Chapter Nine: "Only One"
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! KEEP THEM COMING. And please, you guys, read my other story and review. I hardly get any reviews for it :(
Hermione gasped. How could have Ron found out? She was pretty sure that Harry hadn't told him. Harry wouldn't tell Ron. He and Ron weren't even really speaking all throughout dinner. There was only one thing to do… lie.
"What are you talking about Ron?" Hermione asked, pretending to sound confused. "I honestly haven't seen him since… graduation day."
Ron laughed, not convinced. "Hermione, you think you can hide everything from me. I know you, Hermione. You would have been jumping for joy if you had seen Harry for the first time in 10 years. You seemed to be almost ignoring him tonight. I know something's up."
Hermione had no idea what to do. She glanced down at her fingers and inspected them as if they were the most interesting fingers she had ever seen. She had to come up with some story. Hermione thought hard, her brain in overdrive.
"Well?" Ron prompted. He clearly looked upset.
Hermione sighed. There was no bother in telling Ron that she just wasn't excited to see Harry. Hermione suspected that Ron knew more than he was going at. Had he seen them at the reunion? Had he seen Harry in the closet that day he came over? Or worse, had he seen them kiss on graduation day?
"I… saw him at the reunion," Hermione sighed, "I wanted to talk to him, but he ignored me. There, happy? That's why I wasn't thrilled to see him." Hermione bit her lip, hoping Ron would buy her farfetched story.
Ron, thankfully, was ready to believe anything Hermione told him. Hermione knew he didn't want to believe that Hermione had seen Harry more than once before. Ron didn't want anything to come between their relationship.
Ron sighed, looking down. For a few minutes, they stood there in uncomfortable silence. Finally Ron looked back up at Hermione, his eyes full of disappointment and nervousness. "Is this true, Hermione?" he asked softly, "Are you telling me the truth?"
Hermione swallowed. She hated lying to Ron, but this was to protect not only herself but Harry as well. Nervously, Hermione brushed her brown hair behind her ears. Giving Ron a truthful look, she whispered, "Yes, Ron. I'm telling the truth. I wouldn't lie to you."
Ron looked up outside. The full moon was out, and all was dark. There wasn't a person in sight except for the two of them right outside the Burrow. All of the lights were out in the Burrow. Ron's parents had probably gone to bed assuming that everyone had left. "I hope you're right, Hermione."
Hermione looked at Ron. They stared at each other for a moment. Then Hermione asked softly, "You do believe me, don't you?"
Ron blinked and lowered his glance. "I wish I could believe you."
Hermione didn't answer. Some part of her, deep down inside, wanted her to tell the truth. She knew that the Hermione of five years ago would have told Ron the truth. The Hermione of five years ago was in love with Ron. But now who was she? Hermione knew she wasn't the same person.
Ron just shook his head and turned around. Hermione watching him go, leaning on the wall. She didn't even have the strength to go after him, to tell him it was going to be okay. Because at the bottom of her heart, Hermione knew that it wasn't going to be okay. The worst part was that Hermione knew that Ron knew it as well.
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"Hey Red," a voice called from behind Ginny, "That family dinner took way too long."
Ginny smiled slightly. She had found just the person she was looking for. Silently hoping that she looked decent after the dinner, Ginny turned around to find herself swept of the ground.
"Draco," Ginny shrieked, punching his shoulder playfully, "Put me down!"
Draco twirled around holding Ginny over his shoulder. Finally, after Ginny continued to shriek for a few more minutes, he put her down. "If you ever forget your wand during an attack," Draco joked, "Just shriek. It'll scare all of your enemies away."
"Then again," Ginny grinned, "I'll have you to protect me. I won't even need my voice."
Draco kissed Ginny. "The reunion was the best night of my life, Red. I don't think we would have ever run into each other if it wasn't for that."
Ginny looked away, remembering that night. Now after Ginny had Draco, she wondered how she managed without him…
"Would you like to dance, Red?"
Ginny turned around. It was the night of the Hogwarts Reunion. Once again, Ginny was attending another party as a loner. Once again, as everyone danced, she sat by the food and ate away the night. There was nothing more she could do.
"Draco," Ginny muttered, looking surprised. "Nice to see you again?" She hadn't seen Draco since graduation. He had changed a lot. He was taller, obviously, and had bulked up quite a bit. He was actually very good-looking, Ginny mused.
Draco pointed towards the dance floor as a slow dance song started up. He was smiling slightly. "We're going to miss the song if you don't come. That is, if you want to dance."
Ginny blinked and then smiled softly. "Yes, I'd love a dance."
Draco pulled Ginny close towards his body. For a few minutes, neither one of them said a word. Ginny could feel his breath on her, and his arms around her waist. It had been such a long time since she had danced with anyone. It had been so long that Ginny couldn't even remember the last time she had danced.
"So, um," Ginny said softly to Draco, "This was unexpected." Ginny was hoping to make some sense of what Draco's intentions were. Draco of all people would never be caught dead dancing with a Gryffindor, but here he was now, dancing with Ginny Weasley.
Draco shrugged, refusing to meet Ginny's eye. "You look beautiful, Ginny."
Ginny flushed, her insides fluttering. "You look great as well, but Draco, are you forgetting that I'm a Gryffindor? I mean, technically I'm not since I'm not in school anymore, but inside, I'm still a Gryffindor. And you're a Slytherin. Do you understand why I'm not understanding what's going on?"
The song ended, and another one started. Ginny was about to go sit down, but Draco continued to dance. Ginny smiled slightly, remembering how much she liked Draco during their seventh year. There was something about his dangerous ways that was attractive. Not to mention his looks.
"It's just a dance, Red," Draco told her quietly, "Or in this case, two dances."
Ginny knew that she shouldn't say anything else. So the two of them just dancing the night away in silence. Without a single break, Ginny and Draco danced until the entire Great Hall was practically empty.
Ginny pulled away from Draco, and the two of them just stared at each other. Ginny wasn't sure whether she had no idea what to say, or if she was just tongue-tied. Finally, she whispered, "Thanks."
Draco looked around. "Who are you here with? I think the reunion's over. You should probably be getting back. Are you here with Potter?"
Ginny shook her head quickly. She didn't want Draco thinking that she liked Harry anymore, because she didn't. "I haven't seen or heard from him since graduation. I'm… I'm not here with anyone."
"Oh."
The staring started up again. Ginny had to admit to herself that she was curious who Draco was here with. "So, I guess you should be going. Who did you say you were here with, again?"
"I never told you who I was here with," Draco answered, looking at her. "But if you must know, I'm not here with anyone."
Ginny's jaw dropped. She had assumed that he was there with Pansy Parkinson. They had been going out for such a long time. "What happened to Pansy?"
Draco looked disgusted. "She ran off with Goyle a year after graduation. I was kind of glad. That was an easy way to get rid of her."
Ginny smiled at Draco, relieved. Before she knew it, her lips were on Draco's. At that moment, Ginny knew she had found the guy she was looking for.
"Red!" Draco whispered, waving his hand in front of Ginny's eyes.
Ginny blinked, and her flashback disappeared. "Huh? How long did I blank out?"
Draco sat down next to her on the bench. He had an amused expression on his face. "Quite a few minutes. What were you thinking about?"
Ginny shook her head, her cheeks flushing. "Nothing… nothing. I was thinking about nothing. Just-"
Draco kissed Ginny in attempt to silence her. Ginny wrapped her arms around Draco's neck, kissing him tenderly. Was Ron crazy thinking that Harry was the guy for her? Harry had never made Ginny feel half as good as Draco did.
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Harry sat on his book, his Quidditch book open in front of him. He was hoping to pick up some good plays for his team. However, his mind was wandering. He wasn't able to focus on anything recently. All he could think about was Hermione.
He hadn't even spoken to her in a week or two. The last time he saw her was at the Weasley dinner, and he was too busy avoiding Mrs. Weasley's approving glances of him and Ginny. Anyhow, Harry had a feeling Ginny was going out with someone else. She wouldn't stay single for such a long time.
Did Hermione think that he was mad at her? And why hadn't Hermione called him? Harry sighed. He wasn't even sure if their relationship was going to work out. He had Cho, and Hermione had Ron. They both already had people for themselves. Do they really want to hurt so many people just to be together?
Harry's phone rang breaking his trail of thoughts. He put his Quidditch book down and headed over towards the phone. He snatched it on its fourth ring. "Hello?" he asked hastily into the phone. Part of him was hoping it was Hermione.
"Harry, it's Cho," Cho said urgently, "I have some… well interesting news for you."
Harry felt his pulse race. "What is it, Cho?"
Harry heard Cho swallow. Harry took the cordless phone with him and sat down at his desk. He hadn't been this nervous in a long time. Was Cho in the delivery room? Was Cho hurt? What had happened?
"Well," Cho continued, "I went to get a DNA testing of the baby to figure out who the father is."
"Who is it?" Harry stood up, still holding the phone, and listened closely for Cho's response.
A/N: CLIFFHANGER (: That's what I'm known for. Review and you'll get the next chapter which i've already written very soooon.
