Giving Up Isn't an Option

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I only own the plot and characters that obviously don't belong to the books. 'Uncle Snape' is Slytherin Girl's idea and I have permission to use it,

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Previously:

Hermione froze when she saw Draco, not knowing what to do. He had that look in his eyes. That look he got when he didn't know what to think but she could tell what conclusion he was coming to.

"Malfoy, I know what you're thinking…" Blaise started, trying to explain something that he shouldn't have to explain in the first place.

"Oh do you? And you know me so well" Draco was falling back onto the cool, cold persona that he had been taught to use at an early age.

"Malfoy, you know I would never do that"

"Like hell you wouldn't! You dealt with everything just fine. You had a perfect life, well perfect compared to mine. You have no decency as it is. You hated me. The only reason we hung out for years was because we shared the same house name and history. Sure we became friends, after a time. But you always jumped at any chance to take what I had…"

"Don't even go there. Don't you dare finish that speech of yours. I did that once and I confessed. I didn't have to but I did. That's how bad I felt about the whole situation. I promised I would never do that to you again and I wont" Blaise yelled

"Yeah right! I have no reason to trust you. And I don't trust you. And what else was I supposed to think here anyway. And you did have to confess. I caught you! If that's not means to confess, then I don't know what is"

"You can trust me here. You know that. Like you, I already love someone"

Hermione watched the two of them go back and forth like this forth about ten minutes. She was stunned. She hadn't expected to see Draco there and she certainly hadn't expected him to react like that. Well, okay she had, but that was beside the point.

"Okay. Both of you! Shut the fuck up! God, you're acting like freaking two year olds!" Both boys stopped and starred at her as she continued yelling. "That was in fourth year Malfoy, so give it up and stop throwing that in his face. And Zambini, you know that he was right and that you had no choice but to confess. But think about this Malfoy, would he have done all this if he wasn't trust worthy? And Zambini, would Malfoy have stood up for you all those times over the years if he didn't trust you? I know that you have jealousy problems and everything, but you have to grow up and get over it. Blaise, I know that you love her and that she still loves you but there's nothing you can do about it now. And Malfoy, I know you still love me. But remember one thing next time you see something like this. I love you too" With that she walked away, what she said not truly sinking in until she entered her room.

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Later that afternoon, Hermione found her self in her office. She couldn't say how she got there. All she remembered was leaving her room then being here.

Her boss had come in and assigned work, but Hermione couldn't concentrate on anything that was set in front of her. She had admitted something that she didn't even know was true until the words flew out of her mouth.

She had been so angry with them. She had stood there, frozen, completely unable to move. All that was running through her head was, it's not what you think Draco. There was something wrong with that in two ways A) she shouldn't have cared what he thought and B) she cared about his feelings, scared out of her mind that she had hurt him.

Hermione, needing caffeine, got up and wandered out of her office. She poured it and made some of the photocopies that she had been asked to. Draco wasn't expected at the office today and she didn't really want to see him. What she wanted to do was turn back time to when he was hired. To the end of seventh year. She wanted to turn back time to when all this had started. When her life was no longer happy.

"Granger?"

Hermione jumped. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, turning to see him. It wasn't his silky, smooth voice that gave him away. It was that he called her Granger. No one else did that. Everyone called her Hermione.

"I work here and I have every right to be here" Draco looked into her eyes, searching for some hint that what she had said early was true.

"No. No you don't. I was here first and I don't want you here. I cant be around you right now. I cant be near anyone right now. Cant you please just understand that. Please, just leave" Hermione pleaded with him. She knew she sounded like she was 8, but it was true. She may not have made the conscious decision to come here but she could think here.

"No, I wont leave. Not until you explain everything to me. I'm going out of my mind right now because I don't know what's going through that head of yours. I have no clue who you even are anymore. I just need to know. Don't you get it? You tried, but you cant break any bonds that you share with the rest of us. And if you can, it'll take years and at least 2 continents between us"

Hermione looked him right in the eye, studying him. "Please, Draco don't. We cant do this. After right now, if I never talk to you again it will be too soon. I just want to move on from what was once us. I want to break away. But I cant do that"

"Hermione, please, just explain to me. Talk to me even. Tell me what's going on here and I promise that I'll never talk to you again. Note here I say talk, not contact" Draco was on the edge of going down on his hands and knees and begging her.

Hermione took one last look at him. He looked so lost right now, but she couldn't. She just couldn't. Then she ran. Ran away from him. Away from what being with him meant. Away from all that had gone wrong.

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Draco stood there and watched her run, until she was no longer in sight. He couldn't believe it. That's all he seemed to see of her. Her running away. But there was something different this time. Her eyes, they had showed emotion.

She was terrified and lost, but those weren't the most prominent emotions. No, what he saw was love and worry. She was worried of what this meant. Of what being with him would be.

He shook his head and headed into his office, deciding that he should at least try to get some work done. The chances of that weren't very high though. Trying to work right now would be like trying to jump from here to Saturn. It just wasn't possible.

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Blaise and Justin wandered the halls of Malfoy Manor as Blaise filled him in on the events of the morning.

"I've never, and I mean never, seen anyone as mad as Hermione was this morning. But what got to me most was that she's letting her wall down. And at the worst possible time. After what she just did. After pledging herself to him. That's when she decides it's a good time to let that wall down" Blaise stopped, his breathing now heavy.

"I don't think that it was her decision Blaise. If I know Mia, and I'm pretty sure I do, she doesn't make decisions like that. Her heart does. Her heart was the sole decider in this. She had nothing to do with it. Hermione knows what kind of trouble letting that wall down will bring her. She knows that it could mean death. But did you see the look in her eyes. She's determined and decided. This is what she wants, or at least what she believes she wanted"

"I know. Its just…You didn't see her last night. She was fine, her normal self, well as normal as she can be, and all of the sudden she was crying. And I don't mean a few tears crying either. She cried for at least two hours and then ended up falling asleep for about an hour. I've never seen her like that, and we've all seen her at what we thought was her worst"

"I wish I knew what went on in that head of hers. Come on, lets go meet Malfoy for lunch, we can continue this conversation later and more preferably, else where"

With that they apparated to the office.

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Ginny and Padma left the office early that day, having been invited over to dinner at the Weasley's. They were looking forward to it too. Mrs. Weasley had, by far, the best cooking that they had ever had.

"Hey Gin, are Harry and Ron meeting us here or there?" Padma asked, shrinking the boxes that had to go home for the weekend.

"At the apartment. It's walking distance for Ron and not much farther for Harry"

"Alright"

They apparated to the apartment. Hermione's name was almost never spoken anymore, and her room was avoided. They never did get another room mate. They could still easily cover the bills. Only reason they had moved in together in the first place was that they didn't want to split up. So much for that idea.

"Gin? Padma?" Harry's voice came from the front doors.

"In the living room" Ginny yelled back.

"Hey you two" Padma greeted. "How'd work go today?"

"Boring" Harry scowled, "it was all paper work today. Not fun. I seriously thought that there were other people for that already, but man was I wrong"

Ginny smirked at Harry. He was always complaining about something. But, then again, so was Ron. That's all those two seemed to do. Ginny had forgotten how annoying it was, but she loved them both for it.

It had taken Padma awhile to adjust to seeing these two around on a regular basis. But you have to figure, she never hung out with them before the fight. All she knew was that they had been ignorant of one of her best friends and that had pissed her off. But now, the more she saw them, the more she found that they were ok. Pretty thick headed, but she could get over that.

"Come on, Mrs. Weasley's expecting us at 6, which with her means that we better be there early. And Fred and George are coming tonight. I haven't seen them forever" Harry said, as the four of the rose and got ready to leave.

"Padma, do us all a favour and avoid the ditch this time" Ginny taunted, apparating before Padma's fist connected with her arm.

"Ron your going to wake up one of these days without a sister anymore"

"Go ahead, she's a pain in the ass anyway" Ron shrugged, as if it was nothing.

"You do realize that your so dead now right?" Harry asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, I guess I am"

"Come on before you get into more trouble"

With that the three apparated to the Burrow, the thought of food way to enticing.

~*~*~*~*~

This is how they all were when the heard the news. Justin, Blaise and Draco at the Manor after their late lunch. Ginny, Padma, Harry, Ron and the rest of the Weasley's just sitting down to dinner.

They got news that would change all plans and break many promises. It would shake up their lives like you wouldn't believe. They never thought this would, could happen to any of them.

Hermione was missing

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Don't hurt me! Please! I know its evil. I find it evil, and I know what happens. I'm sorry! Anyway, I wanna know what you think of it! Really I do, I'm big on reviews, they're what keep me going. Keep me writing. Now, you loyal readers don't really want me to stop writing because I don't have the encouragement from you guys that gives me my inspiration.

Yeah, I think I'll shut up now. I just want to say thanks to all of you that review and even to those of you that have read my story but didn't review. Also, a huge thanks to mIsSyBiRd12 and diehard draco Hermione, my betas.

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Anyway, until next time,

L&H, Pure Mudblood