Wrongs
Tabby couldn't sleep. She had conjured beds for everyone, and all the supplies they needed. She sighed, it was all very well knowing what you were supposed to do, but actually doing it was a different matter. She could hear the deep breathing of the others, signifying they were all asleep. "If only they knew," thought Tabby.
She glanced over to Harry's sleeping outline. Poor boy. If only he knew what was coming for him. She looked over to where Ron and Hermione were laying, closely together. Tabby smiled at this sight, they would soon be together and all would be right. Then she turned towards Draco. What was it about this 'slimy Slytherin' that she just couldn't get out of her head? She had only flirted with him to get him to care enough so he would patch things up with Harry. That was all she was supposed to do. So then why was it more than that? As she watched Draco's outline stirred. His eyes flickered open and came to rest on hers. He smiled.
"Can't you sleep Kitty?" he asked.
"Obviously not."
"Come here," said Draco, patting the bed beside him. Unsure of what to do, Tabby moved over to his bed and perched right on the edge.
"So," began Draco, "I'm assuming that you're not going to blast us out of here?"
Tabby smiled, she knew Draco would understand what she was really capable of, "no Draco. It makes my job easier if you sort it all out, and being in here is convenient for that."
"Well, I promised I would sort it out didn't I?"
It was at that moment, that Tabby allowed herself to admit what was wrong with her. She was in love. Bugger. Draco was watching Tabby and he saw the comprehension dawn in her eyes. He took her by the shoulders and pulled her close to him. She had no power to stop him, and when his lips met hers she allowed herself to be taken in by him. The kiss seemed never- ending, and when Draco finally pulled away, he realised she was crying. Silent tears running down her pale cheeks.
"What's the matter Tabby?"
"It's nothing Draco."
"Oh come on, was that so bad?"
"No, but it shouldn't have happened."
"Why not?"
"Because I shouldn't feel like this about you. It's not what I'm supposed to do."
"Let me guess, you're supposed to get with Harry?"
"Yes," her voice was nothing but a whisper.
"Doesn't what you want count for anything?"
"No," she said sadly, "I just have to do what I'm told."
"But that's not fair."
"I know."
"I love you." The words hit Tabby like a bucket of ice-cold water over the head. He loved her? It was worse than she had thought. How had it gone so wrong? She choked back tears, and said, "I love you too Draco."
He took her in his arms and cradled her. She let him rock her, trying to comfort her. She buried her head in his chest and tired to stop the tears from flowing. When Draco's deep breathing had returned, Tabby moved back over to her bed and let the tears run freely down her cheeks.
Hermione had been lying awake for some time thinking about what Tabby had said. Was she really the world's greatest witch? Well she was related to Dumbledore, and she had known about her and Ron. Did that really prove anything though? Hermione could tell that Tabby was still awake, and so forced herself to breath deeply. She admitted that she believed her, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to be friends with her yet. She watched as Tabby shifted her gaze around the other occupants in the room, finally resting on Draco.
Hermione jumped when Draco said, "Can't you sleep Kitty?" It took Hermione a moment to realise who he was talking to. She had never heard such compassion in his voice. It was like he was a completely different person. She was gripped by the conversation that Tabby and Draco had. It shocked her at how sensitive Draco had been. Maybe he wasn't really a monster after all. It also proved to Hermione that Tabby hadn't lied when she said she had only wanted to be friends with Harry. When Tabby moved back over to her own bed, Hermione felt the greatest need to go over and comfort her. She wasn't that bad really was she? And she was only doing what she was told.
"Tabby," said Hermione gently in a small voice. Tabby hastily wiped away her tears.
"Yeah?"
"Are you OK?"
"Yes I am fine thank you." Hermione moved over to Tabby's bed and sat down beside it.
"I heard the conversation and I heard you crying. I know you're not OK, or fine. Do you want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing much to say really is there? I'm not supposed to love him. You probably can't even see why I do."
"I heard how he talks to you. He is a different person from the one I know."
"He's never been nasty to me. He's not a bad person you know. He just has to live up to his father's reputation. He doesn't even agree with what his father does. He's so relieved he's in jail."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing I can do. Not a thing. I just have to push my feelings aside and do what I have to."
"Which is get with Harry?"
"Apparently. It's not that I don't like him, he seems like a great guy, but in a great friend kinda way."
"Yeah I know." And Hermione knew. She fully understood Tabby for the first time. She could see that she was great. She could see that her job was a struggle. Hermione had been jealous. She hated to admit it, even to herself. She had felt threatened that Tabby was going to be a better student than she was. The truth is Tabby couldn't help being better. She had been educated since before she could walk. She was meant to be better.
"I'm sorry I was so horrid to you."
"That's OK. I'm sorry you felt that I was raining on your parade. I couldn't help it."
After that night there was an unspoken understanding between Hermione and Tabby. They weren't by any means best friends. But they had leant to have a mutual respect for each other.
Tabby couldn't sleep. She had conjured beds for everyone, and all the supplies they needed. She sighed, it was all very well knowing what you were supposed to do, but actually doing it was a different matter. She could hear the deep breathing of the others, signifying they were all asleep. "If only they knew," thought Tabby.
She glanced over to Harry's sleeping outline. Poor boy. If only he knew what was coming for him. She looked over to where Ron and Hermione were laying, closely together. Tabby smiled at this sight, they would soon be together and all would be right. Then she turned towards Draco. What was it about this 'slimy Slytherin' that she just couldn't get out of her head? She had only flirted with him to get him to care enough so he would patch things up with Harry. That was all she was supposed to do. So then why was it more than that? As she watched Draco's outline stirred. His eyes flickered open and came to rest on hers. He smiled.
"Can't you sleep Kitty?" he asked.
"Obviously not."
"Come here," said Draco, patting the bed beside him. Unsure of what to do, Tabby moved over to his bed and perched right on the edge.
"So," began Draco, "I'm assuming that you're not going to blast us out of here?"
Tabby smiled, she knew Draco would understand what she was really capable of, "no Draco. It makes my job easier if you sort it all out, and being in here is convenient for that."
"Well, I promised I would sort it out didn't I?"
It was at that moment, that Tabby allowed herself to admit what was wrong with her. She was in love. Bugger. Draco was watching Tabby and he saw the comprehension dawn in her eyes. He took her by the shoulders and pulled her close to him. She had no power to stop him, and when his lips met hers she allowed herself to be taken in by him. The kiss seemed never- ending, and when Draco finally pulled away, he realised she was crying. Silent tears running down her pale cheeks.
"What's the matter Tabby?"
"It's nothing Draco."
"Oh come on, was that so bad?"
"No, but it shouldn't have happened."
"Why not?"
"Because I shouldn't feel like this about you. It's not what I'm supposed to do."
"Let me guess, you're supposed to get with Harry?"
"Yes," her voice was nothing but a whisper.
"Doesn't what you want count for anything?"
"No," she said sadly, "I just have to do what I'm told."
"But that's not fair."
"I know."
"I love you." The words hit Tabby like a bucket of ice-cold water over the head. He loved her? It was worse than she had thought. How had it gone so wrong? She choked back tears, and said, "I love you too Draco."
He took her in his arms and cradled her. She let him rock her, trying to comfort her. She buried her head in his chest and tired to stop the tears from flowing. When Draco's deep breathing had returned, Tabby moved back over to her bed and let the tears run freely down her cheeks.
Hermione had been lying awake for some time thinking about what Tabby had said. Was she really the world's greatest witch? Well she was related to Dumbledore, and she had known about her and Ron. Did that really prove anything though? Hermione could tell that Tabby was still awake, and so forced herself to breath deeply. She admitted that she believed her, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to be friends with her yet. She watched as Tabby shifted her gaze around the other occupants in the room, finally resting on Draco.
Hermione jumped when Draco said, "Can't you sleep Kitty?" It took Hermione a moment to realise who he was talking to. She had never heard such compassion in his voice. It was like he was a completely different person. She was gripped by the conversation that Tabby and Draco had. It shocked her at how sensitive Draco had been. Maybe he wasn't really a monster after all. It also proved to Hermione that Tabby hadn't lied when she said she had only wanted to be friends with Harry. When Tabby moved back over to her own bed, Hermione felt the greatest need to go over and comfort her. She wasn't that bad really was she? And she was only doing what she was told.
"Tabby," said Hermione gently in a small voice. Tabby hastily wiped away her tears.
"Yeah?"
"Are you OK?"
"Yes I am fine thank you." Hermione moved over to Tabby's bed and sat down beside it.
"I heard the conversation and I heard you crying. I know you're not OK, or fine. Do you want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing much to say really is there? I'm not supposed to love him. You probably can't even see why I do."
"I heard how he talks to you. He is a different person from the one I know."
"He's never been nasty to me. He's not a bad person you know. He just has to live up to his father's reputation. He doesn't even agree with what his father does. He's so relieved he's in jail."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing I can do. Not a thing. I just have to push my feelings aside and do what I have to."
"Which is get with Harry?"
"Apparently. It's not that I don't like him, he seems like a great guy, but in a great friend kinda way."
"Yeah I know." And Hermione knew. She fully understood Tabby for the first time. She could see that she was great. She could see that her job was a struggle. Hermione had been jealous. She hated to admit it, even to herself. She had felt threatened that Tabby was going to be a better student than she was. The truth is Tabby couldn't help being better. She had been educated since before she could walk. She was meant to be better.
"I'm sorry I was so horrid to you."
"That's OK. I'm sorry you felt that I was raining on your parade. I couldn't help it."
After that night there was an unspoken understanding between Hermione and Tabby. They weren't by any means best friends. But they had leant to have a mutual respect for each other.
