Chapter 12

Part I: New Room

Hermione decided that the best way to get Draco out of her head was to leave the Head's dorm. So she went to the only person that could make that possible.

Dumbledore was very understanding of her story, but he was still reluctant to let her sleep in the girls' dorm of Gryffindor Tower.

"Miss Granger, the only way that I will be able to let you leave the Head's dorm is if you give me a better reason, or if you resign yourself as Head Girl."

"Please, sir. This is the only way that I will be able to sort out my feelings and find out what I really want."

Dumbledore smiled. "That is what I wanted to hear. You will only be able to stay in the tower for two weeks. If you wish to stay any longer, you will resign yourself as Head Girl."

"Thank you, sir. You have no idea how much I need to get away from that place."

"Actually, there is one other thing. I have noticed that there is far less points for Gryffindor than usual. Have you been giving them points?"

"Draco took that privilege away from me."

Miss Granger, only I am able to take away that privilege. There is no other way for that to happen."

"Really?"

"Really. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to make the necessary changes in the girls' dorm of Gryffindor Tower."

"Thank you, Professor."

Hermione left the Headmaster's office and went to the kitchen. She had decided that she was going to avoid Draco at all means possible. When she finished what Dobby had given her, she went to the Head Girl's room and gathered her thing. When she got to the Gryffindor Tower, everyone was celebrating the victory of the Quidditch cup

"Hermione? What are you doing here?"

Ron was the first person to notice her.

"I just came from Dumbledore's office. He told me that I could stay here for a while."

"What happened to you and Malfoy?"

Hermione paused. "He and I are no longer together."

"Well that's good news."

Hermione gave him a faint smile and moved to the girls' dorm, but she was stopped by Harry. He pulled her into a hug and said the one thing that she was

least expecting from someone who loved her.

"I'm sorry. I really had no idea how much you cared for him. If I had known, I never would have"

"It's okay Harry. I know how you feel about him and I know how much you care about me. But I don't feel the same about you or Ron. You're both like brothers to me and I would never leave you behind. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

Hermione pulled herself out of the hug and looked into Harry's eyes that were now sparkling with tears.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

"Don't be. You can't help who you love, right."

With that, he turned around and headed back into the crowd of people that were celebrating. Hermione stood there for a moment before she heard a familiar voice.

"Miss Granger, your room is ready."

Dumbledore had some down from the girls' dorm and he was about to leave when he saw that Hermione was crying.

"Is there something you wish to discuss Miss Granger?"

"No, Professor. Thanks anyway."

With that, she gathered her things and made her way up to her new room

Part II: "Don't Give Up"

The first thing that Draco did after Hermione left the library, was let his tears fall from his eyes for the first time in his life.

Ginny knelt down beside him and put a hand ion his shoulder. "Malfoy? Are you okay?"

"I let her go. The one person that I have ever really cared for in my life is gone because I couldn't realize that she was the one person that I truly loved."

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. Maybe she and I weren't meant to be together. She told me that it would never work, but I didn't believe her. And now I realize that she is right."

"She's not right. It will work out. I know Hermione well enough to know that she will realize that she made a mistake. She will come back. She has told you things that she has only told me. She wouldn't do that unless she really trusted and loved you."

"Face it, Ginny, she doesn't care. But, I still want her to. And no matter how much I want that, it won't ever be true."

"She does care. She's just confused right now. You need to be the one to show her that you love her no matter what she does. She won't listen to anyone but you. Don't give up."

"I have to. She and I weren't meant to be, just like she said. How could I ever think that enemies could become lovers?"

"You can't think that way."

"Why not?" Draco's tears had stopped and by now, he was getting very agitated with Hermione's best friend.

"I just gave this speech to Hermione and somehow, it feels like I'm still speaking from the heart. Because I am."

"What do you know about love?"

"I know a lot more than you think. I'm in love with someone that I can't have because he is a Slytherin. My parents would never approve. He comes from a long line of Death Eaters too. I would be cast out from my family and be banished even though I know that there is something else to him."

"Blasie?"

Ginny lifted her head. She had given too much away and she knew it. "Please don't tell anyone."

"Why not?"

"Because of both of our families."

"He doesn't care about what his family does. He hates what they do. He doesn't want to be like them."

"How do you know that?"

"He and I have been friends almost our whole lives. I think I know him."

"What do you know, now you're giving me the advice that you should take."

After that, they went to dinner and tried to find Hermione, but she was no where to be found. So they ate dinner and went to find her.

"Where would she be?"

"Maybe she's in your tower."

"I doubt it. She doesn't go there anymore because if what Harry did to you. But it can't hurt to try. You wait here while I go check."

As Ginny ran off toward the Gryffindor Tower, Hermione came around the corner and Draco spotted her before she could turn around.

Part III: Secrets Revealed

Hermione turned and tired to get away before Draco could catch her, but it was too late, his arms were already around her waist, holding her.

"Draco, you can't do this."

"Why not? We should be together and you know it."

"Malfoy!"

Draco let go of Hermione at the sound of her saying his name so harshly. She turned to face him and he never saw more hurt in her eyes.

"Malfoy, it will never work. I told you this dozens of times before and you chose to ignore it until we were no longer able to be together. And that's when I

realized that you and I will never be. It's like the old Muggle saying, 'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.' That is what I was doing. I was getting to know my enemy." Hermione said something that cut them both deep inside and made Draco run as fast as he could in the direction that he had come.

"Goodbye, Draco. I'll never forget what we had." And with that said to Draco's back, Hermione continued to walk the way she was going.

I have to keep all my feelings to myself. I've done it with Harry and Ron, so I can do it with everyone else. I just need some practice. Just like I have to keep my heart to myself, like I've done since I was . . . . . Well, you know.

You're going to do that to Draco?

I have no other choice; I can't risk him getting hurt.

He already has gotten hurt. Many times. And now, the one person that he loves just betrayed him by not telling him how they really feel.

Shut up! No one asked you.

Yes, I'm your conscience, if you talk to yourself, you ask me questions.

Then I won't talk to myself.

You're doing it right now.

Stop it!

You're doing it again.

"Will you just stop it! You're just like Ray!"

I hope you know that you just said that out loud.

Hermione looked around and realized that she was standing in the middle of the Gryffindor common room and everyone was staring at her.

"Who is Ray?" Ron came up behind Hermione and asked her something that she didn't want to answer.

"Just leave it, Ron." Ginny said that, and Hermione decided that it was finally time to tell her best guy friends what happened to her. And that is exactly what she did.

When she finished, her friends were looking at her with hurt and sympathy in their eyes. But Harry was the first to get up and hug her.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I wish there was something that I could do for you."

"I know. But right now, all you really need to do is not pity me. Because I've been pitied by everyone that I've told, and I don't want it from you guys."

With that, the three friends were back to being the 'Golden Trio.'

A/N: Sorry about the cut off with Draco and Hermione. I'll get more of them in there in the next chapter. I hope you liked it. Keep reviewing please!