Chapter 19
"Hey Ginny," greeted Hermione somberly as she stepped out of the fireplace.
"Hey," she said as she gave her a hug, "Are you doing ok?"
"I'm fine. This will just take time. At least everything is over for good now and I can just move on without any regrets or questions," said Hermione.
"Yeah that's really important," said Ginny.
An owl flew in and dropped a magazine into Ginny's hands. Ginny's eyes grew wide at the cover.
"Well speaking of moving on…" she said and lifted it up for Hermione to see.
Hermione's eyes grew wide in shock.
"Care to explain this?" asked Ginny with a smirk.
"This was completely taken out of proportion!" yelled Hermione. She made an attempt to take it out of Ginny's hands but she was too quick.
On the cover was a picture of Draco holding Hermione while they waited outside to be seated. She watched over and over again as Draco gathered her into his arms and held her close, kissed her forehead and then watched herself look up and smile at him. Someone must have taken it last night.
"Oh I don't know… it looks pretty self-explanatory and I don't think these faces have been altered …" said Ginny in a teasing tone.
"This is ridiculous! I bet that awful Skeeter woman is behind this! She's always been out to get me!" said Hermione absolutely frustrated, "I can't believe this."
"Oh come on, even if this hadn't shown up just now I still wanted to ask you what was up with you two!" she said.
"What do you mean 'what's up?' Nothing is up with us! We're friends. Why is that such a crime these days?" asked Hermione.
"It's not a crime. It's just suspicious. You know that saying where people say there is no friends that can exist between a man and a woman. At least one of them has to like each other," said Ginny.
"Oh yeah? Well that makes absolutely no sense otherwise you must secretly harbor feelings of hatred at me," said Hermione.
Ginny gave her a confused look.
"Harry and I? We couldn't possibly be friends if you really believed that. You would hate me because either one of us would have to like each other and you know that is absolutely not true," said Hermione.
"Ok fine. Well, that's what the article is trying to say anyways because they know you've tried to play that card before, but that's not my point. What I'm trying to say is you and Draco spend an awful lot of time together! A whole lot more than you and Harry or even you and me! And it's not innocent things either. He really is always touching you and holding you and trying to comfort you. And then you honestly can't refute this picture either. Look at your face! You like him!" said Ginny.
Hermione frowned and took it out of Ginny's hands to stare at it closely. She did suspiciously look happy with him. And she remembered that hug. It came out of nowhere… he just grabbed her, held her and kissed her forehead. Even now just thinking about it kind of made her feel like jelly…
"No. I think you're wrong. That's just how I smile. I smile like that towards anyone, but what should I have done? Glared at him?" asked Hermione.
"No, but your hugs with Harry are always short and sweet and yes he kisses your forehead too but like I said short and sweet! This is not short and sweet and stop trying to deny it! You like him! Just admit it!" said Ginny.
"No I won't," said Hermione defending herself. Then she realized that looked awfully suspicious too and quickly added, "Because it's not true."
"Ok. All attacking aside, think about it. Be honest with yourself at least if you aren't honest with me. You like him and you need to tell him. I honestly don't know if he'll stick around for much longer," said Ginny.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Hermione.
Ginny resisted the urge to smile. That was it. She heard it just now… Hermione was interested, but probably just scared which was understandable. Now she just had to get her to move on it.
"I'm sure he's given hint after hint to you and you've probably ignored them all so I'm just going to be completely honest with you and said Draco's in love with you. It's not even he just fancies you. He's absolutely head over heels in love with you," said Ginny.
"Draco's in love with me?" Hermione asked to no one in particular. She felt her heart speed up. That must have been why he was so upset…
"Wait, how do you know that?" asked Hermione.
"It's completely obvious! Any idiot would be able to see that. Especially in this photo! Or any time he walks into a room and you're in it! And I saw you at the ball… I might have been watching closely and I know he was about to kiss you and you would have even let him if Ron hadn't ruined everything. Don't bother denying this one," said Ginny.
Hermione had forgotten about that. Ginny was actually right. She was about to let Draco kiss her. But that was an in-the-moment perfect night thing…. Right?
"See. You can't even deny it to yourself," said Ginny.
"Ok fine. I'll admit it. But that was just a caught-up-in-the-moment kind of thing and then I woke up to reality and realized I didn't want to lose my best friend," said Hermione. She felt tears in her eyes.
Ginny's eyes widened.
"Oh my gosh. Hermione, I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot. I knew you would be scared of a relationship and that was understandable, but I never realized the extent of it. Ron was your best friend and as a result you lost him," said Ginny.
Hermione nodded. It wasn't until that moment that she had realized it too. Underneath she might have feelings for Draco, but that fear was too much and it overshadowed everything.
"I can't go through that again," said Hermione.
"How do you know you would? Draco's different," said Ginny.
"How do you know that? Especially because we know how he used to be! What if something happens and he changes again?" asked Hermione.
"He won't. This is different I promise," said Ginny.
"I can't. And I have to go," said Hermione.
She got up before Ginny could even say goodbye.
Someone asked me when they would bounce back to the present? In a few chapters... :)