Author's note: Ok, to answer some of you people's question, here it is: Snape is NOT bad. Do you remember in the 4th book, they hinted that Snape would have to pretend to become a Deatheater again? I guess this was his way of PRETENDING to be back to the dark side (that sounds so Star Wars!).

This chapter happens on the same day as the last chapter, when Crabbe and Goyle find out Draco's feeling guilty.

Author: The*Spangled*Pandemonium

Title: The Whole Truth

Chapter Title: Just a Little Feeling

~~~*~~~

Hermione:

It was so weird. The weather was unbelievably dreary. Why did it have to be cloudy and drizzly when I needed to be happy? Where were all the rainbows and flowers popping up? Where the fuck was the friggin sun?!

Ever since that awful time in the hallway, the weather seemed to be contrary to my mood.

I was perfectly happy without him!

I am not, nor ever will be one of those weepy weak women who cringe and pine without a man!

And I certainly wouldn't want one as dreadful and deceiving as Draco. No way. You keep away from me, like you always have, bastard.

"If there wasn't any roof,  'Mione, you prolly would have drowned by now." Ron told me through a mouthful of food.

"Huh?" I said, having been jolted out of my thoughts.

"Um… Herm? Harry asked, giving me an amused look, "What exactly do you find so interesting about the Great Hall's ceiling today? I mean, there isn't much of a view right now." He poked his finger towards the storm cloud skies, while looking at me laughingly with those jade green eyes of his.

I put down my arm on which I had propped my chin up.

"Very funny." I said, pasting on a bright toothy smile, and shooting a look to the Slytherin table, where Draco was staring at me, to my annoyance. See! I am capable of being cheerful after what he did to me! I'm smiling!

It had been a week since I told him that I knew everything in that hallway.

And I was not affected. In fact, I had been acting particularly optimistic lately.

When I turned my gaze back to my two friends, I saw that they were staring at me strangely. I raised my eyebrows cockily at them and casually sliced at my food.

I still felt Draco's eyes on me, and if I let go of what little restraint I had left, I would have stomped over there and hexed him with the Conjunctivitis Curse, just so he would quit with the ogling. Damn, it was making me more pissed off than I should have been.

I pictured those rainy-day eyes, so much like the weather right now… Was he already planning a way to win me back?

I realized with a start that I was thinking about him, and mentally slapped myself. Gah! I let go of my fork with a clatter and glanced up heatedly, only to find that Harry and Ron were still shrugging at each other and squinting at me.

"What's wrong, Herm?" Harry murmured gently, as if I were a mental patient that might start flicking mashed potatoes in his hair.

"Nothing's wrong!" I replied, beaming at him, and wondering (to my uttermost shame) whether Draco noticed that I was having fun with my true friends without him.

"Your smile seems a little strained." Ron added, then stuck a forkful of chicken into his mouth.

"I said, nothing's wrong." I stopped grinning and instead settled on tilting my head in a somewhat carefree manner. "And my smile isn't strained!"

"Ah." Harry replied, flicking his emerald eyes to a smirking Ron.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I grumbled, not liking this a bit.

"Nothing. Just Ah."

I rolled my eyes at them, and continued eating my food.

What was with the world today?! Lavender had asked the same question earlier at the girls' dorm! What's wrong, Herm? I mimicked irritably in my head. Was I that transparent? Couldn't a girl act joyful without having her friends sticking their noses all over the place?

I mean, sure, I knew I has every right to be miserable, but I wasn't! At least, I don't think I was…

"She's doing it again." Ron complained.

"What?"

"C'mon Mione… We know something's up!" Harry declared, running his hand through his hair. "You've hardly talked, and whenever you do acknowledge our existence, you barely say more than two words! After that, you go back into outer space!"

"It's Seamus isn't it?" Ron cackled and continued in a singsong voice. "We know you've been looking at him!"

"No! I haven't!" I said, bewildered. I hadn't been looking at Seamus! I was looking towards the Slytherin table!

 I realized with a jolt that Seamus was sitting in my line of vision, and his head was right by where Draco was sitting. Grar!

"She's blushing!" Ron hooted, loud enough for the whole Gryffindor table to hear.

"Shut up!"

We left the Great Hall with Ron and I bickering furiously, and Harry looking on with an air of one mildly entertained

As we were walking down the Hallway, I heard footsteps coming from the other direction.

Two tall muscular shadows appeared on the floor by the corner, along with a lankier one in the lead.

I realized immediately that those silhouettes belonged to three people I really did not want to see: Crabbe… Goyle…and Draco.

 Oh no.

I turned around with a flash, ran, and hid in one of the minor hallways like a coward.

Fool! I called myself. What was that reaction?! What the hell was that fucking reaction?

I stood there, tight-lipped, and grim. This corridor was so much like the one where I told him that I knew the truth. The walls were made up of the same cold stone, and they had that same dull yellow light shining in it. This was a lonely place where you could tell your friends things, and you were allowed to revel in the fact that no one else but them would hear what was being said.

My school robes were crumpled in one area because I had clutched at it so tightly. It was as if I were holding on to my last bit of sanity.

What was wrong with me? Wasn't I pleased that I had gotten rid of that bastard?

Ron and Harry emerged into the passage after about five minutes of me waiting.

"What's wrong with you, Hermione? Where'd you go? It was only Malfoy." Harry said perplexedly.

I stayed silent, and looked at the floor, my eyes brimming with tears that I would not shed. My little façade had cracked. I couldn't bear to see him up close.

"Please Herm?" Harry pleaded. "It's not like you to keep this from all of us."

What else could I do? It wasn't like I didn't want them to know. I was too tired, too weary to make up a pack of lies to explain my mood. I told them the truth.

Harry stood there, those green orbs of his blazing as he heard what I was my tale. The rage in his eyes was almost as much as Ron's own anger…

Well… no.

Ron was pacing the floor as I told the story, spitting out words like 'bastard' and 'wanker' as he walked.

When I finished, they both looked up at me with enraged expressions.

In a calm, surprisingly tranquil voice, I ended my story. "I left him in that hallway. And I'm okay now… I just don't want to see him anytime soon. That's all."

"That's all." Ron said, his voice dripping with unreleased hatred and derision. "THAT'S—"

I interrupted him before he could yell at me. "Yes, Ron. That's all. I said I was fine." I took a deep breath. The silence among us was unbearable. "Lets go. We're late for our next class."

We didn't talk on the way back. It seemed we were too lost in our own thoughts.

~~~*~~~

Later that night…

Harry and Ron were in the Gryffindor's Common Room, writing a letter through Hedwig for Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, unaware of Hermione's presence on the Girl's Dormitory stairway.

The letter was an important one. It was an invitation to a wizards' duel…

***

Draco,

We know about what you did to Hermione. Duel at 11:30 PM. Second floor hallway, by the statue of Cerberus

~Harry and Ron

***

"Are you certain we should do this?" Harry asked, tying the parchment unto Hedwig's leg and gazing doubtfully at his friend.

"Of course!" Ron exclaimed loudly, his face peppered with resentment and salted over with determination. "After what he did to her… A duel would be a perfect way to get back."

"You're right," Harry nodded, and looked up to the night sky, where Hedwig was now just a white speck. "We should get even."

Unseen and unheard to both boys, Hermione breathed deeply. She would have to stop them.

~~~*~~~

Author's note: This one even shorter than the last (I think). Sorry about that. Wish me luck for the quarter exam results! I typed this when I was supposed to be studying… *blushes* What? I needed something to make me get my mind off Biology! And school ends at 10:45 in the morning during exam week, so I'll have time to cram afterwards! Anyway, I prolly will be able to work on the story a bit more since it's almost Christmas break. Thank you! REVIEWS are wanted! : )