Pain, Hurt, and…Love?

Chapter Six

What do you mean…

            Hermione and Draco seemed so happy. But nothing so good could last for to long. Draco knew that something was bound to go wrong but he would hold onto Hermione for as long as he could. He didn't know what had come over him. All of the sudden he likes Hermione and he no longer hates muggle borns. What is the world coming to? Draco didn't know but he figured that something had changed when he saw Hermione laying there so beat up and bloody. He knew from experience what it felt like to be beaten but never in all his life had something like this happened to him. He didn't like the idea of Hermione being so open for attack by anyone at anytime.

            He had told Hermione that they would train when they got to school. And even though they could do magic outside of school it was still better not to use it. For now he just wanted to cherish ever moment he had with her.

            Hermione lay there and thought about all that had happened. Draco had been nice to her and saved her life when she was on the brink of death. He had cured her almost completely and he stayed with her when she asked. She knew that he would want to go back to the way things used to be so she wanted to hold on to this Draco and not the one that she saw at school. The more she thought about school the more she didn't want to go back. She knew that she was Head Girl, she just wished that Draco would be Head Boy. Then maybe they would be able to stay together. But she knew not to get her hopes up.

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            The next two weeks flew by. Hermione and Draco both didn't really want to go back but they didn't really have a choice. They had to, they both had duties though neither one of them knew that the other was also a head. They both avoided the subject and they didn't want to talk about school because that meant facing the facts. They couldn't be together. They were from two different worlds, and Harry and Ron would never except the fact that she loved him. 

            As Hermione and Draco were getting ready to leave they looked at each other and knew that what happened over the summer would not be forgotten. Hermione wished that it would never have to end because going back to school meant that she wouldn't get to spend any time with Draco and he knew the same. If only there was some way that they could be together…without the fear of someone finding out. Because if for some reason Lucius got out of weasled his way out of this one Hermione could be in a lot of trouble. He would find her and hurt her again and Draco wasn't sure if he could stand to find Hermione the way he had found her so long ago.

            Nacrissa knew that something had happened between the two. She knew that Draco was no longer the Muggle hating man he was before. Hermione had shown him that there was nothing wrong with muggle borns and that they are just as smart as any pureblood. Hermione had shown Draco what it was like to love someone, someone other then his mother. She looked at them and noticed that something was shining through in Draco that she had never seen before…Love. It was shining through more brightly then any thing that she had ever seen before…well except the hatred he held for his father. Nacrissa was so happy that he had found someone that he loved…if only Lucius would go away and never come back.

            They were loading into the car that had obviously been charmed to be bigger on the inside then it was letting on…when Draco pulled his mother aside.

            "Mother?" Nacrissa looked at her son. He looked worried but still happy.

            "Yes Draco?"

            "I…I think that I need to tell you something?" Nacrissa looked at him curiously. " I think that I might like Hermione. As more then just a friend…" He was nervous. What would his mother say? He didn't know what to expect. Now if this was his father he would know just what to expect. He would be cursed and then beaten until he was nearly dead. But with his mother he just didn't know.

            "I think that it's wonderful Draco. I think that you should hold onto Hermione for as long as you can. Eventually this will all go away and you will be free of your father forever. I promised you along time ago that your father would leave and never come back." He looked at his mother one last time before giving her a small kiss on the cheek and getting in the car. He loved his mother more then she would ever know.

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            In the car Hermione didn't know what to say. She just sat there and thought about all that had happened. If Lucius managed to get away from them again then what would he do to her? She didn't even really want to know. She was afraid to even think about it. Thinking about Lucius had done to her this summer made her quake and she didn't want to have to think about it anymore. But it was hard not to. Do you think that my parents even noticed I was missing?? Hermione had thought this on more then one sleepless night. 

            "So Hermione what are we going to do when we get back to school?" Hermione looked at him and shrugged. "I think that the safest thing to do would be to go back to the way we were…before the summer." He looked at Hermione but she looked away.

            "If you think that it is best then so be it." It was harsh but she didn't really care. She couldn't believe that after all of this he still wanted to go back to the way things used to be. It just wasn't fair. She chanced a look at him and he looked hurt and forlorn. Like he had just lost something very precious to him. She couldn't take it. She hugged him. She didn't ever want to let go. She felt him wrap his arms around her and she knew that he wouldn't forget her or ever really let her go.

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            When Hermione and Draco got to the station the went to the barrier at different times. No one would suspect and no one would know about what happened this summer. Hermione was the first to go through. She spotted the bright red hair immediately and ran towards it. "Ron!! Harry!!! Ginny!!" They looked to her and smiled! Then the next thing Hermione knew she was being sandwiched between Ron and Harry. Then hugged to death by Ginny. Hermione was so happy to see all her friends again that she forgot her sorrows over Draco. For the time anyway.  

            Draco came shortly after Hermione and saw her getting hugged by her friends. Draco wished that he didn't have to do this but it was for the best. He sauntered over to them.

            "Well, well, well…if it isn't the Weasel, Potty, and the Mudblood." He said these words with as much scorn as he ever did. Hermione looked at him. She was obviously very hurt by what he had said.

            "Shove off ferret boy! Leave us alone. We don't want to hear you or be with in speaking range of you." Hermione shot back. Two could play at this game. "Not to mention with in seeing range of you." She added as a side comment. Her friends laughed while Draco looked at Hermione. What the bloody hell was she doing? He didn't know but whatever she was doing she would pay for it later. Not in the usual sense but in a way that would make her see that he was just acting…

            Hermione turned and stalked away. Nose in the air while silent tears were threatening to fall. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were all following behind her. They got a compartment and started to roar with laughter.

            "Hermione since when did you talk to Malfoy like that?" Hermione looked cheekily a them.

            "Since I became Head Girl and can take house points away from him if he tries that again." All her friends looked at her. Not that they were surprised just surprised that she hadn't told them sooner.

            "That's really good Hermione!! We're happy for you and all…but why didn't you tell us sooner?" Hermione just smiled.

            "Because I wanted to see your faces when you saw. I wanted it to be a surprise. So there you go!!!" Harry and Ron laughed. Ginny didn't. Hermione was lying and she knew it but why? Ginny would find out what really happened to Hermione this summer…and now that she thinks about it the last couple of summers…

A/N: I know it has been forever since I have updated and I am super super sorry but there was nothing I could do. I was soooooo busy with finals and all that I just didn't have time. And we had like a major snow storm that kept me away so I didn't have the time. But there you go! I hope that you liked it. And ideas are always welcome!!!!

~*DHL*~