After the previous day's accident, Hagrid was overly cautious during their second Care of Magical Creatures lesson. "None 'er the rest 'er yers is gonna get hurt on my watch." He mumbled to himself as he sat one large crate of pigmy puffs in front of each of the students. "This lot got 'emselves lost in the forbidden forest last week." Hagrid explained. "By chance, Fang and I happened upon 'em. They improve a lil bit each day, but most 'er 'em still have a nasty cough. Yer job is to give 'em their serum." The four eighth years spent the next two hours silently administering the medicine to the seemingly endless pile of furry balls.
"If I never see another pigmy puff again, it will be too soon." Ron grumbled to Harry and Hermione as they made their way back to the castle.
"It wasn't that bad." Hermione chimed, only to be greeted with annoyed looks from her two friends. "Well, it could have been much worse." She used the tone that had earned her her teacher's pet reputation back in their first year. "I for one was happy to be dealing with something that wouldn't try to eat me if I accidentally startled it." The boys looks turned guilty as they remembered her near death brush with Quill.
"You're right, Hermione." Harry smiled. "Pigmy puffs are far preferable to Hagrid's usual creatures of choice."
"They're better than giant squid or three-headed dogs, but that doesn't mean non life-threatening... if I have to spend another class squirting serum down their fluffy little throats, I might die of boredom. Seriously, the sooner I get out of this place, the better."
Hermione, of course, knew of Ron's plans, but this revelation took Harry by surprise. "What is that supposed to mean, Ron?" He questioned.
Ron shot an excited glance at Hermione as he responded. "Just that Hermione is going to send an owl to Viktor letting him know I am interested in trying out for the Romanian Quidditch team. Depending on how long it takes him to respond, I might be out of here by tomorrow."
Harry was about to question him further, but Hermione cut him off. "That reminds me, I better head to the owlery. You two obviously have some things to discuss. I'll meet you back at the cottage for dinner."
The long walk to the owlery gave Hermione her first extended amount of alone time that day, and despite her best efforts, she found her mind wandering to a certain blonde and the scene she put on for him that morning in Potions. "What were you thinking, pushing the limits of your self-control like that? You almost initiated a kiss with him! And not an accidental kiss like in the hospital wing, but a real one full of desire and longing. You are still with Ron. Yes, you've decided to end things with him, but until you do, you CANNOT put yourself in a position like that again, because I don't think you can stop yourself again. You must stay away from him, at least until you can break it off with Ron."
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice she'd made it to the owlery until a tawny brown and white owl swooped past her head nearly knocking into her. The owl was chirping loudly, obviously too excited to reach its owner and deliver its message to even notice her. She wound her way up the steps to where the owl had disappeared, and found it perched on the shoulder of the person she had just vowed to avoid at all costs. His back was to her, so she debated simply backing away, but where would she go? She still needed to send the message to Viktor, and she wasn't too keen on the idea of hiding out in the bushes waiting for him to leave. It was the owl who made the decision for her, however, when it fluttered off Draco's shoulder and onto her own.
Draco whirled around, following the flight of his only remaining friend. The owl was not at all shy about making herself comfortable on the startled Gryffindor's shoulder, flapping her wings and shaking her tail continuously until finding a position that suited her before bowing her head for a nap.
"She doesn't usually take so kindly to strangers." Draco's voice was soft and far too seductive for Hermione's liking at the moment. He closed the space between them with one stride. "There is obviously something special about you." Hermione's heart began racing and her breath caught in her throat, as he leaned down to her. "Don't move." He whispered.
She closed her eyes hoping when she opened them this encounter would have just been a daydream, but then she felt his hand brush against the small of her back. He applied gentle pressure as he slid it upward to where the owl was now sound asleep. She was sure he could feel her heart pounding out of her chest, but there was nothing she could do to hide it or stop it. As his fingers touched the back of it's talons, her shoulder was immediately released and the bird instinctively stepped back onto Draco's waiting hand. He took several steps back, and Hermione was once again able to breathe.
Draco stroked the sleeping owl's feathers with a gentleness Hermione would have sworn him incapable of just a few months prior. She was unprepared for his piercing gray eyes to connect with hers, and once again her chest became tight as she struggled to catch her breath. She forced herself to look away before eyes her could betray the desire burning inside her. Her gaze settled on the slightly snoring heap of brown feathers.
It was either stand in awkward silence or make small talk, so she opted for small talk. "She's beautiful. What's her name?"
"Alia." His eyes never left her face which was growing redder by the minute.
"Alia." Hermione repeated softly. "How long have you had her?" She couldn't stop her eyes from darting to his.
"She was a gift I received for my eleventh birthday." Draco's voice cracked slightly as he answered. "A gift from Severus."
Hermione was taken aback at the sound of Snape's given name, and the affection with which Draco had said it. "Oh." She remembered the last moments she spent with the former Potions' Master, the ones in which he took his last breaths. She had never before thought of how unfair it was for him to die in the presence of those who viewed him as a traitor rather than with those who cared about him, as Draco obviously did. She uncomfortably dropped her eyes to her feet.
Draco saw an opportunity to come clean with her, to tell her about his true relationship with his godfather, but his better judgement held his tongue. Things must be taken much slower from now on, so there was not another loss of control that resulted in her distancing herself once again. He chose to proceed in a much more casual direction. "So what brings you out here to the owlery?" His choice was a prudent one as he felt her mood brighten, obviously she was relieved to be back to small talk.
Her eyes twinkled as she responded. "I need to send an owl to Viktor Krum."
The mention of the Romanian seeker caught Draco by surprise, and his body unconsciously tensed up. Of course, he knew of the history between the two of them, and admittedly he was still quite jealous that Viktor had been the one to take Hermione to the Yule Ball and receive her first real kiss. He tried to keep his feelings hidden by clearing his throat before he commented. "Viktor Krum?... You two are still in touch?"
Hermione couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard a touch of anxiety in his question. The idea made her smirk involuntarily. "Yes. We are still friends." She didn't know why she needed to add the classifier, but she was glad she did as Draco relaxed his posture upon hearing it. "I'm writing him about Ron actually." Again, she had managed to catch Draco of guard. (What could she possibly need to tell Viktor about Ron? He thought.) The confusion was evident across his face as she continued. "You see, Professor McGonagall told Ron and Harry that they would not be permitted to play Quidditch this year, and Ron doesn't want to put up with all the class work if Quidditch is off the table. I mentioned to him that the Romanian team might be in the market for a new keeper. I told him I would owl Viktor to let him know Ron is interested in trying out."
A mix of relief and excitement briefly washed over Draco's face. Weasley was leaving. Of course that made him happy, because he was the one most reluctant to accept that Draco had changed, but what did that mean for his relationship with Hermione? "Well, I hope that works out for him, but where does that leave the two of you?"
It was Hermione's turn to be surprised. Why did Draco care about her relationship with Ron? She couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude, however, that at least one person had thought of her feelings first. "He hasn't even mentioned it actually, but that doesn't matter because I've known for a while that we want different things."
(WHAT?! What is she saying right now? That sounds like they are done, or at least on the ropes.) He tried to contain the glee he was feeling by keeping his voice slow and steady. "Well, it sounds like you two have got some things to figure out. I hope it works out for the both of you. I best let you get to sending that owl." With that, Draco stepped past her and began down the stairs, a beaming smile bursting from his lips as soon as his face was away from her.
"Draco..." She spoke softly, half-hoping he wouldn't hear her, but his ears were so trained to her voice that that wasn't even a possibility.
He straightened his face as he glanced back over his shoulder. "Yes?"
"I just wanted you to know that I've enjoyed these past couple days being on good terms with you. I'm glad you came back this year." She smiled sincerely, and his heart nearly burst.
"Me too, Hermione." He agreed before descending the remainder of the staircase.
When Hermione usually corresponded with Viktor, her letters were long and detailed. Although they were no longer a couple, he was still genuinely interested in everything that was happening in her life. But the note she sent to him regarding Ron was short and to the point.
Viktor,
Ron is interested in filling the keeper position on your team. Please get back to me as soon as possible.
~Hermione
She tied the note to a large black owl, one that looked strong enough to make the trip to and from Romania without a lot of stops, and watched it soar off into the sunset. The sky was a beautiful mix of blue and pink and orange, and she was completely mesmerized. She watched until the sun had sunk completely beneath the horizon. A cool breeze rolled off the black lake, causing her to shiver. She pulled her cloak tightly around her, and hurried back to the castle.
She found Ron and Harry in the cottage sitting room. She casually scanned the room for any sign Draco might be there, and felt her insides flutter when she spotted his school bag perched on the coffee table under the landing.
"Hey Hermione." Ron jumped up to greet her. Harry shot her an aggravated look from the couch, which she easily understood when Ron continued. "Harry and I were just discussing how much better life will be when we get out of this place. Too bad for him, Ginny's got him on such a short leash that he has to finish out the year, or he could join me."
Ron had always enjoyed a Ron-focused point-of-view, but the recognition in the months since the final battle had driven it to a whole new level. Harry and Hermione had done their best to put up with it since he is their best friend, but his arrogance in that moment was too much for Hermione to take. "Ron, we need to talk." She grabbed his hand and pulled him through the portal before she lost her nerve. They ended up in the first place Hermione could think of... the Potions' classroom. She wanted to believe that was because her brain simply defaulted to a familiar location, but she knew it was because the dangerously seductive event with Malfoy this morning was still on her mind.
"What the hell, Hermione?" Ron obviously had no clue what had sparked such behavior from her.
She paced in front of him, trying to gather herself for what she needed to do.
"You're kind of freaking me out. Could you please tell me what is going on?" Ron was starting to panic.
"Ron, I've been doing a lot of thinking..." Although she was sure it was what she needed to do, tears licked at the corners of her eyes. The first ones rolled down her cheeks as she faced her best friend.
Ron moved toward her, attempting to wrap her in his arms, but she placed her hand on his chest and shook her head. "Hermione... what is going on?" His voice was desperate.
"For so many years, I waited for you. I loved you, and I think you loved me all that time too, but we just never got on the same page." He tried to speak, but she held up her hand indicating he needed to let her finish. "We were never on the same page until our lives were on the line last year. I should have known then, that if it took literally being at war for us to finally get together, then it wasn't meant to be, but I had waited for so long that I thought we had to at least give us a chance. And I have been. Believe me, Ron, I have been giving it chance after chance after chance, but I always find myself back at the same conclusion. You and I... we are better as friends. I love you, I really do, but its not the kind of love that a lasting relationship can be built upon. Yeah, its enough to have a bit of fun, but its not enough to ever lead to marriage." The tears were coming faster and stronger, and Ron kept trying to cut in, but she forced herself to go on. "I've realized we simply want different things. You enjoy the spotlight. I would even go so far to say you need it. But I can't stand to have my life splattered across the front page of the Daily Prophet. I'm a private person. I don't want photos of myself kissing you or anyone out there for people to see, but you don't seem bothered by that at all." She could tell he was becoming agitated, so she quickly finished. "I want you know that this has nothing to do with how I feel about you as my best friend. I still consider you to be that, but that is all it can ever be."
Ron exploded when it was his turn to speak. "I don't know where any of this is coming from. I thought we were happy! At least I know I have been happy! I did love you all that time. I was just too stupid and afraid to tell you. And now when I am finally about to have everything I've ever wanted, you drop this on me!" He was yelling loud enough for anyone walking by to hear, but thankfully no one had any reason to be near the Potions' room at that time of day.
The fact that he was still making it all about him infuriated Hermione, and she fired back at him with just as much vigor, "Really, Ronald! Can you even hear how self-centered you're being? When YOU are finally about to have everything YOU'VE ever wanted... What about me, HUH? Where do I fit into your plans other than as another box to mark off? Have you ever once considered my feelings?"
"I consider your feelings all the time! Like when I agreed to come back here, or when I went with you to Australia to find your parents. I could have been training this whole time, and probably wouldn't have lost out the Cannons' spot to that prat Cormac, but I chose to be with you."
"Wow. Even when you try to make it about me, it ends up being about you." The tears of sadness had ceased and they were replaced with sheer anger. "I'm in the middle of breaking up with you and all you can think about is that damn spot on the Cannons."
"Oh, I'm sorry for thinking about the future. Did it ever occur to you, that maybe I was so focused on playing professional Quidditch because that's the only chance I have at making a decent living? I've lived with hand-me-downs my entire life. My parents have always struggled to provide for our family. Before you got on that high-horse, did you stop to look at things from where I stood?" It was his turn to let the tears flow; his anger draining into vulnerability.
She hadn't expected anything like that to come out of his mouth. In all honesty, she had never thought about it that way. But his obsession with Quidditch was just one piece of a larger puzzle, and it wasn't even the biggest one. The words didn't change her mind about them being together, but they did soften the delivery. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, before she walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He embraced her also, resting his cheek on the top of her head. She squeezed him tightly, before gently answering. "I had never thought of it that way. I know it was hard for you growing up, but you can't think that having money will mean a better life." She wanted to add, look at Draco, but knew bringing their new housemate into it would not help the situation. "A good life isn't about what you have, its about who you spend it with, and I know that you think you'd be happy with me, but you wouldn't be as happy as you can be. I don't want you to wake up some morning a year from now, and feel trapped, and I certainly don't want to feel that way myself."
He pulled away from her just enough to look down into her eyes. "I love you, Hermione, and I don't understand this, but I won't fight you on it."
