Hello! I know it has been a very long time since my last update. I'm having major exams, you see! The exams are still going on, but I decided to update a chapter.. because everybody is asking for one… and I just want to say that the story will have an ending!!! I'm not stopping.
Thanks guys for all the support!!! Hope you like this chapter… which is really very different from the rest… it's very segmented… and doesn't feel complete. It's sort of like a beginning of MANY things to come.
^_^
Chapter 20: Dancing in Punch
"God."
When I heard that voice, I immediately knew one thing.
I was dead.
I pulled away from Draco quickly, and turned to the owner of the voice.
Still, I was wishing… he wasn't who I thought he would be.
He was.
Harry stared at me with utter disbelief. My heart ached when I saw in his eyes… that look… that look of total betrayal.
"Tell me I didn't see what I saw," Harry said, standing far away from Draco and me.
Harry's face was hard.
I was scared. I didn't know what to do.
Harry wasn't supposed to be here! He was supposed to meet me at the Great Hall.
"Tell me and I will box Malfoy for you," Harry said, stressing on the word Malfoy.
"Harry, I'm… sorry," I said, "I didn't want you to know it… like this."
"You… want to box me?" Malfoy smirked.
Harry started moving towards us, clenching his fist.
I immediately stood in front of Malfoy. "Stop it! Stop it! I'm not going to see the both of you fight. This is stupid."
Harry looked at me disgustedly, "You want to know what's stupid? Stupid is coming here to pick up your dance date, who so happens to be your best friend, and to see her kissing the guy that she supposedly hated so much."
"Hermione, you lied to me."
I nodded my head, "Yes I did."
"But…" I said in a helpless tone, "What did you expect me to say?"
"It's not your fault. It's Malfoy's fault," Harry said angrily, and started charging towards Malfoy again.
Malfoy started to crack his knuckles in anticipation.
"All I ever wanted was to be with you… and be with Malfoy… and be with Ron… and hurt nobody," I said, a tear trickled down my cheek.
"I thought I knew you," Harry said, with a touch of reproach and sadness in his voice.
Harry gave me a last look then turned away. "Turns out, I never did."
I wanted to chase after Harry, but Malfoy stopped me.
And so did Harry's words.
I, Hermione Granger, have single-handedly created a disaster.
Draco looked at me, "You could have pretended it was a mistake."
"And watch you and Harry fight?" I asked.
"Plus you and I, that's not a mistake. It's just… a… impossibility." I sighed. "Harry hates me now. Could there be a better start to the dance?"
"We still have Ron," Draco said in half-jest.
For a moment, I just looked at Draco. "What would you have done if it was Crabbe or Goyle?"
"Would you have pretended it was a mistake?" I asked.
"I would have taken it as a sign," Draco said.
"A sign?" I asked, confused.
"A sign that my death is near," Draco smiled.
"Liar, you would have dumped me on the spot," I shook my head.
"How can you be so sure of that?" Draco asked.
"Because that's just your way of doing things. I probably wouldn't even feel angry. Because that's just what I expect you to do." I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"My, you have very high expectations of me, don't you?" Draco said, shaking his head.
"No, I just have low expectations of us," I said.
I looked at Hermione, for a moment I was unable to tell what she was thinking or feeling.
"So what do you expect of us?" I asked, half in jest yet half serious.
"Well, I certainly don't see marriage or children." Hermione laughed.
"How do you think we will break up?" I asked, "Did you even think of that before?"
Hermione's eyes held a vague expression. "Well, yes, I did think of it before. I was wondering whether I should dump you first or be dumped. Being dumped by you, must be the most humiliating thing in the world. It would be a sort of scar on me; I would never dare show to anybody."
"God, if I was dumped by you. I would probably be disowned by my father if news leaked out," I laughed.
"A very appealing thought I must add, but in the end I felt that it would be a mutual thing," Hermione said, nodding her head. "It's like we will know when the time comes."
"You are making our relationship sound like a psychic," I said, shaking my head.
"Well it has certainly done wonders for my friendships," Hermione said wryly.
"Would you like me to talk to Harry?" I asked, amused by the idea.
Hermione looked at me half in horror. "With your knuckles?"
"I was thinking of using the less effective but more civilized way, of yes, talking," I said, rolling my eyes.
"He won't even talk to me, what makes you think he will talk to you?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes back at me.
"Well, male ego?" I guessed.
"I'm letting him cool off first… Harry will come around… he… has to!" Hermione said with not much conviction.
"So are we still going to the dance, lady? With our clothes ready and all…" I asked Hermione, "Since you do look presentable for once…"
Hermione clucked her tongue at me, "How can I say no? When you make it sound so romantic."
I laughed as Hermione and I walked to the Great Hall.
But I had that strange feeling….
That feeling that perhaps the end was, indeed, near.
"Hey, Seamus! Do you know where Ron is?" Harry asked, looking rather agitated.
"Harry! You look mad! What's gotten into you?" Seamus said, looking at Harry's beetroot red face.
"Nothing really…" Harry said, in an uncomfortable manner, "Have you seen Ron? I have something to tell him."
"Ron?" Seamus frowned. "Nope, not at all! Which is weird, since he promised to introduce his girlfriend, Alena to me."
Harry frowned then said, "Thank anyway, Seamus."
With that, his disappeared into the mass of people dancing.
Hermione panicked at the very last moment, just as we were about to step into the Great Hall. "What if Harry is inside there?"
"Well, then he would hopefully be happily dancing," I said sarcastically, "Just as we should be."
"You don't see how bad this could be, don't you?" Hermione sighed. "Once we go in, people will surely start to well… sense something."
"Really? Then they must have better sensors than I do, since I don't sense at all… any feelings from you." I said.
Hermione stared at me, "Don't you care? I thought you would care about your reputation… I was only thinking about you."
"Seriously, Herms, I don't. Everybody is probably too high to notice anyway. But right now, I just feel that I don't care. Maybe I want people to know that I like you," I said.
"Are you drunk?" Hermione said, staring closer at my eyes.
"I'm sober, Hermione. If I was drunk, I would be puking on you right now," I said, sighing.
"Was that you being romantic just now?" Hermione said, unbelievably. "I don't believe this."
"It must be the rented tuxedo," I said, pulling at the tuxedo collar. "I told you to let me wear my own."
Hermione smiled, "That was sweet. Honest, it was. But you are going to regret it when people finds out about us."
"Really?" I said with a malicious smile.
Suddenly, I had the curiosity to find out.
"Yes," Hermione said, "Are you sure you are able to live without a fan base?"
She laughed.
I poked her on the nose, "There's only one thing I can't live without… and I'm poking it right now."
Hermione blinked, probably shocked again by what I just said.
It must be the air or something… I was saying things that my normal IQ would never allow.
But whatever… today was the dance…
"I… need punch," Hermione said.
"Yes, yes, I need punch," Hermione repeated herself and quickly entered the Great Hall.
Not looking at me for an instance.
I laughed as I followed behind her, "Get one for me too, dear."
Hermione quickened her steps.
"Coco, what are you doing?" Pansy said, as she watch Coco take out a satchel from her purse.
"I'm going to drug Draco," Coco said nonchalantly as if she just said she was going to go powder her nose.
"That's insane," Pansy said and tried to grab the satchel Coco was holding.
"Perhaps, but it's fun," Coco said, looking back at the buffet table. "There he is, with that brown mouse."
"Granger?" Pansy asked, scrunching her nose. "I don't like that girl."
Coco nodded her head, "She probably did something to get stuck with Draco. That cunning minx!"
Pansy looked a little interested in the satchel Coco was holding now, "So how are you going to drug Draco?"
Coco smiled, "Easy. Just pour this in his drink. Then voila, his drugged."
Pansy frowned, "I don't think it's that easy to drug Draco's drink. Besides, what are you going to do with Draco? His stuck 3m from that granger girl remember?"
Coco smiled, "I have thought of that."
Pansy's eyes widened, "Oh really?"
"Yes, you see somebody told me how to break the spell that is holding Draco and Hermione together," Coco smiled proudly. "It was used for another pair of students a long time ago too."
Coco bent down and whispered into Pansy's ear.
Pansy's eyes widened even more. "My, that's brilliant!"
"Want to help?" Coco smiled wickedly, "I shall let you have Draco too."
Pansy smiled, pleased. "Just tell me what to do."
