Chapter Six

Monday

Because of what happened last week, Dumbledore had decided to take over the dueling club. And McGonagall and Snape didn't seem too heartbroken, considering the scene Harry and Draco had put on their first day.

This time, however, I ended up being Harry's partner. Draco had eyed him suspiciously, but let me go with him without complaint.

But I sure had complaints.

We walked over to Snape, who was passing out the pamphlets full of appropriate curses and charms. We were silent the whole way.

Finally, he spoke. "Hermione, you know we have to talk."

I played it stupid. "Talk about what, Harry?" We both noticed that my voice was several pitches higher then normal. I avoided eye contact.

Because I knew that if I did look into his emerald- colored eyes, I would be completely swayed from my safe position high up in my tree of denial.

He lifted my chin up and made me look at him. So much for no eye- contact. "Hermione," he started. "There's something between us. You and I both know it. So why won't you give us a try?"

I shook my head. "Harry. It wouldn't be fair. If we get together, I mean. Draco- he loves me."

"Do you love him?" he asked abruptly.

I shook my head once more. This conversation was making me very uncomfortable. "Harry, no. I don't love him yet, but I don't love you yet either. Besides, I told him that I wouldn't go out with you again."

He stepped back, much to my relief and displeasure, then said, "Well, what if you guys don't work out? Then what? I'm telling you, Hermione, if we don't see what we have, we'll wonder forever. What if we worked out? What if we could have been together forever? Wouldn't you like to know for sure?"

This was all true. And I wanted to be with him. But I wanted to be with Draco as well. The question was who did I want to be with more?

"Harry, please stop. Let's just duel," I pleaded. He looked as though he was about to protest, but then stepped aside and sadly drew his wand.

Needless to say, it was a very dispirited fight.

In the middle of our dueling, the Great Hall's doors opened behind me. I turned around and saw a flash of long, red hair. Which could only mean-

"Ginny!" I squealed in delight. Of course, I failed to remember that she might have been a little sore, seeing how she had just gotten out of the hospital wing.

"Ow, ow, ow, Hermione, ow." I let go right away.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. Of course, many more hugs came barreling toward her, causing her to let out more 'ows'.

I scanned the room for Blaise. He was still in the corner of the room, practicing with a Slytherin I wasn't familiar with. You would think that he didn't even care. That is, unless you saw him positioning himself so he could stare at her while pretending to look at his partner. And even from across the room, I could see his genuine adoration for her.

I would have laughed in delight if it wasn't so inappropriate.

I looked back and Ginny and noticed that she seemed to have caught his eye. She raised one eyebrow. I looked back at him, finding him giving her a small nod of the head. Swiveling my head back in her direction, I caught a blush creeping up on her face and a small, secret smile.

I really did laugh out loud having witnessed this exchange.

A pair of arms wrapped around my waist and someone nuzzled my hair from behind. I turned around and smiled.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked cocking his head in an extremely adorable manner.

I laughed again and answered, "Nothing."

He pouted and said, "Keeping secrets, are we?"

In one swift movement, he put his mouth to my neck and blew a raspberry. I gasped and laughed out loud. I immediately clapped my hands to my mouth when Dumbledore began smirking at us.

I lightly slapped Draco's arm. "Draco! We're in public!" Then, more quietly, I whispered, "And the headmaster is watching us."

He smirked, reminding me of the very young Draco he once was. Now, instead of annoying, it was- there's no other word for it- sexy.

"Well, then let's give him something to watch." I widened my eyes. Wriggling out of his grasp, I heard Dumbledore announce that the hour was up. I ran out of there, with Draco right on my tail.

Guilt, unfortunately, was still niggling at the back of my mind.

The good new was I finally had my roommate back!

"Ah," sighed Ginny contently as she sunk into her bed. "I really love this bed. I mean, really."

I jumped onto her bed right after her. "Ginny! Don't go to sleep yet! I need conversation!"

She sighed again, but sat upright nevertheless and looked at me expectantly.

"First off, I saw you and Blaise Zabini today, giving each other little winks and such across the room." Immediately, she perked up and blushed.

"We were not winking." A pathetic attempt at defense.

"Well, fine then; I saw your little smooching faces and his little boner and your little-"

I was cut off by a smack of a pillow. "Hermione!" she cried indignantly, her face now completely red.

I told her about how he visited her at the hospital, and regretted it right after.

She swooned. "That is so sweet… Isn't that sweet, Hermione? That's so sweet…. How sweet…. Aw, he's so sweet…."

I laughed at her. "Ginny, stop! I'm getting cavities just listening to you!"

I realized that I had really missed talking to her, even for a week. I told her my continued problem.

"What do I do?" I was truly stumped.

She bit her lip, as I saw the wheels turning in her head.

Finally, she looked up at me and answered apologetically, "I don't know."

Wednesday

It was getting late, almost seven, when Draco and I walked along the land beside the lake. I couldn't really face Harry after our last encounter.

I looked up at my boyfriend's face and thought, This guy loves me.

But didn't I hear Harry say he loved me as well? So what was I doing? I couldn't be sure.

We talked a bit, but I could tell that something was bothering him. His smile was genuine but didn't quite fill up his face, and our conversation was skin deep.

Before I had a chance to say any of this, we heard arguing voices and stopped.

It was a man and woman. Ginny and Blaise, I believe. She was tearful, angry and scared, while he was both determined and sad.

"Don't go! Please! You don't have to!" pleaded Ginny. I could tell she was starting to cry. Draco took my hand and led me to a bush to hide.

"Ginny, please. You know I love you, but I have no choice. I have to do it." My eyes bugged out of my head. Love? Love!

"What do you mean, you don't have a choice? Of course you do! You're just not taking it!" She was beginning to yell at him.

"You and I both saw what they did to you! If I don't go-"

"Shutup! Just shutup! You still don't get it? Please, if you want to help me, just don't go! You don't have to do anything more for them. Just please."

"Ginny-" he said in a begging voice, but she cut him off right away.

"No, Blaise!" Yup, she was yelling. "Stop it! I cannot believe you!" She swallowed a sob escaping her mouth. "I love you." Her voice cracked at the last comment, and over the bushes, I saw her break down and fall down to her knees, crying with her hand over her mouth to silence her sobs.

He dropped down to his knees as well, and took her into his arms. Looking closely, I could make out his teary eyes as well. Hell, I didn't blame him. I was beginning to tear up, and I didn't even know what they were talking about.

"I just don't want to lose you." I could barely hear Ginny's whispered voice.

Blaise shook his head and tucked her head into his chest, and breathed in the scent of her hair. This was the part where a guy was supposed to say, You won't lose me, babe, or something similar to the sort.

Instead, what came out of his mouth in a choked- up voice was, "I'm sorry, Gin. So, so sorry."

I almost wanted to cry from witnessing this heartbreaking scene. I tilted my head toward Draco, and saw his face baring a grim expression. He looked down into my eyes and softened.

He took my hand again and whispered, "Come on." We left the place wordlessly, my eyes still trailing after the crying couple a few feet away.

After we got into the castle, into the Gryffindor common room, I asked him, still panting, "Any idea what that was about?"

He was breathing hard as well, but nodded anyways.

I waited for him to continue. "Well?"

He looked around. There was no one inside, but still said, "Not here."

We went up into my room and I held my breath for an explanation. What could have made Ginny so desperate? What could have left a strong girl like that sobbing on the ground for a guy?

And now I knew for sure that she had lied to me. I knew they didn't just hook up in detention. They must have had something deeper. Ginny wasn't someone to say the L- word for anyone. She had to really mean it to say it, especially to a risky Slytherin- choice like Blaise Zabini.

We sat down on the bed and Draco just blurted out, "Blaise is a deatheater."