Previously in "Life Can Be Confusing…"
"Werunlovwithary?" He asked in a rush.
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
Draco took a deep breath, and said again, slowly. "Were you in love with Harry?"
Break for intro music and screen credits A/N sorry, I couldn't resist!
The question seemed to have come out of nowhere. "I – no." she said.
"Honestly, now Hermione. I'm not going to judge you, or tease you, if that's what you're thinking. Actually, I'm not asking for myself… I'm asking for Harry." Draco sounded a little miffed at her answer.
"What? What do you mean you're asking for Harry?"
"Did you know that I was there at the stand against Voldemort? My father wanted me to see the "end of Potter." However, Harry killed him and weakened Voldemort. I'm assuming this is while Ron was trying to wake you up from that spell…" He shrugged, "I wasn't really trying to figure out where you were at the time. Anyway, so I was there as Harry lay dying. I wanted to stop the bleeding, but he wouldn't let me. Said it was the only way to completely kill off Voldemort. He told me of a prophecy –
'Three enter the battle, their lives intertwined.
They stand together, heart, body and mind.
One loves another, who loves the third more.
Why oh why could there not have been four?
The end comes slowly for the one who must die
Giving them time to explain to you why.
Emeralds that twinkled now lose their shine
Oh how instead I wish they had been mine.'
Harry then told me that he now completely understood the verse which had been given to him in a dream." Draco's voice shook as he told Hermione the story. She could see him shaking next to her, but he would probably refuse to stop to rest. I doubt he could tell this story a second time, so I better listen now. "… thought the emeralds in the verse were an analogy for his eyes. He said that the only thing he regretted was not telling you he loved you. He said that fit part of the prophecy too, loving you the way he did. He told me that he knew you better than anyone, and he knew you were in love with SOMEONE. He just didn't think it was him. He told me any sacrifice was worth it if his best friend and the girl he loved both came out alive, so they could lean on each other. He died whispering your name, Hermione. So I'm asking on behalf of someone who never voiced their love. Give him peace, Hermione. Answer the question. Did you love him?" Draco's eyes gazed deeply into her own. For a second Hermione thought she saw Harry's green eyes instead of Draco's gray eyes. His eyes seemed anxious and nervous. I can hear Harry's thoughts now… "Oh 'Mione, just say SOMETHING. I just need to know…" And then all she saw were Draco's normal gray eyes, still staring intently at her.
Hermione sighed, looked down for a second, trying to gather her thoughts. It all makes sense now. The voluntary work on my broom-riding skills, the swing dance lessons, the necklace he gave me at Christmas, the way he quietly sighed every time he hugged me, the look I'd sometimes catch in his eyes… She looked up, thoughtfully. "Whenever I was around Harry, I felt safe. I enjoyed being around him, and we had a lot in common. He made me feel comfortable about being myself, and knew me almost better than I knew myself. And he was all those things you recited off earlier at the ball. He was noble, brave and loyal. He was also cute, by anyone's standards – much like you are cute by any girl's standard. By everyone's standards and ideas, I should have been in love with him. What young witch in her right mind wouldn't be? And then, of course, people have been saying we were a couple since Rita started those rumors our 4th year at Hogwarts. I know I had a crush on him for a while… touch and go over all seven years at Hogwarts. I know I loved him. How could I be one of his best friends and not love him? But IN love with him? No, I don't believe I was."
She turned to Draco. "Now you have another reason not to hate Harry. He had his pick of girls. Could have had any one of them easily. Many witches cried themselves to sleep the day they found out he died. Yet for all that popularity, which you seem to have so despised in Harry, they forgot him just as fast. And the incredibly ironic part is that the only girl who still honestly mourns him is the only one who he would have wished to mourn him, and the only one who would have turned him down if he had asked her out." Hermione gave him a small smile, tears forming in her eyes. "Does that answer your question?"
Draco nodded. "Thank you Hermione. He needed to hear it, and you needed to say it. More than you realize. Mourn him, Hermione, as the best friend you lost. However, do not begrudge yourself some time to live. Harry would not have wanted you to suffer all the time."
"When did you get so wise on what Harry would want?" Hermione asked.
Draco looked down at her. "His dying hurt me too, Hermione. I had to sit there and watch him slowly slip away. And… I think he left a part of himself in me as well as you." He smiled slightly. "After all, someone has to be here for you when Ron is being a prick. What did he say to you to get you so upset anyway?" Draco's gray eyes looking questioningly at her.
The story came tumbling out of her. She had not meant to tell Draco, for fear he'd try to hex Ron for the comments said about him. Instead, he was upset about the slur to Hermione and she had to calm him down some.
"This prick is your best friend?!?" he demanded. "When I said that you were the only people who could hurt each other, I didn't realize HOW you chose to hurt each other!" He continued to rant for a couple more minutes.
"Draco. Listen to me." Hermione pleaded. Why did I have to tell him EVERYTHING? "I will be fine. Things will get better. Trust me. Ron and I have fought before. I mean, I know you knew about how we stopped talking in 3rd year because he accused Crookshanks of killing Scabbers. And we really blew up at each other 4th year after the Yule Ball. It's just been a long time since we've blown up at each other, so I'm not used to it." He HAS to believe me, even if I don't quite believe it all myself…She shrugged that thought out of her mind. Thoughts like that won't help me convince Draco that I'm telling the truth. She continued, "If I need your help, I'll tell you. Deal?" She smiled winsomely up at him.
He glared back at her. "I suppose that's the best I'll get out of you, huh? Fine. I'll agree to your terms, on one condition." He paused. "Hermione, if something DOES happen, if Ron EVER hurts you, come to me. Please."
She kissed him on the cheek, then said, "It's getting late – or rather, early. I better go home. Luckily, I can sleep all of today. They always give me the day off after the ball. Good night, Draco. Thank you for telling me about Harry, and for just being here for me tonight." With that, she grabbed her broom and dissapated back to the flat.