O.O Twice in a wee? WOW.
Hermione sat in her room, indian style in her bed. Her honey colored hair being kept up by a pencil, her eyes scimming across a page of a book. She was still in her pink Hello Kitty Pajama pants, and a black Tank top. Mumbling to herself, she turned the page. A tap at her window indicated mail. Or so she thought. Hermione looked up at her window only to grow a little pale. Harry sat on his broom, in quidditch uniform and all. Hermione got up and raced to open the window.
"Harry? What in the bloody hell are you doing?" Hermione darted her eyes around the room.
"Could I come in?" Harry gestured towards her room.
"Ok..." Hermione slowly moved out of his way. Harry floated in to her room, landing with a small thud.
"Now you can answer 2 questions that I have for you.One, why are you here, and Two, how the heck did you get away from the team without them noticing you where gone?" Hermione sat on her bed, Harry following in suit.
"One, I came here to talk to you, and Two," Harry held out his hand to reveal the Golden Snitch in all of its gloden glory, "I caught it, but no one noticed, So I figured I'd have plenty of time to come to talk to you." Harrys emerald eyes sparkled in mischeif as he spoke.
"Dear lord, you getting away from Quidditch practice? This has to be serious...So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Hermione moved so one of her legs was hanging off of the bed, and one was under her, so she could face Harry.
"Well Hermione," Harry was blushing at this point, "We've known each other for 6 years, and You're my best friend, but..."
"But what?" Hermione had a bad feeling about where this was going.
"But, I want to be more than friends. Hermione... I think that I'm in love with you.I don't know when these feelings started, All I know is that their real, and their for you." Harry looked in her eyes, noticing the fear in them, he didn't know what to make of it.
"Harry, I...I, I really am baffled...why me?" Hermione looked down in shame, not wanting to hurt him.
"Why you? I think the better question to ask is why not you! You're beautiful, intelligent, tallented, And one of my best friends." He said reaching for her, tilting her chin to look at her. She slowly reached and grabbed his hand, and pulled it into hers.
"Which is why I think that we need to stay friends, What if one of us were to stray? Then I don't think we would even be friends! And the final battle still hasn't happened, what if-" Harry cut off Hermione.
"Don't finish that sentence Hermione. Voldemort won't win. And even if we weren't together like that, then you would still be hurt, so either way. But that isn't the point, wht I want to know is how you feel about me. And if you don't feel for me, what I feel for you, then just say it Hermione, I am a big boy." Harry spoke quietly, still looking at her.
"Harry, I love you, more than you could imagine, but It's the love a sister would have for her brother, and that's how I see you, as a best friend, and a brother." Hermione was trying not to break down crying. She didn't know how this was going to turn out. Harry stayed scilent for what seemed like an eternity, then he spoke.
"Well then, I guess that's where we stand then. But, this doesn't change what I feel for you, So if you change your mind, then you know where I'll be." Harry leaned over and kissed her on the head. He stood, grabbed his broom and jumped out the window. Hermione got up to watch him. He soared towards the pitch, then landed, grabbing the golden snitch out of his pocket. The Gryffindor team landed as they saw him. After some chatter, they all walked out of sight, to the lockers. Hermione couldn't help herself. She put her back to the window, slid down, and started to cry.
Draco heard some sniffleing, and sobbing, and decided to go see what girl was crying. Remembering about the stairs being enchanted, he went and grabbed his broom, and flew scilently up the staircase. He hovered around the rooms for a bit, tempted as he was to go into Blaise's room, he went to the door that had the crying behind it. He gently opened the door and hovered in. Upon landing, he shut the door behind him. Looking around, he saw Hermione, with her knees to her chest, her head on her knee's. Sobs and moaning where emmiting from her petite frame. But why didn't he feel like laughing?
"God, she reminds me of mother after a beating," Draco thought. He stood by her side, looked down at her. Then did something he did not expect. He sat down next to her and embraced her. Hermione looked at him, nodded then inturn cried into his formally dry shirt. He let her wrap her arms around his waist, while he cooed in her ear. After what seemed an eternity later, Hermione sat up and looked at him.
"I... I'm sorry." Hermione looked at his wet shirt.
"It can be replaced. Now do you mind telling me what was going on?" Draco looked at her, a bit of annoyance mixed with concern in his eyes.
"Harry...He, told me he loved me...he wanted us to be together," By this time Hermione was back to sniffling, "But I couldn't, I couldn't just say yes, I couldn't just give in, I didn't know what to do, What If he hates me? What if er can't even be friends again? Oh Merlin, What Am I suppossed to do?" Hermione rambled on, as Draco watched her intently. Her eyes where sparkling from her tears, she wore no make up, But her eys where red and puffy.
"Just like mom." He thought again.
"You where honest, that should be good enough." Draco replied. "Well, It's time for breakfast...You coming?"
"No." Came Hermiones quiet reply. "I need to stay here and think for awhile."
"Suit your self. But do you need me to bring you anything?" Draco said as he opened the door.
"No, Go ahead...And draco?" Hermione said just as he was about to walk out.
"Yeah?" Came his weary reply
"Thank you." She sat up and walked to her bed.
"No problem, just don' t go spreading it around, I'd like to keep Malfoy associated with fear if you don't mind." He smirked at her as he walked through the door, brom next to him. As the door closed, a loud thunk could be heard as draco slid down flattened staircase. Hermione stiffled a laigh as she heard grumbling and cursing come form the bottom of the stairs.
Breatfast
Harry fiddled with his eggs and toast, Ron noticed the peculiar eating and spoke up.
"Something wrong mate?
"I spoke to Hermione about...well, Us." Harry said, abscent mindedly.
"And?" Ron looked at him, waiting for a responce.
"Well, if anything every happened, it would be a one sided relationship." Harry looked around the table. Hermione wasn't even there. Not that he could see.
"Ouch, that's gotta be a bad feeling. Don't worry, You'll always have me!" Ron said cheerfully, turning back to his porriage.
"As comforting as that sounded to you, It doesn't make me feel much better." Harry smiled a little bit and went back to pushing his food around.
"Bloody hell mate, Class in 10, Transfiguration first." Ron got up away from his lovley food, but not before putting a muffin in his bag. Harry slowly got up behind him, walking through the double doors along with the other many bustling students.
Transfiguration.
"Today, a small change!" Professor Mcgonnagall announced puffing with joy. A groan here, a muffled sigh, told her the class didn't exactly think the same as her.
"Now, Just copy the notes on the board, and when you're done, raise your hand." Mcgonagall sat down at her desk. The door in the back of the room suddenly burst opened, revealing a meak looking Hermione. Her hair pulled back into a high ponytail, with a little bit of hair framing her face. She slowly walked up to Professor McGonagalls desk, a slight murmur later and she was at a vacant seat in the back of the class, convieniently located right Behind Mr.Draco Malfoy. Hermione guessed that Tabatha would have been in this class, if there weren't the small detail that she was a 5th year. A little note fluttered towards her head. she grabbed it, and opened it up.
"Feeling better I suppose?" The note read. Draco was faced to the board, but his quill wasn't moving across the parchment. Hermione let a small cough escape her lips to get dracos attention. He looked back at her. A small nod indicated that she was feeling a little bit better. Turning her attention to the board, Draco did the same. Within minutes hand had started raising. Mcgonagall had paird tham with the people that had gotten done as their hands were raised. Hermione was the last to Raise her hand, But only right after Draco.
"So I guess that leaves Malfoy and Granger. Do you think this would be a problem Miss. Granger?" Mcgonagall looked at the 2.
"No professor, I don'think it would be that horrible." Hermione shot Draco a glance, and he smirked back at her.
"Alright then, Malfoy to Grangers desk." And with that she started to adress the class. "Now, what we wil be doing, is trying to turn a snake, into a baby Lion, any infraction to either partys, and their will be serious point deduction. If you make a Fully grown lion, a tiger or a cat of any kind that is not a baby Lion, then still more point deductions. you have been forwarned." Mcgonagall waved her hand as if to say get started, and sat at her desk.
"If that wasn't a cryptic message, then I don't know what was." Draco spoke sitting down, a snake in one hand, notes in the other.
"She was just warning us." Hermione skimmed through her notes, trying to find the wrist movements.
"If you say so." Draco rolled his eyes.
"Malfoy, why are you being so nice to me? Just yesterday you called me a mudblood, and now, this... not that I don't appreciate it, it's just a little odd...you know?" Hermione looked up from her notes.
"I really don't know why, all I know at the moment is that I need a smoke." Draco raised his hand before Hermione could respond.
"Yes Mr.Malfoy?" Mcgonagall looked towards the pair.
"Would it be ok if we went outside to work? Their something in here thats making my nose itch, it might just ne the dust, but I feel the begginings of a cold coming on as well." Draco played the puppy eyes on her, wich seemed to work.
"Yes ofcourse. I suggest you take your stuff with you just incase." Mcgonagall said turning back to her stuff. Ron looked away from Millicent Bullistrodes unibrow long enough to realize what was going on. He wasted not time alerting Harry and his partner, Blaise Zambini.
Outside, the autumn air peirced Hermione like a knife. Yet Draco just stood their lighting up a ciggarette, turning to her, offered her one.
"No thank you... I haven't smoked since I was 14." Hermione looked at the snake then back at her notes.
"You smoked back then? I always wondered why you left class almost every day at the same time. Mystery solved." Draco sat next to her, dragging off of his smoke while reading the notes. The tree they where sitting against was in the shade from the son, only making it colder for Hermione.
"How the hell could you be cold Granger?" Draco asked.
"How could you not?" Hermione asked turning to him.
"Here," Draco took off his cloak and wrapped it around her. "Never say I never did nothing nice for you." He said in a joking manner.
"Ok, then, are you ready?" She turned to the snake.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Draco put out his ciggarette and threw out somewhere behind him. Draco took the snake and laid it no the ground before him. He pointed his wand at the snake.
"Sephtrait" The snake turned to a baby lion, golden in color, with little faint stripes running across its back. thr lion came up to Hermione pouncing her to the ground. Hermione giggled a little bit as Draco looked on in wonder. This girl seemed so pure and innocent, but it looked like there was something hidden behind her eyes. Something he couldn't quite place. She looked up at him and gave him a genuine smile. Hermione petted the Snake/Lion while he curled up in her lap, cleaning its paws.
"Tell me somthing Granger, whats it like for you at home?" Draco asked as he lit up another ciggarette.
"Umm, well, thats something I don't like to talk about." Hermione said, pulling some of her loose hair behind her ear.
"Oh C'mon. It can't be that bad." Draco pried lightly.
"Well, My parents divorced over the summer, and now I live with my mom one summer, and my dad the other. I have not brothers or sisters,and that's about it." Hermione finished.
"No, their something else you aren't telling me. I know...their has to be something else..." Draco stated firmly.
"No there isn't Now gimmie that." Hermione reached for his ciggaette, took a drag, inhaled sharply, then out it out with her foot. the lion still purring in her lap.