Chapter 28: Time to Move On

Hermione gazed out of the window as she contemplated the day's events; yelling at a Professor and getting kicked out of class. She didn't really think that she needed to be sent to her head of house to have a talking to. Snape needed to be yelled at and she was glad that she was the one who was able to do it. Hermione left her thoughts behind at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Miss Granger," came Professor Mcgonagall's voice.

Hermione turned her head, "Yes Professor."

"What you did today was most unthinkable. Yelling at a Professor is something that I would never have expected you to do."

Hermione turned her head back towards the window, obviously not caring about a single thing that was being said to her.

Mcgonagall sighed. She didn't know what to say or do. This was not her most prized student Hermione Granger sitting in front of her, but instead a girl who seemed to have lost her way, a lost girl who wasn't in any hurry to find her way back.

"You will serve another weeks worth of detention, this time with Hagrid, and twenty-five points will be taken from your house. You may now leave."

When Hermione turned her head back to her Professor her face held no expression. It seemed to be a face that was just as empty as the rest of her body.

Hermione picked up her bag and headed for the door to leave, but just as her hand touched the doorknob Professor Mcgonagall began to speak.

"I'm worried about you Miss Granger and I know for a fact that I am not the only one. Many of your fellow classmates and friends have expressed their concerns about your behavior and your well-being to the Headmaster and myself," Hermione stiffened and her grip on the doorknob tightened. "And I honestly don't know what to say to them. However, I do have something that I would like to say to you and that is move on. Move on with your life Miss Granger, it's the only way."

Hermione yanked open the door and paused for a moment. She then slowly turned around to face her Professor and for the first time in days her face was filled with emotion, one emotion, sorrow. And then, with a voice full of enough pain to make anyone's heat brake, she spoke.

"I'm afraid that moving on is impossible for me Professor."

And then she left, leaving a weary and sorrow filled Professor behind.

Ginny Weasly sat on the couch in the Gryffindor common room, focusing on the group of people in the corner of the room instead of her studies.

The Golden Trio sat at the table in the corner of the room, Ron and Harry working on a Potions essay and Hermione staring out the window with a blank look on her face.

For days Ginny had watched her closest friend slowly deteriorate into a hollow being and into a world of nothingness. Hermione was letting her world and everything that she loved and worked so hard for slip away without a care and Ginny was quite upset because of it.

"Hermione," came Ron's voice, "I was wondering if you could tell me what happens when you mix dragons blood with werewolf blood? The texts answer is really confusing and I don't understand it."

"No Ron I can't. Why don't you try figuring something out for yourself for once and save everyone else the hassle of being troubled," Hermione answered without even looking away from the window.

Everyone in the common room was quite shocked, Ron looked hurt and his face became red with embarrassment, and Harry looked at Hermione with a confused expression.

"How dare you!" Ginny yelled. Everybody's head turned quickly to stare at her, except for Hermione that is, she slowly turned to look at the younger girl, face still blank and empty.

"What is wrong with you?" Ginny marched over to Hermione. "Huh? Answer me!" Hermione didn't say anything.

Ron stood up and held his sisters arm. "Leave her alone Ginny."

"No Ron I wont!" Ginny pulled her arm out of her brother's grasp, her stare never leaving Hermione's face. "You're being really stupid Hermione!"

"Ginny!" Ron said grabbing his sister's arm more forcefully.

"Shut up Ron! I'm going to tell her what we've all wanted to but haven't had the guts to!" Ginny shoved her brother away from her, and then grabbed Hermione's face.

"Quite being and idiot and move on! Quite throwing your life away over stupid Draco Malfoy! Forget about him and move on!" Ginny's voice was loud and pleading. But it was no use; Hermione's face was still blank and empty.

Ron went to grab his sister again but Harry held him back, knowing that this needed to happen.

Ginny let her hands drop to her side and then, without any warning, slapped Hermione in the face and screamed, "SNAP OUT OF IT!!!"

A collective gasp was heard throughout the common room, followed by silence. A few seconds later the silence was broken by a lone sob and the girl had everyone's attention.

"I...I can't," Hermione's voice was full of pain and the tears flowed freely from her eyes. "I can't forget about him Ginny."

Ginny let out her own sob. She got down on her knees and held Hermione's face in her hands. "Yes you can Hermione. You don't need him."

Hermione pushed Ginny away and stood up. "Yes I do! I do need him Ginny! You don't understand!" Hermione let out another sob.

"I love him Ginny and I always will. I know that that might sound weird, but it's the truth. Once I got to know the real Draco Malfoy I lost my heart to him. He made me feel things that I never thought possible. Every time he touched me a fire would burn to the depths of my soul. Every time he kissed me my body would ache with a passion beyond this world. And every time he held me in his arms I felt safe and best of all I felt wanted. He made my world better and there's no way that I could forget that."

Hermione was confessing things that she never thought she would, but she needed everyone to understand. And by confessing these things she could finally understand as well.

She let out a sob, "And yes I know that he could never feel the same way about me, but I will always need him and I will always want him." And with that, she left, leaving the Gryffindor common room silent and full of pain, sorrow, tears, and understanding.

"You're an idiot Draco," Blaise said to his friend as they sat on the couch in the Slytherin common room.

"I know."

"What you did was really stupid."

"I know."

"You really screwed up."

Draco glared at his friend. "I know Blaise."

Blaise shook his head. "I don't think that you do."

"Of course I do! I can't stand what's going on between Hermione and myself right now Blaise!" Draco rested his head in his hands and sighed.

"I love everything about her Blaise."

Blaise looked at his friend skeptically. "Really?"

"Yeah really. I love her smile; I especially loved the way she would smile after I would kiss her. I loved the way she fit perfectly in my arms and how I felt when she was in my arms. I love her face and I loved how it would light up whenever she saw me. I love the way she makes me feel." Blaise stared at his friend and wondered if he had any idea what he was saying.

"I love her eyes, her lips, and every curve of her body. I love her courage and her heart. I love her and..." Draco's head shot up and Blaise grinned from ear to ear; he knew.

Draco, with the dawn of realization clearly written all over his face, looked at his friend. "I love her Blaise." Blaise just kept grinning.

"I love Hermione Granger."