Here is a really long one! Hope you guys are enjoying your holidays if you're on them!
Disclaimer: Oh, but of course! I do NOT own Harry Potter!
The Fine Line Between Love and Hate
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CHAPTER 5: DO NOT CONFESS
Draco stood patiently outside the Ministry of Magic Head Auror's office. On the door it read 'Connor O'Mara' in gold letters which for some reason, gave him an unpleasant feeling. He supposed he felt that way when he had met the man a few minutes ago where he had asked to see Potter.
The man had been young, about in his early twenties, and had the sort of arrogance that Draco had once admired in another person before he realised what a stupid quality it was.
"Malfoy?" Potter's confused voice drew his attention to the doorway of one of the offices. He looked as normal as he always did, like nothing had changed.
"Hello Potter." Draco said causally.
"What are you doing here?" He asked lightly, walking over. Draco smiled.
"Just thought I'd drop in for a chat." He said mildly. Potter pulled a face.
"A chat? Really..." He wasn't fooled, "Can you get straight to the point please, I'm really busy."
"You're always busy, so no matter what I say or how long I take to say something you're always going to be busy doing something." Draco pointed out. Harry rolled his eyes.
"And maybe I'm just always busy because I always have something important to do. Don't waste my time. What do you want?"
"Well now, that's being just a bit rude-"
"Come on Malfoy," Potter said impatiently, "I really am busy."
"Saving the world?" Draco sneered.
"Something like that. Come on. What do you want?" He was getting annoyed and Draco decided not to push him any further with what he had come to tell him.
"I wanted to...to tell you," He paused, "I wanted to tell you where Ella was."
Potter, despite himself, seemed immediately interested, "What?"
"I wanted to tell you. See I think that it's your right to know and everything and she's been telling me not to tell you in case you try and see her-" He was cut off.
"Where is she?" Potter demanded.
"She's er...she's staying with me actually." Draco said quickly. He waited for Potter to hit him and looked down relieved to see that Potter's hands were clenched into fists at his sides and yet had no intention of leaving.
"Since when?" He asked softly.
Draco sighed, "Since she left you...I mean since she left."
"Right," Potter paused for a moment before taking a steady step forward, "Now you listen. If you lay a hand on her, or put moves on her in any way and I find out...I don't care how much you've changed, I'll beat the hell out of you."
"Now why would I do that?" Draco wondered smirking, "She's not my type. She snaps and she's grumpy all the time and she eats all my food."
Potter thankfully relaxed a little and grinned, "Yeah. She's got an appetite for two lately."
"Try an appetite for ten," Draco shrugged, "I just wanted to let you know. In case you ever needed to tell her something important or-"
Potter suddenly shook his head; "I want to see her."
"You can't." Draco said simply. Potter's face darkened.
"Why not? She's been gone for two weeks! She's my girlfriend Malfoy and you don't own her!" He snapped.
"I know that and I wouldn't care if you did...but it's not me that's objecting. It's her. She doesn't want you coming around and it took a lot of arguing before she let me tell you where she was," He paused before adding, "She said if you come over she's going to hex you halfway around the world."
"Charming." Potter muttered before sighing, "Alright then. I'll see you later."
"Is that it?" Draco wondered, "You don't want me to tell her anything?"
"No. Bye Malfoy," He began walking away but stopped and turned around for a moment, "Take care of her okay? Until she gets over this...make sure she's alright."
"Sure Potter."
The dark-haired boy disappeared into his office and Draco let out a sigh of relief. He'd come out of that relatively unscathed and was very thankful for his lack of bruises and scars.
* * * *
Draco Apparated home and stood in front of the fire, thankful for its warmth. It was late in the afternoon. After he had visited Potter he had visited the shops his father owned and checked on all the owners. It had taken longer than he had thought it would and he was tired.
"Mister Malfoy." A voice greeted him. He inwardly jumped but turned around slowly and observed the other occupant in the room coolly.
"Hello Professor Snape," He nodded mildly before adding, "And Silver isn't it?"
The man was sitting in one of the large chairs before him, nursing his daughter on his lap. He smiled.
"Silver it is. How are you?"
"I'm alright. What are you doing here?" He asked directly. He wasn't being rude; he just didn't feel like sidestepping anything at the moment.
"I came to see your mother about some business," Snape replied clearly, "She told me you have a new member of the household."
Draco grinned, "Of sorts."
Snape turned his head to the doorway as the person of topic entered the room.
"Draco, you're not going to believe this but we're out of strawberr-" Ella stopped immediately and blushed, "Oh...oh hello Professor Snape."
"Miss Egon." Snape smiled strangely. Ella looked a little flustered and Draco frowned at the way Snape was eyeing her unusually.
"Ella, just send one of the house elves to go get some." He told her. She shook her head and put her hands on her stomach.
"No...no...I'm actually not that hungry anymore. I'm just going to go to bed. Awfully tired. Bye." She disappeared from sight and now Draco frowned curiously after her. He couldn't even begin to imagine what that had all been about. Then again, she had been doing that a lot lately.
The other day when he had pointed out her slightly large stomach he had expected her to yell at him about being shallow and thinking that all girls had to be thin or something. Instead she had smiled secretively at him and told him that he was clever for pointing it out and that she could possibly try and eat better. Even though she hadn't. He'd lost track of the number of times he had been forced to send house elves out to restock the ever-diminishing supply of strawberries and donuts.
He was drawn from his thoughts by the voice of Snape.
"Pardon?" He asked, a little apologetically.
"I said, Potter is the father isn't he?" Snape said sternly.
"Pardon?" Draco was perplexed. What on earth was this man on about?
"The baby...Potter is the father isn't he? Or have you been causing trouble Mister Malfoy and that's why she has moved in with you?" Snape didn't sound too happy about whatever he was talking about.
"I don't understand." Draco stated, but he was very interested in what it was his old teacher was going on about. No matter how insane he sounded.
"The baby she is carrying. Who is the father?" Snape demanded.
Draco shook his head, still confused, "I suppose when she becomes pregnant Potter will be the father."
Snape was quiet for a moment before a smirk slowly spread across his face.
"What?" Draco frowned, "What are you...implying...bloody hell!"
It all made sense now. The moods, the food, the belly and why she kept eating so much and was usually tired. It would also explain the funny looks his mother gave her whenever she was in the room.
"Egon is pregnant!" He exclaimed. Snape stood up.
"I think I'll leave. Your mother said you would be around shortly and I merely wanted to see how you were doing. I think I've done a little more than that," He paused, "Good day Mister Malfoy."
"Yeah...er...yeah." Draco waved his hand in acknowledgement but he was too involved in his thoughts to do much else. He remotely noted Snape disappearing through the fire before coming to a decision.
He left the room quickly and ran up the large staircase in the middle of his house. Turning down several corridors he came across a room and knocked on it furiously.
"Come in!" Came Ella's voice. He was hesitant for a moment before opening her door. She was sitting in a chair by her bed reading a book. Granger's influence, he thought mildly while he made his way over to her. She smiled at him warmly.
"Good! You're here! I wanted to tell you something," She cast an uneasy glance over her shoulder in the direction of her window, "I haven't said anything for a while because you might think its stupid but...it feels like there's someone watching me."
His previous motivation was momentarily forgotten as he headed over to her window and gazed out of it. There was nothing outside but the sunset casting an orange glow around the trees in his backyard. The only living creatures were birds and bugs. He shook his head.
"Nothing," He told her, "How long have you been feeling that?"
"All day. Must be nerves...how...how was Professor Snape?" She wondered. He was immediately reminded of his reason for coming up to see her.
"Good. He's fine. How are you? I thought you were going to sleep?" He tried not to sound accusing. She looked down.
"I wasn't too tired when I got up here and Hermione lent me this book and I just thought I might read...it...sorry." She said quietly. He sighed.
"You want to go for a walk?" He asked.
"What?" She frowned for a moment, "Where to?"
"How about downtown?" He suggested.
"But it's late...you don't mean Muggle downtown do you?"
"No, not Muggle downtown. Diagon Alley...some shops will still be open. I've been down a few times before this late. Just make sure you wrap up warmly because it's cold outside... We could get some food while we're there too." He smiled slyly knowing Ella would perk up at the prospect.
"Alright." She put her book away and pulled on some more clothes and before long they were in the fireplace and zooming towards Diagon Alley.
* * * *
Ron's eyes flashed dangerously, "And then I get an owl back telling me to mind my own business! My own business! And I didn't even do anything! Some friend she is!"
Harry laughed.
"Mate, you sent her a howler on dating. I think she has every right to get mad at you-"
"It wasn't an angry howler. It was just to get my point across." Ron argued.
"And what was that point again?"
"Just that she shouldn't be dating and she should be focusing on University because that's why she went there in the first place," Ron lowered his head, "And that she shouldn't have gone there in the first place."
"Did she even say she was seeing anyone?" Harry wondered. Ron shook his head.
"No. It was just a warning," He paused, "But then she said that I should mind my own business! And I don't know how she could be thinking that when she should know that I'm just worried about her! After all she kissed me! I think that gives me quite a lot of right to have input on her dating lifestyle!"
Ron stopped, his face flushed from both anger and embarrassment. Harry looked amused about what his friend had just said.
"Well. If I had any doubts before about what went on in that room with you and Hermione...I don't anymore." He smiled. Ron scowled.
"Yeah? Well if you use it to pick on me I'll hex you halfway around the world." He warned. Harry laughed for a moment before pausing thoughtfully.
"You know. That's what Ella said she would do if I tried to see her." Harry told him. Ron stopped walking. Harry had told him that morning how Malfoy had gone to see him to tell him where Ella was. Ron was surprised at how calm Harry had been about the whole situation until he walked into his friend's office and saw a large hole had been punched in the wall. But Harry hadn't said anything about Ella or her absence since.
"You miss her?" He asked but Harry kept walking so he said it louder, "Do you miss-"
"Yeah, yeah I do." Harry turned around and shrugged, "But what can I do? I'm not going and getting her. She can come back if she wants. If she doesn't...well...I guess that's up to her."
"You can't be serious?" Ron was incredulous, "You have to go and get her! You've been together for too long to let some little thing get in the way! How can you be so stupid?"
"Stupid?" Harry snapped, "How about you Ron? Why don't you go and see Hermione and tell her how you really feel! Tell her that all the times you were a git it was only because you're madly in love with her!"
"That's different," Ron muttered furiously, "And plus. You're madly in love with Ella. Or is that why you don't want to get her? Because you don't love her anymore?"
Harry stiffened and lowered his voice angrily.
"Ron. If you weren't my friend I would have hit you for saying that. Of course I do." He said firmly. Ron was quiet for a minute before grinning.
"Hey, I know," He said cheerfully, "Let's get away from these offices and go down to Diagon Alley. It's the best at night. They had all the food discounted and there's hardly a crowd."
Harry contemplated this while looking around his office. They didn't have to be at work for the time being and a little break would probably be good. He smiled.
"Sure. Sounds great."
* * * *
Luna couldn't help but giggle. She had never misbehaved like this until she met Ginny Weasley. She'd always behaved and never disobeyed any Hogwarts rules. But yet, here she was, in Diagon Alley late at night when she should have been back at school studying for her Herbology exam the next day.
"Be quiet Luna," Ginny commanded, "We're not out of our uniforms yet and if someone finds us then the whole night will be ruined!"
"Ginny," Luna giggled again as she changed out of her school robes into normal ones, "You have got to be the most disobedient Head Girl ever!"
Ginny grinned, "I like to think of myself as a new-age conformist. You ready?"
"Ready. You want me to do the charm?" Luna wondered.
Ginny nodded, "Heaven knows I'd make it do something else. We'd end up walking around Diagon Alley looking like old ladies."
Luna giggled again.
"Will you stop laughing? You're making me nervous." Ginny snapped.
"I can't help it. I'm nervous," Luna cast an unsure glance towards the fireplace they had come through, "Are you sure about this? We'll be in so much trouble if we're caught!"
"I told you," Her friend said slowly, "That unless someone we know spots us we're fine. The Floo network has been sealed so no one will know we got through and we've charmed our beds to look like we're in them. What on earth could go wrong? We'll be back at school in a few hours and it'll be fine."
"Oh alright. But if we do-" Luna began.
"We won't! Promise! You think I'd be doing this if there were a chance I'd get my Head Girl position revoked? No! Now do the charm so we can go out already. We're only here for a few hours." Ginny said quickly.
Luna took out her wand and nodded, pointing it at her friend, "Maturius Bantama."
Before her eyes her friend changed. Ginny's face became a little rounder as did the rest of her body. Her hair darkened to a beautiful glaring red and small crinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes.
Luna smiled at her success before pointing her wand at herself and saying the same spell. Ginny grinned which notified the spell had worked again.
"Well," Ginny eyed her reflection disdainfully, "This must mean I'm not escaping my mothers wonderful figure."
Luna shrugged, "You're still very pretty so I wouldn't complain."
Ginny frowned at her reflection for a moment before smiling and grabbing Luna's hand.
"Come on," She urged, "Let's go out there."
Luna allowed herself to be pulled out of the small empty shop they were in and out onto the streets of Diagon Alley. The place looked very nice at night. Quite a few dozen shops were open and their lights cast a lovely glow down the streets.
"Oh," Luna gushed, "It's enchanting and scary at the same time."
"Er, yeah," Ginny laughed, "Exactly Luna. Come on."
They headed past shops and Luna knew now why she was friends with Ginny. Ginny made her mundane life far more interesting. Sure, the Dark Lord was an obvious threat and a Witch's life could never really be considered normal. But being at Diagon Alley with her best friend when she knew she shouldn't be was just so exciting and thrilling. It was a feeling she never usually felt.
"Oh no!" Ginny stopped in her tracks, "It's Ron. He's here. And Harry. Oh no. Oh no! Ron will kill me if he sees me! He'll kill me and tell mum and then she'll kill me! And then she'll tell dad and he'll kill me and they'll take away my Head Girl privileges!"
"Well," Commented Luna thoughtfully, "It wouldn't really matter if they did take them away because you would have already died three times."
Ginny glared at her and they quickly retraced their steps; "We'll just go the other way."
Ginny was walking fast, obviously terrified of being caught by her brother. Luna followed her and was a little ahead as they rounded a corner where she ran straight into someone and fell to the ground.
"I'm so sorry-" She apologized standing up and brushing herself off. She turned to look at Ginny who was simply gaping at the person she had run into.
"Shouldn't you two be at school?"
Luna looked up and gulped at the sight of Draco Malfoy. Behind him was a girl whose name she tended to forget. It was Ellen something. Elana something. Ella something.
"Ella Egon." Luna said to herself triumphantly. Ella pulled a face and smiled.
"Yes. That's me. What are you two doing?" She asked lightly.
Draco was glaring at them and Luna was instantly scared.
"Yes," He said angrily, "What are you two doing? Ginny! Why aren't you at school?"
Ginny shrugged nonchalantly though her face was red, "You know. School trip. Here...at night...just me and good old Luna...um..."
"We're looking for something!" Luna cried.
"Oh and what pray tell is it that you're looking for?" Draco drawled. Ella just kept on smiling.
"This thing. You wouldn't care," Ginny waved her hand in the air, "We must be going now. Back to looking for that thing."
"Ginny," His tone was serious, "What are you doing here?"
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
"Um. We snuck out." She lowered her head and Luna looked away. Ginny had told her how Draco encouraged her about school a lot and insisted on her getting a good education.
"You what?" He demanded. Both young girls flinched.
"We snuck out," Ginny said slowly, "Oh we wont be caught! Please don't tell anyone! Please don't! Especially Ron and Harry!"
"Ron and Harry?" Ella stepped forward, "Why would we tell them?"
"Well because..." Ginny trailed off and frowned upon realizing something. Ella was here with Malfoy and Ron was here with Harry. Harry and Ella weren't here together and that meant that something was wrong.
"Well because we just-" Luna began but Ginny clamped a hand over her mouth.
"What happened with you and Harry?" Ginny asked. Ella was taken aback for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak.
"Don't change the subject." Draco snapped. A little too protectively, Ginny thought.
"Come on Ella. What happened? Why are you here with Draco?" She continued to pry, her hand still attached to Luna's mouth.
Ella lowered her eyes, "Oh. Well Gin. I'm living with Draco now. Harry and I are having a little time off."
Ginny could tell it went a bit deeper than that but because of the look on Ella's face she didn't want to push and further. Even if she'd tried she wouldn't have been able to because Draco had started yelling at her.
She caught the gist of it. Something about her being irresponsible and that it was immature of her and that she'd be in a lot of trouble if her family or the school found out. Her parents would be extremely mad and she'd probably have her Head Girl privileges revoked.
Ginny sighed. He wasn't telling her anything new.
"...and so what are you going to do about it?" Draco finished angrily. Ginny blinked twice.
"Do about what?" She wondered. He became even angrier.
"Were you even listening! What are you going to do when they find out you snuck out of school!" His voice was getting louder and Ginny became stricken.
"You're going to tell someone?" She exclaimed.
"I'd have to Gin," He said a bit more softly, "You're a student. Do you know how dangerous this is? There are Deatheater's around your school and everything. It's a stupid thing to do. You'd have to learn from it and so I have to-"
"You can't!" Tears unwillingly formed in her eyes. She's been nervous about coming out but she'd been completely convinced that she wouldn't be caught. Draco glaring at her now made her feel like a small child and she wanted to cry.
"Please," She pleaded, "Please don't."
"We'll be slaughtered." Luna added dramatically, although she too was upset. Draco sighed and shook his head in a clear indication that he wasn't giving in.
"I'm sorry Ginny. Luna. But I-" He began but Ella whacked him across the back of the head.
"Of course we wont you two," She smiled cheekily, "Granted your back at the castle in half an hour."
"Oh Ella!" Ginny practically fell on the girl and hugged her tightly to her. Luna did the same and with a quick farewell they were gone.
"You bloody woman." Draco muttered. Ella shrugged.
"Let her have some fun. It's not easy on anyone with the war you know." She pointed out.
"I know, I know." They rounded the corner and Draco spotted the shop he had wanted to take her too. It was still open, as he knew it would be, and its name sparkled clearly in the night.
"Let's go in here." She pointed over to a small sweet shop. Draco shook his head.
"No," He grabbed her hand, "Let's go in here."
Ella pulled a face but as he pushed her into the shop all amusement she might have felt quickly disappeared.
"Bund...Bundles?" She wondered looking around the shop, "Why would you want to go into Bundles?"
It was simply a small baby shop. But to her it was much much more. Ella felt her heart stop as her eyes traveled over the array of items. The crib that sung lullabies, the baby bath that once filled stayed warm and the small array of enchanted clothes that sparkled. After a few moment she seemed to realise that Draco had taken her in there and she had not wondered in by herself. Her gaze slowly moved up to him and she was annoyed to find he was observing her with a cool, expressionless facade that only Ginny Wealsey seemed to understand.
"I know Ella." He said quietly. Moments passed and he waited for her to break down and cry, confessing the secret and how upset she was about it. Instead she smiled.
"I'm glad."
"What?" He couldn't help but look surprised.
"I'm glad Draco. Really, I hated not telling you. Not telling Harry was one thing but not telling you was another," Her eyes strayed down to the baby clothes and she ran her fingers over them, "It's why I left you know. Because I was getting sick and could have killed the baby."
"Sick?" He frowned.
She nodded, "The Medi-Witch called it Ultra-trepidation. It's from stressing and worrying so much. If I stayed with Harry I know the baby would have died. He's in danger everyday. It tore me up when he wasn't home. And we always fought about it."
Draco paused thoughtfully, "You didn't tell him did you?"
"No," Ella sighed, "I asked him if he'd leave his job for anything and he said he wouldn't. If I told him I was pregnant it wouldn't have changed anything and it'd just distract him too much. One of the last things I want to do is put him in more danger."
Draco shook his head. He'd had no idea. None at all. It must have been hard for her to leave but when he looked up at her now he saw that she would have done nothing else. She was glowing and gazing at the supplies in the shops with a dreamy expression. She didn't seem to care that she was alone or that there was an impending war or that she was too young.
"How long have you...er...had it?" He asked, walking over to her. She grinned.
"It's not the flu Draco, it's a baby. And about twenty-one weeks." She said thoughtfully.
"Twenty-one weeks?" He exclaimed, "How could people not know?"
"Well you know I hide it a bit. And you and Hermione know...and I'm pretty sure your mother knows," She flushed a little, "And I'm sure now Professor Snape knows. I knew he knew the instant he took one look at me. That damned observant man."
Draco laughed.
"He told me actually. Thought that I might be the father because you were living with me at first."
She laughed too, "You can't be serious?"
"I am."
"Well then." She was amused at that. Snape was just so out of touch with things. Most of the Professor's were. They tried, very hard, but really they just didn't get things.
"So..." Draco trailed off, "Want to go and get some food?"
"Yes," They were out of the shop and she paused for a moment before throwing her arms around him, "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate you."
"Yeah yeah." He pushed her off and tried to conceal his blush.
"Honestly Draco. I wouldn't have been able to handle leaving Harry if you-" She was cut off as a person jumped out and pushed Draco to the ground.
"What the hell is all this Malfoy?" A voice snarled.
Her pulse quickened. It was Harry.
"Potter get off of me." Draco demanded angrily.
"This morning you tell me that there's nothing going on and now I come downtown and see you two together!" He yelled. Ella felt her face grow hot. How could he think such a thing?
"Harry Potter!" She cried, "You get off him right now! Right now!"
"Ella," He turned to her angrily, "What's all this about? What are you doing with-"
She didn't slap him. She'd outgrown that with the way she observed society. It was clear to Ella that men and women were equal yet brought up with completely different roles and standards of behaviour. Men saved the day. Women were saved. Men were emotionless. Women cried. Men worked. Women cleaned. Men punched. Women slapped.
Her punch proved that wrong.
Harry fell back a few steps clutching his jaw. His eyes were wide and everyone, including Ella, was surprised with what she had done. She quickly regained her composure however.
"How dare you!" She glowered, "And I mean that! Honestly Harry! You're hopeless! How could you think that I would do something like that?"
"Because you're gone!" He yelled back, still clutching his jaw, "And you're with him and I just saw you together!"
"It's called a hug Potter, surely you know..." Draco trailed off as Ron, who was standing silently, cautioned him to be quiet.
"I left Harry, because it was best! But that doesn't mean you can say something like that!" Her face was getting darker, "I love you! God knows why I do at this moment but I do! More than anything and then you go and say something like that! Draco would never. I would never. God! You are such an insufferable git."
Ella pulled Draco off the ground and him away as an indication they were leaving before she began walking hurriedly away. She stopped several meters away and turned around, her expression softened.
"It was nice to see you Ron. I hope you're doing well and will come over for Christmas. We're having a party," She paused and motioned her head at Harry, "If he decides to use his brain and be less of a prat please bring him too!"
Ron grinned after her despite what had just happened. Harry was frowning at the ground and grimaced as his hand went up to rub his jaw.
"Well. At least that's all settled then." Ron said, a little too brightly. Harry turned and looked at him for a moment before his eyes traveled all around him.
"Ron," He said slowly, "What were they doing in Bundles?"
* * * *
Hermione sighed and rolled up her parchment. She was only supposed to have written about a seven-foot essay but somehow she had managed nine. Yet even though it was very tiring she really didn't mind. University gave her a chance to be grown up and her own person. She was independent and didn't care if she was alone.
Well, not really.
Okay. She did. But it could be helped. Salem Sisters Seminary was something that an enthusiastic, driven young woman would not pass off. It was a wonderful opportunity. The sort of thing that came along once if a lifetime.
Kind of like Ron.
"No," Hermione muttered, standing up and yawning, "There are plenty people like Ron in the world. Arrogant, selfish and controlling. Stupid prat."
She waved her wand and the lights in her room went out before she made her way over to her comfortable bed. The school really was wonderful. Hermione had a room all to herself and there were hardly as many restrictions that there had been at Hogwarts. It was nice. Nice and normal. And boring.
Five minutes from now Hermione would wish that things had stayed boring.
"Hermione!" A voice yelled as someone Apparated into her room.
"What on earth?" She sat up immediately and extended her wand, "Stupefy!"
"Oh..." She heard the person slump to the ground and waved her wand again, alighting the room.
"Oh no!" She gasped. Sprawled across her dormitory floor was Ronald Wealsey. He looked quite peaceful yet she knew he probably wasn't if he was Apparating into her room in the middle of the night. Therefore, something had to be wrong. She panicked for a moment before remembering the horrid howler he had sent her the other day, telling her that she should never have gone to America and that she shouldn't date because she was there and many other things that she should and should not do. Prat, she thought. Slowly Hermione walked over to him and kicked him across the legs firmly.
"You do not tell me what to do," She told the motionless body, then feeling rather stupid she placed her wand against him, "Enervate."
Ron stirred and groggily sat up, rubbing his head, "Christ Hermione. That hurt! What did you do that for?"
"Excuse me?" She snapped, "What did I do that for? You Apparated into my room in the middle of the night Ron! What did you think I was going to do? Welcome you into my bed?"
His eyes widened at her retort and she was a little surprised herself. She was never usually that brash.
"No," His stood up with an apparent blush on his face, "I just wasn't expecting to be stunned...Ow!"
His hand went down to his leg to rub it. It was red and swelling already.
"Oh Ron," Hermione said sweetly, "What happened?"
"Not a clue. Must have hurt it when I fell," He shrugged before jumping up, "Oh I know why I came."
"Thank god. Hurry up and tell me so you can leave." She instructed, sitting down on the end of her bed. He smiled sheepishly.
"Oh Hermione...you can't honestly be mad at me still?" He wondered. She frowned.
"I honestly can! It was a stupid thing to do. And very rude! You're to mind your own business where I am concerned Ron."
Now he frowned.
"How can you expect me to do that?" He said rudely, "When you kissed me?"
"Oh are you still stuck on that? For heavens sake. Forget it already would you. Now was did you come here to tell me?" She lowered her eyes and hoped he thought that her face was pink because she was mad and now because she was embarrassed. She was still very stuck on the kiss.
"Why don't you want to talk about it?" He sounded desperate and Hermione hoped for a brief second that he was desperate because he wanted her. The thought quickly disappeared with his next comment.
"Tell me it meant nothing and I'll leave it." He added quickly. It meant nothing to him he means, thought Hermione sadly.
"Just tell me what you came here for Ron." She said quietly. He jumped again.
"You are not going to believe this," He paused dramatically, "Are you ready?"
"Yes. What is it?"
"Positive? Because it's something big."
"I'm positive." This was getting annoying.
"Well me and Harry-" He began.
"Harry and I." She corrected softly. He gave her a funny look.
"Right. Harry and I were down Diagon Alley tonight and we ran into Ella and Malfoy and well, all of this stuff happened but we found out something big." He shook his head as if he was having trouble with the news himself.
"Well then, hurry up. What is it?" She asked keenly.
He looked grim, "Ella's pregnant."
"Oh." She said meekly. Ron threw up his hands in the air.
"Yeah! And it's not Harry's! It's Malfoy's! The stupid git! And we trusted him and everything and then Ella...well she must have been lying all this time because when we were downtown she was going on and on about how much she loved Harry and such! The scarlet woman! I expected this from the ferret but from Ella," He sighed, "It's just awful. Harry's really mad about it and I just thought I'd tell you not to try and patch things up or mention either of...them...Hermione?"
She was biting her lip worriedly. This was not good.
"Hermione?" Ron asked again.
"Er, Ron...the thing is..." She trailed off, not needing to finished her sentence. Ron could read her expression.
He was shocked, "You knew didn't you! You knew! And you never told Harry? How could you Hermione?"
"It's not like it seems Ron," She said quickly, "I knew Ella was pregnant-"
"For how long?" He yelled. She flinched.
"For most of the time. Since she found out when she was living with Harry. It's not Malfoy's! I assure you!" Her tone was sharp, daring him to not believe her. Ron merely gaped at her for several minutes.
"So," He said finally, "Malfoy and her never...and she does love Harry...and...and it's Harry's!"
"Yes." She shrugged and hoped that by being calm it might calm Ron down. She should have known better.
"Oh this is...this is," He grinned and pulled her off the bed, "This is fantastic! They can get back together and Harry won't be moping around like a mess! He's been awful company since you know!"
Hermione had to laugh at Ron's antics. It was just like him to get excited about someone else like this.
"Oh Hermione! This is so great! It would never get cleared up if you hadn't told me! Oh, you're bloody fantastic!" Without thinking Ron pulled her into him and pushed his lips on hers. She didn't need to react. She'd only kissed Ron once before and that had been surprising but this time it felt...so...normal. It felt like she had kissed Ron every day since she had known him and nothing about it was strange. It was soft and sensual and perfect.
Until Ron pulled away. His wide eyes and open mouth were a sure indication that he didn't know what he had been doing.
"Oh," Hermione was embarrassed, she didn't want him thinking she was drooling over him, "Get off me Ron!"
"I didn't...that was just...it was," He paused momentarily before frowning, "You're so selfish!"
"What?" Hermione asked perplexed, a minute ago he had been telling her how 'bloody fantastic' she was.
"You...you're selfish. Shutting yourself away from me! And...Harry! You only care about yourself and do everything for yourself!" His voice rose a little, "Leaving and living America like this! It's just so selfish and...and self-absorbed!"
Hermione glowered up at him. He may have had the advantage of being tall at that moment but she didn't care. She pushed him back, her face scarlet from his accusations, before she let loose.
"I'm selfish and self-absorbed? Why Ron? Because I got so sick of waiting for you to claim me that I decided to do something with my life?" Her voice shook, "I've loved you since I was twelve! Twelve! In those six years you have never done anything about it! Why? Because you Ronald Weasley are too self-absorbed and selfish to think of anyone but yourself!"
He was quiet now, "You...you mean that Hermione?"
"No," She shook her head furiously, "Not anymore Ron! Because I am so sick of you! How could I when you are the way you are!"
He was quiet again, "I spose. When I am...the way I am."
He sounded genuinely hurt but for the time being Hermione didn't care. She was too angry to care about anything.
"And on your way out," She instructed icily, "Remember that Harry is not to see Ella! At all! Just like I don't want to see you again!"
"Okay," Ron frowned as her final words sank in, "Hang on! You can't be serious Hermione!"
"I am! I...I...hate you Ron!" She knew she didn't but her temper was so flared at the moment that she just didn't care. His shoulders slumped immediately and he nodded.
"Alright Hermione. But... I love you."
Hermione hadn't expected that. She'd thought he might throw something similar back at her like her usually did when they argued but the softness of his voice and what he had said stopped her in her tracks. It took a little while to unfreeze, but she did eventually.
"What? Ron-" She started but he had already Disapparated away. It wasn't fair as far as she was concerned. Her and Ron would never get it right. They would never happen. She walked dejectedly over to her bed before falling onto it and crying herself to sleep.