Disclaimer-All things related to Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. The song does not belong to me in any way.
Hermione hated hiding. She was a Gryffindor and was meant to be brave and withstand the things that would break her down, but she couldn't stand this. It was almost natural for her to escape death, to fight the return of Voldemort, but it hurt too much to see Ron with that, that girl. It was pathetic and humiliating, but not as pitiful as it would have been to let them see how much it hurt. Ronald and his lover would not be allowed the satisfaction of seeing how hard it was. It was a childish stubbornness that that would catch up to her in the end, but at the moment it was her only victory.
It was hard for her to watch someone she'd cared about consuming another girl's face in the middle of corridors and hallways. Friends made sure to whistle and hoot when they did, but Hermione resorted to hiding. She found her secret place when she slipped down an empty hallway to get out of sight from the new trio. She was walking slowly, dragging her feet along the rough stone, when she came to stop in front of large wooden doors, crisscrossed with black iron. She knew tears were coming, so she quickly opened the door and stepped inside. She knew this place. She had read about it. The Room of Hidden Things stood before her. It was the Room of Requirement's twin stacked with items long lost. Mountains of desks, lamps, couches, books, tables, dressers, and random items created a labyrinth of passages that lead to secret hollows in the messes of thrown out furniture.
At first, she did nothing but find a comfortable place to sit and look around. An old iron rod bed, missing its covering for the wide canopy on top. Soon enough though, she found herself getting up to wander the passages formed by the towering peaks. After a while of crying to herself, she left to go back to the commonroom. It was soothing knowing that she could come back and the room would be here when she needed it. She liked that idea that it would be waiting for her like an old friend.
And she did come back. A lot. She came back every time she wanted to hide. Every time she needed to get away somewhere no one would look for her, where she wouldn't have to see her triumphing face or his guilty expression, she could go back to her safe haven. Once, after a particularly cruel remark from Lavender, she cried, leaning against the soft embrace of a broken armchair. It seemed like the castle was comforting her. It was an unbelievable idea of course, but it helped.
One day, while she was wandering the passages, she suddenly became aware of a presence other than herself. Peaking around a stack of books, she found a lone boy sitting with his face in his hands.
Yellow diamonds in the light
And we're standing side by side
As your shadow crosses mine
What it takes to come alive
The boy's platinum blonde hair was disheveled and hanging in his eyes, as he rose and picked up his wand lying at his side. Hermione ducked quickly behind the pile of book, but knocked a small ivory bust of a bearded man. The bust fell with a 'thud' and shattered, sending cream glass skating across the floor.
"Who's there" Draco Malfoy stood, wand ready as Hermione crawled out from behind, blushing. Draco glared and Hermione rose from off the floor. There was a big difference between their heights so Draco stood towering over Hermione. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds before Hermione gulped down a lump in her throat and began.
"Hi Malfoy, ummmm, w-what are you d-doing" Hermione stuttered trying to make their encounter civil. She really didn't what to get into a fight. She had lost most of her energy crying and she didn't want to make this a big deal.
It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny
But I've gotta let it go
"Get out." This, Hermione was not expecting. The command was forceful and interrupting. Malfoy's mouth was set in a line that told her that he did not want to be bothered. His eyes, however, told a different story. The steel grey sparkled with unshed tears; he was in pain.
"Please, are you ok?" Malfoy glanced up, surprise evident in his face.
"I… I don't know" Malfoy turned away and took a few steps forward, contemplating. Twisting his wand between his fingers, He turned back. "You're good with magic; can you fix a Vanishing Cabinet?" The words seemed to have been pulled from thin air. They seemed random, as if he came up with it on the spot.
"Excuse me?" Hermione wasn't exactly sure she had heard him right.
"A Vanishing Cabinet. Of all people Granger, I thought you would know what it was." He let a small smirk replace his frown.
"I know what it is," she snapped, but after a moment's pause added," I just don't know how to fix one."
The frown was back. It was a trivial thing, but something inside her stirred when she saw him frown. She felt, well, sad too. Shaking her head, she forced it out of her mind and stepped forward.
"I'll look at it," she said quickly," I only know a little bit about them, but I do know that the spell is 'Harmonia Nectere Passus' or something like that so I can try." She gave a weak smile hoping he would forgive her for snapping at him.
We found love in a hopeless place
We found love in a hopeless place
We found love in a hopeless place
We found love in a hopeless place
"Thank you." This, Hermione had not expected either. The voice was soft and quiet. He had said it like he didn't want her to hear it, and he probably didn't. That fact was, though, that he had said it. He had said it- he had meant it- even though he didn't want her to receive it. This was not the proud Draco Malfoy she knew. No, this was a young man in desperate need of help, in need of a friend.
Shine a light through an open door
Love and life I will divide
Hermione, however, could not help him there. She was his enemy, his nemesis. Was she? Here she was helping him with a problem she didn't even know how to fix. Hermione took a deep breath. She was not going to just turn her back on him and this was the way she could help him. She knew what it was like to have people turn their backs on her.
Hermione strode forward, putting their past differences behind. Malfoy looked relieved, as if a little bit of hardship had been lifted off his shoulders. Smiling to herself, Hermione didn't see the uneven floorboard.
"Oh!" Hermione fell forward, her hand s stretched out to grab on to something, anything. The object that stood before her was a human; Malfoy. Grasping his torso, Hermione pulled him down with her; Malfoy had not expected her to be so clumsy. With a 'thud' Hermione's petite figure landed on top of Malfoy, whose strong body caught her before she hit. Opening her eyes, Hermione fixed his. Amber brown met steel grey.
Turn away cause I need you more
Feel the heartbeat in my mind
It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny
But I've gotta let it go
In a trance they gazed into the eyes of the other. Hermione didn't know what happened, but in a second her lips were pressed down on the boy's she was laying overtop. His lips were soft and warm, not what she would have expected, but she didn't have time to think about this. They shifted against each other and suddenly fireworks exploded in the back of her mind. Electricity pulsed throughout her body, making her heart beat unnaturally fast and the breath to be taken away from her. She felt her body tense up, heat and flush in a matter of seconds. Sure she had kissed Victor, but it wasn't like this; there wasn't any electricity, no source of heat between them. She moved against him, raising herself up to him as their kisses became more frantic. It was a flurry of emotions, all raging as they fought for control of what was happening. Then she let out a small sigh and they unexpectedly began to slow. They stopped their hurried movements and kissed with passion, a fire burning through them slowly. She let her hand reach up and dive themselves into his silky hair and his into her curls while they slid closer; body to body. They, she noted, fit perfectly. Hard and soft, his body covered was in muscle and strength, while hers was soft and supple. She felt herself smile against his lips.
We found love in a hopeless place
We found love in a hopeless place
We found love in a hopeless place
We found love in a hopeless place
They broke their kiss, panting for breath from the unexpected caresses of their lips. Neither knew what to say as they lay, staring into the other's eyes. She smiled at him as her hand fell down to meet his. Draco's eyes followed the touch of their hands. There were so many touches, little touches, that added fuel to their passion. His eyes sought hers once again and a little sigh escaped his mouth along with all his troubles. Both had found their saviors, their deliverers from their hardships, from their troubles, from their own lives. They stood without even realizing it and made their way to the little blue, overstuffed love seat, still grasping each other.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For everything."
His eyes, the very things that had led to 'them', told her everything. Never before had she seen his eyes sparkle with excitement or swell with sadness; only had she seen loathing. Loathing and emotionless glaring. His eyes stared into hers, silently begging her for her forgiveness. On what had happened with them in the past. Those days were cruel when he had taunted the trio, but the past was the past and this was the real Draco.
"I forgive you," she whispered. It had all happened so fast, but she didn't mind. They snuggled closer together and, when their heads drooped together and their grasps loosened, they didn't even notice.
