Disclaimer: ALL THESE THINGS, EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT, ARE J.K. ROWLING'S, NOT MINE.

Harry Potter was walking from a seemingly good and muddy Quidditch Practice. His Firebolt was carelessly placed on his shoulder while the night breeze ruffled his hair, teasing it with a direction. His bright green eyes took in the dark surroundings that he loved. Peace and quiet! No one to look at him, no one to whisper, no one to screech, "It's Harry Potter!"
He was just about to climb the staircases when a scream rent through the air.

"I love Hermione Granger!"

Harry froze his inner self switching to protective and curious mode. He got out his Invisibility Cloak from under his Muggle clothing. He draped it on himself, mounted his Firebolt, and circled the grounds slowly, careful not to wake Filch up. By the Astronomy Tower, there was someone… crying?

Harry slowed to a stop, stunned. The crying person screamed again. "Why does this have to be so bloody difficult? I love her, since the day she looked at me, even if it was a disgusted look! I've been thinking about her for the past years! I get it, I'm obsessed! I want her to get jealous by getting with Pansy, but that's no good! I just wish my life wasn't so effing complicated!"

Harry smiled. He looked up at Draco Malfoy, his archenemy since he set foot at Hogwarts. He was smiling at his profession, and he didn't know why he didn't feel overprotective of Hermione instead. Malfoy's history with the Golden Trio wasn't exactly a secret. But Harry knew deep inside that Malfoy was only acting for the sake of his father.

"Who knew that Malfoy has the hots for Hermione?" Harry said in amusement as he smiled one last time at the face that yelled to the heavens in anguish before turning away, not bothering to drape the Invisibility Cloak on him. He figured Malfoy won't see him with his wet eyes, anyway.

"Harry, where were you last night?"

"I told you, Hermione, I was at Quidditch Practice!"

Hermione gave him a knowing look. Sure, she knew that, but she knew he was hiding something. Harry was really just a novice in lying.

"Come on, you can tell me! What is it?" she persisted, flicking a loose strand of hair carelessly over her shoulder. Her brown eyes circled their vicinity, checking for eavesdroppers.

"I can't, Hermione, just not now," Harry said, exhausted. He was a little annoyed about Hermione playing detective again at first, but he just found it amusing how Hermione reacts to an untold secret.

Hermione crossed her arms at her chest and mumbled darkly. She really can't contain her curiosity now. What good would it bring to keep her hanging? He knew she was curious, but what she didn't know is that he was planning on doing something to Parvati Patil, the gossip machine of Gryffindor, because of making her annoyingly curious, too. Maybe a hex like Hermione did to Marietta Edgecombe should do the trick.

Feet shuffled behind the pair, and they looked around their shoulders. Ronald Weasley came flying out of a classroom, screaming, "Get away from me!" with his arms above his red hair. Seconds later, Lavender Brown came, cooing shrilly, "Won-won!"

Hermione and Harry doubled up in laughter at the sight. Oh sure, Hermione kissed Ron at the war, but the summer that passed hit them with reality, a reality meaning they won't be together. So Ron was still persisted by Lavender, who was, in Hermione's opinion, in comparison to Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin as 'the slut of the school'. If Pansy was acting like a slut to Malfoy, Lavender was making a show for Won-won.

The two still had tears in their eyes as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. They passed the Slytherin Table as usual, and they received snide remarks and rude comments, but it was ingrained on the Gryffindors to ignore them. They don't stand a chance when ignored, anyways.

Harry found all this normal, and smiled all the way, oblivious to all the glares he received. Hermione, though, was staring at the knot of Slytherins in bewilderment. Is it just her, or was the din a voice less in number?

She shifted her head to the side to look at a gaunt-looking Draco Malfoy, staring at his full plate with dull and bloodshot grey orbs. He had dark circles underneath them, his hair was a mess, and his jaw was tightly clenched in thought. His hands were on the table, unmoving. Pansy was beside him, cooing something in his ear. He didn't say anything, and Pansy stopped her flirty antics, crossing her arms and pouting. Blaise Zabini was laughing with Theodore Nott, but sobered immediately at the fact that Draco was like a statue.

"What's wrong with Malfoy today?" Hermione asked as Ron caught up with them, panting. Harry's eyes widened and looked fearfully at the pale form.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. Now there's something you don't see every day.

"I don't know, maybe he hadn't been sleeping well." He said, shrugging indifferently.

"Oh Merlin, he looks like a vampire," Ron said, imitating them. His voice now held pity, not concern.

They sat down on the Gryffindor Table beside Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister. Hermione and Ron were very good at ignoring the other two companies they have when they weren't feeling… verbal. Hermione ignored the forms entwined beside her and went to grab the mashed potatoes. Ron was already shoveling food onto his mouth (since when did he get food?).

Hermione chewed her mashed potatoes thoughtfully, looking at the pale figure at the Slytherin Table. Malfoy was toying with his soup, frowning, looking as dejected as ever. There was a hopeless air around him that she almost saw…

…Almost.

While she was thinking, Harry glanced at her over Ginny's shoulder, eyes full of concern. Harry knew Hermione liked Malfoy a lot since third year. The only thing holding her feelings back was the spat between Malfoy and himself. Somehow, he felt guilty of preventing and interfering with the possibility of a perfect relationship.

He sighed, getting back to his plate. Just for once, he'll keep Malfoy's secret…

And Harry himself will help the Slytherin win a Gryffindor's heart.

A/N: Please Review. :)