Does my bum look big in this?
Chapter nineteen: Hermione
THANK YOU TO:
~ Indessciare ~ Thank you for the review! And the compliment AND the Ron thing too, RON SO TOTALLY ROCKS!
~P-chan ~ Aw thanks, I hope you read this chapter too! Thanks again!
~Burgundyred ~ Hehe, yeah, Dennis is one of those people, you got him so spot on! It's amazing . . . and I did get what you meant, which I'm sure you're not surprised about! You shall find out who is in the shadows, and I know it was SO obvious . . . but anywayz, Dennis had a teddy bear at sixteen because he thinks they're nice to cuddle and they smell of him, so there you go. My sis is 17 and she still has her teddy bear . . . whoops, did I just say that?
~ Some12 ~ Thanks!! I added in Dougy with the teddy bear because I thought the atmosphere might be getting too serious, and I want it to feel like if Dougy was around, then there HAD to be at least one non serious moment. Thanks again, and just to say, hilarious is spelt how I just spelt it!
~Harryforeva ~ Lol, yeah, I'm not exactly an expert on trying to keep it not obvious (as most of the time I state the obvious) but thanks anyway!!
~ Syaoronsangel ~ Hehe, you'll find out who it is in the shadows, and I'll tell you now that one of your assumptions are correct! I'm praying I remember to email you for this chapter, but you know, I'm a dozy little girl . . .
~Happigolucki616 ~ I don't know which chapters you review, I can't remember! But I thank you for reviewing even if I didn't . . . thank you then??? I'm confused now; let's move on . . . thanks for the review!! I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
~Paprika90 ~ Thank you!! I like to think I'm okay with cliffies, but I was positive that you readers, being so clever and everything, would work it out like 'that'!
~NewSecretRose ~ Thanks for the review, and I am still ever so happy that you're going to see Peter Pan! I still think it's really good, and I'm hoping you will too! I only want to see Lord of the Rings 3 cus I've seen the other two, and people say its really good, but I haven't really got round to it yet. Hehe, I'm glad you liked Dougy, he started off as a really annoying little beep, but you kind of warm to him don't you think?
~ShortStuff10 ~ Of course I'd approve of you writing a D/H fic! I'll even recommend it if it's out, and I know, and I have at least one fic that's 'active'. I think you're a brill writer, so I think you should go for it!
~ss ~ Are you correct? Scroll down and see . . . oh and it's spelt Lucius.
~The hope conspiracy ~ Hehe, well, if you really don't want it to be his dad then . . . you'll just have to read on and see. It'll only take a few seconds to scroll down and read anyway!
~Elisa-gurl ~ Sorry if it was too stressful . . . you could always ignore the cliffies? No that would be daft . . . thanks for your review anyhow!!
~ Smileyface1314 ~ Thank you for the review! And yeah, Dennis is always humorous, he's that kind of guy, he doesn't 'do' serious if you get me! If you're not good at guesses then read and find out . . .
Disclaimer: I own nothing and all I want to do is get on with the chapter because I enjoy writing this fic now shut up ILUVRONWEASLEY . . .
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Draco gasped. "Father?"
Lucius smirked as he stared at his son, his gaze stone cold and steady. It was obvious that he was not pleased at Draco. He began to step forward, closer to him, getting closer by the second. As he moved forward, Draco moved backwards, backing into the room and into a corner without even realising that his father had cornered him.
"Draco, what a pleasant surprise. Pray tell, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the exact same thing."
"Ah, but I am here because I am a teacher and have the right to be roaming the castle, aware that one of my students, Miss Granger, will be coming to this exact classroom to meet with somebody . . . oh what a surprise that it's you, Draco."
Draco stared into his father's eyes and saw the anger beneath the calm surface, the menacing thoughts that were racing through his father's mind at that precise moment. Draco knew that to Lucius, it was no surprise at all that it was him that Hermione should be meeting, no surprise in the slightest.
Lucius stepped closer to Draco so that his face was only two inches away from his. With steel grip, Lucius tugged at Draco's collar, making him rise from the ground and forcing him to get even closer to his face.
"You're a disgrace to the family name Draco, a disgrace I tell you." Lucius hissed, causing spit to spray onto Draco's face, making him shudder.
"At least I'm not a disgrace to human kind like some people," Draco choked, coughing and spluttering.
Lucius's eyes gleamed with fury. He wasn't even bothering to hide it any more.
"Don't you talk to me in that tone boy! I raised you, I fed you, I gave you all the best to try and build you up to be a proper Malfoy, someone I could be proud of, but oh no, look at you now Draco, just look at what that filthy mudblood has lowered you to."
"She's not just a filthy mudblood. She's worth more than you'll ever be."
Lucius growled and grunted before dropping Draco to the floor. Suddenly, Draco heard a scream of fury. He looked up as Lucius fell to the floor, gripping his arm in pain, his eyes wide and bulging. He was gasping for breath, shivering with pain and as he lifted up the sleeve of his robes, Draco could see the dark mark burning into the skin of his father. He shuddered as he watched Lucius, a man that many were terrified of, now rolling on the floor in the utmost pain.
"Father?"
Draco couldn't help but worry. His father was, after all, his father, no matter what he did, no matter how much he didn't like him. If he was still old Draco however, he would never have felt worried for his father, but with his new side, his heart seemed to be in control most of the time.
"Father . . . are you okay?"
Draco stepped closer to Lucius, resting a hand shakily on his shoulder, as his breathing continued to deepen.
"Get away! I have no son . . ." Lucius growled, trying to stand and look strong, but only looking even more weak and vulnerable. His hands shook and he continued to tremble at Draco's gaze.
"Father . . . what's going on?"
"Draco . . . the Dark Lord is angry . . . angry at me for I have put my family affairs before his . . . he will want me dead . . . for I have neglected my duties for too long . . . Draco . . . he will want a replacement . . . for destroying me Draco."
"I won't go," Draco stood firm against the stonewall, his expression angry and stubborn, "You can't make me!"
"It is your duty Draco!" Lucius breathed heavily, getting this stressed at this time was draining his energy away, draining every last bit of his soul away. He closed his eyes and took his wand from his robe pocket, clenching it hard in his fist.
"Draco . . . I'd rather die in the honour of the Dark Lord, than stay alive and see my own blood become what you are today . . . have a good life Draco, while it lasts . . ."
Lucius muttered a spell under his breath so that Draco could not hear, then with a small flick of his wand, he vanished, leaving a trail of smoke where he had just been a few seconds ago. Draco stared, shocked, but stayed surprisingly calm about the situation. His father was gone, and would probably never want to see him again. Knowing his mother (who would do anything for the Dark Lord and his father), she would order the house elves to pack some of his belongings, then when the Christmas holidays came and he was supposed to return home, she would probably have everything packed by the gates, and not even a note to say goodbye.
Part of him said 'good riddance' while the other was whining that his daddy had gone now, and he would never see him ever again. Draco wasn't sure which side said what, but that wasn't exactly surprising, as right now he wasn't sure of anything anymore.
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"
Draco spun around. She was standing there, a frown on her face, her eyes slightly red, her hair bushy - as usual, and her body weighed down with a ton of heavy books. He was speechless. It was the first time he had a chance to talk to her as himself, and now he couldn't even think of anything to say.
"Seeing as it's only you, Malfoy, I guess I'll be leaving."
"No! Granger . . . stay."
Hermione spun around and stared at him suspiciously as she stepped into the dusty abandoned classroom. She looked around and sniffed, her nose cringing at the smell. Sitting down on the floor, she placed her many books beside her. Her lips were thin as she turned back to Draco, waiting for him to say something.
Draco had absolutely no idea how to begin to tell her what had happened, everything was all muddled and his tongue seemed not to work. Hermione tapped her foot in irritation, producing the only noise in the room.
"Well seeing as you obviously have nothing to say," Hermione got up, dusted herself down and began to walk towards the door, "Then I guess I should just be leaving."
"No!" Draco cried out, catching her arm as she began to trudge past him. She swiftly turned and the look she gave Draco was one of pure hatred, one that made Draco's Orli side shiver, but made Draco's old side feel like he was in his own element. It was an oddly evil stare that would send shivers down most people's spine.
"What is it then? I have more important things to do than deal with you, you know."
Draco saw his chance to speak and bring this conversation into the territory that he wanted, "Maybe one of those important things, happens to be, looking for a certain someone, by the name of . . . Orlando?"
"What do you know?"
Hermione's eyes were wide and hopeful. She seemed not to care about anything else anymore but the subject at hand. She took Draco by the shoulders and shook him - hard and in desperation.
"TELL ME GOD DAMN IT!"
"I know a lot of things, just stop shaking me!"
Hermione stopped, and Draco could see her eyes become wells of unshed tears. She sniffed and looked down, her bushy hair hiding her tears from view.
"He just left . . . without a goodbye or anything . . ."
She looked up and Draco could see that the tears were now streaming down her face freely. He had no idea how much Orli meant to her, and as Orli was really himself . . . Hermione sniffed once more and then frowned, her eyes set on Draco. Her voice was muffled but he could hear it clearly enough.
"What? No insult Malfoy? No mudblood this, or mudblood that? What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong with me Granger, now if you would just let me speak . . . I know what happened to Orli . . ."
"You know? Just tell me! Or I'll hex you into the next generation, ferret face."
"No need to be rude Granger, you're not exactly perfect now are you?"
"At least I don't look like a blimmin' rat."
Draco stopped himself before an insult slipped out. His dignity was starting to show, and his pride was clearly being trampled on, yet he was resisting the urge to fight back. One side of him wanted no more than to kiss the girl in front of him and tell her how beautiful she was to him, even if she wasn't to everyone else. The other side wanted no more than to hex her into oblivion.
"Where is Orli, Malfoy? Just tell me where he is . . ."
Draco looked at her. She looked so sad, so hopeful, so vulnerable . . . everything he didn't want to be, everything he never wanted to come across, EVER. He realised that it was either now, or never.
"Orli . . . is standing right in front of you."
Hermione's eyes grew as large as saucepans as she looked him up and down. Her breathing quickened, and her face became paler and more fragile. She shook her head and gave a nervous laugh, backing away slightly from Draco.
"No . . . no . . . you're lying Malfoy, you cheating, lying scumbag."
"You know bloody well that I'm not lying. Just admit it, you can see him in me, and my voice, don't you recognise my voice?"
Hermione gulped and eyed him in shock. Her lips were quivering as well as her entire body, and she felt faint. Tears began to well in her eyes once more. She raised a finger to point accusingly at him.
"You can't be . . . you're evil, he's . . . nice, you're . . . . he just can't be . . . I won't let him be! You can't trick me that easily Draco Malfoy! You can't just waltz back into this world and act like you're something you're not! You can't come in here and say that you're Orli without any proof whatsoever!"
Hermione shouted, her heart filled with rage as well as sadness. She didn't care about anything anymore, she just wanted the truth, needed the truth, now more than anything. To her, Draco just couldn't be Orli . . . Orli was like her Knight in shining armour, whilst Draco was her worst and only enemy, this was not right at all.
"Who said I didn't have any proof? I'm not that stupid Hermione."
He had said her name. Draco couldn't even believe he had said her name . . . how could he have said her name? Although it was only a name, only something that we know each other by, that one difference in name-calling meant more than it seemed. Hermione dried her tears with her robe sleeve and tried her best to look strong.
"What proof, I don't believe you."
Draco took the plastic carrier bag that he had brought with him. He took out the jumper Mrs Weasley had given to him during the holidays to keep him warm. He could see Hermione's face turn even paler as she gazed at the jumper, shocked and speechless.
"This, was something Mrs Weasley gave to me when I was at The Burrow with you, Potter, Weasley, and all that lot." Draco announced, waiting for some kind of reaction, any kind of reaction, from Hermione.
"No . . ." Hermione shook her head and gave a small, crazy little smile, "You just stole that off him, you couldn't have gotten that otherwise."
"Okay then . . . how do you explain this?"
Draco reached into the bag and pulled out the watch that Hermione had bought him when he had went shopping with Dennis, Fille, and her. Hermione snatched it away from him and examined it, the frown quickly changing into one of shock and horror.
"You stole this too, there was no way that you could be Orli."
"Look Hermione, if I'm not Orli, then how do I know that Dennis Granger is your cousin, and that your mum and dad were involved in a car accident, AND that Dudley Dursley, Potter's annoyingly fat cousin, fancies you, AND that you have pink and glitzy diaries, seven of them, AND that you and Weasley had something special until he went out with that Lavender Brown, AND that we kissed," Draco paused as he saw Hermione waver slightly, the watch still clutched tightly in her hand.
"You can't have . . ."
"I remember, we kissed, outside the Burrow, the Weasley's home. You were crying, I was still Orli, Potter pushed me outside to try and comfort you, and, you kissed me, and I kissed you back."
Hermione was now staring at him blankly, her hand still clenched around the watch like it was something precious, something so precious that she couldn't afford to let it go. Draco waited for it all to sink in, he waited for her to slap him, to tell him how much she hated him, and how much she would hate him forever. But no reaction came, no slap, no screaming, no nothing.
"Hermione . . ."
"Don't call me that."
"But Hermione -
"I said DON'T."
"I . . . I'm still Orli, I am . . . kind of. This has changed me, maybe for the better, maybe for the worse, but I'm different now, and I don't even know who I am anymore."
"You'll never be Orli, Draco Malfoy, you'll never be completely Orli, because you'll always have that bit of Draco Malfoy in you. Orli was the person I fell in love with . . . not . . . YOU."
"I know . . ."
"Then how dare you come back here and tell me all this? When you knew how hurt I would be? When you knew what I would say, what I would do? WHY? TELL ME WHY?" She screamed at him.
"WHY? Because this would have killed me, sitting here watching you cry over someone like me!" Draco shouted, "I admit it, I care for you, and no matter how hard I try, I know that I won't stop caring! I know that deep down inside you knew something was different about 'Orli', something different about your new friend Orli, but you just ignored it! You wanted to ignore it, and ignore the fact that he wasn't all he seemed to be!"
"So what if I did? You're still not the one I fell in love with . . . and don't tell me that you know Draco Malfoy, because you don't know anything . . . have you any idea how hard it is for me not to hit you, or hex you, or do ANYTHING to you, even though you've just told me that the guy who I thought was the love of my life was nothing more, than a stupid, a horrible, a . . . evil little act?"
"It wasn't an act."
They looked at each other, their eyes fixed. Draco gulped and stepped closer to Hermione. He took her hands and was surprised when she didn't snatch them back, or do anything in fact. She stood and stared stiffly back at him.
"You can tell me to leave, and tell me how much you hate me, or hit me over the head, and do whatever you like to me, if you could just give me this kiss, this one kiss then look me in the eye, and honestly tell me that you don't feel anything."
She didn't reply. Draco drew in closer and closer, their lips almost touching. He half expected her to draw back and slap him, half expected her to tell him that she wouldn't even give him this chance . . . but she didn't. He landed his lips on hers and used his tongue to prise open her mouth. He gave it his all and as he drew back, he wondered whether Hermione would react at all - would she hit him and say that she wasn't in love with him, or maybe just walk away and pretend it never happened?
Hermione took Draco's arm and opened his palm. She placed the watch back on his hand and headed for the door, picking up her many books as she went. Just as she was about to exit the room, she turned her head and looked back at Draco.
"I'll give you another chance Malfoy, one chance, but I'm telling you, I'm only giving you this chance when you find out who you really are . . . Draco."
Hermione turned and walked away, leaving Draco, all alone and in the dark.
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Pretty average length for one chapter, for me anyway. To be honest, I don't even know what's going to happen next, I mean, what is Draco's true identity? . . . . Serious soul searching stuff, huh? I'll have to think about this one, but the chapter will be up soon, my brain takes no breaks (most of the time anyway)
Chapter nineteen: Hermione
THANK YOU TO:
~ Indessciare ~ Thank you for the review! And the compliment AND the Ron thing too, RON SO TOTALLY ROCKS!
~P-chan ~ Aw thanks, I hope you read this chapter too! Thanks again!
~Burgundyred ~ Hehe, yeah, Dennis is one of those people, you got him so spot on! It's amazing . . . and I did get what you meant, which I'm sure you're not surprised about! You shall find out who is in the shadows, and I know it was SO obvious . . . but anywayz, Dennis had a teddy bear at sixteen because he thinks they're nice to cuddle and they smell of him, so there you go. My sis is 17 and she still has her teddy bear . . . whoops, did I just say that?
~ Some12 ~ Thanks!! I added in Dougy with the teddy bear because I thought the atmosphere might be getting too serious, and I want it to feel like if Dougy was around, then there HAD to be at least one non serious moment. Thanks again, and just to say, hilarious is spelt how I just spelt it!
~Harryforeva ~ Lol, yeah, I'm not exactly an expert on trying to keep it not obvious (as most of the time I state the obvious) but thanks anyway!!
~ Syaoronsangel ~ Hehe, you'll find out who it is in the shadows, and I'll tell you now that one of your assumptions are correct! I'm praying I remember to email you for this chapter, but you know, I'm a dozy little girl . . .
~Happigolucki616 ~ I don't know which chapters you review, I can't remember! But I thank you for reviewing even if I didn't . . . thank you then??? I'm confused now; let's move on . . . thanks for the review!! I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
~Paprika90 ~ Thank you!! I like to think I'm okay with cliffies, but I was positive that you readers, being so clever and everything, would work it out like 'that'!
~NewSecretRose ~ Thanks for the review, and I am still ever so happy that you're going to see Peter Pan! I still think it's really good, and I'm hoping you will too! I only want to see Lord of the Rings 3 cus I've seen the other two, and people say its really good, but I haven't really got round to it yet. Hehe, I'm glad you liked Dougy, he started off as a really annoying little beep, but you kind of warm to him don't you think?
~ShortStuff10 ~ Of course I'd approve of you writing a D/H fic! I'll even recommend it if it's out, and I know, and I have at least one fic that's 'active'. I think you're a brill writer, so I think you should go for it!
~ss ~ Are you correct? Scroll down and see . . . oh and it's spelt Lucius.
~The hope conspiracy ~ Hehe, well, if you really don't want it to be his dad then . . . you'll just have to read on and see. It'll only take a few seconds to scroll down and read anyway!
~Elisa-gurl ~ Sorry if it was too stressful . . . you could always ignore the cliffies? No that would be daft . . . thanks for your review anyhow!!
~ Smileyface1314 ~ Thank you for the review! And yeah, Dennis is always humorous, he's that kind of guy, he doesn't 'do' serious if you get me! If you're not good at guesses then read and find out . . .
Disclaimer: I own nothing and all I want to do is get on with the chapter because I enjoy writing this fic now shut up ILUVRONWEASLEY . . .
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Draco gasped. "Father?"
Lucius smirked as he stared at his son, his gaze stone cold and steady. It was obvious that he was not pleased at Draco. He began to step forward, closer to him, getting closer by the second. As he moved forward, Draco moved backwards, backing into the room and into a corner without even realising that his father had cornered him.
"Draco, what a pleasant surprise. Pray tell, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the exact same thing."
"Ah, but I am here because I am a teacher and have the right to be roaming the castle, aware that one of my students, Miss Granger, will be coming to this exact classroom to meet with somebody . . . oh what a surprise that it's you, Draco."
Draco stared into his father's eyes and saw the anger beneath the calm surface, the menacing thoughts that were racing through his father's mind at that precise moment. Draco knew that to Lucius, it was no surprise at all that it was him that Hermione should be meeting, no surprise in the slightest.
Lucius stepped closer to Draco so that his face was only two inches away from his. With steel grip, Lucius tugged at Draco's collar, making him rise from the ground and forcing him to get even closer to his face.
"You're a disgrace to the family name Draco, a disgrace I tell you." Lucius hissed, causing spit to spray onto Draco's face, making him shudder.
"At least I'm not a disgrace to human kind like some people," Draco choked, coughing and spluttering.
Lucius's eyes gleamed with fury. He wasn't even bothering to hide it any more.
"Don't you talk to me in that tone boy! I raised you, I fed you, I gave you all the best to try and build you up to be a proper Malfoy, someone I could be proud of, but oh no, look at you now Draco, just look at what that filthy mudblood has lowered you to."
"She's not just a filthy mudblood. She's worth more than you'll ever be."
Lucius growled and grunted before dropping Draco to the floor. Suddenly, Draco heard a scream of fury. He looked up as Lucius fell to the floor, gripping his arm in pain, his eyes wide and bulging. He was gasping for breath, shivering with pain and as he lifted up the sleeve of his robes, Draco could see the dark mark burning into the skin of his father. He shuddered as he watched Lucius, a man that many were terrified of, now rolling on the floor in the utmost pain.
"Father?"
Draco couldn't help but worry. His father was, after all, his father, no matter what he did, no matter how much he didn't like him. If he was still old Draco however, he would never have felt worried for his father, but with his new side, his heart seemed to be in control most of the time.
"Father . . . are you okay?"
Draco stepped closer to Lucius, resting a hand shakily on his shoulder, as his breathing continued to deepen.
"Get away! I have no son . . ." Lucius growled, trying to stand and look strong, but only looking even more weak and vulnerable. His hands shook and he continued to tremble at Draco's gaze.
"Father . . . what's going on?"
"Draco . . . the Dark Lord is angry . . . angry at me for I have put my family affairs before his . . . he will want me dead . . . for I have neglected my duties for too long . . . Draco . . . he will want a replacement . . . for destroying me Draco."
"I won't go," Draco stood firm against the stonewall, his expression angry and stubborn, "You can't make me!"
"It is your duty Draco!" Lucius breathed heavily, getting this stressed at this time was draining his energy away, draining every last bit of his soul away. He closed his eyes and took his wand from his robe pocket, clenching it hard in his fist.
"Draco . . . I'd rather die in the honour of the Dark Lord, than stay alive and see my own blood become what you are today . . . have a good life Draco, while it lasts . . ."
Lucius muttered a spell under his breath so that Draco could not hear, then with a small flick of his wand, he vanished, leaving a trail of smoke where he had just been a few seconds ago. Draco stared, shocked, but stayed surprisingly calm about the situation. His father was gone, and would probably never want to see him again. Knowing his mother (who would do anything for the Dark Lord and his father), she would order the house elves to pack some of his belongings, then when the Christmas holidays came and he was supposed to return home, she would probably have everything packed by the gates, and not even a note to say goodbye.
Part of him said 'good riddance' while the other was whining that his daddy had gone now, and he would never see him ever again. Draco wasn't sure which side said what, but that wasn't exactly surprising, as right now he wasn't sure of anything anymore.
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"
Draco spun around. She was standing there, a frown on her face, her eyes slightly red, her hair bushy - as usual, and her body weighed down with a ton of heavy books. He was speechless. It was the first time he had a chance to talk to her as himself, and now he couldn't even think of anything to say.
"Seeing as it's only you, Malfoy, I guess I'll be leaving."
"No! Granger . . . stay."
Hermione spun around and stared at him suspiciously as she stepped into the dusty abandoned classroom. She looked around and sniffed, her nose cringing at the smell. Sitting down on the floor, she placed her many books beside her. Her lips were thin as she turned back to Draco, waiting for him to say something.
Draco had absolutely no idea how to begin to tell her what had happened, everything was all muddled and his tongue seemed not to work. Hermione tapped her foot in irritation, producing the only noise in the room.
"Well seeing as you obviously have nothing to say," Hermione got up, dusted herself down and began to walk towards the door, "Then I guess I should just be leaving."
"No!" Draco cried out, catching her arm as she began to trudge past him. She swiftly turned and the look she gave Draco was one of pure hatred, one that made Draco's Orli side shiver, but made Draco's old side feel like he was in his own element. It was an oddly evil stare that would send shivers down most people's spine.
"What is it then? I have more important things to do than deal with you, you know."
Draco saw his chance to speak and bring this conversation into the territory that he wanted, "Maybe one of those important things, happens to be, looking for a certain someone, by the name of . . . Orlando?"
"What do you know?"
Hermione's eyes were wide and hopeful. She seemed not to care about anything else anymore but the subject at hand. She took Draco by the shoulders and shook him - hard and in desperation.
"TELL ME GOD DAMN IT!"
"I know a lot of things, just stop shaking me!"
Hermione stopped, and Draco could see her eyes become wells of unshed tears. She sniffed and looked down, her bushy hair hiding her tears from view.
"He just left . . . without a goodbye or anything . . ."
She looked up and Draco could see that the tears were now streaming down her face freely. He had no idea how much Orli meant to her, and as Orli was really himself . . . Hermione sniffed once more and then frowned, her eyes set on Draco. Her voice was muffled but he could hear it clearly enough.
"What? No insult Malfoy? No mudblood this, or mudblood that? What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong with me Granger, now if you would just let me speak . . . I know what happened to Orli . . ."
"You know? Just tell me! Or I'll hex you into the next generation, ferret face."
"No need to be rude Granger, you're not exactly perfect now are you?"
"At least I don't look like a blimmin' rat."
Draco stopped himself before an insult slipped out. His dignity was starting to show, and his pride was clearly being trampled on, yet he was resisting the urge to fight back. One side of him wanted no more than to kiss the girl in front of him and tell her how beautiful she was to him, even if she wasn't to everyone else. The other side wanted no more than to hex her into oblivion.
"Where is Orli, Malfoy? Just tell me where he is . . ."
Draco looked at her. She looked so sad, so hopeful, so vulnerable . . . everything he didn't want to be, everything he never wanted to come across, EVER. He realised that it was either now, or never.
"Orli . . . is standing right in front of you."
Hermione's eyes grew as large as saucepans as she looked him up and down. Her breathing quickened, and her face became paler and more fragile. She shook her head and gave a nervous laugh, backing away slightly from Draco.
"No . . . no . . . you're lying Malfoy, you cheating, lying scumbag."
"You know bloody well that I'm not lying. Just admit it, you can see him in me, and my voice, don't you recognise my voice?"
Hermione gulped and eyed him in shock. Her lips were quivering as well as her entire body, and she felt faint. Tears began to well in her eyes once more. She raised a finger to point accusingly at him.
"You can't be . . . you're evil, he's . . . nice, you're . . . . he just can't be . . . I won't let him be! You can't trick me that easily Draco Malfoy! You can't just waltz back into this world and act like you're something you're not! You can't come in here and say that you're Orli without any proof whatsoever!"
Hermione shouted, her heart filled with rage as well as sadness. She didn't care about anything anymore, she just wanted the truth, needed the truth, now more than anything. To her, Draco just couldn't be Orli . . . Orli was like her Knight in shining armour, whilst Draco was her worst and only enemy, this was not right at all.
"Who said I didn't have any proof? I'm not that stupid Hermione."
He had said her name. Draco couldn't even believe he had said her name . . . how could he have said her name? Although it was only a name, only something that we know each other by, that one difference in name-calling meant more than it seemed. Hermione dried her tears with her robe sleeve and tried her best to look strong.
"What proof, I don't believe you."
Draco took the plastic carrier bag that he had brought with him. He took out the jumper Mrs Weasley had given to him during the holidays to keep him warm. He could see Hermione's face turn even paler as she gazed at the jumper, shocked and speechless.
"This, was something Mrs Weasley gave to me when I was at The Burrow with you, Potter, Weasley, and all that lot." Draco announced, waiting for some kind of reaction, any kind of reaction, from Hermione.
"No . . ." Hermione shook her head and gave a small, crazy little smile, "You just stole that off him, you couldn't have gotten that otherwise."
"Okay then . . . how do you explain this?"
Draco reached into the bag and pulled out the watch that Hermione had bought him when he had went shopping with Dennis, Fille, and her. Hermione snatched it away from him and examined it, the frown quickly changing into one of shock and horror.
"You stole this too, there was no way that you could be Orli."
"Look Hermione, if I'm not Orli, then how do I know that Dennis Granger is your cousin, and that your mum and dad were involved in a car accident, AND that Dudley Dursley, Potter's annoyingly fat cousin, fancies you, AND that you have pink and glitzy diaries, seven of them, AND that you and Weasley had something special until he went out with that Lavender Brown, AND that we kissed," Draco paused as he saw Hermione waver slightly, the watch still clutched tightly in her hand.
"You can't have . . ."
"I remember, we kissed, outside the Burrow, the Weasley's home. You were crying, I was still Orli, Potter pushed me outside to try and comfort you, and, you kissed me, and I kissed you back."
Hermione was now staring at him blankly, her hand still clenched around the watch like it was something precious, something so precious that she couldn't afford to let it go. Draco waited for it all to sink in, he waited for her to slap him, to tell him how much she hated him, and how much she would hate him forever. But no reaction came, no slap, no screaming, no nothing.
"Hermione . . ."
"Don't call me that."
"But Hermione -
"I said DON'T."
"I . . . I'm still Orli, I am . . . kind of. This has changed me, maybe for the better, maybe for the worse, but I'm different now, and I don't even know who I am anymore."
"You'll never be Orli, Draco Malfoy, you'll never be completely Orli, because you'll always have that bit of Draco Malfoy in you. Orli was the person I fell in love with . . . not . . . YOU."
"I know . . ."
"Then how dare you come back here and tell me all this? When you knew how hurt I would be? When you knew what I would say, what I would do? WHY? TELL ME WHY?" She screamed at him.
"WHY? Because this would have killed me, sitting here watching you cry over someone like me!" Draco shouted, "I admit it, I care for you, and no matter how hard I try, I know that I won't stop caring! I know that deep down inside you knew something was different about 'Orli', something different about your new friend Orli, but you just ignored it! You wanted to ignore it, and ignore the fact that he wasn't all he seemed to be!"
"So what if I did? You're still not the one I fell in love with . . . and don't tell me that you know Draco Malfoy, because you don't know anything . . . have you any idea how hard it is for me not to hit you, or hex you, or do ANYTHING to you, even though you've just told me that the guy who I thought was the love of my life was nothing more, than a stupid, a horrible, a . . . evil little act?"
"It wasn't an act."
They looked at each other, their eyes fixed. Draco gulped and stepped closer to Hermione. He took her hands and was surprised when she didn't snatch them back, or do anything in fact. She stood and stared stiffly back at him.
"You can tell me to leave, and tell me how much you hate me, or hit me over the head, and do whatever you like to me, if you could just give me this kiss, this one kiss then look me in the eye, and honestly tell me that you don't feel anything."
She didn't reply. Draco drew in closer and closer, their lips almost touching. He half expected her to draw back and slap him, half expected her to tell him that she wouldn't even give him this chance . . . but she didn't. He landed his lips on hers and used his tongue to prise open her mouth. He gave it his all and as he drew back, he wondered whether Hermione would react at all - would she hit him and say that she wasn't in love with him, or maybe just walk away and pretend it never happened?
Hermione took Draco's arm and opened his palm. She placed the watch back on his hand and headed for the door, picking up her many books as she went. Just as she was about to exit the room, she turned her head and looked back at Draco.
"I'll give you another chance Malfoy, one chance, but I'm telling you, I'm only giving you this chance when you find out who you really are . . . Draco."
Hermione turned and walked away, leaving Draco, all alone and in the dark.
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Pretty average length for one chapter, for me anyway. To be honest, I don't even know what's going to happen next, I mean, what is Draco's true identity? . . . . Serious soul searching stuff, huh? I'll have to think about this one, but the chapter will be up soon, my brain takes no breaks (most of the time anyway)