Chapter ten – Wedding magazines
Hermione stayed in her apartment for a week after she got back home from Italy, told everyone that she was sick. Her mother took Becky to day-care every morning, and took her home again every afternoon. But one day, at the end of the weekend, it wasn't her mother taking Becky home; it was Ginny (and James).
"Hi", Ginny said and watched her friend with concern. Hermiones eyes were read because of all the tears she'd cried the last five days, her hair was tied back in a messy pony tail and she wore a morning robe. "Can we come in?" Ginny asked. James was already inside of course, he ran after Becky into her room.
"Sure", Hermione said quietly. Ginny got in and closed the door behind her.
They got into the kitchen, Ginny sat down by the table as Hermione poured up two cups of lemon tea.
"What's happened Hermione?"
"I've just been sick", Hermione replied and gave Ginny one cup, and then she sat down at the opposite side of the table.
"Something happened in Italy right?" Ginny asked and took a sip of her tea.
"I messed things up and now I can't go back to work"
"What have you done? Don't tell me you slept with him?"
"Almost…"
"Almost, how do you almost-"
"I wanted to do it, and he wanted to do it, but then I got scared and pushed him off of me and rushed out from his room… And the next day when he tried to talk to me I slapped him in the face in front of a lot of people, and now he hates me!" Hermione said with one breath. "He told me that he never wants to see my face again, I have no idea why I slapped him"
"Calm down"
"I think I love him Ginny!" Hermione said and felt the tears, once again, burn under her eyelids.
"I don't think you do, because if you really love him then why couldn't you sleep with him?"
"Because I panicked, I started thinking about Ron and my ring, and then I was thinking about Pansy, maybe he really, really loves her… And if she found out about me and Draco she would leave him and I don't want him to be unhappy"
"You do really like him then…" Ginny sighed. Hermione dried a tear that fell down her cheek. "Ok, I'm going to give you an advice", Ginny continued and looked seriously at Hermione. "On Monday when you're going back to work-"
"I'm never going back", Hermione interrupted.
"I'm not forcing you to do this, but please just listen to what I have to say", Ginny exclaimed. "Go to work on Monday, apologize to him and then tell him how you feel"
"No, the thing is, I don't know how I feel"
"Then just go there and apologize, Hermione, your passion is to write, you love working at the Daily Prophet, don't give up something you love so much because of him"
"You're right…" Hermione sighed.
"And Mione, you really should take of Ron's ring…" Ginny said quietly as if she were ashamed to say it, because it wasn't the first time she said that.
"I know, but it's so hard letting go", Hermione replied and looked at her ring.
"I think Ron wants you to move on too, or I know he wants you to move on", Ginny said. "He doesn't want the girl he adored to be sad all the time", she continued and smiled at Hermione who immediately smiled back at her. Ginny was definitely right! It was time for her to let go…
The weekend went by quickly. Hermione took of her engagement ring and put it in a box which she kept in the drawer beside her bed. She spent the entire weekend just being with Becky, doing all the stuff Becky wanted to do. They went to see two different quidditch games and they went to a muggle circus. When Hermione on Monday was going back to the Prophet to apologize to Draco she was in a really good mood. The lovely weekend with Becky had given her a lot of new energy. When she got to work, people were staring at her like she was a freak. She tried not to think about them when she walked up to Draco's office…
"Hi… er… the door was open", Hermione said quietly. Draco looked up at her without saying a word. "I have something I want to say to you"
"I have something I want to say to you too", he said. "I think you need to sit down", Hermione did as he said and sat down at the chair in front of his desk. "You've been gone for a week Granger"
"I've been sick"
"Then why haven't you told me?" He asked, Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "You can't disappear for a week, come back and expect to still have your job", he continued. "I had someone to replace you"
"Who?"
"Lynette Miller, she's doing a very good job"
"So what will happen to me now?" Hermione aside and felt like her heart was breaking.
"You'll have to find a new job"
Don't cry, stay strong, don't cry, she thought.
"Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Nothing", Hermione exclaimed and rose from the chair, she hurried towards the door with tears in her eyes. Just as she was about to open that door a voice in her head said: Don't be such a chicken Hermione! Tell him exactly what you came here to say!
She stopped in front of the door and turned around to face him. He looked curiously at her.
"We have to talk about what happened last weekend?"
"What?" He said.
"About what happened between you and me in Venice..."
"Listen carefully to me Hermione", he said and rose from his chair. "What happened in Venice, stays in Venice, it was a big mistake and no one will ever find out about it, ok?"
"Ok…" Hermione whispered, once again it felt like her heart was breaking.
"Was that all?" He said with a cold voice.
"Actually, I wanted to apologize for slapping you in the face in front of all those people, I'm terribly sorry, I have no idea why I did it!" Hermione replied, before Draco even had time to open his mouth Hermione exclaimed: "The second slap you totally deserved"
"You like punching me right?"
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked and rolled her eyes at him.
"Remember third grade, when Hagrid's bloody chicken was being executed, Crabbe, Goyle and myself wanted to see the action and there you came with your annoying friends, and you punched me… Right on the nose", he said. "And dear Merlin it hurt!" He continued with a smile on his lips.
"I'm glad it hurt!"
Draco was still smiling. "I'm quite impressed actually, it was a great punch"
"Thanks", she said and smiled back at him. "I know"
"I guess I own you an apology too", he said quietly and his smiled faded away. "I'm sorry for what I said about you only wanting to sleep with me to get a raise… And for what I said about, er, you and yeah, you know… Ron", he continued. "I was really angry at the time and what I said was really stupid"
Not so stupid actually, you pointed out the truth, because it was because of my thoughts of Ron that I ran away, Hermione thought and was just about to open her mouth when he said something else.
"And I'm really sorry about having to fire you Granger, but I can't change the rules for one person… If you come back now everybody will think that it's ok to be gone for a week and then come back!" Draco explained and started to walk towards her.
"I understand", she replied quietly. "It's ok; I'll just find someone else"
"You're an excellent writer Granger; do you know what I think you should do?" He asked.
"No"
"I think you should write a book", he replied and smirked at her as she took one step back when he came closer to her. He stopped and said: "You should write about the 'famous trio' that killed Voldemort once and for all, write about Potter and his annoying scar, write about how your smartness helped you guys through so many things and write about how Ron practically saved the whole magical world by sacrificing his own life".
Hermione listened carefully to every word he said; it wasn't such a bad idea.
"It would be a great story, everybody loves Potter for killing Voldemort, it would most definitely be a best seller", Draco said and smirked, he looked proud that he was the one coming up with that idea.
The door opened and Pansy stepped in.
"Drakie, look what I have", she exclaimed and showed some magazines that held in her hands.
"Um, what's that?" He asked.
"Bridal magazines!" She said and opened one of them. "Look at this lovely necklace, I want it, can you buy it for me honey?"
"Pansy, it's five months until the wedding, don't you think-"
"No, I want it now! And I want those earrings too", she said and pointed at a couple of diamond earrings.
"500 galleons for a pair of earrings!" Draco exclaimed.
"No dear, that's for one earring, I need two… That makes it 1000!" She replied and smiled, and then she turned to look at Hermione. "Oh, Hermione, are you here?"
"Er… yeah… But I was just about to leave anyways"
"No, please stay, you can help me to chose a wedding dress", Pansy said and sat down on the sofa. "Come here honey, sit down, I won't bite", she continued. Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or cry, was Pansy making fun of her? Or was she actually serious? "Come on! Sit down! I don't have all day"
Hermione sat down beside Pansy.
"What do you think about this one?" Pansy said and pointed at a dress in the top right corner.
"It's-"
"Or this one? It's much better", Pansy interrupted her. "And more expensive!"
"I think-"
"No! This one, oh dear Merlin, just look at it, isn't it gorgeous?"
"Yes, it-"
"Oh no, it's too cheap, can't have it!" Pansy exclaimed. "I can't possibly wear anything that costs under 200 galleons", she continued. "Hello? Aren't you gonna tell me anything about what you think?"
"Maybe if you could shut your mouth for a minute or two Hermione could tell you what she thinks", Draco said and sat down behind his desk again. He looked at Hermione with a stare that said 'sorry that you have to listen to her endless talk'… She smiled at him and he smiled back at her. Pansy didn't notice them smiling at each other, she was too busy turning from page to page in her bridal magazines.
"Granger, what do you think about this one?" Pansy asked and gave Hermione a slight push on the arm.
"It's ok", Hermione replied. "But I like this one better", she continued and pointed at a totally different dress. Pansy rolled her eyes.
"Drakie! Which one do you like better?" She said and walked up to his desk. "This one", she pointed at the dress she liked. "Or this one", she said and pointed at the dress Hermione liked better. Draco looked at both of the dresses…
"Um, that one, it's way better", he said and pointed at the dress that Hermione liked. Pansy's chin dropped to the floor, she looked like someone just had told her that the world was going under. Hermione fought hard not to burst out laughing as she rose from the sofa. Draco smirked at Pansy. "What's up Pansy? You look like your whole world is going under"
"I have to leave now", Hermione said and rose from the sofa.
"Oh, well, it's been nice working with you; promise to tell me when you finish your book"
"If I ever finish a book!" Hermione said.
"You better", Draco said, and then he looked at Pansy. "Aren't you going to thank Hermione for her opinions?"
"Thanks, mudblood", Pansy said and glared at Hermione with hatred.
Now that's the Pansy I know, Hermione thought and rolled her eyes. "No problem", she said and smiled. Then she turned her back at the couple and left the office.
"Why the hell did you chose 'her' dress?"
"You asked me which one I liked better and I gave you my opinion", Draco replied.
"Oh my god, she's so annoying", Pansy sighed and rolled her eyes. "I don't understand how you stand being around her everyday"
"Listen Pansy, you don't know her, she's actually quite ok if you get to know her", Draco replied. "It's sad I had to fire her…"
"Fire her?" Pansy exclaimed with a smile on her lips. "That's more like it Drakie"
"Can you stop calling me Drakie?" Draco yelled.
"Take it easy, no need to scream"
"Oh yeah, there is need to scream, what the hell are you doing here by the way?" Draco said angrily. "Don't you remember that I told you not to come to my office?"
"I remember, but we have a wedding to plan Drakie"
"NOT DRAKIE!" He shouted and rose from his chair. "I want you to get out of here so that I can do my job", he continued and walked up to her.
"But Drakie…" She said with a smirk, just to annoy him.
"Go home; I'll try to get of early so that we can plan this fucking wedding"
"Fucking wedding? What are you talking about? It's supposed to be the happiest day of our lives, don't use words like that to describe our special day", Pansy exclaimed. "But I love you anyways", she continued with a smile and kissed the tip of his nose. "Aren't you going to tell me that you love me to?"
"I love you", he whispered.
"Aw, honey", she said and kissed him softly on the lips. He lip gloss tasted like vanilla, she knew he loved that taste. "I'll cook something for you until you get home"
"Please don't…" He said.
"You know what I mean when I say I'll cook something"
"Yeah, you're going to order from River View Garden", Draco replied. Pansy laughed hysterically, which caused Draco to sigh deeply. Go home! He thought, and it was like she read his mind. She took her magazines, kissed him passionately, said good bye and left his office.