Author's Note: so here's chapter 14...thanks to the folks who reviewed thus far, yes even the one who said I don't comprehend what I'm doing, I thank you too...anyways, here's a little something I call "Chapter 14"...read review and enjoy!!
The first month of school went by quickly for some, slowly for others. Kyla, Will, Alice, and Jason had been befriended by many at Hogwarts and were fitting in wonderfully. Jason, however, despite his popularity, was sinking into a deep depression. Alice was the first to notice this when she saw that Jason hadn't been playing his guitar much. Jason had barely touched it since they arrived at Hogwarts. Jason had, however, been seen standing on the Quidditch pitch, his wand transformed into a sword, practicing his skills.
Hermione, too, had grown distant and depressed. She focused solely on her classes, but even in class, it was obvious something was wrong. Every answer she gave was correct, but was given in a very monotone voice. She rarely smiled and hadn't laughed since her arrival at school. During lunch, she barely ate. She was even growing distant in her relationship with Joseph. Ginny had tried to console her whenever she could, but soon realized it was no use. There was only one thing that could snap her out of her depression. Unfortunately, that one thing just happened to have a case of depression as well.
Ginny was going to need some help with the situation, but first she had to take care of a pressing issue.
One afternoon, Harry and Ron had made their way into the common room to find Ginny and Draco sitting on the couch.
"Ron," she said, "I need to talk to you."
Ron sat down, keeping his eyes narrowed on Draco. Harry remained standing, just in case he need to restrain Ron.
"It's hard to explain," Ginny began, "But Draco and I were writing to each other all summer and, well, now he and I are…together."
"I'm sorry," Ron said, "Could you say that again? I thought you said you and that toad were together."
"We are, Ron," Ginny said.
"You mean together as in he's your boyfriend?" Ron asked.
Ginny nodded. Ron turned a bright red and glared at Draco. "And you," he said, "Why do I believe that you're dating her because you want to get back at me and Harry?"
"Normally I'd say you had a point," Draco said, "But times have changed, Weasley. What's happened between me and Ginny can be described only one way. I love her."
Ron looked at them both intently. He was beginning to grow redder. Harry knew it was going to come to blows. Suddenly, Ron returned to his normal color.
"Normally, I'd say you two were out of your minds," Ron finally said, "But, as long as Draco treats you right, I couldn't be happier for you."
Ginny squealed with delight and hugged Ron. "Thank you," she said. She grabbed Draco's hand and the two ran out of the common room.
"That was noble, Ron," Harry said.
"She's The Wind," he said.
"What?" Harry asked.
"From the prophecy," Ron replied, "The Wind Elemental will fear destiny, but will soon unite two families and turn their hate into love. She's with Draco and was afraid to tell anyone for fear of what may happen. My family and Draco's family have hated each other for as long as I can remember. Maybe Draco and Ginny can put an end to that."
"Unite two families," Harry said, "And turn their hate into love."
Ron nodded. "And that means that we've solved one piece of the puzzle," he said.
In the halls, Hermione walked listlessly. She was torn up over this situation. What she thought was the logical choice to let Jason go and be with Joseph was becoming more and more illogical. Hermione couldn't stop thinking about Jason. She found it hard to concentrate on anything else. She wanted desperately to fling herself into his arms like she had during the summer. She overheard Ron and Alice talking about the fact that Jason hadn't touched his guitar, which seemed to worry Alice. Hermione knew that she had a choice to make: Be with Joseph, or be with Jason. She knew what choice to make. The only issue was finding a way to make it. As she walked by the courtyard, she saw Jason, guitar in hand. He was tuning the strings to play. Hermione stayed out of sight, listening intently to hear what he was going to sing.
Baby look here at me
Have you ever seen me this way
I've been fumblin' for words
Through the tears and the hurt and the pain
I'm gonna lay it all out on the line tonight
And I think that it's time to tell this uphill fight goodbye
Have you ever had to love someone
That just don't feel the same
Trying to make somebody care for you the way I do
Is like trying to catch the rain
And if love is really forever
I'm a winner at a losing game
Hermione stood out of sight, forcing back tears at Jason's words. She had hurt him so much and this truth killed her.
I know that baby you tried
To find me somewhere inside of you
But you know you can't lie
Girl you can't hide the truth
Sometimes two hearts just can't dance to the same beat
So I'll pack up my things and I'll take what remains of me
Have you ever had to love someone
That just don't feel the same
Trying to make somebody care for you the way I do
Is like trying to catch the rain
And if love is really forever
I'm a winner at a losing game
I know that I'll never be the man that you need or love
Yeah, baby it's killing' me to stand here and see
I'm not what you've been dreaming' of
Have you ever had to love someone
That just don't feel the same
Trying to make somebody care for you the way I do
Is like trying to catch the rain
And if love is really forever
I'm a winner at a losing game
Oh, oh, if love is really forever
I'm a winner at a losing' game
Oooo, I'm tired of losing
Jason had trailed off singing as he stopped strumming. Hermione stood up to talk to him, but suddenly, she heard voices coming from the other end of the courtyard.
"There he is!" somebody shouted.
Three men in hooded cloaks appeared, swords drawn. Jason leapt to his feet, transforming his wand into a sword. Hermione wanted to help, but was paralyzed by fear.
The three men attacked Jason, but Jason brought his sword up and began defending himself. Using a combination of his swordsman skills and his telekinesis, Jason was doing a good job of fending off his attackers. Each time they swung their swords at him, Jason blocked it with his sword. Their fight had gone from one end of the courtyard to the other. Hermione kept moving to get a clear view of the fight. She tried to rush out to help him, but something prevented her from even stepping into the courtyard.
Jason used his power to shove one of the attackers down. Almost too late, Jason saw another attacker dive at him, but managed to block his strike in time. Jason used his sword to disarm one of the attackers, knocking the attacker's sword far away from him. Jason levitated the attacker and tossed him across the courtyard. The second attacker brought his sword down, but Jason brought his sword up and blocked it, engaging in a power struggle. The third attack charged in, but Jason used his power to halt him in his tracks and lift him off the ground.
Jason struggled to maintain his defense against these two attackers, not seeing the third pick up his sword and charge towards Jason. Hermione desperately tried to warn Jason, but to no avail. The third attacker thrust his sword out, driving it into Jason's back and out his chest. Hermione shrieked. Jason was frozen where he was. Suddenly, the attackers and their weapons disappeared. Jason's sword transformed back into a wand. Jason kicked the ground and sat down. Hermione, confused and scared, finally was able to get to the courtyard and rushed to Jason.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"Excuse me?" Jason asked, puzzled.
"I saw the fight," Hermione said, "You were impaled."
"Oh, that wasn't real," Jason said, standing up, "It was a magical training session to help me with my skills. It seems like no matter how hard I try, I can't defend against three of them. They get me in that one spot."
Hermione hugged Jason tight. "I'm so glad you're not dead," she said.
Jason started to hug back when he stopped and pushed Hermione off of him. "Since when did you decide you wanted to be with me again?" he asked coldly.
"I've always wanted to be with you," Hermione said.
"Could've fooled me," Jason said.
"How can you say something like that?" Hermione asked, hurt.
"I told you if it was the last thing I do that I would come back for you," Jason said, "I made a vow to you to return. And what do I see when I come back? You and some other guy. Seems like I'm yesterday's news."
"I was hurt," Hermione said, "You left suddenly and for weeks I waited for a letter from you but nothing came. I woke up every morning crying my eyes out because you weren't there. I thought you'd forgotten me."
"Hermione I could never forget you, not after what we shared," Jason said, "So don't try to use that as an excuse for shacking up with some other guy. Or is it more than that? Is it because you didn't want to do a long-distance relationship so you found somebody local?"
"That's not fair," Hermione said, "For all I knew you could've had a girlfriend in the states."
"I told you I loved you," Jason said, "I've never said that to anyone before and I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true."
"Well, now you're here," Hermione said, "Why can't we be together?"
"There's a little problem," Jason said, "You have already found somebody. So you know what? Go to him. Go to your local boy, because it's obvious he's what you want. I will not have my emotions toyed with. Not by you. Not by anybody. Not anymore."
Hermione tried to say something, but couldn't and, bursting into tears, fled back into the castle. Jason, who had been fighting back his feelings, suddenly let them out in a shockwave of emotion that broke a nearby cement bench. He steadied himself against a tree. If he hadn't lost Hermione before, he certainly did now.
Hermione ran through the castle halls and into her common room. Ginny and Draco were there, talking.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked.
"Everything," Hermione blurted out, pacing around the common room.
Ginny grabbed her and sat her down. "Why don't you tell me what happened," she said.
"I love Jason," Hermione said, "The dumbest thing I could ever have done was make the choice to date Joseph. Now Jason's back in my life and I want so much to be with him, but he's angry with me for what I did. I'm such a screw-up."
Ginny hugged Hermione and let her cry. Draco stared at the fireplace intently.
"We'll help you get him back," Draco said suddenly.
Hermione and Ginny both stared at him, stunned. "You mean it?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Draco said.
"But why?" Hermione asked, "After all this time, why are you being this nice to me?"
"Because love is a strange thing," Draco said, looking at Ginny, "It can turn you into a completely different person."
Ginny grabbed onto Draco and hugged him tight. "I love you," she said.
"I love you, too," Draco said.
Hermione smiled through her tears. She had that once with Jason, and if it took the rest of her life, she was going to have that again. First thing was first; Hermione had to end things with Joseph.
"I'm going to find Joseph," she said, getting up and wiping her eyes, "It's time I fixed this mistake."
Hermione walked out of the common room.
Ginny and Draco sat, cuddled together when Jason walked into the common room, his eyes swelled and puffy.
"Jason, can we talk to you?" Ginny asked.
"Can it wait until later?" Jason asked, not looking at them.
"No," Draco said, "Have a seat."
Jason sighed and sat down, trying not to make eye contact with Ginny or Draco.
"Hermione was in here earlier," Ginny began, "She was really upset."
"We had a fight," Jason said, "I told Hermione how I felt about being thrown to the wayside in favor of some local kid, and I guess she didn't take the truth so well."
"I've heard Americans were thick headed," Draco said, "I didn't think it was true."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jason asked.
"What, you didn't get the meaning?" Draco asked, "I'll spell it out for you. You had something good with Hermione. All you had to do was park your ego and swallow your pride, but it seems you can't do that. So, unless you learn to, Hermione is going to be gone from your life and you'll be alone."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jason asked, "You don't know me. You don't know anything about me or what I've been through."
"You're right," Draco said, "I don't know you. I've only heard about you from Ginny. But you know what, if you were half the man I've heard about, you'd stop being so blind to the situation and you'd fight just as hard to get Hermione back as she has to get you back."
Jason balled up his fist. His anger was building up in him, which was evident by the fact that the chair he was sitting in began to levitate off the ground. For a moment, Draco was worried Jason would fly off the handle. Jason's face shifted from a look of anger to a look of utter defeat.
"You're right," he said, "I have to find Hermione."
"She left to find Joseph," Ginny said, "She's hell-bent on ending things with him."
Jason stopped for a moment and immersed himself in thought. "I want you guys to do something for me," he said.
He sat down with them again and relayed his wishes. Ginny and Draco nodded in agreement. The three of them sprinted out of the room to find Harry, Cho, Ron, and Alice.
After dinner, Hermione made her way to the Ravenclaw common room when she spotted Cho leaving, looking upset. Catching sight of Cho, Hermione shouted out, "Cho!"
Cho turned around and spotted Hermione. "If you're looking for Joseph," she said, "He's in there. And I hope you hex him good."
Hermione looked at Cho, puzzled as she entered the Ravenclaw common room. What she saw infuriated her.
A/N: so there's chapter 14...a nice slice of teen angst for ya...the song was "Winner At A Losing Game" by Rascal Flatts...chapter 15 coming soon.