Chapter 24
Draco stared at Hermione, momentarily forgetting that there was a woman straddling him and forcibly kissing him.
For a moment it seemed like time stopped and there was nothing between them but time and space… and Millicent.
Hermione looked away from Draco's eyes which immediately broke the moment. She looked over him and saw Millicent.
She smiled at Millicent and looked at Draco.
At a far away distance and from regular eyes it seemed like she was happy and did not at all seem aggravated or distressed. But Draco knew better. There was a small glossiness of her eyes and she seemed to be on the verge of tears when looked up close.
"I'm so sorry. I'll be off now." She excused herself and left the room immediately.
Draco pushed Millicent off with such strength that she was flung of him and hit a desk immediately knocking her out.
Draco stood up and ran after Hermione.
"Hermione!" he shouted.
He saw a flash of robes turn the corner and he ran towards it. Upon reaching the corner he saw her entering a classroom.
He ran towards it and flung the door open.
"Good morning Professor Malfoy!" rang across the room.
Draco looked around and found Hermione in front of the class, apparently, they just started.
"Yes, Professor Malfoy? Did you need anything?" she asked him, taking the extra measure and refusing to look at him.
"Err… No. I'm sorry. Wrong classroom." He said and left.
Draco wanted to punch himself. What was happening? Why did everything have to go all wrong!
But… what was Hermione doing there in the first place?
He suddenly thought of something.
He ran back to the classroom and flung the door open once again.
"You know what Draco? The first time was okay but the second time? Really. What do you need?" Hermione asked while fixedly turning her back to him and writing notes on the board for her class.
"I need to speak with you." He said.
The whole class was now staring back and forth at the two professors.
"Not now Malfoy. I have a class to teach and according to the timetables of Gryffindor, you have one waiting yourself." She said coolly.
Draco wanted to say something more but decided against it. He apologized for his interruption and left the room.
He entered his classroom and saw that the Gryffindor first years were all congregating at the back wall of his classroom.
"Move." He barked and they separated.
Draco saw what they were staring at.
Millicent. She was unconscious.
That's why he had a nagging feeling that he forgot something.
He quickly performed the 'enervate' charm and she woke up.
He led her out and closed the door after them.
"Look Millicent, I know that you like me but unfortunately, I can not reciprocate your feelings. I… Love someone else." He told her.
She seemed to just stare at him as if he was mad.
"You're breaking up with me? But… we have only been together for…" she checked her watch. "10 minutes!"
"Actually, we were never together. You were attacking me and I tried to push you away?" he told her.
She sighed and held her head high. "Oh well. You're not worthy of me anyway. Daddy says you would go down ONE day and Draco, your last 26 hours has come!"
"Um… Millicent? A day is actually 24 hours. Not 26." He corrected her.
"Really? ... Wait… your just trying to confuse me! And I almost fell for it! Good day mister Malfoy." She spat angrily and stalked away.
Draco sighed and headed back to his classroom to teach the first years.
At the end of the day, Draco was actually starting to feel better. Maybe teaching wasn't so bad. A female student went up to him and thanked him for teaching her.
"Thank you. I never knew I could do that! I was always a klutz in this subject. Thank you." She smiled.
Draco felt good inside. Like he was actually doing some good.
He couldn't stop thinking of Hermione though. What was going through her mind then? Was she thinking of leaving again? What should he do?
It was already past midnight, the time Draco was able to return to his home on the grounds.
He stared at the fireplace and thought about his predicament.
Suddenly, the flames turned green and there was a whoosh of cloaks.
"Hey Draco. What's up? It's been a couple of weeks since I've seen you." Blaise greeted.
"Hey." Draco said tiredly.
"What's up with you? Did something happen…again?" Blaise asked.
"Well… sort of." Draco admitted.
"Tell your old buddy Blaise all about it." Blaise sat down by the armchair next to Draco.
Draco sighed and began his story. Starting with the first day he arrived.
A few hours later…
"So what should I do now?" Draco asked.
"Are you seriously asking me that?" Blaise smirked at his friend.
"Of course I am! If I wasn't then I wouldn't have asked it at all!" Draco said loudly.
"Whoa. Take a deep breath Draco." Blaise laughed.
Draco took a deep breath and instantly his frustration with his friend sort of… lapsed.
"Well, isn't it obvious what you should do?" Blaise asked.
"What should I do?" Draco asked desperately.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Love blinds right? Well okay. You should make a big grand gesture." Blaise smiled.
"A grand gesture?" he asked Blaise.
"Yeah. Like show her you're not going anywhere. Sounds to me she's afraid you'll leave her again. You bloody ass didn't hear the prophecy completely. That's why you left her at the end of the war and that's when she was hurt the most. And then you ditched her when she found out about the prophecy so she thought you didn't love her. Now she leaves, you follow and she doesn't want to get hurt again. Draco, face it. She's too hurt to see anything good right now that involves you. You have got to show here you're staying. And as of the Millicent thing? That is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard." Blaise laughed.
"It's not funny! When Hermione walked in she looked sad. I think she was jealous." Draco admitted.
"Whoa. Slow down there. Do not assume anything. It will only be your doom. Now forget about your stupid thing with Millicent and if Hermione wants to know she'll ask. Just give her time to gather her courage. It won't be long with her Gryffindor Heart and all. Now when she does ask, and then do the grand gesture so she would be sort of a little happy when you do something nice. You know, so she won't kill you." Blaise laughed.
Draco thought about it.
'Something for Hermione… Something that will tell her I'm here to stay… A grand gesture…'
Hermione POV
She was pushing back her tears.
How could Draco do that? Right after he told her he loved her? What was going on with Draco?
If only… She could have responded earlier. Maybe she would be able to stop him from replacing her.
Suddenly, someone knocked outside her classroom door.
"Yes?" she called.
"Is this the classroom of a Ms. Hermione Granger?" an unknown voice had replied back.
She became curious and went to open the door.
"Blaise!" she smiled.
She hugged him.
"What's been happening in the outside world?" she smiled.
They parted and he began telling her all about her friends and her family.
"Well, as far as I know, you parents are doing fine. Harry and Ginny are already about six months pregnant and Lavender and Ron are going out, and-" he cut himself off and she could see a blush coming on.
"What else?" she prodded.
"N-Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything more. That's it!" his cheeks burned red now.
"Uh huh. And since when have you ever been a good liar?" she smiled.
"Never." He shook his head in defeat.
"So c'mon. Spill."
"Iamdatingsomeonenew."
"What? I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that." She laughed.
"I'm dating someone new." He blushed.
"Really! Who? Congratulations!" she hugged him once more.
"It's Pansy." He admitted.
"Pansy! Really?" she said surprised.
"Yeah… We kind of went out for a couple of lunches… you know discussing.. Well… We were talking about something that actually doesn't involve us in any way, but well… I grew to like her…"
"So… when did you ask her out!" Hermione said excitedly.
"Well… We were sort of sitting in front of the fireplace when suddenly… I dunno… she kind of fell asleep? And well… I just… caught myself staring at her and… I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life." He smiled.
Hermione suddenly frowned.
"What? Did I say anything?" Blaise asked suddenly concerned.
"No… It's just that… I… well, you just… well, you kind of reminded me of something that happened to me before…" she trailed off…
She remembered the man who carried her to her room so long ago. Somehow she knew it was Draco. Deep in her heart, he was the one. But why did her have to ruin it!
"You just remembered Draco didn't you?" Blaise asked smugly. He was just glad the spotlight had turned it sights on someone else.
"Yeah." Hermione admitted.
"So why don't you tell your old buddy Blaise all about it?" he smiled.
"Well… Fine. But do not repeat anything I tell you, got it?" she threatened.
"Got it. I will tell every soul in the world." He looked at her sincerely.
"WHAT! I'LL CURSE YOU TO OBLIVION!" she half shouted… okay… maybe shouted.
"Just joking Hermione. Take a breather." He laughed.
"Okay. I'm sorry. It's just… I just… well, it's been a very hectic year." She smiled apologetically.
"It's fine. Now, tell your old buddy Blaise about it."
"You do know we are not 'Old buddies'. We just met a little over a year ago." She told him.
"Well, yeah. It's just a saying. Anyway, Spill."
"Well…"
After a few hours ranting, Hermione finally finished her story.
"Uh huh." Blaise sighed.
"What do you mean, 'Uh huh'? I just spilled out my guts to you!" Hermione said shrilly.
"Yeah! I know! You have GOT to learn to relax." He laughed.
"So… what do you think of what's happening?" Hermione asked.
"Well… Do you want me to lie?"
"Of course not!"
"Well, remember when you told him he was being selfish?"
"Yeah."
"You were kind of being the selfish one."
"WHAT!"
"You asked me not to lie."
"I know. But, what!"
"It just seems to me that you didn't want to get hurt. YOU didn't want to stay with him. It was YOU who broke up with him because YOU couldn't take it anymore." Blaise said truthfully.
"But…"
"Do you think otherwise?"
"Yes! Of course! I mean-"
"Think about it Hermione."
"But-"
"Think about it."
Hermione remained silent.
"You're right." She said quietly.
"What?"
"You're right."
"Now that wasn't so hard was it? All you have to do now is-"
"What?" Hermione interrupted. "Tell Draco? No way! Besides, he's forgotten all about me now. Not with… that woman he was with." She said hotly.
"Wait… Are you… Jealous?"
"No way!"
"I can hear a lot of denials coming from you Hermione."
"But! Fine. I'm Jealous okay! I am over the top Jealous of that woman he was with! I was coming to tell him I still loved him and I was sorry but no! She had to be there." She cried, the tears finally coming out.
"Hermione… Ssh… It's okay. Just let it all out." He said coming over and comforting her.
"But… he… it's… just… so… hard!" she cried.
"I know. I know."
"But… what now? I can't hide forever!"
"No. You can't."
"Than what do I do?"
"Well, first of all, the Hermione Granger I know wouldn't want to get told what to do by me. Second, listen to your heart Hermione. It doesn't matter what happens. At least you know you tried. You can't keep living your life knowing you didn't even try."
"I know."
"Then you do know what you're supposed to do now right?"
"Talk to Draco."
"You've got it."
Blaise said his good-bye's and left Hermione.
She was so nervous. She would definitely talk to Draco about everything.
She went to bed that night with nothing but Great expectations and beautiful dreams of what could happen the next day.
She awoke to a perfect day.
The birds were singing, the temperature was a little more like home and she could feel a rush of energy in every fingertip.
She quickly got ready. She had to find him.
She quickly put on her cloak and headed towards the school.
She rushed to his classroom. It was the first day of break. All the students were sent home for a special family holiday.
She knocked on his door.
There wasn't any answer.
"Hello? Draco?" she called and opened the door slowly.
And as suddenly as lightning strikes land, he was right there. Inches away form her.
It was as if the birds stopped singing, the bee's stopped buzzing and everything was watching… waiting for what would happen next… when…
Authors Note:
Ha-ha! Such a cliff hanger! Just kidding. On with the story!
Continuation…
Draco kissed Hermione. She was filled with happiness but before she could respond…
He broke away.
"I am so sorry…"
"No it-"
"I'm… urgh.. it should have never happened!" Draco told himself more than Hermione.
"What!"
"it was a mistake." He said mumbling to himself.
Hermione noticed he wasn't even looking at her and it only hurt her even more.
She turned around as fast as she could and left. She looked back and saw that Draco was still talking to himself. He didn't even notice her leave!
She looked at him one last time with watery eyes.
Authors Note:
I know. Another stupid bump in the way for them to be together. Why did Draco do it! Why!
Oh well. Better read the next chapter. It will be sure to be… well, ill do my best!