Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter.
Whisper
Chapter Three
I sat with Harry, Ginny, and Brian in the Three Broomsticks. Talk was casual, all of us still getting to know Brian more. And each time I learned something from him, it only made me like him more.
"And your parents?" Harry was asking, staring intensly at him.
"Ah, my parents. My mother was a muggle, while my father was a pureblood. Turns out, I inherited his genes. He was upset because he thought I wouldn't be capable of magical powers, but as soon as I turned eleven, we recieved an owl. Of course, my dad was jumping for joy. And since I got that letter, I've been doing the best that I can at what I do," he said, smiling.
"And what is it that you do, exactly?" Ginny asked.
"Well... that's difficult to explain, and I don't really want to go into detail..." he said, his smile fading slightly.
"No offense, Brian, but that does sound a little suspicious," Harry said, cocking an eyebrow.
He chuckled. "Yeah, I know it does. But you can trust me. I've never been involved with anything Dark in my life, and have never planned on it."
Harry just nodded, but I knew he still didn't trust him that well. I looked at Brian, who was still smiling. I admired Brian for unexplained reasons, but something inside me made me feel really good about him.
Casual talk floated around the table now, somebody keeping the conversation going all the time.
"Your drinks," said a waiter. I looked up and gasped. It was Draco, one of his smirks on his face.
XXX
I snuck up behind the counter, and took Hermione's table's drinks. She was in for a surprise. I didn't care if she was with Urie, either.
"Your drinks," I said, staring at her, as I sat them on the table.
"Bloody hell!" Harry whispered, gaping at me.
Little Weasley looked worriedly at Hermione, who was looking right back at me.
I grabbed Hermione's arm, and lead her off to the side. She didn't resist.
We stood in akward silence for what seemed like ages, before I broke the silence.
"Hi," I said simply, giving her a genuine smile. She didn't smile back. Damn. She didn't say anything, so I tried again. "I'm... erm.. back."
"I can see that, Malfoy," she said quietly.
I cleared my throat, avoiding her gaze. No telling what kind of questions where in her head right now. I looked at her, waiting for her to say something else.
"You sent me that note, didn't you? With the rose?" she asked, fully aware it was me.
I smirked. "Of course I did. I wanted you to know that I came back," I said, looking her in the eyes. They didn't have the usual sparkle in them. They were full of confusion and exhaustion. "I knew once you saw me in that club, that you'd know I was back anyway, knowing how smart you are."
"Why did you leave after I fainted?" she asked, putting her hand on her hip.
"I wasn't ready to talk to you then."
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Why are you here, Draco?"
"I came back for you," I said slowly. I had indeed come back for her. The only thing on my mind was her, the entire time I was gone. I knew I had to come back for her. She was my other half, and I can't live without her.
I saw her eyes shine with tears. She clicked her tongue, crossing her arms across her chest. She looked at me, then rolled her eyes again. "So, you expect me to come back to you after what, four, five years? You didn't contact me at all, I had no idea where you were, nothing, and then you just show up."
"I didn't say I expected you to come back to me, Hermione-"
"Yes you did. Or you wouldn't have told me you came back for me."
I started to argue, but I closed my mouth. She was right. I had expected her to come back to me, even though we broke up after everything with Sam. We were still in love, and I knew she regretted what she did.
"In fact, if I remember, we broke up before you left. You know, after you cheated on me? With Sam?"
"Yes, I remember, but I know you didn't mean it. I know you didn't, 'Mione."
"How do you know? You cheated on me, Draco! Do you know how much it hurt me when I saw you wrapped in another women's arms? Did you think about me at all?"
"Of course I thought of you, Hermione. I came after you, didn't I? I wanted to tell you everything. I wanted to tell you what happened, but you wouldn't listen to me," I said, my temper rising. "After everything we went through togethe, you didn't even trust me a little bit?"
"I trusted you, Draco, you know that, or I wouldn't of stayed with you. But you were going at it with her, I saw you, with my own eyes! You didn't push her off or anything! Nothing. You just kept sucking face with her, without even thinking about it."
"I was thinking about you the entire time, Hermione! That's why I came to find you, because I wanted you to know."
She rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Where have you been, Draco?"
XXX
I stared at him, waiting for an answer. He shrugged.
"That doesn't tell me anything, Draco!" I said, glaring at him. "Do you have any idea how hurt I was when you left? When I receieved that owl from you? It felt like my heart broke in two, Draco," The tears threatening to fall from my eyes, poured freely down my face now. "You left me there, Draco. I knew I had overreacted. I loved you too much. I couldn't stand to be without you. And after that one note, you never contact me again."
"What was I supposed to do? You broke my heart too, Hermione! Did you know that? You broke it!" He said, his voice cracking.
"You could've stayed, Malfoy! You could've stayed instead of running away, running away from everything! After you left, I couldn't stay in a relationship for anything. Everytime I was with somebody, all I thought about was you! I'd completely given up on ever finding someone ever again, all because of you. You hurt me, Draco, you hurt me."
He avoided my gaze, his eyes glistening. "I didn't run away from anything, Granger!"
"Then what would you call it?"
"I-I-well-it wasn't running away!" he said, waving his hands around. "I don't run away from anything, Hermione! I stay and try to work through everything."
"Then explain the note. Explain it. 'I had to leave,' that's what you said. Why, because I broke up with you, or something else?"
He shrugged again.
I growled in frustration. "You're not helping yourself, Draco! Not one bit."
My tears were gone, my sadness was gone, and all I felt now was anger.
"You won't explain anything to me, Draco. Nothing. I loved you with everything I have, and you don't think you owe me an explination? After everything?"
He didn't say anything for a minute. He turned away from me, then looked back up at me. "Do you still love me?"
The question shocked me for a moment. I had asked him for an explination, but instead he asked me another question. One that I wasn't prepared to answer. I hated him. I hated him for cheating on me, I hated him for not contacting me for five years, and most of all I hated him because he left me.
Yes I love you, Draco.
"No."
In my mind I uttered the words, but my mouth didn't seem to cooperate with me. He looked up at me, his eyes threatning tears. I'd never thought that I'd see him in this emotional state. He looked so sad, and part of me wanted to reach out and comfort him.
"I-I moved on, Draco. My love for you is gone," I said, my voice giving away that I was lying.
"Yes you do, don't lie to me, Hermione," he whispered, stepping closer to me.
I could feel his warm breath on my face. His hand reached up and touched the side of my face. I could feel my knees grow weak from his touch. I looked up at him, and placed my hand on his.
"No, you're wrong, Draco," I whispered, closing my eyes, droplets of tears decorating my eyelashes. I opened them again. "I don't love you anymore."
I removed his hand from my face, and placed it at his side. I bit my lip and looked up at him. A tear fell down his face, as he closed his eyes, as if wishing all of this was an illusion. When he opened his eyes again, I was gone.
XXX
"Are you okay, Hermione?" Brian had followed me outside. I was sitting at one of the tables outside the ice cream shoppe.
I looked up at me, and smiled. "I'm fine, Brian."
"What's wrong?"
I fiddled with my fingers, looking at them. I saw the silver ring on my finger, that I hadn't taken off since he'd left. My chin quivered, and I broke down infront of him. I sobbed into his shoulder as I told him everything about me and Draco. I told him we were together in school, about when he left, and the conversation we just had.
He hugged me to him, stroking my hair. My head rested on his chest. I felt his chest rise and fall as we sat there together.
We sat there until I had stopped crying. I sat up, and looked at him. He was smiling. He wiped the tears from my face with his thumbs, and kissed me softly on the lips.
"Look, there is this thing I have to go to next week, and I was wondering if you would go with me," he said, as he dropped his hands, holding one of mine. "As my date."
I smiled at him. "Of course I will, Brian. What's it for?"
"Just an annual thing that I go to every year. And, every year I don't have a date, and this year, I would like you to be mine."
I laughed. "What should I wear?"
"Well, it's really kind of formal, so you know, really formal clothes," he laughed. "You know, guys might where tuxes sort of thing."
"Oh, sure, that can be arranged."
"It's on a Saturday, so make sure you clear your schedule," he stood up, and offered a hand. "Are you ready to go back?"
I took his hand, and nodded. We held hands all the way back to the Three Broomsticks.
XXX
"Why is it everytime I walk into our flat, that you always have some sort of alcoholic drink in your hand?" Blaise asked, as he sat down in the chair.
I had my hand pressed on my temple, and in my other hand I held a bottle of Fire Whiskey. I took a drink before answering him. "You just walk in at the wrong time, Zabini."
"Did you talk to Granger?"
"Yes."
"Did it go well."
"No."
"Ah."
"I'm going to bed," I said, downing the rest of my drink.
I went to my room, slamming my door. I stripped down to my silk black boxers, and lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I flicked my hand, music floating through my room.
A subdued silence undisturbed by the sound of her breath.
So carefully, brush her hair back from her eyes
In steady sequence, one by one.
She slips away.
So close your eyes and sleep to dream.
I'm by your side.
No words to speak.
We'll set our course and make it through.
No matter how far I go my heart remains with you.
And I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
But it's clear to see the purpose of my exsistance Is laying here in front of me.
So close your eyes and sleep to dream.
I'm by your side.
No words to speak.
We'll set our course and make it through.
No matter how far I go
And if all else fails you can look up at the sky
Because it's the same one that shines above you and I.
And if all else fails you can close your eyes
And I'll be right beside you.
I'll be the one by your side.
So close your eyes and sleep to dream.
I'm by your side.
No words to speak.
We'll set our course and make it through.
No matter how far I go
No matter how much this hurts
I wanted you to know,
My heart remains with you.
I closed my eyes once, and then she was gone.
She never wanted to see me again. She doesn't love me.
Me, a born and raised Malfoy, had broken down, cried, and spilled out my feelings, and she had rejected me. I'm not used to not getting what I want. I went after her, and she left me alone. I was going to get her back.
XXX
"What the hell is your problem? You should be able to do this without any hesitation. The only reason I'm keeping you around is because of my precious brother," Gabrielle Helms said, her eyes flashing. "You know exactly what you have to do, and yet you screw it up?"
"I'm doing the best I can, Helms, can't you see that? Have patience, will you?"
Gabby growled in frustration. "I hate him. He ruined everything. It's his fault that my brother died. He deserves the same punishment, and with his death, you get something too."
"I know, I know. Just relax, will you? It will all come together in time, okay Gabby? Trust me."
"God, Malfoy, you were never one to trust," she said, glaring at him.
"I haven't been around that long, have I? Just trust me."
She narrowed her eyes. "Fine. If anything gets screwed up, the blood's on your hands. My brother trusted you enough to carry out all of his wishes, and only because of him I trust you."
"Fine. Whatever you wish. But it will all work out, don't worry about it."
She glared at Malfoy, and with a swish of her cloak, she left.
There you go guys. This is the worst chapter EVER. I am so sorry for making this chapter super boring, and super bad. But everyone has to have at least one bad chapter! I had to post this because it's setting it up for later chapters, so please forgiveth me...
I had been getting one or two reviews about how Draco should go after what he wants and quit playing cat and mouse games and everything, and all I have to say to that is.. have patience! Do you think that I don't know my Draco? Of course I do! If you just bear with me through the horrible chapters, you will have the together... maybe :P
Anyway, review review! Any comments will do! Toodles!