A/N: New fic even though I haven't finished my other one! :3 This will be a one-shot for now, but I am considering a sequel. Also, this is set in sixth year. Some things may not be accurate since I wrote it to suit the song. Please R&R. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters, settings, spells, dialogue, etc. belongs to the amazing J.K. Rowling. The song I based this on is Haunted by Taylor Swift, which I also don't own.
"Look, Granger. I- We can't do this anymore." He said after moments of cuddling on the couch.
"What do you mean 'we can't do this anymore?'" She demanded. "Is that all we are to you? Something that can be broken off just like that? Just 'this?'"
"No, honestly. This will be the best for both of us, I promise. I really did love you, but it's time we end our relationship and pretend that this never happened. It's not safe anymore."
"Fine. But just so you know, Draco, what we have was never safe. If you no longer want to be with me, just say so instead of making a lame excuse like a coward. By the way, you could always go to Dumbledore and switch sides. Guess I'll be seeing you on the opposite of the battlefield, love." With that, Hermione stalked out of the Room of Requirements.
Hermione silently crept back to the Gryffindor common room, fuming all the way. How could he? It seemed foolish, but he was the only one she trusted these days, and he had shattered it. She's lost her best friend, her confidant, and her lover all in the same five minutes. And the worst thing was, he seemed to regret ever falling in love with her.
The next morning, Hermione made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Good morning Harry, Ron."
"Morning 'Mione!" The boys chorused.
Hermione glanced across the Great Hall to the Slytherin table. There he was. Talking and joking with his 'friends' like nothing happened! Draco turned his gaze toward Hermione. What she saw there made her gasp and abruptly flee to her haven-the library.
What had she just witnessed?! When they had locked eyes, there was nothing in them. No warmth, no love, not even regret or hatred. It was just cold and blank. She dismissed the thought for now, and resumed with her normal daily activities. All throughout the day, his eyes chased around in her head, but she payed them no heed.
That night, Hermione lay in bed and thought of Draco's eyes, how cold and hard they were. They were unreadable, and she felt like she had never known him at all.
"What have I done wrong?" She thought. It echoed in her head as she fell into a troubled sleep.
Hermione jolted up from her bed.
"Oh my gosh, it was just a dream." She gasped into the darkness of the dorm room. Muttering to herself, "Tempus. Hmmmm. 5:30. Might as well take a walk. I can't sleep anymore."
After wandering around the Hogwart's grounds for a while, Hermione sat in front of the frozen lake to meditate. Before she got too bitter, Hermione decided to transfigure her shoes into a pair of ice skates and waltzed around on the ice to forget about her pain. As she came out of a perfectly executed axle, she spotted Draco from the corner of her eye, with his back toward her. Making a split second decision, she transfigured her skates back to shoes and quietly made her way over to him.
"Hey."
Draco jumped and turned around. Harshly, "What do you want."
"Look, even if we aren't together anymore, I still want you to know that we'd be willing to accept you onto our side, Draco. I still care for you even though something made you get cold feet. I want you to be safe and happy like someone your age should be. Don't let Voldemort or your father deter you from choosing the right path. I know you want to be on our side, but I also know the consequences are huge-"
"Thanks for the sentiment, Granger, but I don't need a mudblood telling me how to live my life."
Hermione watched him walk away from her. Faintly, she murmured, "I meant every word of that, Draco."
He had paused for a fraction of a second, but not long enough to show Hermione that he had heard what she said.
At 8:50 AM, Hermione headed to her first class: Potions with Professor Slughorn... and the Slytherins.
"What a great way to start off the morning." She thought.
"Hi Harry! Hi Ron!" Hermione greeted as she plopped down into the seat between them.
"Where were this morning?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, where were you?" Echoed Ron.
"Oh, I couldn't sleep so I took a walk around the lake." She was effectively cut off by the arrival of Slughorn.
"Good morning, class! Today, we will be making Amortentia. Can anyone tell me what this potion does?"
As per usual, Hermione's hand shot up in the air. "Amortentia is a love potion. When one smells it, they will be able to smell the aromas of things they love. Of course, this potion does not produce real love-as that cannot be imitated by anything-rather, it produces infatuation or lust."
"Very good, ah, Miss?"
"Granger, sir."
"Very good, Miss Granger. Before we begin, let me read off the pairs." The class let out a collective groan. He was sure to pair them with the opposite house. "Crabbe, Weasley. Goyle, Potter. Zabini, Parvati. Malfoy, Granger. Alright, you may begin."
The tension in the air was thick as each individual moved to their respective partners reluctantly.
"Okay, Granger. You can prepare the vanilla beans, and I'll make the rest of the potion." There was that condescending tone again. Hermione didn't say anything, but her entire body was crying out from the pain her heart was feeling.
"One more thing, class! Once you have finished your potion, I'd like you to record where you went right, where you went wrong-if any-, and what you smell."
"Alright, Draco, what do you smell?"
"Why do you think I would tell you?" He sneered. "You're just a know-it-all little mudblood."
Silently, Hermione worked on her report of the Potion. So did Draco. Moments later, she was done and decided to peek at Draco's paper when he wasn't looking. He smelled treacle tarts, his Mother's perfume... and what was that last one he crossed out? Hermione gasped. It was her!
"So he still loves me... But he's pushing me away?" She thought. "Ugh, this is all so confusing. I suppose it's best if I moved on as well."
She turned in her paper and left the dungeons for lunch.
Harry and Ron soon joined her at the table. Ron immediately stocked up on food and started shoveling things into his mouth while Harry and Hermione talked.
"What was wrong earlier this morning 'Mione? You seemed a bit down."
"I'm fine Harry, I just had a nightmare about losing the war."
"What war? And aren't I supposed to be the one getting nightmares?"
Hermione smiled. "Funny, Harry. Don't play dumb. You of all people know very well that we're going to have to fight against Voldemort soon."
With that, they both turned to their plates and filled up. Ron, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to what had just taken place.
Over the course of the next 4 months...
Throughout the entire next four months, Hermione wondered, "Why? Why do I even hold on?" And everytime Draco passe by her, "Ohmygosh. He's so thin! What's going on? I need to go tell Dumbledore."
Taptaptap.
"Come in, Miss Granger."
"Professor Dumbledore, I've come to talk to you about Draco."
"Ah, yes. So you've noticed his odd behavior and his weight loss, I presume?"
"Exactly, sir. I just wanted to let you know that I'd be willing to do whatever you need me to do to get him on our side."
"Hmmm." His piercing blue eyes probed through Hermione's own honey ones. "Very well. There are things going on that would do you best not to know about. For now, just don't do anything. At this point, we need to wait it out or let Draco come to us himself. Otherwise, it could be even more dangerous for him."
"But sir-"
"No buts, Miss Granger. Don't think I don't know what happened between you two. I think he did the right thing in breaking it off. Perhaps, after the war, you two could reacquaint yourselves. Goodbye Miss Granger, have a nice day."
One more month later, on the battlefield...
Hermione looked up to see Draco with his wand pointed at Dumbledore.
"NO! DRACO! Please, don't do this! I know the Draco I fell in love with is still there. Please."
"JUST SHUT UP HERMIONE!" The pain and torture in his voice was palpable. "I have to do this, or else he'll kill me and my mother."
"I swear we'll protect both of you Draco. Don't do this."
Throughout this, Dumbledore surprisingly stayed silent. As if he were waiting for something... On cue, Severus Snape glided in.
"Just get it over with Draco. We've both told you already that he doesn't have much longer to live anyway, what with the cursed hand and age."
"AVADA KE-"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The rest of the curse was drowned out by Hermione's cry. She dropped to her knees with her face in her hands.
Snape and Draco quickly fled the scene before anyone could find them. Harry too, was released from Dumbledore's spell.
"Hermione! Hermione! Are you alright?" Harry was panicked. "Look, I never thought you would have something with Draco, but you have to let go of him 'Mione. At least put him out of your mind during the war."
"There's nothing to put out, Harry. He's gone. Completely and utterly gone."