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That same day…
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Draco walked slowly towards his Common Room. After a complicated day, all he wants to do is to lie down in his soft bed and never ever get up.
He smirked. That was incongruous. Before, he couldn't wait to get up and see Ginny.
But as he said, things have changed.
There was nothing to look up now. Nothing.
He shook away his thoughts as he quickened his pace. All of a sudden, a whimpering sound filled the silence. It was coming from his right, where the staircases were.
It was really none of his business but he couldn't deny his inquisitiveness. So instead of turning to his left, where the Common Room was, he turned to his right as the sobs grew louder and louder.
Then he saw the one who's been making the sound.
It was a girl who was sitting at the top of the stairway near him. He couldn't make out her face because it was hidden in her arms.
He was about to climb the first step towards her then stopped. What was I doing? All he wants to know who was sobbing.
He took one last look at the weeping girl and turned around. He began to walk away and yawned loudly.
"Malfoy?" a surprised, muffled voice called.
Draco turned around. It was Parvati Patil.
"Patil?"
Parvati smiled weakly and sniffed, quickly wiped away her tears. Draco took a good look at her. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her skin was sallow, blotchy and streaked with dried tears. And her hair was a tangled mess.
"You look awful," he told her as he climbed up towards her.
Parvati rolled her eyes and gave a small smile. "Thanks a lot."
Draco looked down at her. "What's the matter?"
"It's nothing, really," she muttered, looking down at her lap. Seconds later, tears splashed on it.
Draco sat beside her, looking at her deeply. "What's the matter?" he asked again, only this time, slightly softer.
Parvati looked up at him, his eyes bright with tears as one trickled down her cheeks.
"Pansy… she told everyone about my…" her voice trailed off in a mortified whisper. "job."
"Oh." He didn't know what to say.
His face burned with anger. Pansy ruined his life. Does she have to ruin Patil's life?! That bitch's too much!
He turned to her and shifted uncomfortably. "You'll be fine… right?"
Parvati shook her head, more tears trickling down her cheeks. "I don't think so. Now that everyone knows. They laughed at me. All of them."
She put her head down at her arms, her shoulders shaking forcefully. "I can't show my face ever!" she sobbed.
Draco stared at her. What's he going to do now?
He bit his lip, feeling uneasy. He wasn't use to seeing girls cry in front of him. But then again, Ginny just cried a while ago. But this is different.
Isn't it?
He reached out his trembling hand and hesitated. Then he put it in her arm. He couldn't think of a way of comforting her.
"Thanks," she muttered on her arms.
He smiled slightly then frowned.
He couldn't help wishing this was Ginny he was comforting.
Things just weren't the same anymore.
And he has to accept it sooner or later.
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"What?"
Harry said it with much force that it made Hermione stepped back.
He walked towards her threateningly. "What did you say?"
"I know what you and Pansy are up to," Hermione repeated, her voice quivering as she forced herself to look at Harry's heated stare.
Harry stopped until he was in front of Hermione. He towered over her small, delicate body and he could see her tremble with alarm.
"And tell me, 'Mione, what will you do about it?" he asked, cocking his eyebrows.
Hermione was breathing quickly. She continued looking at his intense, green eyes. She felt the cold, damp wall on her back as Harry bent closer to her, his warm breath caressing her face.
"Are you gonna stop me?"
"Yes," Hermione whispered fiercely, though her voice was shaking. "Yes, Harry. I'll stop you. How could you do this to Ginny?"
Harry shook his head in disbelief. "You? Stop me?"
She glowered at him. "How could you do this to Ginny? Siding with Pansy? How could you get so low?"
"Do you think it's easy for me to do that?" Harry shouted, turning away. "And I did this for Ginny, herself. And you know what? It's working. Ginny and Malfoy are over. I don't fucking care if you think I'm low coz I didn't do this to make you happy. I did this to make me happy!"
Hermione winced. "Why can't you just accept the truth?"
"The truth is I can do something about it. And I did." Harry turned around and narrowed his eyes at her. "Wait a minute here. Since when do you care? Why do you even care?"
"Look, I heard you and Pansy talking at the classroom that night and it's been bothering my thoughts ever since," she explained hurriedly.
"And why is that?" Harry asked her, his eyes still narrowed with curiosity.
Hermione looked down and got red in her face.
"No reason?" Harry questioned.
She said nothing, her face looked solemn and serious.
"No—reason—at all?" Each word matched with every step he took towards her. He looked down at her. He held out his hands and gently laid it at Hermione's shoulders. "Hermione, you're my best friend. I know you're concerned about what I'm doing but it's my choice, this is what I want. So please, don't stop me and just—stay out of it."
He turned and began to walk away.
"Don't do this, Harry," Hermione called softly.
Harry sighed impatiently and turned around, only to see her eyes bright with tears.
"Why can't you just stay out of this?" he snapped.
"Ginny's my friend, Harry…"
"Oh, and I'm not?" he said coldly.
Hermione breathed deeply. "I love you," she blurted out in a hoarse voice, almost a whisper.
Harry froze and blinked at her, confused. "What did you say?"
"I love you," she repeated, breathing loudly. "And I don't want you to do this. I don't want you to get hurt." She paused, slightly trembling. "I don't want to get hurt…"
Harry stared at her serious, passionate eyes, his mouth hanged open.
"Harry…" she began.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I love Ginny."
With that, he walked away. And this time, Hermione didn't stop him. She could only watch his back until it got blurry with tears.
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Harry shook his head once more as he walked away.
Hermione loved him?
Hermione, his best friend who's always quiet and serious, loved him?
When he was miles away from her, he stopped. The look on her eyes flashed back in his mind. A rush of guilt swept through Harry. He almost turned around and walked back at her.
Yes, she was gorgeous. Her soft, brown curls, beautiful brown eyes under those long eyelashes, her delicate body, her sensitivity, intelligence, and thoughtfulness, he noticed it all. And she was always there when he needed someone.
But he didn't think of her as more than his best friend.
Not at all.
He frowned, wondering how long Hermione kept her feelings. Did she think of him as more than a friend when he hugged her last month when they were kidding around? Or when he held her hand when they were walking down the stairs? Or when he walk her to her classroom almost everyday?…
"I'm sorry, 'Mione," he said softly. "I really am."
He continued to walk away.
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The loud footsteps echoed around the deserted hallway. Ginny's head snapped up as she wiped her tears away. She saw a shadow coming towards her, getting bigger and bigger and she couldn't help feeling alarmed.
"Who's there?" she called.
She sniffed as the footsteps became louder.
What if it was the Hogwarts caretaker, Filch? What would she say when he asked her what she's doing here? What if he gives her detention for being here when she should be in her dorm?
Then she heard a deep, familiar voice. "Gin? Is that you?"
"Harry?" she called weakly.
The shadow disappeared and was replaced by Harry, who stepped out the darkness and walked towards her hurriedly.
"Ginny, what happened?" he queried, his eyebrows furrowed into a concerned frown as he kneeled down beside her.
Ginny looked down, feeling tears in her eyes. "I don't wanna talk about it," she muttered quietly.
"Ginny?" Harry said softly, putting his hand around her shoulders comfortingly. "Is it Malfoy?"
As if answering his question, a sob caught in her throat as she leaned her head in his chest and began to cry. Harry slowly held her as if protecting her.
And inside, he felt his insides burst in joy.
Yet, he felt guilt. Was this really worth it?
Yes, it is.
He brushed all his other emotions, worries and thoughts as he held her tightly, savoring the moment.
'Cause a voice inside him told it wouldn't last. But he wouldn't believe it. Why would he believe it?
Yet he listens.
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Draco came back later that night to his Common Room. He muttered the password and the portrait hole opened. He went inside and was startled when he saw Pansy sitting at the armchair near the fireplace. The fire radiated her foul atmosphere as her eyes danced with the flames.
"Draco? Why aren't you still in bed?" she asked in her sickening sweet vice, though it was obvious she was expecting for him.
He glared maliciously at her and if looks could kill, Pansy would be stir-fry by now. But she kept smiling knowingly at him.
Oh, how he hated that girl.
He ignored her presence and went straight towards the stairs.
"So Draco, how was your day?" Pansy asked, leaning forward the chair.
"Oh, great. The best day of my life," he said, his voice dripping in sarcasm. He turned and glowered at her. "Happy now, Pansy? Happy now? Now that you ruined my fucking life?"
Pansy fluttered her eyelashes innocently at him; her eyes gleamed with amusement and satisfaction. "But Draco, I never did anything."
Draco raised his eyebrows at her, confused and annoyed. "What?" he snapped.
She stood up and walked towards him, her eyes glinting with malice. "I never did anything," she whispered at his ear and snickered nastily. "I never said anything. Never."
His eyes widened. "You mean…?"
She nodded, smiling evilly. "Good night, Draco," she said, and then climbed the stairs leaving Draco frozen in his spot.
Pansy was incredibly devious and she planned this all along. She tricked him into his little plan.
And he fell for it.
He gulped.
He just hoped its not too late.
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End of Chapter 12
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What will happen? Tune in for the next chapter!
I really hope you liked it. Damn, this story will end pretty soon. Please review kindly I need them to inspire me. :)
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Kryzll