RON'S POV:
I walked into the library, ready to see Hermione and talk to her. I hadn't actually talked to her in a while.
I walked around one of the corners of the aisles to see Malfoy and Hermione staring up at each other like… Well, like something I didn't want to describe. It hurt too much.
"What's going on here?" I whispered, outraged. Not that I had much of an excuse. I was dating Lavender and Hermione's love life was none of my concern. But I wanted to be in it. And not with Malfoy.
"Ron, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked in an uneven voice.
I saw Malfoy turn his head to look at me out of the corner of my eye.
"I wanted to come talk to you. I can see you're busy, though. I'll just… leave." I said in an uncharacteristically monotonous and formal voice.
"No! Ron, wait!"
As I turned, she made a grab for my wrist. I turned around and she fell, grabbing my arms for support. I held her up and steadied her. The girl was a total klutz sometimes.
"What?" I whispered.
"Don't leave. What is it? What's the matter?" she asked, searching my face frantically for any sign of an answer.
"Nothing." I said, turning and walking away from the library and her.
HERMIONE'S POV:
My love life was turning into a nightmare.
I could hardly stand the look of pure rage on Ron's face or the cool, composed mask Draco wore when Ron was near.
I ran from the library, searching through the halls for Ron. I could hear Draco's shoes tapping on the ground, running up behind me, but I didn't stop. I had to find Ron. I ran down another corridor, this one leading to the dining hall; Ron always ate when he was upset.
But the dining hall was empty.
I felt cold tears sliding down my cheek silently.
Draco stopped behind me.
I lifted a hand numbly to wipe the tears away. But they kept coming. I sniffed and Draco put both hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. I couldn't look at him, though. I felt ridiculous. Crying for no reason.
But he pulled me close and held me there. I rested my head on his chest and let the tears roll freely.
It was like a CD set on an endless loop. Ron would be with her, I would express interest in another, and Ron would explode. How was that fair? He could be with someone, but I couldn't? Well, this time I didn't care. I wouldn't follow the loop anymore. I would stop wishing for Ron to get rid of Lavender and quit trying to please him. It was my life. I would do what I wanted with it.
But still, I couldn't keep the images of him and her from playing in my mind and breaking my heart over and over.
DRACO'S POV:
Ron had made her cry again. If he knew how much pain he was causing her, would he continue doing this? Staying with another girl while he made it obvious that Hermione was to have no interest in other men if she wanted to stay even friends with him… It was terrible and selfish of him. He was just stringing her along while she got her heart broken. I was tired of seeing her cry at his hands already.
She shook violently, but her sobs made no noise.
I stroked her hair and murmured "shh" over and over again.
"Draco?" she said, straightening up, stepping back, and rubbing her eyes.
"Yes? What is it?" I asked softly, watching her sympathetically.
"Thank you."
Huh?
"For what?" I stepped closer to her and took her hand, squeezing it gently.
"For staying with me and helping me while I broke down like that." she said, still rubbing at her eyes. They were red and her face was blotchy.
I half smiled, but it was almost sad. "No problem. I mean, you hardly went on a real crying jag."
She looked down, looking a little uncomfortable.
"Umm… Draco…" she began. I looked at her curiously.
"Yes?" She looked up at me then.
The tears that still had yet to spill over made her eyes shine in the dim lighting, giving her chocolate brown eyes a second layer of beauty.
"I really like you. And I don't know what to do about and it and I-" she cut off, seeing the blank stare I was giving her.
I couldn't pull my eyes away from her lips, glistening in the firelight. She had confessed to liking me, so she wouldn't mind if I…
I slid my hand behind her neck and pulled her forward, kissing her like I hadn't in my dream. My heart felt like it may explode and my stomach flipped over, making it impossible to move back. The kiss seemed to last forever (which was just as well, I didn't want the kiss to end), but at the same time, not near long enough.
I pulled away, my breath ragged and coming up fast, sounding like each was being torn up from my throat. Hermione's was much the same.
Her eyes were wide and she looked like she wanted to say something. But she never did.
Not knowing why, I followed my gut and spun on my heel, running for the common room, leaving the kiss lingering like an echo between us.