A/N: Thanks for everyone's reviews. I have a correction to make. Anne, the goddaughter of Mrs. Malfoy, is now actually Pansy Parkinson, seeing that fits the story so much better. Hopefully no one will get confused about that. I honestly love this scene, and it's my favorite in the movie. Hope you all enjoy.
Chapter Nine: Feelings are Revealed
After dinner, the entire party adjourned into the lounge for lighthearted conversations before retiring to bed. At Mrs. Malfoy's "request", Hermione obliged them by playing some of her favorite pieces on their grand piano. It really was no exaggeration on Mrs. Malfoy's part; they indeed do possess one of the finest instruments in the country.
All eyes were on Hermione now, with the exception of Pansy and Mrs. Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy was observing Draco, who seemed to be most fascinated by Hermione's playing. Inch by inch, he casually moved closer to the piano as to get a better look, until he was right up against the instrument.
Hermione acknowledged him with a slight nod. He smiled back at her. Suddenly realizing his mother's stare on him, he tried to justify his presence by trying to help Hermione turn the pages of the music book.
"Draco's sister, Georgina, is a very accomplished musician," Mrs. Malfoy boasted, "And I too should have been a great proficient," she claimed, "if I ever learned."
"You would have been proficient at anything, Mrs. Malfoy," Neville readily agreed.
"So would Pansy!" she added.
"That goes without saying," Neville chuckled nervously.
Everyone turned their attention back to Hermione. Just as Draco was about to turn the page for her, Mrs. Malfoy called out, "Draco! Come here!"
Draco, with his hand on the page, hesitated to move without turn it. Not wanting to keep his mother waiting any longer, he reluctantly draws back to her.
"Sit down, sit down," Mrs. Malfoy pointed to the chair next to Pansy.
Draco glanced back at Hermione once more before doing so.
"I was telling Susan, how exquisitely dear Pansy would have played, if her health permitted her to study," Mrs. Malfoy told him. Pansy blushed as she looks down, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her smirk.
"I don't doubt it," Draco replied without even looking at Pansy.
"Your dear father was so fond of Pansy," Mrs. Malfoy continued.
"Yes I know."
"He would say, Pansy is the only daughter of our dear friends, the Parkinsons, and I have an only son. It's as though the heavens had made them for one another," she recalled.
"Incredible," Draco replied for the sake of replying. Realizing that the response made no sense, he corrected himself, "I mean, uh, exactly. Er-"he awkwardly stood up, "I-um, excuse me," He made his way back to the piano before Mrs. Malfoy could respond.
Hermione finished the piece as Draco came to her side. Viktor Krum started to clap in appreciation at her playing but Mrs. Malfoy shot him a look that forced him to stop.
"Oh don't stop Hermione," Draco said, "That was charming."
"Isn't that the right time to stop when people still think you're charming?" Hermione told him teasingly, "If I went on, you might change you mind."
To everyone else, Draco showed obvious signs that he was quite taken by her. He gazed at her silently without a blink. Hermione returned his stare, but perplexed at this seemingly seriously moment.
Mrs. Malfoy also noticed this exchange. "Ahem," she cleared her throat loudly. "Hermione?" she signaled her with her finger.
Hermione got up from the piano, "I am summoned," she told Draco dramatically before walking over.
"It was quite creditable my dear," Mrs. Malfoy remarked, "You don't play at all badly. You should practice more. Practice, Hermione, practice, you can't do enough of it. You're very welcome to practice here everyday."
"Why thank you Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione, pleasantly surprised at her generosity.
"There's a very fair instrument in the house elves' quarter, you'll disturb no one there," Mrs. Malfoy told her.
Hermione fought back the urge to roll her eyes, "You are really too gracious Mrs. Malfoy," she said with a higher than normal tone of voice, trying to hide her sarcasm, "But I shouldn't care to disturb the house elves."
Viktor lets out a stifled laugh.
"I protest, mother," Draco interrupted, "Why talk of practicing when Hermione should be playing?" He gently pulled her arm, "Come Hermione, I insist on your favoring us again."
He led Hermione back to the piano. "There is, needless to say, a rich assortment of music here," Draco started shuffling some of the music books, "My mother means quite kindly Hermione, her manner is sometimes unfortunate."
"Having already met you," Hermione smiled innocently, "I was happily prepared for your mother's manner."
Hermione started playing again leaving Draco to ponder that comment in his head.
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Next day after lunch, Hermione stormed furiously into the guesthouse, having just returned from a stroll in the gardens with Viktor Krum.
"Hermione," Susan alerted her at the door, "Draco is in the study. He's been waiting for you for nearly an hour."
"Let him wait!" she exclaimed, livid, "I don't want to see him! I never want to see him again!"
"Wait, what happened?" Susan asked, "What's come over you?"
"Do you want to know the real reason why Ron left Hogwarts in such a hurry without a word to Lavender?" Hermione's voice grew louder, "His high mightiness-"
Susan waved her arms to stop her from shouting.
"Draco Malfoy!" she whispered.
"I thought it was Ginny Weasley," said Ginny.
"She was only half the reason." Hermione explained, "I just heard about it by chance this very moment by Viktor Krum."
"Viktor Krum?" Susan repeated.
"Of course, he didn't know I was Lavender's friend," she explained, "He was just holding forth about the virtues of his precious friend, telling me how unselfish he was, and what an infinite amount of trouble he'd gone to save his best friend Ron Weasley from an impossible match!"
"Oh"
"You can tell Malfoy that I'm not here!" Hermione stated adamantly. She started to walk off, but Susan pulled her back.
"He must have seen you come in, I can't tell him" Susan pointed out, "After all, he is Mrs. Malfoy's son. Hermione," she pleaded, "For my sake."
Hermione sensed a strong desperation. It made her own expression soften, "Very well Susan, for your sake."
She opened the door to the study and spotted Draco staring out the window. Draco, feeling her presence, abrupted turned around. Hermione walked in quietly and closed the door.
"Good afternoon Hermione," Draco greeted her nervously.
"Afternoon, Draco," she said coldly. She crossed the room silently and sat down on a chair by the desk.
Draco walked to her side, "Susan gave me leave to wait on you."
Hermione just sat still, eyes straight ahead and without a word. A wave of uneasiness swooped over Draco. He started pacing about. Finally, getting his nerve, he positioned himself right in front of Hermione.
"It's no use," he threw his hands up in the air; "I've struggled in vain. I must tell you how much I admire and love you."
The statement completely threw off her train of thought. Her eyes grew wide, too shocked to say anything.
Draco takes a deep breath, "Hermione," he sat down in the chair next to her, "My life and happiness are in your hands. These last weeks since I left Hogwarts have been empty meaningless, days and nights," he confessed as he met her eyes, "I thought I could put you out of my mind, that inclination would give way to judgment."
He stood up, trying to release the excess energy from his adrenaline rush, "I find myself walking about the streets reminding myself about the unsuitability of "us", the obstacles between us."
Draco sat back down again, "But it won't do, I can struggle against you no longer."
"Draco-" Hermione began, finally speaking up.
"I've reminded myself again and again, that I have obligations of family and position," he continued on, "Obligations I was born to. Nothing I tell myself matters!" He kneeled down to take her hand and kissed it, "I love you. I love you."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, "Do you know what you're saying?"
"Yes darling," He bored deeply into her eyes, "I want for us to be together."
Hermione pulled away from him trying to control her anger. She walked over to the window and composed herself as best as she could. She then turned around to Draco wearing a complete look of disdain. "Do you expect me to THANK you for this extraordinary offer? Am I SUPPOSE to feel flattered that you have SO overcome your aversion to me and my family that you're willing to ASSOCIATE with it?" she asked belligerently.
A very shocked Draco retorted in disbelief, "But, do you expect me to be glad that your family is inferior to mine?"
Hermione looked up with a mocking laugh, "Oh!" she scoffed, glaring at him, "I suppose I should congratulate you on winning the battle between your unwilling affections and my unworthiness. But you see, I have never desired your good opinion. And if you were not so lacking in perception, you might have spared yourself my refusal!" She quickly turned away, unable to stand the sight of him any longer.
She can sense him moving close behind her. "Is-is this the only reply I am to be honored with?" he asked with a slight tremble, "I might perhaps deserve to be told why I am rejected and with so little civility."
Hermione twirled back around, "I also might deserve to know why determined, evidently to offend and insult me!" she pointed out with a hurtful expression, "You chose to tell me you liked me against your will, against you reason, against even your character!"
"If the manner of my expression-" he started to say.
"The manner of your proposal is only one reason of my incivility, if I have been uncivil." she interrupted, "Even have my feelings been favorable, which they never could have been, believe me if they had, I still have every reason in the world to think ill of you." Hermione's eyes were starting to tear up, "Do you think anything would tempt me to accept the man who has destroyed the happiness of one of my dearest friends?"
Draco raised his arm as if about to speak just as Hermione quickly moved away to hide the tears that are now uncontrollably spilling down her face. She grabs a handkerchief from a nearby table and tries to soak the wetness from her face, "How could you do it!" she sniffed. She wanted to see his reaction, "Knowing Lavender, how could you hurt her so?"
"In observing them together, I could not believe she really loved Ron!" he explained without a hint of remorse, "As his friend, I considered it my duty to advise his cause."
"But even without this," Hermione movedon turning her back on him, "Your character was clearly revealed in your treatment of Harry Potter!"
Draco's face grew red, "You've taken an eager interest in that gentleman's concern!" he yelled angrily, facing the wall.
"Only a fool that knows no misfortune could fail to take an interest!" Hermione shouted back.
"His misfortune!" he grunted.
"Brought on by your injustice and betrayal!" she accused.
There was a slight pause before Draco turned back around, "Where Potter is concerned, I have nothing to say," he replied, lowering his voice.
"In other words, you dare not speak because you know you're guilty!" Hermione stated frankly.
He lets out a small disappointed sigh, "And that is your opinion of me?"
Hermione, with her back still turned, refused to respond.
Draco broke the moment of awkward silence, "Perhaps my faults might have been overlooked. Had I concealed my struggles, and flattered you that no doubt of my cause has ever entered my mind!" he said in a patronizing way, "I made the mistake of being honest with you."
"Honestly is a greatly overrate virtue!" she retorted, "Silence in this case would be more agreeable!"
"But I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your muggle born heritage, they were natural!" he defended.
"And should have been kept to yourself!" Hermione rebutted, finally facing him again.
Draco stood there, dumbfounded, unable to produce any words in reply.
"Let's end this distasteful subject!" Hermione brushed past him as she headed toward the desk. "Your arrogance! Your conceit! Your-your selfish disregard of other people's feelings made me dislike you from the first!" she listed bluntly, looking away, "I-I hadn't known you a week before I decided you were the last man in the world that I'd ever be prevailed about to be with!"
Draco eyes grew wider and wider as she spoke, "You've said quite enough there!" he told her, "I've understand your feelings, and to have now only to be ashamed of having confessed my own," he looked down solemnly at the floor, "Forgive me for taking up so much of your valuable time."
With a small bow, he walked to the door. Opening it, he turned around once more to Hermione, "Accept my best wishes for your health," his voice in a defeated state, "and happiness."
Hermione was too stubborn to give him any eye contact as he left. Hearing the door close, she turned to look in that direction, half wishing he was still there. She stood there in the study replaying the scene over and over again. Hermione was experiencing a great deal of emotions; anger, remorse, and particularly a feeling of guilt which is now beginning to overcome her.
Thanks a lot for reading! Review! Next Chapter posting soon!
