Chapter Five
I sat in silence in the Slytherin Common Room. It was nearly 10:45, and the large circular room was slowly emptying. I watched the remaining scattered students with no particular interest. Most of them were studying or reading and a few were quietly conversing with one another. I reclined slightly, closing my eyes. Thoughts of doubt and reservation ran through my mind. Was this really the way things should go? Was it too soon to move in on Hermione? I didn't know. I would just have to wait until 11:30, when I would find out.
I lifted my head just enough to check my watch. 11:00. I needed to leave, especially since I wanted to arrive before Hermione did. I glanced at the other students in the room. Only a few were left, and they all were too absorbed in their work to notice my leaving.
I quietly walked over to the ladder that lead up to the Hogwarts dungeons and quickly climbed. I opened the heavy wooden door and stepped out into the cold stone corridor. I took the familiar turns and doorways to find myself in front of the Grand Staircase. I still had fifteen minutes to spare. I noiselessly ran up the stairs, praying desperately any teachers, prefects and especially Peeves were all in some other part of the castle. I entered the nearby Transfiguration classroom, pleased to see Hermione had not yet arrived.
I checked my watch. 11:25. She would be here any minute. I was reviewing what I was about to say to her when I heard muffled footsteps outside the door. The door swung open, revealing Hermione's dark silhouette. She apparently hadn't realized that I was in the furthest and darkest corner of the room as she stepped further into the shadows.
I silently reached out and touched her gently on the shoulder. "Hello Hermione," I said slowly. She gasped and turned around only to find me staring right back at her.
"You!" she breathed, "What do you want? You were the one? What? How---?"
"Shhhh," I soothed, and pressed a calming finger to her lips. "I have something to tell you." All Hermione could do was nod and press her back up against the wall silently. I took the opportunity of her silence to kiss her gently on her soft lips, and place my hands tenderly on her hips, but, it appeared that this was too much for her to handle. She violently turned her head and pushed me away. She took about three steps toward the door and turned around to face me again.
"I wanted to tell you," I began, "that I love you."
"What?" She exclaimed, "You what?!"
"I love you, and have loved you since the day I met you," I continued to lie. The words I spoke put a feeling quite the opposite of love into my heart. Even so, I crossed the room to where she stood and placed my hands on the wall on each side of her and kissed her again. This kiss was not quite so gentle and supple anymore. I kissed her more passionately than before, and this time, she did not pull away so suddenly. When the short kiss ended, she gazed into my eyes. Her eyes were not full of hate, yet not full of love either. They were filled with fear. Before I could say another word, she turned and left me standing alone in the empty classroom.
I sat in silence in the Slytherin Common Room. It was nearly 10:45, and the large circular room was slowly emptying. I watched the remaining scattered students with no particular interest. Most of them were studying or reading and a few were quietly conversing with one another. I reclined slightly, closing my eyes. Thoughts of doubt and reservation ran through my mind. Was this really the way things should go? Was it too soon to move in on Hermione? I didn't know. I would just have to wait until 11:30, when I would find out.
I lifted my head just enough to check my watch. 11:00. I needed to leave, especially since I wanted to arrive before Hermione did. I glanced at the other students in the room. Only a few were left, and they all were too absorbed in their work to notice my leaving.
I quietly walked over to the ladder that lead up to the Hogwarts dungeons and quickly climbed. I opened the heavy wooden door and stepped out into the cold stone corridor. I took the familiar turns and doorways to find myself in front of the Grand Staircase. I still had fifteen minutes to spare. I noiselessly ran up the stairs, praying desperately any teachers, prefects and especially Peeves were all in some other part of the castle. I entered the nearby Transfiguration classroom, pleased to see Hermione had not yet arrived.
I checked my watch. 11:25. She would be here any minute. I was reviewing what I was about to say to her when I heard muffled footsteps outside the door. The door swung open, revealing Hermione's dark silhouette. She apparently hadn't realized that I was in the furthest and darkest corner of the room as she stepped further into the shadows.
I silently reached out and touched her gently on the shoulder. "Hello Hermione," I said slowly. She gasped and turned around only to find me staring right back at her.
"You!" she breathed, "What do you want? You were the one? What? How---?"
"Shhhh," I soothed, and pressed a calming finger to her lips. "I have something to tell you." All Hermione could do was nod and press her back up against the wall silently. I took the opportunity of her silence to kiss her gently on her soft lips, and place my hands tenderly on her hips, but, it appeared that this was too much for her to handle. She violently turned her head and pushed me away. She took about three steps toward the door and turned around to face me again.
"I wanted to tell you," I began, "that I love you."
"What?" She exclaimed, "You what?!"
"I love you, and have loved you since the day I met you," I continued to lie. The words I spoke put a feeling quite the opposite of love into my heart. Even so, I crossed the room to where she stood and placed my hands on the wall on each side of her and kissed her again. This kiss was not quite so gentle and supple anymore. I kissed her more passionately than before, and this time, she did not pull away so suddenly. When the short kiss ended, she gazed into my eyes. Her eyes were not full of hate, yet not full of love either. They were filled with fear. Before I could say another word, she turned and left me standing alone in the empty classroom.