Disclaimer: Yeah...this shit aint mine...
Chapter 11
The next morning, Hermione rejoiced in the fact that she was finally going to be able to eat her breakfast in peace. After having woken up at an ungodly hour and getting ready she joyfully made her way to the Great Hall to eat an early and peaceful breakfast and successfully avoid her pestering peers.
When she opened the doors she was happy to see that it was virtually deserted. She all but skipped towards the Gryffindor table and daintily sat down and began eating.
After toast and eggs, she took the last sip of her orange juice and stood to head back to her dorm and grab her books before she had to head to her first class and possibly squeeze some time in with Draco.
What she was not expecting when she stepped out into the entrance hall was a welcoming party.
In front of her was a furious looking Ron. His arms were crossed; shoulders broad and high, legs spread and with very narrowed eyes. Not such a happy picture.
"Ron, hi. What are you doing up here so early?" She looked around to see if anyone else was around but Ron seemed to have come alone.
"What do you think you're doing?" She chuckled nervously when she noticed that he was as rigid as a stick. His lips were the only part of him that moved.
Hermione fidgeted and readjusted her cloak. "Well, since I couldn't sleep I thought that I would get an early start on the day, and then I ate breakfast and then-."
Ron's jaw hardened. "Hermione, cut the sarcasm. You know exactly what I'm talking about. What do you think you're doing with that ferret?"
Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself. She wanted this to be a nice and pleasant conversation.
"Could you please not start with this? It's my decision and I firmly stand by it."
Ron shook his head. "He obviously has you under some type of spell or slipped you a potion. Be sensible, this isn't like you."
Hermione's cheeks flamed. "Isn't like me? What exactly is like me, then? Who was I expected to date? Was anyone expecting me to date anyone at all? But wait, oh yes, I see now, Bookworm Hermione Granger wasn't supposed to fall for the big, bad wolf Draco Malfoy. Oh no, no, no. Hermione Granger was supposed to sit around and wait for one of her best friends to realize that she existed and was actually a woman. She was to wait and wed and then she would live happily ever after and have beautiful children. I don't think it works like that, Ron. The gossip queens of this school or anyone else for that matter don't dictate what happens in my life."
Ron didn't back down. "I don't care what you say; you're not supposed to be with him."
Hermione balled up her fists with frustration over Ron's apparent stubbornness.
She couldn't believe that this gibberish was leaving his mouth. She was starting to think that he really believed what was coming out of his mouth.
She stepped up to him and forcefully shoved her fingers into his chest in the hopes that, maybe, this would get her point across more effectively without resorting to too much violence.
She wouldn't want to overexert herself so early in the morning.
"Listen here Ronald, this is not up for discussion. You're one of my best friends but only my best friend. I should be able to go to you for advice and support but you can't make decisions for me and you definitely don't run my life. I'm a big girl now and I can fend for myself. I'm not asking you and Draco to become best friends. You don't even have to like him at all; I'm just asking for you to be happy for me and accept this."
Ron didn't falter. "How can you expect me to be happy for you when I'm positive that what you're doing is completely wrong?"
She stomped her foot. It may have come off as childish to any that might have witnessed the act but she was aggravated with Ron's ignorance.
"Who are you to decide what's right or wrong, especially when it comes to my relationships. Even if it is a mistake, there are just some mistakes that have to be made in life and one has to go through that alone. It's how we learn. So if this is wrong, like you're saying, then at least have enough respect for me to let me figure it out and handle anything that happens. If I need you I'll go to you but I need to make that decision for myself."
Ron shook his head and didn't bother with a response. He promptly turned and left Hermione feeling that she just took a hundred steps back from her goal of fixing this problem.
There goes my morning, she thought glumly.
By the time Hermione finished her classes and was back in her Head Girl room, her day had not improved. She hadn't told Draco what happened that morning but he did notice that something was wrong. During their classes together he tried everything he could to cheer her up but to no avail. She was grateful for his attempts but nothing would be back to normal until this situation was solved, and as the day went by it seemed like that would never happen.
She appeared to be a stranger in Ron's eyes now. Harry hadn't exactly shunned her but she didn't truly know what was going through his mind either. The only reassurance she received were his smiles as they passed each other. The one person that seemed to be completely behind her was Ginny but that didn't count for as much as she thought it would. Although she truly was happy for Hermione she was really just swept up by the 'romance' of it all.
Hermione was currently curled up in a tight ball on top of her bedcovers. She had come up after turning down Ginny's offer for a girl's night in her dorm. It was sweet but she wasn't in the mood. All she wanted to do was lie here and forget about her problems.
She was just ready to doze off when there was a knock at her door. She concentrated on ignoring it but the knock became persistent.
"What?" she said before groaning into her pillow.
"Intervention speaking." She heard boldly.
She rolled her eyes. "Not interested."
Nonetheless, she heard her door open and soon felt her bed sink in.
"I don't know what's been bothering you today but I'm here if you need me to pound anyone's face in." Draco put his face next to hers on the pillow.
Hermione smiled slightly despite her dreary mood. "What if it's a girl that's done something to me? What then?"
He smiled, "Then I'll just have to sic Pansy on them."
Hermione chuckled and shook her head. "That's absurd, Draco. She's pregnant."
Draco grew serious. "Well then, what's wrong?"
Hermione brought her hand to cup Draco's cheek. "Nothing."
She rolled away from him but Draco promptly grabbed her and brought her to face him again.
"Hermione, I swear if it's those stupid Gryffindorks that's got you this way then I should throttle you."
She sat up and turned to look at him. "They're not dorks, they're my friends." That word in itself made her end her sentence. Despite what problems and dramatics were going on around her in this crazy world, she always had the reassurance that her boys would be by her side. She wasn't so sure about that anymore. For once she wasn't sure that they would return to the way they were and it tore her heart to pieces. As much as they annoyed her, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were her life and always would be.
The fact that neither were talking to her caught up to her and her eyes watered instantly.
"Hermione?" she heard a worried voice.
She shook her head as if to rid herself of her tears and burdening thoughts and emotions but they stayed full force.
Her friendship was tearing at the seams…
"Over something so stupid!" she yelled, suddenly frustrated. She pounded her fists into her mattress before pulling her knees up to her chest and burrowing deep in their comfort.
"Hermione, I don't know what to do here. You have to give me something to go on."
She briefly looked up at him before refocusing her gaze at the wall. She wiped at her tears. "I'm sorry."
He rolled his eyes. "Don't apologize for those idiots. They don't know a good thing unless it's shoved up their arses and even then they're still oblivious. Just tell me what they did."
She didn't know how he was so sure that this had to do with her friends but the comment brought a semblance of a smile on her face, yet the tears still poured. "They aren't speaking to me."
Draco leaned forward expecting more. "Insert reason here…" When she didn't immediately respond he moved to sit in front of her and picked her face up from where it had reattached itself to her knees. He grabbed her legs and stretched them out on either side of him.
With nowhere to hide Hermione crossed her arms. "I'm not telling you the reason. You're going to overreact and I don't want things to get out of control because they'll get over it," she sobbed. "They have to get over it, right?"
Draco was fuming. How they called themselves best friends and yet put each other through this bullshit he would never comprehend. Normally he would just ignore the Flaming Duo but since this directly involved his girlfriend (and cause he was part of the reason they weren't talking) he would console her and…deal…with the other two.
"It's not like you have to draw pictures here, I can gather why already. I knew they wouldn't be exactly thrilled but this is taking it too fucking far. I don't know why you put up with them."
This outburst made Hermione bring her knees back up. "Draco, please."
He moved off the bed and rubbed his face vigorously. He needed to calm down. After a few deep breaths he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Listen, you're upset and I'm ready to….well, its nothing good. I'll just see you tomorrow at breakfast."
That caused Hermione to look up at him. That was it?
She moved to her knees. "Fine but…"
By this time Draco was by the door ready to leave.
"Yes?" He leaned his shoulder against the door and he watched her fiddle with her fingers.
She didn't look at him when she spoke. "I was just hoping that maybe you could stay? Not for long of course." She rushed out.
Draco chuckled at her but cursed himself at the same time.
He hadn't meant to come off so cold but he was irate with her supposed best friends. He didn't want to be like this around her, but he would never turn her down when she looked like that.
He slowly relocated himself in front of her and took her hands in his. "I will stay with you all night if need be. Don't be ashamed to ask." She looked up at him through half lidded eyes and she bit the corner of her mouth.
Nodding she said, "I know. It's just that I'm still-"
"Adjusting, I know. It's fine."
Hermione smiled genuinely for the first time that day.
"Let's get you to bed."
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Well to say I'm ashamed is a complete understatement. All I can say in my defense is that senior year is kicking my ass! At least someone is right? lol. So its fairly long and not too eventful but Draco's cute so it's all good. I've been doing a lot of reading; lots of different things and not just HP and I'm feeling inspired so maybe the updates will be closer. I'm just really happy that I still have readers (hopefully? PLEASE!! I NEED YOU!!) In all seriousness, it makes me real happy. So cutting out all the sappy crap I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to hit me up. XOXO