point was doing more harm than good.

~I’m so green, it’s really amazing.~

”Anyway mate, it’s not like he’s worth it! You’re Harry Potter, the best mate a bloke could ask for! You deserve better than that miserable git!”

”Ron! You’re not helping!”

”Yes I am!” Ron retorted insistently. “I’m trying to show him what a git he’s being so he can cheer up.”

”That’s not the way to go about it!”

”Maybe it’s not YOUR method but it works for ME!”

”Ron, stop being so obstinate! Anyway, back to the point…did anything else happen, Harry?”

Harry was silent for a moment, but he at least lifted his head to look at Hermione…or perhaps, over her shoulder, Ron wasn’t sure.

”Well, after the trial was over, and Crabbe was pronounced guilty, he came over to me, with his new…partner…not far behind. He asked me how I was and told me that I ‘looked well’ and all. He’s still treating me civilly at least, but when he left with that guy and they…you know, snogged at the door, I felt….”

”Jealous?” Ron interjected without a thought. Harry nodded.

”Yes. Jealous. He still has an impinge on me after all.”

”Oh Harry, I’m so sorry!” Hermione gave Harry a compassionate hug. Ron felt a shred of what Harry had been talking about, though he was sure it was on a much more miniscule level. Thank god Harry’s gay, thought Ron. If not, I’d have to kill him. Well, perhaps he wouldn’t go that far, but he’d entertain the thought. It was no secret that Ron never exactly handled jealousy with grace and fluidity of composure. To be more specific, he usually dropped his composure when immense jealousy hit him.

”Thanks Hermione, but I really don’t think this is anything to be hugging me about. Draco was the whole reason I realized I had feelings for guys in the first place…something about your first always brings back emotion, you know?”

There was a dead silence as Hermione and Ron both blushed. Harry cringed inwardly; he’d completely forgotten they were both virgins.

Guess they still haven’t gotten things straightened out between them…Ron would have told me if they had. Still, Harry couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at the thought. Something about the idea of a petulant Auror and an overworked bibliophile doing something more than kissing appealed to him- even if one of the participants was a girl.

”I guess somewhere inside me I still care about Draco….a good deal. He’s the kind of guy it’s hard to forget.”

Hermione sighed. “Yes, we know, seeing as you refuse to do it. Oh honestly, Harry, if you want Mal-…er…Draco so badly, why don’t you just wait until he’s single again?”

Harry gave Hermione a look that flatly said “no”.

”He’d just be in it for another screw, Hermione, I don’t want that. When he’s committed he’s a bloody great boyfriend…not to mention that he’s sexy as hell.”

Ron cringed visibly at this, while Hermione giggled.

”Oh honestly, Harry!”

”Well, he is!”

”I thought that wasn’t on the list of reasons for wanting him!”

”I wish it wasn’t, but it is. Oh really, just look at him Hermione! Really look at him sometime! He’s bloody gorgeous in the right light and at the wrong times…” to this Harry chuckled, whilst Ron pretended to hurl. “Ron, get up! You look ridiculous on the floor, clutching your throat!”

Ron glared at Harry, though he ceased his violent reaction.

”Sorry mate, but when you make me think of Draco Malfoy and sex at the same time, there’s hell to pay.”

Hermione laughed. “At least one of you is straight edged about things.”

There was a 30 second silence before all three realized Hermione’s unintentional pun.

”Ouch. That hurt, Hermione!” Harry said jokingly.

”You better have meant that I was the straight one.” Ron said sarcastically, grinning. Hermione flashed him a devious smile.

”I would certainly hope so, Weasley. If not, I’ve been wasting my best flaunting on someone who can’t tell.”

Ron felt a pang of irony in this, but didn’t mention it.

”You? Flaunt? Never!”

~I’m so clean, too bad I can’t get all the dirt off of me~

Ron’s eyes flickered to Harry a moment when he noticed a slight twitch in Harry’s hand. Hermione noticed it too, and they went back on topic immediately.

”What are you thinking about?” Ron asked, noticing the cloudy look in Harry’s eyes. Harry had been in a far off place and was only just coming back to earth.

”Something Draco said once…about how innocence was wasted on the innocent.”

Hermione blinked. “Isn’t that kind of a given?”

Harry sighed. “Yes and no. I think some part of Draco regrets how young he was when he first…er…”

”Spit it out, Harry!”

”First became sexually active.”

There was an immediate tension in the room after these words. Slowly and cautiously, Hermione spoke.

”Harry, you weren’t his first, were you-“

”Gods no, Hermione, I can’t have been! His first was when he was much younger.”

”How much younger?”

”11.” said Harry, quietly.

~I’m so sane, it’s driving me crazy~

”Oh god…. that’s…that’s..” Hermione started, but didn't finish.

”Way too young. I know.” Harry said, his eyes returning to the floor once again.

”Blimey! That’s when…that’s when…”

”We were in second year. I know, Ron.”

There was a long moment where only Harry spoke, and Ron and Hermione were simply unable to.

”He told me about it shortly after we…you know. We were together for about 2 years. He was the first official ‘significant other’ that I’d ever had. He was also a pretty great guy…. this’ll sound corny, but we really did lie awake and talk for hours sometimes. The Malfoy manor is huge, big enough to his Draco from his father,( who was in hiding anyway ), for at least a little while…. and then we’d just talk. Treasure whatever time we had.”

”Notice that you said ‘was’ a pretty great guy, Harry, not ‘still is’.” Hermione pointed out, giving Harry a half concerned, half reproachful look. Harry nodded.

”I know. That’s because when you argue with Draco after having loved him for 2 years, it’s awful. It’s just about one of the most heart wrenching things that I can imagine. Draco is extremely pleasant when you’re his lover, but if anything goes sour then he’s even worse than he was when we were enemies. He has the Malfoy mean streak in him…”

”But I still don’t fully understand how you two broke up, Harry, I was just getting used to the idea of you two being together!” Ron said exasperatedly, though not with his usual fire. Harry met his eyes this time when he responded, his hands clasped gently to give himself emotional security. This was a physical sign of weakness that Harry didn’t usually display.

”I hardly understand it myself, Ron. Let’s just say what I do know, I still can’t tell you. It would be disloyal to Draco.”

”And that proves it. You still care about him if you worry about being loyal to him!” Hermione exclaimed, her eyes half shining with hope. Harry smiled sadly and shook his head.

”Hermione, that’s exactly the problem. He’s not an easy person to get over, as I’ve already said. But look, here I am, making Ron late for work and I forgot the real reason I came here I the first place…”

”There was another reason?” Ron said, not bothering to get up when the teakettle began to blow steam. Hermione cast a quick set of silencing and cooling charms on it almost instinctively, not really wanting to have to interrupt Harry.

Harry sighed softly. “It still involves Draco Malfoy…but this time, a little less directly.”

Hermione gave Harry a slightly impatient look. “How so?”

”We…we finally caught Lucious Malfoy.”

~It’s so strange, I can’t believe it feels just like I’m falling for the first time~

A year ago Harry would have been elated. Ron thought to himself. Then again, a year ago Harry hadn’t been attending trials on a regular basis and running into Draco Malfoy and his new beau. Ron didn’t exactly resent Harry’s previous relationship with Draco, but he didn’t quite support it either. It was hard for Ron to understand how Harry could have loved anybody like Draco, as they were such complete opposites.

Then again…Ron’s mind went wistfully as he glanced at Hermione.

Somehow, when he looked at her like that, and when she wasn’t ordering him around, Harry’s logic didn’t seem so strange at all…

~Anyone perfect must be lying~

”Why hasn’t it been in any of the papers?” Hermione insisted, still stunned as ever that her one of her favorite resources for information was not up to the second reliable. Harry grinned slightly at this, but his eyes remained sad.

”The trial will be totally private. Only those with an invite will be permitted to attend…and it’s obligatory for me.”

Ron winced inwardly on Harry’s behalf. Harry was an “unspeakable”, henceforth, Ron and Hermione had absolutely no idea what he did at the ministry or even when he did it. Whatever it was, it appeared that a large percentage of death eater trials were in some way connected back to him.

”So why didn’t the papers know about it anyway? The daily prophet-“

”Hermione, there was no public release of the information. Nobody knows except for you two, the Auror who caught him, and those participating in the trial.” Harry’s voice was stern but soft. Hermione kept quiet.

”It was Draco’s wish when he arranged to help the ministry find his father, that, if his father was ever caught, nobody was to know about it except those who needed to know.”

”Why do ya’ think that is, Harry? You think he just doesn’t want his family name dragged through the courts?” Ron asked eagerly, trying to subdue his dislike of the Slytherin graduate.

”I suspect that’s part of it, Ron. Draco’s not exactly happy with the state of his family, and he does have a lot of pride…I almost find it impossible to believe that there was once a time when it was easy to get him to open up to me…” Harry sighed wistfully, standing up as he did so. “But those days are over. I’ve kept you both too long. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know.”

”We appreciate it, Harry.” Hermione said gently, hugging him around the neck. Harry stepped back from the embrace when Hermione loosened it, and he grinned at Ron over his shoulder.

”Next time I’m here we’ll talk about something pleasant like Quidditch, ay? Just like the good old days.”

Ron smiled. “Yeah. See ye’.”

No sooner was Harry Potter out the door than Ron was scrambling to get to work.

”What does he see in that git anyways? Harry’s usually not the type to go weak at the knees over just anybody…” Ron muttered to himself as he hurriedly grabbed his Auror ID. Hermione grinned softly.

”I think Draco’s perfect for him.”

”Yeah…perfect for him as an enemy, not a…lover.” Ron annunciated his last word with disgust as he prepared to Apparate.

Hermione gave Ron one of her irritatingly superior grins. “We’ll see.”

~Anything easy has its cost~

Ron had a much longer workday than he expected to have. Lucious’ capture had apparently caused quite a stir among the wizards and witches that Ron was attempting to capture, and henceforth, he ended up having a rather malicious battle with one of them.

”Bloody hell Mr. Weasley, that’s a nasty cut on ye’ arm…about an inch or so deep I’d say.” The medi-witch had said when she examined Ron’s injuries. This was nothing new; Ron (like most Aurors) regularly visited the hospital wing of the ministry. Though he had caught his evening’s target, Ron still was growing tiresome of constantly having to get simple things like cuts looked over. Unfortunately for him, since the days of Mad Eye Moody’s career, the medi-wizards and witches had felt it was their duty to inspect every single Auror who came back from work.

”It’s alright, really.” Ron said gently as the witch pulled up his sleeve. He felt like a child in the doctor’s office.

”No, it’s not. Ye’ ought to more careful.” the sandy haired (and Irish) witch replied, holding Ron’s sleeve up as she gave the cut a quick prod with her wand. As though watching a rewind on a VCR, the skin seemed to peel inwardly, closing around the newly disinfected cut. Ron grinned, this was a process he was used to, but it was still interesting to watch.

”Thanks, but it really wasn’t under my control. You’d be surprised how many of these death eaters insist on bringing ‘Auror seeking knives’ with them. Bloody nuisance they are.”

It seemed to annoy the witch that Ron spoke about this with such ease. It wasn’t really Ron’s fault, however; occurrences like this were as common to him as a paper jam in a printer was in any Muggle office.

”Still, you should be less exuberant. This is the forth one this week.”

”Only the forth?” Ron flashed a confident and, though he was unaware of it, attractive smile. “Consider yourself lucky. If we Aurors stopped getting injured you’d be out of a job anyways.”

The witch was silent as a pair of Ron’s colleges who had apparently been spliced together in a very painful fashion where dragged past the room on a cart, two medics pushing it with some difficulty.

”That is something that wouldn’t bother me in the slightest, Mr. Weasley.” The woman replied softly, as though she had waited for the sight to punctuate her point.

Ron laughed. “You remind me of my friend Hermione. You worked your entire life to get a job, you get it, and you see so many horrible things that although you enjoy work you suddenly feel burned out.”

The witch raised an eyebrow. “If she’s so burned out, why is she coming to see you?”

”She lives with me.” Ron said easily, not suspecting the witch’s reaction at all.

”Is she your girlfriend then?” the witch asked, her blue eyes glimmering with a familiar air that Ron wasn’t sure he was used to.

Oh god. That’s the sort of look that Malfoy used to give Harry when they were still flirting.

”Umm…no. Nothing like that.”

The witch smiled, showing off a brilliantly white smile. Ron felt his insides twist slightly. Attractive women always seemed to show up at the wrong times for Ron, and he never quite knew what to say.

”Good. Perhaps you need a girlfriend who can better care of you, eh?”

”Uh…I have to go.” Ron muttered, embarrassed at the obvious offer. It was the truth though, he had a chess match to make in less than 20 minutes.

Ron apparated out of there before he had the chance to see the witch’s reaction.

Ron re-apparated outside the bar where he had his chess match scheduled, still perplexed about what had just happened.

Why do I always react like that when a pretty woman shows interest in me? She was my type and everything, intelligent, good complexion, nice eyes, good hair and she even had an Irish accent!

Ron sighed. He knew exactly why he reacted that way, though he was the last person to say it aloud.

~Anyone plain can be lovely~

Hermione.

His “non-girlfriend”. The very woman who chastised him at least 10 times a day, yelled his ears into a state of ringing like Muggle school bells and harassed him about cleaning the apartment everyday.

Ron sighed inwardly. He couldn’t help it. Hermione wasn’t just attractive, though she certainly was that. Hermione had something most other woman didn’t, even when they were attractive 6-foot blondes with Veela for relatives- Hermione had a quality of genuine humanity about her which was surprising considering her near perfect track record in almost everything she attempted. Hermione knew Ron, could predict his every move if necessary, and could tell when he was home before he even opened his mouth to holler a “hello”. Hermione wasn’t just a long time friend though; her charms far surpassed that of ease.

Hermione was someone he could rely on. She would die for anyone of her close friends, but would use her immense intellect to save them instead. She had intelligence that never failed her, and it was undoubtedly more than mere book learning.

~Anyone loved can be lost~

Now if only Ron knew a way to tell her that without having the same results as last time…

No. He would NOT think about that. He was here to play chess dammit, not sit around and reminisce about his old screw-ups involving his delicate feelings for Hermione.

He was greeted warmly as he entered the bar. The people there knew him and liked him, usually because he provided interesting chess matches whenever he arrived.

”Mr. Weasley! Bloody good luck with yer’ captures lately, eh? Keep up the’ good work.”

”Ron! Good ta’ see ya’, lad! Hope you give ‘em a run for their money this time! We’re betting on the match!”

Ron chuckled. Places like this always tended to treat chess as though it was a sport like Quidditch, for example. People were always eager to see their champion return.

Ron stepped up to the counter of the pub, preparing to order his usual drink for the night. The pretty woman behind the bar grinned at him, lifting a tankard from the shelves of glasses behind her.

”The usual, dear? A frothy scorcher on the rocks with a twist, yes?” the woman asked pleasantly. Ron smiled warmly at her.

 “Yes, thank you Elisa. How’ve you been these days? Life been treating you well, I hope?”

Elisa flashed him her million-galleon smile. She was a very hospitable woman with all her customers, even the ones who didn’t treat her as well as Ron did.

”But of course! Business has been excellent lately, thank you. I hear the Aurors department of the ministry has a few new captives thanks to you, yes?”

Ron’s ears went a bit pink with modesty, but that was all the answer Elisa needed. Ron was one of her regulars, and when he was modest, he blushed.

”I can see the papers weren’t lying, then. Here’s your drink. Checkmate ‘em good for me, ya’ hear?”

Ron placed his money on the counter as he accepted the drink. “Thanks, Elisa. I intend to do so.”

With that, Ron waded through the crowd and past the tables in direction of the corner where the chess matches were held. The board was already set, awaiting players to set up their pieces. Ron lifted his pieces out of their bag and sat down, giving them a quick prod with his wand to set them up. His opponent for the evening wasn’t there yet, so Ron didn’t feel terribly guilty about taking his place in the little booth. He always liked this booth in particular, the seats were soft and he could get a seat where he wasn’t backed against the wall. He’d only been there but a few minutes when a surly American voice spoke up from behind him.

”Excuse me?”

Ron turned in his chair, spotting a tall wizard standing behind him. Whoever he was, he was rich or at least, whoever had paid for his clothes must have been though he might have fit in with a crowd of teenaged Muggles. He was dressed in a black polyester jacket, with a dark purple dress shirt underneath. His slacks looked like black khakis, and his shoes were leather and well polished. Aside from the wizard’s materialistic qualities, Ron noted the boy’s perfectly chiseled face, much like Cedric Diggory’s had been. His eyes were a light misty green, and his hair was dark black with a hint of blue in it. Overall, he stood very confidently with his hands loosely resting in his pockets, though not for security. Ron could tell the man was quite self-possessed.

”Yes?” Ron asked, keeping his voice neutral. He didn’t want to risk an in-accurate pre-judgment.

”Are you Ronald Weasley?”

”I am indeed. Who are you?”

The stranger offered his hand. “I’m Adriel Paderau. I’m your opponent.” Adriel said casually, without a hint of disdain. Ron could tell somehow that Adriel was sizing him up by the state of his appearance, and judging by the fact that he was wearing his Auror robes, was inclined to be civil. Ron shook his hand anyway.

”Sit down then.” Ron said politely, gesturing. “Let’s get started.”

Adriel grinned. “Just a moment. Let me get my boyfriend, he’ll want to watch.”

Ron flinched inwardly, but forced himself to reserve prejudice; that is, until he found out the name of Adriel’s romantic accomplice.

”Draco! I’m going to play, alright? Want to watch?”

Ron’s blood froze as the familiar Slytherin came walking up to the booth, leaning over to plant a kiss on Adriel’s neck.

”Of course.” Draco said softly, before kissing his boyfriend again, this time on the lips.

Ron could barely contain his disgust.

”Oi, Malfoy, haven’t you got better things to do than to make me lose my lunch?” Ron spat before he could control himself. Draco halted, backing a step away from Adriel to glance at Ron.

”Ronald Weasley. As I live and breathe…what a socially awkward surprise.” Draco said softly and dangerously, pulling up a chair near the chess table. Ron glared.

”You won’t be doing either of those things if you interrupt this chess match, Malfoy.”

Adriel looked at Draco questioningly.

”Old boyfriend?” he asked mildly, having no way of knowing that to suggest such a thing was like directly cursing Ron. Draco laughed.

”Oh goodness no! He’s clearly not my type anyway…he’s a friend of an ex, however.”

”Why’s he not your type? Red hair not your thing these days?” Adriel asked genuinely. Draco smirked in Ron’s direction, his eyes hovering over Ron’s bangs for a moment.

”He’s straight, Adriel.”

”Ah.”

Ron bit his lip. Bastards. Ron hated people who questioned his heterosexuality. Well, most people anyway. He couldn’t really blame his parents- lord only knew what their other sons got up to.

”Are you ready to play yet?” Ron asked exasperatedly. Adriel raised an eyebrow as he set up his pieces.

”Phobic much?”

”Not so much that. He just hates me, that’s all. My participation is enough to ruin the sight of any good couple for him.” Draco said sneeringly, as Adrian completed his set up.

People were starting to gather around the chess table, eager for the match to start. Ron grinned.

”I move first, okay?” Adriel asked softly. Ron nodded.

”You’re on.”

It was almost a few minutes into the game that Ron realized the skill of his opponent. Adriel was good, he took his time to concentrate and he never hesitated to use his pawns for capture. He also avoided some of the classic beginner mistakes, such as bringing out the queen too early or trapping the castles in the corner.

”You’re good.” Ron murmured, developing his white bishop. The pieces where complying with Ron’s every gesture, trusting him fully.

”So are you.” Adriel responded cheerily, moving his sixth pawn out onto the battlefield. Ron took a moment to stare at the arrangement of pawns.

”Feh.” Ron sneered, moving his knight out of harm’s way. Adriel had made an unusual move, a “fienceto” which involved putting the bishop on the long diagonal of the board. Ron glanced at the bishop, noting it’s disappointed look.

He was about to take me there…gotta be more careful.

Several moves later, very little damage had been done. Both players seemed to be taking their time to develop their pieces, and the pieces seemed very trusting of this course of action.

”Pawn to E4.” Ron muttered sleepily. If he doesn’t see the irony in this move, he’s not as good as I thought he was.

”Oh….oh!” Adriel laughed suddenly.

”What’s so funny?” Draco asked, still watching the game like a hawk. He obviously didn’t have the knowledge of either of the two players, and was having a little trouble understanding the concepts.

”He just played me the dragon.” Adriel said simply.

”The what?”

Adriel pointed to the arrangement of pawns. “It’s a move based on the constellation ‘draco’. Means “dragon” in Latin. Usually signifies a fight.”

Draco gave Ron a look of surprise. Ron smirked.

”Seemed like a good idea at the time, Malfoy. Nothing personal.”

Draco smirked back, though it was a look that recognized Ron’s intelligence. “Of course.”

An hour later, the two were still sitting at the board, though with sufficient changes in their strategy. Ron was playing more aggressively, and Adriel was countering with all the pins and defensive mechanisms he could muster. Ron had, unfortunately for Adriel, most of his major pieces left, minus one bishop and a castle.

Adriel snickered as he pushed his queen to check Ron’s king. The king looked to Ron for support.

”King to A2.”

The king sauntered past the queen, sticking his tongue out at her as he passed.

”Rook to D2.”

Ron looked confused. “Rook?”

”It’s what we Americans call castles.”

”Ah. In that case…” Ron gestured to his white bishop, which moved accordingly. “Checkmate.”

Adriel looked crestfallen, but only for a moment. Draco had quickly proceeded to comfort his boyfriend by assuring Adriel that most people failed to beat Ron.

”Well, okay then. I guess if I lasted this long I should be grateful.” Adriel said gently, shaking Ron’s hand.

Ron was looking at Draco, stunned. Only after Adriel had let go of his hand and wandered off to the pub to get a drink did he speak.

”Yes Weasley?”

”You….said I was good.”

”Yes. You are good at chess.”

”But you said it.”

”I fail to see where this is going.”

”I’m just shocked, that’s all.” Ron admitted, sheepishly. “Harry’s told me you still resent me, after all this time.” He added, a little more coldly. Draco laughed.

”The reason was quite simple really, if you’re curious.”

”Well?”

Draco gave him one of his famous smirks, touched with a hint of curiosity. “You spent every waking moment with your two little friends at Hogwarts. You and Harry were inseparable.”

Ron blinked. “So?”

~What if I lost, my direction~

Draco gave him a flat look. Ron finally got it.

”Oh no….you thought we….oh jesus. You actually assumed-“

”When the most attractive boy in his house, (let alone the whole school) shares a dorm room with his best friend and they’re always together it becomes rather simple to learn to hate someone, especially if you’ve verbally sparred with them before hand.”

Ron felt almost queasy. “You’re telling me that reason you never pursued Harry sooner was my fault?”

”At the risk of sounding like a jealous bastard, yes.”

”Doesn’t it normally not matter to you if the guy you want is attached to someone at the time?”

Draco laughed. “That’s true. But in Harry’s case I made an exception.”

”Why?”

Draco’s voice was cool and quiet as he spoke. “I didn’t want him to get hurt.”

Ron was silent. It had never occurred to him that he might have been keeping potential suitors away from his best friend. It had also never occurred to him that Draco had been so interested early on.

”You really cared about him then, huh?”

”You say that in past tense.”

”Isn’t it?”

Draco was silent for a moment. “Honestly….I don’t know.”

It was then that Adriel called to Draco, pulling him away from a very confused Ron Weasley, who was still wondering if he had actually learned anything crucial about Draco or not.

~What if I lost sense of time?~

Draco sighed lightly as he and Adriel made their way out of the tavern. Weasley certainly had given him a lot to think about. Obviously the misconceptions he’d had about Harry and Ron’s relationship during their years at Hogwarts were just as misplaced as Harry had told him all those years ago.

God, had it really been that long? It seemed so far away now, something he never thought about anymore.

You never let yourself think about him Draco’s conscience said sternly. You’re hesitant to act on your lingering thoughts of him because it was so hard the last time.

”Draco, love?”

Draco’s mind rushed back to earth. Adriel. Adriel was talking to him.

”Yes?” Draco responded, maintaining his composure but not hiding the shock he felt as the words Adriel, your boyfriend slipped into his head.

”Did that redhead say something to make you feel badly? I know you two used to know each other a long time ago…” Adriel’s green eyes were taught with light concern as he looked into Draco’s pale grey-blue ones. Draco avoided Adriel’s gaze.

”We did. But it was an irrelevant connection. Are you coming back to my place?” Draco’s eyes flashed something new, his stiff smile broadening into a smirk.

”Actually, I have to go back to my parent’s house for the evening. You know how they worry when their precious son isn’t home for several days.”

Draco forced a smile. “Well spent days, I hope.”

”You know it.”

They kissed briefly before he apparated, leaving Draco so lost in thought that he couldn’t even recall what sort of kiss it was. The only thing Draco could think of, however, made him feel tremendously guilty.

He kisses nothing like Harry…

~What if I nurse this infection~

Hermione stared at the clock on the wall pensively as she awaited Ron’s return. Come on, Ron, you should’ve been home hours ago.
Or did he have a chess match tonight? Or did he have a date?

No, dates where ruled out. Hermione had to constantly remind herself that Ron didn’t date.

As though synchronized with the clock, Ron apparated home at precisely 3:00 in the morning.

”Ron!” Hermione jumped as the redhead’s footsteps sounded in time with chimes of the clock. Ron was behind her, standing there in the dark room and looking as tired as she’d ever seen him.

”Hey, Hermione. Sorry I’m a bit late.”

Hermione laughed. “Not a problem. I got up early to review this case before work.”

Ron merely nodded, but there was none of his familiar verbal recognition. Ron always commented on Hermione overworking when she got up early. Always.

”Are you okay?” Hermione asked, walking up to Ron. Ron’s eyes met her’s and Hermione felt a wave of curiosity that she couldn’t answer hit her.

”I met Malfoy’s new boyfriend.”

There was a tense silence.

”What’s he like? Is he handsome and rich, like Harry says?”

”As Harry says, Hermione not like.”

Hell froze over.

”Ron, what happened?”

”It’s impossible for me to hate the guy! He greeted me nicely, played a good game of chess and even recognized it when I played the dragon against him!”

Hermione was very quiet, sensing that Ron needed to vent.

”Not only that, Malfoy seems perfectly happy with him. Where’s the fun in that? I’m supposed to be loyal to Harry! I’m supposed to hate them both! I still hate Malfoy…but not as much as I did before.” Ron sighed, the whole thing was becoming terribly complicated and muddled by the need for sleep.

~Maybe the worst is behind~

”Ron,” Hermione said gently. “You need sleep.”

Ron nodded, collapsing on the couch, not even bothering to say goodnight. Hermione would have been offended by this under the usual circumstances that yielded such a result, however, in Ron’s frustrated state she wasn’t up for an argument.

”Sleep.” Hermione said gently, turning to leave. Thinking better of it, she turned and waved her wand. “Accio blanket.”

The blanket flew to her hand, and Hermione walked over to Ron and slowly lay it on top of him. It was not a labored gesture, nor a particularly necessary one, but Hermione felt it was positive in some way. Ron had to fight his nerves at the awkwardness of Hermione’s hands this close to him patting a thin blanket over him. It was both a motherly sort of gesture and a possibly romantic one…one that Ron wasn’t sure he liked or resented.

~It feels just like I’m falling for the first time~

”Goodnight, Ron.” Hermione said lightly, almost tenderly, as she turned on her heel and exited the room.

For several long moments, Ron lay awake in the dark, wondering the significance of what had just happened and why he had remained so stoic during it.

After a long sigh, Ron rolled over to put his restless mind to sleep, quietly muttering something he somehow wished he said when he had the chance.

”Goodnight, Hermione.”

~I’m so chill, no wonder it’s freezing~

Hermione sighed to herself as she apparated into her office. For some reason she felt guilty this morning, guilty about not staying home. Something inside her told her that it was Ron she felt guilty about, but Hermione couldn’t see why.

Ron can take care of himself, he’s an Auror for goodness sakes! Besides, Ron is asleep now anyway. It doesn’t matter that you technically tucked him in…

Hermione felt her face grow hot. Was she so cold to Ron that that sort of gesture seemed foreign? Better yet, did it imply anything about her relationship with Ron? Hermione wasn’t sure she wanted to know, however she was sure of one thing- the fact that she was usually pretty lonely at the office.

True, people respected her and certainly obeyed her, but it wasn’t the same. Ron was an old friend, someone who knew more about her than just her work face. Though, Hermione recollected with a smile, I certainly wore that face a great deal at Hogwarts.

Hermione was proud of her abilities as a witch and as a scholar, though she couldn’t help but feel that maybe she was missing something. Her life was usually complete when it revolved around things like her textbooks and her small inner circle of friends, however Hermione wondered what it was about the lifestyle that most women chose that was so appealing. When she was a girl, most of her female classmates had been busy making themselves pretty or discussing how to do so. Their grades weren’t necessarily awful, but certainly not Hogwarts valedictorian material. Grades had always meant a great deal to Hermione, not just because she loved learning but also because it meant she was living up to other people standards. Hermione wondered, not for the first time, what that said about her as a person…was she really so weak that she felt she had to be perfect to be accepted?

No. Hermione told herself firmly. You’re not perfect and you never will be, but Harry and Ron still accept you.

Ron. Hermione felt a stitch of guilt as she thought of Ron. Ron had mostly always accepted her, even when she became overbearing. Hermione wasn’t always sure she trusted herself around Ron. Lately, (meaning the past 7 years) her opinion of Ron seemed to matter a great deal to him. When Hermione criticized things he did, Ron was more inclined to listen then he ever was at Hogwarts. He’s probably just more mature now….but what if…

Hold that thought. Hermione thought to herself, as there was a knock on her door.

”Who is it?” Hermione asked, looking over her shoulder around the small office. Everything was neatly organized, just way she liked it, so now was probably a good time to let somebody in. Noting that there was no response, Hermione got up and walked to the door.

”May I help-…..you…” Hermione trailed off as a familiar character greeted her.

”Hello Granger.” came the surprisingly civil voice of Draco Malfoy. Hermione took a moment to survey his features, having not seen him in person since around the time he and Harry had split up. Draco was still taller than her, Hermione noted with some dissatisfaction. His blonde hair was no longer slicked back the way it was in their days at Hogwarts, but now loosely combed and cut short in the back. Draco’s sharp face and attractive blue-grey eyes still had some of their old glint in them, but Hermione sensed a contemplativeness she wasn’t used to.

”What do you want, Malfoy?” Seems like only the other day I got used to calling him ‘Draco’.

Draco stepped into the office as Hermione backed to one side. He wasn’t trying to intimidate her, that much was clear…but he wasn’t trying to explain himself either. Hermione decided it was time he did just that.

”What do you want? Tell me or I’ll call security.” Hermione said stridently, perhaps with more harshness than necessary. Draco smirked, his expression carrying an edge of his old teasing self.

”Wouldn’t you get more satisfaction out of hexing me yourself, Granger?”

Hermione grinned, somehow treasuring the idea after all these years. “Keep talking like that and I’ll think about it, Malfoy. I’ll seriously think about it.”

Draco laughed. “Clever girl. I see you still relish the idea of a challenge.”

”I never said hexing you would be hard, Malfoy. Now, take another step inside my office without explanation and we’ll both be forced to find out how much your father has taught you about defensive magic all these years.”
 
The second it left her lips Hermione regretted saying it, remembering the news about Lucious. Draco flinched in a way that was just barely noticeable.

”I didn’t come here to have my family insulted.”

”Sorry.” Hermione said earnestly, returning to the chair at her desk. “So what did you come here for?”

Draco exhaled lightly, seemingly still a little miffed. “I came here to talk about Potter.”

It was Hermione’s turn to flinch. I wonder when he stopped referring to him as Harry  Hermione thought, taking out her wand. She twirled it lightly between her fingers, causing a teapot, two cups and two saucers too appear, all sitting neatly on a tray.

”Care for some?” she offered, extending a cup to Draco. He nodded, taking the cup easily from her hand. The tea pot hovered above the desk, pouring tea into Draco’s cup.

”Thanks.” he said lightly, sipping at the drink. “Mind if I conjure up a chair?”

”Go ahead.”

”Excellent. Solium.” With a practiced twirl of Draco’s wand, a padded wooden chair with red velvet appeared. Hermione grinned inwardly, marveling at Draco’s excellent sense of color. The color of the velvet was only just brighter than that of her carpet.
You know what they say about they gay, materialistic rich ones though…they all have beautiful things that the rest of us could never afford, henceforth, they have to color-coordinate everything.

”So,” Hermione began, sipping at her tea. “What is it about Harry that you wish to discuss?”

”How formal of you.” Draco commented, his usual air of laughing arrogance in place. Casting a quick glance around the office, he waved his wand again. “Occulte.”

”A silencing charm? Whatever for?”

Draco gave Hermione a glare without a touch of his previous playfulness. “If you have to ask, you’re not as smart as we all think you are.”

Hermione grinned. “One, thank you for the compliment you disguised with that bit of information. Two, I never said I had to ask, just that I wanted to.”

Much to Hermione’s disclosure, Draco rolled his eyes. “That is so like a woman.”

Hermione found herself laughing at the slight irony involved in this statement. Draco was, of course, devoutly homosexual, and therefore knew very little of women. Hearing him scorn them all with a statement so blatant was rather amusing. He must really hate us Hermione grinned to herself.

”To the point. To make a long story short, I’m in good health, my father has recently been captured as I’m sure you already know, my mansion is as vast as it ever was and I have a wonderful boyfriend.”

Hermione blinked. “So?”

”So, every time somebody mentions that miserable git Potter, all that I valued beforehand goes apparating out the window.”

Hermione giggled. “You still love him?”

Draco took a sip of tea, his eyes contemplatively closed as he did so. “I’m not sure, in all honesty. I  just know he stirs up an old thrill in me, one I’m not used to experiencing these days…not even with my boyfriend.”

Hermione laughed. “Even though your boyfriend can play chess?”

Draco looked mildly shocked. “You’ve met Adriel?”

”No, but Ron has, assuming Adriel is the one he played against last night.”

Draco grinned. “You’re wise to assume there might be more than one love of my life, Granger. Anyway, how on earth did Weasley tell you about it so fast?”

”Malfoy, Ron and I live together.”

Draco smirked, much to Hermione’s dismay. Here we go again. What does living together entail for everyone else, lots and lots of sex!?

”I didn’t realize you two were so close after all this time.”

”We’re not. I only really talk to him right before and right after work. The rest of the time one or the other of us is working or sleeping. We have opposite schedules, it’s not like we even have time to…mess around.”

”But you’d like to?”

”I never said that.”

”You said it, not me.”

Hermione grinned. “Fair enough, Draco. May I call you Draco?”

Draco nodded. “I suppose so.”

He really has changed.

”Draco, why are you coming to me for advice?”

Draco sighed exasperatedly, resenting having to come up with a good answer. “Because you’re a woman. You see things naturally in a way that I never would. You know Harry better than most people. Also, you wouldn’t sock me in the jaw for asking.”

Hermione couldn’t help but picture Ron, anger flaring and fists itching to smash Malfoy’s jaw to bits.

”So you’re not sure if you’re still in love with Harry, right?”

”Right.”

”And you expect me to know?”

Draco laughed lightly. “Don’t be ridiculous. I wanted to know if he still has any feelings for me.”

”You know I can’t tell you that, one way or another.”

”I thought you might say that.” Draco frowned. “But…do you think if I approached him that I’d have a chance? I wasn’t exactly civil to him when we broke up…treated him like shit, in fact.”

”I’m sure Harry would forgive you, Draco. He’s very understanding about most situations. All these years of arguing with Ron over little things have made him very good about that sort of thing.”

Draco laughed, though it still wasn’t truly genuine. Hermione wondered if he felt comfortable laughing openly with anyone.

”I figured those two were together back when we were at school. Took me years to figure out that Weasley had to be straight.”

Hermione fixed Draco with a disbelieving look.

”You’re joking.”

”I’m not.”

~I’m so still, I just can’t keep my fingers out of anything~

Hermione snickered. “So of course you had to have the one guy that was off limits.”

Draco smirked, lowering his gaze on Hermione’s eyes as his teacup rested inches from his lips, steam floating sexily around his face.

”Not so much forbidden fruit appeal….but we Malfoys have to have the best of everything.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Is it true you really sleep in silk pajamas? Harry told me that once.”

Draco purred slightly, “I’m surprised he even noticed. He didn’t do very much sleeping when he stayed the night.”

So Harry wasn’t exaggerating about that element of things either…

”Tell me something Draco, what’s the longest time period you’ve ever been single?” Hermione asked, propping herself up on her arm.  The speed with which her companion applied was astonishing.

”The first ten years of my life. Never again after that.”

Hermione’s eyes widened. “Never?”

Draco grinned. “Not for a whole day, anyway. Usually only took me a few hours to find someone else who was interested.”

Hermione smiled inwardly, though her expression remained neutral.

”You are, I’m sure you’ve realized by now, good looking.”

Draco flashed his white teeth in a charming smile, tossing his bangs back momentarily with his hand as he did so. “But of course.”

”Then may I ask what you found so appealing about Harry?”

Draco blinked. “He has Quidditch player muscles, Granger. Gorgeous green eyes. Neat yet untidy hair. What more do you want?”

”He was also by far not the most attractive boy in the school. That explanation may have worked on Ron, Draco, but not me.  Ron’s as heterosexual as they come, and as your misfortune would have it, so am I. Why did you pursue Harry? Didn’t you just say you had to have the best of everything?”

Draco gave Hermione a slightly surprised look. “Are you criticizing your best friend?”

”Only in the looks department.” Hermione said, a small smile at the corners of her lips. “He’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I can think of plenty more who were far more attractive in our Hogwarts classes and such.”

”You surprise me, Granger.” Draco remarked with a hint of interest playing at his voice. “I didn’t think you’d ever admit you found Weasley attractive.”

Hermione blushed. “I didn’t.”

”But yet you do not deny that there is something to admit…your conscience betrays you.”

”We’re here to discuss your life, not mine. Besides, Ron isn’t really-“

Draco held up a hand, halting Hermione’s words.

”No, he isn’t Granger. But you wish he was. You wish he were now.”

”I was going to say-“

Draco hushed her again. “No need to explain. Anyway, I suppose Harry wasn’t the best looking out of the entire class…so? What does it matter?”

Hermione smiled, genuinely smiled and stood up. “Draco Malfoy, I dare say, you may actually have a romantic soul after all.”

Draco blinked. “Excuse me?”

”You obviously didn’t choose Harry simply based on his looks. That shows real character coming from someone who has a reputation of seducing people they’ve only just met.”

Draco smirked. “Where did you hear that?”

”Oh, come off it! You’re proud of your reputation and you know it.”

Draco nodded approvingly. “You seem to know me rather well, Granger. It’s true; I have no qualms about obtaining multiple…partners. In fact” he grinned, “I see them much as a predator views his prey.”

Hermione sighed. “What a cliché analogy.”

”But it is a fitting one. Anyway Granger, I’m sure you have work to do…as do I. Goodbye for now.”

And with that, he was gone.

~I’m so thrilled to finally be failing~

Hermione arrived home, tired but happy around 11:30. True, it was the earliest she’d ever been home, but Hermione felt good enough about the state she’d left her work in to finally get some extra rest.

Apparating into the apartment, Hermione glanced around the living room (which doubled as a kitchen). The sunlight was streaming in through the large glass windows causing the couch to be lit with happy white rays of light. Ron was there, still fast asleep, though he seemed to have rolled over a little since Hermione had last seen him.

Ron was, without a doubt in Hermione’s mind, amazingly handsome at that moment. The blanket she had place upon him had been ruffled and mostly shrugged off, leaving Ron lying there in his Auror robes, looking amazingly blissful when he slept. His red hair was turned golden where the light touched it, and though his hair was messy, it looked strangely radiant. Hermione found herself smiling, wondering what Ron was dreaming about.

No, Hermione commanded herself. No, you will NOT look at Ron that way, not after the way you treated him the….

Ron woke up, sitting up slowly as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

…last…time….

”Hermione…” Ron muttered, sliding himself so that he was sitting on the edge of the couch. “Why are you home?”

Hermione sat down in a nearby armchair, grinning. “I had a shorter work day. I decided to take some time off for a change.”

Ron laughed. “Going to read all day, I suppose?”

”Not really. I wanted to ask you something first.”

”Shoot.” Ron said good-naturedly, rising from the couch and stretching. “Blimey, I need a shower.”

”Later. I wanted to ask you, when you met Adriel the other night, did he seem like an intelligent person or just another pretty face?”

Ron looked a little surprised by the question. “Well, not to brag or anything but he can’t be a total idiot if he lasted that long against me in a game of chess. Seemed like a good chap. Why? And how did you know his name was Adriel?”

”Draco told me, but that’s beside the point, you see-“

Ron was looking stunned. “You talked to Draco Malfoy? Willingly?”

Hermione looked exasperated, causing Ron shut up.

”He came to me for advice. Look, anyway, that’s why I wanted to ask you. You know how you’ve always been suspicious he was only after Harry for something trivial? Like his looks or his fame?”

Ron shrugged as though this was given. “So?”

”Well I honestly think that’s not true! Draco-“

Ron twitched at the name, more specifically, the first name.
 
”-told me that he wants the best of everything. He even said he could have easily found someone more attractive and powerful that Harry if he had wanted to. Without meaning to, Draco admitted something crucial!”

Ron blinked. “Are you suggesting he actually remotely cares about Harry?”

Hermione flashed an excited smile. “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting!”

Ron rolled his eyes. “You’re telling me we might have to be supportive of Harry and Mal-oh alright Hermione, Draco, all over again?”

Hermione sighed. “It’s not that easy. That depends on how things go if Draco decides to bring this up with him.”

”Or visa versa. You know Harry, Hermione, he might worry about making a fool of himself but he probably would have trouble avoiding one of Draco’s….what was it he called those looks?”

”I believe it was ‘look that could have made a nun hot’.”

”Right. What’s a nun?”

”Never mind. Anyway, you have a point…there’s obviously some attraction there. I’m just surprised the lust is mostly from Harry.”

Ron gave Hermione an all-knowing look. “One, he’s the more masculine of the two.”

”Good point.”

”Two, considering that Draco is supposedly much more attractive than Harry, it’s not really that surprising. I suppose we’d better play match-maker, eh?”

Hermione tried not to let her heart melt slightly when Ron flashed her his familiar boyish smile and laughter. She failed.

~I’m so done, turn me over cause it feels just like I’m falling for the first time~

Harry looked down at the scrap of parchment in his hand slowly. He couldn’t believe he was doing this.

Draco Malfoy, of all people, wanted to talk with him. Draco Malfoy, the man who had once told him he wasn’t even worth sleeping with anymore was sending him an owl, asking if they could chat.

Well, Harry thought apprehensively, if he’s standing me up, at least I have an excuse to look at this view again. It’s gorgeous.

Harry had gone to the place mentioned in the note, though he could have figured out where Draco would have wanted to meet without reading it. The spot was a lovely little hill, miles above London, overlooking the wizarding countryside. It had an element of pure, unsoiled beauty to it at this early time in the morning with the sky just retaining it’s last few precious moments of darkness before turning over to the bright sunshine of day.

The grass yielded easily beneath Harry’s feet as he walked across it, somewhat like a veteran surveying a formal battleground. It had been their place, their place in the world. Hell, it was up here that Draco had first asked Harry to move in with him…and Harry had accepted the offer, hear on his sleeve when he did so. The two had a lot of history, yet the area still remain visually untainted by it….

”Hi.”

Harry’s thoughts trailed off as he turned to see the familiar blonde behind him. Draco was dressed in pure black, from his jacket to his khakis, and for some reason Harry found it almost awkward how easily Draco had adapted to the trends borrowed from Muggle fashion.

”Hi.” Harry said back plainly as Draco approached him. Trees of forests lay behind Draco, painting a nice contrast between his frame and their vast ancient appearances. Draco was in many ways an embodiment of medium youth, and the trees behind him carried none of that in their old demeanor as they wrestled playfully with the light breeze.

”I wanted to chat.”

”Obviously.” Harry said, still a little perplexed by the whole thing. Why now, Draco? He wondered. Why after all these years, why now?

”I…I wanted to say sorry for the other day, when I saw you at Crabbe’s trial. I was a bit business like with you.” Draco voiced, as though all the unspoken obvious thoughts were coming into play.

”Well, I wasn’t really surprised or hurt or anything…I can’t expect you to treat me the way you did before.”

Harry tried to smile reassuringly at these words, but failed, so instead he kept his lips in a firm line. Draco continued.

”I still shouldn’t have been so formal. I’m still trying to piece my reaction together, to tell you the truth.”

”What about what’s-his-name? Your new boyfriend?”

Draco sighed, clearly not eager to explain this. “He wasn’t really someone I was very attached to. More of a sexual thing than anything else. Adriel Paderau never sticks around, and quite frankly, neither do I. We ended things yesterday.”

Harry felt a slight twitch of anger inside his body. “Yesterday? You broke it off with him yesterday and you meet with me today?”

Draco grinned admit tingly. “Yes. The day before that I had a talk with Hermione.”

Harry was stunned to hear Draco call her by her first name, but didn’t say anything.

”You did? What did she tell you?”

”What I expected to hear. That I had no chance of making things better between us without actually really wanting to.”

There was an awkward pause, as the two looked at the sky, which was now just starting to illuminate itself with misty purple light. Finally, on weighted air, Harry spoke.

”Do you? Want to make things right, or at least…different, I mean?”

To Harry’s surprise, Draco’s face remained rather calm. “I do. The way I ended our…romantic entanglement, shall we say, was not fair. I don’t want to live with that. I don’t think you do either.”

Harry sighed, taking a tentative step towards Draco. “You’re right in a way…but why? Why now?”

He was almost stunned speechless when Draco pulled them closer, hugging Harry gently but still with a hint of sorrow. Draco was still frozen somehow, there was still a part of him that was holding him back…

”Because I think about you. You defeated the demon that was my anger, you chased away my fears of being honest with myself. You even taught me that Muggle-borns, like your friend Hermione can be great friends. You gave me everything and I offered you nothing of true value. I still owe you for that. It makes me think of you” Draco voiced darkly, as they backed a step apart.

Harry grinned, lightly. “You’re wrong you know. All I wanted when I gave you those things was you. And for awhile, I had you, didn’t I?” Harry was more than a little shocked at his own words, he felt like a schoolboy again…except without the part where he wanted to punch Draco. That part of the schoolboy attitude was missing entirely.

~Anyone plain can be lovely~

”Yes, you did. Frankly I’m stunned I speak this honestly about anything now…but now that father’s officially going to meet his end, there’s not a reason left to hide it all. Yes, Harry, you had me. I loved you. But was that enough?”

The anger really has left him over these years. Harry thought. He’s not the same person he was before, but I’m not sure that’s something I mind..

~Anyone loved can be lost~

”It was enough for me until it was over, yes. Draco, I’m a Gryffandor, we don’t run away from things just because they’re difficult. I’m perfectly aware that our relationship had consequences but at the time, I was too happy being in love with you to really care about any of them.”

~What if I lost my direction~

Draco was grinning ever so slightly at Harry, and Harry thought he saw a sparkle of a tear in the edge of his former lover’s eye.

”But I was the one who ended all that. I broke up with you just because I was scared of what my father would say, what my mother would say…they had just gone out of hiding again since the charges against both of them were being ‘handled’ by a lawyer…thank go he failed…anyway, Harry, I was even more afraid of what they’d do.”

”Draco, everybody gets scared.”

~What if our love is the cost?~

Draco shook his head. “Not me, not of you, not ever. I always told myself not to be afraid of you…little did I know I wasn’t just telling myself not to fear and old rival, but also one of the best friends I had. You helped me through a lot…” even as he trailed off, Draco’s voice carried an edge of firmness to it.

~Anyone perfect must be lying~

Harry smiled. “I wanted to be there for you. I knew after 7 years of watching you, waiting for you to do something about the tension between us…I knew that you couldn’t be entirely awful. Seven years can give one a lot of maturity, Draco. I finally stopped believing you were in terms of black and white and finally saw you as shades of grey. That’s who you are. That’s who we all are.”

~Anything easy has it’s cost~

”Some of us are darker shades than others, Harry.”

~Anyone plain, can be lovely~

Draco gave Harry a familiar confident grin, and Harry knew he was back to his normal non-emotional self. This was both an improvement and a hindrance, however, so Harry didn’t voice his opinions on it.

~Anyone loved can be lost~

There was a tense yet somehow familiar moment when neither of them spoke.  The sky was glistening with light now, the orange and pink hues leaving a bright halo of white left around the rising sun. Harry felt frustrated that he had nothing to say, but the feeling vanished when Draco, surprisingly enough, spoke up once again.

”We can’t patch things up right away….but…”

~What if I lost my direction?~

”But what? It’s been a long time, Draco. Excuses be damned.”

~What if I lost sense of time?~

Draco’s intensely complex eyes fixed Harry’s with a meaningful look. Harry was surprised the air didn’t catch fire when those eyes stared like that.

~What if I nurse this infection~

”Want to try?”

Harry felt his breath halt in his chest without his conscience decision of such.

”Excuse me?” he stammered, unsure of what to think.

Draco rolled his eyes. “You’re so dense. Look Harry, I’m not suggesting you move in again or anything…why don’t we at least be good enemies for a while? You know…like good friends except….like us.”

Harry felt himself smile. Good enemies….I like that.

~What if the worst is behind~

”Yeah. Okay.”

And the two stood in silence, watching the sunrise and not caring if the world didn’t make perfect sense to them. Miles away, Harry’s two best friends were trying to work through their own emotional struggles, but whatever they were, at least the storms ahead were worth braving. After all, Harry thought to himself as he raked a hand through his hair, giving up was easy, and anything easy had a cost. It wasn’t one he was willing to pay.

~end~

Good? Bad? Evil? Lemme know…please? I know it’s not great…I’ll write a sequel if enough people ask for it.