I Am a New Day Rising

A/N: This week’s chapter is from Walk Away, by Kelly Clarkson.

Yes..i am an idiot. I accidentally uploaded chapter 5 before chapter 4. I uploaded chapter 4 and reposted 5..sorry for the backtrack.

Chapter 4: Get Your Hand Off My Trigger

“One more class and then the weekend – finally.” Ron sighed as he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

“Ron, it’s only the first week. It couldn’t have been that bad.” Neville said.

“I know, but it was.”

The Thursday dinner table fell into an awkward silence as the eighth years contemplated Ron’s claim. Besides a few homework assignments, the students came through the week pretty much unscathed. They ignored the comment in order to avoid an argument with the temperamental red head. Eventually, they all knew, Ron was going to have to accept responsibility was an aspect of life. The war had pushed everyone to his or her limits and taught them the important things in life. The simplicity and normalcy of Hogwarts was one of the important things, for now.

“Well who is going to Hogsmeade this weekend?” Hermione asked cheerfully.

Draco sat up straighter, deciding to listen first – then answer.

“I can’t.” Harry said. “Ginny is already on my case about not spending enough time with her, and she can’t go. So we’re going to have Dobby make a picnic for us.”

Hermione’s face softened. “Cute.” She secretly wished in that moment that she were Harry Potter’s girlfriend. He treated Ginny like a princess. Draco had not missed her reaction and placed the idea in the back of his mind for future use.

“Well I can’t either.” Ron huffed. “I have homework to do all weekend.”

“You haven’t finished it? We just had a free period.” Hermione asked.

“Um…no. Only you would finished four days of homework already.” Ron said.

“I’m done.” Harry added. Draco, Neville, and Lavender agreed.

“What? When did you find the time to finish?” Ron asked.

“When I wasn’t doing anything else.” Harry shrugged. “I think it’s time for you to buckle down.”

“Yes, Mum.” Ron mumbled.

“Well, Seamus and I are going on a date. But we are still going to meet at the Owlery to send out for decorations for our room, right?” Lavender asked.

“Oh definitely.” Hermione smiled at her friend. Lavender rambled endlessly about her feelings for Seamus. Hermione could only hope their date this weekend would stimulate new conversation.

“Well I can go.” Theo smiled at Hermione.

Hermione looked over at Theo and gave him a small smile of gratitude. “Thanks, Theo. That’d be great.” Unease sat at the bottom of Hermione’s stomach, but she was unwilling to make a scene, as Theo had never given her a reason to doubt him. Draco and Theo got along well, so she thought she should give him a chance.

Draco’s look to Theo shot daggers. Theo’s face screwed up in confusion. He was straightened out quite quickly when he felt Draco’s foot collide with his shin.

“Ow!!!” Theo glared at Draco. Leaning back so he was out of Hermione’s eye sight, Draco furiously shook his head and hands to call Theo off. Realization dawned on Theo, “Oh. Actually, Hermione, I forgot that I had plans with Blaise this weekend.”

Unfortunately for Theo and Draco, Blaise was not to far down the table and heard Theo’s claim. “Oi! Nott! I think I forgot about that. I made plans with Daphne.” Theo cringed.

“Uh…No worries, mate.” Theo received a swift kick in the shin again. “Ow!! Well I guess it’s better that I can’t go out with Blaise either, cause I think I have rest my leg. Old injury flaring up.” Theo continued to rub his sore shin as he glared at Draco.

Draco smiled smugly. “Well I can go with you, Nee.”

Hermione smiled brightly at the blonde. “Well good. I didn’t want to go alone.”

“Of course.”

“Are you ready for the competition tomorrow?” Hermione asked as she forked some food into her mouth.

“I hope so. I’ve practiced every day. I think I’m going to go out after dinner for one last time.”

“It will be dark by then. I was hoping you’d go over my potions paper for me.”

He looked at her apprehensively. “Can I go over it when I get back?”

Hermione chuckled. “Do you need to practice again? You aren’t going to get any better in one night. You should take this night off to relax.”

“Are you trying to distract me so Potter wins?” Draco raised an eyebrow in question.

“Can you be distracted?” Hermione teased.

Ron’s green monster sprang to life. “You know, Hermione, we can always go over Potions together tonight. Malfoy can go try to learn how to fly a broom, and you and I can go over the paper.” Ron smile grew when he saw Draco’s scowl.

“I’m quite certain Draco knows how to fly a broom, Ron.” She retorted. “I was asking Draco to go over my assignment, because he already did it. He knows what he’s talking about in Potions, so he won’t have to copy my work.”

“I wouldn’t copy you’re work. People say that helping is one way of learning. You could help me and learn at the same time. Then I’ll be done with part of my work and we can go to Hogsmeade together tomorrow.” Ron did not notice the collective cringe at the table.

“Or…you could do your paper on your own tomorrow. When you’re done I’d be happy to go over it with you – as I’m sure you’d need it. And I can go to Hogsmeade with Draco as planned!” Her anger slowly rose as she spoke to Ron. Harry snorted as her fist hit the tabletop to punctuate the statement. Without another word, she left her half-eaten dinner, turning her back on him.

Ron gaped at the spot Hermione once sat. “What was that about?”

“I think that was a blatant ‘fuck off’.” Harry said.

Ron frowned. “I was only trying to figure out a way for us to spend time together. We would have had fun and she wouldn’t have had to suffer with Malfoy.

Draco fumed. Regardless of his anger, he let Harry handle his ‘best friend’.

“Really, Ron.” Harry sighed. “She wants to spend time with him. She asked him to go over his paper. She agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him. If she didn’t want to she would have said something – clearly.” He raised his eyebrows at him.

Draco felt a bit awkward sitting before Ron and Harry as they discussed Hermione’s feelings for him.

“I refuse to believe she’d have a better time with him then with me.”

“Then you’re ignorant.” Harry said without hesitation.

Yes, now Draco felt extremely awkward. His body betrayed him in its utter refusal to listen to his mind. He knew he should leave, but he wanted to know two things: what Hermione thought of him and if Harry approved of a potential relationship. With Hermione’s parents gone, Harry was her family.

“Excuse me?” The color of Ron’s face blended evenly with his hair as he glared at Harry. Any other person would have shriveled in fear at Ron’s dominant gaze, but Harry challenged him with his conviction. Ron’s consistent temper tantrums and close-minded views slowly pushed Harry away. He knew Hermione had already drifted away from Ron, but Ron was too stubborn to see it. It had taken a matter of minutes to start Harry’s distaste for Ron.

A MEMORY

“Mione?” Harry stepped into the darkened corner of the library. When she had not stayed for Mrs. Weasley’s dessert, he knew she would be here – her sanctuary.

She sniffled. “Hi, Harry.”

Harry frowned as he sat beside her. Since her parents had passed, Hermione had morphed into much more than his best friend. She had become his sister. Sometimes, like these times when his worry overwhelmed him, he called her just that. “Oh, sis, what happened?”

“Ron happened.”

“What did he do?”

“It’s really not important.”

“Hermione...”

Sighing, she answered his original question. “He pulled me aside after dinner and told me it was unacceptable that I was so nice to Draco. He said if I continued I’d just be another Slytherin slut.” She sobbed into her hands.

A fuming Harry wrapped his arms around her. “Ridiculous. First things first – Do you like Draco…more than a friend?”

Hermione stopped crying. Horrified, she raised her eyes to meet his. “You know? Does anyone else know? Do you think Draco knows?”

“Whoa. Slow down. No one knows. I only know, because I know you so well. You are so happy when he’s around. Even if you are yelling at him, you seem happy.”

The darkness hid the blush that crept up her cheeks. “I can’t explain it, Harry. He’s different now. I want to be around him all the time – but Ron. He ruins everything for me.” The tears started to escape her eyes again.

“Oh come on. Please stop crying.” He hushed her until her sobs subsided. “When did you stop telling me everything, Mione?”

“What?”

“You didn’t tell me you have feelings for Malfoy, and you didn’t tell me you stopped considering Ron a friend.” Harry read her like a book.

“Harry – It just seems impossible now. Ron and I just don’t see eye to eye - well, ever. Maybe once we did, but not anymore. I’m fairly certain if it weren’t for you, I would have grown away from Ron years ago. And I’m not blaming you – I didn’t want to make anything uncomfortable for you. I tolerate him – for you.”

Harry kissed her head. “You really have to make your own choices in life, Mione. If you choose to not be friends with Ron – I will back you. And if you choose to not be with Draco – I will back you. You are the closest thing I have to family – I would never put anything before you.”

“But Ron – “

“Is a git. Everyone, including me, knows that. I just understand him better than others.”

“But Ginny –“

“Loves you like I do. We will both be behind you.”

Hermione sighed in relief. She wiped the tears away along with the fear of losing her best friend. “Thanks, Harry. So…um…What’s for dessert?”

END OF MEMORY

“You heard me, Ron. You are too narrow minded to actually see reality. She wants to spend tomorrow with Malfoy, not you.”

“Malfoy is the only person free tomorrow! She didn’t want to go alone!”

Draco’s uncomfortable meter shot through the enchanted roof. “I’m going to go.” He stood up, placing a few biscuits in a napkin.

Harry frowned as he watched the blonde retreat from the scene. He turned back to Ron. “You need to wake up and smell the roses, or you’re going to lose friends.”

“Hermione?”

“And me.” Harry answered before jogging to catch up with Draco. When he did he slowed down to Draco’s speed, walking beside him in silence.

“You didn’t have to say all of that.” Draco said.

“Yes. I did. You are more my friend than Ron these days. And you deserve happiness just like, if not more than, the rest of us.” Harry was not quite sure how to navigate a moment like this with Draco.

“Thanks, man.” Draco said softly.

Harry smirked. “Yea well. I’m also kind of hoping she does distract you this tonight.”

Draco laughed and pushed Harry into the stonewall. “Git.” He mumbled. “In all seriousness, Potter. Are you ok with this?”

“What’s this?” Harry asked.

Draco shrugged. “For the lack of better words – me pursuing Hermione.”

Harry nodded. “I’m ok with it. Just don’t hurt her.”

Just then Neville jogged up to Draco’s other side. “Ron and Dean went flying. Ron’s livid.” An awkward silence fell between the three young men as they walked down the hall. That is until Neville broke the silence with a happy request. “So, Malfoy. Want company while you practice tonight? I wouldn’t mind practicing my flying. I’m bloody awful.”

Draco smiled at him. “I actually think I’m going to take the night to relax.”

“They aren’t even dating, and he’s bloddy whipped.” Harry slammed into the stonewall once again that night.

An initial sweep of the common room revealed no Hermione to the three young men. “She must be in her room.” Neville said as he set up the Wizards’ Chess board. Harry sat across from him.

“Uh…yea. I guess…I guess I’ll go there then.” He turned on his heals in the direction of Hermione’s room. Draco tried to act calm and normal as he walked down the girls’ hallway. He had no clue why his stomach seemed to settle in his throat. He had been alone with Hermione before. He had even been in a bedroom with her before. Of course, at that time they were still enemies and he was nearly dying.

Taking a deep breath, Draco perched himself on her doorframe to watch her work. She expertly moved her quill over the parchment to produce a small, neat script. From his distance he could not see the writing, but he had committed her penmanship to memory. He knocked lightly on the doorframe.

Without looking she said, “Come in!”

“Are you sure?” Draco asked, referring to the charm.

“Of course!”

He settled on her bed a little apprehensively. “I brought these for you.” He handed her the biscuits. “I know you didn’t finish dinner.”

Hermione’s eyes softened. “Thanks, Dray.”

Draco smiled played sexily on his lips. “Anytime. Do you want to go over your paper here? Or in the common room?”

“You’re actually going to skip your flying time?”

“Of course. You said you were going to distract me. A man can’t pass that up.”

Hermione laughed. “I never gave you an answer, Dray.”

Draco decided to leave the possible distraction alone, for now. “So I’ll just go get my assignment. Then come back here?” Hermione nodded in affirmation as he walked into the hall. A silly grin was plastered to his face. It pleased him that she had not dwelled on the encounter with Ron. His mind reeled with possibilities for their date on Saturday. Date? Was it a date? Even in his confusion, Draco could not push the smile off his face.