Chapter Two
She didn't turn; if she had noticed me enter the room, her body did not react. I gazed over her nightgown – a two piece ensemble with pink polka dots complete with fuzzy bunny slippers. She stood with one hand caressing the window curtain, her lips taut in anger, but her eyes were haunting as a tear fell down her cheek. It looked as if she had been there for a while.
I was just about to speak when I heard her voice, so small, "It's OK, Draco. I let you in."
How did she know I was going to ask? What did she mean she let me in? Did she think I was going to feel sorry for her now that she had gotten me alone? I have to play it cool.
"Yeah, I know," I said as I strutted over to the couch trying to make it seem as if I didn't care. "So what do you want Granger? And how did YOU find this place?"
"This?" she turned around looking at the room but did not meet my eyes. "This is all my fantasy, a sacred place I like to come here and study, or relax, or even just watch the night sky," she pointed at the ceiling. "It's one of my favorite things about Hogwarts."
Finally, she turned and slowly made her way over to the couch, sitting on the opposite end of the furniture. When she at last look up at me, her gaze was shocking. I felt a tingle within the pit of my stomach... a pull that I could not place. I hadn't felt that sensation before. I felt... comfortable.
After a moment of silence, she spoke, "I know by now you have heard of the altercation that took place earlier this evening and I want you to know that I do not blame you or your friends. In fact, I forgive you all..."
I attempted to interrupt her, but she held up her hand. "Let me finish, please. Draco," she had never used my name like that, it made my stomach jump, "You have nothing to hide from me and I don't wish for us to continue being enemies. Just because who you associate yourself to and who I choose to spend my time with... these shouldn't be reasons for us to stay apart. In fact, I don't feel like I want to anymore."
My eyebrows creased and I could not understand what she was talking about, but I did not interrupt her. "Draco," my heart skipped this time, "I think there is something that I need to share with you – there is something that I haven't told anyone – and before you say anything, just hear me out."
She sighed deeply and longingly looked into my eyes. "I feel things for you that I have never felt for another person before. I feel elated when you walk in the room. I feel like I'm special when you look into my eyes, even if you're casting criticisms my way, at least then I know you are noticing me. I know that we are considered enemies, but that's only because of what family we were born into. That was something beyond my control, something that I can't deny. I am... a mud...blood."
I cringed when she spoke the word. I held up my hand before she could continue. Taking a deep breath I finally said what I had been working up to since I walked into the room, "Granger, I don't know what gave you the impression that I was coming to look for you, but you've been sorely mistaken. I don't want anything to do with you. Here I was," I stood, "Walking along minding my own damn business when this stupid door began to form. I was curious and so I walked through. I don't know what gave you the idea that you 'let me in' as you say, but I go wherever I damn well please."
I walked toward the exit before turning around to see her face gobsmacked, "And another thing, of course we'd be enemies, but it has nothing to do with your blood or parentage – it has, however, everything to do with who you are... an ugly, disgusting, measly excuse for a girl that no man would ever want in any way shape or form. So please, just stay away from me."
And with those words, before she could change my mind or I could hear her cry, I walked out of the room. Once outside and the door began to fade away, I leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. What was I thinking? Did I just tell the one person who's been haunting my dreams and my realities off? Did I just tell her to leave me alone? I sat there for a long time, consciously aware that if she came out from the room anytime soon she would be shocked to see me still there.
After what felt like an hour had gone by and she had not emerged, I got up, dusted myself off and began to walk away from the wall. Suddenly, I heard a shifting in the hall and I ran faster to hide behind a pillar. Moments later, Hermione Granger emerged from the room – her eyes were blood-shot from crying and her nose was read from blowing it – once the door had disappeared she looked over to the space I had just been sitting as if she knew I had been there the whole time.
After contemplating something for a moment, she looked over to my hiding spot and squinted. I squeezed myself closer to the wall to hide completely from her view. Although, I could not see her, I hear her footsteps going off down the opposite hall and breathed a silent relief.
