Chapter 29
"Well this is my room. Your room is just over there,to the right," Hermione said to Draco, pointing her finger towards his room.
"Thank you, can I come in?" Draco replied, placing his two hands deep into his pockets.
"Um, sure," Hermione replied, stepping into her room and leaving it open for Draco to walk in. Her room was relatively tidy, apart from a couple of her clothes which were scattered across the floor.
"Tell me, how are you doing? are you coping?" Draco asked, perching himself on the edge of her bed, while Hermione collected her clothes off the floor.
"Not really. The first few months were like hell, and I guess people just ignore me now," Hermione replied, not knowing whether she should bring up Riddle. There was no one to interrupt if they had an argument, and she really didn't want to fall out with Draco. She wanted to soak up his attention, until it would get harder between them.
And Riddle was bound to become more possessive around her when he saw Draco talking to her.
"Really? Your not the type for boys to ignore," he replied, causing a deep flush to creep up Hermione's necks.
"Thank you," she mumbled, busying herself with trying to tidy her room.
"No problem. Guess it will just be me and you then."
Hermione knew that this was when she should tell him that Riddle and her had a weird relationship. One which implied making out under the stars, but neither of them really caring about each other. And holding hands, but neither of them talking.
"I guess so," she replied, managing a small smile. Delaying the subject wouldn't help, but she didn't know how to phrase it in a way that didn't make him think little of her.
Once Tom finished walking down the corridors making sure no-one was up and about, he found himself in front of Granger's door. He hadn't spoken to her for the day, as she seemed to have just disappeared. He missed her.
He knocked, but was confused when he saw the new student answer instead of her. He thought he must have come to the wrong room.
When the boy in front of him saw him, he panicked. His eyes grew wide and his breathing sped up.
"Sorry I...this is Granger's room," Tom spoke, realising that he was in the right room, as he saw Granger step out of the bathroom.
"Riddle," she said in a panicked voice when she noticed him. Tom eyed her up and down, his cold gaze sending a shiver down her spine.
"You should be in your own room," Tom said finally, his eyes going back to the new student. The boy still looked shocked, but also terrified. He nodded and quickly walked away leaving him and Granger alone.
He could of followed the boy, and cursed him untill he got the message that Granger was his. But instead he just stared at her, his face showing no expression. Inside, where she couldn't see, he felt betrayed and hurt.
"Suddenly friendly with the new student I see," Tom finally sneered.
"He reminds me of a friend," she spoke quietly, keeping her head down.
"A friend," he repeated, elongating the words.
"Believe it or not Riddle, before you ruined my life I had friends," she hissed, a tear managing to escape her eye. She didn't want to feel guilty about just talking to another boy. It was unfair on her.
Tom sighed, his hands balling up into fists. He could just let her be friends with who ever she please, but he was afraid that he would lose her. Although the saying went If you love something set it free, Tom didn't think she would come back to him. Why would she?
"I'm not sharing Granger," he said, shaking his head.
"Sharing? I am not an object that you can keep to yourself, and you are acting like a child. He is a friend Riddle. Unlike you, I don't feel the need to kiss every person I come into contact with,"
A frustrated sigh left his lips, and he found himself wishing that she could just want him.
"I don't want to argue Granger, but it seems we can do nothing else."
"I'm tired."
"Please be reasonable. I just want to go back to how we were. That's when everything is...good."
"Let me have friends Riddle. Please, let me be happy too." Her bottom lip was quivering, and tears were gathering in her eyes.
"Don't I make you happy?"
The tears began to slip down her cheeks, as she stepped forward to wrap her tiny arms around his neck. Tom thought it was cute how she stood on her tip toes, and how she pressed her head into the crook of his neck. Then again, he didn't find her tears cute. He normally found tears pathetic and weak, but her tears made him sad.
"You do make me happy Tom," she whispered against his ear, her breath tickling his skin.
Her words sent a tingling feeling down his body. However, he felt as though there was a 'but' that was being left unsaid.
"Is everything okay Mione?" Ron asked, squeezing her hand.
"Yes...No...I don't know."
Ron stopped walking, turning to face her. His fingers lifted to rest against her cheeks, but she flinched at the contact. Tears were welling up in her eyes and leaking out before she could wipe them away.
"Hermione, you're scaring me," Ron said, dropping his hand to his side.
"I know, I'm sorry. I don't understand," she said, frantically wiping away tears. They to fall from the sky and soak into her skin.
"Was it something I said," he said, shifting around uncomfortably.
"No, I don't know what it was. I'm sorry, I just feel sad. I miss you."
"You miss me? I'm right here."
"No you're not," she sobbed, her eyes clenched tightly shut.
When she opened them he was gone.
When Hermione woke, she felt a unsettling sickness in the pit of her stomach. Draco would find out today, and she was terrified of what he was going to say.
The knocking on her door was expected, and she sighed while she pulled it open.
A smug grin was resting on his face, as he leaned against the door frame.
"Riddle," she greeted him.
"Lets go Granger,"
And she followed him, because it would have been considered rude to tell him to bugger off.
There fingers brushed against each other a couple of times, but he only properly clasped his fingers around hers when they were about to enter the hall.
