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Chapter 5: Half a Confession

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       "Hello Granger." Hermione's body stiffened at the sound of his voice. "Make yourself comfortable."

         "I…I… I didn't see you there," Hermione stuttered removing herself from his lap and stood beside the fireplace, her back against the wall.

         "It is still Granger isn't it?" His face was covered by shadow of the chair but Hermione could now see the outline of his body.

         "Bloody hell," Hermione snapped, waving her arms in the air dramatically. "How many people are gonna ask me that?"

         "So I'm not the first person to ask then?" by the lift in his tone, Hermione guessed he was amused by her frustration.

         "No you're not," Hermione sighed, sitting down in the other chair beside the fireplace and rubbed her temples.

         "People are nosy," he shifted to look at her. The glow of the fire lit up his face. A face with skin that was still pale and absolutely flawless. And his eyes were the same steely gray that in certain light would look blue. The only visible difference Hermione could see was his hair. It was the same white blonde but it was longer than it had been in seventh year. It fell just above his eyes and curled slightly at he nape of his neck and behind his ears. Either way he was the same handsome Draco.

         "They're all especially curious about you," Draco had continued regardless of the fact that Hermione was staring at him. "You had such promise as an amazing witch but instead moved to the muggle world."

         "It's not that exciting," as always she down played her own life to get the conversation off herself. "What about you?"

         "What about me?" Draco asked intriguingly.

         "You were the son of a famous Death Eater and now are  a model citizen, working along side the Minister of Magic," Hermione pointed out, wagging her finger in his face. "That's intriguing as well." 

         "I suppose it is," he nodded in agreement. "But I'm much more interested in you."

         "You're not the only one," Hermione's voice dripped with distaste. "But it's not really that great of a story."

         "Then you won't mind sharing it with me," Draco gave her a small smile and leaned closer to her. "Because I've very very interested in what you have to say." He emphasized the second very.

Hermione swallowed  hard. "Alright but don't blame me if you get bored."

         "I'm sure I won't."

         "I decided being a witch wouldn't make me happy for the rest of my life so I moved back in with my parents after graduation and eventually pursued a career as a model."

         "That's it?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

         "Yes, that's exactly what everyone else will tell you," Hermione stated in a rather matter of fact tone.

         "That's it?" Draco repeated, feeling more than a little confused. "How can that be it?"

         "What else would you possibly need to know?"

         "Why?" Draco was out of his seat and in front of Hermione in a blink of an eye. "Why?" he asked again, putting his hands on the armrest and leaning close to her face.

         "Why what?" Hermione managed to ask, Draco's face was only inches from her own. She looked up at him with innocent brown eyes.

         "Why did you leave like that?" his tone softened and he stared into her eyes. "Why did you leave without tell me where you were going? You said you'd be right back and I haven't heard from you in ten years."

         "I had to go," Hermione insisted, her eyes shifted down to escape his penetrating gaze. " There wasn't time to tell you."

         "Of course not," Draco replied sarcastically, throwing his arms in the air and pacing in front of the fireplace. "I wasn't important enough to know that you were going to disappear for ten years."

         "Don't think that you were the only one that didn't know," Hermione stood up and put her hands on her hips.

         "I'm sure Potter and Weasley were blessed with that information," Draco spat the words at her bitterly.

         "No," Hermione shouted at him. "No one knew, not even them. Not even Dumbledore."

         "But I didn't need to know?" He turned so she was facing his back.

         "My parents didn't even know until I turned up on their doorstep the day after commencement!" Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. " Please Draco, you have to understand that I had to go."

         "How can I understand?" he spoke without turning to look at her. "How can I understand if you won't tell me?"

         "Tell you what?" Hermione pleaded. "I told you where I went."

         "Why?" Draco whirled around and grabbed her upper arms, pulling her closer to him. "Why did you have to leave?" He shook her violently, trying to make sense of his emotions. "If you weren't happy, then why didn't you tell me? You didn't look unhappy! Why? Why? Why?"

         "Stop it!" Hermione screamed and Draco stopped shaking her. Hermione took this opportunity to move away from Draco. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. This was why she didn't want to come back. Explaining everything to him was too difficult; it made the memories seem too fresh.

         "Please Hermione," Draco's voice softened. He was getting close to her again but this time his touch on her arm was gently. "If you ever loved me… even if it was just for a short time…please tell me why you left."

Hermione took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet his. "To protect you."  Draco was deeply confused by her statement; she could see it in his eyes. His hands fell to his sides, letting go of Hermione.

"How is deserting me, protecting me?" Draco groaned, rubbing his temples.

"If I didn't promise to leave and never see you again then he would let you live," Hermione confessed. "I'd rather live without you then be the reason you were murdered. But I would never be able to contact you or have any contact with anyone else in the wizarding world." A sob caught in her throat and the tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Oh Mione," Draco pulled her close against his chest. "I'm so sorry, here I am yelling at you when you sacrificed your life for me." Hermione nuzzled her head against his chest and continued to sob into his white shirt. "I feel like such a bastard."

"I…I should have been more willing to tell you," She lifted her tear stained face to look at him. "I'm too bloody stubborn for my own good sometimes."

"That's one of the things I love about you," Draco smiled, moving a stray lock of hair from her cheek. "I think we've talked about this enough for tonight. Why don't we both get some sleep and we'll talk more tomorrow."

"That sounds perfect." Draco kissed her forehead gently.

"Tomorrow morning after breakfast," Draco regretfully released her from his arms. "You and me."

"Our spot?" Draco nodded and watched her cross the common room and enter the third door, which led to her old bedroom. With a flick of his wand, Draco extinguished the fire and headed to the first door.

Tomorrow Hermione and him would have a better discussion about the past. And she would answer the one question he dared not to ask. Who was the 'he' she was referring to that wanted him dead and without Hermione?

~*~*~

Hermione flung herself on her four-poster bed. She was exhausted from the emotional day. She knew the next day would be even worse. Draco had been so understanding when she had finally told him the truth but it wasn't the whole truth. He might not be as understanding when she told him the rest of it.

"The plan was to tell him the truth not get him to come back to you," Hermione scolded herself out loud, but quiet enough so Draco wouldn't hear her. "He deserves the truth." She nodded trying her best to convince herself that she believed it. "I'll tell him the truth and then be can both move on with our lives."

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         I hope that's not too much of a cliff to leave you at, I'm trying not to end my chapters on such big cliffs but it's a habit and I'm just so mean and love to do it. Anyways, thanks for reading the chapter, please review I love to hear from you, especially if you have any questions or predictions about what's going on. I love to hear that kind of stuff. Thanks again!

       ~ Miss Wright ~