This Pain is Nothing
Disclaimer: None of this is mine.
Chapter Four: Breaking the News
Draco muttered feverishly to himself as he paced the length of the Malfoy Manor library. What had he been thinking agreeing to something as drastic as this? As if any of it had anything to do whatsoever with him or Hermione in the first place! It's not like I can exactly back out of it now. Only Potter could mess things up this badly. While Draco continued this line of thinking, he failed to notice another person enter the room.
Hermione watched Draco silently for a few minutes, becoming increasingly intrigued at his agitated state.
"Draco! What is the matter with you; I haven't seen you this upset since we announced our engagement to your parents!"
Draco froze when he realized that Hermione was already in the room, and grimaced when he thought of the event she had mentioned.
"Yes, well, telling my father that I had chosen a muggle-born for my wife was not exactly a pleasant task, now was it?" Draco forced a smile as he turned to Hermione. Now I'm going to have to tell her. I thought I had at least another hour or so, but she won't let up until I tell her what's wrong.
Hermione smiled, "They warmed up to it though, didn't they? Well, at least your mother did. She was telling me today that she had finally found the perfect caterer, some famous French chef. I could honestly care less what the food tastes like, after all, I'm there for you, not the food."
Draco sighed as Hermione walked up to him and kissed him. Probably the last kiss I will be getting from her in a long time, that is, if I ever do get her back again.
Hermione pulled back when she saw that Draco's mind was still elsewhere.
"Just tell me what's wrong Draco; surely it can't be anything horrible enough to ruin the dinner I had planned for us tonight?"
Draco grimaced. "I'm afraid you won't want dinner, or anything to do with me, after you hear what I have to say." Draco braced himself, and repeated in his mind what he had planned to say to Hermione.
Hermione frowned slightly, and relented. "Alright, well, why don't you just tell me what's bothering you, and I'll decide whether or not I want to talk to you afterwards?"
Turning away from Hermione, Draco took a deep breath. He couldn't look at her while he did this, he might just lose it if he did.
"First off Hermione, please just listen until I am done. No interjections, comments, nothing. You may want to but—
"Draco, please, you're starting to worry me—
Draco resisted the urge to jump out of the nearby window. "I said NO interruptions! You're will want to talk, I know it, just don't. If I don't say this now, I never will." If only it were that easy. Draco took another breath. "Now please just listen. About a month ago I went to the International Quidditch Convocation while you were out of town on Ministry business. Remember?" Hermione nodded. "Good. Now, while the night was still somewhat young, Harry left early because he had a meeting with Dumbledore about who knows what. Ginny decided to stay, since Ron and his date Padma were still there to mingle with. Well, you know how Ron is when he has a girl with him; before long they were off in some corner doing things that Ginny really didn't care to know about. We both found ourselves bored and alone, so we got a table and had a few drinks together. How many we had total is not to be known. The only thing I remember after that is waking up to her the next morning in my room here at the Manor. I was—
Hermione was redder than Ron had ever been. "Draco Malfoy, are you saying that you SLEPT with my best friend? How could you do that? How could you do that and not tell me? Did you think that I would never—?
"ENOUGH Hermione. Let me finish! By the time I had gotten back from work that day I had convinced myself that it had all been a dream. More like a nightmare. You know that you are the love of my life, and—
Tears were pouring down Hermione's face by this time. "So what made you decide to confess now, Draco? Feeling guilty as our upcoming nuptials approached? Maybe you decided that I might be an important person to tell this to before you got married. What the hell were you thinking?"
Draco was himself trying to hold back his tears and keep his emotions under control. "That's just it; I wasn't thinking. I never wanted to hurt you, and honestly, I didn't know if I was going to tell you or not. But I have recently discovered that I have no choice. Ginny is pregnant, and I am the only possible father. I have an obligation to her and to our child Hermione, and I have decided that I am going to marry her. I love your Hermione, but I care for Ginny as well, and I feel that it is necessary to…" Draco stopped as he noticed that Hermione had left. Great, Draco thought, this week is turning out to be just great. First, I lose the love of my life, and next I'm going to have to announce to the world that I stole Harry Potter's girlfriend. Draco punched a hole in the wall, causing the attending house elf to scamper off with a terrified squeak. Just great.
Harry rubbed Ginny's back soothingly. She had been doing nothing but cry for the past hour and a half and had just now run out of tears.
Ginny sniffled. "Harry, I can't live with Draco, and I refuse to live without you!"
Running his hand through his hair, Harry sighed. "We don't have much of a choice, Ginny. If we are careful, we might be able to see each other alone every once in a while here, at Grimmauld Place. Besides, we aren't the only ones suffering here. Draco had to falsely tell Hermione that he slept with you, and Hermione doesn't even know that it's not true."
Tears threatened to leak out as Ginny thought about this. "Poor Hermione; she doesn't even know that it's not real. Oh Harry, she's going to hate me!" Ginny reached for the Kleenexes as she started weeping again.
As Harry walked over to where Ginny was sitting, a knock was heard on the door.
"Harry, are you in there? Please Harry, open the door! It's Hermione, and I really don't have anywhere else to go right now!" Sniffling could be heard through the door.
Harry sent a panicked glance to Ginny. "Go upstairs to Sirius's old room and stay there until I come for you," he whispered; "I can't be seen comforting you when you just admitted to 'cheating' on me. Now go!"
Ginny nodded quickly and ran lightly up the stairs.
Harry opened the door. "Hello Hermione; I guess you heard the news."
"How could they Harry?" With that Hermione fell into Harry's arms and began sobbing uncontrollably.
Harry moved Hermione in towards the living room couch. "I know Hermione. Ginny told me this morning. That's why only Draco's Galleon warmed up. We told Dumbledore, and he called Draco over here. I'm so sorry, Hermione."
Hermione looked up at Harry. "Aren't you angry? Think about what they have done to us!"
Harry smiled tiredly. "Of course I am. You should see Mrs. Black's old bedroom upstairs; I've practically demolished it. I haven't the strength to be openly furious right now, and I don't think it will do any good. I just wish I could understand why."
"Me too Harry. Do you think I could stay here for the night, I can't go back to the Manor; he's there."
Harry stiffened, thinking of Ginny waiting for him upstairs. "I'm sorry Hermione, but I really just need to be alone tonight. I don't think that I'd be good company to anyone right now."
Hermione moved towards the door. "That's fine, Harry. It's not like it's your fault. I think I'll stay at my parents; I really don't think I should be alone tonight. Maybe I can owl you tomorrow?"
Harry smiled. "Of course Hermione, anytime. I imagine that we'll be seeing more of each other now anyways. Goodnight."
"You're probably right. Goodnight then."
Harry walked slowly back upstairs. He felt bad for turning Hermione down and selfish when he thought of why he was doing it. Ginny was waiting for him when he opened the door.
"How is she?" Ginny eyed him nervously.
Harry absently toyed with a fraying piece of his jeans. "Not very good Ginny, but can we really expect her to be? Hermione's devastated, I don't know how she's going to handle all of her emotions on top of the press that this is going to get."
Ginny groaned. "I wish that this could just be over."
"I know Ginny. Trust me, I'll be working day and night so that I can defeat Voldemort and put this mess to rights again."
Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and kissed him softly. "I know Harry, I know."