When December rolled around, the entirety of Ravenclaw house was back to speaking with Draco and other houses as well. Even Slytherin house was warming up to him, that's including Ginny Weasley who - although Draco still hated her - wasn't as annoying as she let people believe. Draco thought it was nice that all those he used to speak to and some new people finally pushed aside whatever it was that kept them from being remotely nice to him. Harry was even ecstatic when his house mates began to invite Draco to watch them practice for Quidditch (only, of course, so he could watch Harry) and to sit with them occasionally during dinner. However, Draco wasn't happy. He hadn't been.
He missed Hermione.
She wasn't just ignoring him now. She wasn't sitting in her normal seat at the Ravenclaw table, she wouldn't walk near enough to Draco just incase the boy wanted to reach out for her. She had switched seats in almost every class they shared, the most notable being Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. One day, in Defense, their professor - Remus Lupin - was teaching them about the three Unforgivable Curses. Walking by Hermione and Pansy, Remus had asked Hermione softly if she could name one of the three. She heard Harry snicker under his breath - who was later yelled at by Draco - as she shook her head, a look of fright on her face. She didn't want to learn about the curses. She only wanted to prevent them. Remus went about asking Neville Longbottom and Greggory Goyle about the Cruciatus curse and the Imperius curse.
As he wandered the classroom, Remus' attention turned to Harry - who was being glared at by Draco - and made his way over to their desk, leaning forward towards the Slytherin.
"Might you, Mister Potter, tell is about the last Unforgivable?" Remus asked kindly, a warm smile on his face. Even though he taught Defense, he never seemed to be in a bad mood. After all, he was happily engaged to Sirius Black and he enjoyed every moment of his job. Avoiding eye contact with Lupin, Harry shook his head. Draco looked at him oddly while Hermione and Pansy turned to look. Remus' brows furrowed. "Why's that?"
Harry's lips were pressed together tightly as he looked down at the desk, ignoring his professor. Draco placed his hand on Harry's knee for comfort as he looked at him, frowning. Remus sighed, gave Harry a nod and headed to the blackboard. Hermione was looking at Harry with some sort of look, as though she felt sympathy for him. As though she understood why. After all, Harry had never liked the Killing Curse and he had every reason. Listening to Professor Lupin write on the blackboard, Harry leaned towards Draco, who was still looking at him oddly, and took the hand Draco had resting on Harry's knee and intertwined their fingers. Draco have Harry's hand a quick squeeze before turning his attention back to the class. Hermione looked puzzled from the sight of Harry reaching out to Draco for comfort.
Another day, in Transfiguration, they had been split up into groups of three. Hermione noticed when Draco was in a group with Potter - he was always Potter to Hermione - and Ginny. Something inside her began to bubble up, as though she could explode at any moment, but she didn't. Herself, Pansy and Crabbe simply worked on during a writing quill into a bird. To no shock to Hermione, Draco had done it as quickly as her, leaving the other two of each group to figure it out. Hermione kept glancing over at Draco and Potter, watching as Draco laughed when Potter had only turned his quill halfway, making a disgruntled noise in result. She watched as Draco watched Potter, as though he was some sort of moving art piece in a gallery that he was studying. It made her stomach turn and she didn't know why.
Now, it was the day before Slughorn's Christmas party. Everyone - expect Hermione, and she hoped Ron - had dates. Pansy was going with Blaise, Crabbe had asked Hannah Abbot instead of Ginny Weasley, Justin was going with Luna Lovegood, Cedric was going with fellow Ravenclaw Cho Chang, Draco was - aggravatingly enough - going with Potter and Hermione, well.. Ron hadn't asked her. After months and many chances, he still hadn't even mentioned it to her. He had said he had a question to ask her, but never got around to it. It made Hermione wonder if he was just nervous, or if he didn't like her enough to ask. But, she did her best not to get hung up on it.
Entering the Great Hall, Hermione saw Draco sitting in his normal place at the Ravenclaw house table. She saw Pansy discussing something with him while Crabbe and Cho seemed to be looking around the Great Hall and discussing what the decorations might be for the party - which was a formal attire kind of thing that would take place in the school's ballroom. Though, it wasn't a dance. Simply, a holiday celebration before most students left to their families. Walking to the Ravenclaw table, she noticed someone else sitting there. Someone beside Draco.
"Potter." She said, it was almost a growl. It caught Draco's attention fast.
"Hermione!" He exclaimed.
"Potter." Hermione repeated, staring daggers at the raven-haired boy beside Draco. "What are you doing sitting at this table?"
"Well excuse me, Hermione," Potter said. "I wanted to sit beside my boyfriend today."
"Don't!" Hermione yelled, slamming her books on the table. She scared a few first years. "Don't you ever call me by my given name. And you have no right to be sitting here! This isn't your table —"
"Again, I wanted to sit by my boyfriend." Said Potter.
"I don't give a damn!"
"Hermione!" Draco stood, hands flat on the table as he stared at her. "Stop." He said softly.
Hermione took in deep breaths that soon became short, shallow ones, before she began to cry. She picked up her books, gave one last look at Draco and Potter then left. Pansy noticed that Ron went to go after her, but stopped himself. She frowned, turning to look back at Draco and Potter. Potter was looking up at Draco who, quite scarily, was staring straight ahead with his jaw clenched so tight that you could see almost every muscle contracting.
"Draco." Pansy said softly. He just stood there. "Draco." She repeated, standing up and leaning towards him, resting a hand on one of his own. He looked at her, jaw still clenched. "Sit down." She whispered. Sighing as he sat down, Draco his his face in his hands. Hermione looked so upset, rightfully so. Harry was comfortable in her seat, a seat she's always had since first year. Granted, she had been avoiding it, but Draco knew that didn't mean Harry had the right to take it. He felt the Slytherin's hand on his back and a soft kiss to his head, and he knew Pansy must've been staring at the two of them oddly. She still wasn't used to it, but she had become accepting.
Classes had gone by quickly and Draco couldn't wait for the next day, Saturday, to be over. He had been dreading the party for so long that now that it was around the corner, he wanted nothing more than to get it over with. During the whole debacle with Harry's bet with Ron and Draco's pushed aside frustration with being a last resort, all Draco wanted to do was hide in his common room. But then he'd think about being Harry's last resort, being someone Hermione didn't want to look at.. He'd rather just suffer for a few hours at a social gathering. As if Harry knew what Draco was pondering on, he leaned over a pressed a kiss to the blond's neck, mumbling against the soft skin.
"If you keep thinking, you'll give yourself a headache."
They were sitting in Harry's room on the four-poster, Harry beside Draco who was sat with his legs crossed over each other. Draco chuckled, looking down at his hands which were laying idly in his lap. "Wouldn't be the first time."
Harry rolled his eyes with a smile, pressing soft kisses up Draco's neck, the boy's jawline and his cheek. Draco soon leaned back and turned his head to look at Harry, the ravenette's eyebrows were furrowed as he looked back at Draco.
"What?" Asked Harry. Draco blew out a heavy puff of hair.
"If I hadn't found out that you asked me last to the party, out of everyone, would you have said something?"
Harry straightened his back, frowning at Draco. "I hadn't thought it was important."
"'Course not." Draco muttered, looking Harry in the eyes. "What about if you had acquired a date before asking around my house table?"
"Would you have cared?"
"Not then, no."
"Well, then. It wouldn't be bothering you now. If, for example, Parvati said yes before I reached the Ravenclaw table, we wouldn't have spoken —"
"You wouldn't have called Hermione a mudblood." Draco said with an obvious bitterness to his tone.
"Right, sorry." Harry frowned.
"You'll have to say that to her, not me. Besides, it made no sense considering your mother —"
"Must we talk about that?" Asked Harry, and Draco noticed it bothered him. The mention of his mother, the idea of his parents.. That's why he had gotten upset in Defense..
"Sorry.." Mumbled Draco, noticing Harry's expression softened.
"I really like you." Harry said, keeping eye contact with Draco. The blond chuckled, titling his head to the side slightly.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." Said Harry with a smile, bringing an arm around Draco to hoist himself up, Draco laying back as Harry hovered over him.
"I guess I like you too." Teased Draco, smirking up at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes and pressed his body into Draco's, resting some of his weight as he hid his face in the dip between Draco's neck and collarbone. He felt thin but muscular arms wrap themselves around his middle, pulling Harry to rest completely on top of Draco. Harry shifted to move his arms under Draco, face still hidden. He listened to the soft breaths that came from the boy beneath him, the blond he had fallen so hard for. His boyfriend. His. Boyfriend. They laid in the same position for a while, close to one another. Harry would occasionally press kisses to Draco's neck before he sighed contently, cuddling up to Draco.
An hour and a half later, a knock on the door presented Draco and Harry with the unwanted action of moving from where they were laying. Raising himself up, Harry pressed his lips to Draco's in a quick but deep kiss before he crawled off the bed. Draco sat up, smoothing out his clothes as Harry undid the lock on his door and opened it. He was greeted by Pansy Parkinson.
"How the bloody hell did you get in here?" Harry asked. Pansy scoffed.
"Try again." She said, crossing her arms.
Harry grumbled but complied. "Hello, Parkinson."
"Hello." Pansy smiled, but it was obviously annoyed. "Now, where's Draco?"
"Here." Draco said with a hand in the air, walking towards the door. "Why?"
"We've got to go to help set up for the party, of course!" Pansy exclaimed. "Slughorn put us in the organization group, remember?"
"And Hermione?" Draco asked. Harry looked at him oddly.
"She's already help set up most." Said Pansy with a frown. "We just need to get tables fixed and then to decorate the halls towards the ballroom."
"I've never understood why he goes all out for a Christmas party." Harry said, running his fingers soothingly down Draco's arm when he noticed he was tense.
"I think it's kind. He just wants to have fun."
"Pansy, could you tell Professor Slughorn I'm really not up to decorating? Hermione signed me up for it, and I thought —"
"You thought you'd be doing it with her." Pansy said and Draco nodded. "All right, whatever. I just figured you and I could."
"Oh, Pansy, you know this has nothing —"
"I'll see you tomorrow." Pansy smiled, almost sadly, at Draco. She nodded at Harry and off she went. Harry noticed Blaise was at the steps — he must've let her in.
"Draco?" Harry spoke softly.
"I'm going to go." Draco said, looking at Harry. "I'll probably sleep in, haven't done that since I was little, so don't expect me in the Hall for breakfast."
"Draco." Frowned Harry. Draco cupped Harry's face in his hands, pressed their lips together and kissed him slowly. Harry made a little noise, a noise that made Draco chuckle. Harry was glad he at least found it amusing, while meanwhile his cheeks were darkening from embarrassment when Draco pulled away. With one last smile, which looked a tad bit pained, Draco left the room. Harry stepped out into the hall to watch as he walked down the stairs, only to head back into his room and close the door.
Come the next morning, Draco had in fact slept in. Harry knew it. He had been staring at the doors of the Great Hall hoping he'd see Draco walk through, especially when he saw Parkinson and Granger walking to the Ravenclaw table. Granger, at least to Harry, hadn't seemed to noticed that her supposed best friend was still sleeping although he could've been wrong. He didn't know Granger, after all. Parkinson - or Pansy, however, was looking at Harry. She gave a smile that was sympathetic before gesturing towards Draco's normal spot at the Ravenclaw table. Harry frowned at her before looking down at his food. He knew Draco must be incredibly upset about Hermione to sleep in past eight am, he had learned that Draco enjoyed being up at odd hours of the morning - especially if he could get some extra work done. Ron - who usually sat with Harry during the weekend - kicked Harry from under the table, bringing him out of his thoughts. Harry glared at him, frustrated that his friend couldn't have just spoke his name.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I, uh.. I asked 'Mione to the party." Ron mumbled, looking down at his plate.
"Yeah?"
Ron nodded.
"Good for you. Maybe you can help her realise she shouldn't be holding a grudge against Draco."
"I know why, Harry." Said Ron. "She was in love with him once, you know."
Harry inhaled, his fork falling onto his plate as he began to cough. Blaise looked over at him with wide eyes, quickly patting his back.
"Mate, what did you say?" Blaise asked, looking at Ron.
"Just that Hermione used to be in love with Draco!" Ron exclaimed, leaning across the table to reach his arm out and pat Harry's back as well. Harry was coughing and gasping, and Pansy and Hermione noticed this.
"Hermione, we should help them." Said Pansy, rising from her seat. Hermione looked at Pansy before she sighed, knowing it was the right the to do. Last she wanted was someone to suffer because she was angry. She stood and followed Pansy to the Slytherin table, ushering Ron and Blaise off of Harry, Pansy squeezed beside him and held the glass of pumpkin juice he had up as Hermione wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing him tightly before he finally brought up what was blocking his airways. He breathed heavily, tears pricking his eyes. Ron tried his best not to laugh, knowing that was terrible to do while Blaise stared at Hermione who sat in between him and Harry.
"Hey," She said, patting his back. "Hey, breathe."
"Here, you need to drink." Said Pansy, handing Harry the glass of pumpkin juice. Harry took it gratefully, taking a large swig before coughing a little more. Hermione patted his back a few times before her hand rested on his left shoulder, squeezing slightly. Blaise and Ron took a moment to take in the sight, even Pansy did too. Hermione was looking at Harry worriedly as the boy's rubbed his eyes, coughing still as he took deep breaths, with her hand on his shoulder in a comforting action. Harry, once he recomposed himself, looked over at Hermione. He looked at her, eyebrows furrowed, and she looked back at him, a sigh making its way past parted lips. It was the way she was looking at him, the look in her eyes soft and sympathetic. Swallowing hard, he brought himself to speak.
"Thanks." He muttered.
"You're welcome." Hermione said softly, her own eyebrows furrowed as they looked at each other. Pansy exchanged looks with Ron and Blaise, holding back a giggle.
"What's going on?" A new voice said, catching the attention of everyone - Hermione removing her hand from Harry's shoulder - but Harry, who was still looking at Hermione, bewildered.
"Potter was choking. Weasley said something stupid." Said Blaise, grinning at Draco.
"That's not a rarity." Draco joked, smiling when Ron muttered something argumentative under his breath.
"Why were you choking?" Asked Hermione, looking back at Harry. Harry looked at Hermione for a moment longer before at Ron.
"Ron just.. He said something that caught me off guard is all." He said, looking down at the plate in front of him.
"What?" Draco asked, smiling again when Pansy grabbed his hand and swung their hands slightly. She must've been in a better mood.
"Nothing. It was nothing." Ron said, looking at Hermione who had been avoiding eye contact with him.
"Yeah." Harry agreed, glancing over at Hermione who's gaze was flickering from the table to Harry and back.
"All right, well, who can I thank for not letting you die?" Said Draco, letting go of Pansy's hand to wrap his arms around Harry's shoulders. Hermione stared at Draco.
"Hermione." Harry muttered. It was barley audible.
"Who?" Draco asked with furrowed brows. Pansy stood from the table, looking at Hermione with a expectant expression.
"Hermione." Harry said louder.
"Her-" Draco began, but looked at Hermione as he took his arms away from Harry's shoulders. "Hermione?" He said. She looked up at him, barely making eye contact before she stood, pushing past Draco and walking away. Pansy patted Draco's shoulder before following Hermione back to their table. Draco sat beside Harry, looking at him bewildered. "Hermione helped — really?"
"That's what I thought." Harry mumbled. Draco nodded slowly as he looked over at his house table, seeing Hermione with her face now buried in a book. Draco silently collected some food and began to eat as Harry kicked Ron under the table. Ron grunted and stared daggers at Harry.
"What's going on?" Draco asked.
"Nothing." Harry said, eyeing Ron.
"I just told Harry that Hermione used to be in love with you." Ron spoke quickly, the words jumbling together but nevertheless, Draco caught what he had said.
"What did you tell him that for?!" Draco exclaimed.
"So it's true?" Asked Harry. "Is that why you're so upset?"
"No, that's — I mean, it was true in third and fourth year but that's not why I'm upset. I'm upset because she's my best friend. And she's not mad because she's in love with me, she's mad because I'm with you although I promised her on several occasions - as I told you - that this," He gestured between them both. "wouldn't happen."
"Oh." Was all Harry could say.
"Yeah, oh." Said Draco and he began to eat his breakfast silently.
When the evening had arrived and students were gathering in the ballroom, Harry was eagerly awaiting the sight of Draco. He had been standing in the hall for the last twenty minutes with Ron, who had told Harry that Hermione wasn't ready yet and he was simply waiting. Harry watched as people, including Pansy and Blaise, wander on by and into the ballroom. He was growing nervous, why he didn't know, considering it was just a stupid party. A small, stupid party that the entire school - including teachers - were attending. Ron chuckled at his friend, watching as Harry looked up and down the halls for any sign of Draco. A half an hour later, finally in Harry's opinion, Draco was walking down the hall with Oliver and his date, Hannah Abbot. Draco seemed aggravated as his hands were up in the air, gesturing as he was turned towards Oliver. Oliver had a knowing smile on his face as he listened to Draco mutter on and on.
"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, catching the group of three's attention. Draco poked Oliver in his chest, giving him a look before walking to Harry.
"Hello." He said, huffing when Oliver walked past.
"Have fun." Oliver had said with a grin.
"Why are you so heated?" Harry asked, smirking at Draco's glare.
"It's just Oliver being an arse, is all." Draco said, before looking over at Ron and nodding. "Weasley."
"Draco." Ron replied nervously. Harry had noticed Ron seemed more nervous than usual.
"We'll see you in there, yeah? I'm sure Granger won't be much longer." Harry said, grabbing Draco's hand. Ron gave an uneven chuckle as he nodded, watching Harry and Draco head to the doors of the ballroom. Panic set it, making Ron stock still where he stood. He had lied to his best friend and gotten away with it. The lie? He hadn't asked Hermione to the party. Was too afraid to, especially with her recent and seemingly permanent attitude of frustration. The only ones who knew were Ron's fellow Hufflepuffs Neville and Luna, and Neville invite him to tag along considering Pansy had gotten to Blaise before Neville could. When he saw Neville, he relaxed.
"Hey." Neville greeted.
"Hey." Ron smiled.
"Hermione show yet?" Asked Neville.
"She's been in there for quite a while. Showed up before Harry."
"She speak to you?"
Ron shook his head, following Neville into the ballroom. It was decorated beautifully. Lights were strung high as Christmas trees - measuring in at least fifteen feet - sat in corners of the large room. The trees were decorated in blue and white and the lights wrapped around the branches lit them up beautifully. There were more lights as well which were strung across ceiling and down posts, wrapped around tables and mistletoe was hung here and there. People were making sure to avoid it. Music was playing loudly and most people were out on the floor dancing, but there were a few that were sitting at some of the tables. Ron noticed that Draco and Harry had been dragged onto the dance floor by Pansy and it seemed as though Draco and Pansy were having more fun than Harry and Blaise.
Neville broke off from Ron when he spotted Theodore Nott, a Gryffindor, with Dean and Seamus leaving Ron alone to sit at a table and look around the room. Scanning the room, he saw Hermione out on the floor dancing with Cedric - Cho Chang dancing with Parvati. The four seemed to be enjoying themselves, except Ron noticed Hermione was a little less enthusiastic as she normally was about certain things. He knew he had gone and fucked up. Or maybe, it had all to do with Draco. He hoped it was the latter. He hid his face when Hermione headed towards the drinks, Harry and Draco unknowingly going in the same direction. Hermione had noticed, however, when Harry had tried to slide past her to grab a glass of pumpkin juice. She shot him a glare and heard Draco's familiar sigh.
"Hermione, hi." Draco said softly.
"Hello." She muttered. Draco was shocked; she had spoken a word to him.
"How.. How are you?" Draco asked. Hermione turned to look at him and Harry stood by his left, avoiding looking at Hermione as he drank his pumpkin juice.
"Well, if you must know, I'm here at this party alone, my best friend has fallen in love with a prick who - Merlin forbid, truly - may hurt him, my other friends have told me I'm overreacting.. Oh! Not to mention the fact that my best friend promised me that if Ron didn't ask me to this stupid party that he would accompany me. But, he broke that too. So, I'm bloody fantastic, why do you ask?"
Draco stared at Hermione with his mouth agape while Harry stared at her with wide eyes, the glass he held still up to his lips as his eyebrows furrowed.
"Ron didn't— He told me he asked you, and you two were going together." Said Harry. Hermione shook her head. "He said he was just waiting for you!" Once more, Hermione shook her head.
"Hermione." Draco said quietly, a large frown evident as he looked at Hermione - who appeared to be close to breaking down into tears. "Hermione, I'm so sorry."
"It's —"
"Merlin, Hermione, I didn't — I hadn't known it was affecting you so much." Said Draco, desperate to reach out to Hermione and pull her into the biggest hug.
"You never asked." Muttered Hermione.
"Ron lied to me. How the hell," Harry whispered to himself.
"And about Ron, you could've told me - I mean, I would've accompanied you here in a heartbeat."
"He lied to me." Harry mouthed silently.
"That's not true. It wouldn't of mattered! You would've gone with Potter either way." Hermione exclaimed.
"Ron lied to me." Harry said at a normal volume. Draco glared at him.
"Go deal with it then, Potter?"
Harry blinked rapidly at Draco before he got the message, muttering under his breath before leaving Draco and Hermione. Draco looked back at Hermione who was now at the other end of the drink table, pouring herself a bit of water.
"Hermione, honestly, I would've taken you tonight if I had known."
"It's fine." She replied.
"I really like him." Draco muttered. Hermione closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"I've noticed." She said after a heavy sigh.
"And he's not going to hurt me, 'Mione. I wouldn't be giving this a chance if I had any thought that he would. He put so much effort into dates and impressing me, even got upset when I didn't talk to him." Said Draco, looking at a stock still Hermione. "I— I think I love him."
Hermione looked quickly over at Draco, mouth agape. "What?!" She exclaimed. Draco had shocked himself as well, his eyes wide. He thought about the words in his head, about the meaning and about the past few months. He realized that yes, he did indeed love Harry.
"I love him." Draco said surely this time. Hermione stood still, looking for a sign that Draco was unsure, but found nothing of the sort. Instead, she saw this look of adoration and truth. Hermione realised then that her best friend really did love Harry Potter. How odd. "But I love you, you know." Draco soon said. "You're my best friend in the entire world, 'Mione, and I've been lost without you. I was upset when you switched spots in classes and when you wouldn't even sit near me at breakfast or dinner, I figured I had ruined our friendship."
"Oh, Draco." Hermione frowned, taking quick steps forward and throwing herself onto Draco, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and neck in a loving, tight embrace. Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione quickly, clinging onto her as though she was his lifeline. He rested his forehead on her shoulder, sighing heavily as he felt Hermione's grip tighten around him. He had missed her hugs terribly. "You could never ruin anything, ever." Hermione soon whispered, hiding her face in the crook of Draco's neck. "I love you too."
They stood there for a while, their embrace tight as though to let one another know that they loved, cherished and wanted to protect one another. Especially Hermione, whose grip was tight and almost possessive. It made Draco happy. He hadn't been completely happy in a while without her. Eventually, the two parted and Hermione looked up at Draco with the most unsure expression.
"You love him?" She asked.
"I do."
With a sigh, Hermione lips curled into a hesitant smile. "If you love him," She said. "Then maybe, I can give him a chance." Draco smiled widely at her, his arms tight around her middle as he lifted her up off the floor to spin her around, happy to hear her laughter.
"Having fun?" Harry asked when he approached them, noticing how when Draco set her down, Hermione clung onto his right arm.
"Indeed." Draco said.
"You might want to talk with Ron, Granger, turns out he was just a big wuss." Said Harry, and Hermione actually gave a genuine laugh.
"I will, then. But I'm still angry with him."
"And me?" Asked Draco. Hermione pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"You frustrates me. It's what you do."
"What are best friends for?" Draco said. Hermione smiled up at him as she laughed. Ron wandered up to the three, soon stealing Hermione away to explain to her his reasoning for not asking her to the party. Meanwhile, Harry found himself out on the floor dancing with Draco, Pansy, Blaise, Neville, Cedric and Cho. He hadn't quite gotten to know Pansy, Neville, Cedric or Cho But was beginning to quite enjoy their company. He noticed he did in fact change, as he had hoped he would, over the few months of being back at Hogwarts. He had talked to more people, made new friends, fell in love - ah, yes, he was in love. He knew he was as soon as he saw Draco dancing freely with Pansy and Cedric - who was warming up to Potter for Draco now, because Hermione spoke with him - and heard his loud, contagious laugh that there was no way he hadn't fallen in love with Draco.
Ron and Hermione soon accompanied them all on the floor, seemingly on good terms. Draco took Hermione's hands and brought her towards him, spinning her ever so often as Pansy asked Harry for a dance. It found the question weird, but nevertheless he had taken her hands and they begun to dance. Ron was simply jumping around like an idiot with Neville and Blaise while Cho and Cedric were dancing the same as Hermione and Draco - fast-paced and with a free sort of emotion. They were all enjoying themselves, all happy and all friends. Harry had friends. Not just Ron, now, though he appreciated the boy more than he would ever be able to say. He was happy, genuinely happy and felt as though his life was taking a turn for the better. When Draco had wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed him in front of the entire school, in front of his friends, Harry had concluded that he indeed was head over heals in love with Draco Malfoy and he couldn't be happier that a simple bet gave him more than he could've asked for.