A/N: Wow I take it a few of you fell for my The End there.. muwahahaha!! Anyways... I was re-reading the whole fic yesterday and what the hell – I really don't see what you people see in this story, but I think it SUCKS! ASS!
Yeah man lol JUST TO TELL YOU... like, three of those quotes back there- I got from a quote somewhere something something... So if you realised a quote that sounds real smart and quotish, it's not mine, cuz my quotes are stupid. Daniel Beddingfield, hell yeah I got that quote!
I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!!! ....Except the plot.
LynXKitty: You took the hint pretty well. Ha, oh I dunno maybe? You have to read on and find out if your theory's true.
Fulldark: Yeah I know! Hermione's being an asshole. But that's how she thinks is for the best. I hope I didn't make her too 'out of character'. Anyways, thanks a lot for reviewing!
Hanna: No no no problem at all!! Review all you want!!!!
BodyChocolate: LoL! Yeah it would've been wouldn't it? Yeah I'm like you...but I like the sappy endings sometimes except I prefer the cliffer hangers. Sequal? Hmm.. I MAY CONSIDER IT! (You hear that kids?!!?) But unfortunatley, the story's not done ...YET!
Dopey: Hehe, yes ... I don't have a life that's why.
Chickadee77: I congratulate you for being the first one to fall for it- hahaha.
And as to the rest of you- Thank you for pretending my story's good :)
I love you all.
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Chapter 26: Him
Hermione sat blankly on her bed early that morning. She ran her fingers through her brown hair and took a deep breath.
It had been a month since she'd seen him. It had been a month since he sent letters. Yet...she didn't know why she still felt empty.
She didn't care anymore. Bullshit...it was all bullshit to her. Why does she feel like she wanted more of his letters? Why does she tell herself that nothing matters anymore, but though she can't stop thinking about it?
Hermione never told Ginny, Harry or Ron what happened during his Christmas party, no matter how many times they asked. But it was obvious the three knew what was going on, for Hermione wasn't seeing him anymore, or whenever they'd bring up the subject, Hermione would keep quiet.
Everything was drifting away...
Hermione acted like she never liked him. She acted like he never changed at all, she acted like she never accepted him...she acted like she never knew him...
So many regrets...
Hermione hated to think about it. Though she understood that he apologized so many times, and many times she's considered the fact that 'it was just a kiss'. But she couldn't...she just couldn't stop regretting the fact that she had opened her heart to him, cared...accepted him. Yet she suffered pain and heartbreak. All these lies...she hates lies..she hates fake excuses, and she doesn't like when people treat her like she's nothing but "that girl". She knew she was more than just "that girl"...
She couldn't take it...
Nobody understood her... she acted like nothing's wrong by hiding all the suffering inside of her. Although, she did keep her word...and smiled.
It wasn't the wonderful smile Hermione used to carry. It wasn't the joyous smile and the fun-loving smile Hermione. It was a deserted smile...hollow and abandoned. It was lacking something...needing something...it needed love.
She wasn't afraid to go to Diagon Alley with her friends anymore though. She was only reluctant.
--
Ginny looked at the quiet Hermione with sorry eyes. She tried and comforted Hermione ...tried... it never worked. Why? That's a big mystery to her friends.
"Why don't we try the ice cream shop, hm?" Ron wrapped his arms around his friend and pulled her chin up. Hermione forced out a smile. That smile...
Harry and Ginny frowned as they walked in the shop. No more happy conversations... her friends felt too bad for her. No matter how hard they tried, Hermione just forced herself to smile. Her heart walked away, replaced with a cold, uncaring heart.
Will she ever love again?
"No, that's alright. Maybe-" she replied, "I'll go take a walk."
"We'll come with you" Harry said gently, but Hermione shook her head.
"I think...I think I'll go by myself."
Her friends hesitated for a while, giving each other anxious looks, but agreed. Anything to make her happy.
As she walked along the paths of Diagon Alley, looking around the trees until something...something so unfamiliar caught Hermione's eye. She hung her head and squinted as she passed it. She stopped for a moment and looked right at a large tree.
A date was carved on the bark- Hermione realised that writing... she tried to remember when the date was, when suddenly it hit her. Where else would he have brought that box of chocolate he had sent her a month ago?
Hermione let out a small gasp as she noticed what was carved below it.
D.M + H.G
Won't give up...
And below that, was a small arrow. She raised a brow. Of course! But...
Tears were forming in her eyes again. No, no, no... She can't cry again. Not now. Not here. She hasn't cried for days... she chose emptyness over cry. She looked around for somewhere to sit then headed towards the nearest bench. She breathed deeply again as she sat down on the chair, looking back at the tree.
But- why? 'Won't give up..'? What the hell did that mean?
She slowly walked up to the tree again and realised where the arrow had pointed. She walked curiously towards the next tree and realised the same familiar writing. One simple word was carved on it:
Forgive.
She straightened herself up, pushing the tears back in her eyes. Don't be such a crybaby, she thought to herself. This was so long ago...
And then again, another arrow. Hermione walked curiously up to another large tree and gazed at the word carved there.
Fate.
No way he wrote this. She didn't see the point. She's wasting her time! She wanted to ignore where the arrow pointed to but she couldn't... she wanted to see.
She strolled along to the next tree and her expression was incogneto.
Destiny.
Hermione couldn't find an arrow to this one. No, she is defenitly wasting her time. This is stupid. She sighed exasperatedly, turned her heel to leave, when she found herself face to face with an empty store.
Wait a second...
Hermione's jaw dropped when she saw the store. That store. That same vacant store, her and him stayed in during the rain. The same vacant store where they had- the incident.
Before any thoughts crossed her mind, Hermione had darted towards the ice cream shop to meet her friends. Useless. Screw the stupid walk.
--
Hermione forced herself, and shrugged off this odd day. She sat in silence on her couch, with Crookshanks by her side, eating ice cream. Food always drove the stress away...
She was about to turn her 'television' on when she heard a loud crack coming from her fireplace.
"What the-"
She turned to her fireplace and jumped as she saw a funny-looking—
"Darla!?" Hermione kneeled down on the floor, leveling her head to see the funny-looking serious house-elf. "What- what are you doing?"
"All apologies for interupting with Miss Hermione Granger's plans, miss. But Darla is worried, young ma'am. Darla is very worried!" the tiny house-elf told Hermione, giving her nervous looks.
"Why are you worried? What's happened?"
"Darla has come to a decision to reach you, Miss Hermione Granger. Darla has come to ask whether Master is there at your residence, young miss?"
Hermione gave her a weird look, "What do you mean? I haven't seen 'your Master' anywhere, for a long time."
Darla grew more panicked, "Y-you have not s-seen Master Draco anywhere? Miss? Not contacted, Master, either, miss?"
Hermione didn't speak. "Miss Hermione Granger! Master has been gone for three days, young ma'am. Darla has not been informed. Darla is worried a lot, miss Hermione Granger. I have thought he had visited you-"
"No. I'm sorry, Darla. Maybe he's gone to Pannsyyyyyy's big rich and large mansion." Hermione rolled her eyes. Darla frowned.
"Master loath, miss Parkinson, miss Hermione Granger. Master Draco says her name in hatred. Oh so he shudders. He tells me stories, lots about Miss Hermione Granger, much. He sayses he misses young damsel. Master mentions lots of good things about you- but Master just vanished three days ago, miss. Master Draco never tells Darla what he's up to!" Darla was looking worried indeed. Hermione had to help the poor thing... not for him but for Darla.
"Is there anyone else there with you?"
"Nobody. None at all, young miss! Darla is all alone in the Manor, when Master Draco left three days ago. Darla is very worried!"
"Well..." Hermione thought for a moment, "Hang in there, Darla. I'm on my way."
Hermione grabbed her wand and summoned food for Crookshanks in his bowl.
Crap, she thought. No more Floo Powder! How will she get to Diagon Alley without Floo? There was only one way... to apparate.
Of course, her and her friends passed the Apparition test but they weren't quite sure how far of a distance Malfoy's new mansion was. She, Hermione, wasn't so sure either...
I gotta take the risk... she thought, for Darla.
She closed her eyes, wand clutched on her hands and concentrated-
--
"Oh, hello! Hello, how Darla is nice to meet you, young Miss Hermione Granger!" Darla cried excitedly, "Will you help Darla, find young Master, miss?"
The good thing was, Hermione had apparated successfully. But the bad thing was... in a place where she least expected it.
Hermione pulled herself out of Draco's closet and tried not to look around. Darla plopped herself on Draco's bed, fidgeting with her thumbs as she looked at the floor worriedly.
"Don't worry, we'll find him." She sat beside Darla and put her hand on her shoulder. Darla's large eyes twinkled as she looked up at Hermione. Darla wasn't rugged like Dobby, she was nicely dressed, like a maid – but not human. Hermione wondered...if he ever tried to set her free?
Darla ran out of the room, muttering about how rude she was not to make some tea. Hermione was about to follow her when something caught her eye. She walked up to Draco's dresser and picked up a large wooden box she always wondered about. He always said he'll show her some day 'when he's ready'. What could this be...what could possibly keep Draco to be so shy of showing Hermione?
She opened the box and noticed a bunch of letters neatly folded inside. They were her letters...he kept them...all along...
Beside the large wooden box was his green sweater- untouched... neatly folded. Folded in the way Hermione always folded...
A voice made Hermione jump.
"Oh, hello Darla."
The little creature was peering through the doorway. "Come downstairs, young miss. Darla has prepared tea for you, Miss Hermione Granger."
'I'll...I'll be right down Darla" Hermione forced another one of her smiles and followed downstairs.
--
Hermione sipped her tea, while thinking...
A few minutes later, Darla had come in the kitchen with an envelope in her hands. "Miss Hermione Granger! Look what Darla has found a post lying outside, young miss!" she handed the letter to Hermione, who curiously looked at it – St. Mungo's Hospital for the Magical Maladies and Injuries.