Chapter 5
****Harry****
I don't know what the hell just happened. I tell Lavender I will go on a walk with her and she leads me down this dark corridor. Before I know it she has her arms around me. Now, I know she has liked me, but I had no idea this would ever happen.
"Lavender, for real, you need to step back. Hermione wouldn't like this" I reason with her.
"It's not Hermione you really want. Don't you get it Harry. I am trying to make you understand. There is more than one girl out there for you. Here I am right in front of your face and you can't even see me!" She seems really angry at this point.
I get it now. I have been attracted to her, but I pushed her away. I was with Hermione. I love Hermione, and I am not going to cheat on her. She deserves much better than that. But now I understand. If I'm so attracted to someone else, then maybe I really don't love Hermione in the way I think I do.
As I ponder this thought Lavender gets closer, and for some reason I'm not pushing her away. She brushes her lips against mine. They are so soft and warm. So are Hermione's but this is different. There is a different feeling here.
I hear someone clear their throat. Shit! Who is it? Who saw us? I look over and see the last person I really want to, Hermione. SHIT! I run after her. She doesn't want to talk to me and only increases speed. Draco separates us.
We reach her portrait hole. She is up to her room already. Only a greasy blonde idiot separates us. "Move Malfoy!" I scream at him. But he succeeds in stopping me. He is Head Boy, and the last thing I want is to get myself in trouble at the mercy of Malfoy.
A tear runs down my cheek and I turn away quickly. I do not want him to think that I cry. I am much tougher than that. I stalk away with my head hung low. I am shamed. I can't believe what I have done tonight. There is no way Hermione deserves this.
I reach my common room. Lavender is already in her room, and I'm heading to my own. I cry myself to sleep that night with silent sobs. Even my soft bed is of no comfort to me. I am sick to my stomach, and I know that I won't feel any better in the coming morning.
****Hermione****
The sun shines through my window and wakes me up once again. I really need to get thicker curtains. My eyes are puffy and red, and my head is pounding. I replay last night's events over and over in my mind. It seems surreal. I can't believe that this happened to me. I can't believe Harry did this to me.
Then it dawns on me. Draco. Draco brought me back to the room. Draco took care of me. Something is going on here, and I intend to find out what it is. Until then, I am going to make Harry and Lavender pay dearly.
I open up the drapes and let the sun shine in. I blink my eyes and shake myself awake. I see a cloak laying on a chair beside my bed. It's Draco's. I never returned it to him after that night we came to the castle. I pick it up and hold it in my arms. I open my door and walk across the hall. My feet are carrying me, but suddenly I can't believe what I'm doing. I knock on the door and it's answered by a sleepy looking Draco. His hair is disheveled, and he looks very groggy.
"I just wanted to return this" I start out. Suddenly I feel foolish for coming over here. "Ummm I'm just going to go back to my room now" I say sheepishly as I feel a blush come over my cheeks.
"Come on in" he says in a quiet voice. He opens the door for me and I step inside the very Slytherin room. He sits on the bed, and almost looks embarrassed.
"Look, I'm really sorry about last night. I promise you don't have to take care of me again" I say quickly. "I just wanted to bring back your cloak". I stand up to leave, but he stops me.
"Why don't you sit down for a minute. I mean. . .you were really upset last night. It's okay if you want to stay" he says quietly. I think he wants me stay but he will never admit it. My feet don't move. They seem to know where I really want to be, and for some strange reason I want to be here. Draco disappears into the bathroom that is adjoined to his room, but leaves the door open. I know he is changing into his robes for the first day of classes and he emerges with a Head Boy badge pinned on to his chest.
"So are you ready for classes?" I ask him trying to make conversation. He nods yes.
"But I'm sure that you are more ready than I am. I saw you studying before" he says with a smile. I smile back, but it's weak. I'm still shaken, and sad. "Smile again" he says to me. I shake my head. I don't feel like smiling today.
"Come on. You are really not so ugly when you smile" he says to me, but I know he is joking. I know he is genuine today.
"Draco, be real with me. One day you are nice, one day you are a jerk. What will it be today?" I ask him bluntly.
He looks down to his feet. He is standing only a few feet from me, but he acts like he's a million miles away. "I don't know. I honestly don't know". He walks away. "So your first class is Potions with Slytherins huh? This should be fun".
Now it's my turn to look to my feet. Harry will be there. Lavender will be there. I don't want to go. I feel a weight on my shoulders. And not like a metaphor, this is real. Draco has actually put his arm on my shoulder. He is actually comforting me.
"Hermione, don't worry about him. Forget him for a day. I will sit with you at breakfast and I will sit with you in class. There is no reason that we should both have to be alone. We can just blame it on the fact that we are Heads". I smile. I appreciate his efforts, and I say okay.
"I will go get dressed and meet you in our common room then". I stand up and walk out with a smile. I have finally done it. I have broken down a little piece of his walls that were protecting his soul.
****Draco****
How did I let this happen? How did I let her in? I have suddenly become friends with a Gryffindor. Instead of feeling dread, I almost feel happy. It almost makes me feel good when she knocks on my door. What's wrong with me?
Nothing. I am normal. This is what I'm starting to realize. Sometimes you need friends I guess, and oddly enough I have started a relationship with her.
Okay, well maybe it's not really a relationship. It's more like an understanding. She comes into my room this morning, and I am almost glad to sense her presence. I am really getting too sensitive here. Not cool.
She returns my cloak, but I'm not stupid. She was looking for a reason to come in. Obviously she needs to be with someone. She's a weak girl. I take it upon myself to take care of her today. Merlin, I am really starting to change here.
She sits on my bed while I get dressed. I don't want to embarrass her so I go into the bathroom to do so. I tell her she can stay for a while, and oddly enough she appreciates that. Why she wants to be with me I don't understand.
She wants me to be real with her. "Why are you mean to me one minute and nice to me the next?" she asks me. I don't have the answers for that. I don't know what to tell her. I'm not going to tell her I'm weak. I'm not going to tell her how upset I am about my family situation. I will not tell her that watching my father kill my mother and slowly go insane has changed me. She doesn't need to know the intricate details. No one needs to know the details.
She asks if I'm ready for classes, but obviously she is more ready than me. I have a feeling that she will let this Potter thing go once she is in the classroom. There is only one problem with my theory. Our first class is Potions.
I meet her down in the common room after telling her to go get ready for classes. She looks a little sad, and I know it's because she is going to have to face Potter and Brown all day long. Her head is hung low and she is sitting on the couch.
I sit down beside her and put my arm around her. "Let's make a deal". She looks up at me with a perplexed look. Maybe she doesn't expect me to be so nice to her. "Friends." I say simply. "I mean, there is no reason we can't really be friends" I go on while I look through her. I am almost embarrassed to be put in such a vulnerable position.
She nods her head and smiles. She doesn't say a word. She doesn't want to make me feel bad, and I can tell. I appreciate it. I appreciate the way that she doesn't really judge me anymore. The way she is accepting of my proposal.
I stand up and hold out my hand. She takes it and stands with me. Before I know it her arms are around my neck, and she is squeezing me tight. So this is what it feels like to be loved. This is what a real hug feels like. I never knew it could be this good.
I walk her to the Great Hall. It's nice to have a friend at last. I know when we get there we have to face a new situation, but until then I am going to enjoy this. Because for once in my life I have a friend. And for once in my life I can see that I can be happy. And I can't wait to be happy.
A/N: I know this chapter is a little short. Sorry about that. I have a chem exam to study for. But once I am back from that I will probably start on my next chapter. I am trying to update as much as I can since I have the time. Read and review!
****Harry****
I don't know what the hell just happened. I tell Lavender I will go on a walk with her and she leads me down this dark corridor. Before I know it she has her arms around me. Now, I know she has liked me, but I had no idea this would ever happen.
"Lavender, for real, you need to step back. Hermione wouldn't like this" I reason with her.
"It's not Hermione you really want. Don't you get it Harry. I am trying to make you understand. There is more than one girl out there for you. Here I am right in front of your face and you can't even see me!" She seems really angry at this point.
I get it now. I have been attracted to her, but I pushed her away. I was with Hermione. I love Hermione, and I am not going to cheat on her. She deserves much better than that. But now I understand. If I'm so attracted to someone else, then maybe I really don't love Hermione in the way I think I do.
As I ponder this thought Lavender gets closer, and for some reason I'm not pushing her away. She brushes her lips against mine. They are so soft and warm. So are Hermione's but this is different. There is a different feeling here.
I hear someone clear their throat. Shit! Who is it? Who saw us? I look over and see the last person I really want to, Hermione. SHIT! I run after her. She doesn't want to talk to me and only increases speed. Draco separates us.
We reach her portrait hole. She is up to her room already. Only a greasy blonde idiot separates us. "Move Malfoy!" I scream at him. But he succeeds in stopping me. He is Head Boy, and the last thing I want is to get myself in trouble at the mercy of Malfoy.
A tear runs down my cheek and I turn away quickly. I do not want him to think that I cry. I am much tougher than that. I stalk away with my head hung low. I am shamed. I can't believe what I have done tonight. There is no way Hermione deserves this.
I reach my common room. Lavender is already in her room, and I'm heading to my own. I cry myself to sleep that night with silent sobs. Even my soft bed is of no comfort to me. I am sick to my stomach, and I know that I won't feel any better in the coming morning.
****Hermione****
The sun shines through my window and wakes me up once again. I really need to get thicker curtains. My eyes are puffy and red, and my head is pounding. I replay last night's events over and over in my mind. It seems surreal. I can't believe that this happened to me. I can't believe Harry did this to me.
Then it dawns on me. Draco. Draco brought me back to the room. Draco took care of me. Something is going on here, and I intend to find out what it is. Until then, I am going to make Harry and Lavender pay dearly.
I open up the drapes and let the sun shine in. I blink my eyes and shake myself awake. I see a cloak laying on a chair beside my bed. It's Draco's. I never returned it to him after that night we came to the castle. I pick it up and hold it in my arms. I open my door and walk across the hall. My feet are carrying me, but suddenly I can't believe what I'm doing. I knock on the door and it's answered by a sleepy looking Draco. His hair is disheveled, and he looks very groggy.
"I just wanted to return this" I start out. Suddenly I feel foolish for coming over here. "Ummm I'm just going to go back to my room now" I say sheepishly as I feel a blush come over my cheeks.
"Come on in" he says in a quiet voice. He opens the door for me and I step inside the very Slytherin room. He sits on the bed, and almost looks embarrassed.
"Look, I'm really sorry about last night. I promise you don't have to take care of me again" I say quickly. "I just wanted to bring back your cloak". I stand up to leave, but he stops me.
"Why don't you sit down for a minute. I mean. . .you were really upset last night. It's okay if you want to stay" he says quietly. I think he wants me stay but he will never admit it. My feet don't move. They seem to know where I really want to be, and for some strange reason I want to be here. Draco disappears into the bathroom that is adjoined to his room, but leaves the door open. I know he is changing into his robes for the first day of classes and he emerges with a Head Boy badge pinned on to his chest.
"So are you ready for classes?" I ask him trying to make conversation. He nods yes.
"But I'm sure that you are more ready than I am. I saw you studying before" he says with a smile. I smile back, but it's weak. I'm still shaken, and sad. "Smile again" he says to me. I shake my head. I don't feel like smiling today.
"Come on. You are really not so ugly when you smile" he says to me, but I know he is joking. I know he is genuine today.
"Draco, be real with me. One day you are nice, one day you are a jerk. What will it be today?" I ask him bluntly.
He looks down to his feet. He is standing only a few feet from me, but he acts like he's a million miles away. "I don't know. I honestly don't know". He walks away. "So your first class is Potions with Slytherins huh? This should be fun".
Now it's my turn to look to my feet. Harry will be there. Lavender will be there. I don't want to go. I feel a weight on my shoulders. And not like a metaphor, this is real. Draco has actually put his arm on my shoulder. He is actually comforting me.
"Hermione, don't worry about him. Forget him for a day. I will sit with you at breakfast and I will sit with you in class. There is no reason that we should both have to be alone. We can just blame it on the fact that we are Heads". I smile. I appreciate his efforts, and I say okay.
"I will go get dressed and meet you in our common room then". I stand up and walk out with a smile. I have finally done it. I have broken down a little piece of his walls that were protecting his soul.
****Draco****
How did I let this happen? How did I let her in? I have suddenly become friends with a Gryffindor. Instead of feeling dread, I almost feel happy. It almost makes me feel good when she knocks on my door. What's wrong with me?
Nothing. I am normal. This is what I'm starting to realize. Sometimes you need friends I guess, and oddly enough I have started a relationship with her.
Okay, well maybe it's not really a relationship. It's more like an understanding. She comes into my room this morning, and I am almost glad to sense her presence. I am really getting too sensitive here. Not cool.
She returns my cloak, but I'm not stupid. She was looking for a reason to come in. Obviously she needs to be with someone. She's a weak girl. I take it upon myself to take care of her today. Merlin, I am really starting to change here.
She sits on my bed while I get dressed. I don't want to embarrass her so I go into the bathroom to do so. I tell her she can stay for a while, and oddly enough she appreciates that. Why she wants to be with me I don't understand.
She wants me to be real with her. "Why are you mean to me one minute and nice to me the next?" she asks me. I don't have the answers for that. I don't know what to tell her. I'm not going to tell her I'm weak. I'm not going to tell her how upset I am about my family situation. I will not tell her that watching my father kill my mother and slowly go insane has changed me. She doesn't need to know the intricate details. No one needs to know the details.
She asks if I'm ready for classes, but obviously she is more ready than me. I have a feeling that she will let this Potter thing go once she is in the classroom. There is only one problem with my theory. Our first class is Potions.
I meet her down in the common room after telling her to go get ready for classes. She looks a little sad, and I know it's because she is going to have to face Potter and Brown all day long. Her head is hung low and she is sitting on the couch.
I sit down beside her and put my arm around her. "Let's make a deal". She looks up at me with a perplexed look. Maybe she doesn't expect me to be so nice to her. "Friends." I say simply. "I mean, there is no reason we can't really be friends" I go on while I look through her. I am almost embarrassed to be put in such a vulnerable position.
She nods her head and smiles. She doesn't say a word. She doesn't want to make me feel bad, and I can tell. I appreciate it. I appreciate the way that she doesn't really judge me anymore. The way she is accepting of my proposal.
I stand up and hold out my hand. She takes it and stands with me. Before I know it her arms are around my neck, and she is squeezing me tight. So this is what it feels like to be loved. This is what a real hug feels like. I never knew it could be this good.
I walk her to the Great Hall. It's nice to have a friend at last. I know when we get there we have to face a new situation, but until then I am going to enjoy this. Because for once in my life I have a friend. And for once in my life I can see that I can be happy. And I can't wait to be happy.
A/N: I know this chapter is a little short. Sorry about that. I have a chem exam to study for. But once I am back from that I will probably start on my next chapter. I am trying to update as much as I can since I have the time. Read and review!
