Psychopeanut: This chapter is to encourage you. May this give you
inspiration!
To everyone else, this extra chapter is a New Year's treat from me. Happy New Year!
Chapter 15
For the next few days, Hermione slept in Ginny's room, and did her work in the Gryffindor common room. As the teachers did not voice any objections, Hermione felt like she was at a home away from home.
"This is where I belong," Hermione told herself every night, before going to bed, though she had to go back to her room sometimes, to get something she'd forgotten or left behind.
She still had not told anyone about the kiss she had shared with Draco, as everyone was treating her really well, making her feel welcome, and at ease, and she did not want them to treat her like Draco had. However, Hermione felt that she had to tell someone, or she'd never get rid of the guilty feeling she got when she looked at Ron. So, on Tuesday evening, she decided to tell Ginny and Harry after dinner.
After dinner, she got her chance, when Ron excused himself to go to the washroom.
"Harry, Ginny, hurry, I need to tell you something important," said Hermione, in a low and urgent voice.
Looking alarmed, Harry and Ginny, who had been secretly holding hands lately, followed Hermione into a deserted classroom.
"What is it, Herm?" Said Ginny, wondering if Hermione was ill or -. No, she stopped herself quickly, and waited to hear what Hermione had to say before jumping to conclusions.
"You know the day after Draco - I mean, Malfoy... The day before Malfoy and I fought, we had a talk, which ended in a small argument, and he walked off -."
'Why?" Interrupted Ginny.
"He asked me how I felt about him, and where did he stand, so I told him he was just a friend. That's when he got up, and left for his room. I followed him up, and then we were in his room, and -."
"Did you -?"
"NO, Harry. I was seated next to him on his bed," said Hermione, whispering quickly, hoping Ron would not come back soon. "Then he went to shut his door. I was saying something, and before I could finish what I was saying, he..." Hermione hesitated.
"He?" Said Harry, looking serious.
"He..." Hermione stopped, before whispering, "He kissed me."
"He what?" Said Ginny, forgetting to whisper.
"Did you, you know - kiss him back?"
Hermione nodded miserably. "I don't know what came over me, but if you had been in my position, you would have too," said Hermione, not allowing Harry or Ginny to interrupt. "He was so close, and so warm, and no one was there. It was so... Romantic!" Hermione said, blushing.
"So why are you telling us?" Said Harry.
"Because I feel guilty every time I look at Ron!" Said Hermione.
"Ah..." Said Harry.
"Hermione, tell us honestly. Do you feel anything for Ron?" Said Ginny, looking more or less amused.
Hermione looked away, as she fidgeted with her cloak clasping.
"Hermione?" Said Harry. "Hurry, tell us! Ron will be coming back soon."
"Well... He's been nice to me and all, this while, and I think he's really sweet -."
"Do you like Ron, Hermione," said Ginny, interrupting Hermione's beating around the bush.
"Yes," said Hermione softly. "A little."
"Ha," said Harry under his breath. "I knew it!"
""Let's go," said Hermione quickly. "Ron should be done by now."
As the three of them exited the classroom, Hermione said, "Promise me that you won't breathe a word to Ron, okay?"
Harry and Ginny promised, as they went up to Ron who was craning his neck over a small crowd of students, trying to see where the three of them were.
"There you are!" Said Ron, spotting them heading over to him. "Wondered where you went!"
"Sorry," said Ginny smoothly. "Hermione was showing us something."
"Yeah," said Hermione, hoping Ron wouldn't ask. "Let's go!"
Thankfully, Ron followed them up the flight of stairs, which took them to the Gryffindor common room. For the first time in a few days, Hermione didn't feel her conscience nagging her when she looked at Ron. And when Ron slipped his hand into hers, she was sure she had never felt better... Except when Draco had kissed her...
To everyone else, this extra chapter is a New Year's treat from me. Happy New Year!
Chapter 15
For the next few days, Hermione slept in Ginny's room, and did her work in the Gryffindor common room. As the teachers did not voice any objections, Hermione felt like she was at a home away from home.
"This is where I belong," Hermione told herself every night, before going to bed, though she had to go back to her room sometimes, to get something she'd forgotten or left behind.
She still had not told anyone about the kiss she had shared with Draco, as everyone was treating her really well, making her feel welcome, and at ease, and she did not want them to treat her like Draco had. However, Hermione felt that she had to tell someone, or she'd never get rid of the guilty feeling she got when she looked at Ron. So, on Tuesday evening, she decided to tell Ginny and Harry after dinner.
After dinner, she got her chance, when Ron excused himself to go to the washroom.
"Harry, Ginny, hurry, I need to tell you something important," said Hermione, in a low and urgent voice.
Looking alarmed, Harry and Ginny, who had been secretly holding hands lately, followed Hermione into a deserted classroom.
"What is it, Herm?" Said Ginny, wondering if Hermione was ill or -. No, she stopped herself quickly, and waited to hear what Hermione had to say before jumping to conclusions.
"You know the day after Draco - I mean, Malfoy... The day before Malfoy and I fought, we had a talk, which ended in a small argument, and he walked off -."
'Why?" Interrupted Ginny.
"He asked me how I felt about him, and where did he stand, so I told him he was just a friend. That's when he got up, and left for his room. I followed him up, and then we were in his room, and -."
"Did you -?"
"NO, Harry. I was seated next to him on his bed," said Hermione, whispering quickly, hoping Ron would not come back soon. "Then he went to shut his door. I was saying something, and before I could finish what I was saying, he..." Hermione hesitated.
"He?" Said Harry, looking serious.
"He..." Hermione stopped, before whispering, "He kissed me."
"He what?" Said Ginny, forgetting to whisper.
"Did you, you know - kiss him back?"
Hermione nodded miserably. "I don't know what came over me, but if you had been in my position, you would have too," said Hermione, not allowing Harry or Ginny to interrupt. "He was so close, and so warm, and no one was there. It was so... Romantic!" Hermione said, blushing.
"So why are you telling us?" Said Harry.
"Because I feel guilty every time I look at Ron!" Said Hermione.
"Ah..." Said Harry.
"Hermione, tell us honestly. Do you feel anything for Ron?" Said Ginny, looking more or less amused.
Hermione looked away, as she fidgeted with her cloak clasping.
"Hermione?" Said Harry. "Hurry, tell us! Ron will be coming back soon."
"Well... He's been nice to me and all, this while, and I think he's really sweet -."
"Do you like Ron, Hermione," said Ginny, interrupting Hermione's beating around the bush.
"Yes," said Hermione softly. "A little."
"Ha," said Harry under his breath. "I knew it!"
""Let's go," said Hermione quickly. "Ron should be done by now."
As the three of them exited the classroom, Hermione said, "Promise me that you won't breathe a word to Ron, okay?"
Harry and Ginny promised, as they went up to Ron who was craning his neck over a small crowd of students, trying to see where the three of them were.
"There you are!" Said Ron, spotting them heading over to him. "Wondered where you went!"
"Sorry," said Ginny smoothly. "Hermione was showing us something."
"Yeah," said Hermione, hoping Ron wouldn't ask. "Let's go!"
Thankfully, Ron followed them up the flight of stairs, which took them to the Gryffindor common room. For the first time in a few days, Hermione didn't feel her conscience nagging her when she looked at Ron. And when Ron slipped his hand into hers, she was sure she had never felt better... Except when Draco had kissed her...