Hello again!

Here's another story. This one, unlike most of my others, I only just finished writing the other day. I'd had writer's block for a few weeks because, well, I was distracted… Anyway, this idea came to mind one day and the following story is what came from that idea.

Enjoy, and leave a review or two :)

Reasons

There are about a hundred reasons why it will never work between them – six, of which, stand out firmly in her mind. And one reason why it will.

X

[One – Her Friends]

Her friends are the number one reason it will never work between them. Harry and Ron still, after two years of friendship between her and him – including one year of awkward attractions, subtle flirting and jealousy-induced behaviour – and another year of actual dating, cannot stand him. Even Ginny has a hard time accepting him as her boyfriend. *Insert love-stupid smile here.*

"He's a prat, Hermione. He's rude and arrogant and selfish. He's no good for you," Harry tells her. Granted, most of it – if not all of it – is true. Draco Malfoy is a prat. And he canbe rude and arrogant and selfish – not to mention egotistical and pigheaded – but only when he's being childish. And there are most certainly other wizards out there that are better for her health than he is, but none quite as fun and passionate and heart-wrenchingly adorable – when he wants to be.

"He's using you, Hermione. You're all good and innocent and he's using your reputation to make himself look better. I mean, he's an ex-Death Eater!" Ronald will say. Now, while none of that is particularly true, she can see why he would think that. Despite all of his charges being dropped after the war – based on the fact that he didn't actually do anything wrong, as well as the fact that he was forced into his role – much of the Wizarding society still looks at him as the Boy With The Dark Mark. In fact, when news of their blossoming relationship made the front page of the Daily Prophet, many people had thought the same thing. Yes, her innocent little reputation – as well as her War-Hero status – is making him look better. But is he usingher?

"He's a player, Hermione. You remember his reputation, don't you? With girls, I mean. The way he moved through all four houses at Hogwarts..." Ginny would remind her. All of which is undeniably true. She'd heard the rumors at school – everyone had. Not to mention the fact that he's admitted it to her, however reluctant. Yes, he wasa player. Yes, he has slept with a vast majority of the female population that attended Hogwarts with them. Yes, he has that sort of bad reputation as well.

Her friends are all right in their findings.

Her boyfriend isn't perfect. He can be a prat, he was a Death Eater and he has a very long and complicated history with women. He can be moody and difficult and a right pain in the arse – especially where her friends are concerned.

They are all so, so stubborn – neither side is willing to budge on where they stand. Neither side is willing to be the bigger person and just accept that they are all a part of her life now. Neither side is willing to try and coexist with the other.

And that is why it will never work between them.

X

[Two – His Friends]

His friends are another reason why it will never work. He only has two – because he only chooses to have two – and neither one of them can stand her.

Theo thoroughly hates her. He blames her for everything. She's overheard them argue about her countless times – mostly when they thought she couldn't hear him.

"She's taking over your life, mate," he says.

"You're losing it! You're making her the center of attention – it's always 'Granger this' and 'Hermione that' and it's fucking disgusting," he muttered once while in the kitchen gathering refreshments.

"You're taking herside?! Are you fucking joking?"

"She's a bitch. She's just a swotty, selfish, little know-it-all bitch with a stick up her arse who thinks she's better than everyone else."

"She's changing you, mate. She's changing you and you don't even have a fucking clue."

Most of the time Draco doesn't even reply. He lets his friend rant about her, shakes his head, and then walks away.

Blaise, on the other hand, chooses to keep his opinions to himself. Instead of causing or starting fights with her – or Draco – he gives her the silent treatment. He doesn't speak to her when she's around. He doesn't acknowledge her when she walks into a room. He's so busy ignoring her and avoiding her every chance he gets that it's like she doesn't even exist.

He can't stand her – can't even stand to be near her. In fact, she's never even once overheard him say anything about her at all – let alone anything bad.

Theo will never accept her as a part of his friend's life. And at the rate things are going with Blaise, he might not ever accept her either.

And that is why it will never work between them.

X

[Three – His Career]

His job is just another reason why it will never work. He is a professional Seeker Falmouth Falcons.

He works all the time – whether he's training or playing. He travels a lot – sometimes for days at a time for away games. His contract requires him to make certain appearances at certain events at least once a week – and although she attends the events with him, he spends more time mingling with the organizers and the public than with her; she often mingles with the other player's girlfriends and wives. His reputation will forever be tainted by his past and so there are many Quidditch fans that won't even give him the time of day – even if he is one of the best in the league – but the fans he does have are everywhere, all the time. They can't go anywhere as a couple – out to dinner, or to the movies, or even for a walk in the park – without someone, somewhere, wanting an autograph or photo.

He's just constantly busy. (Sometimes, if she's lucky, they can spend a whole three hours in bed on a Sunday night before something comes up.)

And then there's the female attention. The women – and girls – who have fallen madly in love with him – and his Seeker skills, of course. They tend to screech and giggle and flaunt themselves in front of him. They beg and grovel for his attention – sometimes right in front of her. And because he is who he is, he has no choice but to give them his attention.

It had never bothered her before, not even when they first started dating. Over the course of the last year, however, his career has begun to take a bit of a toll.

And that's why it will never work between them.

X

[Four – They Fight Constantly]

They fight constantly. Every day. She's sure if they spent all day-every day together, they'd fight at least once an hour.

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether they fight like the enemies they used to be or like an old married couple. Perhaps it's a little bit of both. It isn't hard to see, however, that they fight the same way they've always fought. To hurt. To wound. To anger.

They throw insults back and forth like hexes and toss accusations around like they did in Hogwarts. They rile each other up to the breaking point – until they're screaming and yelling so loudly and forcefully that their magic begins to pour out of them and they're shatter glasses and windows. These fights, more often than not, end with both of them panting – her crying, him barely holding tears back – in the middle of a trashed living room.

More often than not, he'll help her clean everything up – while simultaneously sweeping their latest argument under the rug.

And every time they have another argument, the old ones always – always – resurface. To hurt. To wound. To anger. Sometimes she thinks they spend more time fighting – and more time fighting about fighting – than anything else.

And that is why it will never work between them.

X

[Five – He Uses Magic For Everything]

His wand never leaves his side. Never.

And he always has to use it. Always. For everything.

Whereas she, having grown up in both the Wizarding and the muggle world, prefers to stick to her muggle roots with things such as laundry and cleaning, Draco prefers to use magic. Constantly. All the time. For every single little thing.

And it drives her mad.

"We have magic, Granger. Why shouldn't we use it?" he asked her once. She had scolded him about using magic to open the fridge for himself before he stepped into the kitchen, telling him he had to stop being so lazy. It had nearly caused another fight.

She just doesn't understand why. Perhaps it's because she grew up in both worlds, whereas he has only ever lived as a wizard. Perhaps it's because she just doesn't see the point in using magic for something as small as starting the shower – whereas he doesn't see why he shouldn't. Perhaps it's as simple as not wanting to forget where she came from.

"Why does it bother you so much?" he asks her one day after she scowls when he pulls out his wand to turn on the TV. She had to think about it for days before she actually realized why.

It's because, even though she's a witch, she is also a muggle. She was born a muggle. She has muggle blood and muggle traditions and muggle routines. She chooses not to use magic because she's afraid to lose her roots, she's afraid of forgetting where she comes from. And the fact that her boyfriend so easily takes advantage of his magic...bothers her. Hurts her.

And that is why – even though he says he'll try not to take advantage of his magic – it will never work between them.

X

[Six – His Messy, Male Tendencies]

He's a male. He has male tendencies. He behaves exactly like a male.

He never puts the seat down in the loo.

He leaves his wet towels on the bathroom floor instead of hanging them up.

He leaves the terrace door wide open like he was born in a barn.

He leaves his clothes lying about all over the place – not just in the bedroom.

He leaves his wet, soiled shoes lying on the hardwood floor instead of placing them on the shelf.

He leaves his dishes in the sink for days on end.

In one word, Draco Malfoy is a boy. Honestly, she spends more time picking up after him and putting things away than anything. Sometimes it's like she's his mother and not his girlfriend; sometimes it's like she's speaking to a child instead of an adult, repeating herself over and over. He is, quite simply, messy. Whereas she is a well known neat-freak.

And that is why it will never work between them.

X

[One – He Loves Her]

But amidst the numerous reasons it will never work between them, there is at least one reason why it will.

He loves her.

It's the way he looks at her; that look in his crystal grey eyes – the one he says doesn't exist and that she's just "seeing things". Like when they're curled up on the couch watching a television show or a movie and she peers up at him to gauge his reaction and he's just staring at her. Like when she finishes doing the dishes and turns around to find him leaning against the door jam and he's just watching her. Like when she wakes up in the morning with bed head hair and morning breath and he's already awake, watching her sleep. After he finally catches the snitch, just before he breaks out into that triumphant, boyish grin and appeases to the crowd's cheers. Or while he's signing autographs and he just happens to peer over a fan's shoulder with that embarrassed little smile.

It's the way he talks to her. The way he really, truly talksto her. The way he shares his deepest, darkest secrets and thoughts with her – only her. The way he places his mind and his heart in her hands, trusting her with his life – his past, his present and his future. She knows things about him that nobody else does.

It's the way he treats her. Like how, even on the bad days, he treats her like a princess. Like how, even when it seems like he wants to strangle her, she's the center of his universe. Like how, even when he's tired and moody and acting like a right prat, he still wants – needs – her around. Like she's the most important person in the world. Period.

It's the way he acts when another man – wizard or muggle – gets friendly with her. Jealous. Possessive. Protective. "It's not that I don't trust you, Granger. I just don't trust anybody else – especially men like him," he says.

It's the way he defends her against his father, stand up to him. "You can threaten me all you want, father. But I don't need your money. I won't give up her," he has said.

He loves her. He is irrevocably and undeniably in love with her. It sort of scares her, to be honest. And the only thing that scares her more than that is how she loves him.

And that is quite possibly the only reason why it will – beyond a shadow of a doubt – work between them.

Fin!