I Can Feel It In My Heart
Chapter Six
"Harry," Ron's voice said quietly, "what did she say?"
They were walking around the Quidditch Pitch; it was right after the Quidditch practice. They meant to get in Hagrid's cabin, but Ron stopped suddenly, and so did Harry.
Harry looked at his best friend for a moment, then looked away.
"She doesn't feel it, does she?" Ron said.
Harry looked at him; Ron's face was twitched and painful. Harry bit his lip and nodded.
"Why?" Ron said savagely, his eyes burning, his face hot red. "Because I'm not rich?"
"You know it's not the reason," said Harry quietly.
"Then what IS the reason?" Ron shouted. He was becoming so angry, Harry was slightly scared. "Why doesn't she love me? Because my family is too big for her? Because I'm related to Percy? Because my grades are not as good as hers?"
"Nobody's grades are as good as Hermione's," said Harry patiently.
"Does she love someone else?" Ron asked furiously.
"I don't know."
"Why didn't you ask her, then?!"
"I didn't have time, Seamus announced it was time for Quidditch practice," Harry explained.
Ron was staring angrily at the sky. Harry tried to find words to comfort him, but couldn't.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hermione..." Draco whispered.
Hermione's eyes opened and she stared into Draco's face.
"Why are you closing your eyes?"
"This just feels so good..." Hermione breathed. They were sitting in one of the empty classrooms. Hermione had locked the door magically so they wouldn't be interrupted. Now Draco was sitting on a desk, his arms around Hermione, who was sitting next to him with her arms around him. They were talking, joking, laughing and kissing a little from time to time.
Hermione put her head on Draco's head.
"Hermione, I want to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Did you tell your friends about our relationship?"
Hermione raised her head immediately. Draco's eyes were staring right into hers; she averted his gaze and looked at the floor.
"You didn't, did you, Hermione?" said Draco, who had understood.
"No," she admitted quietly. "I only told Ginny. Harry and Ron don't know yet."
"But they are your best friends," said Draco, "shouldn't they know?"
"Well... I'm kind of afraid of their reaction."
"How did Ginny react?"
"She was shocked and didn't believe me at first, but when she realized I was serious and that I truly love you and believe you deserved to be loved, she said she could deal with it."
"Am I supposed to take it as a compliment?"
Hermione smiled. "You can take it as a compliment if you want," she said, "but it really bothers me that I can't tell Harry and Ron."
"But if they are your best friends, aren't they supposed to understand you?"
"Yes, they are... it's just that... I'm afraid they won't, because... you see..." she looked at him desperetaly, "Ron's in love with me."
"You're kidding!" Draco said.
"I'm not kidding," said Hermione. "He asked me out."
"And what did you tell him?"
"I told him the truth, that I didn't love him. Later, Harry asked me if I meant that, and I said I did. Ron seems to be very angry these days. He barely talks to me at all."
"It must be difficult for him," said Draco, "totally comprehensible."
"I guess," Hermione sighed. "I just wish he didn't love me; it makes things so difficult."
"You know I'm always here for you."
"I know," she smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "But it's so hard for me to hurt Ron's feelings; I already did, and knowing that I'm in love with sombody else would make it even more difficult for him to comprehend; and I can't even imagine his reaction if I started dationg you in public."
Draco got up and started walking around in the empty classroom. "But it can't go on like this. We can't hide from the whole world, hoping nobody finds us, because one day they will find us." He looked at her. "I'm not ashamed of our relationship, I'm actually proud of it. I don't want to hide it from everyone."
"Me neither," Hermione sighed. "I want everyone to know, believe me, I do! I just can't stand the thought of breaking Ron's heart."
Draco just looked deeply into her eyes, and Hermione knew: Ron deserved to know the truth.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry, I have to tell you something."
Hermione had decided to tell Harry first, because she was certain that his reaction would be less dangerous; however, she could not bring herself to tell him for a long time. Two whole months passed before she finally decided to do it, and during those two months, Draco and her have been hiding all the time, making up excuses to go somewhere alone, desperately trying to hide the truth. It was rather romantic in the beginning; however, later on it became quite irritating. But it wasn't until the beginning of November before Hermione gave up.
It was right before another Hogsmeade trip; Harry and Ginny were just about to leave the Common Room and go for the trip, but Hermione stopped them.
"What is it?" asked Harry.
"It's something really important and private," said Hermione.
"Does it have to be told now?" Harry said, "We were just about to go to..."
"That's why it's the prefect time."
"Come on, Harry," said Ginny, who had understood what was going on after giving Hermione a questioning look and receiving a very meaningful one. Harry shrugged and the three of them went to the back of the Common Room. There were only first- and second-years who haven't gone to Hogsmeade in the room.
"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Well..." Hermione gave Ginny a desperate look, "you're not going to like it, Harry."
"What is it? What happened?"
"Well... you're not going to believe this," Hermione didn't know how to say it.
"Want me to tell him?" Ginny asked softly.
"Tell me what?" Harry looked puzzled.
"Yes, you tell him," Hermione finally said. She was desperate to find a way to make Harry the least angry as possible.
"Harry," Ginny started immediately, almost as she has planned this; Hermione was a bit surprised - "Hermione is in love."
Harry's reaction was so expected that Hermione could predict what he was going to do next: his mouth opened in shock; his eyes widened and he gasped.
"It doesn't have to be such a shock, you know," Hermione said miserably.
"But - but - " Harry sputtered. "But - WHO?"
Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks.
"Umm..."
"It isn't Ron, is it?" said Harry.
"No," said Ginny.
"Who is it then?"
Hermione bit her lip; Ginny said: "You are not going to like this, so please don't scream, we don't want the whole world to know yet. It's Draco Malfoy."
Harry just stared at them for a moment; then he said: "I beg your pardon?"
"Draco Malfoy," Ginny repeated.
"Something must be wrong with my ears," Harry said, rubbing his ears. "I think I got it now. Say it again. Who is Hermione in love with?"
"DRACO MALFOY," said Ginny, growing impatient.
Harry stared at her, then turned to glare at Hermione. "Is that true?"
Hermione nodded; she didn't dare to look at Harry's eyes.
"But - but - HOW?" Harry said, angry and stunned. "I mean - Hermione - this is MALFOY! What are you THINKING?"
"He's not what he used to be!" Hermione cried. "He's changed!"
"Oh sure!" Harry said cynically. "Malfoy has changed? Face it, Hermione, he will never change."
"He has changed!" Hermione insisted. "He's not that arrogant idiot I used to despise. He's now totally different. He is nice and kind and - sensitive."
Harry looked at her angrily. And Hermione knew - as difficult as it was, it would be much harder telling Ron...
Chapter Six
"Harry," Ron's voice said quietly, "what did she say?"
They were walking around the Quidditch Pitch; it was right after the Quidditch practice. They meant to get in Hagrid's cabin, but Ron stopped suddenly, and so did Harry.
Harry looked at his best friend for a moment, then looked away.
"She doesn't feel it, does she?" Ron said.
Harry looked at him; Ron's face was twitched and painful. Harry bit his lip and nodded.
"Why?" Ron said savagely, his eyes burning, his face hot red. "Because I'm not rich?"
"You know it's not the reason," said Harry quietly.
"Then what IS the reason?" Ron shouted. He was becoming so angry, Harry was slightly scared. "Why doesn't she love me? Because my family is too big for her? Because I'm related to Percy? Because my grades are not as good as hers?"
"Nobody's grades are as good as Hermione's," said Harry patiently.
"Does she love someone else?" Ron asked furiously.
"I don't know."
"Why didn't you ask her, then?!"
"I didn't have time, Seamus announced it was time for Quidditch practice," Harry explained.
Ron was staring angrily at the sky. Harry tried to find words to comfort him, but couldn't.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hermione..." Draco whispered.
Hermione's eyes opened and she stared into Draco's face.
"Why are you closing your eyes?"
"This just feels so good..." Hermione breathed. They were sitting in one of the empty classrooms. Hermione had locked the door magically so they wouldn't be interrupted. Now Draco was sitting on a desk, his arms around Hermione, who was sitting next to him with her arms around him. They were talking, joking, laughing and kissing a little from time to time.
Hermione put her head on Draco's head.
"Hermione, I want to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Did you tell your friends about our relationship?"
Hermione raised her head immediately. Draco's eyes were staring right into hers; she averted his gaze and looked at the floor.
"You didn't, did you, Hermione?" said Draco, who had understood.
"No," she admitted quietly. "I only told Ginny. Harry and Ron don't know yet."
"But they are your best friends," said Draco, "shouldn't they know?"
"Well... I'm kind of afraid of their reaction."
"How did Ginny react?"
"She was shocked and didn't believe me at first, but when she realized I was serious and that I truly love you and believe you deserved to be loved, she said she could deal with it."
"Am I supposed to take it as a compliment?"
Hermione smiled. "You can take it as a compliment if you want," she said, "but it really bothers me that I can't tell Harry and Ron."
"But if they are your best friends, aren't they supposed to understand you?"
"Yes, they are... it's just that... I'm afraid they won't, because... you see..." she looked at him desperetaly, "Ron's in love with me."
"You're kidding!" Draco said.
"I'm not kidding," said Hermione. "He asked me out."
"And what did you tell him?"
"I told him the truth, that I didn't love him. Later, Harry asked me if I meant that, and I said I did. Ron seems to be very angry these days. He barely talks to me at all."
"It must be difficult for him," said Draco, "totally comprehensible."
"I guess," Hermione sighed. "I just wish he didn't love me; it makes things so difficult."
"You know I'm always here for you."
"I know," she smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "But it's so hard for me to hurt Ron's feelings; I already did, and knowing that I'm in love with sombody else would make it even more difficult for him to comprehend; and I can't even imagine his reaction if I started dationg you in public."
Draco got up and started walking around in the empty classroom. "But it can't go on like this. We can't hide from the whole world, hoping nobody finds us, because one day they will find us." He looked at her. "I'm not ashamed of our relationship, I'm actually proud of it. I don't want to hide it from everyone."
"Me neither," Hermione sighed. "I want everyone to know, believe me, I do! I just can't stand the thought of breaking Ron's heart."
Draco just looked deeply into her eyes, and Hermione knew: Ron deserved to know the truth.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry, I have to tell you something."
Hermione had decided to tell Harry first, because she was certain that his reaction would be less dangerous; however, she could not bring herself to tell him for a long time. Two whole months passed before she finally decided to do it, and during those two months, Draco and her have been hiding all the time, making up excuses to go somewhere alone, desperately trying to hide the truth. It was rather romantic in the beginning; however, later on it became quite irritating. But it wasn't until the beginning of November before Hermione gave up.
It was right before another Hogsmeade trip; Harry and Ginny were just about to leave the Common Room and go for the trip, but Hermione stopped them.
"What is it?" asked Harry.
"It's something really important and private," said Hermione.
"Does it have to be told now?" Harry said, "We were just about to go to..."
"That's why it's the prefect time."
"Come on, Harry," said Ginny, who had understood what was going on after giving Hermione a questioning look and receiving a very meaningful one. Harry shrugged and the three of them went to the back of the Common Room. There were only first- and second-years who haven't gone to Hogsmeade in the room.
"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Well..." Hermione gave Ginny a desperate look, "you're not going to like it, Harry."
"What is it? What happened?"
"Well... you're not going to believe this," Hermione didn't know how to say it.
"Want me to tell him?" Ginny asked softly.
"Tell me what?" Harry looked puzzled.
"Yes, you tell him," Hermione finally said. She was desperate to find a way to make Harry the least angry as possible.
"Harry," Ginny started immediately, almost as she has planned this; Hermione was a bit surprised - "Hermione is in love."
Harry's reaction was so expected that Hermione could predict what he was going to do next: his mouth opened in shock; his eyes widened and he gasped.
"It doesn't have to be such a shock, you know," Hermione said miserably.
"But - but - " Harry sputtered. "But - WHO?"
Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks.
"Umm..."
"It isn't Ron, is it?" said Harry.
"No," said Ginny.
"Who is it then?"
Hermione bit her lip; Ginny said: "You are not going to like this, so please don't scream, we don't want the whole world to know yet. It's Draco Malfoy."
Harry just stared at them for a moment; then he said: "I beg your pardon?"
"Draco Malfoy," Ginny repeated.
"Something must be wrong with my ears," Harry said, rubbing his ears. "I think I got it now. Say it again. Who is Hermione in love with?"
"DRACO MALFOY," said Ginny, growing impatient.
Harry stared at her, then turned to glare at Hermione. "Is that true?"
Hermione nodded; she didn't dare to look at Harry's eyes.
"But - but - HOW?" Harry said, angry and stunned. "I mean - Hermione - this is MALFOY! What are you THINKING?"
"He's not what he used to be!" Hermione cried. "He's changed!"
"Oh sure!" Harry said cynically. "Malfoy has changed? Face it, Hermione, he will never change."
"He has changed!" Hermione insisted. "He's not that arrogant idiot I used to despise. He's now totally different. He is nice and kind and - sensitive."
Harry looked at her angrily. And Hermione knew - as difficult as it was, it would be much harder telling Ron...