~ Falling Rose Petals ~
Chapter 2: Confessions and Misunderstandings
Ron Weasley let out a loud sigh and leaned back in his chair. He was sitting at a table in the Gryffindor common room, trying to do an essay for Divination. It had to be three pieces of parchment, and he only had one and a half.
If only he could copy from Hermione. Last time, she was bound to have finished her homework way before time. But that was before Draco came along.
Ron slammed his fist into the table. Why? Why was Hermione infatuated with Draco? Why didn't she realize how much Ron loved her?
It nearly broke his heart to see how Hermione wept over that creep. Every time he tried to get near her, Lavender would be there first. He cared for Hermione; he had liked her ever since they were in first year. But she would never find out. Because she had Draco.
Suddenly, Hermione came bursting into the room. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Ron leapt up and went over. "Herm, are you okay?"
Hermione shook her head and began to cry. Ron quickly put his arm around her shoulders and led her to a couch. "Don't cry. It's gonna be okay."
Hermione crumpled into his arms. He stroked her hair, comforting her. "What happened? Tell me."
"It's just that.. I was walking.. and Draco was nearby.. and this Slytherin came up and told me that Mudbloods shouldn't go near them.. because.. we might infect them. As if I was a virus!" she cried.
"Okay, just ignore them. They're jerks. All Slytherins suck," Ron declared. He hugged her tighter. Oh, if only she knew how much he loved her!
"No, they don't," Hermione protested. "Draco doesn't."
Ron scowled, trying not to let his face get too red. It clashed horribly with his hair. Just then, Harry came in carrying his Firebolt. He had finished Quidditch practice.
"Herm, are you okay?" Harry demanded. Ron sprang up from the couch as if it was on fire, letting go of Hermione. "Uh, she's just upset," he quickly told Harry. "Those bloody Slytherins," he whispered as way of explanation.
"Oh.." Harry got it. "Herm, why don't you go up to your dorm? You look like you need a nap."
"Okay." Herm sniffled and walked slowly away.
Harry faced him. "You like her, don't you?"
"Who.. me?" Ron tried to look innocent. But a hot blush was spreading all over his face.
"Don't deny it," Harry said. "Even I don't hug her like that."
Ron sighed. "Okay, Harry. You're my best friend. I'm not going to lie to you. I like her, okay? But what difference does it make? She likes Draco."
"Maybe if you told her, she would forget about that spoiled brat," Harry suggested.
"No, she wouldn't." Ron made his way back to the table and began gathering up his parchment and quill. "And don't tell her!"
"Fine, I won't. But she'll find out," Harry warned. "It's just a matter of time."
Ron just sighed again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco stared at the framed photo he held in his hand, trying not to cry. It was of him and Hermione. In it, they were both smiling broadly, and they had their arms around each other.
But right now, Draco felt like doing anything but smiling. He hated his father. How could he deny his own son's happiness? So what if Hermione was a Mudblood? She was the smartest witch in their year, possibly in the whole school.
He loved her so much. Her smile, her sense of humour, the way she would understand what he was thinking without him telling her. He had never before known someone who knew him so well.
Draco buried his face in his pillow as the tears finally came. Hermy.. why? Why couldn't they be together?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ron woke up early the next morning. He pondered over the previous day's happenings. Maybe Harry was right. He should tell Hermione how he felt. Then perhaps she would forget about Draco.
And knowing her, she would be in the Great Hall now eating breakfast. He quickly threw on his robes and went downstairs.
Sure enough, Hermione was one of the three people in the Great Hall. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table eating porridge while poring over a thick book. She looked considerably happier than yesterday.
"Herm?" Ron said softly. Hermione looked up and smiled. "Hey, Ron. Want some breakfast?"
"Um, yeah. Later. Can I tell you something?" Ron asked.
"Sure, what is it?" Hermione stood up and walked over to him.
"The thing is.." Ron said nervously. "I kind of like you."
"Ron-" Hermione was cut off by Ron pulling her close to him for a kiss. "Please don't reject me, Hermione. I've liked you for so long." He pressed his lips to hers and tried to hug her.
"Hermione!" a voice exclaimed. Hermione pushed away from Ron and turned. Draco was standing there, with a look of horror on his face. "I can't believe you," he muttered, starting to look angry. "How could you do this to me?" Then he was gone, out the door before Hermione could say anything.
"Draco!" Hermione cried in anguish. Her eyes were wide and started to fill with tears. She glared at Ron. "I hope you're happy!" Then she flew out of the Great Hall, in search of Draco.
Ron couldn't believe what had just happened. Why did Draco have to come in? Why was Hermione mad at him? Why had he been so stupid? He should never have thought Hermione would forget Draco for him.
Meanwhile, Hermione was running as fast as she could to the lake, where she knew Draco liked to sit when he wanted to think about something. She almost knocked Professor Flitwick over. Finally she reached the doors and burst through them. Draco was sitting at their special spot, his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.
"Draco," Hermione said.
He turned. "What do you want?" he said coldly.
"Listen, Ron and I-" Herm began.
"Forget it. I know what I saw." Draco brushed the tears from his eyes.
"But.. it's not what you think! Ron tried to kiss-"
"Shut up!" Draco yelled. His eyes were blazing. "Do you know how hard it took to shake the Slytherins off? It was my only chance to see you! And you and Weasley were.." He couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Draco, listen to me. I would never-"
"I don't want to hear it. You know what, Hermy? Maybe my father was right. Mudbloods and pure bloods aren't meant to be together." He scrambled to his feet and stormed back to the castle.
Hermione felt the tears spill onto her cheeks. "How could you ever think I would cheat on you?" she whispered, feeling her heart break.
[A/N: Ooh, cliffhanger! So how did you like this chapter? Review.. or I will not put up a third one!]
Ron Weasley let out a loud sigh and leaned back in his chair. He was sitting at a table in the Gryffindor common room, trying to do an essay for Divination. It had to be three pieces of parchment, and he only had one and a half.
If only he could copy from Hermione. Last time, she was bound to have finished her homework way before time. But that was before Draco came along.
Ron slammed his fist into the table. Why? Why was Hermione infatuated with Draco? Why didn't she realize how much Ron loved her?
It nearly broke his heart to see how Hermione wept over that creep. Every time he tried to get near her, Lavender would be there first. He cared for Hermione; he had liked her ever since they were in first year. But she would never find out. Because she had Draco.
Suddenly, Hermione came bursting into the room. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Ron leapt up and went over. "Herm, are you okay?"
Hermione shook her head and began to cry. Ron quickly put his arm around her shoulders and led her to a couch. "Don't cry. It's gonna be okay."
Hermione crumpled into his arms. He stroked her hair, comforting her. "What happened? Tell me."
"It's just that.. I was walking.. and Draco was nearby.. and this Slytherin came up and told me that Mudbloods shouldn't go near them.. because.. we might infect them. As if I was a virus!" she cried.
"Okay, just ignore them. They're jerks. All Slytherins suck," Ron declared. He hugged her tighter. Oh, if only she knew how much he loved her!
"No, they don't," Hermione protested. "Draco doesn't."
Ron scowled, trying not to let his face get too red. It clashed horribly with his hair. Just then, Harry came in carrying his Firebolt. He had finished Quidditch practice.
"Herm, are you okay?" Harry demanded. Ron sprang up from the couch as if it was on fire, letting go of Hermione. "Uh, she's just upset," he quickly told Harry. "Those bloody Slytherins," he whispered as way of explanation.
"Oh.." Harry got it. "Herm, why don't you go up to your dorm? You look like you need a nap."
"Okay." Herm sniffled and walked slowly away.
Harry faced him. "You like her, don't you?"
"Who.. me?" Ron tried to look innocent. But a hot blush was spreading all over his face.
"Don't deny it," Harry said. "Even I don't hug her like that."
Ron sighed. "Okay, Harry. You're my best friend. I'm not going to lie to you. I like her, okay? But what difference does it make? She likes Draco."
"Maybe if you told her, she would forget about that spoiled brat," Harry suggested.
"No, she wouldn't." Ron made his way back to the table and began gathering up his parchment and quill. "And don't tell her!"
"Fine, I won't. But she'll find out," Harry warned. "It's just a matter of time."
Ron just sighed again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco stared at the framed photo he held in his hand, trying not to cry. It was of him and Hermione. In it, they were both smiling broadly, and they had their arms around each other.
But right now, Draco felt like doing anything but smiling. He hated his father. How could he deny his own son's happiness? So what if Hermione was a Mudblood? She was the smartest witch in their year, possibly in the whole school.
He loved her so much. Her smile, her sense of humour, the way she would understand what he was thinking without him telling her. He had never before known someone who knew him so well.
Draco buried his face in his pillow as the tears finally came. Hermy.. why? Why couldn't they be together?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ron woke up early the next morning. He pondered over the previous day's happenings. Maybe Harry was right. He should tell Hermione how he felt. Then perhaps she would forget about Draco.
And knowing her, she would be in the Great Hall now eating breakfast. He quickly threw on his robes and went downstairs.
Sure enough, Hermione was one of the three people in the Great Hall. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table eating porridge while poring over a thick book. She looked considerably happier than yesterday.
"Herm?" Ron said softly. Hermione looked up and smiled. "Hey, Ron. Want some breakfast?"
"Um, yeah. Later. Can I tell you something?" Ron asked.
"Sure, what is it?" Hermione stood up and walked over to him.
"The thing is.." Ron said nervously. "I kind of like you."
"Ron-" Hermione was cut off by Ron pulling her close to him for a kiss. "Please don't reject me, Hermione. I've liked you for so long." He pressed his lips to hers and tried to hug her.
"Hermione!" a voice exclaimed. Hermione pushed away from Ron and turned. Draco was standing there, with a look of horror on his face. "I can't believe you," he muttered, starting to look angry. "How could you do this to me?" Then he was gone, out the door before Hermione could say anything.
"Draco!" Hermione cried in anguish. Her eyes were wide and started to fill with tears. She glared at Ron. "I hope you're happy!" Then she flew out of the Great Hall, in search of Draco.
Ron couldn't believe what had just happened. Why did Draco have to come in? Why was Hermione mad at him? Why had he been so stupid? He should never have thought Hermione would forget Draco for him.
Meanwhile, Hermione was running as fast as she could to the lake, where she knew Draco liked to sit when he wanted to think about something. She almost knocked Professor Flitwick over. Finally she reached the doors and burst through them. Draco was sitting at their special spot, his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.
"Draco," Hermione said.
He turned. "What do you want?" he said coldly.
"Listen, Ron and I-" Herm began.
"Forget it. I know what I saw." Draco brushed the tears from his eyes.
"But.. it's not what you think! Ron tried to kiss-"
"Shut up!" Draco yelled. His eyes were blazing. "Do you know how hard it took to shake the Slytherins off? It was my only chance to see you! And you and Weasley were.." He couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Draco, listen to me. I would never-"
"I don't want to hear it. You know what, Hermy? Maybe my father was right. Mudbloods and pure bloods aren't meant to be together." He scrambled to his feet and stormed back to the castle.
Hermione felt the tears spill onto her cheeks. "How could you ever think I would cheat on you?" she whispered, feeling her heart break.
[A/N: Ooh, cliffhanger! So how did you like this chapter? Review.. or I will not put up a third one!]