Chapter Fourteen

Web of Lies

Hermione knew what she had done and why she labeled it a mistake, but Draco seemed to think of it as a blessing. She couldn't believe what had happened. She didn't want him, for she loved Harry more than anything and what she did was the biggest screw up she had ever made. Kissing him was nothing but unadulterated betrayal. It almost seemed like everyday she would hate herself more because of something she did or something that happened. If everything happened for a reason then maybe there was a reason why her and Harry couldn't be together. No, it couldn't be true.

All she could do was take a step backwards and act as if she looked herself in the mirror and saw a monster. She soon realized that there are no mistakes in life but only the few things that you simply wish would never happen. Was this meant to be or was this actually betrayal to Harry? What would happen if he knew? How would he respond? Maybe he would understand it was an accident and Draco came onto her. Maybe he wouldn't even be mad but be willing to forget it. What if he never found out at all? That seemed like the best case scenario.

She took one more step backwards, secretly questioning the awkward silence, and turned back to him. He had a gleam of sadness in his eyes that she couldn't help but give into. She seemed almost willing to kiss him again, but as the tears fell down her cheeks it started to rain. It was weird how it rained every time something bad happened. She turned on her heal, covered her face, and ran inside. What the hell was she thinking by pulling a stunt like that? She ran for her room and as soon as she entered it she dove onto her bed, covering her face completely with a pillow, and wishing the past away.

It seemed like a lifetime of happiness just died within an hour of stupidity. Would Harry still want to marry her after what she had done? Or if she decided to keep it a secret how long could she do it before the truth ate away inside her so much that she didn't have a choice but to tell him? After all these questions were asked by her self she heard a knock at the door. She knew it was Draco, she knew he wanted to talk; she knew that she couldn't give in to him, but she also couldn't ignore him either. Maybe just this one time she could do something different and save at least a friendship.

"Co… Come in." she said, sitting up. She pulled her knees to her chest and sniffled.

"Hermione, we really need to talk." Draco said softly, making his dramatic entrance in. She nodded gently as she gestured him to sit on the bed, and instantly he had. "I don't know what happened tonight or what I did to upset you, but I'm very sorry."

"Draco, you just kissed me. Me, 'Granger the Mudblood,' that upsets me!" She shouted with a wounded heart.

She refused to even look away from him. She wanted to see his eyes, she wanted to see her hurt him. After the six years of pain he caused her, she needed to do a bit of damage herself. Was it wrong of her to intend to hurt him so badly that he would regret it the rest of his life? Was it horrible of her to attempt revenge on him for the six years of hell? They were after all children, but as they grew up nothing changed. Why did she have to ask herself only hard questions? Why did she even start talking to him? Even though he swore that he matured, it seemed like to her he would never be anything but what he was.

"That was a year ago, and I've grown up since then. Hermione, a lot happened to me over the summer. I learned what I did was wrong, and now that my father is in prison I have room to learn my ways and redeem myself from my childhood past. I'm free to be who I want to be." He smiled and took her hand, but she managed to slip hers away.

"Don't you see? I'm not like you Draco. I can't date people and then turn around a kiss another. I'm taken, and I love him." She insisted.

"You only love him because you are afraid to love anyone else." He quarreled.

"What are you implying?" She asked, standing up, and pacing the room with anger.

"I'm commenting on the fact that the only reason you love him is because he saved the world. You want riches, you want power, but most of all you are afraid to not love him because you feel save around him. Love isn't just feeling secure for life; love is having fun with the person that you say you love. If all he did was save you from the fool that raped you, well, that's pretty pathetic." He growled.

"That's not true, that's not even close to true!" She insisted. "I love him because he is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I love him more than life itself. I'd give him the world if I could." She cried. "I love him so much that it hurts."

"It shouldn't hurt. And what does he have to give you… prison food? Come on, Hermione, he has nothing for you. Can't you see? He's nothing now. He's not even here to sweep you off your feet. Will he give you the world? Will he give you everything you need? Will he make you so happy you'll never question your relationship? Do you trust him enough to know he won't cheat?" Draco asked, so close to her she could feel his breath on her as he yelled. "What is one thing he's done for you?"

"He proposed to me!" She yelled and the coloring in Draco's face instantly drained away. "See my ring?" She pointed to it on the nightstand. "He's asked me to be his everything, and I will be." She stated directly.

"If it means that much and that is actually an engagement ring, then why aren't you wearing it?" He asked, mad. "Is it because every time you look at it you realize you don't love him enough to marry him?" He asked.

"It's nothing like that!" She hissed. "A few days ago when I wore it I felt sad and alone because he's not here beside me. It has nothing to do with what you think it does. We shared the best night of our lives and then he proposed, and every time I see the ring it makes me sad that we can't relive that night for months or maybe even years."

"So because of one night of shagging you're going to throw your fairy tale ending away? You're completely mental. Love can't buy you the world, love can't buy you diamonds, and in a few ways love can't buy you happiness. One day you'll say you love him, the next day you do something that makes him mad and he strikes you." He growled. "You're going to take that chance?"

"You're the one talking crazy! Harry would never hit me, and I know he won't. He is my Fairy Tale. You are the annoying rock that stands between us. Now please leave me be!" She begged as she started to shake. Why were they doing this?

"I can't leave you alone, I'm involved now." He stated. "And I never showed you how much I felt for you in the past, and I don't intend on losing you again."

"What are you saying?" She asked as she took a step backwards.

"I'm in love with you, Hermione, I am. You can't help who you fall in love with, right? So please allow me a chance to show you how I feel. I'd give you the world, I'd give you everything you need, I'd give you happiness, and I'd always let you know how much you mean to me. Let us just run away and fly the hell out of here." He said with hope. "Please?"

"Please. Leave." She said, walking to the door and pointing him out. "I don't need this. My fiancé is in prison and he didn't even do anything wrong, and I will not let some greasy haired git divide us!" She pushed him. "Leave!"

"Not until you tell me you don't love him. I know you don't. You haven't even responded to one of his letters! I see his letters come in with his owl everyday for the past month and I have not seen one sent back. The letters just pile up on the end table in the common room, unopened, and untouched." He declared. "You don't love him, you know you don't."

At this point Draco had leaned into kiss her again, but Hermione drew back and struck him across the left cheek. She pushed him until Draco left the room. How dare he say that, how dare he love her and beg for her to leave Harry. They were getting married, she would have a family, and she would be happy for the rest of her life. This was her Fairy Tale. It came true and no Slytherin would ever get in the way of them. She had to do something to get the sickening taste out of her mouth. She paced her room, hugging her arms against her ungrateful body, and crying the night away. She had never been so confused. She had never been so hurt. She had never been so guilty.

She ran forwards and placed her hands upon the glass door that separated her from freedom. The rain was coming down harder than ever. Maybe if she could just step out for a moment and feel the rain it would give her faith. Maybe if she took one minute of loving life instead of finding ways to hate it she could live her life like it was her dream. Maybe it would help her keep a smile on and never take it off. Maybe if she accepted life she would live a happy one, and it seemed like if she didn't take the time to ignore the evil and bad in life than she wouldn't be living… she'd be running.

She slid open the door and a rush of freshly poured rainy mist came in to meet her nose. She took a deep breath and a smile, which she hadn't had in hours, came back as she took a step out. The warm flooded balcony seemed irresistible as the water fell off of it like a waterfall and onto the ground. She closed her eyes, looked up, spread her arms out wide, and twirled in circles as she laughed in joy. Then as she looked down at her feet, the hurting pain in her heart had once again returned. She closed her door and walked to the railing of the Balcony.

She touched it gently and then in a heartbeat she found herself climbing on top of it, standing as she looked down in fear. What should she do? What should she think? Should she jump and end her misery and problems? Should she jump to stop the quarrel and let neither Harry nor Draco have her? Draco seemed to remind her more and more of Ron everyday. Saying all that stuff and then turning around and harming her like she thought they thought she was special and then ruin her. She tilted her head to the sky as the rain poured harder each millisecond. She took a deep breath and began shouting to the sky.

"Why have you given me this misery? Why do you make me choose between two people that are close to me and have one of them taken away while the other attempts to make me fall in love with him? Is this punishment for not being strong enough to fight off Ron? Is this punishment for being afraid of life because of Harry's past and our relationship together? Am I so horrible that I don't deserve him or Draco? It seems like everything has gotten in the way of us and it's like we're not allowed to be happy. It's like I don't deserve a smile and every time I even put one on it takes a while for me to even notice I have it on, and after I notice I feel horrible about it. What have I done to be treated this way? Am I supposed to sort it out and tell Harry the truth and everything that happened? Should I respond to the letters that I have mistakably ignored. Should I write back in apologies and tell him everything? Would he understand? I'm so lost in the world I am in and having magic just makes it feel like it's even worse. Why must life treat me like a guinea pig or some psycho experiment? Why is love so hard to understand?"

She screamed into the night not even accepting the fact that there would never be a response. She sadly took deep breaths into the nightly rain and cupped her face within her unworthy hands. She kneeled onto the railing top and hugged her knee as she looked down questioning if she should jump or not. She stood back up, took a deep breath, and with a gulp she closed her eyes. She started walking for the edge. She lifted her foot forward, attempting to fall, but she planted her foot back down as she heard a sudden whistle in the wind.

An orange orb of light circled around the clouds as it kept the golden Phoenix inside safely dry from the storm. Its golden wings spread widely as it landed on the railing next to her. Its green eyes softly stared at her as she kneeled and touched it gently. She didn't know whether to smile, cry, or jump. Was this finally one last spark of hope she could find? Maybe this bird was the answer to everything, but she had never seen it before in her life. Weird it seemed to befriend a stray bird whose tears could heal the world. But she would need something more than a tear to fix her.

"Fawkes?" She wondered and it softly shook its head back and forth. "Are you a stray then?" It once again said no. "Then why are you here?"

"To stop you from jumping," the wind whispered softly. She was amazed, and this was unbelievable.

"Come inside, and out of the rain." She opened the door and gestured him in.

It made a long, loud, screeching bird noise as it tumbled inwards. What was this animal and what was it doing here? Did it belong to someone in the castle and it just happened to see or hear her screaming off the balcony? She watched it shake the drops of water off of its beautiful designed golden feathers and land precisely next to her Engagement ring, which she still wasn't wearing. She sighed and sat on the bed as she dabbed her hair with a towel. She just looked at it and analyzed its beauty. She reached forward and stroked its feathers gently.

"Your eyes… they seem so familiar." She sighed as the bird quickly blinked one eye and she jumped a bit. "Do I know you?" The bird just raised its head high and dropped it down quickly and raised it again.

She held out her arm as the bird positioned itself onto her forearm. She stroked it, trying to figure out where she had seen it before, or possibly if it were a person who'd it be. It seemed like a puzzle, and she couldn't find anyway to figure it out. She had never seen it, for she would have remembered it, and the only thing she could even try to link it to would be how familiar its eyes were. She sighed, petting it gently, and letting him back to her nightstand. It bend it's sad head down to the table top and clasp the ring from within its beak and she looked at it suspiciously.

"No… it can't be…" She noted, staring into the emerald green eyes and seeing a squiggly line under its right wing. "…Harry?"

And with that it was gone. It vanished into thin air as she scrambled around the room looking for where it had gone. She ran to her door and there it was, soaring into the night in the sheltered bubble. It was him, and she knew it was. She ran to her nightstand and picked the ring up that once was wedged within his beak. She pulled it to her lips, kissed it gently, and placed it on her finger. She ran to the door and opened it once again, calling out to him in the middle of the night. It was him he was here. He was watching over her, like he said he would. What if he saw everything that went on tonight? And then she heard the wind again.

"I will always love you…" the wind howled as the orange orb headed towards the moon. "Remember that." And it disappeared.

She jumped in joy as she fell onto her bed. She practically forgot about everything that happened earlier, and with nothing left to upset her she blazed off into the common room. She found it empty. It seemed weird that it was empty because at this time Draco was always found doing his homework and asking her for a bit of help while absentmindedly copying it. She never really mattered much, but she was a bit concerned. His door was opened and inside was a note tucked away under his pillow. She lifted it and with silver ink upon green paper it read:

"Hermione,

I understand what I did tonight was wrong and I honestly don't know why I acted the way I did. I give you a thousand apologies and let you know that I probably won't be in the common room for the rest of the semester. Hiding out somewhere else and thinking about the mistakes I have made.

Always, Draco"

It seemed like she read the letter a thousand times before she realized that she hurt him so much that he no longer wished to share a room with her. She did act rude towards him, and even if he was a git to her when they were younger, she grew up better and she learned to be polite. She understood why or why not some things shouldn't be said. Everything said tonight seemed like it shouldn't have been said, but she had to say something for she was betrothed to someone else and Draco was just a rock in the way of it all. She had to talk to Ginny, as quickly as possible.

She ran in her room and closed the door. With a click it was locked in a second. She radiated a spell so that no one outside the room could hear her. She locked the sliding door, she closed the curtains, and when everything was completely secured and a candle softly lit, she crossed her legs upon her bed and folded her hands as if to pray. She bent her head down and rested her forehead at the tip of her fingers. She softly breathed as she clapped her hands twice and began to say a soft message as she whispered into her flattened fingers.

"Reunite, let us not fight, and if something isn't right, may you burst with spite." She opened her hands as a spider web of light extended from her finger tips. She whispered softly. "Rayne," she sang. "Rayne?"

"Jane," a voice whispered, and inside the web Ginny's face grew clear. "Jane, what are you doing? It's in the middle of the night and the other girls are out."

"Rayne, listen to me," Hermione said excitedly. "I was sitting outside in the storm, just talking to myself, when this golden phoenix came out of nowhere. It told me not to jump because it thought I was going to, and it came inside my room and it just had these eyes that looked so familiar it was crazy!" She jumped up and down. "It was Harry!"

"Ummm, Jane, what did you have to drink tonight?" She asked half asleep.

"About two goblets of pumpkin juice, why?" She asked confused.

"That's it? No firewhiskey, no butterbeer, no nothing? You sure?" She asked, blinking away the sleep, and finally Hermione got the reference.

"Rayne, I am not crazy, nor am I drunk! I know it was him! You have to believe me!" She pleaded. "He flew in, picked up my engagement ring, and I asked if it was him and then he disappeared into the moonlight saying 'I will always love you.' It was Harry… I know it was!"

"Okay, so basically Harry learned how to turn into a rare bird overnight, broke out of jail, came to tell you not to jump off a balcony, basically told you to wear your ring and then flew back to jail? Yeah, that makes complete sense to me." She said as sarcasm dripped from her tongue.

"It does sound a bit crazy, I know, but you out of all people I would expect to believe me. Come on, you know I'm not crazy, please, you have to believe me." She begged.

"Okay, okay, I believe you, but it's weird." She noted. "Speaking of weird what happened between you and Malfoy?" She asked.

"Nothing." Hermione said immediately.

"Oh, come on, my web is glowing pink, meaning you're lying… what happened?" Ginny asked. "Come on, you can tell your best friend can't you?" She begged.

"Not now, it's too risky. I'll tell you some other time when we're face to face. It's quite a long story actually." Hermione said with a sigh. "Note that it was never intended to happen and I seriously don't know why it did. And when I do tell you, promise you will think nothing less of me."

"I promise." She replied and Hermione smiled. "Look, Jane, I got to get going. Blondie… er- Lavender is coming and you know how nosey she gets! By the way, we really should get her a new code name… 'Blondie' sounds like a name someone would use to hit on children. Ewww, I knew something was wrong with her!" They both laughed.

"You are so horrible." Hermione mentioned and Ginny just agreed. "Good night."

Hermione firmly closed her hands, and when she reopened them the web was completely gone without a trace of existence. Their webs were a secret way to communicate, sadly she never taught Harry how to do it, and if she had remembered she would have so they could still talk. Now they had no way to communicate and she had no idea what he was feeling, she didn't know what was on his mind, or when he would be able to leave that rotten cell for good. She sighed and laid flat on her bed. She laid there for a few minutes just taking in her surroundings by candlelight.

Then she remembered. There was some way they could communicate, and she had completely forgotten about it. It seemed unreal. How could she overlook such a stupid mistake? Of course, the pile of unread letters in the common room! She ran out of her room, grabbed them, and ran back in once again sealing the spell. She smiled, but then the frown came back. Should she read it? What if what he wrote was bad and somehow they found a way to make him stay in Azkaban for longer. She gulped and dragged her nail underneath the sealed flap. Three days old, but the ink still smelled fresh. The golden ink shimmered on the soft parchment paper. It was time.

My Dearest Hermione,

It seems like the more and more I write to you, the less and less you respond. I seem to find myself questioning rather you are reading my letters or not. If you are not I understand, for I'm sure you are worried I write about bad things that are happening or something, but I assure you everything is fine. I shall be home soon, my love. I got a surprise visit from Dumbledore today, and he seems to be doing quite well. I told him the news about us. Then I got a visit from the Judge again, funny, he seemed not happy to see me. He did mention though that he sent my release papers and I should be home soon within the next week or so. Around four to seven days approximately I guess I'll be home. Maybe when I get there I'll be able to take my place as Head Boy, like Dumbledore wanted, but this came up. News says that Malfoy is moving out because I should be back soon. I don't know if you get along or not, but I guess I'll just have to find out. Just please let me know that you're alright and that Malfoy hasn't harmed you? I get very worried about you when I know you are roomed with him. Maybe you can tell me about it when I get home and we can talk about the wedding perhaps. I love you, with all my heart, and if I had the chance I'd pick you up and swing you around as I kissed you and sang to you underneath the moonlight. Just remember I will always love you and hope you are having a good time back at Hogwarts. Let everyone know I say hello for me.

Love forever and always,

Harry

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Author's Note:

I think this is my favorite chapter since a while. Haha, I love the conversation between Hermione and Ginny where Ginny goes into the big Sherlock Homes things and ends up saying "Yeah, that makes complete sense." Yeah, oh my, I love it.

To My Reviewers:

Darknight3030 – Okay that was the first review I got when I posted my new chapter and when I finished reading it I didn't walk away with a smile. I considered it's a flame. My stories are open to everyone because I have friends that review and there's no point in getting an account if you don't write. Just because I attempt to please everyone and it doesn't pan out that way isn't a reason to yell at me and basically say "fuck you and get a backbone." I just want to try and make everyone happy. Plus when I started this story I was, in fact, a child with no writing skills what so ever and yeah, I found someone to make it tough on me, so that's how I improved.

toga party – I heard about the play and I guess that they are going to use the non-nudity one. It's not because his contract forbids it, but because he's under 18 it counts as child pornography. Not that I'd be complaining though drool Haha. I don't really like Ron either, considering what I made him do in my story, but Ginny I'm not that against, but I don't really like her either. I just think the guy should get the girl as in Harry get Hermione, but you know Hermione will end up with Ron… Makes me kinda hate JK, lol, just kidding. I have another story called "Strange Magic" and Harry and Ginny were dating and she basically blew him off and then "YAY! Harry and Hermione got married and had a kid!" Lol… and then she gets abducted… yeah, bad story that one is.

Froboy – Yeah, this isn't soon either, but seriously it took me like four hours in a park alone to come up with the first paragraph… I had NO idea where to go with it.

Sarah – Except it was your loss because now a bazillion people on Fanfiction hate you. At least I still have fans; at least I still have talents. At least I'm not a 300 pound-KFC loving-fat girl who get off to Japanese Anime. Geee, nice to know you.

missradcliffe – Why would you want them to solve problems with Ron? If you were raped would you want to be all like "Hey, let's be friends…" Well, okay, that was harsh of me to say it that way, but it seems really weird that you'd say that. I'm open for suggestions though.

sakura-sweeti – I try to put a lot in my chapters because it seems like people who write LONG chapters about being in one room and what the room looks like and all the people are wearing and such just gets, I don't know, boring after a while? And it's like 20 chapters before anyone says anything… gah! It drives me completely mad! Harry may find out, he may not… we'll just have to see. And I'm not worried about Sarah anymore, I've grown up, and I've ignored her childish ways. Plus, every time I notice a spelling error I want to commit suicide. Lol. I am a grammer FREAK. Haha, hope you love this chappie. -Airalynn

That's everyone! Hope you enjoy!


Airalynn

UPDATED: (FRIDAY) AUGUST 25, 2006

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