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Fear is How I Fall

Chapter 10: A Feeling Worth Dying For

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A few days later

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Hermione stood from her seat at the Gryffindor table and walked out of the Great Hall, catching Draco's eye as she went. She hadn't had the opportunity to speak to him since the Blaise incident happened. She had distanced herself from him so no one would suspect anything more, and she supposed that he had done the same.

He would know to follow suit after she caught his eye. She knew he needed to talk to her as much as she needed to talk to him. She walked along the side of the hallway, making sure no one was there to see. She hadn't waited but five minutes when sure enough, Draco walked out of the Great Hall.

"Hermione," He said as he walked up to her.

"I needed to talk to you."

"Did anything happen?" He asked, his eyes widening. "Did anyone-"

"No! Nothing like... that... No one's confronted me about you. Yet."

"What do you mean, yet?"

"I mean that we can't keep it a secret forever, Draco! Someone IS going to figure it out, Blaise Zabini is only one person... but one person tells another person, and that person tells two more people, and those two people... news travels fast, and pretty soon the whole school will know!" She shook her head and her hands formed fists. "I thought... I thought it could work, I really did..."

"It's alright, Hermione. We'll be okay," He said, pulling her close. He lifted her chin up. "Listen to me. You were right. No one does have to know..."

"But you're WRONG!" She said, shoving him backwards. "I KNOW what purebloods do to- to- to people like you and me! They'll all inwardly shun you, because you broke the pureblood chain, and they'll all blame me for leading you away! I read newspapers, Draco… and the War that's coming…" she sighed. "It'll be… just awful…" she looked away, afraid to say anything more.

Draco was silent. What would happen to him for loving her would be more horrible and drastic than she knew. Or maybe she did know...

"Hermione... it would be a lot worse than social pressure... It's almost a matter of life or death," He said, bringing her back close. "But... I don't- KNOW what it is about you... I've never broken down my shell for ANYONE, and it's just that... I've put myself out there. I'm giving you all I am, Hermione, the bad and the good. If there is any good…"

He looked away, as if he was falling apart and needed to pull his mind together again. Biting his lip, he stared into her eyes.

His eyes held so much passion and brutal honesty that Hermione wanted to cry. She wanted to pull him into her embrace and keep him there forever…

You've gotten so far into me, you have no idea... I can't even begin to believe how long I've really known you. I feel like I've known you my entire life, and I feel like I know everything about you, and visa versa- I mean, even though that's completely ridiculous, and I know I can't know you like that… I do. I swear to God, I feel like I do… and when you're near me, like this, like now, I feel like you're the only girl in the world, and everyone else can just go to hell, because they're tearing us apart. I never thought I would ever love anyone, EVER. But now... I can see you, and me, and us... there is an us, Hermione. We're supposed to be together... it wouldn't have happened this fast, and I wouldn't feel this way if we weren't. I'm willing to go to any lengths for you, Hermione. You don't even know. That's why I don't give a damn about Zabini. That's WHY I don't care about what he saw. I'm willing to fight for you, and I feel so crazy saying all of these things, because it all doesn't make sense. I have no heart, Mione. I'm a beast, I've hurt people all of my life… I've been brought up that way... but no one's ever gotten this close, and I've never cared for someone so much. But God, Hermione… It makes me think that for having no heart, I love you pretty damn much."

Hermione's heart leapt into her throat. She opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn't find anything to protest about. He loved her. That thought alone made her stomach twist and turn upside down, and made her want to shout out loud. Someone loved her...

One part of that stood out in her mind... "We're supposed to be together... it wouldn't have happened this fast, and I wouldn't feel this way if we weren't." How long had she felt this way? He had taken her diary Friday... today was Thursday. She shook her head. Such a short amount of time to build such feelings... Her eyes squeezed shut. There was so much to think about, to worry about. His father would kill him... and her...

"Draco, I-"

"Shh..." He said, putting a finger over her lips. He looked around once more. "Hermione, this is a feeling worth dying for."

"But-"

"No. I don't want you to say anything, all you'll tell me is that you don't want me dead, and I know that already."

"Draco... It's just that... I'm scared."

He drew her close and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Don't be." He wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "I'll always be here for you, Hermione, as long as you'll let me be."

They stood like that for a bit, until someone walked out of the Great Hall. He turned to go up the stairs, but halted when he saw Draco and Hermione.

"Malfoy!"

Draco immediately ceased to hug Hermione and registered a glare on his face. "Zabini."

Hermione stepped behind Draco and grabbed his hand. They had been caught again... It was over... Zabini had seen them again. He would tell Lucius, and then... then... She didn't want to think about it.

"Malfoy, you- I told you- but why-"

"Having difficulties speaking, Zabini? Maybe you should do us all a favor and shut up. That would solve a lot of problems." Draco's trademark sneer was registered on his face, now focused on a former ally.

"I told you what I would do if I saw you with her again, Malfoy."

"You're too afraid to do anything, Zabini."

"I don't want you to be wasted on her. There aren't enough purebloods these days... and there are too many going bad. You won't be one of them. Your father is a death eater. Mine too... if I let this go, not only you would be dead, but me too for not turning you in. I don't care about you enough to let you have a fling with a mudblood wench."

"So that's the real reason? You are a true Slytherin, after all… You do only care for yourself… I should have known."

"Yes, you should've. But since you didn't, I'm turning you in. The Easter holidays are approaching. I assume that when your father finds out he'll want a word with you... in private..." He diverted his gaze away from Draco's, and headed up the stairs.

"Draco looked down at Hermione. "You'll be alright, won't you?" She asked.

"I'll be fine." He said, his eyes wanting to burn a hole in Zabini's back. "I told you, I won't let anything happen to you."

"But Easter holidays are coming up, like he said... won't you have to go home?"

"I won't go. I'll stay here."

"Your father will make you."

"Nothing could make me."

"But I won't be here."

"And why not?"

"I have to go home. My parents... they..."

"I get it, Mione... It's alright. Write me."

"I will... but... your father would kidnap you... wouldn't he, though? I mean, if he wanted you home bad enough?"

"He won't... I'll speak to Dumbledore. I'll tell him, if he doesn't know about this already. I told you, I'll be fine."

Hermione nodded, still uncertain. Lucius would find a way. She knew it.

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Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It would have been up sooner, but was being silly last night and wouldn't let me upload anything... but... Please REVIEW! R-E-V-I-E-W! does cheerleader motions lol, I'm being silly. Only not really, because you DO need to review…

Anyway. I also want to say that when it's the end of the story, you'll KNOW it's the end of the story. Because I'll tell you! Lol.

Push that little button down there now… lest I brainwash you… THEN you'll review… teehee...

-Stevie