Terrifié
Chapter Seven [Breakdown and Break-up]
Last Time:
"Hermione, you're the first person other than myself I've been interested in for years, and I want to explore that idea." He smiles again, in what he hopes is a friendly manner, but she shrinks back toward the wall, her façade of coolness falling away as she turns red.
*flashback*
TBC ______________________________________________________________________
Hermione brushed away the memory quickly, concentrating on where she was now, not where she had once been. Draco was looking at her almost concernedly. She caught his eyes and he raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"I'm not an idea for you to explore Draco. My existence on this earth is not for the sole purpose of entertaining you until you discard me. There's a lot of things you don't know about me, and you will never know them." She turned to leave but he caught her arm gently and turned her to face him.
"I know about Don."
"Do you honestly think that that's all there is to me?" she asked with a tired smile. She brushed his hand off and walked down the dark corridor, leaving him alone.
"I will know everything about you, Granger. Mark my words," he called after her, his voice echoing eerily. Hermione shivered but continued through the shadows._________________
Draco slid his back down the stone wall of his chambers, falling into a sitting position gracefully. He had forsaken the comfort of his bed; he had some serious thinking to do. What he had said to Hermione was only half of the truth; she was the first person that had aroused his interest in a long time - that was true. But she was also the only person who had ever made him question his long-standing understanding of the world, other people, and worse of all. himself.
Could it be true that she. and if she, other people as well. were not as one-dimensional as he had always perceived them to be? Was it possible that he was not the only intelligent life form on earth? Did others have problems, serious thoughts, emotions, humour, as well? Maybe he was just a stuck-up cocky ass. well, let's not go that far. But maybe he wasn't so damned smart after all.
For how many years had he seen Hermione as simply a condescending Gryffindor know-it-all? It had not occurred to him that perhaps there was something under this surface judgement.
Maybe everyone had personalities and lives lurking under the surface.
Maybe he WAS a stuck-up cocky ass._____________________________________________
Ron and Harry were beginning to worry. They had noted that something was different. there was no Hermione clinging to them 24/7. Where had she gone? Had she somehow detached herself from their collective hip? She was missing meals, coming late for classes, and then all these rumours. in short, it was very disturbing.
The subject of their talk appeared through the portrait-hole just as they were contemplating going to look for her. They sprang up.
"Hermione!"
"Where have you been?"
"We were so worried!"
Hermione looked rather taken aback that they had remembered her existence at all, and feeling rather overwhelmed by their caring and by the events of the past few days all of a sudden, she burst into tears. Ron quickly guided her to the comfy Gryffindor couch and put his arms around her, and Harry followed suit.
"What's wrong?!" He asked in bewilderment.
"It's just that, I've just had a rough few days, and you guys are so nice and everything, and." Hermione gulped and went back to crying.
"Crap, I have detention now. but if you want I'll skip it Hermione!" Harry offered, looking at his watch.
"No it's ok, go!" she encouraged miserably, not looking up. He kissed her forehead and ran off, feeling rather guilty. Hermione burrowed her face into Ron's chest and sobbed. He rubbed her back comfortingly.
"Aw, Hermione, it'll be ok. I'm sure it will be. You have us!" He said awkwardly, causing her to sob even more.
"It. won't. ever. be. ok!!!" she gasped, "If only. you. knew!" She wailed and wrapped her arms so tightly around him that he feared he would break a rib.
"Oh dear! Ron, what's wrong with Hermione?!" Ginny's worried voice came from behind them as she scrambled through the portrait hole. She hurried over to them.
"I don't know." He offered helplessly. She shot him a look (one of Mrs. Weasley's, actually) and sat down next to Hermione.
"'Mione, what's wrong?" She asked. Hermione flung herself into Ginny's arms and continued sobbing. "Ok, I'm taking you upstairs. Ron, make some chicken soup and levitate it up, will you? God, boys are so useless." She managed to get Hermione up the stairs into her room and tuck her into bed, climbing into bed and pulling the curtains. A good cuddle was what the girl needed, in Ginny's opinion.
"Now darling, want to tell me what's up?" She asked gently, brushing the hair of Hermione's wet face worriedly.
"I don't know Ginny! Everything! I don't like Neville, I never have, I just went out with him because he asked me and I didn't know what to say. and now all these rumours about me and Draco. And Harry and Ron love me so much, and you, and I don't deserve it! I just. I don't know what to do anymore!"
"Well the whole thing about Neville is obvious; we will handle that in the morning. He'll get over it. I know a nice girl in Hufflepuff who thinks he's the bee's knees. As for Harry and Ron and I, of course we love you, and you do deserve it! It's us who don't deserve you Hermione!" Ginny said quite sincerely. "About Malfoy. well, are the rumours true?" She asked rather doubtfully.
"I don't know Ginny! There's something going on between us, but I don't understand what it is. It definitely isn't a mad passionate love affair though." It felt so good to talk to someone that Hermione was feeling much calmer.
"So then who cares about rumours! They'll pass in a week or two. No one has any business butting into your affairs. They have no proof of anything either, just let it run its course. We don't love you any less for it!" Ginny was still worried about any interaction with Malfoy at all, but at least it wasn't as bad as Stacey Foilwats had told her.
Ron's soup arrived and Hermione drank it thankfully, feeling hungry after missing supper and all the exertion of crying. She blew her nose, Ginny gave her a massage and she fell asleep feeling much better. Ginny crept quietly out of her bed, closing the curtains behind her, and went downstairs.
The boys were still up, sitting by the fire looking very concerned. Ginny wormed her way in between them.
"She's fine. Just stressed. She doesn't even remotely like Neville, as everyone with half a brain already knows. Poor guy, she will have to break up with him soon. Better than lead him on." Ron and Harry looked rather guilty, it had seemed to them that Hermione was getting along great with Neville. "And," Ginny continued, "those rumours about her and Malfoy would cause anyone a nervous breakdown."
"Err, they aren't true are they?" Harry asked nervously. It had recently occurred to Ron and he that perhaps this was the reason Hermione was so upset. Snogging Malfoy would traumatize anyone!
Ginny was quiet for a moment, thinking about what Hermione had said.
"They're definitely not having a mad passionate love affair," she said, before hopping up and going off to bed. It wasn't until after she'd left that the boys realized her answer hadn't been completely straightforward.
Upstairs, Hermione awoke feeling a sudden weight on her chest, but dismissed it as grief and went back to sleep.____________________________________________________________
Hermione awoke the next morning with a throbbing headache almost as violent as her crying had been, a stuffed up nose and noticeably red eyes. Breakfast was halfway over already. She leapt out of bed as quickly as her sore muscles would permit her- she felt like she'd run a marathon- and dressed, brushing her hair and teeth and then hurrying down to breakfast, where Harry and Ron had saved her a seat between them. They were very attentive, serving her all her favourite breakfast foods and offering to carry things for her on the way to their first class, transfiguration. Hermione sat next to Neville and in an act of unusual cowardice, passed him a note that read,
Neville, you're really great, but
I think we would be better off as
friends, ok? I know a nice girl
in Hufflepuff who really likes you
though!
Hermione xoxo
Neville nodded at her and smiled, having expected this. He was sad of course, but still, they hadn't had much of a relationship anyway had they? And a girl liked him?! Small miracles!
TBC________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Seven [Breakdown and Break-up]
Last Time:
"Hermione, you're the first person other than myself I've been interested in for years, and I want to explore that idea." He smiles again, in what he hopes is a friendly manner, but she shrinks back toward the wall, her façade of coolness falling away as she turns red.
*flashback*
TBC ______________________________________________________________________
Hermione brushed away the memory quickly, concentrating on where she was now, not where she had once been. Draco was looking at her almost concernedly. She caught his eyes and he raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"I'm not an idea for you to explore Draco. My existence on this earth is not for the sole purpose of entertaining you until you discard me. There's a lot of things you don't know about me, and you will never know them." She turned to leave but he caught her arm gently and turned her to face him.
"I know about Don."
"Do you honestly think that that's all there is to me?" she asked with a tired smile. She brushed his hand off and walked down the dark corridor, leaving him alone.
"I will know everything about you, Granger. Mark my words," he called after her, his voice echoing eerily. Hermione shivered but continued through the shadows._________________
Draco slid his back down the stone wall of his chambers, falling into a sitting position gracefully. He had forsaken the comfort of his bed; he had some serious thinking to do. What he had said to Hermione was only half of the truth; she was the first person that had aroused his interest in a long time - that was true. But she was also the only person who had ever made him question his long-standing understanding of the world, other people, and worse of all. himself.
Could it be true that she. and if she, other people as well. were not as one-dimensional as he had always perceived them to be? Was it possible that he was not the only intelligent life form on earth? Did others have problems, serious thoughts, emotions, humour, as well? Maybe he was just a stuck-up cocky ass. well, let's not go that far. But maybe he wasn't so damned smart after all.
For how many years had he seen Hermione as simply a condescending Gryffindor know-it-all? It had not occurred to him that perhaps there was something under this surface judgement.
Maybe everyone had personalities and lives lurking under the surface.
Maybe he WAS a stuck-up cocky ass._____________________________________________
Ron and Harry were beginning to worry. They had noted that something was different. there was no Hermione clinging to them 24/7. Where had she gone? Had she somehow detached herself from their collective hip? She was missing meals, coming late for classes, and then all these rumours. in short, it was very disturbing.
The subject of their talk appeared through the portrait-hole just as they were contemplating going to look for her. They sprang up.
"Hermione!"
"Where have you been?"
"We were so worried!"
Hermione looked rather taken aback that they had remembered her existence at all, and feeling rather overwhelmed by their caring and by the events of the past few days all of a sudden, she burst into tears. Ron quickly guided her to the comfy Gryffindor couch and put his arms around her, and Harry followed suit.
"What's wrong?!" He asked in bewilderment.
"It's just that, I've just had a rough few days, and you guys are so nice and everything, and." Hermione gulped and went back to crying.
"Crap, I have detention now. but if you want I'll skip it Hermione!" Harry offered, looking at his watch.
"No it's ok, go!" she encouraged miserably, not looking up. He kissed her forehead and ran off, feeling rather guilty. Hermione burrowed her face into Ron's chest and sobbed. He rubbed her back comfortingly.
"Aw, Hermione, it'll be ok. I'm sure it will be. You have us!" He said awkwardly, causing her to sob even more.
"It. won't. ever. be. ok!!!" she gasped, "If only. you. knew!" She wailed and wrapped her arms so tightly around him that he feared he would break a rib.
"Oh dear! Ron, what's wrong with Hermione?!" Ginny's worried voice came from behind them as she scrambled through the portrait hole. She hurried over to them.
"I don't know." He offered helplessly. She shot him a look (one of Mrs. Weasley's, actually) and sat down next to Hermione.
"'Mione, what's wrong?" She asked. Hermione flung herself into Ginny's arms and continued sobbing. "Ok, I'm taking you upstairs. Ron, make some chicken soup and levitate it up, will you? God, boys are so useless." She managed to get Hermione up the stairs into her room and tuck her into bed, climbing into bed and pulling the curtains. A good cuddle was what the girl needed, in Ginny's opinion.
"Now darling, want to tell me what's up?" She asked gently, brushing the hair of Hermione's wet face worriedly.
"I don't know Ginny! Everything! I don't like Neville, I never have, I just went out with him because he asked me and I didn't know what to say. and now all these rumours about me and Draco. And Harry and Ron love me so much, and you, and I don't deserve it! I just. I don't know what to do anymore!"
"Well the whole thing about Neville is obvious; we will handle that in the morning. He'll get over it. I know a nice girl in Hufflepuff who thinks he's the bee's knees. As for Harry and Ron and I, of course we love you, and you do deserve it! It's us who don't deserve you Hermione!" Ginny said quite sincerely. "About Malfoy. well, are the rumours true?" She asked rather doubtfully.
"I don't know Ginny! There's something going on between us, but I don't understand what it is. It definitely isn't a mad passionate love affair though." It felt so good to talk to someone that Hermione was feeling much calmer.
"So then who cares about rumours! They'll pass in a week or two. No one has any business butting into your affairs. They have no proof of anything either, just let it run its course. We don't love you any less for it!" Ginny was still worried about any interaction with Malfoy at all, but at least it wasn't as bad as Stacey Foilwats had told her.
Ron's soup arrived and Hermione drank it thankfully, feeling hungry after missing supper and all the exertion of crying. She blew her nose, Ginny gave her a massage and she fell asleep feeling much better. Ginny crept quietly out of her bed, closing the curtains behind her, and went downstairs.
The boys were still up, sitting by the fire looking very concerned. Ginny wormed her way in between them.
"She's fine. Just stressed. She doesn't even remotely like Neville, as everyone with half a brain already knows. Poor guy, she will have to break up with him soon. Better than lead him on." Ron and Harry looked rather guilty, it had seemed to them that Hermione was getting along great with Neville. "And," Ginny continued, "those rumours about her and Malfoy would cause anyone a nervous breakdown."
"Err, they aren't true are they?" Harry asked nervously. It had recently occurred to Ron and he that perhaps this was the reason Hermione was so upset. Snogging Malfoy would traumatize anyone!
Ginny was quiet for a moment, thinking about what Hermione had said.
"They're definitely not having a mad passionate love affair," she said, before hopping up and going off to bed. It wasn't until after she'd left that the boys realized her answer hadn't been completely straightforward.
Upstairs, Hermione awoke feeling a sudden weight on her chest, but dismissed it as grief and went back to sleep.____________________________________________________________
Hermione awoke the next morning with a throbbing headache almost as violent as her crying had been, a stuffed up nose and noticeably red eyes. Breakfast was halfway over already. She leapt out of bed as quickly as her sore muscles would permit her- she felt like she'd run a marathon- and dressed, brushing her hair and teeth and then hurrying down to breakfast, where Harry and Ron had saved her a seat between them. They were very attentive, serving her all her favourite breakfast foods and offering to carry things for her on the way to their first class, transfiguration. Hermione sat next to Neville and in an act of unusual cowardice, passed him a note that read,
Neville, you're really great, but
I think we would be better off as
friends, ok? I know a nice girl
in Hufflepuff who really likes you
though!
Hermione xoxo
Neville nodded at her and smiled, having expected this. He was sad of course, but still, they hadn't had much of a relationship anyway had they? And a girl liked him?! Small miracles!
TBC________________________________________________________________________