'Honey
All the movements you're starting to make
See me crumble and fall on my face
And I know the mistakes that I made
See it all disappear without a trace
And they call as they beckon you on
They said start as you mean to go on
Start as you mean to go on'
Coldplay 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head'
Hermione
Part 1:
"Over?" Hermione asked weakly, clasping an arm around her waist. Her legs felt as though they would give out any moment, so she sat down in the nearest armchair.
"Yes," came the almost indifferent reply. "Over."
"Draco," Hermione whispered pleadingly. "But –but why?"
He walked over to where she sat, and knelt down in front of her, placing each hand on an armrest on either side of her. "Hermione, I...I need something more. Something –I don't know...different! We've been together for three years, and now, I just feel...suffocated. I need space."
She looked at him, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, wondering what more he needed. She had given him all she had, and then some. She loved him. And she couldn't understand why he was doing this to her. They were perfect together, couldn't he tell? They were meant to be. But looking into his eyes, she knew he didn't see that. He didn't see how much he had taken from her, how little he left her with. He was breaking up with her because he truly believed that there was more out there for him. That someone else could love him half as much as she did. But there was one last thing she had to know.
"Draco," she started, regaining some of her composure. "Did –did you ever love me?"
He averted his eyes and didn't answer. She swallowed and blinked back her tears. She had let him walk all over her heart, there was no way she was going to let him see her cry.
"Get the fuck out of my apartment."
The minute he Disapparated, Hermione Granger burst into tears.
"Hermione!" Ginny called out in a sing-song voice. "Where are you?"
"Coming!" Hermione replied, walking out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, drying her hair furiously with a towel.
"'Mione, I don't understand you sometimes," Ginny clucked disapprovingly. "You're a witch, woman, there are spells for drying your hair. Much quicker and easier. For the brightest witch and all that, you can be rather dense," she teased.
"Ha ha," Hermione replied humourlessly, rolling her eyes and plopping down on the rug in front of the fireplace. "I prefer doing it this way. Just because I'm a witch doesn't mean I have to use spells for every little thing. So, what do I owe this early morning Floo-call to?"
"Oh, right, I was wondering if you want to come over for dinner tonight. Harry's cooking," she added in a conspiratorial tone, "so I suggest you snack a bit before coming over...just to keep you going through the night. Contrary to his own beliefs, he doesn't cook all that well at all! I just don't say much because, as you know, I'm a loving, devoted wife and not to mention, newly-wed. Don't need an argument starting up so soon. "
Hermione gave a small laugh at Ginny's words and she shook her head. "Honestly, you two are funny."
Ginny gave a small pout. "Funny? That's...disappointing, to say the least. I was hoping we'd be labelled 'cute' or 'romantic'...but funny? Now that certainly puts a damper on things. Anyway, are you coming tonight? You can even bring that prat boyfriend of yours, Malfoy, over. I'll see to it that Harry doesn't, accidentally or intentionally, hex him. Although, maybe...you could...you know, not warn him about Harry's culinary skills, or lack thereof, and let him starve through the night? Please?" Ginny asked hopefully.
Hermione gave a watery smile but said nothing. Talking required her to open her mouth, and Hermione knew that if she did that she would start sobbing again. And she had just gotten herself to stop.
"Hermione?" Ginny asked, her face scrunching up slightly in concern. "Are you alright?"
Hermione nodded rapidly, willing herself not to cry. Ginny's concerned voice made it even harder to keep the tears at bay. The lump in her throat had swelled to an immense size and it was suffocating her. It hurt so much. She let out a sob.
"Hermione!" Ginny called out anxiously.
Hermione didn't answer or look up at Ginny, instead pressing her palms to her eyes, as though that would stem the tear flow, or make the pain go away. It did neither. Sobs wracked her frame as the memories of the previous night returned full force. Why? Why? The question had been engraved into her mind, and no matter how bright she was, she found no answer.
"Harry!" she distantly heard Ginny call out. "Harry, I'm going over to Hermione's for a bit! I'll be back soon!"
There was some shuffling, a Pop! and then the flames roared up again, revealing one, slightly sooty, Ginny Potter, née Weasley. A pair of arms engulfed her as she continued to cry. Warm hands smoothed over her damp hair and words of comfort were whispered into her ear. Hermione cried herself to sleep in Ginny's arms.
"I said I don't know, Harry! I was just talking to her, and she started crying. She seemed very upset...more than usual. And she cried herself to sleep."
"Did you tell her Harry was cooking?" Ron's voice came through the Floo. "Because that would make me cry too, y'know."
Harry turned to glare at his best friend. "Shut it, mate. This is serious."
"I am serious," Ron quipped, but sobered up immediately. "Should we come over?" he asked.
"No," Ginny replied distractedly, turning to make sure she didn't wake Hermione. "I'll try and handle this."
Harry nodded, but still looked worried. "And what about that git she calls a boyfriend? Shouldn't he be around?"
Ginny looked at him reproachfully. "Harry, don't start this now, okay? Let's just wait for Hermione to wake up and tell me what's wrong."
"I bet it's Malfoy's fault she's upset," Ron's voice floated through the Floo again.
"Yeah," Harry agreed vehemently. "It probably is. That's why he's not with her."
Ginny remained silent. It was a possibility, and a very big one at that. "I'll let you know...if she wants me to. I'll see you later, Harry. You too, Ron. Give Lavender my love."
She heard Ron's muffled acknowledgement in the background and after a quick smile and worried glance from Harry, the Floo connection ended. Ginny turned back to her best friend and watched her as she slept. She had laid a pillow under Hermione's head and a blanket over her in an attempt to keep her comfortable as she slept. Sighing softly, she removed a stray lock of hair from Hermione's face and wondered for the millionth time what had broken her down like this. She hoped to Merlin that it wasn't her heart.
It was a while later that Hermione awoke. At first, she simply stared at the ceiling, mind blissfully blank. Then she wondered why her ceiling seemed higher up than usual. How odd. She absently raised up her hand, as though to reach out and touch it.
"Hermione?" Ginny's voice drifted over to her.
"Yeah," Hermione replied, putting her hand down. Her throat felt parched and her eyes felt swollen.
"Are you okay, honey?"
The blissful ignorance vanished and was immediately replaced by more real emotions. Like the gnawing pain in her chest. The emptiness. Hermione sighed and felt a stray tear trickle down her temple, into her hair, followed by another and then another. At least she wasn't sobbing anymore.
"He broke up with me, Gin," she replied, giving a mirthless smile which quickly disappeared. A smile, even a mirthless one, seemed too much of an effort. Her face muscles felt as though they hadn't been used in years. "Said he needed more. More. Something different, he said." She gave a short, sardonic laugh and sat up, turning to face Ginny, who wore an expression somewhere between rage and sympathy. "More like, he needed a new hole to fuck. He never even loved me."
Finally, finally, the sadness was being replaced as anger began to settle in. How dare he? After she had given him everything that mattered most to her –her love, her heart, her fucking virginity, how dare he leave, saying he needed more? Needed something different! The good-for-nothing scumbag had no right to make her cry. He wasn't worth her tears. Hell, he wasn't even fit to lick the soles of her shoes clean! And all he had talked about was what he needed. What about what she needed? Didn't that count? Wasn't it important? She guessed it wasn't important to someone who didn't love her. He didn't love her.
"And you know what the best part is, Gin?" she asked, breathing hard, willing herself not to throw anything at the wall. She was angry, so angry now. At herself for having been so stupid, at the imbecile she had once called her boyfriend.
"What?"
"I'm pregnant."
A/N: So, Draco can't always be the perfect guy...this is my take on the imperfect Draco. Review! :D Chapter 2 will be up soon...if you like the story :)