A/N: As usual, thank you, thank you, thank you to my reviewers and readers. If anyone has any questions, feel free to post them. I like answering questions. Yes. Ha, ha.
Draco paced in his room. Hermione was just across the way, but she hadn't talked to him for days. Ron and Harry had been giving him updates on how she'd been reacting and such. She had still been unfazed when they told her Draco's truth, and Ginny, whom Draco had found out was there at the scene, had not seen it or heard it because she was so busy snogging Dean.
He remembered something Ron had said. "It would take a demonstration of true love, bravery, and the risk of humiliation to win back Hermione's heart.
He wiped his brow and fiercely pummeled his pillow, letting out a very frustrated sigh. Lying back on the bed, he tossed from side to side, clenching his hands tightly. He tried desperately to relax, and slowly his limbs grew limp. He would talk try once again to talk to her. It would be his last effort on the talking front, and then he would have to be more creative. With serious doubts about his hasty plan, he dressed quickly, trying to look handsome but casual, a look he had mastered in his past years at Hogwarts. Though this time he was aiming more toward the just-out-of-bed approach.
His hair hung about his face, instead of his regular slick-backed style, and his baggy black slacks were speckled with dust. His white muscle shirt clung to his sculpted chest and shoulders, a little dirt on the front. He attached a small silver chain about his neck, and with that, he walked down his stairs and up Hermione's, until he got to her room, and knocked on the door.
"Go away," came her voice.
"Please, Hermione. I'll be brief. I promise.
There was a great sigh from within her room, and the sound of her tapping her foot upon the floor. After several minutes, his back against the banister, he heard her bed squeak the lock click. A strained smile formed on his face, and vanished quickly. Hermione appeared in the doorway, looking at him not with fiery malice, but with a tired expression, like a flower wilting in the cold of winter. She had tried to hide her puffy and sleepless eyes with make-up, but he saw through it, and he felt a pang of remorse in his stomach.
Hermione observed him, taking in the vulnerability displayed in his eyes. He looked so child-like, so helpless. As if he'd drawn on the walls with crayon and now, understanding what he'd done wrong, did not know how to apologize. His eyes were pleading with her.
"All right. Come in," she said, her face solemn.
He followed her in and sat down in a spindly wooden chair. She climbed upon her bed and wrapped her arms about her legs, her chin resting snugly on her knees. She waited for him to speak.
"I guess I'll start with saying that I truly apologize. You know, when I was waiting for you, I tried to explain, but Nia is of Slytherin qualities, and she would not take no for an answer. However, I am not here to make excuses. I owe you everything. You already have my heart, but the other things, like my body, soul, and possessions, you can have them too. Anything if you'll just- " he paused, and she saw his lower lip quiver slightly, so unlike him, "if only you'll just forgive me.
Ignoring the voice in her head screaming at her to rush over to him and take him in her arms, she said, her eyes filling with burning tears, "I'm sorry, but I can't Draco. I just can't.
He got up and tried in vain to act unaffected, but his shoulders drooped and his eyes were downcast, and she turned her face away, feeling her eyes surrender to the fierce droplets rolling down her eyelashes. The door shut, and he was gone.
The next morning Hermione joined Harry, Ron, and Ginny for breakfast. Ron and Harry put on their best grins and patted her on the back, but she remained somewhat emotionless. Ginny looked rather depressed by this, even in her own half-hearted attempt to smile. Dean was stroking her cheek and hastily trying to make jokes. No one laughed.
Lavender, followed by Parvati Patil approached them, and huffily began to speak.
"Oh come on! Look at you all! The friends try in vain to cheer up the heart-broken girl. The boy does everything he can to win back her heart, but ends up being just as heart-broken as she is. Classic. Now let's have a cup of tea and try to move on, all right? Parvati and I predict a heated love life for you in the future, you know, Hermione," she smiled earnestly.
Hermione looked toward Draco, who sat alone. Blaise was talking to him, but at intervals would shout to other Slytherins and make out with a random girl. Draco seemed not to be listening or watching or caring, and he stared off into space, lost in some other world. She turned away and looked up at Lavender.
"Thanks. Um, I'll be fine.
"That's it. The first step toward bouncing back," Lavender replied.
"Indeed. That's what I always say. Saying things is the first step to doing them," Parvati added.
Hermione cocked an eyebrow. Harry whispered into Ron's ear, "Does that mean that Neville is on his way to getting laid with that babe in Norway he keeps going on about?"
Ron stifled a laugh, as Lavender was giving him a rather distasteful look.
"Ron, I don't think your life has the slightest chance of being as hot and heavy as Hermione's will be unless you get the picture and ask me out!
Ron's mouth dropped. "I, Lavender, I-"
"Yes?
He
wiped his brow and gazed upon her. "Well, this sounds a bit dumb, but, eh, I
know I should've asked you months before-" he swallowed, and continued, "Will
you go out with me?
"Duh.
Now come on, Ronnie boy. We've got Charms next, and as the gentleman I know you
are, you're going to walk me.
He got up and somewhat dazed, followed Lavender out into the halls.
"Is she usually like this with relationships?" Harry asked of Parvati, still standing there.
"No, just with the ones she really likes.
"Oh, well, that's good then.
She left, and Harry and Hermione followed. Ginny looked after them and tilted her head up at Dean, kissing him gently on the cheek.
"She's become so much different since Hogsmeade. It's like she's been washed of her emotions and all that's left now is some lingering ghost of her soul. I just don't know what I can do anymore.
"Have faith in Draco," Dean murmured, "have faith in Hermione. They are made for each other, one and the same. Until they make up, I'm not sure if Hermione can completely pull herself together. But I do know that we can try to help her find inside herself the part of her she lost. I believe some of that belongs to Draco, but like I said, we can try to mend the pieces she does have.
"Thank you Dean. You're the greatest." She leaned farther into him and he wrapped his arms around her protectively. Draco, watching them, felt some sort of fire burn within him, and he smiled true. They believed in him, he knew it. And he could believe in himself.
A/N: Okay, I know, sappy, but doesn't it make you feel all "Whoo Draco, blah." ? In other words, doesn't it make you feel warm inside? It does to me.
