Love's Game
~hotsleekeyz~
Chapter 2
Surprised by the Truth
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Harry was sitting inside the Gryffindor common room when Hermione came in. She must've looked exhausted, Harry thought, or so he was wrong. Hermione was actually giddy and a smile was plastered on her face.
"So, has the bookworm changed her spots?" asked Harry with a smile.
"Er, excuse me?" asked Hermione back as she was too occupied with her thoughts.
"I asked if the bookworm has changed her spots. . . you've got that frozen smile. Curious. . ."
Hermione looked at Harry straight in the eye. As much as she wanted to deny that she was feeling giddy, she couldn't. Her smile showed too much that she was happy.
"Y'know Harry, I have not an idea how to react to that right now. Whatever you're thinking, stop it"
Harry chortled to himself. He tried to hide his face from Hermione though unsuccessful. "Mione, you've never looked so gay before. It isn't the hormones working---it's the heart speaking"
"Oh jeez! Stop it will you? I just came from the infirmary to help a student out. I was supposed to head back here so that I could get my books but then I reckoned that I should help out before I do anything else"
"Help who?"
"Oh, just a student"
Harry smiled yet again. "Malfoy?. . .The ferret boy with the beautiful blonde hair and pretty face and the slim, sexy body that every girl in Hogwarts is actually dying for? Oh yeah, heard of him. Last time I heard something about him, it was Granger talking. . . oh yeah right . . . student?! Who would believe you? You wouldn't help a student out! You'd be too busy to give some time for others not unless it's someone special like-- -Malfoy perhaps?"
Hermione grabbed on a pillow and threw it at Harry. She was blushing profusely. "Stop it you silly bloke! You carry on that and I'll throw a full-grown troll at you"
Harry threw the pillow back at Hermione. "So, how was it with ferret boy?" asked Harry maliciously.
"Oh come on! Nothing happened alright? I just sent him over the infirmary as you've damaged some muscle tissue of his at your third aim at him. He was bitter over his loss"
"Loss? No one was declared as winner Mione. He must have felt bad as one of my aims hit him. Lucky chap he is, Hermione Granger was there to his rescue!" exclaimed Harry was he imitated a cartoon hero he watched from the muggle television show back at the Dursley's.
"Exactly THAT he was thinking", said Hermione in a matter-of-fact voice.
"So. . . You two did have some moments together . . ."
"You know Harry, sometimes you've just got to shut that mouth up"
"Oh come on! It's just once in a blue moon that we'll hear Hermione Granger speak when in love"
Hermione just rolled her eyes and strolled away from Harry who got himself a plastered grin.
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Two weeks passed so fast and Hermione was still up with the hype while Harry was down teasing her about it.
Another meeting at the Dueling Club and Harry had to miss that one. Harry told Hermione he was down with a bad case of flu that he couldn't get up from his bed.
Hermione accepted the lame excuse somehow. She thought that if she knew Harry better, she'd say that Harry was making some moves so that she and Draco get to talk to each other.
While Hermione was drowned in her thoughts, Draco entered the room in full magnificence of his school robe that seemed to have looked better and better on him, or so Hermione thought she was seeing.
Draco approached Hermione and said, "You've been here more often. And why, Harry Potter isn't here with you"
"Um, it's not actually him that I'm after for. I just came by to say HI to you, and if you'll allow me, I'd want to watch your next duel"
Draco felt uneasy and found himself in the position that he was uncomfortably inferior with an out-of-character Hermione Granger. "Uh, no problem. Just stay there and don't make it seem that you're here to watch me or I'll be dead of course. My father wouldn't want a Mudbl--- a muggleborn coming after me"
Hermione just smiled and never had the chance to properly process what Draco just told her. What rung repeatedly in her ears was Draco's smooth voice.
************************************************************************
Dueling Club finished their session and Draco was taken aback that Hermione was still there.
"Um, Granger, you should've been off into the library by this time. What's keeping you?"
"Well, I'm actually going to the library right now but I thought maybe you're hungry, and if by chance you are, I could accompany you to the hall or something"
Draco felt more uneasy than he was before that time that all he said was, "I'm not hungry"
"That's fine you know. I could always ask you another time"
"Granger, could you tell me, honest to goodness why you're doing this? As far as I could remember you hide under Potter's cloak as you're terrified and disgusted at my presence and now you're tailing after me like---"
"Isn't it too obvious now? Malfoy, I like you. This must be the first time I felt like this and having no experience with this sort of things, I act like this---well of course I don't have an idea as to how to deal with this you know. I may be blunt but I reckon it would be best if I tell you about it as I bet there wouldn't be any easier way to say this to you"
Draco nodded. "I understand. It just sends me the shiver. . . you're not like that Granger. And after all those years that we've been enemies, it really did come as a shock to know that there's something more with you. It's just---odd"
"No worries. I understand you perfectly well. I as much couldn't understand myself really. By the way, could I ask you out for dinner or something? We could go out of Hogwarts if you're too concerned of your reputation around here so we could might as well go to Hogsmeade or other nearby wizarding village somewhere"
"That's really nice Granger but I don't have the time for that"
"Oh come on! It's just like you're eating here at Hogwarts but of course we would be out on our own"
Draco shook his head and just smiled. "You don't understand it do you? Well, you most probably wouldn't"
"What do I don't understand?" asked Hermione rather innocently.
"Some things are left to be unsaid Granger. I don't want to cause you all the trouble"
"No, it's okay really. You could tell me everything"
Draco shook his head once more. "I'm sorry, I just can't go with you"
"Why?"
"I'm not the type who goes out like that with girls, that's all"
"We could just spend some time around Hogwarts"
All that Draco managed doing was shaking his head once more.
"No Granger, that's not what I mean"
"Then what?"
Silence won over them and Draco knew well not to break it out to Hermione any more.
Hermione felt like Draco wasn't going to answer and so she took the initiative by breaking the silence with her question. "What's the problem?"
"You wouldn't understand it. Besides, I told you, some things are better left unsaid"
A number of students started to stare at them and Draco had the urge to run out of the room. Being the gentleman that he is, talking to a girl to add to that, Draco stayed and managed to shoot death glares at anyone who stared.
"Try me Malfoy for all I care"
"You're such a kid"
"Maybe I am but I want you to know that I wouldn't let this pass unless you tell me what's wrong"
"Okay, fine. Could we just move away from them a bit?" asked Draco as he shot another death glare at a group of Ravenclaw girls who were staring mad at Hermione.
Draco and Hermione moved a bit to a corner and hushed their voices even more.
"Shoot", ordered Hermione who grew tired of nagging Draco to blurt it out.
"I'm gay"
"WHAT?"
"I'm gay. Is that a very complicated word to understand by an overly intellectual student like you?"
Hermione laughed. "You're joking, aren't you?"
"Why would I?"
"You couldn't be GAY you know! All the girls here are dying to have you and here you are telling me that you ARE gay. Come on Malfoy, tell me the truth"
"That IS the truth Hermione!"
Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Did you just call me by my first name?"
"I just did. I don't know how else to get this through you than calling you HERMIONE"
Hermione stopped for a while and thought it over. When it finally struck her, she asked, "How come?"
"Well I hope you don't tell anyone about this. I don't want to lose my membership in the Dueling Club you know. Not to mention that I have to stay on as Slytherin's Seeker"
"Okay, okay I'm listening"
"I'm not straight or so I believe that others' standard would claim. I don't have what you call AFFECTION FOR THE GIRLS. I like men better. I know it doesn't show, clearly because of my looks, but haven't you heard that most, um, HANDSOME men are actually gay? I don't have anything against it as I myself succumbed to being one. I just wish you wouldn't convince me to go out with you. I mean, I don't have IT for you. Don't take me wrong but you are beautiful Hermione, very smart as well. A lot of blokes here have little crushes on you and if you just look around, you will see others who are deserving of your affection---but not me Hermione. Our blood is of the same color"
"But Draco, can't you just try NOT to be gay?"
"The thought never crossed my mind actually. I like myself the way I am now"
"But Draco! I like you! Hogwarts could probably write it in its history that this is the first time that I liked someone and you'd just let it pass?"
"I'm sorry Hermione. I just can't do that. I don't want you to go all through the trouble"
"Couldn't we just go out---you, me, nothing else in between? But of course we could always fix our petty fights before and patch things up and be friends. It's our last year and it would be a better idea not to fight against each other through the remaining months"
Draco gave up. He couldn't build too strong a wall to stop someone like Hermione from getting what she wants. He thought that he already found who's the most persistent person in the world. "Okay. Let's just be friends and not let anything else come in between. That's it, okay?"
"Okay. But Draco, couldn't you---"
"I told you Hermione. I can't force myself to act as someone I'm not"
Hermione lowered her head and said, "Okay, are you up with any research work?"
"Um, I haven't done Transfiguration"
Hermione traced her head back at Draco. "I can accompany you to the library if you want"
"Um, okay. I'll just see you there at 8. There couldn't be much students there at that time of the night"
"Yeah. I'll see you then"
Draco thought he was again safe by Hermione's parting words when he was caught offguard by Hermione's kiss on his cheek.
"Bye!" uttered Hermione with a smile.
"Granger!"
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Hermione walked alone by the corridors and her spirits were at an all-time low. She never felt so devastated in her whole life.
Footsteps rushed in from behind her and she saw that it was Harry catching up with her. "SO, how's Dueling Club?"
"Harry, I know you just set me up back there. You wanted me to have some time with Malfoy"
"Too right you are Hermione", said Harry with a grin.
"So, have you discovered anything new about him today?"
"YES", spat Hermione.
"What is it? Must be dead interesting"
"Too right you are Harry!"
At those words, Hermione's tears feel from her cheeks. She had suppressed them long enough.
"Mione? Are you alright?" inquired Harry who was taken aback greatly at the sight that Hermione was crying.
"Harry. . . he's gay. . ."
"WHAT?"
~Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns characters, setting, etc. Except: the plot is mine.~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
LOL. I can't do it better than that right now.
SEE? It's not a Draco-Hermione fic. It CAN'T be. My apologies to those who are into Draco-Hermione pairings. I'm one of you guys but I thought it would be a nice change to have Draco like that. We can't just make him the epitome of a perfect man, now could we? This is my nth attempt to write a Harry-Hermione fic and I am sure this one will not change its rating. Take it as it is. Just hang on an I have loads more other stuff to include here. By the way, I really had to make Hermione a whole lot OOC. She can't be another Mary Sue! Puh-lease!
Anyways, thanks for reading and I do hope to read your review!
Tulaloo!
Chapter 2
Surprised by the Truth
************************************************************************
Harry was sitting inside the Gryffindor common room when Hermione came in. She must've looked exhausted, Harry thought, or so he was wrong. Hermione was actually giddy and a smile was plastered on her face.
"So, has the bookworm changed her spots?" asked Harry with a smile.
"Er, excuse me?" asked Hermione back as she was too occupied with her thoughts.
"I asked if the bookworm has changed her spots. . . you've got that frozen smile. Curious. . ."
Hermione looked at Harry straight in the eye. As much as she wanted to deny that she was feeling giddy, she couldn't. Her smile showed too much that she was happy.
"Y'know Harry, I have not an idea how to react to that right now. Whatever you're thinking, stop it"
Harry chortled to himself. He tried to hide his face from Hermione though unsuccessful. "Mione, you've never looked so gay before. It isn't the hormones working---it's the heart speaking"
"Oh jeez! Stop it will you? I just came from the infirmary to help a student out. I was supposed to head back here so that I could get my books but then I reckoned that I should help out before I do anything else"
"Help who?"
"Oh, just a student"
Harry smiled yet again. "Malfoy?. . .The ferret boy with the beautiful blonde hair and pretty face and the slim, sexy body that every girl in Hogwarts is actually dying for? Oh yeah, heard of him. Last time I heard something about him, it was Granger talking. . . oh yeah right . . . student?! Who would believe you? You wouldn't help a student out! You'd be too busy to give some time for others not unless it's someone special like-- -Malfoy perhaps?"
Hermione grabbed on a pillow and threw it at Harry. She was blushing profusely. "Stop it you silly bloke! You carry on that and I'll throw a full-grown troll at you"
Harry threw the pillow back at Hermione. "So, how was it with ferret boy?" asked Harry maliciously.
"Oh come on! Nothing happened alright? I just sent him over the infirmary as you've damaged some muscle tissue of his at your third aim at him. He was bitter over his loss"
"Loss? No one was declared as winner Mione. He must have felt bad as one of my aims hit him. Lucky chap he is, Hermione Granger was there to his rescue!" exclaimed Harry was he imitated a cartoon hero he watched from the muggle television show back at the Dursley's.
"Exactly THAT he was thinking", said Hermione in a matter-of-fact voice.
"So. . . You two did have some moments together . . ."
"You know Harry, sometimes you've just got to shut that mouth up"
"Oh come on! It's just once in a blue moon that we'll hear Hermione Granger speak when in love"
Hermione just rolled her eyes and strolled away from Harry who got himself a plastered grin.
************************************************************************
Two weeks passed so fast and Hermione was still up with the hype while Harry was down teasing her about it.
Another meeting at the Dueling Club and Harry had to miss that one. Harry told Hermione he was down with a bad case of flu that he couldn't get up from his bed.
Hermione accepted the lame excuse somehow. She thought that if she knew Harry better, she'd say that Harry was making some moves so that she and Draco get to talk to each other.
While Hermione was drowned in her thoughts, Draco entered the room in full magnificence of his school robe that seemed to have looked better and better on him, or so Hermione thought she was seeing.
Draco approached Hermione and said, "You've been here more often. And why, Harry Potter isn't here with you"
"Um, it's not actually him that I'm after for. I just came by to say HI to you, and if you'll allow me, I'd want to watch your next duel"
Draco felt uneasy and found himself in the position that he was uncomfortably inferior with an out-of-character Hermione Granger. "Uh, no problem. Just stay there and don't make it seem that you're here to watch me or I'll be dead of course. My father wouldn't want a Mudbl--- a muggleborn coming after me"
Hermione just smiled and never had the chance to properly process what Draco just told her. What rung repeatedly in her ears was Draco's smooth voice.
************************************************************************
Dueling Club finished their session and Draco was taken aback that Hermione was still there.
"Um, Granger, you should've been off into the library by this time. What's keeping you?"
"Well, I'm actually going to the library right now but I thought maybe you're hungry, and if by chance you are, I could accompany you to the hall or something"
Draco felt more uneasy than he was before that time that all he said was, "I'm not hungry"
"That's fine you know. I could always ask you another time"
"Granger, could you tell me, honest to goodness why you're doing this? As far as I could remember you hide under Potter's cloak as you're terrified and disgusted at my presence and now you're tailing after me like---"
"Isn't it too obvious now? Malfoy, I like you. This must be the first time I felt like this and having no experience with this sort of things, I act like this---well of course I don't have an idea as to how to deal with this you know. I may be blunt but I reckon it would be best if I tell you about it as I bet there wouldn't be any easier way to say this to you"
Draco nodded. "I understand. It just sends me the shiver. . . you're not like that Granger. And after all those years that we've been enemies, it really did come as a shock to know that there's something more with you. It's just---odd"
"No worries. I understand you perfectly well. I as much couldn't understand myself really. By the way, could I ask you out for dinner or something? We could go out of Hogwarts if you're too concerned of your reputation around here so we could might as well go to Hogsmeade or other nearby wizarding village somewhere"
"That's really nice Granger but I don't have the time for that"
"Oh come on! It's just like you're eating here at Hogwarts but of course we would be out on our own"
Draco shook his head and just smiled. "You don't understand it do you? Well, you most probably wouldn't"
"What do I don't understand?" asked Hermione rather innocently.
"Some things are left to be unsaid Granger. I don't want to cause you all the trouble"
"No, it's okay really. You could tell me everything"
Draco shook his head once more. "I'm sorry, I just can't go with you"
"Why?"
"I'm not the type who goes out like that with girls, that's all"
"We could just spend some time around Hogwarts"
All that Draco managed doing was shaking his head once more.
"No Granger, that's not what I mean"
"Then what?"
Silence won over them and Draco knew well not to break it out to Hermione any more.
Hermione felt like Draco wasn't going to answer and so she took the initiative by breaking the silence with her question. "What's the problem?"
"You wouldn't understand it. Besides, I told you, some things are better left unsaid"
A number of students started to stare at them and Draco had the urge to run out of the room. Being the gentleman that he is, talking to a girl to add to that, Draco stayed and managed to shoot death glares at anyone who stared.
"Try me Malfoy for all I care"
"You're such a kid"
"Maybe I am but I want you to know that I wouldn't let this pass unless you tell me what's wrong"
"Okay, fine. Could we just move away from them a bit?" asked Draco as he shot another death glare at a group of Ravenclaw girls who were staring mad at Hermione.
Draco and Hermione moved a bit to a corner and hushed their voices even more.
"Shoot", ordered Hermione who grew tired of nagging Draco to blurt it out.
"I'm gay"
"WHAT?"
"I'm gay. Is that a very complicated word to understand by an overly intellectual student like you?"
Hermione laughed. "You're joking, aren't you?"
"Why would I?"
"You couldn't be GAY you know! All the girls here are dying to have you and here you are telling me that you ARE gay. Come on Malfoy, tell me the truth"
"That IS the truth Hermione!"
Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Did you just call me by my first name?"
"I just did. I don't know how else to get this through you than calling you HERMIONE"
Hermione stopped for a while and thought it over. When it finally struck her, she asked, "How come?"
"Well I hope you don't tell anyone about this. I don't want to lose my membership in the Dueling Club you know. Not to mention that I have to stay on as Slytherin's Seeker"
"Okay, okay I'm listening"
"I'm not straight or so I believe that others' standard would claim. I don't have what you call AFFECTION FOR THE GIRLS. I like men better. I know it doesn't show, clearly because of my looks, but haven't you heard that most, um, HANDSOME men are actually gay? I don't have anything against it as I myself succumbed to being one. I just wish you wouldn't convince me to go out with you. I mean, I don't have IT for you. Don't take me wrong but you are beautiful Hermione, very smart as well. A lot of blokes here have little crushes on you and if you just look around, you will see others who are deserving of your affection---but not me Hermione. Our blood is of the same color"
"But Draco, can't you just try NOT to be gay?"
"The thought never crossed my mind actually. I like myself the way I am now"
"But Draco! I like you! Hogwarts could probably write it in its history that this is the first time that I liked someone and you'd just let it pass?"
"I'm sorry Hermione. I just can't do that. I don't want you to go all through the trouble"
"Couldn't we just go out---you, me, nothing else in between? But of course we could always fix our petty fights before and patch things up and be friends. It's our last year and it would be a better idea not to fight against each other through the remaining months"
Draco gave up. He couldn't build too strong a wall to stop someone like Hermione from getting what she wants. He thought that he already found who's the most persistent person in the world. "Okay. Let's just be friends and not let anything else come in between. That's it, okay?"
"Okay. But Draco, couldn't you---"
"I told you Hermione. I can't force myself to act as someone I'm not"
Hermione lowered her head and said, "Okay, are you up with any research work?"
"Um, I haven't done Transfiguration"
Hermione traced her head back at Draco. "I can accompany you to the library if you want"
"Um, okay. I'll just see you there at 8. There couldn't be much students there at that time of the night"
"Yeah. I'll see you then"
Draco thought he was again safe by Hermione's parting words when he was caught offguard by Hermione's kiss on his cheek.
"Bye!" uttered Hermione with a smile.
"Granger!"
************************************************************************
Hermione walked alone by the corridors and her spirits were at an all-time low. She never felt so devastated in her whole life.
Footsteps rushed in from behind her and she saw that it was Harry catching up with her. "SO, how's Dueling Club?"
"Harry, I know you just set me up back there. You wanted me to have some time with Malfoy"
"Too right you are Hermione", said Harry with a grin.
"So, have you discovered anything new about him today?"
"YES", spat Hermione.
"What is it? Must be dead interesting"
"Too right you are Harry!"
At those words, Hermione's tears feel from her cheeks. She had suppressed them long enough.
"Mione? Are you alright?" inquired Harry who was taken aback greatly at the sight that Hermione was crying.
"Harry. . . he's gay. . ."
"WHAT?"
~Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns characters, setting, etc. Except: the plot is mine.~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
LOL. I can't do it better than that right now.
SEE? It's not a Draco-Hermione fic. It CAN'T be. My apologies to those who are into Draco-Hermione pairings. I'm one of you guys but I thought it would be a nice change to have Draco like that. We can't just make him the epitome of a perfect man, now could we? This is my nth attempt to write a Harry-Hermione fic and I am sure this one will not change its rating. Take it as it is. Just hang on an I have loads more other stuff to include here. By the way, I really had to make Hermione a whole lot OOC. She can't be another Mary Sue! Puh-lease!
Anyways, thanks for reading and I do hope to read your review!
Tulaloo!