Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
"I think I have to go," Ron said standing up. "I'll see you guys tomorrow," he added before apparating.
"Harry, aren't you happy for me?" Hermione stood up as well. It was getting obvious that Harry didn't like the news at all.
"Hermione, if you go to Harvard, then we'll be separated. I can't bear to live away from you," Harry said as he reached for Hermione's hands and held them with his.
"But Harry, I'm not even sure yet if I really will be accepted. I just said that I have a great chance, but still we'll never know. I mean, Harvard is a tough school," Hermione was trying to smile to him.
"Still it doesn't make a difference. I can't believe you didn't tell me first before making a decision," Harry said, letting go of her stands, and turning his back on her.
"Harry, I thought you would understand. I actually thought you'd be happy for me," Hermione spoke, touching his shoulder.
Harry turned around. "I am happy for you. But I also can't allow you to leave me."
"I'm not going to leave you, Harry. If you want, you can even live with me there," Hermione said, trying hard to make him understand.
"I can't, I have Quidditch here," Harry said, turning his head to the game.
"That's exactly my point. Just because we are together doesn't mean we can live our own lives as individuals. We also have our separate dreams, Harry. You want to play Quidditch in the World Cup, and I want to go to college."
Harry turned his head to her. "You can't go."
"What?"
"I'm not allowing you to go," Harry repeated.
"You don't run my life, Harry. You can't make decisions for me. What would you do if tell you not to play Quidditch?"
"It's different."
"What's different?"
"Quidditch is part of who I am, it's something I need to do."
"And don't you think this is something I need to do as well?"
"I think of it as something you want to do." "I don't understand you, Harry." Hermione turned around and ran away. Harry was surprised at what she did, but he decided not to follow her. He just sat on the bench, replaying their conversation on his mind. *I also don't understand myself, Hermione,* Harry told himself while burying his hands on his hair.
***
Hermione kept on running as she went down the stands. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she didn't care of what was happening around her. Several people who saw her running wondered why she was crying. Heads turned around as she rushed past them. She really wasn't sure of where to go. She just kept on running and running until she bumped on someone. "Oh, sorry." Looking up through her teary eyes to see who it was. "Draco?"
"Hermione, what happened?" Draco cupped her face with his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs.
Hermione was so overwhelmed in emotion that she unexpectedly wrapped her arms around Draco and continued crying on his chest. Draco held her tightly, resting his chin on her head, not wanting to let go. They stood like that for so long, that Draco worried Hermione would run out of tears. Finally Hermione stopped sobbing and Draco released her from his embrace. "Hermione, please tell me what happened."
"Harry and I had a misunderstanding. I just couldn't take it anymore," she said, wiping her tears.
"What did you fight about?"
Hermione lead Draco behind the stands and explained everything to him. Draco couldn't believe that Harry acted so selfishly. He had always hated Harry ever since he turned him down to be a friend in their first year at Hogwarts. But still Draco knew Harry was a man of honor and worthy of respect. But now he has doubts respecting him.
They sitted there, backs rested on the wall, just talking. Hermione tried to forget what happened, hoping that Harry will eventually let her go. The problem is, she still loves Harry, and she also wants to go to Harvard, which leaves her with a dilemma of which to choose.
"Do you love him?" Draco asked.
"Yes, I do," Hermione answered right away.
"Does he love you?"
"I think so. Why are you asking me this?"
"Because if he loves you then he will not think twice of letting you go. If he has faith in your relationship then he won't think a certain distance would destroy it."
Hermione looked him in the eye. "Are you trying to tell me that Harry doesn't love me?"
"No. I'm trying to say that he might just be confused of what he is feeling."
"Confused with what? Confused if he really loves me?"
"Confused if he should let you go and risk the stability of your relationship."
"He's afraid that the distance might break our connection and we might eventually break up?"
"Something like that."
"But I won't let that happen. I have faith in us and I know that we can make it no matter how far we are apart. You said it yourself."
"Well it's not your faith I'm questioning."
"What then?"
"It's his."
***
After much thinking, Harry finally decided to talk to Hermione and settle their dispute. He still wasn't sure if it was okay with him for her to study at Harvard. It was definitely miles away from London, and thinking that she would be away from him that far makes him feel uncomfortable.
He left the stands and found that there were only three people on the line. The Quidditch game on the other side of the playing field has stopped and there were only a very few people left all in all. Harry approached his coach to ask if he had seen Hermione.
"Coach!" Harry called out.
"Harry! I didn't think you'd still be here. Do you need something?"
"Actually, I'd like to ask if you've seen Hermione."
"Who's Hermione? Ah, your girlfriend! Sorry, kid, didn't see her."
"Oh I see, thanks anyway."
Harry was about to leave when he overheard the conversation between two players.
"Did you see her? She was crying. I bet she had a fight with Harry Potter. I wonder whose fault it was."
Harry couldn't help himself so he approached the two men. Upon seeing him, they right away backed off. "Relax, I won't do anything to you. Have you two seen Hermione?"
The two men looked at each other then the taller one spoke. "We saw her running towards the back of the stands."
"Thanks." Harry had started to leave when he turned around and called out to the both of them, "By the way, it was my fault."
Harry made his way to the back of the stands and when he was near, he heard the sound of two people kissing. Several images of Hermione and another guy flashed to his mind. Harry clenched his fist and when he finally emerged, he saw, much to his relief that it wasn't Hermione. It was a different girl and a different guy. Harry apologized for interrupting and decided to go to Hermione's house instead.
***
Draco and Hermione were walking on the side of the street on Hermione's neighborhood. Draco had volunteered to walk Hermione home and Hermione unresistingly agreed. They turned a corner to Hermione's street and Hermione noticed Draco hadn't spoken ever since they left the Quidditch field.
"Do you think Harry doesn't trust me?" Hermione asked.
Draco stopped walking, which caused Hermione to halt as well. He looked intently at her for a few seconds, then began walking again. Hermione followed him.
"Why do you say that?" Draco finally answered.
"Because you said a while ago that you are questioning his faith in our relationship."
"Trust and faith are two different things."
"But they are similar when related to love."
Draco stopped again and turned to Hermione. "Are you really sure that he loves you?"
"Yes."
"Then you have nothing to worry about. He'll come to his senses. Love won't allow him to be foolish."
"But isn't love sometimes the reason why people do foolish things?"
Draco started to walk again. "Nothing done out of love is foolish, Hermione. Nothing."
Hermione noticed they were nearing her house. So she decided to ask the one question she has been dying to ask him ever since she saw her again in the stands. "Draco, what happened to you?"
Draco just kept on walking. "What are you talking about?"
"You've changed. You're not the Draco I used to know. I'm even able to talk to you now." "A lot of things have changed in my life. But I think the answer lies in the fact that I refused to surrender to my father's will."
"What do you mean?"
"I refused to be a deatheater, Hermione. And I got cast out of my lineage because of it."
Hermione stopped dead on her tracks. Draco just stood there, watching her reaction. Did she just hear what she heard? Draco Malfoy refused to be a deatheater?
"I. I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. You probably don't even believe me."
"I. I believe you."
Draco's eyes widened. "You believe me?"
"Yes, I do." Hermione reached for Draco's hand and held it tightly. "I'm proud of you, Draco." She then stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.
Draco just stood there, immobile. Hermione started to walk again, leaving Draco behind, smiling to herself. "Draco, come on!" she called out on her back.
After realizing what had happened, Draco turned around and ran to keep up with Hermione. He walked beside her, smiling as well.
Draco's expression changed again. "Father's keeping mother locked at the manor. I want to save her, get her out of there, but the whole place is protected by Dark Magic."
Hermione was aghast when she heard it. But she knew the best she could do for him was to be strong herself. "Don't worry, Draco. I'm sure you'll find a way to rescue her. I know she'll be okay," she said, once again reaching for his hand.
They reached the front of her house, and they were shocked to see the person who was waiting by the porch. It was Harry. And his eyes darted from Hermione, to Draco, and to their hands locked together.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
"I think I have to go," Ron said standing up. "I'll see you guys tomorrow," he added before apparating.
"Harry, aren't you happy for me?" Hermione stood up as well. It was getting obvious that Harry didn't like the news at all.
"Hermione, if you go to Harvard, then we'll be separated. I can't bear to live away from you," Harry said as he reached for Hermione's hands and held them with his.
"But Harry, I'm not even sure yet if I really will be accepted. I just said that I have a great chance, but still we'll never know. I mean, Harvard is a tough school," Hermione was trying to smile to him.
"Still it doesn't make a difference. I can't believe you didn't tell me first before making a decision," Harry said, letting go of her stands, and turning his back on her.
"Harry, I thought you would understand. I actually thought you'd be happy for me," Hermione spoke, touching his shoulder.
Harry turned around. "I am happy for you. But I also can't allow you to leave me."
"I'm not going to leave you, Harry. If you want, you can even live with me there," Hermione said, trying hard to make him understand.
"I can't, I have Quidditch here," Harry said, turning his head to the game.
"That's exactly my point. Just because we are together doesn't mean we can live our own lives as individuals. We also have our separate dreams, Harry. You want to play Quidditch in the World Cup, and I want to go to college."
Harry turned his head to her. "You can't go."
"What?"
"I'm not allowing you to go," Harry repeated.
"You don't run my life, Harry. You can't make decisions for me. What would you do if tell you not to play Quidditch?"
"It's different."
"What's different?"
"Quidditch is part of who I am, it's something I need to do."
"And don't you think this is something I need to do as well?"
"I think of it as something you want to do." "I don't understand you, Harry." Hermione turned around and ran away. Harry was surprised at what she did, but he decided not to follow her. He just sat on the bench, replaying their conversation on his mind. *I also don't understand myself, Hermione,* Harry told himself while burying his hands on his hair.
***
Hermione kept on running as she went down the stands. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she didn't care of what was happening around her. Several people who saw her running wondered why she was crying. Heads turned around as she rushed past them. She really wasn't sure of where to go. She just kept on running and running until she bumped on someone. "Oh, sorry." Looking up through her teary eyes to see who it was. "Draco?"
"Hermione, what happened?" Draco cupped her face with his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs.
Hermione was so overwhelmed in emotion that she unexpectedly wrapped her arms around Draco and continued crying on his chest. Draco held her tightly, resting his chin on her head, not wanting to let go. They stood like that for so long, that Draco worried Hermione would run out of tears. Finally Hermione stopped sobbing and Draco released her from his embrace. "Hermione, please tell me what happened."
"Harry and I had a misunderstanding. I just couldn't take it anymore," she said, wiping her tears.
"What did you fight about?"
Hermione lead Draco behind the stands and explained everything to him. Draco couldn't believe that Harry acted so selfishly. He had always hated Harry ever since he turned him down to be a friend in their first year at Hogwarts. But still Draco knew Harry was a man of honor and worthy of respect. But now he has doubts respecting him.
They sitted there, backs rested on the wall, just talking. Hermione tried to forget what happened, hoping that Harry will eventually let her go. The problem is, she still loves Harry, and she also wants to go to Harvard, which leaves her with a dilemma of which to choose.
"Do you love him?" Draco asked.
"Yes, I do," Hermione answered right away.
"Does he love you?"
"I think so. Why are you asking me this?"
"Because if he loves you then he will not think twice of letting you go. If he has faith in your relationship then he won't think a certain distance would destroy it."
Hermione looked him in the eye. "Are you trying to tell me that Harry doesn't love me?"
"No. I'm trying to say that he might just be confused of what he is feeling."
"Confused with what? Confused if he really loves me?"
"Confused if he should let you go and risk the stability of your relationship."
"He's afraid that the distance might break our connection and we might eventually break up?"
"Something like that."
"But I won't let that happen. I have faith in us and I know that we can make it no matter how far we are apart. You said it yourself."
"Well it's not your faith I'm questioning."
"What then?"
"It's his."
***
After much thinking, Harry finally decided to talk to Hermione and settle their dispute. He still wasn't sure if it was okay with him for her to study at Harvard. It was definitely miles away from London, and thinking that she would be away from him that far makes him feel uncomfortable.
He left the stands and found that there were only three people on the line. The Quidditch game on the other side of the playing field has stopped and there were only a very few people left all in all. Harry approached his coach to ask if he had seen Hermione.
"Coach!" Harry called out.
"Harry! I didn't think you'd still be here. Do you need something?"
"Actually, I'd like to ask if you've seen Hermione."
"Who's Hermione? Ah, your girlfriend! Sorry, kid, didn't see her."
"Oh I see, thanks anyway."
Harry was about to leave when he overheard the conversation between two players.
"Did you see her? She was crying. I bet she had a fight with Harry Potter. I wonder whose fault it was."
Harry couldn't help himself so he approached the two men. Upon seeing him, they right away backed off. "Relax, I won't do anything to you. Have you two seen Hermione?"
The two men looked at each other then the taller one spoke. "We saw her running towards the back of the stands."
"Thanks." Harry had started to leave when he turned around and called out to the both of them, "By the way, it was my fault."
Harry made his way to the back of the stands and when he was near, he heard the sound of two people kissing. Several images of Hermione and another guy flashed to his mind. Harry clenched his fist and when he finally emerged, he saw, much to his relief that it wasn't Hermione. It was a different girl and a different guy. Harry apologized for interrupting and decided to go to Hermione's house instead.
***
Draco and Hermione were walking on the side of the street on Hermione's neighborhood. Draco had volunteered to walk Hermione home and Hermione unresistingly agreed. They turned a corner to Hermione's street and Hermione noticed Draco hadn't spoken ever since they left the Quidditch field.
"Do you think Harry doesn't trust me?" Hermione asked.
Draco stopped walking, which caused Hermione to halt as well. He looked intently at her for a few seconds, then began walking again. Hermione followed him.
"Why do you say that?" Draco finally answered.
"Because you said a while ago that you are questioning his faith in our relationship."
"Trust and faith are two different things."
"But they are similar when related to love."
Draco stopped again and turned to Hermione. "Are you really sure that he loves you?"
"Yes."
"Then you have nothing to worry about. He'll come to his senses. Love won't allow him to be foolish."
"But isn't love sometimes the reason why people do foolish things?"
Draco started to walk again. "Nothing done out of love is foolish, Hermione. Nothing."
Hermione noticed they were nearing her house. So she decided to ask the one question she has been dying to ask him ever since she saw her again in the stands. "Draco, what happened to you?"
Draco just kept on walking. "What are you talking about?"
"You've changed. You're not the Draco I used to know. I'm even able to talk to you now." "A lot of things have changed in my life. But I think the answer lies in the fact that I refused to surrender to my father's will."
"What do you mean?"
"I refused to be a deatheater, Hermione. And I got cast out of my lineage because of it."
Hermione stopped dead on her tracks. Draco just stood there, watching her reaction. Did she just hear what she heard? Draco Malfoy refused to be a deatheater?
"I. I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. You probably don't even believe me."
"I. I believe you."
Draco's eyes widened. "You believe me?"
"Yes, I do." Hermione reached for Draco's hand and held it tightly. "I'm proud of you, Draco." She then stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.
Draco just stood there, immobile. Hermione started to walk again, leaving Draco behind, smiling to herself. "Draco, come on!" she called out on her back.
After realizing what had happened, Draco turned around and ran to keep up with Hermione. He walked beside her, smiling as well.
Draco's expression changed again. "Father's keeping mother locked at the manor. I want to save her, get her out of there, but the whole place is protected by Dark Magic."
Hermione was aghast when she heard it. But she knew the best she could do for him was to be strong herself. "Don't worry, Draco. I'm sure you'll find a way to rescue her. I know she'll be okay," she said, once again reaching for his hand.
They reached the front of her house, and they were shocked to see the person who was waiting by the porch. It was Harry. And his eyes darted from Hermione, to Draco, and to their hands locked together.