A/N Hello. I am so sorry for not updating for like forever. Well the reason is that we have a new baby girl. Grace Ann was born on July 10. She has not been very healthy so I've been taking care of her 24/7. She was even in the hospital for a couple of days. So that's my reason. I had this chapter mostly written so I've just been too busy to finish it. If you want to see a pic of the new baby and some new pics of my other kid go to my myspace page. The link is on my profile. I'm sorry this chapter is a bit short also. Happy reading and please review so I have something to look forward to!!

How to answer for your actions

Hermione walked down the fifth floor hallway hand in hand with Draco. Mouths dropped, people stopped dead in their tracks. Hermione fidgeted nervously but never loosened her grip on Draco’s hand.

“Relax.” he told her out of the corner of his mouth.

“I’m trying.” she replied, smiling nervously.

She could hear the loud, less than inconspicuous whispers of her classmates

‘What are they playing at?’

‘Are they together now or what?’

She heard Lavender Brown say

‘I knew that hate thing was all an act! I told you so Pavarti!”

She giggled at that thinking of what Ginny had written her. She looked Lavender in the eyes and smiled her biggest smile. Why shouldn’t she? She was with one of the best looking guys in the school. And she deserved a bit of happiness. They headed down the staircase towards the great hall. More and more people stopped and looked at them. Breakfast was just beginning. Harry, Ginny and Ron were just taking their seats. Ginny looked up as they entered the hall and nudged Harry, whispering something in his ear. She smiled brightly at Hermione. Ron looked to see what they were staring at and turned bright red.

“What’s all this?” he asked marching over to Draco and Hermione. His fist balled up in anger.

“Ron, look…” Hermione started. But it was too late. Ron threw a sucker punch at Draco, nailing him right in the jaw. Harry ran over and pulled Ron off of Draco just before he hit him again. Draco held his jaw with his free hand, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.

“Ronald Weasley!” Hermione shouted letting go of Draco’s hand and heading for where Harry was restraining Ron. Ginny put her arm around Hermione’s shoulder.

“I think you had better tell the both of them the truth.” Ginny said. “About you and Malfoy and where you really were.”

Hermione nodded.

“I know I owe you an explanation. Both of you. Truth is Draco and I were not in Muggle London. We were stranded on a deserted island to help us learn to work together. We became friends. We learned to work together. And well, we are more than friends now. We are…” she hesitated, and looked at Draco. She couldn’t think of the words for what they were.

“She’s my girlfriend…” then he stopped. “Well she is if she wants to be.” he said squeezing her hand and looking her in the eye. Hermione’s mouth trembled a bit. She nodded.

Harry looked at the pair suspiciously. Ron said nothing.

“Look Ron, I think you need to let by gones be by gones.” Ginny said.

“Has everyone in this room gone completely mental? This is MALFOY! I feel like I’m the only sane one left? What’s next? Voldemort going to pop out of my birthday cake and sing? Snape going to give us all high marks on the last potion assignment?”

Ginny snickered at him.

“If I may…” Draco started. Ron shot him the most evil look he could muster which Draco ignored. “From what Hermione has told me you two are like her brothers. Neither of you were romantically interested in her right?”

Harry shook his head. Ron didn’t move, but his jaw was clenched tightly as if trying not to answer.

“If you care for her let her be happy.” Ginny said to Ron. She placed her small hand on his shoulder. “She’s bright enough to make decisions for herself.”

“Thanks Ginny.” Hermione said still looking at Ron waiting for him to blow. He didn’t. He sat there staring at the wall behind Hermione and Draco.

“Ron please…” Hermione started. She stood next to him pleading with her brown eyes.

“Not now.” he replied before walking away and dragging Draco along with him.

“Get off me.” Draco said straightening his collar but following Ron anyway.

They reached the doors leading out to the courtyard. Ron gave them a yank and walked outside. When they were both outside Ron turned to Draco.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Draco said somewhat confused.

“Let’s get on with it.”

“Weasley, could you please make some sense. I have other things to do today.” Draco said smirking.

“Like what, Hermione?” Ron shouted.

“Let’s not be vulgar.”

“Why not? It’s what this is all about isn’t it?”
“You seem to be the authority Weasley. Why don’t you tell me what it’s all about?”

“You are using her aren’t you?”

Draco folded his arms across his chest. He wanted to hit Ron in the worst way, but he knew that Hermione would probably frown on that particular action.

Ron’s face mellowed. He looked down at the ground and kicked a stone.

“Do you love her?”

Draco was surprised to hear that from him.

“Did you hear me Malfoy?”

“I heard you.”

“And?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“Because you are using her.”

“No, because I don’t know.”

“How could you not know?”

“We’ve only just gotten together. Love is a big deal. I do care for her though.”

Ron considered this for a moment.

“You are not just jerking her around then?”

“Of course not.”

“Have you and Hermione…you know?” Ron asked still looking at the ground.

“I don’t think its any of your business. But if you must know the answer is no.”

Ron breathed a sigh of relief.

“Then I just don’t understand it.” he said throwing his hands in the air.

“She makes me happy. And I can’t say that about many people Weasley.”

“I still don’t trust you.”

“Understood.”

Ron gave a nod and headed back to the school. Draco rubbed his hands together to warm them before following him in. Hermione was anxiously waiting in the entrance.

“What was that about?” she asked watching Ron pass her without a word and head up the stairs.

“We just had a chat. He wanted to make sure I’m not using you.”

Hermione tried to be mad at Ron but she couldn’t. She knew he was just looking out for her in his own irrational, hot-headed way.

“Well what did you tell him?” she asked Draco as they sat back down in the great hall to eat breakfast.

“About what?”

“Whether or not you were using me.” she said sprinkling sugar on her cereal.

“I told him I absolutely was.” he grinned wickedly.

Hermione’s mouth fell open.

“Why would you…” she started to rant.

“I’m kidding. Of course I told him I wasn’t.”

Hermione took in a deep breath.

“He also asked me if I loved you.” Draco said a bit more quietly.

Hermione swallowed hard.

“Really?” she said trying to keep her cool.

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“And what did you tell him?”

“It’s private.”

“It’s…what?”

“If you want to know you will have to ask him.”

“He’s not going to want to talk to me right now.”

“You won’t know unless you try.”

“Did he seem really mad?”

“No more than usual. Go on. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Hermione leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. Several people gasped.

“Later then.”

She left the great hall and headed up to the Gryffindor tower to find Ron. Her heart beat harder with each step she took. Ron’s temper had always been something she tiptoed around. She gave the fat lady the new password, (Ice mice) and entered the nearly empty common room.

“Ron?” she called out. He was sitting in front of the dwindling fire. He didn’t answer. She went and sat next to him on the oversized chair.

“You okay?” she asked.

He nodded.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen. It just kind of did.”

He nodded again.

“He’s not that bad really. I mean he can be…but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Ron sat staring at the fire.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You could have told me sooner.” Ron finally said.

“I wanted to. But things kept happening to keep me from doing it. Plus I was scared of your reaction.”

Ron’s eyes widened.

“You were scared of me?”

“Not exactly of you, but you know how your temper can be.”

“I never meant for you to be scared of my temper or me.” he said sheepishly.

She put her head on his shoulder.

“Are you still mad?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Are you sure about this Hermione?”

She thought for a moment.

“I think so.”

“Then I’m not mad. Shocked…yes. Disappointed…probably. But not mad.”

Hermione threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you…thank you so much!” she said.

“Don’t let him hurt you ‘Mione. And if he does don’t stop me from cursing him into oblivion.”

“I won’t. I promise. See you later then?”

Ron nodded. She planted a kiss on his forehead and ran out the door.

She felt happier than she had in months. Everyone knew about her secret and everyone was still talking to her. She knew Lavender and Pavarti were extremely jealous that she was with Draco. Just the look on their faces made her skip all the way to her quarters. She entered and expected to find Draco sitting on the sofa reading or making a snack in the kitchenette, but he was no where to be seen. She shrugged her shoulders and headed upstairs for a long soak in the tub. She gathered her bath things and headed through the adjoining bath door. Soft candlelight filled the room. That was not unusual, but the dozens of white roses covering every available countertop were. A foamy, highly scented bath had already been drawn.

“Draco?” she called out. There was no answer. A small card lay near the sink. Hermione picked it up and read it;

Thank you.

DM

She smiled. Who knew Draco Malfoy could be so considerate? She undressed and slid into the warm bath. The scent of jasmine and vanilla filled her nostrils and the perfectly heated water enveloped her. She laid her head on the back of the tub and closed her eyes. Sleep took over and she had slipped into a light nap before hearing someone at the door.

“Who is it?” she asked before mentally scolding herself. Who else could it be? Only she and Draco had the current password.

“It’s me.” came the familiar voice.

She smiled.

“Come in.”

The door opened and Draco came in. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” she replied.

The softly flickering candles danced on his pale hair and skin.

“How did it go with Weasley?”

“Fine. He’s not thrilled or anything but he will get over it.”

“Good.”

“Sit down.” she said with a lump in her throat.

He sat on the edge of the large tub and dipped his bare feet into the water.

“I take it you are enjoying your bath?” he smiled.

“It’s just what I needed.” she said.

He smiled and clasped his hands in his lap. Several moments of awkward silence passed. Hermione felt butterflies in her stomach. She was naked and vulnerable, and he was looking so intensely hot sitting there watching her.

“Draco?”

“Hmmm?”

“Join me?”