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Chapter 15
Hermione closed her eyes as the tears slid down her face.
~~Flashback~~
"I just don't understand, Hermione," Draco said, disappointment clear in his voice.
Hermione preferred it if he just yelled at her. "Draco, I didn't mean for that to happen. He--."
"Oh crap, Hermione," he said, then softened at the look on her face. "I just-maybe we shouldn't...talk right now. I might say things to you, things that I'll regret saying."
"Draco, just listen to me," she began.
"Hermione, let's just talk when we're both thinking rationally."
"I am thinking rationally!! Why won't you just listen to me? He means nothing to me!" Hermione screamed, tears falling from her eyes.
"Oh yeah? Then why did you look so confused the other day?" Draco snapped.
Hermione gasped a little and didn't say anything. Draco felt hurt at this. He took a deep breath and left the common room.
~~End of flashback~~
She and Draco hadn't been talking since the incident. Draco had been avoiding her, and she, who felt bad at this, didn't really know what to say to him. But when they do talk, it always ended up in fights. She wanted him to understand that Harry doesn't mean anything more than a friend to him anymore. That he was her past. And that he, Draco, was her present...and future.
But now, she's not so sure. Everything's a mess. Hermione never thought anything like this could happen to her. She was just an ordinary girl. *Things like this don't happen to people like me, unless...*
"They fall in love," she whispered. She sighed, wiped her tears from her face, grabbed her books and went out of the common room.
**
"Hermione, how are you feeling?" Ron whispered to her during breakfast.
"I'm fine," she whispered back.
"Why are you guys whispering?" Parvati asked.
Hermione and Ron turned to look at her.
"Um, it's nothing, Parvati," Hermione said. "Ron was just asking something about Lavender." She mouthed the Lavender part.
"Oh," Parvati said then giggled.
They continued eating, when Ginny sat down in front of Hermione and Ron. Hermione shifted uncomfortably on her seat, but didn't say anything. Ginny looked up at Hermione and cleared her throat.
"Um, Hermione," Ginny began, "do you think you can pass me the salmon?"
Hermione looked up. "Uh, sure." She got the salmon platter and handed it to her.
"Thanks," Ginny said, getting it from her.
They ate in silence.
"Um, Hermione?" Ginny said. "H-how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Hermione said, pretending that nothing happened.
"Oh, um, because I heard of what happened and--."
"That's nothing. Everything's really fine," Hermione said. "Happens everyday."
"Yeah," Ginny said. She paused for a while. "I'm really sorry," Ginny suddenly blurted out. "I should've listened to you. I should've known that you wouldn't do something like that to me. I wish I could take back all the things that I said to you."
Hermione smiled slightly at her. "Ginny, you don't have to apologize to me. It's my fault. And I'm really sorry for jeopardizing your relationship with Harry. For all it's worth, I think you're the perfect couple."
"What about Draco?" Ginny asked softly.
Hermione's gaze flicked to Draco's. He caught her gaze and she looked away, focusing her gaze on Ginny.
"We're friends," Hermione said.
"Are you guys talking now?" Ron asked.
"Friends fight now and then," Hermione replied softly. "Listen, um, I really have to go. I need to talk to Katie before the meeting, s-so I'll go ahead." She stood up.
"Okay," Ron said.
Hermione hurriedly walked away from the great hall and rested her back on a wall. She closed her eyes. She couldn't bear the fact that she and Draco weren't talking. She absolutely missed him. She wished she could take back everything that had happened just so everything would be back to normal.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Ron standing in front of her with a concerned expression on his face. "Come here." Hermione moved closer to him and Ron wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Hermione cried openly on his chest. Ron didn't like seeing Hermione like this. He was really shocked and mystified as to why she had fallen or, even how, she had learned to love Draco. He couldn't do anything about that now. Normally he would yell at her and tell her to stay away from him. But he knew that what she feels for him is deep and he couldn't take that away from her.
"Ron," Hermione said, pushing him away, "thank you."
"No problem," he said, kissing her on the head. "How are you feeling?"
She managed a smile. "Better. I have to go. I'll be late for the meeting."
"Take care, okay?" Ron called after her as she walked away.
**
Hermione entered the common room quietly and saw Katie and Roger talking with each other by the table. They both looked up as they heard her enter.
"Hermione," Roger said with a small smile.
"You're early," Katie commented.
"Uh, yeah. I wanted to talk to you guys about something before the meeting," Hermione said.
"What is it?" Katie asked, sitting down.
"Well, um, I was wondering if Padma and I could do the decorations together. I just think that--."
"Why?" Katie interrupted.
"Due to the circumstances between me and-," Hermione took a deep breath. Even saying his name pained her. "Well, I just think the job won't be that well, if we--."
"We can't do that, Hermione," Roger said. "McGonagall assigned you guys. We can't do anything about it."
"Even if we could, we won't," Katie added.
"Why not?" Hermione asked, feeling crestfallen.
"Because," Katie said, glancing at Roger, "we would like you to fix this. I'm not supposed to say this, but I think you and Draco will be the heads next year and we'd like to see the two of you get along."
Hermione clearly felt pleased at this information but still looked sad. She nodded dejectedly.
"Look, Hermione, we think that you and Draco should talk," Roger said.
"Yeah. It would help a lot," Katie said.
"Don't you think I've tried that? He won't even look at me," Hermione said, standing up. "I'll just go to the washroom." She left.
She proceeded to go to the washroom and because she was thinking of so many things that she didn't see someone coming. She bumped into this person and fell to the floor. She winced at the pain on her lower back. She looked up and saw the gray eyes she had been trying to look at and at the same time avoid.
Draco only looked back at her, not knowing what to do. Hermione stood up and as she straightened up, she began to collapse and fall again because of the pain in her back. Draco immediately reached out and held her to him. She rested her head on his chest. He stiffened a bit, but slowly relaxed. Until now, he wasn't used to being cuddled to.
"Are you okay?" he asked tonelessly.
"My back hurts," she replied, lifting her head up to look at him.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
"Um..." she began, and moved away from Draco. She tried to walk but almost fell. Draco immediately went to her side and helped her. "I don't think I can," she finished.
Draco didn't think twice carried her, bridal style.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Hospital wing."
Draco carried her to the hospital wing without another word. Hermione knocked on the door. Madame Pomfrey went out and gasped a little.
"What happened to you?" she asked Hermione.
"My back hurts," Hermione said. "I fell."
"So early in the morning and getting hurt," Madame Pomfrey commented hastily. "Put her here," she said to Draco.
Draco laid her down gently on the bed and remained standing. He wanted to stay but...he still wasn't on speaking terms with Hermione yet. Madame Pomfrey returned.
"You can go now Mr. Malfoy," Madame Pomfrey said as she began examining Hermione.
"No! Um, I'll-I'll stay," he said, glancing at Hermione.
"Suit yourself."
After a while, Draco asked, "Is she going to be fine?"
"Oh yes. Just a bit a back pain. She'll be out in the afternoon," Madame Pomfrey then got a cup with liquid in it. "Drink this, Ms. Granger, so you can rest."
"Can't I just go back to class?" Hermione asked nicely.
"No, dear. Now drink this," Madame Pomfrey said again, handing the cup to Hermione.
Hermione took the cup and wrinkled her nose at the weird smell of the liquid. She tilted the cup to her lips and drank it. She placed the cup on the side table, smiled at Draco and closed her eyes. Draco looked around. Madame Pomfrey had returned to her office. He pulled a chair beside Hermione's bed and sat there.
Draco held Hermione's hand and kissed it. He, then, stroked her hair and her face.
"Hermione," Draco whispered, "I'm sorry." He kissed her hand again. "I wish none of this had happened. I know we're not really together, but I felt hurt and jealous knowing that you kissed Harry while there was something going on with us." He paused. "This is really stupid."
He stood up and turned to leave. But he turned back and leaned forward to kiss Hermione on the forehead and whispered, "I love you."
Hermione opened her eyes shortly after Draco left, tears stinging her eyes. She looked at the ceiling and said, "I know. I love you, too."
Thanks so much for the reviews! So many thanks! I love you guys!
Chapter 15
Hermione closed her eyes as the tears slid down her face.
~~Flashback~~
"I just don't understand, Hermione," Draco said, disappointment clear in his voice.
Hermione preferred it if he just yelled at her. "Draco, I didn't mean for that to happen. He--."
"Oh crap, Hermione," he said, then softened at the look on her face. "I just-maybe we shouldn't...talk right now. I might say things to you, things that I'll regret saying."
"Draco, just listen to me," she began.
"Hermione, let's just talk when we're both thinking rationally."
"I am thinking rationally!! Why won't you just listen to me? He means nothing to me!" Hermione screamed, tears falling from her eyes.
"Oh yeah? Then why did you look so confused the other day?" Draco snapped.
Hermione gasped a little and didn't say anything. Draco felt hurt at this. He took a deep breath and left the common room.
~~End of flashback~~
She and Draco hadn't been talking since the incident. Draco had been avoiding her, and she, who felt bad at this, didn't really know what to say to him. But when they do talk, it always ended up in fights. She wanted him to understand that Harry doesn't mean anything more than a friend to him anymore. That he was her past. And that he, Draco, was her present...and future.
But now, she's not so sure. Everything's a mess. Hermione never thought anything like this could happen to her. She was just an ordinary girl. *Things like this don't happen to people like me, unless...*
"They fall in love," she whispered. She sighed, wiped her tears from her face, grabbed her books and went out of the common room.
**
"Hermione, how are you feeling?" Ron whispered to her during breakfast.
"I'm fine," she whispered back.
"Why are you guys whispering?" Parvati asked.
Hermione and Ron turned to look at her.
"Um, it's nothing, Parvati," Hermione said. "Ron was just asking something about Lavender." She mouthed the Lavender part.
"Oh," Parvati said then giggled.
They continued eating, when Ginny sat down in front of Hermione and Ron. Hermione shifted uncomfortably on her seat, but didn't say anything. Ginny looked up at Hermione and cleared her throat.
"Um, Hermione," Ginny began, "do you think you can pass me the salmon?"
Hermione looked up. "Uh, sure." She got the salmon platter and handed it to her.
"Thanks," Ginny said, getting it from her.
They ate in silence.
"Um, Hermione?" Ginny said. "H-how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Hermione said, pretending that nothing happened.
"Oh, um, because I heard of what happened and--."
"That's nothing. Everything's really fine," Hermione said. "Happens everyday."
"Yeah," Ginny said. She paused for a while. "I'm really sorry," Ginny suddenly blurted out. "I should've listened to you. I should've known that you wouldn't do something like that to me. I wish I could take back all the things that I said to you."
Hermione smiled slightly at her. "Ginny, you don't have to apologize to me. It's my fault. And I'm really sorry for jeopardizing your relationship with Harry. For all it's worth, I think you're the perfect couple."
"What about Draco?" Ginny asked softly.
Hermione's gaze flicked to Draco's. He caught her gaze and she looked away, focusing her gaze on Ginny.
"We're friends," Hermione said.
"Are you guys talking now?" Ron asked.
"Friends fight now and then," Hermione replied softly. "Listen, um, I really have to go. I need to talk to Katie before the meeting, s-so I'll go ahead." She stood up.
"Okay," Ron said.
Hermione hurriedly walked away from the great hall and rested her back on a wall. She closed her eyes. She couldn't bear the fact that she and Draco weren't talking. She absolutely missed him. She wished she could take back everything that had happened just so everything would be back to normal.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Ron standing in front of her with a concerned expression on his face. "Come here." Hermione moved closer to him and Ron wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Hermione cried openly on his chest. Ron didn't like seeing Hermione like this. He was really shocked and mystified as to why she had fallen or, even how, she had learned to love Draco. He couldn't do anything about that now. Normally he would yell at her and tell her to stay away from him. But he knew that what she feels for him is deep and he couldn't take that away from her.
"Ron," Hermione said, pushing him away, "thank you."
"No problem," he said, kissing her on the head. "How are you feeling?"
She managed a smile. "Better. I have to go. I'll be late for the meeting."
"Take care, okay?" Ron called after her as she walked away.
**
Hermione entered the common room quietly and saw Katie and Roger talking with each other by the table. They both looked up as they heard her enter.
"Hermione," Roger said with a small smile.
"You're early," Katie commented.
"Uh, yeah. I wanted to talk to you guys about something before the meeting," Hermione said.
"What is it?" Katie asked, sitting down.
"Well, um, I was wondering if Padma and I could do the decorations together. I just think that--."
"Why?" Katie interrupted.
"Due to the circumstances between me and-," Hermione took a deep breath. Even saying his name pained her. "Well, I just think the job won't be that well, if we--."
"We can't do that, Hermione," Roger said. "McGonagall assigned you guys. We can't do anything about it."
"Even if we could, we won't," Katie added.
"Why not?" Hermione asked, feeling crestfallen.
"Because," Katie said, glancing at Roger, "we would like you to fix this. I'm not supposed to say this, but I think you and Draco will be the heads next year and we'd like to see the two of you get along."
Hermione clearly felt pleased at this information but still looked sad. She nodded dejectedly.
"Look, Hermione, we think that you and Draco should talk," Roger said.
"Yeah. It would help a lot," Katie said.
"Don't you think I've tried that? He won't even look at me," Hermione said, standing up. "I'll just go to the washroom." She left.
She proceeded to go to the washroom and because she was thinking of so many things that she didn't see someone coming. She bumped into this person and fell to the floor. She winced at the pain on her lower back. She looked up and saw the gray eyes she had been trying to look at and at the same time avoid.
Draco only looked back at her, not knowing what to do. Hermione stood up and as she straightened up, she began to collapse and fall again because of the pain in her back. Draco immediately reached out and held her to him. She rested her head on his chest. He stiffened a bit, but slowly relaxed. Until now, he wasn't used to being cuddled to.
"Are you okay?" he asked tonelessly.
"My back hurts," she replied, lifting her head up to look at him.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
"Um..." she began, and moved away from Draco. She tried to walk but almost fell. Draco immediately went to her side and helped her. "I don't think I can," she finished.
Draco didn't think twice carried her, bridal style.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Hospital wing."
Draco carried her to the hospital wing without another word. Hermione knocked on the door. Madame Pomfrey went out and gasped a little.
"What happened to you?" she asked Hermione.
"My back hurts," Hermione said. "I fell."
"So early in the morning and getting hurt," Madame Pomfrey commented hastily. "Put her here," she said to Draco.
Draco laid her down gently on the bed and remained standing. He wanted to stay but...he still wasn't on speaking terms with Hermione yet. Madame Pomfrey returned.
"You can go now Mr. Malfoy," Madame Pomfrey said as she began examining Hermione.
"No! Um, I'll-I'll stay," he said, glancing at Hermione.
"Suit yourself."
After a while, Draco asked, "Is she going to be fine?"
"Oh yes. Just a bit a back pain. She'll be out in the afternoon," Madame Pomfrey then got a cup with liquid in it. "Drink this, Ms. Granger, so you can rest."
"Can't I just go back to class?" Hermione asked nicely.
"No, dear. Now drink this," Madame Pomfrey said again, handing the cup to Hermione.
Hermione took the cup and wrinkled her nose at the weird smell of the liquid. She tilted the cup to her lips and drank it. She placed the cup on the side table, smiled at Draco and closed her eyes. Draco looked around. Madame Pomfrey had returned to her office. He pulled a chair beside Hermione's bed and sat there.
Draco held Hermione's hand and kissed it. He, then, stroked her hair and her face.
"Hermione," Draco whispered, "I'm sorry." He kissed her hand again. "I wish none of this had happened. I know we're not really together, but I felt hurt and jealous knowing that you kissed Harry while there was something going on with us." He paused. "This is really stupid."
He stood up and turned to leave. But he turned back and leaned forward to kiss Hermione on the forehead and whispered, "I love you."
Hermione opened her eyes shortly after Draco left, tears stinging her eyes. She looked at the ceiling and said, "I know. I love you, too."