Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!
Please also check out my other works, Looking Beyond, I'm here and The Magic of Love. Many thanks!
Author's note:
MEG, thanks! I'll have Hermione ask him that soon. Thanks for the tip! (
Chapter 7
"Please don't cry," Draco said soothingly as Hermione sobbed on his chest.
Draco didn't comprehend at once what was happening. Why was he hugging and comforting Hermione? And why was she crying? *Am I not the one who's supposed to make her cry?*
So he let Hermione cry through out the afternoon. Soon they both fell asleep on the couch. Hermione was cuddled towards Draco, who had his arms around her. Both felt so comfortable with each other while sleeping, and both also didn't realize that they were comfortable with each other.
**
Hermione opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. She realized that she was on the couch in the common room. And beside her was Draco Malfoy. She felt a bit shocked when she saw him beside her. But when she remembered what he did last night, she smiled. He comforted her and made her feel that everything was going to be fine even if he didn't really know what had happened or what was making her cry. She gazed at him and realized some things she never saw before.
*He's really a gentleman, kind, sweet and handsome. Wait. Did I just say handsome? What the.... This is Draco Malfoy! He's-well, he's not really evil anymore.*
Draco opened his eyes and laid them on Hermione, who was looking at him. He smiled at her.
"Hey," he said, smiling sleepily.
"Good morning," she replied apprehensively.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up and making her sit with him. He still had his arm around her. Both didn't notice and, surprisingly, didn't care.
"Nothing," she said, still hesitating. "Um, I should get ready for class." She stood up.
"Yeah," he said, also standing up.
They stood there for a while, looking at each other uneasily, not knowing what to say. Hermione smiled a little at him.
"So, um, I'll see you later," she said.
"Yeah," he replied.
Hermione looked at him, smiled and then went in her room. She rested her back on the door and closed her eyes. *What's going on?*
**
Hermione skipped breakfast that morning since she woke up late and went straight to class which was Transfiguration. She sat near Draco and, much to her horror, beside Harry. She sat down on her seat and looked straight ahead, not wanting to meet Harry's eyes.
"Hey Hermione," Ron said, smiling at her.
She took her parchments out. "Hey Ron," she replied without looking up.
"What's wrong?" he asked, glancing at Harry, who looked away.
"Nothing," she said and at this, she glanced at Draco, who was listening to the conversation.
She smiled a bit at him and he nodded at her. Ron witnessed this exchange and so did Harry. Ron and Harry exchanged seats. Ron leaned forward towards her.
"What's up?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," she replied again.
"C'mon. I know something's up. What is it?" he insisted.
She looked at him. "Look. I told you. Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine. I'm fine," she said, forced a smile and then went back to her parchments.
Ron sighed and sat back on his chair. He turned to Harry. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"
Harry only looked back at him and didn't say anything.
"Harry?" Ron asked again.
"I'll tell you later," Harry said as Professor McGonagall walked in the room.
After morning classes, Harry and Ron walked back to the common room to drop off their school stuff before lunch.
"Well?" Ron said to Harry.
"Ron.... don't get mad at me," Harry began.
"What is it first?" Ron asked.
"Well, um, you see before Ginny I....I, um.."
"Loved Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Uh, yeah and--."
Ron grinned. "I knew that."
Harry stopped walking and looked at him. "You did?"
"Yeah! You were all over her. It was strange when she didn't notice," Ron said.
"You think? Anyway, I told her and she got angry," Harry said.
"Why?"
"Because she had feelings for me, too," Harry answered quietly.
Ron's jaw dropped open and stayed like that for a while. Harry sighed and continued walking.
"I know, I know. It's weird. Hell, it's strange and very...sad," he said.
"Why is it sad?"
Harry didn't answer him.
"You're over her...aren't you?" Ron asked carefully and trying not to get upset.
They arrived at the common room and went in. Harry cleared his throat as Ginny saw them and approached them with a smile. Ron suddenly felt angry because he knew. He knew that Harry wasn't really over Hermione.
"Hi Ron!" Ginny said then turned to Harry. "Hi baby!"
Ron cleared his throat. "I'll go upstairs." And with this, he gave a look at Harry and left.
"What's with him?" Ginny asked, sensing her brother's angriness.
"Beats me," Harry replied. "How was your morning?"
"Fine," Ginny answered. "How was yours?"
"Good," he replied.
Ginny grinned. "Wanna make out?"
Harry smiled slightly but shook his head. He couldn't bear to make out with her when someone else is plaguing his mind. And possibly, his heart...again. "I have to do homework," he said.
Ginny looked back at him with hurt in her eyes. Harry had never turned her down before. In fact, they always made out whenever it was possible.
"I'm sorry, Ginny," Harry apologized.
"It's okay," she said, although she didn't think it was okay. "I'll see you later then." She kissed him on the cheek and left the common room.
Harry sighed and sat down on the couch. *Why am I feeling this way? I'm over Hermione. I've been over her a long time ago.* He buried his head in his hands.
**
Hermione also decided to skip lunch and just do her homework in the common room. She didn't want to face Harry. She didn't know what was going on in his mind. Hermione also didn't want to talk to Ron. *He probably knows what's wrong by now.*
She opened her History of Magic book to the page that was assigned to them and willed herself to concentrate in reading it. She read the words aloud so that she was sure she wouldn't be distracted by her thoughts. The common room door opened but she didn't notice.
"Hey," Draco said quietly.
Hermione didn't hear him because she was willing herself to concentrate so hard. Draco sat beside her and just watched her and waited. After a couple of minutes, Hermione looked to her side and saw Draco there. She smiled.
"Hi!" she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "I just finished lunch and figured I'd drop by and get my stuff. What do you think?" He smirked.
Hermione rolled her eyes at him and went back to her book.
"You concentrate too much," he interrupted.
"Malfoy, don't you have anything better to do?" she asked sharply.
"Hmm. Let's see," he said, pretending to think then looked at her. "No, I don't."
"Please just bug someone else," she said.
"I'm not bugging you."
"Then what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to have a conversation!" he said.
Hermione became quiet for a while. Then she smiled. "Um, I don't think I ever thanked you for what you did last night. Thanks! I really appreciate it."
Draco turned a bit red. He wasn't used to being thanked or appreciated. He smiled. "Um, uh, yeah. Sure. No problem." *No problem? Since when did I say that? I'm getting really off track here.*
Hermione smiled at him once more and then went back to her work again. Draco figured that she'd want to be alone and that he should leave. But he didn't because he didn't want to. He wanted to know what made her cry like that. And who made her cry like that. He opened his mouth to ask but Hermione cut him off with a question of her own.
"Why did you do it?" she asked softly, looking straight into his eyes.
"What?"
"Why did you do what you did last night?" she repeated, still softly and this time looking away.
Draco only looked back at her. *Why did I do it?*
Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!
Please also check out my other works, Looking Beyond, I'm here and The Magic of Love. Many thanks!
Author's note:
MEG, thanks! I'll have Hermione ask him that soon. Thanks for the tip! (
Chapter 7
"Please don't cry," Draco said soothingly as Hermione sobbed on his chest.
Draco didn't comprehend at once what was happening. Why was he hugging and comforting Hermione? And why was she crying? *Am I not the one who's supposed to make her cry?*
So he let Hermione cry through out the afternoon. Soon they both fell asleep on the couch. Hermione was cuddled towards Draco, who had his arms around her. Both felt so comfortable with each other while sleeping, and both also didn't realize that they were comfortable with each other.
**
Hermione opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. She realized that she was on the couch in the common room. And beside her was Draco Malfoy. She felt a bit shocked when she saw him beside her. But when she remembered what he did last night, she smiled. He comforted her and made her feel that everything was going to be fine even if he didn't really know what had happened or what was making her cry. She gazed at him and realized some things she never saw before.
*He's really a gentleman, kind, sweet and handsome. Wait. Did I just say handsome? What the.... This is Draco Malfoy! He's-well, he's not really evil anymore.*
Draco opened his eyes and laid them on Hermione, who was looking at him. He smiled at her.
"Hey," he said, smiling sleepily.
"Good morning," she replied apprehensively.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up and making her sit with him. He still had his arm around her. Both didn't notice and, surprisingly, didn't care.
"Nothing," she said, still hesitating. "Um, I should get ready for class." She stood up.
"Yeah," he said, also standing up.
They stood there for a while, looking at each other uneasily, not knowing what to say. Hermione smiled a little at him.
"So, um, I'll see you later," she said.
"Yeah," he replied.
Hermione looked at him, smiled and then went in her room. She rested her back on the door and closed her eyes. *What's going on?*
**
Hermione skipped breakfast that morning since she woke up late and went straight to class which was Transfiguration. She sat near Draco and, much to her horror, beside Harry. She sat down on her seat and looked straight ahead, not wanting to meet Harry's eyes.
"Hey Hermione," Ron said, smiling at her.
She took her parchments out. "Hey Ron," she replied without looking up.
"What's wrong?" he asked, glancing at Harry, who looked away.
"Nothing," she said and at this, she glanced at Draco, who was listening to the conversation.
She smiled a bit at him and he nodded at her. Ron witnessed this exchange and so did Harry. Ron and Harry exchanged seats. Ron leaned forward towards her.
"What's up?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," she replied again.
"C'mon. I know something's up. What is it?" he insisted.
She looked at him. "Look. I told you. Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine. I'm fine," she said, forced a smile and then went back to her parchments.
Ron sighed and sat back on his chair. He turned to Harry. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"
Harry only looked back at him and didn't say anything.
"Harry?" Ron asked again.
"I'll tell you later," Harry said as Professor McGonagall walked in the room.
After morning classes, Harry and Ron walked back to the common room to drop off their school stuff before lunch.
"Well?" Ron said to Harry.
"Ron.... don't get mad at me," Harry began.
"What is it first?" Ron asked.
"Well, um, you see before Ginny I....I, um.."
"Loved Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Uh, yeah and--."
Ron grinned. "I knew that."
Harry stopped walking and looked at him. "You did?"
"Yeah! You were all over her. It was strange when she didn't notice," Ron said.
"You think? Anyway, I told her and she got angry," Harry said.
"Why?"
"Because she had feelings for me, too," Harry answered quietly.
Ron's jaw dropped open and stayed like that for a while. Harry sighed and continued walking.
"I know, I know. It's weird. Hell, it's strange and very...sad," he said.
"Why is it sad?"
Harry didn't answer him.
"You're over her...aren't you?" Ron asked carefully and trying not to get upset.
They arrived at the common room and went in. Harry cleared his throat as Ginny saw them and approached them with a smile. Ron suddenly felt angry because he knew. He knew that Harry wasn't really over Hermione.
"Hi Ron!" Ginny said then turned to Harry. "Hi baby!"
Ron cleared his throat. "I'll go upstairs." And with this, he gave a look at Harry and left.
"What's with him?" Ginny asked, sensing her brother's angriness.
"Beats me," Harry replied. "How was your morning?"
"Fine," Ginny answered. "How was yours?"
"Good," he replied.
Ginny grinned. "Wanna make out?"
Harry smiled slightly but shook his head. He couldn't bear to make out with her when someone else is plaguing his mind. And possibly, his heart...again. "I have to do homework," he said.
Ginny looked back at him with hurt in her eyes. Harry had never turned her down before. In fact, they always made out whenever it was possible.
"I'm sorry, Ginny," Harry apologized.
"It's okay," she said, although she didn't think it was okay. "I'll see you later then." She kissed him on the cheek and left the common room.
Harry sighed and sat down on the couch. *Why am I feeling this way? I'm over Hermione. I've been over her a long time ago.* He buried his head in his hands.
**
Hermione also decided to skip lunch and just do her homework in the common room. She didn't want to face Harry. She didn't know what was going on in his mind. Hermione also didn't want to talk to Ron. *He probably knows what's wrong by now.*
She opened her History of Magic book to the page that was assigned to them and willed herself to concentrate in reading it. She read the words aloud so that she was sure she wouldn't be distracted by her thoughts. The common room door opened but she didn't notice.
"Hey," Draco said quietly.
Hermione didn't hear him because she was willing herself to concentrate so hard. Draco sat beside her and just watched her and waited. After a couple of minutes, Hermione looked to her side and saw Draco there. She smiled.
"Hi!" she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "I just finished lunch and figured I'd drop by and get my stuff. What do you think?" He smirked.
Hermione rolled her eyes at him and went back to her book.
"You concentrate too much," he interrupted.
"Malfoy, don't you have anything better to do?" she asked sharply.
"Hmm. Let's see," he said, pretending to think then looked at her. "No, I don't."
"Please just bug someone else," she said.
"I'm not bugging you."
"Then what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to have a conversation!" he said.
Hermione became quiet for a while. Then she smiled. "Um, I don't think I ever thanked you for what you did last night. Thanks! I really appreciate it."
Draco turned a bit red. He wasn't used to being thanked or appreciated. He smiled. "Um, uh, yeah. Sure. No problem." *No problem? Since when did I say that? I'm getting really off track here.*
Hermione smiled at him once more and then went back to her work again. Draco figured that she'd want to be alone and that he should leave. But he didn't because he didn't want to. He wanted to know what made her cry like that. And who made her cry like that. He opened his mouth to ask but Hermione cut him off with a question of her own.
"Why did you do it?" she asked softly, looking straight into his eyes.
"What?"
"Why did you do what you did last night?" she repeated, still softly and this time looking away.
Draco only looked back at her. *Why did I do it?*