PART TEN

Facing Realities

I saw a sign that day. A sign of everything that was about to happen at Hogwarts, and in my life. A sign of things to come, of things that I, and the people around me, should be wary of. A sign of the tragedy I was about to get myself into. It came to me in the most unusual manner…it was a warning. And yet I paid it no heed. Still I kept it to myself, afraid that whomever I confide it to might find me peculiar and not believe me. I could not even tell it to the people whom I trust the most. And perhaps it was the biggest mistake I had ever made. It was the perfect blunder. And I had fallen for it.

***

"Hello? Hel-lo­! Hermione? Are you listening to me?" Ron waved a hand in front of Hermione's face the next day and frowned when he got no response. He looked at Harry and cocked his eyebrow. "What's gotten into her?"

"Huh? What? Where?" Harry's head rose from his desk and he looked around sleepily, yawning. "Ow! What's eating you?" He pouted and rubbed his side where Ron had poked him.

"Hermione! I've been asking her to explain whatever bloody hell it is that Professor Binns is saying, but she hasn't said a word to me all period! Don't you think you should actually wake up and notice that?" Ron argued.

"C'mon, Ron. She's always that way during Binns' class. Get used to it will you?" Harry yawned again and started going back to sleep.

Ron grabbed his forearm and yanked him awake. "Harry, listen to me. Hermione actually nods or shakes her head or yawns or whatever during History of Magic. But right now all she's doing is helping the plants by converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. She's actually sitting there like she's Petrified or something! I can't believe that our friend's turning into stone and all you can do is yawn and go back to sleep. And I thought I was too sleepy to care."

Harry jerked his arm away. "Ron, she's probably just stressed out again, what with being Head Girl and all," he assumed, but sighed when he saw the look of pure disbelief on Ron's face. "Look, we'll ask her what's up at lunch, when she's all relaxed already, okay? It's not going to be a big deal." He shifted in his seat. "Now get off my case, will you? I have a beauty sleep to continue."

Ron sighed and leaned back into his seat, as he watched Harry snooze back in his own seat beside him. He glanced at Hermione again and shook his head, seeing that she still looked like she'd seen a basilisk.

Whatever was up with her, he sure hoped Harry was right.

Meanwhile, two floors and several rooms away, a really troubled Hermione (therefore projecting a really troubled Dummy in Binns' class) was flipping absently through the pages of the book she was holding, her eyebrows knit together and her lips wearing a tired frown. She didn't even bother to look up and watch Professor McGonagall leave the study, as she snuggled against the pillows on the couch she was lying on.

As soon as the entrance shut tight, Malfoy immediately dropped his quill and joined Hermione on the couch, wrapping his arms around her and making her lose hold of her book.

"Ready to take a break?" he whispered breathily into her ear.

"Draco, I'm not really in the mood right now," she said forcefully, squirming out of his embrace and trying to reach back for her book.

"What, too intent on the book you're reading?" Malfoy ran his hand through his now un-gelled hair slyly, snatching the book out of her hands once she got hold of it. He flipped through the pages and smirked. "Or should I say, staring at?"

"Draco," she whined impatiently, grabbing the book back. She shuffled towards the other end of the small couch, but he pulled her back against him.

"Hermione, there's nothing written in your so-called book. The pages are empty, okay? So what's there to read?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, her back to him.

She frowned and tried to pry his hands off her. "It's nothing to you, okay? So please."

But he paid no attention to her, or to her struggles. Instead he tightened his hold on her and started kissing her nape.

"Draco, quit it…listen to me," she pleaded as he nibbled her earlobe. "Wait…wait…stop—" but he continued to kiss his way down her neck, and onto her shoulders. "Draco, stop. Stop it!" she demanded, and he loosened his hold. As soon as he did, she immediately pushed herself away from him and jerked up the sleeve on her exposed shoulder. "Damn it, Draco; how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not in the mood?" She glared at him irritably, but soon saw that he didn't look the least bit annoyed with her as well. In fact, he looked like he actually understood how she was feeling.

Her eyes softened and she sighed at the look in his eyes. "Look, it's not you, okay? I just…" she trailed off, realizing that she had just hurt him with what she'd done. She immediately stood up and gathered all her belongings. "I'm sorry…" she mumbled, and hastily left the room without looking back at him.

She broke into a run the moment she got outside. She clutched her books tighter to her chest and bowed down, as she felt a tingling sensation in her eyes. She ran even faster when she passed her History of Magic classroom, where students were currently spilling out of the room to head for their next class.

She ignored the students' worried looks and headed straight to the Gryffindor Tower, thankful that Harry and Ron hadn't seen her.  I'm sorry Harry…Ron…Professor Lupin…I can't go to Defense Against the Dark Arts right now… and she slammed the door shut behind her the moment she reached her room. She bewitched the door with a locking spell and was grateful that she was given her own room as a Head Girl privilege. She didn't really need a roommate to burst in on her right now.

She tossed her books on the floor and slid down onto her bed, burying her face into the pillows to muffle the sound of her fast approaching sobs. What in the world was wrong with her? Malfoy had been all sweet and romantic around her…and she'd snapped angrily at him in return. It was all because there was something bothering her mind at the moment, and it wasn't even his fault. So why had she included him in this? Why couldn't she just keep it to herself and keep from hurting him?

It's because you can't get it off your mind. It's all you've been thinking of since last night.

You can't help what you're feeling.

You feel something else for him, and you know it.

You may not want to admit it, but you're falling.

You're falling in love with him.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. That was it. That was what she'd been obsessing about all this time. She was slowly starting to fall for him.

She couldn't understand. At first she was attracted to him all of a sudden. And then she'd started to care so much about him. Then it all turned to sex and lust and the desire for pleasure…but now it all didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter if she never got to touch him and feel him…it didn't matter if he never got to give her any pleasure…and heck, it didn't even matter if he was with someone else as long as he was happy…

What the hell was she feeling? Was she truly falling for him? After all they'd been through…was it really worth risking everything, denying everything, going against all odds, and defying everything…just so she could love him? Did it really matter to her that he probably slept with her only because he felt like it? Or only because he simply wanted to use her as his relief from the world? Did it really matter to her that he probably would never love her back…?

Didn't she care that if she really did love him, she'd be spending the rest of her life pouring her heart to someone whose only interest in her is her flesh? Didn't she care that her love would remain unrequited without end?

No, I don't…

She closed her eyes and swallowed, trying to understand her heart's answer to herself.

I don't care…

It doesn't matter if he doesn't love me back…if his heart belongs to someone else…if he's just using me…if he doesn't see me the way I see him…if he doesn't feel the same way I do…or if he never realizes how much I really have grown to love him…

I just want to see him happy, even if that happiness is not with me…

Because I really do love him…and that's all that matters.

And she broke down hopelessly, crying to her crestfallen heart's content, finally accepting her true feelings.

Even if she knew that things were never going to be alright again if she did.

***

Hermione awoke a few hours later by the sound of laughter coming through from outside the window of her room. She opened her eyes groggily and flung her hands over them, trying to block the light. Her stomach grumbled, and she realized that she'd missed lunch. And from the way her eyes were swelling, she must've cried herself to sleep.

She was in trouble. She'd never missed any of her classes before for no particular reason. She'd never lied to Harry and Ron or avoided them either. And now, just because of her own personal reasons, she had to break the rules and skip class, not to mention she'd have to think up another lame explanation for Harry and Ron.

She was tired of lying. She was tired of keeping this…thing with Malfoy to herself. Keeping secrets from her two best friends were never her style; it never made her feel good at all. She hated having to lie to them. She hated having to deceive them. She hated having to avoid any questions that might bring Malfoy and her in the same sentence. She wanted to let it all out. She wanted them to know.

But she couldn't. She knew that they wouldn't understand her. They'd overreact about all this, especially since Malfoy was their worst enemy. And considering that they were guys, they'd never understand the way she felt about Malfoy, or the reason why she felt like she was falling in love with him. Not to mention that she could never muster enough guts to narrate the details of what she and Malfoy were sneaking out to do every night. No doubt Ron would want to hear it, and it was definitely too embarrassing. Having two guys as best friends truly did have its disadvantages.

Yet still, for some reason, she felt like they had to know. They just had to.

Another burst of laughter from the windows jerked Hermione to her senses, and she forcibly dragged herself up from her bed. She peered out the window, wondering where the laughter was coming from.

She blinked as she saw an improvised Snitch zoom across the sky in front of the window of her room, and then a black robe speed towards it. The black blur stopped in mid-air, having caught the "Snitch", and Hermione realized that it was Harry on his Firebolt. Harry was smiling, and Hermione actually thought that he was smiling at her, but then another black blur sped towards him and stopped, and Hermione saw that it was Cho on her broomstick. Cho leaned close to Harry and whispered something in his ear, making the two of them laugh and then speed away again, racing each other on who got to catch the "Snitch" first.

Oddly enough, Hermione found herself frowning. She knew it was still lunch break even though all the students were through eating, and Harry and Cho were obviously given permission to practice, considering Harry's upcoming match tomorrow. But she found it disturbing that they were practicing alone together. And no, they didn't even look like they were practicing. They were flirting. And she didn't like that one bit.

Wait a minute, what in the world was she thinking? Cho was Harry's girlfriend. There was nothing wrong with what they were doing. She, being one of Harry's best friends, should understand that. So why was she feeling this way? Was she…jealous? Jealous that Harry couldn't even spend the rest of his lunch break trying to find out why Hermione had missed Defense Against the Dark Arts and lunch? Jealous that Harry hadn't even bothered to check up on her, like he usually did whenever he felt there was something wrong?

She shook her head. No…she shouldn't be feeling this way. Things were different now. They've all grown. They weren't the kids who ran around school together all the time to snoop around about things they shouldn't be snooping around about. Things have changed. Harry had a girlfriend now. He had a right to spend as much time with Cho, and as less time with her and Ron. She ought to learn to cope with that change.

Then it hit her. Wasn't this what she was doing as well? She was always lying and sneaking out just so she could spend time with Malfoy at night, and worse, keep it all a secret. Harry, at least, had told the two of them about Cho. Hermione, on the other hand, had kept Malfoy and her a secret. And wouldn't Harry and Ron feel bad about all this once they found out? Wouldn't they feel jealous as well? Wouldn't they feel bad that she'd kept all this from them? Wouldn't they feel everything she was feeling about Harry right now, and maybe even worse?

And that was when she decided that she couldn't possibly tell them. Not when she'd started it as a secret. She should've told them from the start. She could never tell them now…so how can she possible quench the urge in her to tell someone about all this? To confide…to ask for some advice…to help her through what she was feeling…?

She sighed and straightened her robes, heading out her door. She'd just have to apologize to Professor Lupin, and hope that he would understand.

She carefully climbed down the stairs from the dormitory, relieved to see that the common room was empty. Relieved, yet somehow disappointed. She was subconsciously hoping the Ron would be sitting on one of the couches, waiting to check up on her somehow. But he was probably out with Seamus and Dean, off to do some pranks again. She approached one of the tables near the fireplace in hopes of finding some spare quill and parchment to write a formal apology to Lupin, but instead, she found a small, bit worn-out notebook, with Ron's name written on the front.

Curiously, Hermione picked it up. In all the time she'd known Ron, she'd never seen this notebook before, and yet it looked like it had belonged to him for a while now. Wondering what was inside, she sat down on one of the couches and flipped the notebook open.

It was Ron's journal. No wonder she hadn't seen this before. How could he leave something this private lying around? Each page was neatly labeled with the date he'd written on it, and some even had clippings of things he'd specify in his entries. Once again, Hermione saw the Daily Prophet cutout many years ago, where Ron and his family had gone to Egypt and were all smiling and waving at the camera. Hermione smiled. She never knew Ron kept a journal. For a while she wondered when he could've found the time to write in it.

She started to close the notebook, knowing she shouldn't even be holding it in the first place, but something among Ron's writing caught her eye. On one of the pages was inserted a rose petal, and Hermione couldn't help but read the lines written beside it:

"It was one of those days again. She was merely talking to us all, and as I stared at the way she spoke to us, I found the urge within me again. I found the urge to tell her that simply the way she moved made my breath get caught in my throat. I wanted to let her know that everything I feel about her has changed, and grown over the years. I wanted to tell her. But I couldn't. I could never confess how I truly feel. She would treat me differently for sure, and I'd lose the excuse for me to be with her. Because to her I'm just the faithful sidekick, the funny friend, the icebreaker when things got too boring. I'm just the klutzy scaredy-cat who made everybody laugh. She never saw the Ron behind the jokes. She never saw how much I've matured, and that I'm not the kid who was so happy-go-lucky that he wouldn't recognize a serious situation if it hit him right in the face. She never saw that I've changed, and she still regards me as the class clown. She never saw me seriously that way; no one ever did. And that is why I can never tell her. Which is probably why I am doomed to merely wait…not for the day that she would recognize the inner me for who I really am, because that would never happen, but for the day that I can finally tuck my feelings away and merely try to keep her in memory…to move on…without her. But I fear that day won't come until a long, long time."

Hermione immediately flipped the journal shut the moment she heard the portrait door swing open. She anxiously looked up to see whom it was, her heart pounding with sadness, shock, and realization with what she'd just read. And true enough, it was Ron in the doorway.

She swallowed heavily, staring at him. Ron was still the same…he still looked as cheerful as ever. It didn't seem like he was truly feeling what he had written in his journal. It didn't even seem like it was his. He didn't seem capable of writing such deep, sad thoughts…was this what was really beneath Ron's easygoing façade? She'd known Ron for years…and yet she never took the time to truly know him…to truly understand him. What kind of a best friend was she?

And more importantly, who was the girl that Ron was crushing on?

Ron cocked his eyebrow at her in a weird way. "Hermione, have you gone mad? You're looking at me like I'm You-Know-Who." Then he snapped his fingers. "Hang on, I don't have Bubotuber Pus all over my face now, do I? I told Seamus to watch it with that thing!"

Hermione smiled in spite of herself. Ron really hadn't changed…and she was glad. She swore to herself that she'd take him more seriously from now on. "Er—no, Ron, you haven't got Bubotuber Pus on your face. I was just…tired. Yeah…that's all." And she quickly hid the notebook behind her.

Luckily, Ron was too busy peering at her face. "Tired? What happened to you? We missed you at Lupin's class and at lunch." He walked over to the couch and sat beside her. "You didn't have another Head Girl duty, did you?"

"Er—yeah, that's it! I…I did have another duty. It was…awfully, really. They had to make me miss Lupin's class," Hermione stuttered nervously.

"And a bloody good class you missed! Lupin taught us a whole bunch of new hexes! He's gotten all these Dark creatures running around and we had to protect ourselves using the new spells we learned," Ron said excitedly, staring into space as if he could still see what they'd done in class. "Now I know what to do the next time Malfoy comes up to our table."

Hermione's stomach immediately performed a huge flip-flop at the mention of Malfoy's name. All of a sudden she didn't feel like talking anymore. "Listen Ron, I reckon I'm having another stroke of dizziness. I'm…going back to bed, okay? I'll catch you and Harry at Herbology."

Ron looked skeptically at her. "Alright; just try and get well before you enter Sprout's class. We're doing Marcopas today, and you'll need all the energy you can get." And Ron waved, standing up to head back out the portrait. "Oh, and Hermione?"

She looked up. "Yes?"

"I like your new hairdo," Ron pointed at her straight locks and winked, before climbing out of the portrait hole.

She sighed and started to head back up the staircase to her room again, shaking her head at Ron's last remark. She had taken Malfoy's advice about her hair just like Malfoy had taken hers; too bad she wouldn't be able to enjoy Malfoy's new hairstyle right now because she couldn't find the guts to face him.

She took Ron's notebook with her to prevent anyone else from coming across it again like she had. What could possibly be any worse? She had planned on telling Harry, but she knew he was too busy with Cho nowadays. She'd planned on telling Ron, but now that she'd read Ron's journal, she realized that Ron was probably having an even bigger inner struggle than she was, not to mention that nobody really understood Ron from within and thus he couldn't tell anyone about his problems either. She didn't want to burden Ron any more with her own problems. And she definitely couldn't tell any of the professors. No explanations needed for that.

What she needed right now was Malfoy himself. She needed to feel his arms around her, comforting her…protecting her…driving all her troubles away. Malfoy had always been her console, and he was the one who listened to her dilemmas and helped her through them these days. But now that he was the problem, she felt she had no one to turn to anymore. She couldn't even tell just anyone about it because it was weird, first of all, for Malfoy and her to get together and—

"Ow!" Hermione backtracked on the stairs and Ron's notebook fell from her grasp.

"Hermione! I didn't see you! I'm so sorry…here—let me help you with that—" Ginny bent down and picked up Ron's notebook on the steps.

Hermione didn't say anything, as she looked up at Ginny. All of a sudden she felt like Ginny had this…golden aura around her. That was it! The solution to all her problems. Ginny was right there, plus she knew Ginny would be able to understand what she was feeling. Ginny was sixteen; she was definitely old enough to understand. And since she was a girl, it would make things so much easier. Hermione smiled. Now she was seeing Ginny in a whole new light.

"Er—Hermione…? Hello?" Ginny handed over Ron's notebook, looking suspiciously at her.

Hermione grinned. "No, it's Ron's. I found it in the common room. Return it to him, will you?" She cleared her throat as Ginny nodded. "Ginny, you're not doing anything right now by any chance, are you?"

"No," Ginny replied. "Actually I was just about to—"

"Great. There's something I desperately need to tell you." And Hermione dragged her up the stairs and pulled her into her room, locking the door behind her. She sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Wow, this room's a nice privilege you've got. Now I know why everyone wants to be Head Girl," Ginny grinned, looking around the spacious room and at the huge bed Hermione was sitting on.

"Well…yeah…but that's not what I need to talk to you about," Hermione looked down and started twiddling her thumbs.

Ginny smiled at her and sat down beside her. "Okay, what's the big secret? You look pretty tensed. So spill."

Hermione licked her lips. "Here's the thing. I kind of…like somebody. A-a guy, I mean."

"Really?" Ginny shifted in her position and looked excitedly at her. "Who is it? No, wait—let me guess. It's Harry, isn't it?"

"No!" Hermione looked shocked. "Harry's got a girlfriend, Ginny."

"Drats," Ginny snapped her fingers. "I was hoping it was him. So then who is it? Is he a wizard or a Muggle? Does he study at Hogwarts? Is he in our House?"

Hermione swallowed. "…he's a wizard, alright…and he's pureblood. He definitely studies at Hogwarts, and he's my age…but he's not in Gryffindor."

"Hmmm, interesting…" Ginny placed her finger on her lips. "Is he rich then? It'd be an added bonus in case he is rich, you know. And good-looking. He's got to be good-looking and hot, if you know what I mean."

"Er—he's rich…very rich. And…let's just say that he's a heartthrob in his House…"

"Yes! This is definitely getting good. If he's got all that, then you have my vote on him," Ginny grinned.

Don't say that just yet…Hermione started playing with the hem of her robes nervously. "Don't be so sure."

"Oh? Well, just tell me who is it already! I'm dying of curiosity," Ginny looked expectantly at her.

Hermione returned an uneasy look. "Promise that you won't totally hate me?"

Ginny cocked her eyebrow. "Why would I totally hate you? It's not like I'm crushing on anyone in here, you know."

"Okay. Here goes." Hermione took a deep breath. "It's Malfoy."

Hermione expected Ginny to react violently or to shout out in shock, but Ginny just stared at her in disbelief, her mouth hanging open. "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione nodded slowly, and Ginny's brows knit in confusion. "Okay; hang on just a moment. Did I hear that right? Did you just say that you have a crush on the Draco Malfoy? The slimiest Slytherin git ever?"

"He's not so bad, really, and he's not a git at all. He's actually a wonderful person once you get to know him—"

"Whoa, hold it! What exactly do you mean by 'once you get to know him'?" Ginny argued. "Are you actually saying that you do know him? How? When? Why?"

"Well, I—" Hermione paused, debating on whether or not she should tell her about the tutoring. But the thought of Lucius Malfoy punishing Draco again if word got out about the tutoring, made her think twice about it. "I just do, okay? It's just that he's really great and I really like being with him—"

"You like being with him? And when are you actually being with him?" Ginny asked in a horrified way.

Hermione swallowed. "Well…you know how I leave the common room every night after dinner and don't get back until lights out, and sometimes until the next day? Er…"

Ginny opened her mouth again in shock. "You lied to us just so you could sleep with him every night???"

"Yes—er—no," Hermione stuttered. "I'm sorry I lied…but I don't sleep with him, you know…well—technically, I do sleep with him…just not…you know…that way."

Ginny blew out a breath of air. "Okay. Let me get this straight. You sneak off every night to be with the slimeball until the morning light, but you don't actually have sex. Is that it?"

"Yes…kind of…"

"So what do you do then?"

"Er—we just—talk," Hermione stammered. "Actually no, we don't. We sort of…er…have fun with each other a bit..."

"No," Ginny said, horror-struck. "You mean—he has touched you???"

Hermione bit her lip.

"Tell me you're kidding!!!" Ginny exclaimed in disgust. But Hermione shook her head and reached up to pull down her collar. A very visible, evident hickey was right there on her neck.

"Hermione! How could you let him do this to you!" Ginny frowned. "He's not…hurting you, is he…?"

"No, he's not. I…like what he's doing, in fact…" Hermione admitted softly.

Ginny shook her head. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you spend every single night with him, fooling around, but you don't have sex? Why am I finding it hard to believe? Knowing that pervert, he'd jump at every opportunity to—"

"But it's true, Ginny! We don't really do it; you ought to believe me! He's not like that at all!" Hermione protested.

"So you're telling me you've never done it with him."

"Yes."

"Never?"

"Yes—er—no," Hermione repeated, feeling all the blood rush into her face.

This time, Ginny did react violently. She stood up abruptly, stared at Hermione, and cried out, "YOU HAD SEX WITH DRACO MALFOY???"

"Shhh!!! Pipe down, will you??? We're not exactly on a different planet here!!!" Hermione pulled her back down, looking warily at the door. She sighed. "Yes, I did have sex with him once."

Ginny looked like she was about to cry. "Hermione, why are you doing this? Hasn't it ever crossed your mind that he might just be using you to get what he wants?"

Hermione kept silent.

Ginny sighed. "I don't care how you two got to know each other, but think about it! No matter how well you think you know him, it doesn't mean that you already know what's deep inside his mind, or what's in his heart! You never know his true intentions, and you barely even know his past. Even if you did get to know him from the start of term, bear in mind that it's not even half the school year yet. He's not like Harry or Ron; you've known them practically all your life—but Malfoy's not who you might think he is! He's got an active Death Eater as a father, and everybody who's not in Slytherin hates him. Why crush on Malfoy, of all people? And why, in the name of Merlin, sleep with him??? I bet he's just—"

"Look, I don't know, okay???" Hermione snapped, holding up her hands feebly. "I don't know why I like him, why I'm attracted to him, why I think he's the greatest guy in the world, or even why the hell I slept with him! I don't know why the hell that's what my heart wants, and frankly, right now I don't care. Because all I can think about is him, and all I ever worry about is his condition or his grades or what he's doing when I'm away from him! I feel so damn stupid to be so damn concerned, but that's just how I feel!"

She swallowed heavily, helpless tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I don't even know why I keep dreaming of him, but I see something in him, Ginny! He's different…he's not the obnoxious kid we all thought he was. There's a good person inside of him…and I just care about him so much that I don't even care if he's just using me or if he's got a horrible past…" she paused, and Ginny couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She reached out and gave her a hug, as she continued. "All I ever want is to be with him…that's all I ever think about…because…now I really do love him…I don't want to—hell, I don't want to—but I just do…and now I don't know what's going to happen to me…" She closed her eyes and let the tears fall. "I hate loving him, Ginny…god I hate it so much…"

Ginny gritted her teeth and hugged her tighter, not knowing what to make of what she'd just heard. She wanted to help Hermione—she desperately wanted to—but it looked like this was a battle Hermione had to fight on her own. These were her feelings, and all Ginny could probably do was support her, no matter how much she didn't want to.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Hermione…I shouldn't have judged how you feel. Besides, this is your life, and I don't have the right to decide whom you should fall in love with or whom you should sleep with…so if…you really love him…then do so. I'll be right behind you, okay?"

Hermione looked up at her and tried to smile. "Thank you, Ginny…but…what am I supposed to do…? I can't possibly face him…and right now I don't have any idea on how to act around him…"

Ginny smiled. "If you love him then don't be afraid to let him know, even if you think he might not feel the same way. Even with his spiteful attitude and his dark past…he does probably deserve to be loved, too, I guess. No matter how much of an insufferable, arrogant, conceited, self-absorbed, stuck-up, snobbish brat he is."

Hermione chuckled, and broke free from the embrace. She sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thanks, Ginny. I know it's a horrible thing to happen…falling in love with him…but I don't really know how to stop it from happening."

"Maybe…you're not supposed to. Maybe you were meant to fall in love with him even if it were against all odds. So if you love him…then love him. It'll work out if it's meant to be, right?"

"I guess…"

"But promise me one thing, though," Ginny looked at her seriously. "Promise me that you'll always think before you act, okay? Make sure that you always know what you're doing…and please, don't hurt yourself with him. If things turn nasty…don't mess with things that you don't understand. I do hope that you know what you're getting yourself into…"

"Okay, Ginny…I promise. Thank you so much; your support means a lot to me," Hermione said.

"Yeah, well; I'm still not totally a hundred percent into it—it's not like I'm his biggest fan or anything—but I guess I should give Malfoy a chance," Ginny grinned. "And don't worry; I won't tell anyone. I'm pretty sure Harry and Ron wouldn't want to hear about this, anyway."

They both giggled, and Hermione sighed. "I'm glad I got to tell you. I've been dying to let this all out…I needed someone to confide to and give me advice."

"I'm not really an expert, but I believe I can help you sort through this," Ginny said, standing up. "But right now, I reckon we should head back to our classes, don't you think?"

Hermione smiled, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She finally felt like she can handle the day again instead of locking herself up in her room. "Okay. Let's go."