The One Thing He Could Never Have



by Lalita

Disclaimer~ Harry Potter isn't mine... *sobs*

Summary~ Draco is forced by the Dark Lord to wed Hermione, in order to get to Harry Potter. Will Hermione fall prey to his trap? Read to find out!

Author Notes~ Here's chapter three! ^___^ Hope you like it! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!! Remember, the more reviews, the faster the next chapter comes out... Not to mention that it'll probably be longer! ^___^





Chapter Three~ Left All Alone



" Just where have you been?" Ron demanded, his voice slightly angry and hurt. He stood up from the scarlet couches and crossed the room to stand by the opening doorway.

He heard Hermione sigh, as if he was the last person she wanted to see right then. " None of your business, Ron," she said curtly.

" It is my business, Hermione." Ron's voice rose. " I've been waiting for you for hours! Where were you?"

" Who are you, my father?" Hermione snapped, her voice also rising in indignation.

" No, but I'm your boyfriend. The one who sat here all night wondering where you were and worrying about you." Ron's eyes narrowed. " The one who you forgot all about. The one who had a date with you tonight." He turned, his shoulders drooping.

Ron got even more angry thinking about how many hours he had sat in the common room. All wasted, pointless hours. A couple times he had gotten up and searched for her, until he had been caught be Filch and gotten detention for a week. Every time someone stepped into the common room Ron would ask if they had seen Hermione, but every time it was a shake of the head and a sense of bitter disappointment. He had paced like a madman, tearing into the carpet almost, while Harry and his sister watched in slight amusement but with growing concern. Eventually, the two went to sleep, tired of hearing Ron's muttering of " Where is she?" and " Is she alright?"

A stricken look passed on Hermione's face. " Oh, Ron," she said earnestly. " I'm sorry. I... I must have forgotten."

Ron whirled around to face her, glaring. " Forgotten?" he snapped. " I suppose it's so easy for you to forget me. I suppose I'm not good enough to bother with. Not when there's Harry around," he added viciously.

Color stained Hermione's cheeks. Ron could have cursed himself. He hadn't brought up Hermione's old crush on Harry for awhile, because whenever he did, there was trouble. " For you information," she said, her voice high strung and tight, " I was in the library, getting some work done."

" Oh, I see," Ron said sarcastically. " So you prefer the company of boring old books more than mine."

Hermione threw up her hands. " For God's sake, Ron! Stop being so ridiculous! So I forgot one little date? Is that reason enough to blow up at me?"

" Maybe one little date doesn't mean that much to you, Mione, but it does to me." Tears filled Ron's eyes. So she didn't care at all that he had been up for hours, consumed by worrying about her? She didn't care about him anymore?

" Ron..." Hermione hung her head. " Look, I'm sorry for forgetting our date. But... I've been stressed out lately."

" I know, Mione," Ron said softly. He took her in his arms and stroked her hair. " That's why I've been so worried about you."

Hermione pulled away. " You sure have a funny way of showing it," she said scathingly.

Ron's hands dropped. He clenched his fists. " I try to, Hermione," he said, grinding out the words, " but you always pull away from me."

" That isn't true!"

" It is too!"

" Is not!"

Ron looked at her closely. God, she was beautiful when she was angry. Her eyes seemed to spring to life, shining with defiance. Her thin, petite body seemed ten times larger. A lovely, rosy flush appeared on her cheeks and she trembled. Ron was taken over by a sudden urge to kiss her, even though he knew now was definitely not the time.

" Hermione..." Ron said, his voice husky. He took a step towards her, but she shrank back.

" Don't... Don't touch me, Ron," she said, her voice soft, but firm.

" Why not?" Ron cried. " God, Malfoy couldn't have been farther from he truth when he said that yesterday. You won't even let me look at you without leaping down my throat!"

Hermione looked down at the ground, all the fight seeming to drain out of her. Her shoulders shook with small sobs.

Ron was instantly regretful. " I'm sorry, Mione," he apologized. " I... I shouldn't have said that."

" You're right. You shouldn't have," Hermione whispered, but it was without feeling.

In two steps Ron was beside her and she was in his arms again. This time, however, she didn't pull away and Ron felt every last bit of his anger drain away with her tears. " Shhh... It's okay, Mione," he soothed her.

" No... It's not," Hermione said, looking up at him.

" What's wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked gently. When she didn't reply, he shook her a bit. " What happened?"

She mumbled something, and felt something close to panic grip him. This wasn't like Hermione. No matter how upset, she normally didn't cry and mope about.

" Tell me," he urged her.

" It was nothing," she said, in such a soft voice that Ron had to lean in closer to hear her properly. " I... I just ran into Malfoy in the corridor and he... He put a spell on me, so that I couldn't move and he made fun of me a bit... But I'm alright now so you needn't worry!" she said hurriedly when she took in the murderous look in Ron's eyes.

His hands clenched and unclenched. His teeth were gnashed together. Rage filled him. How dare that filthy bastard do that to his Hermione? " I'm going to kill him," he snarled, and took a slow, furious step towards the door.

" Ron! Ron, no! Don't overreact!" Hermione pleaded, tugging on his arm, but Ron would have none of it. " I'm fine now, so that's all that matters."

Ron turned on her, dark anger apparent on his features. Hermione flinched. " Don't tell me you actually didn't mind that he harassed you?!" he shouted. " Or is it just that you like infuriating people?!"

Hermione gasped and drew back. " How dare you say that to me, Ron! You know I hate Malfoy just as much as you do!"

" Do I?" The question stunned Hermione and Ron pressed on, " You don't want me to do anything to stop him from hurting you, Mione. Do you enjoy having him give attention to you, however rude and mean?"

That did it. Hermione stood there, staring at him in utter disbelief. When she spoke, it was done with such calm and icy indifference that Ron shivered slightly. " I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Ron. And at least with Malfoy I always know where I stand and what to expect!"

Her words hung between them and nothing was said or done. The silence stretched on, becoming unbearable. " Hermione," Ron awkwardly began.

" No. Don't say anything. I don't want to hear it." Hermione turned and began to race up the stairs to her single dorm room. Ron tore up the stairs after.

" Hermione! Wait!"

At the top of the stairs before her room, where they had spent so many times kissing each other goodnight, she said with a shaky voice, " Ron... I think..."

" No," Ron thought. A sense of dread filled him. " Don't let her say it. Don't let her-"

" I think we should spend some time alone."

There. It was said and done. Hermione slowly closed her door, leaving him all alone.

Ron walked in a daze back to his room, not feeling anything but a cold numbness. Very calmly, he crawled into bed. And, very quickly, he dissolved into anguished tears.