'Protect who?' Draco repeated.
'Protect no one,' Hermione snapped back. 'What are you doing here?'
A slightly hurt look came into Draco's eyes. Hermione instantly regretted her words.
'I- uh- just meant that-.'
'Never mind,' Draco said, coldly. 'I came by to ask if you knew about the reception.'
'Yes I do.'
'You're meeting my family in two days. And I have a wise word to put in there.'
'What?' Hermione asked, aggressively.
'I've told them all you're a pureblood. My mother is the only one who knows the truth. The rest think that you're just like them.'
'J- just like them!' Hermione sputtered, furiously. 'What the fuck! Do I act prudish and formal all the time. Am I mean and nasty to half blood and Muggleborns? Do I suck up to all other purebloods.'
'You don't,' Malfoy said, curtly. 'No wonder you're such a dismal thing.'
Hermione glared at him.
'Why did you tell them that I was like you?'
'Because,' Malfoy said deliberately, sighing. 'I know more than one of them would kill you without hesitation if they found out who you really were.'
Hermione drew in a sharp breath. That changes things.
'My uncle Augustus, for one,' Draco said, clearly enjoying himself. 'Would gladly murder you. Aunt Elithine. Uncle Geoffrey. Cousin Millicent.' He began counting them off on his fingers.
'Fine!' Hermione said, hastily. 'I'll do my best to appear like Pureblood slime.'
Draco raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't remark. Instead, he wandered casually around the room, looking at pictures and notes that Hermione had made. He stopped at one picture, and picked it up.
It was a picture of Hermione, standing in the arms of a tall, tanned man with light brown hair, and cunning blue eyes. Both were smiling.
'Whose this?" he asked.
Hermione turned. When she saw the picture, she stiffened.
'My ex-boyfriend,' Hermione replied, coldly. 'Chris Robinson. Now get out of my room.'
'Why ex?' Draco asked, probing further into a matter Hermione had sworn to forget.
Before she knew it she was shouting.
'Why do you care? Why do you come walking into my room and asking all sorts of questions I have no inclination to answer? Get the fuck out of my room!'
Draco looked extremely surprised by her outburst, but stood his ground. Before she knew it, Hermione was picking up a china doll that was on her bed. She threw it at him, and it hit his shoulder and shattered all over the floor. Seeing her looking around for something else to throw, Draco quickly made his exit, rubbing his shoulder and wincing.
Lisa stared in surprise as Draco came walking out of Hermione's room, looking pretty bugged. She had been lounging on the sofa, nibbling nougat when he came striding out.
'What happened?' she asked, concerned.
'What happened!' Draco yelled. 'she started shouting and yelling at me for no reason that's what happened!'
'She wouldn't have shouted for absolutely no reason,' Lisa said, reasonably.
'She did. There was this picture of her and her ex in the room, I asked her about it, and she flips.'
Lisa went very white.
'Chris!' she hissed. 'Malfoy, get out!'
'Huh?'
'You are such a damn idiot. Get out! I have to go talk with Mione!'
she bundled a rather surprised Draco out of the front door, and slammed it after him, leaving him looking puzzled in the corridor. He shrugged.
'Girls,' he muttered, 'They're all the same.'
Lisa quickly rushed into Hermione's room. At first, she could see nothing, since the room was so dark. When her eyes adjusted, however, she could make out a dark figure lying on the bed, and sobbing.
'Mione,' she muttered.
Striding across the room, she reached the bed and sat down. After allowing Hermione to sob for a bit, she reached out and touched her shoulder.
'Mione?" she asked, softly.
No response.
'Mione,' she said, slightly more louder.
This time, Hermione turned her tear- streaked face towards her.
'Lisa,' she whispered.
Lisa pulled her into a hug, and then turned her to face her.
'Lisa,' Hermione said, again, "Malfoy- he said-.'
'Yes, I know what he said,' Lisa said, in a soothing voice. "just forget it, Mione. He isn't worth it.'
'It's not that!' Hermione said, bursting into sobs again. 'It's just that-.'
'Just what?' Lisa asked, gently.
'I told him a loved him!' Hermione sobbed, burying her face on Lisa's shoulders. 'I told him I loved him and he- and he- .'
'I know,' Lisa said, softly. 'Shh. You're tired, sweety. Lie down and I'll get you some coffee. It's over, see? There's nothing to cry about.'
She got up, and made Hermione lie down. After pulling the comforter up to her chin, Lisa went to the kitchen to make coffee. When she came back, however, Hermione was fast asleep. She checked the clock- it was eight at night. Sighing, she put the coffee on the bedside table, and left to her own room.
The water was calm, and the yacht rode the waves smoothly.
Hermione smiled. Everything was lovely. She turned to the tall brown-haired man standing next to her, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
'It's lovely,' she whispered.
'I'm glad you like it,' Chris replied, smiling down at her. For some reason, she noticed that his smile wasn't very warm. She pushed that unpleasant thought away.
'Why don't we have a drink?" she suggested.
'Sure,' Chris replied, sweetly. He took her to the bar and poured her a vodka, and handed it to her. Sipping it, Hermione felt so content. So happy.
Chris took her hand and guided her to two deckchairs. He sat down on one, and she reclined on the other.
'Chris,' she began, 'all this is just wonderful. I simply love it. You've done so much for me- I've got to know you so well in just two months. I- I think I love you.'
Chris looked up. He smiled at her. But he didn't say anything. At that time, Hermione didn't notice. She was too pumped- she had just said it- told Chris that she loved him!
'Well, Hermione,' Chris said, after a short pause. 'Come with me- I have something to show you.'
He said show, not tell,' Hermione told herself. So it can't be bad. She smiled again. She was just so happy!
Chris took her to the cabin. Sitting there, dressed in a hot pink bikini, was a tall, tanned girl, with platinum blond curls and a wide, unpleasant smile.
'Hermione, this is Mina,' Chris said.
'Um- hi,' Hermione said, awkwardly.
'Hello,' Mina said, in a soft, lilting voice. 'So, at last we meet.'
'So it seems,' Hermione murmured, unsure of what to say. Then, to her shock, Chris walked up to Mina and put his arms around her. Hermione's jaw dropped.
What's going on here? She wondered.
'What's going on here,' she demanded.
Chris shrugged.
'Sorry. It's over.'
'Wh-what do you mean?'
'I'm sorry Mione. It's just that Mina- she's so awesome, you know,' Chris said, earnestly. 'And I'm totally in love with her.'
'H-have you two been going out behind my back?' Hermione demanded.
Chris looked at his feet, but Mina looked her right in the eye.
'For about two months now,' she replied, calmly. 'Well, the yacht's just heading back to the dock. I'm sure you'd like to get off.'
With that, Mina and Chris left, walking into the nearby cabin, leaving Hermione standing as still as a statue. In a minute, she heard loud noises coming from the room. She couldn't take it anymore. Bursting into tears, she turned and stumbled away.
Hermione screamed and sat bolt upright in bed. A stiff, pounding silence followed her shriek. She looked around- she was in her room, and everything was dark. Malfoy had left ( thank god) and the china angel she had thrown at him was lying, shattered on the ground. Catching a faint whiff of coffee, she groped around, and found an ice-cold mug on her bedside table. She vaguely remembered that Lisa had promised her some. She gulped it down in two mouths and then lay back in bed.
Haunting memories swept over her again. She tried to push them out of her mind, but they kept returning. She had to admit it- she hated him with all her heart for what he did to her- but she was still in love with Chris Robinson.
