Do You Love Him?
As December came, and everything was suddenly green and red and tinseled, I still hadn't made any real decisions about Draco. The only reason I was getting out of it was the pure fact that we hadn't seen each other much, except in class, which is the one place I didn't have to worry about things going too far.
""It's just that he's different," I complained to Ginny as we sat on my bed wrapping Christmas gifts. "It's not like it was.""
""Hermione," she said. "You're realistic, you know that no relationship stays in that giddy stage forever. This is normal.""
""You think?""
""Yes," she said, wrapping a small box. "Completely.""
There was still a few times that month, as Christmas bore down on us, when I had to stop him as his hand moved further toward what I hadn't decided to sign over just yet. Twice in his dorm, on Friday nights as we lay in his bed, so close it seemed inevitable. Once out by the lake, when it was cold and he pulled away from me suddenly, shaking his head in the dark. It wasn't just him either. It was getting herder for me too.
""Do you love him?"" Ginny asked me one day after this last incident.
I hesitated, ""Yes,"" I said. I'd never said it, but I did.
""Does he love you?""
""Yes,"" I said fudging a bit.
It didn't work.
""Has he told you that?""
""No. Not exactly.""
She sat back, not saying anymore. Her point I assumed was made.
""But that's such a cliché," I said. "I mean, Do you love me. Like that means anything. Like if he did say it, then I should sleep with him, and if he didn't, I shouldn't.""
""I didn't say that," she said simply. "All I'm saying is I would hope he did before you went ahead with this.""
""It's just three words," I said casually. "I mean, lots of people sleep together without saying, 'I love you'.""
Ginny sat back, pulling her legs as best as she could against her stomach. ""Not people like us, Hermione. Not people like us.""