Wait- since when does the brain of Hogwarts read comics."
"She doesn't. She has idiot friends like Ron who only read comics."
Chapter 2: Old Loves and New Beginnings
Disclaimer: Oh yes. A fourteen year-old okie has written all of the brilliant Harry Potter books and is currently heading the Harry Potter empire from her messy room under the pen name JK Rowling while going to school and writing fanfiction. If you buy that then you need help. Serious help. But the plot is mine and if you take it I will not be happy. Not at all...
Sorry it took so long, but I had a bit of writer's block and my computer won't access the internet so first I type, then I save, then I transport, and then I load. It is so messed up on so many levels. But hey, I found out that confusedly is a word! Well anywayz, here goes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ron was shocked. What he did was, in a word, faint. Well, sort of anyway. What happened was that he lost his balance and all sense of his surroundings and therefore fell to the floor, but he was conscious the entire time. All he could see was Hermione's face before him, and all he could feel was the kiss she had left on his lips. He realized, through all the shock that he felt the same. He had to go after her, but by the time he came to his senses, she was gone and he didn't know where to look. But he still set off on his search, without a clue where to go. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Meanwhile...
"Harry there you are!" said Luna "Okay, now explain yourself!"
"Oh, hi Luna." Harry said, sounding rather distant.
"Harry, what happened?" she asked.
"Ron-he-ughhh!" said Harry, finding it hard to explain without being really- uh- colorful (which he knew Luna wouldn't really approve of, though she wouldn't have said anything.) as he was still really mad at Ron. Not that you can blame him. I mean, I know I would. Not that I'm that fond of Ron anywayz.
"What did he do?" asked Luna again, though she already knew the answer.
He stood from the bench he was sitting on and turned away from her. "He said I should dump you!" Harry said angrily, "And it wasn't even because of something that would make sense, not that anything would. It was because you're a year younger than us, because you're not what most people would call normal!"
"So what Harry. There's gonna be people like that. And I'm not normal."
"I know but-" he stopped, not sure if he should say what he felt.
"But what, Harry?"
"Nothing, it's just-" again he stopped, having trouble conveying himself.
"Just what? Harry, what's wrong?"
"Well, I'm just-just feeling guilty I guess."
"Guilty?" Luna replied, genuinely puzzled. "About what?"
"About you."
"Me?"
He turned toward her. "Yeah, you. And me, and this-us." He paused. She looked at him confusedly. (Whoa- confusedly, I didn't know that was a real word. Guess it is.) "I'm starting to think that-maybe I don't really love you. That maybe I just think I do to love someone."
"Harry, that doesn't even make sense."
"Yes it does and you know it." He looked at her with a serious look, except for his eyes. In his eyes she saw a deep sadness that, if she had ever really met Sirius, she would have recognized, though Harry didn't wear it often. She knew without asking what was going through his head, the memories of Sirius and the memory of his death. Luna also knew he wouldn't bring him up, for to the rest of the world there was never anything tugging at his heart after that. And even to Ron and Hermione, his closest friends, he was "completely over it." Only she truly realized how he must really feel, though she had never been able to coax him into admitting it to her. However, at that moment, they shared a connection, and both knew what he was thinking and what he felt and they both knew that they both knew.
There was quite a bit of silence, and she stared into his eyes for a moment. Then, at the thought of those horrid words "Maybe I don't really love you," she felt hot tears welling in her eyes. She immediately turned her head so that he wouldn't see them starting to flow to her cheeks. But it was too late, he had already seen them beginning to form.
Harry realized what he had just said, and saw the idiocy of his words. How stupid can I be? He thought to himself. For, deep in his heart, he knew everything he just said was a lie. He knew he loved her. Maybe he did really need someone to love, but it didn't matter because he had someone to love. Someone he already loved, and she was standing right in front of him, trying to hide her tears so that he wouldn't see how much she cared.
"Luna-" he didn't know what to say. He held out his arms to touch her but she turned away. "Luna I'm sorry." He paused for a moment. Her back was too him. He could see that Luna had her arms crossed, and that she was looking at the ground before her. He could see her long flowing hair draping majestically over her school robes. He wondered how he could have said he didn't really love her. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn't exactly embrace it, but she didn't push him away either. "I didn't mean what I said." He told her. Her head moved slightly in his direction, but only slightly.
"You-you didn't?" she replied.
"No," he answered her, holding her closer. "How could I have? You're so perfect, at least for me. And when I'm with you, it's like nothing could be better. And when I kiss you, it's like the whole world disappears except for you and me." He paused a bit, and then added, "And it kills me to see you cry." After this, she gave in to herself. She turned and looked into his eyes.
"Really?" He nodded in reply. Then she added, "Because that's exactly how I feel about you." She then pushed her lips onto his, and he reciprocated the motion. It was a long and passionate kiss, one of those that every girl wants to experience but never really gets, and a very sentimental moment to boot. But, alas, it did end, as all kisses do. They pulled away slightly, but just. Harry gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
After this rather romantic moment, there was a stretch of silence, but it wasn't awkward. It was rather comfortable really. And rather long. Then Luna asked, "Sooooo, whatcha gonna do about this whole Ron thing?" asked Luna.
"I guess I'll go and apologize."
Then they both gave up on being serious. It was just too boring. So they turned to our old friend Mr. Sarcasm to lighten the mood. "Hey, look at that! You finally figured out a way to solve one of your problems without mine or Hermione's help." She said with fake amazement, putting a hand to her cheek.
"Oh yeah, because I'm so incompetent." He replied sarcastically.
"Just go find Ron! I've got to go to Herbology anyway." She told him.
"Okay, well, see ya laters." He gently and briefly brushed his lips against hers before they both departed. He looked back after her, and saw her meet up with a friend. He noticed how the first thing she did was hold out her hand. He could see little sparkles coming from the sun reflecting off the ring. They both seemed so excited, her friend must have just found out. They both looked in his direction and he smiled and waved. He was bubbling with pride of the fact that he bought her that ring. Yep, that's it. She's the love of my life, and that's the ring I gave her to show my never-dieing love.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ About five minutes later...
Harry walked into the common room, hoping to find Ron. However that was not what he found at all. All alone, in the corner by the window with her back to him, sat a teenager with no-longer-bushy auburn hair.
"Mione?" She quickly turned her head, obviously startled. Her cheeks red, eyes puffy, it appeared as though she had been previously crying.
"Oh, hi Harry. What are you doing you doing here?" She asked with obviously fake happiness.
"Looking for Ron. You haven't seen him have you?" he replied.
"Um, no, not since breakfast."
"Oh, well, okay." There was a moment of silence. Then our Harry broke it with a voice of concern.
"Hermione, are you okay?"
"Of course, Harry. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know. Did something happen between you and Ron after I left?" he didn't know why he asked, he had no reason to assume something did happen. However, after her reply, he realized it was instinct.
After a minute of thinking about whether or not to tell him, she decided. "Yes," she answered.
"Well, what was it?"
"I told him I love him." At this Harry was shocked.
"You what!!!!!" said Harry, raising his voice considerably.
"I told Ron that I love him." She said, a bit gloomily.
"Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't confessing your love to someone you've known for seven years make you a bit-er-happier?"
"Yeah, it should. But it doesn't."
"Erm-why not?"
"Because I don't really love him."
"Oh, well if you don't really love him, then why did you tell him you did?"
"'cause I thought I did. I mean I get this funny feeling sometimes, right in the pit of my stomach, and then-" but she cut herself off. She couldn't talk about this, at least not right now. She was going to tell him that the feeling was strongest in Potions, mostly when sitting next to Ron, though not always.
"Well, how do you know you don't love him?"
"Because I kissed him. *At this Harry shudders. His two best friends kissing! Ick!*And do you know what I felt? Nothing. I mean, aren't you supposed to feel good when you kiss someone you love?"
"I don't know," replied Harry, "but it always worked for me. Actually, it's more than good, it's more like the best sensation I've ever experienced."
"Yeah well that's not what I felt. It was more like 'eeeeeewwwww how can I be kissing Ron.'"
"Well, that doesn't sound like love to me."
"Yeah no kidding."
"Sooo, have you told him this?"
"No! Of course not. I only told him because I was going practically nuts. I sounded so stupid!" she replied.
"Ah, well you may wanna talk to him."
"No duh."
"Do you want me to find him for you. I mean, I need to talk to him anyway," Harry asked sympathetically.
"Would you? I know I can talk to him, but I don't know how I would find him."
"Okay. Well see you in a bit." Thus he set out to find Ron. Not that it would be that hard. Harry figured Ron was looking for Hermione, therefore he would be where Hermione hangs out, and Harry knew where that was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ After a very short while...
Harry walked into the library, finding exactly what he expected. Ron was sitting there, head in his hands. Harry could tell he was pining away for Hermione. Too bad the feeling wasn't mutual.
"Hey Ron." Ron's head immediately popped up.
"Harry? Have you seen Hermione?" a bit anxiously. Actually, a lot anxiously.
"Yeah."
"Well, where is she?"
"Common room." Harry replied simply.
"Alright then, I'll see you around." Ron told him as he started to get up to leave.
"Ron, wait." said Harry, a little annoyed.
"What?" replied Ron as he sat back down.
"Ron, we just had a fight over Luna and, well, your acting like nothing is wrong."
"Oh, that." His face falling a little.
"Look, I still don't agree with you, but I was overreacting. I mean, there are going to be people that aren't going to agree with us being together, and I shouldn't have blown up at you about it."
"No it was my fault. I was being inconsiderate. I should have realized how you felt about her."
"You've been talking to Hermione, huh?"
"Well you've obviously been talking to Luna."
"True. You do realize that they made us both out to be wrong and made us feel guilty, right?"
"Don't they always?"
With this they both shook their heads. "Women." They both said this in unison, then looked at each other and smiled. The small morning feud was over.
"Well," said Ron, "I'm off to talk to Hermione." He got up and nearly made it to the door before Harry called to him.
"Yeah, she told me what happened."
"Isn't it great?"
"Yeah, great." Ron started to walk towards the entrance of the library and Harry added, "Good luck, Ron."
"Thanks." Harry thought he should warn him that he was about to get a rude awakening, but couldn't bring himself to do it.
It's gonna be quiet at Gryffindor table tonight. Harry thought. Maybe I'll eat with the Ravenclaws.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ron walked at a quick pace toward the Gryffindor common room. He was nervous, but happy. He was finally going to tell Hermione how he felt about her, how he had always felt about her. He had realized this in fourth year, when he saw her at the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. Ron had felt a light twinge of Jealousy. (okay it was more like a stabbing pain)
He hadn't noticed how quick he had really been walking, and before he knew it he had almost passed the entrance. He entered the common room to find Hermione there, alone. Well, almost alone. A few first years sat by the fire, but other than that she was alone. He went up to her and tapped her shoulder lightly, and in response she turned to him.
"Oh, Ron. I need to tell you something. You see I-" she had started to explain that she didn't love him, but he cut her off before she could say it.
"Wait, Hermione. I need to tell you something." He paused for a moment, gathering his courage. Hermione was dreading what he was about to say, but he didn't notice. "I love you too." He finished happily. He was smiling widely, but was also blushing as he noticed that the first years by the fire had gone silent and were staring at them. But at the site of Hermione's face, he felt like he had made a mistake in telling her how he felt, and his smile quickly got erased.
"Ron," she began hesitantly, "listen, I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything, but I have to tell you that I don't really love you. You see, I thought I did, but I was wrong. Are you Okay?" she asked him this as she finished, and saw the stricken look on his face.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Look, I have to go and-yeah." He left in a rush, so quickly that Hermione never saw the tears starting to stream down his cheeks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ And now we turn to...
A rather bored, and sexy, young blonde sat in the corner of the Slytherin common room. He was reading a letter his father's owl had just delivered. It was a letter that would forever concrete his already-forming opinion of his father into his mind.
Dear Draco,
The fact that you do not wish to be a death eater troubles me. Though I cannot make your decisions for you, I highly suggest that you change your mind. The Dark Lord is not happy with this act of treason, yet for some reason has decided to spare you. Though I must say, with the war looming in the near future I do not know how long that will last. You should also know that I have no intentions of living with a traitor. I want you to move out of the manor. Start looking for a home now, because though your mother is against it, I have decided that you cannot stay here one night. You will stop by to gather your things and leave us. I also refuse to assist you with anything whatsoever anymore, financially or morally, and no longer consider you my son. No son of mine will undermine the authority of our Lord! I do not wish to keep in contact with you either. Please do not reply.
Lucius Malfoy
As he came to the "I cannot make your decisions for you" part he smirked thinking, Why not? You always did before. He snorted when he came to " I also refuse to assist you with anything whatsoever anymore, financially or morally" and thought, He means financially, since he never supports anything morally except Voldemort. He grimaced when he came to "our Lord" Nobody was Draco Malfoy's "Lord." He finished the letter hating his father more than before, if that was possible. As he did finish, Blaise walked in and distinctly heard Draco mumble "Bastard" under his breath as he threw the letter into the blazing fire.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked him.
"Oh, nothing. Just another letter from him." Replied Draco, starting to walk out of the common room. Blaise followed.
"Oh, what did he say this time?" asked Blaise.
"Eh, not much. He just said that he never wants to speak to me again and no longer considers me his son." Replied Draco, then, seeing the look on Blaise's face he added, "Oh, don't worry about me. I'll find someplace in Hogsmeade or something." He had been careful to not say anything about the actual topic, because you see Slytherins trust no one with their secrets. Well, maybe house-elves.
"So, where are your cronies?"
Draco glared at him. "Who knows? Probably still in the Great Hall, or else in the kitchens. Not that I care." And he really didn't. Crabbe and Goyle were okay when you were making fun of someone and needed brute force, or wanted to know where the nearest food was, but as far as intelligent conversations that weren't filled with "huh," well, let's just say that Crabbe and Goyle weren't your men. Actually, your men were in different intellectual hemispheres.
"So are you going to the Farewell Dance?" asked Blaise. The Farewell Dance was being held the night before their last night in Hogwarts. It was for the seventh years that were leaving. Other years could only attend with a seventh year date. It was the second year they had done dances, one for all the years every month, but this was the first year the seventh years had one to themselves to say bye to Hogwarts. It was going to be the event of the year.
"Well yeah."
"Who's your date?"
"Don't have one yet."
"Really?" Blaise replied, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have a date?"
"No, I don't have a date yet. There's still three weeks before the dance."
"So who you gonna ask?"
"I don't know. There aren't that many people to ask. I mean, I've been out with nearly every girl here."
"There's always Pansy." Blaise suggested. Draco looked at him with disgust.
"Don't make me sick." Replied Draco, thinking of the last time he ran into Pansy outside of class. She had pressed him close against a wall and wildly tried to kiss him. He had fiercely pushed her away while screaming at her that he hated her and wished she would leave him alone.
They were nearing the library and in went none other than Hermione. Blaise glanced at her, then got an excellent idea for a bet. But he would have to play his cards right. "You could ask Hermione Granger."
"Granger! You're kidding, right?"
"No, not that it matters. You couldn't get Granger to go with you anyway."
"I could so! I could get anyone to go with me."
"You couldn't get Granger."
"I don't want Granger."
"Why not? I mean, she may be a Gryffindor but she's hot." It was true, Draco knew. After sixth year, she had definitely filled out and had learned to contain the frizz of her hair. In a word, she was sexy. Probably the sexiest girl in school. And then there was her attitude, it was so fierce. There was just something about it. And the sexiest part about it was that she didn't realize this at all. Therefore, she wasn't putting on an act to become sexy, she just was. (have you noticed my new obsession with the word sexy?)
"Yeah, but still. She's Granger. I don't want her."
"It doesn't matter whether or not you want her Draco, you couldn't get have her either way," replied Blaise.
"If I wanted her I could have her," Draco told him confidently.
"Then get her."
"What?" said Draco, not believing his ears. Did Blaise just tell him to ask out Granger?
"You heard me. You say you could get her, then prove it." Draco was dumbfounded. He couldn't think of what to say, a rarity for him.
"Wh-What?"
"I bet you that you can't get Hermione Granger to go out with you. If you can't, you go out with Parkinson for at least 6 months, being her willing love slave. " Draco shuddered.
"And if -I mean when- I can?"
"I date her." Draco let out a guffaw. He could just see Blaise and Pansy Parkinson together.
"Done."
"Alright, but there's one more thing," Blaise added. Draco had started to head into the library, but stopped dead in his tracks. He knew what was coming, and he didn't like it.
"What?"
"You've got to kiss her. I don't care if it is short and sweet or deep and passionate. It just simply must be a kiss and I have to see it." Draco scowled at this.
"Fine. A kiss. I have to kiss Granger." He shivered a little at these words.
"Okay, but you may want to call her Hermione, not Granger, when trying to charm her. Though it probably won't work."
"Shut up," Draco said simply. He then walked into the library knowing he would find her. And he did. She was sitting at a back table, for the quiet Draco guessed. There was a group of fourth year girls giggling wildly. It took him a moment to realize they were looking at him, not that it surprised him. He was attractive, and he knew it. He had in fact changed as much as Granger had. In 6th year he hadn't had time to gel his hair one morning, and he can't say he hadn't liked the look of his blonde locks falling into his eyes. And apparently, the girls hadn't either. So, now he just didn't buy gel. He was now considerably well built from years of Quidditch. Actually, to tell the truth, he was considered by many the hottest guy in school, though Potter was taking a close second. But he was taken, and Draco was very available. He walked over to table with a subtly bored look on his face. The half on Granger's side was littered with books and papers. He wondered what she was doing. They didn't have Potions homework, and that was the only class that was still running for the seventh years.
"Hey," he said.
"What do you want?" replied Hermione coldly without looking up. She recognized the voice, so she didn't need to.
"Just thought I'd say hi. Sorry if I bothered you." He said the last part as though he was a bit hurt and she instinctively looked up. He was getting up to leave, and she-for a reason she couldn't pinpoint-didn't want him to.
"Wait." He sat back down. "Seriously, what'd you want?"
"Umm," for once Draco was at a loss of a good excuse, "Nothing really."
She looked into his eyes, and felt an odd sensation as her warm chocolate eyes met his icy blue ones. Hermione could see something there, something not there before. In his eyes there wasn't that evil coldness, but more like a comforting winter chill. She also noticed how attractive he looked, though not for the first time. "Really?"
"Yeah, really," not moving his gaze. In her eyes he saw not the firey competition that had always been there before, but a wonderful warmth you feel when sitting by a fire, whether in a manor or in some dinky apartment. Then he looked down at her work. "So what are you doing anyway?"
"Research," even though his eyes had moved hers didn't. He looked back up at her.
"What are you researching? We don't have homework."
"I guess that shows how well you know me. I'm always researching. Currently it's a career, well my future career. I'm gonna be an auror."
"You're actually researching your career?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes, not that you would. I mean, after all, it doesn't take much research for your career now does it? I mean, it'll be the same as your dad's right?" Draco knew she was talking about the Death Eaters.
"Actually, no. You see my father and I have had a parting of ways."
"A parting of ways?"
"Yeah, he kicked me out and disowned me, and I called him a bastard, which he is."
That whole time they had not broken their intense gaze. But now Hermione looked down a moment as she said, "Oh." However, she did look back up and their eyes were locked once again. "I'm sorry then."
"It's okay. Hey, it could be worse. He could have killed or tortured me." They were talking in low voices now.
"Has your father ever tortured you?" she asked him seriously.
"No, but he's threatened. And he has put me under the Imperius Curse. That is, before I learned to break it." Why am I telling her this? He thought. Slytherins don't trust anyone. Especially Gryffindors and mudbloods. But then he thought, But Hermione Granger isn't any mudblood. He couldn't believe he thought that! There was quite a long silence.
Hermione had never before talked to Draco like this. It wasn't awful. Actually, it wasn't bad at all. She had always sort of enjoyed their quarrels. It was a challenge, an intellectual pursuit she didn't often get with Ron and Harry. However, having a real intelligent conversation with Draco Malfoy wasn't nearly as bad as she would have expected. Actually, it was sort of-enjoyable? She mentally slapped herself for thinking anything but bad thoughts related to Draco Malfoy. How did we actually start a conversation and not an argument anyway? She thought as the conversation continued. She couldn't remember. Let's see. He sat down and said "Hi" and then-wait a minute, shouldn't he have called me 'mudblood' or 'Granger' or- something? She was truly baffled, and didn't understand it, but for once didn't care. They continued to politely converse-never taking their eyes off the other's-until about half an hour before lunch when Hermione started to gather her things and put back books. Draco actually helped her put everything away (Yes he helped her. Helped, not sabotaged.) and they walked into the hallway. He turned the other way and started walking towards Slytherin, until she called his name.
"Draco?" It was the first time she had ever called him Draco and not Malfoy. He turned back instinctively.
"Yeah?"
"Umm, well, I was thinking, just now and well-" However, he cut her off.
"Aren't you always?" It was a typical Draco comment, but instead of a mean tone, he said it flirtingly. She chose not to acknowledge it, though she did pause a moment.
"Look, I was thinking, maybe-just maybe-your not quite as horrible as I thought after all" And for the first time in a long time, Draco Malfoy truly smiled. She turned, and in the same fashion she had, he called her name.
"Hermione?" and in his same fashion, she instinctively turned. (notice that this was also a first.)
"Yes?"
He took a long breath and said, "You too, Hermione. You too." With this said she smiled a rather genuine smile, and he turned and walked away in a very Slytherin style, though sexier, of course. And Hermione definitely noticed it as he walked off, before she herself turned and walk away in a very Gryffindor manner, though sexier. And ironically, Draco had looked back just in time to see her turn and walk. And he noticed it and stopped. And as she turned the corner, he thought, Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Then thought, What am I saying?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay so what do you think? I know, I know, it's turning into a HG/DM fic, but hey, I like it. Okies, listen up campers, cause it's important. I'm starting on the 3rd chapter like now, but no matter how quickly I finish, I won't post until I get 17 reviews, so Review! Oh, and if by some miracle you haven't read the fifth book, I just ruined it for you. At least the sad part. Evil JK Rowling, I can't believe she killed him! Hey! What are you doing still sitting here listening to me babble for?!?!?! Go Review!!!!! And refer this to peoples!
"She doesn't. She has idiot friends like Ron who only read comics."
Chapter 2: Old Loves and New Beginnings
Disclaimer: Oh yes. A fourteen year-old okie has written all of the brilliant Harry Potter books and is currently heading the Harry Potter empire from her messy room under the pen name JK Rowling while going to school and writing fanfiction. If you buy that then you need help. Serious help. But the plot is mine and if you take it I will not be happy. Not at all...
Sorry it took so long, but I had a bit of writer's block and my computer won't access the internet so first I type, then I save, then I transport, and then I load. It is so messed up on so many levels. But hey, I found out that confusedly is a word! Well anywayz, here goes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ron was shocked. What he did was, in a word, faint. Well, sort of anyway. What happened was that he lost his balance and all sense of his surroundings and therefore fell to the floor, but he was conscious the entire time. All he could see was Hermione's face before him, and all he could feel was the kiss she had left on his lips. He realized, through all the shock that he felt the same. He had to go after her, but by the time he came to his senses, she was gone and he didn't know where to look. But he still set off on his search, without a clue where to go. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Meanwhile...
"Harry there you are!" said Luna "Okay, now explain yourself!"
"Oh, hi Luna." Harry said, sounding rather distant.
"Harry, what happened?" she asked.
"Ron-he-ughhh!" said Harry, finding it hard to explain without being really- uh- colorful (which he knew Luna wouldn't really approve of, though she wouldn't have said anything.) as he was still really mad at Ron. Not that you can blame him. I mean, I know I would. Not that I'm that fond of Ron anywayz.
"What did he do?" asked Luna again, though she already knew the answer.
He stood from the bench he was sitting on and turned away from her. "He said I should dump you!" Harry said angrily, "And it wasn't even because of something that would make sense, not that anything would. It was because you're a year younger than us, because you're not what most people would call normal!"
"So what Harry. There's gonna be people like that. And I'm not normal."
"I know but-" he stopped, not sure if he should say what he felt.
"But what, Harry?"
"Nothing, it's just-" again he stopped, having trouble conveying himself.
"Just what? Harry, what's wrong?"
"Well, I'm just-just feeling guilty I guess."
"Guilty?" Luna replied, genuinely puzzled. "About what?"
"About you."
"Me?"
He turned toward her. "Yeah, you. And me, and this-us." He paused. She looked at him confusedly. (Whoa- confusedly, I didn't know that was a real word. Guess it is.) "I'm starting to think that-maybe I don't really love you. That maybe I just think I do to love someone."
"Harry, that doesn't even make sense."
"Yes it does and you know it." He looked at her with a serious look, except for his eyes. In his eyes she saw a deep sadness that, if she had ever really met Sirius, she would have recognized, though Harry didn't wear it often. She knew without asking what was going through his head, the memories of Sirius and the memory of his death. Luna also knew he wouldn't bring him up, for to the rest of the world there was never anything tugging at his heart after that. And even to Ron and Hermione, his closest friends, he was "completely over it." Only she truly realized how he must really feel, though she had never been able to coax him into admitting it to her. However, at that moment, they shared a connection, and both knew what he was thinking and what he felt and they both knew that they both knew.
There was quite a bit of silence, and she stared into his eyes for a moment. Then, at the thought of those horrid words "Maybe I don't really love you," she felt hot tears welling in her eyes. She immediately turned her head so that he wouldn't see them starting to flow to her cheeks. But it was too late, he had already seen them beginning to form.
Harry realized what he had just said, and saw the idiocy of his words. How stupid can I be? He thought to himself. For, deep in his heart, he knew everything he just said was a lie. He knew he loved her. Maybe he did really need someone to love, but it didn't matter because he had someone to love. Someone he already loved, and she was standing right in front of him, trying to hide her tears so that he wouldn't see how much she cared.
"Luna-" he didn't know what to say. He held out his arms to touch her but she turned away. "Luna I'm sorry." He paused for a moment. Her back was too him. He could see that Luna had her arms crossed, and that she was looking at the ground before her. He could see her long flowing hair draping majestically over her school robes. He wondered how he could have said he didn't really love her. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn't exactly embrace it, but she didn't push him away either. "I didn't mean what I said." He told her. Her head moved slightly in his direction, but only slightly.
"You-you didn't?" she replied.
"No," he answered her, holding her closer. "How could I have? You're so perfect, at least for me. And when I'm with you, it's like nothing could be better. And when I kiss you, it's like the whole world disappears except for you and me." He paused a bit, and then added, "And it kills me to see you cry." After this, she gave in to herself. She turned and looked into his eyes.
"Really?" He nodded in reply. Then she added, "Because that's exactly how I feel about you." She then pushed her lips onto his, and he reciprocated the motion. It was a long and passionate kiss, one of those that every girl wants to experience but never really gets, and a very sentimental moment to boot. But, alas, it did end, as all kisses do. They pulled away slightly, but just. Harry gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
After this rather romantic moment, there was a stretch of silence, but it wasn't awkward. It was rather comfortable really. And rather long. Then Luna asked, "Sooooo, whatcha gonna do about this whole Ron thing?" asked Luna.
"I guess I'll go and apologize."
Then they both gave up on being serious. It was just too boring. So they turned to our old friend Mr. Sarcasm to lighten the mood. "Hey, look at that! You finally figured out a way to solve one of your problems without mine or Hermione's help." She said with fake amazement, putting a hand to her cheek.
"Oh yeah, because I'm so incompetent." He replied sarcastically.
"Just go find Ron! I've got to go to Herbology anyway." She told him.
"Okay, well, see ya laters." He gently and briefly brushed his lips against hers before they both departed. He looked back after her, and saw her meet up with a friend. He noticed how the first thing she did was hold out her hand. He could see little sparkles coming from the sun reflecting off the ring. They both seemed so excited, her friend must have just found out. They both looked in his direction and he smiled and waved. He was bubbling with pride of the fact that he bought her that ring. Yep, that's it. She's the love of my life, and that's the ring I gave her to show my never-dieing love.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ About five minutes later...
Harry walked into the common room, hoping to find Ron. However that was not what he found at all. All alone, in the corner by the window with her back to him, sat a teenager with no-longer-bushy auburn hair.
"Mione?" She quickly turned her head, obviously startled. Her cheeks red, eyes puffy, it appeared as though she had been previously crying.
"Oh, hi Harry. What are you doing you doing here?" She asked with obviously fake happiness.
"Looking for Ron. You haven't seen him have you?" he replied.
"Um, no, not since breakfast."
"Oh, well, okay." There was a moment of silence. Then our Harry broke it with a voice of concern.
"Hermione, are you okay?"
"Of course, Harry. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know. Did something happen between you and Ron after I left?" he didn't know why he asked, he had no reason to assume something did happen. However, after her reply, he realized it was instinct.
After a minute of thinking about whether or not to tell him, she decided. "Yes," she answered.
"Well, what was it?"
"I told him I love him." At this Harry was shocked.
"You what!!!!!" said Harry, raising his voice considerably.
"I told Ron that I love him." She said, a bit gloomily.
"Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't confessing your love to someone you've known for seven years make you a bit-er-happier?"
"Yeah, it should. But it doesn't."
"Erm-why not?"
"Because I don't really love him."
"Oh, well if you don't really love him, then why did you tell him you did?"
"'cause I thought I did. I mean I get this funny feeling sometimes, right in the pit of my stomach, and then-" but she cut herself off. She couldn't talk about this, at least not right now. She was going to tell him that the feeling was strongest in Potions, mostly when sitting next to Ron, though not always.
"Well, how do you know you don't love him?"
"Because I kissed him. *At this Harry shudders. His two best friends kissing! Ick!*And do you know what I felt? Nothing. I mean, aren't you supposed to feel good when you kiss someone you love?"
"I don't know," replied Harry, "but it always worked for me. Actually, it's more than good, it's more like the best sensation I've ever experienced."
"Yeah well that's not what I felt. It was more like 'eeeeeewwwww how can I be kissing Ron.'"
"Well, that doesn't sound like love to me."
"Yeah no kidding."
"Sooo, have you told him this?"
"No! Of course not. I only told him because I was going practically nuts. I sounded so stupid!" she replied.
"Ah, well you may wanna talk to him."
"No duh."
"Do you want me to find him for you. I mean, I need to talk to him anyway," Harry asked sympathetically.
"Would you? I know I can talk to him, but I don't know how I would find him."
"Okay. Well see you in a bit." Thus he set out to find Ron. Not that it would be that hard. Harry figured Ron was looking for Hermione, therefore he would be where Hermione hangs out, and Harry knew where that was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ After a very short while...
Harry walked into the library, finding exactly what he expected. Ron was sitting there, head in his hands. Harry could tell he was pining away for Hermione. Too bad the feeling wasn't mutual.
"Hey Ron." Ron's head immediately popped up.
"Harry? Have you seen Hermione?" a bit anxiously. Actually, a lot anxiously.
"Yeah."
"Well, where is she?"
"Common room." Harry replied simply.
"Alright then, I'll see you around." Ron told him as he started to get up to leave.
"Ron, wait." said Harry, a little annoyed.
"What?" replied Ron as he sat back down.
"Ron, we just had a fight over Luna and, well, your acting like nothing is wrong."
"Oh, that." His face falling a little.
"Look, I still don't agree with you, but I was overreacting. I mean, there are going to be people that aren't going to agree with us being together, and I shouldn't have blown up at you about it."
"No it was my fault. I was being inconsiderate. I should have realized how you felt about her."
"You've been talking to Hermione, huh?"
"Well you've obviously been talking to Luna."
"True. You do realize that they made us both out to be wrong and made us feel guilty, right?"
"Don't they always?"
With this they both shook their heads. "Women." They both said this in unison, then looked at each other and smiled. The small morning feud was over.
"Well," said Ron, "I'm off to talk to Hermione." He got up and nearly made it to the door before Harry called to him.
"Yeah, she told me what happened."
"Isn't it great?"
"Yeah, great." Ron started to walk towards the entrance of the library and Harry added, "Good luck, Ron."
"Thanks." Harry thought he should warn him that he was about to get a rude awakening, but couldn't bring himself to do it.
It's gonna be quiet at Gryffindor table tonight. Harry thought. Maybe I'll eat with the Ravenclaws.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ron walked at a quick pace toward the Gryffindor common room. He was nervous, but happy. He was finally going to tell Hermione how he felt about her, how he had always felt about her. He had realized this in fourth year, when he saw her at the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. Ron had felt a light twinge of Jealousy. (okay it was more like a stabbing pain)
He hadn't noticed how quick he had really been walking, and before he knew it he had almost passed the entrance. He entered the common room to find Hermione there, alone. Well, almost alone. A few first years sat by the fire, but other than that she was alone. He went up to her and tapped her shoulder lightly, and in response she turned to him.
"Oh, Ron. I need to tell you something. You see I-" she had started to explain that she didn't love him, but he cut her off before she could say it.
"Wait, Hermione. I need to tell you something." He paused for a moment, gathering his courage. Hermione was dreading what he was about to say, but he didn't notice. "I love you too." He finished happily. He was smiling widely, but was also blushing as he noticed that the first years by the fire had gone silent and were staring at them. But at the site of Hermione's face, he felt like he had made a mistake in telling her how he felt, and his smile quickly got erased.
"Ron," she began hesitantly, "listen, I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything, but I have to tell you that I don't really love you. You see, I thought I did, but I was wrong. Are you Okay?" she asked him this as she finished, and saw the stricken look on his face.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Look, I have to go and-yeah." He left in a rush, so quickly that Hermione never saw the tears starting to stream down his cheeks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ And now we turn to...
A rather bored, and sexy, young blonde sat in the corner of the Slytherin common room. He was reading a letter his father's owl had just delivered. It was a letter that would forever concrete his already-forming opinion of his father into his mind.
Dear Draco,
The fact that you do not wish to be a death eater troubles me. Though I cannot make your decisions for you, I highly suggest that you change your mind. The Dark Lord is not happy with this act of treason, yet for some reason has decided to spare you. Though I must say, with the war looming in the near future I do not know how long that will last. You should also know that I have no intentions of living with a traitor. I want you to move out of the manor. Start looking for a home now, because though your mother is against it, I have decided that you cannot stay here one night. You will stop by to gather your things and leave us. I also refuse to assist you with anything whatsoever anymore, financially or morally, and no longer consider you my son. No son of mine will undermine the authority of our Lord! I do not wish to keep in contact with you either. Please do not reply.
Lucius Malfoy
As he came to the "I cannot make your decisions for you" part he smirked thinking, Why not? You always did before. He snorted when he came to " I also refuse to assist you with anything whatsoever anymore, financially or morally" and thought, He means financially, since he never supports anything morally except Voldemort. He grimaced when he came to "our Lord" Nobody was Draco Malfoy's "Lord." He finished the letter hating his father more than before, if that was possible. As he did finish, Blaise walked in and distinctly heard Draco mumble "Bastard" under his breath as he threw the letter into the blazing fire.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked him.
"Oh, nothing. Just another letter from him." Replied Draco, starting to walk out of the common room. Blaise followed.
"Oh, what did he say this time?" asked Blaise.
"Eh, not much. He just said that he never wants to speak to me again and no longer considers me his son." Replied Draco, then, seeing the look on Blaise's face he added, "Oh, don't worry about me. I'll find someplace in Hogsmeade or something." He had been careful to not say anything about the actual topic, because you see Slytherins trust no one with their secrets. Well, maybe house-elves.
"So, where are your cronies?"
Draco glared at him. "Who knows? Probably still in the Great Hall, or else in the kitchens. Not that I care." And he really didn't. Crabbe and Goyle were okay when you were making fun of someone and needed brute force, or wanted to know where the nearest food was, but as far as intelligent conversations that weren't filled with "huh," well, let's just say that Crabbe and Goyle weren't your men. Actually, your men were in different intellectual hemispheres.
"So are you going to the Farewell Dance?" asked Blaise. The Farewell Dance was being held the night before their last night in Hogwarts. It was for the seventh years that were leaving. Other years could only attend with a seventh year date. It was the second year they had done dances, one for all the years every month, but this was the first year the seventh years had one to themselves to say bye to Hogwarts. It was going to be the event of the year.
"Well yeah."
"Who's your date?"
"Don't have one yet."
"Really?" Blaise replied, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have a date?"
"No, I don't have a date yet. There's still three weeks before the dance."
"So who you gonna ask?"
"I don't know. There aren't that many people to ask. I mean, I've been out with nearly every girl here."
"There's always Pansy." Blaise suggested. Draco looked at him with disgust.
"Don't make me sick." Replied Draco, thinking of the last time he ran into Pansy outside of class. She had pressed him close against a wall and wildly tried to kiss him. He had fiercely pushed her away while screaming at her that he hated her and wished she would leave him alone.
They were nearing the library and in went none other than Hermione. Blaise glanced at her, then got an excellent idea for a bet. But he would have to play his cards right. "You could ask Hermione Granger."
"Granger! You're kidding, right?"
"No, not that it matters. You couldn't get Granger to go with you anyway."
"I could so! I could get anyone to go with me."
"You couldn't get Granger."
"I don't want Granger."
"Why not? I mean, she may be a Gryffindor but she's hot." It was true, Draco knew. After sixth year, she had definitely filled out and had learned to contain the frizz of her hair. In a word, she was sexy. Probably the sexiest girl in school. And then there was her attitude, it was so fierce. There was just something about it. And the sexiest part about it was that she didn't realize this at all. Therefore, she wasn't putting on an act to become sexy, she just was. (have you noticed my new obsession with the word sexy?)
"Yeah, but still. She's Granger. I don't want her."
"It doesn't matter whether or not you want her Draco, you couldn't get have her either way," replied Blaise.
"If I wanted her I could have her," Draco told him confidently.
"Then get her."
"What?" said Draco, not believing his ears. Did Blaise just tell him to ask out Granger?
"You heard me. You say you could get her, then prove it." Draco was dumbfounded. He couldn't think of what to say, a rarity for him.
"Wh-What?"
"I bet you that you can't get Hermione Granger to go out with you. If you can't, you go out with Parkinson for at least 6 months, being her willing love slave. " Draco shuddered.
"And if -I mean when- I can?"
"I date her." Draco let out a guffaw. He could just see Blaise and Pansy Parkinson together.
"Done."
"Alright, but there's one more thing," Blaise added. Draco had started to head into the library, but stopped dead in his tracks. He knew what was coming, and he didn't like it.
"What?"
"You've got to kiss her. I don't care if it is short and sweet or deep and passionate. It just simply must be a kiss and I have to see it." Draco scowled at this.
"Fine. A kiss. I have to kiss Granger." He shivered a little at these words.
"Okay, but you may want to call her Hermione, not Granger, when trying to charm her. Though it probably won't work."
"Shut up," Draco said simply. He then walked into the library knowing he would find her. And he did. She was sitting at a back table, for the quiet Draco guessed. There was a group of fourth year girls giggling wildly. It took him a moment to realize they were looking at him, not that it surprised him. He was attractive, and he knew it. He had in fact changed as much as Granger had. In 6th year he hadn't had time to gel his hair one morning, and he can't say he hadn't liked the look of his blonde locks falling into his eyes. And apparently, the girls hadn't either. So, now he just didn't buy gel. He was now considerably well built from years of Quidditch. Actually, to tell the truth, he was considered by many the hottest guy in school, though Potter was taking a close second. But he was taken, and Draco was very available. He walked over to table with a subtly bored look on his face. The half on Granger's side was littered with books and papers. He wondered what she was doing. They didn't have Potions homework, and that was the only class that was still running for the seventh years.
"Hey," he said.
"What do you want?" replied Hermione coldly without looking up. She recognized the voice, so she didn't need to.
"Just thought I'd say hi. Sorry if I bothered you." He said the last part as though he was a bit hurt and she instinctively looked up. He was getting up to leave, and she-for a reason she couldn't pinpoint-didn't want him to.
"Wait." He sat back down. "Seriously, what'd you want?"
"Umm," for once Draco was at a loss of a good excuse, "Nothing really."
She looked into his eyes, and felt an odd sensation as her warm chocolate eyes met his icy blue ones. Hermione could see something there, something not there before. In his eyes there wasn't that evil coldness, but more like a comforting winter chill. She also noticed how attractive he looked, though not for the first time. "Really?"
"Yeah, really," not moving his gaze. In her eyes he saw not the firey competition that had always been there before, but a wonderful warmth you feel when sitting by a fire, whether in a manor or in some dinky apartment. Then he looked down at her work. "So what are you doing anyway?"
"Research," even though his eyes had moved hers didn't. He looked back up at her.
"What are you researching? We don't have homework."
"I guess that shows how well you know me. I'm always researching. Currently it's a career, well my future career. I'm gonna be an auror."
"You're actually researching your career?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes, not that you would. I mean, after all, it doesn't take much research for your career now does it? I mean, it'll be the same as your dad's right?" Draco knew she was talking about the Death Eaters.
"Actually, no. You see my father and I have had a parting of ways."
"A parting of ways?"
"Yeah, he kicked me out and disowned me, and I called him a bastard, which he is."
That whole time they had not broken their intense gaze. But now Hermione looked down a moment as she said, "Oh." However, she did look back up and their eyes were locked once again. "I'm sorry then."
"It's okay. Hey, it could be worse. He could have killed or tortured me." They were talking in low voices now.
"Has your father ever tortured you?" she asked him seriously.
"No, but he's threatened. And he has put me under the Imperius Curse. That is, before I learned to break it." Why am I telling her this? He thought. Slytherins don't trust anyone. Especially Gryffindors and mudbloods. But then he thought, But Hermione Granger isn't any mudblood. He couldn't believe he thought that! There was quite a long silence.
Hermione had never before talked to Draco like this. It wasn't awful. Actually, it wasn't bad at all. She had always sort of enjoyed their quarrels. It was a challenge, an intellectual pursuit she didn't often get with Ron and Harry. However, having a real intelligent conversation with Draco Malfoy wasn't nearly as bad as she would have expected. Actually, it was sort of-enjoyable? She mentally slapped herself for thinking anything but bad thoughts related to Draco Malfoy. How did we actually start a conversation and not an argument anyway? She thought as the conversation continued. She couldn't remember. Let's see. He sat down and said "Hi" and then-wait a minute, shouldn't he have called me 'mudblood' or 'Granger' or- something? She was truly baffled, and didn't understand it, but for once didn't care. They continued to politely converse-never taking their eyes off the other's-until about half an hour before lunch when Hermione started to gather her things and put back books. Draco actually helped her put everything away (Yes he helped her. Helped, not sabotaged.) and they walked into the hallway. He turned the other way and started walking towards Slytherin, until she called his name.
"Draco?" It was the first time she had ever called him Draco and not Malfoy. He turned back instinctively.
"Yeah?"
"Umm, well, I was thinking, just now and well-" However, he cut her off.
"Aren't you always?" It was a typical Draco comment, but instead of a mean tone, he said it flirtingly. She chose not to acknowledge it, though she did pause a moment.
"Look, I was thinking, maybe-just maybe-your not quite as horrible as I thought after all" And for the first time in a long time, Draco Malfoy truly smiled. She turned, and in the same fashion she had, he called her name.
"Hermione?" and in his same fashion, she instinctively turned. (notice that this was also a first.)
"Yes?"
He took a long breath and said, "You too, Hermione. You too." With this said she smiled a rather genuine smile, and he turned and walked away in a very Slytherin style, though sexier, of course. And Hermione definitely noticed it as he walked off, before she herself turned and walk away in a very Gryffindor manner, though sexier. And ironically, Draco had looked back just in time to see her turn and walk. And he noticed it and stopped. And as she turned the corner, he thought, Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Then thought, What am I saying?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay so what do you think? I know, I know, it's turning into a HG/DM fic, but hey, I like it. Okies, listen up campers, cause it's important. I'm starting on the 3rd chapter like now, but no matter how quickly I finish, I won't post until I get 17 reviews, so Review! Oh, and if by some miracle you haven't read the fifth book, I just ruined it for you. At least the sad part. Evil JK Rowling, I can't believe she killed him! Hey! What are you doing still sitting here listening to me babble for?!?!?! Go Review!!!!! And refer this to peoples!