"Wow!" Luna smiled brightly as Hermione told her about the plans she had made the night before. "That's quite a bit of progress you've made there."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed nervously. "I- I guess it is."

"Hermione, progress is good," Luna picked out the fear in her tone immediately. "This isn't something to be scared of. You and Draco have been to dinner before, you've been out in public before. This isn't new."

"This is very new," Hermione scoffed at the healer. "This is brand freaking new, Luna. Do you know how long it's been since I've been on a date? A proper date, where there was a plan made beforehand and feelings involved that aren't just physical?"

"So?" Luna shrugged. "It's been years since I last cast a patronus, but I'm still perfectly good at it."

"This isn't a spell, I can't practice this!" Hermione snapped.

"You don't need to, Hermione. It's just eating a meal with a man that you eat with every day."

"You know perfectly well that it's not," she continued to argue.

"It's only different if you make it different, Hermione."

"Everything is different," Hermione insisted. "Are you even listening to me?!"

"Okay, fine," Luna gave up her current tactic. "Fine, you're right, it's different. But tell me this- is different bad?"

Hermione opened her mouth to snap, to tell her 'of course it's bad', but before she could get the words out, the voice in her head decided to speak up, repeating Luna's question back to her.

"I- I don't know," she finally admitted. "But it's different!"

"Okay," Luna agreed. "But how much better have things in your life been lately? And how different is your life now from what it was a year ago? Or even six months ago?"

"I suppose…" Hermione mumbled, staring at her hands. "It's just… I'm scared."

"I know," Luna smiled kindly. "I also know that Draco probably is too."

She waited a moment to let that thought sink in, watching the realization dawn in Hermione's eyes.

"And on that note, we're done for today." Luna uncrossed her legs and stood up, setting her notepad and quill down on her desk. "Go home, Hermione. Talk to Draco."

Hermione nodded slowly and followed Luna out of the office, trailing along behind her as she lead the way to the floo.

"I'll see you Monday," Luna bid her farewell. "Have a good weekend."

Hermione only shrugged in response, stepping into the fireplace without another word.

When she exited the grate on the other end, it was not her flat that she found herself in, but the Ministry atrium. She barely noticed the usual chaos of the building as she tread the familiar path through the corridors and down to Level Two- Magical Law Enforcement. Before she could really think about what she was doing, her hand was lifting of its own accord and knocking on a door.

"Hermione!" Harry smiled brightly, opening his office door wide and gesturing for her to enter. "What are you doing here?"

"I- well, I was hoping maybe you had time for a cup of tea or something…" Hermione shuffled her feet nervously.

"Of course," Harry nodded eagerly. "I could do with a bit of a break here. There's a new café just opened across the road, fancy giving it a try?"

"Sure," she nodded. "That sounds good."

"Brilliant!" Harry quickly shrugged his Auror robes off, revealing muggle slacks and a polo shirt, which he covered with a leather jacket.

"Is- is that Sirius' jacket?" Hermione asked, quirking her head at the ensemble.

"Found it in the attic," Harry nodded, adjusting the coat proudly. "Looks pretty spiffing, don't you think."

At this description, Hermione couldn't help but laugh uproariously. "I'm sorry!" She shook her head, grabbing Harry's arm to hold herself steady. "I'm sorry- spiffing?"

"Oi, Ginny said it made me look handsome!" he argued.

"Handsome, perhaps," Hermione agreed, still laughing. "But spiffing?"

"Alright, that's enough from you," Harry slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a headlock.

For a moment, it was like they were fifteen again, fooling around in the Hogwarts corridors between classes. Hermione couldn't help but allow the nostalgic feeling to overtake her, filling her with a mixture of joy and sadness that she didn't quite understand, but couldn't say she disliked.

"So, what's going on?" Harry asked as they took a seat in the café, coffees in hand and a piece of cake on the way. "Just felt like a chat?"

"Something like that," she nodded. "I- well, I've been seeing Luna."

"Really?" Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That's great, Mione! Since when?"

"Just after the Memorial. I suppose you could say I had a breakthrough."

"Right, the Memorial," Harry winced, recalling the awful night. "I've been wanting to apologize to you for that- for what I did, I mean. I-"

"Harry," Hermione reached out and took his hand, startling him ever so slightly with her ease. "It's alright, truly. I got your letter, I've already forgotten about it."

"Still," he shook his head. "I shouldn't have done it. I should have realized that it would hurt you as much as it did him. I never meant to do that to you."

"Harry, the only thing you did was defend me," Hermione insisted honestly. "I'm grateful to have a friend as loving and wonderful as you. You stood up for me when I couldn't do it for myself, just like you always have. What happened after that was no one's fault but my own."

"I certainly didn't help," Harry continued to try and take the blame.

"Harry James Potter, you listen to me."

Her voice took on an edge that he hadn't heard since school- the tone that she had used to scold him for things like using the Half-Blood Prince's spells- and Harry immediately sat up a little straighter, so used to doing as he was told when spoken to in that tone.

"My problems, my vices, my choices, are mine and mine alone," she lectured. "You are not to blame for my inadequacies and emotional trauma, that blame falls on me and no one else. Do you understand me?"

He couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips as he nodded in forced agreement, too enthused by the fact that his best friend was seeping through the cracked shell of a girl he'd been faced with for the last three years.

"So Luna, huh?" he changed the subject, allowing her to relax once again. "That's great, Mione. How's it been going?"

"It's been… it's been good," she decided, though she didn't sound entirely certain.

"It certainly seems to be," Harry agreed. "You haven't told me off like that in a long time."

"It is," she nodded again, her voice growing more decisive. "I didn't think I would be able to do it after the Memorial- not your part," she added quickly. "Just… everything. Seeing Ron again- it brought up a lot of things."

"I can imagine," Harry nodded, trying not to sound judgemental.

"Unfortunately I believe you can," Hermione sighed. "You saw how bad things were before anyone…before me."

"You were in pain," Harry tried to comfort her, watching the way her earlier fire seeped away, leaving her in her shell. "You were trying to do what you thought you needed and wanted."

"I know," she nodded quickly. "I just wish sometimes that I had listened when you told me to let him go."

"You had to do it in your own time," Harry shook his head. "Just like you had to do this in your own time."

Hermione nodded morosely again, her eyes focussed on the cup of coffee in her hands, watching the swirls of cream slowly mix in the dark beverage.

"So your breakthrough," Harry tried to brighten her spirits. "Tell me about that."

At the slight blush of her cheeks, he raised an eyebrow at her, his lips pulling into a smirk when she smiled nervously.

"I just… I realized that things with Ron had been so backwards and painful, that that isn't what a relationship is supposed to be like," she started to explain. "That it should be happy and bright and loving, and I realized that I want that- the real thing, not the one night stands or the weekend flings, but someone to share with, to take care of."

"With Malfoy?" Harry guessed, smiling when she blushed even deeper and nodded.

"Gods, Harry, it hurts how much I want that," her voice wavered slightly, thick with emotion. "And I knew that I couldn't have it the way things were."

"What do you mean?" Harry frowned, thinking that that was exactly what she seemed to have with Malfoy.

"You can't be in a relationship that's not equal, it can't be one person taking care of the other always, there needs to be balance," Hermione reasoned. "I want to be able to just exist with Draco, I want to live my life without him needing to analyze everything I do and say so that he can help me get better."

"That makes sense," Harry nodded along. "It sounds like you're taking it to the next level with Malfoy then."

"He asked me on a date," Hermione smiled, ducking her head as she blushed once again. "That's actually why I wanted to have coffee."

"To tell me that?" Harry questioned.

Hermione shook her head and began to chew on her lip, a sure fire sign that she was worried, and then when she looked back at him, there was a touch of fear in her eyes. "I- I'm scared, Harry."

"Scared of what?" He sat up straighter, leaning across the table to take her hand, his eyes searching her face for a hint as to what exactly was wrong. "Of Malfoy? You don't have to go out with him-"

"NO!" She jumped at the insinuation, her eyes growing wide. "Gods, no, its nothing like that! Not really, at least- not what you're thinking. I just… I'm scared it's going to end up the same as last time. I'm scared that I'm fooling myself into thinking things will be better when they won't be, and I need you to tell me if I'm wrong."

"Hermione, I-" Harry started to protest, but she spoke over him.

"You knew before," she insisted. "You knew that things were bad, that we were bad for each other. You knew that I was making a mistake, and I didn't listen to you. Please, tell me if I'm making one now. You're my best friend, and I need you to tell me the truth."

At her pleading tone, Harry felt himself soften towards her, wanting nothing more than to reassure her.

"Draco is not Ron, Hermione," he said firmly. "I may not know him very well, but I know that he cares for you, and I trust that he would never hurt you the way Ron did. I can't tell you what to do, Mione, I can't even tell you if you're making the right choice, these things are never sure. What I can tell you, is that I see how happy he makes you and I think that that counts for something. And I see the way he acts around you, the way he looks at you- he looks at you the same way I look at Ginny."

"Well, I suppose that's something," Hermione chuckled. "That moonstruck, drooling gaze you used to sport when she was around was certainly telling."

"Hey, it worked out well for me," Harry chuckled as well. "I can only hope that it will work out just as well for you."

"So… you approve?" she finally questioned, her eyes still searching his.

"He's a good guy, Hermione," Harry nodded. "He's good for you- he's good to you- and you certainly seem to make him happy. I think that if you want to give it a go, you shouldn't stop yourself because you're scared."

"What if it all goes wrong, though?" Hermione pleaded, her mind shouting angrily about the last time she had gotten involved with a close friend. "What if it changes everything."

"What if it changes for the better?" Harry countered.

"But what if it doesn't?" she insisted. "I- I don't think I could stand losing him, Harry."

"I think that's exactly the reason that you should go. If you find someone that you never want to lose, you shouldn't hold back to keep from moving forward. It's scary taking the next step, I know it is, but when it works, when you get that thing that you want so much it hurts?" He leaned back from the table, letting out a slow, admiring breath. "Hermione, it's worth every minute of fear in the beginning to get the things that come next."

"Hey!" Draco greeted her warmly as she stepped out of the hearth, setting his book down to look at her. "How was your session?"

"Fine," Hermione shrugged indifferently, walking straight through the flat to her bedroom door. She still wasn't quite sure how she felt about everything that had been said throughout the morning and wanted to get her thoughts in order.

"Same old," she shrugged again at Draco's questioning look.

"Alright," he frowned slightly at her evasive air. "Are you hungry? I was just about to make something for lunch."

"No, I'm fine," she shook her head. "I just- I'm just gonna go…" She waved vaguely towards the bedroom before disappearing behind the door.

In her room, she slowly stripped off her clothes and made her way into the shower, leaning against the wall and letting the warm water wash over her as she processed what Luna had said in their session.

Was Draco scared too? Was he just as terrified as she was that this was going to ruin everything? That they wouldn't get it right? That this might be the end? And what about everything Harry said? Was it worth it? Was risking everything worth the possible reward? A reward she didn't even think she deserved most days. She so wanted to say it would be, that everything would be okay, that she would get her happy ending… but that voice in the back of her mind wouldn't shut off, wouldn't let her have a moment's peace as it told her there wasn't a chance. There wasn't a prayer that everything could possibly work out, it never did. But maybe this time…

Will be just like all the others, her mind snapped. Face facts, you're a junky whore and you always will be. People like us don't get happily ever after. We get early graves and track marks.

She didn't realize how long she'd been crouched under the water until Draco started knocking on the door to see if she was alright. It was only then that she realized the water had gone cold, the only thing keeping her warm the frustrated tears on her cheeks.

"I'm fine!" Hermione called out, turning off the water. "I'm fine, I'll be out in a minute."

Draco seemed satisfied with this, as she heard his footsteps retreating, but when she stepped out of the bathroom she found him sitting on the bed waiting for her, a concerned look on his face.

"What's going on?" he asked. "You're being weird."

"I'm not being weird," Hermione attempted a scoff, turning away from him to pull a jumper from one of her drawers and taking a moment to wipe away any remaining tears.

"You're being weird," Draco insisted. "You're being weird, and you're avoiding me. What's going on?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she turned to face him, forcing a smile.

"Is this about tonight?" Draco pressed on. "Are you having second thoughts? Because it's okay if you don't want to go, or if you're not up to it tonight, or-"

"Draco!" Hermione put her hand over his mouth. "I want to go. I do."

"But?" He pulled her hand away.

"But nothing," she insisted, but her eyes faltered, unable to meet his. "It's nothing. You're right, I'm just being weird." She stepped back from him, pushing her hair back from her face nervously. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing Granger," Draco argued, stepping forward as she went back. "Talk to me. What's going on?"

"I'm just…. I'm scared," she admitted, her eyes finally meeting his, revealing the inkling of fear eating at her mind. "I'm scared that I'm going to mess this all up. It's not that I don't want to go or that I don't want this, I do. I really, really do, and I just... It's just… it's been a really long time since I had something good in my life, and having you here… I don't want to lose that."

Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands falling into her lap in defeat.

"I went to see Harry after my session today," she continued after a moment.

"Really?" Draco sat beside her, obviously impressed.

"We went for a coffee."

"How was that?"

"It- it was good," she nodded. "It felt good, chatting with him. Like old times. I forget sometimes, how much I miss him."

"Good thing you don't have to miss him anymore then, hm?" Draco elbowed her gently.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled.

"So, what did your good friend Potter have to say for himself?" Draco asked. "Or is it a secret?"

"No secret," Hermione elbowed him back. "I just, I wanted to be sure."

"Sure about what?"

"You," she rested her head against his shoulder to keep from looking at him. "I wanted to know if he thought I was making a mistake."

"And?"

Hermione didn't miss the way his shoulders tensed beneath her, and she felt a pang of guilt in her chest for making him worried.

"And I'm not," she promised, sitting up to look at him. "I'm not making a mistake at all."

"Potter told you that, did he?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her, his tone giving off a fake nonchalance. "I'm touched."

"Harry, Luna, me," she smiled softly. "We're all in agreement. You're pretty much the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"That's funny, my friends say the same thing about you," he smirked.

"Are you scared, Draco?" Hermione finally asked, the question practically burning her throat. "Because I'm scared. I don't want to mess this up, and I'm terrified that I will."

"Who says you're the one who'll mess it up, if it is in fact messed?" Draco countered.

"I've a rather consistent track record," she reasoned shakily.

"I have a pretty good track record of being a narcissistic asshole," he shrugged. "That doesn't really bode well in relationships."

"Yeah, because the last six months have just screamed narcissistic arsehole," Hermione scoffed.

"Well I guess we're both turning over a new leaf then." Draco smiled, taking her hand in his and squeezing it warmly before taking on a more serious expression. "Yeah, I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm gonna do something and you're gonna run, that I'm gonna screw up and ruin it all."

Hermione wasn't sure why, but at his words she felt a giggle lift in her chest, falling out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Really?" Draco frowned at her. "You're laughing at my vulnerability?"

"I'm not," she shook her head quickly, covering their clasped hands with her free one. "I'm not laughing, I swear. It's just… I didn't believe her."

"Believe who?" Draco's frown deepened.

"Luna. During our session, she said you would be," Hermione explained. "I was freaking out, and she said that you were probably scared too, but I didn't believe her. I just… sometimes I think you're impervious to fear. I know you're not- I just… I don't know, I just didn't think you would be as nervous as I am."

"Well that's cause you're ever so slightly mad," Draco joked kindly.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry-"

"No, not for being crazy," she shook her head. "For keeping you on a pedestal. It's not fair to you."

"I don't think you're keeping me on a pedestal," he assured her.

"I'm sorry anyways."

"Forgiven," Draco put his arm around her shoulders, smiling when she rested her head against his.

"Harry says it's good," she spoke up again after a moment. "Being scared. He says its good."

"Does he now?" Draco mused. "Because he's so used to just living off it?"

This earned him an appreciative chuckle, even as Hermione shook her head. "Because if you're scared it means it's worth something."

"Huh," Draco nodded, an oddly appreciative look on his face. "Who'd have thought Potter was so smart without you whispering in his ear."

"You're a prat," Hermione snorted, shoving him away.

"I mean, I said that before," he pointed out. "It shouldn't be news."

"You know what, maybe I don't want to go out with you anymore," Hermione mused, moving to get up.

"Too late," Draco's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into his side. "You already agreed, you told your therapist, you've got to go with me now!"

"Pfft, like that matters!" she scoffed. "I'll just tell Harry I've come to my senses again, he'll write me a note."

"Potter'll write you a note?!" Draco laughed loudly. "That's quite possibly the funniest thing I've ever heard. Potter writing notes! If anyone in your little trio was writing notes it was you. Tell me, did they ever ask you for notes to get out of homework?"

"Alright, bugger off!" Hermione groaned, pushing herself up to her feet. "Or I really won't go on a date with you."

"Yes you will!" Draco called after her, laughing as she flipped him the bird on her way out of the room. "Admit it Granger, I'm irresistible!"

"You're a bloody nuisance!" she shot back. "You're lucky I've already gone crazy, or else you'd have done my head in ages ago."