Disclaimer: Not mine.

Nineteen

I sat up all night listening to him pacing in the other room, cursing my and my stubbornness. I thought that it was over for sure. I thought that I had lost all chances of friendship with anyone, or maybe that I didn't really have anyone to begin with. And that's why I was crying.

But I woke up the next morning (I think I only slept an hour before I had to be in class) to find Draco sitting on the edge of my bed.

"What d'you want?" I asked sleepily.

"Oh, doll, I'm sorry. I didn't really want to push you farther than you wanted to go. I suppose I can understand that you weren't ready. After all, you'd never had a boyfriend before I plucked you out of obscurity," he said.

I wanted to shout at him, "I did too have a boyfriend! And he was a hell of a lot better to me than you are!" I wanted to tell him off for saying that he "plucked me out of obscurity." I wasn't that dull before, was I? I had to at least have been a little noticeable; otherwise there wouldn't have been a Viktor or a Ron. But I couldn't say anything. Otherwise, my entire life would be flushed down the toilet.

"Now come on, let's get dressed. You've got Ancient Runes."

"What do you have?" I asked.

"Oh, I have a free period. I'm going to do some homework and visit some friends," he replied simply.

"Alright, I suppose. I'll see you tonight at dinner."

He just turned and walked away, as though my reply didn't matter to him at all.

"Of course not, Hermione, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If you didn't matter to him, why would he be dating you?" I asked myself after he walked away. I shook the thought out of my mind and began getting dressed.

After all of my classes were over, I ran to the Great Hall for dinner. I had been anxious to see Draco all day. For some odd reason, I had the feeling that he wasn't just doing homework and visiting friends in his free class time.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't notice a shadow coming up behind me until the shadow touched me on the shoulder.

"Hermione!" he cried. I jumped a foot in the air at the sound of his voice.

"Goodness, Ron, you scared me half to death!" I said, putting my hand on my heart.

"I need to talk to you," he said quickly and quietly. "Come with me."

"I can't! Anyways, you're probably just going to gloat at me some more about you and Parvati. How is she, Ron? Is she a better kisser than I was?" I sneered.

"You're the one who had a problem with my kissing! I said nothing about yours!" he exclaimed. I bit my lip – I knew he was right about that one.

"Well, I can't talk now. I have to go find Draco, so if you'll excuse me –"

Ron put his arm out to stop me. "But that's exactly who I wanted to speak with you about!"

"What, have you come to put him down some more? I can tell you, Ron, just because I got a boyfriend before you got a girlfriend doesn't mean that you have any right to be mean!" I sniggered. "And I'll tell you, I am perfectly happy the way I am, and I don't need anyone else! Not you, not Harry, not even Ginny! I can live without all of you, as long as I have Draco! Now, move!"

"B-b-but, Hermione!" he shouted as I walked through the double doors to the Great Hall. I saw Draco waiting for me. He gave me a smile and motioned for me to sit. Next to him, however, was Pansy.

"What is she doing here?" I whispered in his ear when I sat down.

"Oh, don't worry about it, doll! It's not like I haven't seen you with Weasley all the time! Who cares that I have a girlfriend besides you?" My mouth dropped open at the last comment. He shook his head and said, "Sorry, that didn't come out right. I mean, who cares that I have another girl who is just a friend besides you?"

"Whatever, Draco," I said, and I dug into my plate.

The rest of the day went on fairly smoothly, as did the next few days. Draco didn't do anything beyond my comfort level. Now that I think about it, he didn't really do much at all. Mostly all I got was a kiss before I went to sleep.

I knew something was wrong. I just didn't want to admit it to myself.