Against All Odds

Chapter Twelve – There's So Much I Need To Say To You

Draco knew Daniel was waiting for him, but he didn't come the following evening. Christine had been terribly offended of all the times he had left her without explanations and hadn't kept his promises, and he had to make it up to her.

"Do you think," she shouted at him, her blue eyes full of tears, "that I can go on living like that? You and I are going to be married. You will be my husband! I have to trust you and I can't do that if you keep breaking all your promises!"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, his eyes fixed on the carpet.

"Well, 'sorry' is not good enough!" Christine shrieked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Draco came closer and took her hands in his. "Christine, I know it's not good enough at the moment. But I promise, it will never happen again. I'm really sorry. I love you, and I'll do everything I can to make it up to you. How about we go out for a romantic dinner tonight, just you and me?"

Christine gazed at him for a moment; then she smiled through her tears, looking appeased. "All right," she answered quietly.

Draco was relieved and kissed her softly on the lips. While kissing her, a warm feeling washed over him; and he suddenly recalled...

FLASHBACK

"I love you," Draco said, looking deeply into her warm, loving, chocolate- brown eyes. She was clinging onto him, her arms around his neck, while his arms were on the small of her back.

"I can't blame you," she replied, mischievous glittering in her eyes, and Draco leaned in and pressed his lips hard against hers. There was something heavenly about the kiss – it sent them both floating on cloud nine. It was passionate and intense, yet so loving and warm.

They both pulled away slowly together, opening their eyes and searching for the other's. Draco opened his eyes and saw Hermione's face. She was grinning at him, and he grinned back as he leaned his forehead against hers.

END FLASHBACK

It was Hermione. It was Hermione.

Draco was kissing Hermione. It was Hermione whose hands were cupping his face, whose fingers were in his hair; it was Hermione whose body was pressed against his, and it was Hermione who was kissing him back now. It was Hermione.

He heard her moan into the kiss. It made him smile for a moment, then the world of dreams faded away and Draco was thrown back at the hard ground of reality.

It was not Hermione.

He was not kissing Hermione. It was someone else. Oh God! As soon as he realized that, Draco opened his eyes and pulled away abruptly. It was Christine.

Yuck!

Suddenly he felt so sick of himself. Why had he kissed that woman? She was smiling at him now, and her smile was so different than Hermione's. He couldn't stand it. He got to his feet.

"What's wrong?" Christine asked in that sweet voice of hers. Draco could hardly stand that voice. She was driving him crazy.

Suddenly, he had a wild idea. He could get rid of her. It was easy, actually. He hadn't told her about Daniel. He could tell her now, and she would go nuts and leave him forever, and he would never have to see her face again!

----

"You've got a son?" Christine gasped.

"I know, I was shocked, too," Draco said. He had told her the whole story, and tried to make it sound as if he were sorry for not telling her before. "But now I'm happy," he added, "and I'm keeping in touch with my son."

"Oh," said Christine, "well, I understand."

Draco gazed at her. She was not supposed to understand... she was supposed to be mad at him! She was supposed to dump him!

"I'm glad you do," he lied. "I've settled it with Hermione, by the way, and invited Daniel to stay here every other Saturday. I hope it's okay with you," he added sarcastically.

Christine did not notice the sarcasm in his voice. "It's okay, Draco," she answered and nodded, "I totally understand. It's your son, you have to keep in touch with him."

Draco was disappointed and desperate. Couldn't this woman take a hint? What else could he do to get rid of her?

"I'm going now," he said, not recognizing his own voice.

"Where?" Christine asked in surprise. "You said we'd have dinner together!"

"Not tonight," Draco answered coldly. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"But where? Are you going to visit Daniel again? Can I come with you? I'm going to be his stepmother, I have to get to know him, you know."

This idea made Draco only angrier. She was not going to be Daniel's stepmother, he thought furiously. Daniel only had one mother, and that was Hermione!

He shook his head at Christine. "I'll ask them today if I can bring you next time. I don't know if they're ready for guests now."

"So how come you can go?"

Why did she have to be so obnoxious?! "Because I'm Daniel's father. I can visit him whenever I want, that's what Hermione said," he replied angrily, and before Christine could say another word, he left the house.

At first, he didn't know what to do with himself. Would he go to visit Daniel, or would he just walk around and think what to do about Christine? After thinking for a bit, he chose the second option. He had told Hermione he wouldn't come every day, after all.

So instead of going there, Draco started wandering around in the dark streets, going nowhere in particular. He bit his lip hard and forced himself to think... How had his feelings changed so quickly? Only yesterday, he had been so sure he loved Christine and wanted to marry her. Now, he couldn't even stand her presence next to him. Why? She hadn't changed, that was for sure – she had stayed the same superficial, squeaky woman he had once been so in love with. Or had he? Was it really love that he felt? Or had he been simply distracted by her beauty?

Draco had had two serious girlfriends before Hermione: Pansy Parkinson and Julie Dobbs, both Slytherins, both completely different than Hermione, and both very much like Christine. Perhaps, after leaving Hermione, he tried so hard to forget about her, that subconciously he chose the girl who was least like her?

It was no use, though. Now, he knew that even from distance, he continued to love Hermione. If only he had understood it sooner...! He would have never got engaged to Christine.

The thought of Christine made him shudder. He didn't love her. He couldn't stand the thought of even touching her. Not after he had found out there was a chance, even a tiny little chance, that Hermione still had feelings for him.

Draco stopped walking and saw that without thinking, his feet had carried him to Hermione and Daniel's apartment. He was standing next to their building. He shook his head and turned to leave.

He kept on walking and went into a small garden. He saw someone sitting on a bench on the far end of the garden, but he ignored it, sat down on the closest bench and tried to think.

Before he could even begin, he heard footsteps. He raised his eyes and noticed that the person on the other side of the garden was coming nearer. It was a woman, as he could see. She was slim and tall, with long, dark curls. Draco's jaw dropped.

No, he thought. My imagination must be playing tricks on me. That can't be her...

But it was her. Hermione. Draco jumped to his feet and stared at her as if she were a miracle, a dream that had come true.

"Draco," Hermione said. She didn't sound to surprised to see him. "Daniel has been waiting for you all evening... If you were here, why didn't you come up?"

"I-I had to think," Draco stammered. "I needed to be alone and... figure out some stuff... you know..."

"Oh?" Hermione said. "May I ask what?"

"I'll tell you one day," Draco promised. "And what are you doing here?"

"I went out to get some fresh air," Hermione replied. "I've had a tough day at work. I come here a lot when I want to take a walk by myself."

"So, we both wanted to be alone..." Draco said at sat down, expecting her to leave.

"...and now we're not alone anymore," Hermione finished, sat down next to him and accidently touched his hand. She felt him shudder and withdrew her hand quickly. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," Draco said softly and took her hand in his. He heard her breath quicken... And suddenly he felt a wave of feelings wash over him, and he couldn't control himself anymore. He didn't care about the consequences. He didn't stop to give the idea a thought... All he knew was that he was already leaning in. His hands cupped her face and pulled her closer, and he pressed his lips against hers, tasting her once again after eleven long, long years.

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A/N: Another cliffhanger!!! Well, if it helps, I promise to update as soon as I can. Stay tuned, and don't forget to leave a review! :-)

Roni.