Be my valentine?
A couple of months had gone by and she hadn't been busted yet. Maybe he had kept it to himself, could that be possible? Well, it seemed like it. But other than that nothing had changed except he didn't torment her anymore, but that could be because of the fact that she hadn't really seen him since Halloween.
She still did her weekly "trips" to the library. She would often find herself back at that aisle with that book again and again, even though she had read it so many times before. Around Christmas she stopped coming back and just walked around the castle.
So now it was Valentine's Day. Hermione never really took notice of this day, or at least she tried not to, but it was hard with all the snogging couples everywhere. It was a silly event, Valentine's Day, it wasn't even a holiday. It had begun as a day to remind people of the love one had for others, not just their boy- or girlfriend. Now it was a celebration of couples in love and a reminder to those who don't have a partner. Really, it was sad what it had come to, but still, it would have been nice to have one to share this day with.
The day had started a little different, when all the girls from Hermione's dorm woke up, a shriek of happiness could be heard from Lavender. At the end of bed end was a box of chocolate from Ron (aka Won-won) her boyfriend. Hermione knew this because she and Ginny had helped him, by putting it there.
All day she walked through the corridors with her classmates, while couples walked amongst them. Nothing could hold them back today. They kissed and hugged, or more like snogged, all over the school and it didn't bother her at all, she was happy for them, right?
Of course she felt happy for her friends but one part of her was jealous, because she was alone once again. During the last class of the day, which was Potions, Lavender and Ron passed small notes to each other. This brought small tears to the corners of Hermione's eyes. She tried to hold them back, because someone was watching her. She did not dare to look up to see who. As soon as the lesson was over, she packed her things quickly and almost ran from the room.
Out in the corridor she slowed down and walked with the group of students, which were mostly 1st and 2nd years. She just kept walking and after a little while she was pretty much alone. The tears were almost running freely now, so she wasn't watching where she walked. So unfortunately she tripped. She waited for the hurtful fall to come but it never came. A pair of hands had caught her around the waist and was now holding her, so their chests were facing each other (she had almost bumped into this person). She opened her eyes slowly (which had been closed in the process of falling) and stared into a strong chest. She looked up and looked into a pair of stormy grey-blue eyes.
Draco pulled her up to a standing position, still holding her. Hermione was in a daze, everything moved so slowly. He didn't look mad or mocking, more relaxed if anything, and sort of troubled. He stared deep into her eyes, like he was seeing into her very soul. As if she wasn't in enough of a daze he did something that amazed her even more. Slowly he raised his hand up to her cheek and brushed her tears away with his thump. For a second she leaned into his touch. His hand slowly drops to his side with his other hand. She wraps her arms around her chest, protecting herself. Then she took a final look at him as a silenced thank you and walked passed him, at the same time as he walked on.
She went to the library, and gathered some books at her usual table in the back. Just to make it seem like she was there to read. If her friends began looking for her, she would have an alibi, and she would hear them coming if came looking for her here. The true reason for her to be there was for some quiet and free time. Ever since Halloween she had been feeling anxious for the fear getting caught.
She turned into a cat and walked around, jumped from shelf to shelf and ran across the floor, anything to use her energy and put her focus elsewhere. As a cat she was free of choices and the loneliness.
The library was empty except the librarian, so Hermione had a lot of playground. Then suddenly footsteps could be heard nearing her table. She waited an aisle or two away until they were gone and finally relaxed. It had been a little too close, so she turned back and made her way back to the table.
Upon the small pile of books a single red rose lie with a note attached saying, in familiar writing:
"Hermione, be my valentine?"