Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned below. (Sheesh, do I have to keep torturing myself every chapter by saying this over and over again?)
From the previous chapter…
"Hermione!" he yelled, not caring that it was already rather late into the night, and that other people, if not him, needed their sleep.
Hermione finally found her keys. NOW I find my keys, she grumbled inwardly. But she sighed and put them back into her handbag anyway. She knew she couldn't avoid Draco forever – knowing him, he would probably chase her all the way to England. So she just turned and watched Draco, now no longer running, but walking towards her in a steady pace.
The race was over. Now it was time for the results.
Last Kiss"Draco."
"Hermione."
"I-" they both said at the same time.
"You first."
Hermione was about to argue. But she felt so tired. Not to mention so worn out. She didn't know how much of this she could take anymore. The chasing, the running, the explaining, the guilt, the odd pleasure and all the other feelings she shouldn't have felt, but did for the last few days ever since she saw Draco.
Maybe it's time to end it all, she thought. Yet she felt her insides churn. Like somebody took her heart and squeezed it dry of blood. She couldn't feel it beating. She berated herself. Now wasn't the time to feel such things. She was just feeling a twinge of longing for someone she USED to love and care about. At least, that was what she was telling herself right now, at that moment.
And Draco's stormy gray eyes weren't helping – not at all.
"Did you sign the papers?" Hermione steeled her voice deliberately, hoping he couldn't see the hesitation behind it. He didn't. The question she was asking caused him to have such a pained expression on his face that Hermione instantly regretted asking that question. But she forced herself to look determined and cold-blooded in front of Draco. After all, if she started to tear up – which was something she wanted to do at that moment – Draco would never forget her and this matter would drag on forever without him moving on with the better life he deserves. Maybe he should just hate her to move on.
Draco nodded, without saying a word.
"Good."
He couldn't believe his ears.
"Good?"
"Yes. Why wouldn't it be?"
"Hermione," Draco placed both his hands on Hermione's shoulders. Hermione felt her knees buckle a bit as she looked into the eyes of her husband. No, ex-husband, she corrected herself.
"W-what?" she said, voice shaking a bit.
"Look me in the eyes. Tell me you don't love me."
Hermione looked away. "Don't do this."
"No, I have to."
When Hermione didn't answer, Draco squeezed her shoulders gently. "Hermione, I need to know."
Hermione shook free of Draco's grasp, and shook her head.
"Hermione, I don't want to force you. But it's a simple decision. It's either Harry. Or me. But I want you to know that I want to be the one who will bring you to the castles in Rome, to the sakura trees in Japan, the Great Wall in China, and all the places you want to go. I want to be the one who kisses you every morning when I wake up and every night before you sleep. I want to be the one who will stand by you no matter what. So pick me. Choose me. Love me."
Hermione barely hid her gasp. He remembers, she thought, he remembers all the places I want to go to, even after so long.
FlashbackDraco closed his eyes and marveled at the tranquility. He was sitting on the soft, lush grass near the lake of Hogwarts, back against a strong and sturdy willow tree and one knee propped up against his chest.
He was just about to drift off to sleep when someone covered his eyes from behind.
He smiled. "Hi, Hermione."
Hermione laughed and removed her hands from his eyes, giving him an affectionate peck on the cheek. "You're no fun."
Draco laughed good-naturedly and pulled Hermione into his lap. He kissed her soft lips and wondered if he was in heaven.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Was just looking for you. What about you?"
"Just enjoying the peace that the Slytherin common room would never have."
"Pansy on your tail again?" Hermione teased, rubbing her nose against his.
"What else?" Draco shook his head in frustration.
Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and Draco kissed the top of her head. The two of them looked at the lake before them and silently wowed at its clarity and how magnificent Hogwarts looked before it.
"Draco," Hermione said, breaking the silence.
Draco looked into her eyes with an imploring expression.
"Where do you most want to go?"
"Huh?"
"As in, which places or countries in the world would you most want to visit?"
"Don't know. Haven't really thought about that. Have you?"
"Yup," Hermione suddenly got excited. "Rome, Japan and China!"
Draco chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Why these places then?"
"There's the castles in Rome, the sakura trees in Japan, and the Great Wall in China! I want to explore the history of these places!"
"History of Hogwarts not enough for your inquisitive mind?" Now it was his turn to tease her, as he kissed the tip of her nose.
Hermione laughed and swatted Draco gently on his chest. "Idiot."
"Yes, I'm the idiot you love. And there's nothing you can do about it." Draco half-smirked.
"Oh, you!" Hermione stuck her tongue out.
Draco laughed and pulled her towards him closer.
Hermione smiled against his chest. Guys, she thought. They'll never remember such details. Why do women even bother telling them such stuff?
She chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"You."
"Moi?" Draco replied with fake surprise.
"Yep."
"Why you little minx," he whispered as he started to tickle her.
End Flashback
Before she could respond, Draco continued.
"I know I'm begging. But things have come to a point that I'm beyond caring. I've left you alone for too long. I'm not going to do that again."
"Draco-" Hermione didn't know what to say, but somehow, Harry was rather far away from her track of thoughts.
Speaking of which, Harry was about to murder somebody.
The queue was so freaking long, he thought. What was it with people and coffee? Or tea? At night?
Harry was just about to scream out loud when somebody in front of him beat him to it. The guy shouted something in French and Harry obviously didn't know what he was rumbling about. Then, before he could try to figure out what was going on, the woman behind the screaming guy turned the guy around and slapped him across the face. It was a hard, tight slap too. Not to mention she started screaming at the top of her lungs too – in French.
The bellboy came, so did the manager. And suddenly, no one wanted coffee anymore.
Harry rolled his eyes. "What kind of a place is this?" he muttered to himself. "How can Hermione stand staying at such a hotel?"
Then, as if suddenly remembering his purpose here, he turned his back against the now distorted queue and made his way to the lift lobby. Maybe he didn't need that coffee as much as he thought he did, he thought, shaking his head.
Hermione tried to outrun the racing thoughts in her head, but she couldn't. The two pressing thoughts now were 'Harry' and 'Draco'. Which one should she choose?
She looked into Draco's pleading gray eyes. And then…
She broke down into tears. In front of a very, very shocked Draco Malfoy. Who was also, at that moment, beating himself up for pushing too hard.
"Hermione," he said softly as he reached out, almost hesitant to hold her. After all, it seemed like every fibre of her body was screaming out 'Stay back!'
Hermione shook as the tears just flowed non-stop. She couldn't seem to make it stop.
Draco took her into his arms and Hermione wanted to push him away. After all, he was half the cause of her distress. The other half belonged to Harry, of course. Besides, she was guilty about seeking solace in his arms.
Yet, a large part of her was sick of being guilty. Especially since it came to matters and actions that felt so right.
So she ignored that guilt. And she cried – no, sobbed – in his warm embrace.
"Hush, hush," Draco whispered, as he kissed the top of her head, soothing her ruffled emotions.
The lift door opened.
Harry was about to step in when suddenly somebody pushed past him. It was the fighting, mad couple. Their hands were almost all over each other. Not in the affectionate way, but it was like they were about to fight with each other. In the lift lobby. The bellboy and the manager were speaking so fast that the French made Harry's head twirl.
Then, before he knew it, the couple went into the lift, not without shoving each other at the door and glaring at each other. The bellboy and manager followed them into the lift. Harry frowned. He was so not going into a lift with four crazy people. So he waited for the second lift. And so the lift door closed.
He slammed the lift button hard, causing stares from the people around him.
Hermione's sobs finally subsided, after what seemed like an eternity to Draco. Draco sighed inaudibly with relief and pulled Hermione gently away.
"I'm sorry," he apologized.
Hermione looked up at him with puffy eyes. "For what?"
"For making you cry. And for turning your life upside down."
Hermione shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Draco looked down at the brunette in front of him – the one he was holding so tightly. The one he never wants to let go of.
But he knows that the time has come. He must let go.
He leaned down to kiss both of Hermione's tear-streaked cheeks. Hermione sniffed, but not without reminding Draco of how he loved the way she sniffed. And not without reminding Draco that he would never love anyone else but Hermione. And not without reminding Draco that he would never have anything to do with the woman he loved anymore.
With that, he leaned in to kiss Hermione – his last kiss with her.
Hermione looked into Draco's eyes and knew. She understood what he meant. She understood that he would let go of her and return her to Harry, where she belonged. But did she really belong there? Hermione asked herself.
She was too tired to think anymore.
She closed her eyes and leaned forward to return Draco's kiss – her last kiss with him.
And the lift door opened.
Harry stepped out.
Not knowing how to respond to the sight in front of him.
Hermione – his fiancée. Draco – her supposed ex-husband.
Kissing.
Now what, he thought.
A/N: read and review please! Thanks a bunch, guys!