Disclaimer: No, no, no. Nope.
(no recap as the last chapter has got almost nothing to do with this one)
Chapter 18: Happily Forever or Not
"Dra-Dra-Draco… Did you see those?" Hermione stammered as her eyes widened with unease. How could it be like that? Draco and her? That's so off the wall!
"Yes." Draco started nervously. It seemed so strange to be looking back into the past like it's in your own memory. It's not even like looking into a Penseive. It's all as if you were recalling some old, fading memories. "But, they can't be us, can they? I mean, we don't look like them in any way!"
"You don't have to look like them to be their after-life! The problem now is… are we supposed to be…" Hermione mumbled, "um, are we?"
"What?" Draco asked, totally lost.
"Are we supposed to be in love?" Hermione finally blurted it out. Then, she felt her cheeks flush as they warmed up to the boiling temperature.
"Oh, that." Draco said and considered her words seriously for a while. "Yeah, I think so. We are supposed – I mean, we would be together if not for that darn Deofoy or… oh, Deofol, yea. If not for him, we'd be together. Happily for ever!" Draco exclaimed with a tinge of sadness and anger mixed in his voice.
"Talking about that guy, I think he's kind of familiar… Someone from Hogwarts, maybe?" Hermione asked, more to herself than to anybody. 'Hmm… that's possible.'
"Seriously, when did you become so stupid?" Draco asked, rolling his eyes. "It's Snape. At least, it should be Snape…"
Hermione nodded in agreement, "Really… It's possible. But, oh my god!" She cupped her mouth with her hand. "He's in love with me some centuries ago! Hahah…"
'Was that funny?' Draco asked ridiculously in his head. 'Really, I don't know why I fell for her in the first place!' However, he quickly shook his head of the thoughts as he smiled at her childishness.
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Snape was pacing up and down his office… He read that book before. That prophet-book. He'd been waiting for ages for the pair to show up and when they did, he was shocked beyond words.
He first discovered the book in Dumbledore's office and left it there as he was afraid that the Headmaster might know someone's been meddling with his stuffs.
To think Granger and Draco were the pair his before-life cursed. Can things be more dramatic?
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On the next day, things went around as usual. Draco steered clear of the trio's path though. He didn't want Hermione to worry for him and Harry.
Finally, the Gryffindors and Slytherins arrived at the last lesson of the day – Potions. Upon Draco's entrance to the dungeon, he glanced nervously at the Golden Trio's usual sitting places at the back of the room. Hermione stared back at him.
He looked away immediately. This was the moment he wished he had ESP (Extra Sensory Perception, or something like that).
Draco got to his seat at the front of the dungeon where it was nearest to Snape's desk. He wondered what he should say to Snape when he entered the classroom.
He turned back to see Hermione. She had an expression of discomfort on her weary face. They have to do something about the curse.
Maybe fate had it that they should be together forever.
Maybe Romeo and Juliet were their before-lives too. 'Damn Muggle writers and their brilliant plays.' Draco scolded.
The cold bang of the iron dungeon door as it hit its frame brought Draco back to the reality. 'It's time.' Draco thought.
"Class, I'm going to give you back your assignments. The grades you'll be receiving is…" Blah, blah, blah.
Draco was about to raise his hand for a small talk with the Slytherin House Master when Snape coincidently asked him to a far corner of the classroom for a "nice chat".
"Now," Snape said in a husky, quick whisper, "I'm sure you and Granger both read the prophecy, right?" He asked as his eyes darted from student to student around the dungeon, afraid that they might overhear their conversation. Then, he continued when Draco opened his mouth to answer. "I know you both read it! I can help you two with the breaking of the curse." He finished with a slow, lingering hiss.
This was something Draco had not expected Snape to say when he first beckoned him to the corner. He thought he was going to, um… say something else instead.
Suddenly, a distracting 'boom' made the pair jump.
"What was that?" Snape barked as he turned his head to the crowd gathering round Neville's cauldron.
A Slytherin who was shrieking with uncontrollable laughter answered, "Professor, this idiot here has – haha – has – haha - bombed his cauldron for the-" he counted his fingers at this and continued, "-twentieth time this year!"
Snape narrowed his eyes, his expression dangerous. "Twenty points from Gryffindor and a week of…" He said all the punishments to the poor Neville like he was reading a book. Things always were so normal when Neville did something to deserve his punishments.
"Psst… Hermione Granger!" Draco whispered loudly for Hermione to hear.
Hermione looked around her. Everybody was busy cleaning up Neville's mess as instructed by Snape. She crouched a little and brisk walked to Draco. "What did he say? Anything about the proph…?"
"You bet he did." Draco said as he glanced warily around him. "He even offered help with breaking the curse. But after what he did to our before-lives… I don't know."
Hermione spoke as though she knew that what she was going to say would be the best solution in the worst situation, "I say we…"
"Hermione!" Harry almost yelled. He was looking for her as he didn't see her with him and Ron.
Hermione turned her head to Harry and quickly turned again to face Draco. Then, she said hastily, "I just don't think we should break the curse." Draco read her chocolate eyes. They were full with reasons. Reasons for not wanting to break the curse. And the reason was not because it was Snape who was offering help. But because she didn't want to accept Draco. But there was no reason for why she didn't want to accept him.
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Hermione's thoughts
I can't accept him. I have Harry. He'd been so nice and supportive of me all this while, even though there had been small disputes occasionally. Generally, he's one of the best person I could hang out with. I definitely don't want to lose him…
What if I couldn't get along with Draco Malfoy?
I can't take such risks. Not when so many feelings are involved. NO. I'd rather be with Harry. Someone whom I feel secure with… Someone whom I know I will never lose…
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There was no reason for her to act like that. Why wouldn't he want to break the curse with him? Didn't she want to be with…
'Oh. So that's the reason.' Draco thought. That was why she didn't want to break the curse, wasn't it? She didn't want to be with him…
But… why?
Why didn't she want to? Wasn't he good enough for her? Why couldn't she accept him like how he accepted her? These questions kept surfacing in his head, waiting to be answered by the only one who had the answers.
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"I love him. I love him not. I love him. I love him not. I…" Hermione chanted as she gently plucked off petals of a beautiful red rose on her soft, springy bed (a/n: I know this is cliché).
When she arrived at the last petal, she braced herself for the fact that was buried deep down in her heart. "I love him." Hermione whispered and looked up from her petal-less rose to the window with her watery eyes. It was raining outside. Rain was lashing down and thunders sounded. Soon, drops of sparkling tears dropped silently and steadily onto her bed.
How could she be tormented by so many feelings she would never want to admit?
Two men's smiling faces flashed in front of her. She kept seeing them.
Torn.
She was torn. And it was painful to be torn.
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'There got to be reasons behind anything and everything.' Draco thought. In a few steps' time, he'd be right in front of Hermione's room. He revised what he was going to say in front of her later. Or rather, what he was going to ask.
Knock, knock.
Slowly, the door dragged open and revealed a teary-eyed Hermione.
"What happened to you?" Draco asked softly, concerned about her current state. "Are you hurt? Come on, hush…" He tried to calm her down and patted her back gently and lovingly.
Still sobbing, Hermione threw her arms around Draco. "Let's do it."
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In the photo frame embedded with tiny emeralds and rubies was a colourful and magical photo of a happy and blissful family in a crowded carnival.
The parents smiled broadly and waved at the viewers of the photo. In the father's hands was a small baby with light blond hair and grey, stormy eyes. The only bit on his face that looked like his mother was his sunshine-like smile…
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A/N: When I started typing out this epilogue, I decided on a sad ending where Hermione died in the process of breaking the curse because Snape's still evil. (Funny how people often get paranoid about things when they involve Snape.) However, I didn't want too much flamings on the last chapter, so when I was reaching the end of this chapter, I gave you all an ending like this.
Yes, yes. It was a very abrupt ending and I wasn't bothered to type out the curse-breaking process. But Snape could be a good person. I mean, he was dealing with his favourite Slytherin too, what could he do to the pair? So he just helped them and they can successfully break the curse and Hermione was freed from all her contradicting feelings.
If you are still not happy with the ending (or the story), sulk for all I care. XD Heheh…
Ok, so we've reached the end of this dull story, this crappy chapter, this long author's note. I don't really feel sad now, instead, I feel excited and contented! And I bet you'd feel the same. It's really time to say goodbye.
Ciao,
fionger
P.S: Remember to review. Even though it's the end, you still have to Review!