CHAPTER 26

'Good morning,' Narcissa said, in her uptight voice, as Hermione walked down to the breakfast table.

'Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy,' Hermione replied. 'Draco.'

Draco looked up, and grunted in response. He was digging into a bowl of porridge.

'Any plans for today?' Narcissa asked.

Draco grunted again. 'Theodore and I are going for a game of cards at the Leaky Cauldron. I'll be gone till lunch.'

Hermione ingested this information thoughtfully. No doubt the Theodore he was referring to was Nott. A Death Eater.

'Hermione?' Narcissa inquired.

She shook her head. 'No plans, really. I'll just sit in the library and read.'

'Very well, if that's what you want,' Narcissa said, with a distasteful air. 'If you would like anything, ask the House Elves. I'm leaving for the day to shop at Madame Malkins. I hear she has a whole new range of dress robes. Would you like anything?'

'No thanks,' Hermione replied, absently. 'I have no where to go.'

'All right then. I'll see you in the evening.' She stood up, and prepared to leave. 'Oh, and Draco- I'm taking the carriage. If you would like a lift, you had better come now.'

'Coming.' Draco said, hastening to finish his food. When he was done, he grabbed and olive green tie from the mantelpiece, and began to hurriedly put it on over his silk shirt. Hermione sipped some pumpkin juice.

Draco finished adjusting his tie.

'It's a little crooked,' Hermione said. Standing up, she walked over to him, and began straightening the knot.

For a moment, Draco stared at her with hazy eyes. Then, fierce anger filled them. He pushed her away, and without a word, turned around and left.

Hermione was left alone, in the dining hall. She stared after the door that Draco slammed.

'What was all that about,' she muttered to herself.

She was distracted by something tugging at the hem of her skirt. Turning around, she saw a small house elf dressed in a tattered mat.

'Would miss like anything?" it squeaked.

'Yes please,' Hermione replied. 'A mug of hot chocolate- oh- and could you fetch me a newspaper? I'll be in the library.'

The elf nodded, and departed with haste. Hermione climbed up the magnificent staircase. She remembered the library as a pair of massive oaken doors on the third floor landing. She found it, and slipped inside.

Her jaw dropped. The library was enormous! It was a large room, with floor to floor burgundy carpeting. It was several squashy armchairs done up in green and gold, and dozens of shelves filled with books. Each armchair was accompanied with a coffee table.

Hermione allowed herself to slip off into her own dream world. She chose a book called Jewel Charms- an insiders account on Mimicry, and settled down on an armchair. In a few minutes, the door creaked open, and the house elf entered, bearing a tray with a mug of hot chocolate, and a newspaper.

Hermione thanked it, and it flurried away. She sipped the chocolate, and put aside the book for a moment, to scan over the newspaper. She unfurled it, and spread it over her lap.

'Hm…nothing much…' he murmured. 'Just a Death Eater attack over at…WHAT!'

Her eyed grew wide as she read the article.

DEATH EATER ATTACK AT KNOCKTURN ALLEY

Last night, at approximately 2 AM, a Death Eater attack was launched at Diagon Alley. The Leaky Cauldron was completely destroyed, and many other shops were burnt down. Madam Malkin's was-

Hermione didn't read anymore. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage, and she could feel her mouth turn dry.

'This is it,' it came out in a hoarse whisper.

Her mind was working frantically, putting together each piece of information. Draco…out last night…Death eater attack…Leaky Cauldron burnt…

This is great! This is proof! All I have to do is call Fudge, and turn Draco in, and-

Whoa. That sounded wrong. Very wrong.

'Yeah, well duh,' she tried to reason with herself. 'You're beginning to like him a bit.'

Her eyes widened with shock, as she realized what she had said.

'I- what…like…Malfoy?'

It had been in her mind for a long time now, she realized. She just hadn't acknowledged it…she was in love with Malfoy...

'No!' she whispered to herself. 'No, please I'm not!'

But the more she thought about, the more it just seemed…well, right to her. She was in love with Malfoy.

She shut her eyes, and ran a hand through her hair.

Oh my god, I'm in love with Malfoy.

'I'm on love with Malfoy,' she whispered. 'I have fallen in love with Malfoy. I have-.'

The distant bang of a door startled her. She sat up, tense. Had Narcissa or Draco returned?

She quickly crumpled up the newspaper, and tossed it aside. A few seconds later, the library door opened, and Draco walked inside. He had a bit of a smile on his face.

Hermione looked up at him, looking at his finely chiseled, pale features, and deep gray eyes. Beautiful eyes…she thought.

Suddenly she was conscious of a feeling deep within her…one that had been there for a long time but she had never recognized…she wanted to go up to Draco and wrap her arms around him.

I'm on love with Draco.

He smiled down at her. There was something genuinely warm in his smile.

'Hey,' he said, in a soft voice. 'Would you like to go out to dinner with me, Mya?'

As soon as she heard him call her that, all her suspicions and doubt vanished. Draco would never do anything wrong…he wasn't a Death eater…

'Sure,' she replied. 'Where to?'

'I was thinking of Rose Blanc. It's a French restaurant uptown.'

'Stiff dress code, huh?' she asked, chuckling.

'Like a rod. Think you can manage it?'

She smiled. 'Just wait and see, Mr. Malfoy.'

Draco stood by the foot of the stairs, waiting for Hermione to come down. Surprisingly, he didn't feel tense, or nervous. Instead, he just felt contented, and happy…perhaps a little excited. He would finally be telling her…

As he thought that, a shadow of fear darkened his mind. Was he really willing to put her through so much risk? He quickly reminded himself of the one fact that had helped him hold strong for so long.

I am in love with her.

At that moment, Hermione appeared at the top of the stairs. Draco felt his jaw drop, as he gazed at her. She was dressed in a tight-fitting black dress, with spaghetti straps. It ended somewhere near her knees. On her feet, she wore high-heeled sandals with pointy toes. Her hair was loose, and curling wildly around her lightly made up face.

'Good enough for you?" she asked lightly, twirling her black evening bag.

He flashed her a thumbs up.

'Awesome. Now get down here, so I can drive you away.'

She laughed and joined him at the foot of the stairs. Both of them exited the mansion, and climbed into Draco's black Sedan. Soon, they were driving down the street.

There was only thing in Draco's mind the whole while.

I'm finally telling her. After feeling angry for so long…after hating her so much for so long…

He recalled his outburst in the morning, as he pushed her away from him. He felt ashamed now.

The confusion…it was too much.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

It'll all be over in an hour.

'That's was delicious,' Hermione said, with a contented sigh.

Draco smiled at her. 'That's good.'

The lapsed into silence for a while. Draco's heart thudded, slamming against his ribs.

Suddenly, he decided.

He reached out, and put his hand over Hermione's.

Hermione looked up, surprised. He looked at her with hazy, uncertain eyes.

'Mya,' he voice sounded slightly choked. 'Mya I have to tell you something.'

He looked at her face. Her eyes had widened, her mouth hanging slightly open.

He took a deep breath. 'I love you Mya. I love you like hell. I know we've gone through hell before. I know there's probably gonna be lots more. But I just wanted to tell you- I love you. You're the first person I've ever loved.'

There. He had said. He wondered how she would react.

For a moment, she said nothing. Then suddenly her mouth upturned into a joyful smile. The next second, she had leapt up and kissed Draco, right in front of everyone in the startled restaurant.

She pulled back.

'I love you too,' she said, breathlessly.

And that was truthfully the best thing Draco had ever heard.