Love Takes Courage: A Dramione Fanfic
Chapter 3: Flowers and Kisses
Hermione's POV
Pretending that I hated Draco Malfoy was both much easier and much harder that I could have ever expected it to be.
I felt every insult hit me like a blow. Had he always insulted us this much, or was he making a special effort for some reason? It was difficult to feign my usual nonchalance while I felt like I was breaking to pieces.
I must have been a better actress than I thought, because Harry and Ron didn't seem to notice a change in my behavior. At least at first. They noticed when I started having a little more trouble paying attention in class, getting my homework done. They'd catch me staring out the window lost in thought with my Arithmancy homework spread out in front of me. If it were anyone else, I'm sure they wouldn't have payed it any attention. But it was me.
"Hermione, is something wrong?" Harry asked. To be perfectly honest, I was a little surprised that they had stopped talking about "guy things" long enough to actually notice that anything else was going on around them. Ron was standing behind him, his face a perfect imitation of Harry's worried expression.
I forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I must have stayed up too late studying last night."
Ron looked at me incredulously. "Hermione, you turned in early last night!"
"Oh, yes. Well, I couldn't sleep, and so I got out my Charms and studied some more."
"We didn't have Charms homework last night, Hermione." Harry looked more concerned than ever.
"We didn't? Well, then, it must have been History of Magic. Goodness, if I'm forgetting what I was studying, I must be tired. I'm going to bed, then. Good night!" I rushed away, eager to escape their confused and worried questions. As I left, I heard Ron ask Harry, "Wha'd'ya suppose is really bothering her?"
I rushed up to my dormitory, set my books down on my nightstand, and fell down onto my bed. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.
Suddenly, I was sitting in a field with Draco Malfoy. He plucked a blue flower and offered it to me with a smile. It was a genuine smile, completely the same and totally different from his ever-present smirk. I took it and twirled it on its stem, smiling back. Then, we leaned toward each other and our lips met.
"Hermione?"
I awoke with a start, the dream still lingering in my mind. I looked up to see Ginny leaning over me. When she saw my eyes open, she stepped back.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"Don't worry about it." I was still groggy from my nap. I sat up. "Did you want something?"
"Well..." she hesitated. "Ron and Harry seem to think that there's something up with you. They're worried." She studied my face closely. "I asked them why, but they were really vague about it. They said you wouldn't tell them anything. Said you were all evasive when they asked."
"Did they?"
"Hermione, you know you can tell me anything. Is something wrong?"
"No. Nothing's wrong." She still studied my face, skeptical. "Honestly, Ginny. There is nothing wrong with me."
"Well, is something bothering you then?" she pressed.
"I don't know if bothering is the right word..." I muttered. She was instantly at the alert. "Look, Ginny, I just have a lot of thoughts to sort through. I'm sure that when I get through them all, I'll be back to normal."
She leaned forward and hugged me. "Well, then, I hope you sort through them soon."
"Me too," I whispered.
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A/N: Ok, so, i know this is short, but whatever. Hermione again. I think i used to have other ideas for this chapter, but i forgot them all. anyway, i thought i had made anyone who was waiting wait long enough, so i sat down and made myself write. almost everything you see was just created tonight. so i'm sorry if it's utter crap.
hope it is even remotely good. and sorry for the misleading chapter title, i couldn't come up with anything.