Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
I did not mind the rain as I made my way over to Ginny's flat, it was expected. The thunderstorm was passing through, attacking the usual calm state of the quiet city, throwing things off balance.
I hid under the porch, knocking on the door, wondering if my pitiful fist on the wood would portray enough sound to alert her. Ginny was deaf as it was, often making me repeat things because she didn't catch them; but then, that may be due to the fact that she always said I needed to talk louder. My voice was too soft, or so she said.
"You're early. That's a miracle," Ginny said as she opened the door. She wasn't dressed yet, her face the only thing done, her hair still wet from the shower. I followed her to her room, noticing how she seemed slightly jumpy. She kept looking back at me, wringing her hands together, picking at her worn out blue shirt that she always wore when she wasn't going out.
"Is something wrong?" my voice sounded weird, strangled. I scrunched up my forehead, knowing she wouldn't miss that.
"Nothing is wrong. Why would you ask that?" Ginny hid her face as she did her hair, her hands holding the wand too tightly, her fingers looking red. I sat on the bed, taking off my wet sweater, hanging it against the bedpost.
I remained quiet, knowing that she would talk eventually. Ginny was a very talkative person, with a bubbly personality that allowed her to make friends everywhere she went. Whereas I was the polar opposite, quiet and reserved, saving my smiles for only those that I felt like gracing with. I was tall, she was tiny; she had short light red hair, while mine was long and a rich dark chocolate. The phrase "opposites attract," came to mind.
"I'm sorry." Her voice startled me out of my thoughts, making me turn my head to the left. I watched as she walked into the bathroom. I remained sitting in her bed, my back resting against the head board, the pillows making me uncomfortable.
"What for?" I ran my hands through the wet strands that fell against my shirt, wet marks barely noticeable against the dark green outfit I was wearing.
She walked back into the room, fully dressed, no visible flaws. I always thought of her as one of my old porcelain dolls. Her hair was always pin-straight; her clothes had no visible wrinkles, her makeup done to perfection. Just like a doll, a living, breathing doll. I often felt like next to her, I was invisible. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help it. Perhaps the thought of being something I was not, made me self-conscious. Ginny was like something out of a magazine; the girl with the handsome boyfriend, the girl with the perfect teeth and voted most popular due to her personality, with physical attributes that made other girls jealous and guys drool over. She was like a dazzling butterfly sprung from a cocoon, while I was still crawling along the leaves of a tree, a caterpillar in the form.
My cell phone vibrated inside my purse, I answered it, noticing the way Ginny ducked her head as I looked at her. I couldn't help it when my eyebrows rose, my way of questioning her.
"Hello?"
"Hermione." It was Viktor, of course. I had made him buy a cell phone since his games always made him go away for weeks at a time. "We need to talk."
"About what?" My voice sounded the same as always, soft, not strong. I shifted in the bed, moving the uncomfortable pillows to the side.
"About us." I heard the hesitation in his voice. "I don't think we are going to work."
My eyes moved back and forth, looking at the intricate pattern of the bedspread. It was enticing, not paying attention to the way conversation was turning to. "I don't think I'm following what you are saying."
"We're over." His voice sounded harsh against my ears, making my eyes wide and stare at the offending piece of electronic. I put it back to my ear, catching the click as he hung up, leaving me with a beeping noise that increased its tempo as the seconds dragged on.
My arms rose to my chest, as if to prevent further damage to come to my system. We were over? Viktor had been the sweetest guy I had ever met; we had been a good, healthy couple. The memory of his face hit me; his soft hair, his easy conversation, the corner of his eyes crinkling when he use to smile at my coming into view. I didn't understand the reasoning behind his decision, there was no reason.
"Hermione?" The bed sank as Ginny sat next to me. She grabbed my hands, holding them in her lap. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen, I promise."
"It's okay. It's not your fault he broke up with me." I smiled a watery smile, trying to control the traitor tears that were forming at the corner of my eyes. "I really thought we were good together though."
She hugged me tightly, soothing the racks of sobs that were leaving my body. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen."
"Why…why do you keep saying that?" I sniffed, watching my tears as they soaked her shirt.
"Well, I don't know how to say this. Um…About Viktor, we started talking. And he's so funny, and has a great personality." She looked at her feet, chewing on her lip. "And, I don't know. We just…clicked, you know?"
I nodded my head, trying to assemble her words in my mind, putting them to where they made sense. "You mean you like him? You, who can have any guy you want, like my Viktor?"
I cringed at the "my," standing up from the bed, pacing. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Hermione, it's my fault."
"What do you mean?"
"Viktor said you guys were over and I didn't think of you. I'm sorry; I should have asked you first." Her voice shook slightly, her flawless features looking strange with her brow creased and slightly watery eyes.
Things suddenly came into perspective. The way she kept hiding her face, knowing I would read her features; the way she said sorry before Viktor even called. She was the cause for all of this.
"But, you're my best friend." I paused rummaging over my thoughts. "What about Harry, does he know?"
"I'm sorry!" I sat on the bed, my hands on my face. How did this happen? I looked at Ginny, her face showed distress. "I haven't told Harry, but he doesn't need to know."
She hugged me again, but her hold was weak this time. I hugged her back, not knowing why I was. Perhaps our friendship was too strong to be broken. Maybe I was just too weak to be properly mad at someone who had just betrayed me. She held on tighter after a few seconds, but I couldn't mirror her initiative. I was too vulnerable to deny her my friendship, and she was too strong to break off a piece of her life.
"We'll get through this," her voice was a whisper. "We will."
I couldn't stand this. No, why was I still hugging her? "I have to go Ginny."
"Ok," she said softly. "You'll owl me right?"
I could only nod my head as I grabbed my wet sweater, almost running out of her flat. I had to leave, but I couldn't go back home. There would be pictures and objects that would remind me so much of what I had lost.
The rain had stopped, but the sun wasn't out yet, making me shiver under the cold weather. I walked the few blocks to the park, noticing the way the trees seemed hunched over. Perhaps they were mourning for me. I sat on the bench, fully aware of how alone the park was.
Without Viktor, I felt weird. Not incomplete, but unaccustomed to being single. That didn't sound right. I was supposed to be heartbroken, and yet here I was, only feeling "weird." He had been distant as of lately. He would only call once a week when he was away, and those calls were only to tell me how great he was doing. He never asked how I was, never bothered to say how glad he was to hear my voice.
I was startled out of my thoughts when I felt someone seat close to me, their warmth heating my body. I didn't even have to look up to know it was him.
"Beautiful day, isn't Granger?" I scrunched up my face, not knowing how to respond. Was he being sarcastic?
"Whatever you say, Malfoy." I knew he was smirking; I did not need to look.
"What are you doing out here, all by yourself?" he drawled, curiosity hidden well.
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing that concerns you, I assure you."
"Well, that is heartbreaking. Everybody just can't help but think of me once in a while."
I snorted, noticing how unladylike that sounded, not really caring. I could tell he knew something was bothering me. It was strange, but it was as if Malfoy was in tune with my feelings. Every time we met, which was almost every weekend due to his friendship with Harry, he always seemed to want to distract me from whatever I was thinking.
"Oh, I just couldn't help but think of your naked bony body," I said chuckling. In reality, Malfoy had a body to die, well more like drool over. I had caught glimpses whenever he would take off his shirt playing Quidditch with Harry and the Weasleys. He was toned, to say the least.
"Is it about the boyfriend?" I didn't even need to question him; nothing he said surprised me anymore.
"Yes, it's about Viktor."I sighed, looking up at the dark, gloomy sky. "He broke up with me because he said we weren't going to work anymore."
"Well, there must have been an ulterior motive."
I scoffed. "Yes, he was talking to Ginny. Apparently, Viktor told Ginny we were over before he even told me. Bastard."
He chuckled drily. "Yes."
"Yes, what?" I asked confused.
"Yes, he is a bastard." For unknown reasons, I blushed. I could feel the temperature dropping as we spoke, making me shiver. The warmth of something being placed over me made me look up.
"Thanks," I murmured, holding his coat tighter against my body. It smelled delicious, a fresh but woody scent, filling my senses.
"Perhaps we should leave, it's getting cold." I nodded my head, before blushing again as I took his offering hand, I had thought chivalry was dead. I didn't want to let go when he finished helping me up, but I had to; I could feel his tense posture more than see it.
"Where do you want to go?" I asked, careful to not sound as eager as I felt.
"Wherever you want to." He didn't look at me as he said this, his hand still covering mine.
I wondered if he even noticed that he was still holding me. He must have, because he squeezed my fingers, as if reassuring me. Of what, I didn't know. It suddenly hit me that I was not mourning over my broken relationship. Here I was, feeling giddy because Malfoy was holding my hand. I should be crying, feeling mad over the betrayal of my best friend; but I was ready to go somewhere less cold with Malfoy.
Maybe I didn't even love Viktor as I thought I did. No, I did love him, but wasn't in love with him. It had come to more of a habit being with him, not because I felt like I couldn't live without him. I nodded my head, finally understanding how I felt.
"Ok there, Granger?" he drawled, his body coming closer to mine. I nodded my head, squeezing his hand back.
"Let's go to a bookstore. I'm in a mood for a new novel." I smiled at him, noticing the way his eyes seemed clearer today. There was no storming ocean in them, only quiet silver. "I think I saw one a few blocks down."
"Lead the way, Granger." He smirked as I pulled his hand, his blond hair moving against the wind. "And just so you know, he never deserved you."
His spoken words made me drop his hand, bringing him to a rest behind my body. My eyes widened, not believing his words.
"You're just trying to make me feel better," I whispered.
He turned my body around, carefully, but with a purpose. His hands cupped my face, gently. His eyes searched mine, the quiet silver gone, replaced with a raging storm of blue against grey. "I mean it."
I could feel our breaths combining. I was frozen, looking into his absurdly handsome face, coming closer to mine every second that passed. His lips gently kissed my cheeks, my nose, and my eyes, before coming to the corner of my mouth. He hesitated, then whispered again, "I mean it," before his lips found mine.
Fireworks went off in my head; I closed my eyes tighter, not believing what was happening. All thoughts were gone when he continued to hungrily kiss me, with me finally responding to his initiative. My lungs fought for air when he stopped, but my mind was screaming "no." It had never felt like this when I kissed Viktor. Never. It felt nice, but not mind-blowing great, as with Draco. Malfoy had replaced any lingering thoughts of Viktor in my head.
"Ready to go the bookstore?" He asked, smirk in place.
"Yes," I mumbled.
"Then lead the way." His hand found mine again, making my senses go haywire. Yes, I was ready to go to the bookstore now.
A/N: Please review and tell me how you felt about this piece. Thank you.