AN: Another update! Please R&R!

Hogsmeade

Chapter 25

Hogsmeade weekend had soon arrived, and Harry was anticipating his date with Cho Chang. Maybe this time things would work out the way he wanted him too. Cho certainly had time to sort out her feelings, and knowing that she wanted to see him again made Harry a bit happier. He stood in front of the mirror, running his fingers through his gelled hair until he was satisfied with his appearance. Turning around he faced Ron who was just sitting on his bed with his arms folded across his chest.

"What's with you?" Harry asked.

"It's not fair, mate! You and Cho are working things out, Hermione loves Draco and won't give any one else a chance, but who do I have? No one, that's right, I Ronald Weasley have no one to love or care for." He growled.

"Ron, will you please quit being so hard on your self. Look, I know this isn't going to make things easier, but Hermione really does have feelings for Malfoy, maybe you're just still hoping that she would come back to you." Harry said softly, taking a seat next to Ron.

"So what if I spend my nights wishing that Hermione were mine once more? Is that such a bad thing?" Ron snapped.

"I know you love Hermione a lot, but maybe you just got to let her go and allow her to be happy, even if it is with Malfoy. I know it's hard Ron, but mate you gotta realize that Hermione is not the only girl out there. There are millions of decent looking girls here at Hogwarts, and you're a decent looking bloke, so there's no reason for you to be so hard on yourself. Get dressed and come to Hogsmeade." Harry suggested.

"Alright, I will", Ron sighed as he began to get dressed.

The two boys walked down into the common room to find Hermione wearing a pink tank top and a short denim skirt. Her brown hair was in perfect ringlets as it lay on her shoulders. She smiled brightly and greeted them both.

"Harry, I do hope you and Cho get past this. She seems nice." Hermione said sweetly.

"Have you talked to…er…?" Harry stuttered.

"No, but I am sure he will be at Hogsmeade and I tend to have a little chat with him, and if Parkinson so much as tries to interrupt me she will wish she didn't even get out of bed this morning." Hermione hissed.

"Hermione, why can't you?" Ron began nervously.

"What? Why can't I love you instead of Malfoy?" She snapped.

Ron nodded as he avoided eye contact with her.

"Because Ron, we cannot help who we fall in love with; it's random and it happens at the most unexpected time and we cannot change that. I can't simply forget all my feelings for Malfoy and force myself to love you. My heart has chosen Malfoy, and I'm sorry that it hurts you, and I'm sorry I played games with you in the past. But I love Malfoy and there's nothing going to change that, even if he does tell me we can't be together I will always have feelings for him, as I will you, Ron. We had a special history together, and I don't want to forget that either. I still care deeply for you, but Malfoy is the one I love and the one I want to be with, and I want you to be happy with some one too." Hermione explained truthfully.

"You mean you wouldn't be upset if you saw me in another girl's arms?" Ron stammered.

"Of course not; I would finally be able to relax, knowing that you are happy with someone. It would make me happy too, Ron." She replied, as she stuffed her wand inside of her jacket pocket.

A smile crossed Ron's face as he followed the other two down to the school grounds. Filch was waiting by the main entrance to check everybody's permission slips; only a few third years remained behind with the creepy caretaker. Harry immediately began searching for Cho Chang, and Hermione was watching the crowd closely for Draco Malfoy or Pansy Parkinson.

"Harry", a sweet voice said.

Turning around he saw Cho Chang wearing a navy blue dress with her shiny ebony hair laying flat against her shoulders as she smiled brightly at him.

"Cho", he mumbled.

"Do you want to go have a cup of tea?" She asked.

Harry nodded as he bade goodbye to Ron and Hermione, nervously walking with Cho Chang.

"Now what am I supposed to do?" Ron grumbled. "You'll leave me all alone just so you can make things right with Malfoy."

"Ron, I'm sorry, but I need to do this." Hermione huffed. "But if you really want to, you may follow me when I talk to Malfoy. You never know I could use a friend if things don't work out, and I'm not really expecting them too."

Ron's spirits lifted a bit as he heard this, of course he would go with Hermione just so he could comfort her afterwards. Maybe just maybe there was still hope for them too.

Going into the Three Broomsticks, Hermione spotted Draco sitting all alone at a table in the very back of the pub. She told Ron to sit down and order some butter beer while she went and talked to Malfoy.

"Draco", she said softly.

Draco looked up as he examined Hermione's appearance. A small but not happy smirk crossed his face as he took another large swig of the amber colored alcohol.

"What are you doing her?" He sneered.

"Look, I came to talk to you." She said quietly, taking a seat right next to him.

"Did I say you could sit there?" He shot.

"No, but I'm going to rather you like it or not, and we are going to sit and discuss this!" She exclaimed, ordering her a butter beer as well.

"Look, I told you the truth, my father would kill if he found out I loved you. My family is the only people who really cared about me; they taught me their ways and how to be a man, but now I'm confused that their ways weren't always right. The only thing I ever wanted to do was make my father proud, and I know that if I continue our relationship that he will either kill me or have you killed, and I don't want to risk that." Draco said, taking another drink of his beverage.

"I understand that family is very important to you, but what about your wants and your desire's do they not matter to your parents?" Hermione questioned seriously.

"No, they don't. I never once thought about what I wanted or what would make me happy. I always did what father wanted me to just to try and make him proud." He answered stiffly.

"Is your father proud of you?"

"No, he says I'm not a man until I receive the Dark Mark. The truth is I don't want to become one of them. I can't do it; I can't handle it. Father calls me weak, and tells me that if I do this he will be extremely proud of me and praise me for it and he and I will go on special missions together, but that's not what I want at all." Draco said bitterly.

"Tell me, what do you want, Draco?" Hermione asked, rubbing his arm with her hand, staring deep into his eyes.

"I don't want the mark etched into my skin. I don't want to do the Dark Lord's bidding. The only thing I want is to be able to be happy, and the only way I can do that is if you're with me. I am a Malfoy, and it kills me to say these words, but father does not give a damn about me; he's only concerned with me becoming a Death Eater so I can do his dirty work for him." He snapped. "I no longer care what anyone thinks of me especially father. If he wants to kill me for loving you then so be it. I am fucking tired of hiding all of this. I don't care who knows, and anyone who tries to stop is going to fucking pay!"

"Is this what you really want?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Yes, you are mine! I am not sharing you with Weasel or Potter anymore!" Draco declared.

"Good, I wouldn't have it any other way." Hermione squealed, throwing her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Please get off of me. You're acting like a silly first year." He sneered.

Ron watched from the other table as Hermione kissed Draco passionately on the lips; his heart broke into pieces. He had always had a special thing for Hermione, now he realized that it would never be, for he heart belonged to some one else. Gulping the rest of his butter beer, Ron paid the bartender and got up and walked out with out looking behind. Hermione was a part of his past he would always be grateful for, but now it was time for him to let all of those feelings go and move on to someone else, who he didn't know, but he needed someone to love him like he loved Hermione.

Just as Ron was about to leave, Pansy Parkinson strutted into the pub, acting as if she owned everything. He sat back down, hoping to watch Hermione beat the hell out of her.

Pansy was wearing a black mini skirt and a dark green tank top. She walked right over to Draco, smirking, and placed her hand on his shoulder, as if she owned him too.

"Go, Granger, your boyfriend is at the other table drinking him self into oblivion just so he could sleep with you." She remarked.

"Parkinson, please, even a blind deaf man would turn you down." Hermione shot back.

Draco let out a snicker, but Pansy smacked his shoulder.

"What it was the truth, Filch would even pass you up." Draco chuckled.

"I bet the Weasel over there is so desperate that he would sleep with me." Pansy hissed, glaring at Hermione.

"Actually, Ron has higher standards. He wouldn't sleep with a piggish slut like you." Hermione laughed.

"But he slept with you."

"Actually he didn't."

"Even the Weasel turned you down, you're pathetic."

"No, Parkinson, you're the pathetic one here. You keep living in a fantasy world where Draco actually likes you. If he had the least little bit of feelings for you, then would he let me do this?" Hermione hissed, yanking Draco's tie and pulling him in for a heated kiss.

Pulling away, Hermione gave her a satisfied smirk.

"Draco, don't even pretend you enjoyed that." She snapped.

"She's a better kisser then you'll ever be Parkinson, and she actually turns me on, something you would never be able to achieve." He snapped. "Now please go and bugger some one else, because I am spending time with my girlfriend."

"You can't be serious; she's a mud-blood." Pansy shot back.

"She's my girlfriend either you can get the fuck over it and leave or I'll crucio you and that's a promise." Draco threatened.

Pansy Parkinson huffed heavily and sulked out of the pub leaving a very satisfied Hermione and Draco. He leaned in and kissed her deeply once more. Ron, watching the whole thing, got disgusted and he too left. He couldn't bear watching the one he truly love, love some one else; it just broke his heart, but he had to admit, Hermione looked pretty happy, and he should be too, but for some reason he wasn't.

Hermione and Draco left Three Broomsticks and decided to go into Honeydukes, and on their way there they ran into Harry and Cho.

"Hermione", Harry said calmly, giving Draco a scathing look.

"Hey, Harry. Hey, Cho", she said sweetly.

Cho just smiled weakly at Hermione.

"Look, Potter's found himself another girlfriend." Draco snickered.

"Draco", Hermione mumbled.

"Harry, we were just going to Honeydukes would you like to join us?" Hermione asked.

Draco snorted.

"No, we just left there. Cho wants to go into Wicked Witches." Harry responded as Cho looked away, flushed.

"Wow, Ravenclaws must be pretty naughty in the sack. That's a store for kinky witches." Draco smirked.

"Draco, please be nice." Hermione huffed.

"I would if you would ever shop there."

Both Harry and Draco laughed at that.

"Hermione", Cho said shyly. "Would you mind if I had a word with you?"

Cho and Hermione walked down the road, leaving Draco and Harry to insult one another.

"What's up Cho?"

"I really like Harry", she stated. "But…I'm a…virgin", she stuttered.

Hermione just looked at her puzzled, wondering how she could help Cho, "Okay."

"I…want…er…you…to…help me pick out something naughty for Harry. I want him to be my first, and you being his best friend and all, would know what turns him on." She confessed.

Hermione just blushed and nodded.

"What should we do about the boys?" Cho asked worriedly. "I'm afraid they'll get into it."

"Draco knows that if he starts anything with any of my friends that he won't receive any pleasure from me for an entire month." Hermione laughed.

"Aren't you scared, Harry will start something though?"

"If he does, I told Draco he may defend himself, but not hurt Harry. The rule is if we are dating he is not allowed to attack any of my friends unless he is defending himself or disarming them, and there are grave consequences for Draco if he breaks the rule." Hermione explained.

Cho chuckled as they both walked into Wicked Witches. The store was lit with black lights as heavy rock metal music blared in the air. Hermione gasped as noticed some of the merchandise they were selling; Cho blushed too, as she picked up a pair of black crotch less thongs.

"You know what, I think I just might by some stuff here and show Draco a very Slytherin side of me", Hermione grinned as she began picking up a few items while she helped Cho pick out some stuff to show Harry.

Finally after the two girls left the shop, they met back up with Draco and Harry in the Three Broomsticks. Hermione was surprised to find the two of them having a decent conversation.

"Wow, Draco, I am so proud that you are capable of talking to Harry with out aiming your wand at him", Hermione chuckled.

"Well, I was just trying to convince him that I have a bigger cock", he remarked. "So, Granger, who does have the bigger cock since you slept with us both?"

"Draco Malfoy! I am not answering that question!" She shrieked.

Cho glared at Hermione, and then finally burst into laughter as the four of them decided to head back towards Hogwarts. By the time they made it half way back to the castle, Harry and Hermione both realized that Ron was not with them; he had disappeared once more.