THE PINK UMBRELLA

A/N: :D

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN HP.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: TO THE LAKE WITH HIM

I walked silently back to the castle. My thoughts were flying back to the memories of my conversation with Hagrid. He said, I was brave.

He said I could talk to Malfoy face-to-face without weakening because I was a proud Gryffindor who could go through basically anything.

But he was wrong.

Yes, I could do that...I could be brave in front of anybody, and not even the Dark Lord could make me think of giving up.

But why was the thought of Draco Malfoy telling me he didn't need me anymore because sooner or later he'd have his beloved Pansy back in his arms, emotionally gave cuts and bruises to my whole being?

Why could he make me weak without him even knowing it?

Why could he affect me so much?

Yes, he was my crush and I wouldn't deny that to myself anymore ...but could your crush break your heart unintentionally?

I sighed in frustration at the way I felt...and the way I acted...and the way I thought...and the way I lived now.

It was almost like I depended my existence on his presence...

It was like, without him, Hermione Granger got lost too and was replaced by an unknown being...a doppelganger perhaps? A doppelganger who acted like a lovesick, smart dumbass. Smart dumbass? See? OxyMORON.

Would you even believe that my doppelganger thought Draco Malfoy and oxygen had no difference at all?

Bloody hell...

I was turning into a pathetic, bushy witch who was obsessing over sappy love stories, not to mention, my own sappy and one-sided love story.

I clutched a fistful of my brown hair and groaned in frustration once again. I was just simply disappointed with myself.

'WHY IN MERLIN'S BALLS AM I ACTING LIKE THIS ALL BECAUSE OF DRACO FUCKING FERRET MALFOY?!'

I angrily stomped my feet back to the castle, walking briskly, glaring at nowhere (well, I was seeing Malfoy's face in my head), nose dilating and swear to Merlin's mummy, there were also smokes coming out of my ears.

That was how angry I was...

And Merlin! Angry wasn't the right word at all, I was not just FURIOUS but EXTREMELY, SUPREMELY, ABSOLUTELY VERY LIVID at DRACO SUPER FUCKING ANNOYING MALFOY!

He didn't want to be my friend anymore? FINE!

He wouldn't smile at me anymore? I DON'T CARE!

He wouldn't talk to me anymore? WELL, PISS OFF!

He wanted that petal over me? SO BE IT!

He wanted to be out of my life? SURE! It was not like I couldn't live without him...of course I could! And I would. I have lived my life without him! I was the only one thinking I couldn't...and I couldn't always be right.

I couldn't change just because I lost a friend...I couldn't change especially because of Draco!

From then on, he wasn't my friend anymore! I wouldn't think of him any longer, I wouldn't smile at him, glance at him or even mention his filthy, irritating name.

He was not a part of my life anymore!

I was never, ever, ever going to talk to him again, that shit head. NEVER!

"Granger!"

I froze at the calling.

It, somehow, lifted my soul to the heavens above...

That was a very familiar voice behind me...a voice I was wanting to hear since last week! His voice...his deep, lovely voice...

The wall I was just starting to build...immediately collapsed when I heard his voice. That was how seriously powerful he was.

I hurriedly whirled around and beamed upon seeing the lovely features of Malfoy, running towards me.

I watched his blonde, platinum hair sway at his movements. I saw his silver eyes twinkle as he ran. I witnessed his killer smile slowly appear in his face. I saw fat sweats fall off of his forehead...

Did I say I was mad at him? Oh, that was only a drama...

Did I say I wasn't going to talk to him anymore? Gosh, I was just kidding, really.

All bad feelings, remorse, disappointments were gone by the wind.

He finally reached me and stopped, panting. After a full minute of catching up with his breath, he looked at me, grinning "Hey, thought you'd be in Hogsmeade today?"

I snapped my gaping mouth close before opening them again to answer him. "I...I wasn't in the mood earlier this morning..." I said honestly. 'But I already am now!' I fought the urge not to add the last line.

"Oh," he nodded. "Why?"

I just shrugged in reply. I grinned at him happily. Oh my goodness...HE WAS BACK! :D

HE WAS BACK! DRACO'S BACK! I yelled in my head repeatedly as if he even left, really.

I was just...happy.

He accepted my reply and grinned toothily. "So, where are you going now, Granger?"

I shook my head instantly, "Nowhere. I got no plans...you?" I asked hopefully.

"No plans too! Fancy a little chat by the lake?" he asked energetically.

He asked me if I fancied talking to him by the lake? Hell yeah!

"Sure! I mean, no problem with me." I said.

"Good," he said before extending his arms in front of me. I looked at it and then stared at him with confusion.

"Come on, take my hand and then let's run to the lake." he said, swaying his hand in front of me for emphasis.

My heart erupted into million little fireworks as soon as I processed what he said in my brain.

Take his hand and we'd run to the lake...

Slowly, heat crept up my cheeks and my heartbeat worked a little faster than normal...like I just ran a hundred mile.

I slowly lifted my hand to accept his offer when he pulled his hand away to my great dismay. I looked at him and saw him smirking down at me.

I arched an eyebrow at him as he crossed his arms and stared at me mischievously.

"I changed my mind, Granger. Instead of running with each other to the lake...how about if," he paused. Why not just do the original plan? I don't really mind running with him hand in hand, seriously.

"If?" I echoed.

"If we race to the lake!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"What?"

"I'm challenging you to race with me, Granger. Now, you don't want to disgrace your Gryffindor pride by turning me down, do you?" He smirked knowingly.

I rolled my eyes at him and groaned. "Fine." I said in defeat.

"Fine. The last one to reach the lake will be hexed to have seven gigantic zits on the buttocks for the rest of the day!"

After saying that, he sprinted away. I froze in surprise for about 5 seconds and he was already what seemed like a hundred meter away when I followed him.

I tried my best to catch up with him but he was so fast. He ran as fast as he did when he flew on his broomstick to catch a sneaky snitch.

And how was I supposed to race with a bloody fast Quidditch player?

And it wasn't bloody fair! He ran in advance! Why did he always cheat whenever we have games? And if he cheated...he always, of course, ended up winning.

I didn't want to have seven pimples in the butt!

I ran faster. I ran and ran and ran and ran...and finally reached the lake.

But he came first.

I stopped running and bent down on my stomach and leaned my hands on my bent knees. I panted loudly. My heartbeat was damn fast. As soon as it subsided, I stood up and faced Draco.

He was smirking at me and his wand was at the ready. I looked at him in disbelief. He was seriously going to hex me to have seven huge zits? Didn't he know I wasn't going to do it to him if I had won?

"You're not serious, are you?!" I whined.

He scoffed, "Scared, are we?" he said, mocking me.

I scoffed in disbelief at him. My mouth hung open for a moment before I found the words to say. "For the love of Merlin, I didn't take that bet seriously!"

"Well, do you think if you did, you're going to win against me?" he said, smirking even bigger.

"I..." I trailed off. I stared at him pathetically like begging for him to just forget about the zits. However, he raised his wand and I followed his hand in horror. Oh my God, he was going to do it. Oh, Merlin, zits in the butt!

He opened his mouth to perform the hex. I closed my eyes tightly, getting my bum ready for the next thing...

"Accio Blankets." he said.

Accio Blankets? Was that the spell? Why was there a summoning charm there? And blankets? My hands roamed to my bum and scanned it. I expected to feel hurt and to touch seven big bulges, but there were none at all. I rapidly rubbed my hand in my butt to find the zits, but I couldn't really spot any. I slowly opened my eyes and found Draco lying on a blanket on the ground. Beside him, another blanket was laid. He was lying with his hands under his head and was staring at the blue sky.

My forehead creased, "Uhm, no zits?" I asked stupidly.

He turned his head on the side and looked at me amusedly. "Do you want?"

I immediately shook my head. He scoffed and turned his gaze up to the heaven.

"Come here, Granger. The weather's good." he said. "I prepared another blanket for you." he patted the blanket swiftly and looked at me again. He nodded once, telling me to lay beside him.

I slowly moved towards the said blanket and awkwardly sat on it. I crossed my legs and stared at the lake, trying to avoid his eyes. I was scared, he might see the blush on my cheeks.

There was silence. I could only hear the wind blowing the leaves of the tree above us. It was very calm. It was like, nothing could ever destroy the serenity of the place. It was like, this lake never had Pansy Parkinson's body floating in it. It felt like it never really happened.

I couldn't believe that earlier this morning, I came to Hagrid to blurt my feelings out about Draco. I made a drama about him not wanting to be my friend anymore, and then now, he was lying beside me. I couldn't believe that earlier, I told myself that I was never talking to him again and then now I found myself tossing all those empty promises to the trash bin.

I betrayed my own self.

I sighed silently. Then I heard him talk, "Granger, Happy New Year."

I was surprised and looked at him in slight shock. After processing what he said, I smiled and replied. "Happy New Year, Malfoy."

"Why aren't you in Hogsmeade with Potter and Weasley?" he asked, not looking at me.

I shrugged, "I didn't feel like going." I said simply.

"Oh," he said. "Are you fine with spending New Year with me?"

My eyes widened a little by his question. I was not just fine with it, it was what I had been wishing!

"Yeah. I mean, why not?"

He smiled and nodded. "Good."

I nodded too. I opened my mouth to ask him the question I had been wanting to ask him since last week. "Malfoy,"

He looked at me with raised eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"Why did you stop talking to me?" The question just came out of my mouth straight. I wasn't planning on asking that, actually, I was planning to ask him why he seemed very happy this past week since he received that petal.

His forehead creased, "I stopped talking to you?"

"Well, yeah." I said sounding like 'duh?'

"I didn't know. Well, maybe that's why I've been feeling incomplete this past few days." he replied.

My heart leapt a little. He was feeling incomplete? Because he hadn't been talking to me?

"Y-You...felt incomplete?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Maybe I was missing you, Granger."

Now my heart pounded inside my ribcage wildly. It was as if it might jump out of my body any moment now.

He was missing me.

Like I was missing him.

We missed each other...

And the thought brought a damn big grin in my face.

"So, uh..." I cleared my throat to hide my triumphant smile. "Where's the petal now?" I pretended to care about it when the truth was, I really just wanted to hear him say that it withered.

He smiled. "I kept it somewhere it can be safe."

Then there was a loud pang in my heart. It didn't wither. He just kept it hidden in a safe place.

"Oh." I nodded absently.

He yawned and I looked at him. He looked at me too and smiled. "Granger, you wouldn't mind if I sleep, right? You can sleep too."

I shook my head, "No, I wouldn't mind. Just rest."

"You too..."

I nodded. "Yeah, I will. After you."

He smiled one last time before closing his eyes and drifted to his soundless sleep.

A/N: so, REVIEW?