A/N: Thank you for the reviews and followers! I really am very appreciative of your comments, please do send more, it really makes me happy to see you enjoy the story =)
Also, I have made two more fics and one upcoming one. Please also try to read Memorata and Love in the Ice, which will be both heavy drama Dramione fics. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own HP =(
Chapter 9 - Welcome back
I haven't been able to see Draco at all during this five days. He seemed to have stopped attending classes and even Blaise won't talk to me what had happened to him. The professors too have not mentioned a single word about him being absent in classes. Being gone for this long would cause house point deductions. But why is everyone so mum about it?
I came down for dinner with Harry and Ron with my mind in complete blur. He clearly asked last Sunday that I accompany him to meet his parents this weekend, did he have a change of heart? But if he did, it doesn't make sense that he'll just disappear.
Harry seemed to have noticed my thoughts and tapped my shoulder, "Hermione, what's wrong?" He asked.
I looked up to him and replied, "Do you not find it strange...? Dra—Malfoy's absence."
He shrugged and said, "Yeah, but we really haven't seen much of him lately." He turned to Ron, "We haven't even seen him practice for quidditch, right?"
Ron nodded in response, "Maybe he ditched school, totally."
I looked to Ron, doubtful that he would be concerned about Draco at all that he just up and commented whatever was on his mind.
We sat on our regular places at the Gryffindor table and my eyes wandered to the Slytherin table across ours. Same as every evening this week, Draco hasn't come down for dinner as his seat between Pansy and Blaise was empty. At least they saved a space for him.
My heart kept pounding as the thought of him dropping out of school slowly crept up my mind. 'He won't just leave..' I hopefully thought. And just like that, dinner ended.
Upon heading back to the dorms, I decided to head to the Headmasters office to ask questions. I just can't keep calm like this, it's been bothering me for days and I am just so worried.
I stood in front of the stone gargoyle to the Headmaster's office and said the password, "Beet Juice." The gargoyle turned to reveal a set of spiral staircase up to the office. I knocked on the wooden door and announced my presence, "Professor, it's me, Hermione Granger."
"Come in," I heard Professor McGonagall say.
Opening the door, I stepped in the office and found her sitting behind her desk with a couple of paper works. She looked up to me and adjusted her glasses.
"What can I help you with, Ms. Granger?" She asked.
"Um.." I started to say but hesitated for a bit if I should directly ask her about Draco or go around it. I chose the latter option. "I was wondering..If..it's possible for students to..um..leave the school premises..on school days.." I said trying to sound unconcerned about one particular person as much as possible.
She looked to me and sighed, removing her glasses and setting it on top of the parchment she was just writing on. A smile forming on her lips as she asked, "And who might you be referring to, Ms. Granger?"
I gulped and cleared my throat before responding, "Um..no one in particular.."
I felt a trickle of sweat run down my spine as I looked down. I heard the professor shuffle in her seat and stood up. She stopped in front of me and said, "Mr. Malfoy...asked for a leave of absence."
My head snapped upwards to her. 'Did she just say...Leave of absence?!' I must be making different kind of expressions now from shock to confusion, to worry, to disbelief.
"He will be back next week." She said while turning her back from me.
I immediately started to look for words before she turn me away, "Professor!" I exclaimed, "I...I don't understand..."
"Let him tell you the reason once he returns." was her reply.
I was shocked...How could he...something, something must have happened!
"I...I shall take my leave now Professor.." I said without looking to her. Turning my back, I ran down the spiral staircases. I felt my tears running down my face. My heart raced and I was feeling a crushing pain in my heart, like it was being squeezed dry.
Stopping in and empty hallway, my hand reached out for the wall for support. However, my body gave way as I collapsed on the floor, trembling. I hugged my knees and rocked back and forth as I cried.
'What am I doing?" I asked myself. I tried to reason why I am reacting in such a way. Was it so bad that he left without informing me? Do I have the right to know his decisions all the time? Who am I exactly to him anyway? I am just his friend...friend..But we were closer than that, weren't we? He could have at least sent me an owl.
Wiping my face with the back of my hand, I stood up and fixed myself. Taking in deep breaths at a time to control my sobs.
"Stop it, Hermione..." I said aloud, "He must have had his reasons..." I straightened my self up and started to walk back to the Gryffindor common room.
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The weekend have passed without any notice from Draco. All I did was stare out the window, waiting if an owl would come flying to me carrying a letter. But none came.
"Hermione.." I heard Ginny call out as she came up to me.
I didn't turn to look at her, but I replied, "Yes?"
"Come down for dinner?" She asked, "You haven't been going down for three days...maybe..maybe he's returned.."
'Ginny, you are truly a good friend.' I thought. Looking to her, I gave her a weak smile and said, "Thanks Gin, but don't give me false hopes please..."
She stared at me with sad eyes and moved closer to give me a tight hug, "I know...I'm sorry..But just remember..I'm here, we're here for you."
I hugged her too, trying to bury the sobs creeping up my throat. "I know, but I don't know what to really feel right now...I don't even know what I am to him...I'm just a person he likes...nothing more.."
She let go and placed both her hands on my cheeks and squeezed it, "Come on! This isn't the Hermione I know, you're much stronger than this. When he returns, you go talk to him. But right now, just calm yourself and think positive!"
"Gin..." I smiled at her while wiping the tears from my eyes.
"Alright now, let's go eat!" She exclaimed and I nodded in reply.
We went down together, for Harry and Ron have already headed to the Great Hall a couple of minutes back.
Turning to a corner of the hallway, I glanced upon a familiar figure walking up from the dungeons. My grip to Ginny's arms tightened and she looked to were my eyes were transfixed. "Hermione!" She gasped.
"He's...he's back!" I exclaimed, my heart felt like it was about to jump out from my chest due to excitement. I can't help the wide smile forming on my face as I ran up to him.
"Draco!" I shouted. He turned to me but his face was expressionless. However, I did not mind it. He was back and well, "Hey...where have you been?"
He shrugged and said in a nonchalant way, "Nothing, just here and there..."
"What.." I smiled at him and was about to push him a little, but he stepped back, dodging my hand. I gave him a confused look, he didn't do that before...
"Um..." I started to look for words but he interrupted my thoughts swiftly.
"Granger...just...from now on..don't just casually touch me..okay?" He said before turning his back and following Blaise into the Great hall.
I was dumbfounded and confused at the same time as he left me standing there at the entrance of the hall. My mouth fell as he said those words. I couldn't breath, couldn't think. Until Ginny nudged me and asked,
"What was that Hermione? It felt like he was an entirely different person..." She was as surprised as I am.
He acted so cold towards me as opposed to how he usually acts when we were together. He doesn't act like that too even though people where around. What in the world happened to him during this weekend that changed him so much?
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I gazed at him from across the table. He was talking and laughing regularly with his friends. But why a sudden change towards me? I've got to know why...I have to...
"'Mione..Malfoy's back" Harry said to me but I didn't reply.
"She knows Harry, just don't mention his name right now.." I heard Ginny say to him.
"Why, did something happen?" Ron asked smugly, "Is the old Malfoy back?"
I did not comment on what he said, I didn't even bothered to look at Ron. However I felt my heart sank at the possibility of what he said. I just have so many questions I want to ask him. Especially what happened last Sunday during our Potions homework...He just said he saw his parents while he was under the sleeping potion. I lied in our report just to make it look like the experiment went well.
"Hermione...?" Ginny held my hand. "Hey...are you alright?" She asked.
"No...I'm not alright.." I said to her. "I need to talk to him..."
I have a feeling that something happened to him during the weekend and I won't just stay put and mull over it by myself. I need answers, I need an explanation...
