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Chapter 6::
Maid of Honor

Hermione sat on her bed, the sheets warm against her legs as she stared at the light flickering across the ceiling. The sun had risen and was sitting just outside the nearby window when she laid herself back in bed. Every morning since she saw the sunrise, she would be sure to be back in her bed before the other girls woke up. Not only would it prevent questions, but it also gave her a chance to see the sunlight dance through her curtains and onto her ceiling. If she tilted her head just right she could see different shapes and designs above her head. There was a smiley face in one direction and even a peace sign in the other. And if she flipped around, she saw that there was even a heart-shaped space. Her face fell into a sad smile as she went over the outline with her finger from afar. That shape was there every day; almost as if it were trying to tell her something. But, that didn't honestly matter.

Love, she knew, was just something she would never get to be a part of.

It had been a month since the morning she watched the sunrise with Draco Malfoy; and a month since he spoke to her. It became painfully obvious to her that he was trying his hand at avoiding her. In classes he would look everywhere but in her direction and in the halls he would treat her like she was invisible. While she couldn't honestly say why—for she hadn't the faintest idea—she felt that she had a good idea. He was Draco Malfoy and she was Hermione Granger. They just weren't meant to get along, despite how much he seemed to enjoy her company in those sleepless nights.

His firm plan of ignoring her, however, didn't seem to apply at dinner time. Whenever she would talk to Harry, Ron, or Ginny she would feel his gaze on her back. As she chewed, she could feel his eyes watching her face with intensity. Her body seemed to still be hyper aware of him, despite the time that has gone by. Hermione never saw him on her nightly walks anymore, but that didn't mean he wasn't there. It might sound crazy to anyone else, but she knew he was still there somewhere. He just didn't want her to know it.

Draco Malfoy was not the only thing that had caught Hermione's attention recently. The list she had made was also constantly on her mind. So far, the only thing she had managed to accomplish was riding a broom. Every night for the past month she would try a little harder and, just last night, she managed to fly all around the school at 20 feet in the air. That was good enough for her. Though, that now left her with her other goals. Most of them were simple things, only a few being extreme.

Sitting in the common room, she opened her Ancient Runes textbook and pulled the sheet out from the center. It was heavily spelled, to be sure no one but her could read it. Her eyes skimmed the page, trying to decide what she should do next. The list wasn't overly long, but it was more than enough for her.

"Hermione, what are you doing?"

Ginny's voice startled Hermione slightly, causing the list to fall to the floor. Trying to pick it up, she barely touched it before Ginny picked it up herself and started to read. "Hey, Ginny."

Looking up from the sheet, Ginny looked confused. "101 Ways to Pass NEWTS? Hermione, you really don't need a list to tell you how to pass that bloody exam. You're the brightest witch of the age. I'm certain you'll do just fine."

Smiling, Hermione let out a breath or relieved air. It was nice to know her spells worked. "Well, you know me. I like to be prepared."

"That's true." Ginny sat next to Hermione of the couch as she handed the piece of paper back to her. "So, I have a question for you and I would like it if you answered me honestly."

Hermione put on her most innocent look—just in case. "Sure."

"Ok, good." Ginny took a deep breath. "I've noticed things about you, Mione, that aren't like they used to be. You barely go to the library anymore and whenever you hang out with us you seem different."

"I do?" Uh oh, this was not looking good.

"Yes, you do." Ginny crossed her arms. "And I think I know what is going on."

"You do?" Could she? Last time she checked, no other symptoms began to show up and she hasn't had any dizzy spills.

"Yes. Hermione?"

'Here it comes…' Hermione's mind started to think of ways to explain.

"Who is it?"

Hermione's mind suddenly went blank. "Beg pardon?

Ginny laughed and pulled Hermione in for a hug, catching the witch with surprise. The hug was fierce, almost painful. Either Ginny was extremely excited or she was extremely worried. From the way she was laughing, Hermione deduced that she was excited. "Ginny, what is this about?"

Ginny pulled back, "There's a guy, isn't there?"

"A guy?" Huh? This was not what she was expecting.

"A guy! There has to be! The drifting mind, the slacking in studies—well, if you call you not going to the library slacking—all points to you having a secret. And, I figure, that the only secret you'd keep was if you had a guy. So?" Her voice was high, gossip ready.

Well, this was different, "No, Ginny. There is no guy."

Ginny's face fell. "Really?"

"Really. There's not even anything that comes close to a guy right now."

She watched her best friend's face turn into a pout. "And here I was hoping you finally found someone that would help you stick it to Ronald."

At this, Hermione had to laugh. Despite how bad it sounded, Hermione was glad that Ron was being a git to others and not just her. It might have been her turning him down that set him off, but there had definitely already been underlying issues at work. Perhaps it was the fame and all getting to his head? "Has Ron been that bad?"

Ginny nodded sadly, "Yes, it has. All he does it complain and every time Harry or I don't agree with him he gets angry and tries to put down everything we say. It's really starting to drive me mad."

Hermione nodded. "I see. What do you think made Ron start acting this way?"

"I'm not sure. All that I know is that when Harry and I get married, he's not invited to the wedding unless he stops being a bloody prick."

Hermione was nodding her head through that entire sentence. It wasn't until she heard 'get married' that she froze in place, her mouth dropping open. Her head snapped around and saw Ginny had her hand over her mouth, her eyes erratic with panic. It was too late now, however. Ginny just spilt the beans.

"Oh, Merlin." She said with her eyes wide.

Unsure of what to do, she settled for pulling the red head in for a strong hug and whispering, "When did this happen!?"

Ginny laughed and replied in a whisper, "The other night. We were sitting in his bed and just talking when he suddenly gave me this… this… look."

Hermione pulled back and looked around to make sure no one was around. "What look?"

Ginny was smiling, love shining in her eyes. "I don't know how to describe it. It was just this look that made my heart race and toes curl."

"Ok," Hermione didn't understand, exactly, but didn't want to admit to it. "Then what?"

"Then he took my left hand and placed a rolled chocolate wrapper on my ring finger."

Oh, this was not what Hermione expected to hear. "A chocolate wrapper?"

Ginny nodded, "A chocolate wrapper from Honeydukes."

Hermione had the sudden urge to slap her hand to her forehead. "He proposed to you with a chocolate wrapper. I can't believe that!"

While she was fuming over the stupidity her other best friend displayed, Ginny sat on the couch smiling in her. "What's so bloody funny? How could you not be disappointed? Bloody hell, he's like my brother and I'm disappointed!"

Shaking her head, Ginny stuck her hand in her pants pocket, "You never let me finish."

Hermione watched as the youngest Weasley pulled a beautiful diamond ring out of her pocket. At first she couldn't believe her eyes. The ring was silver, the diamond interwoven within the band. "Oh Merlin, Ginny! That's no chocolate wrapper."

"That's the wonderful part, Mione." Ginny slid the ring on her finger. "When he slid on the wrapper I was so shocked. But, when I said yes? The wrapper changed into this." She held out her hand; the ring fit perfectly.

Hermione didn't know what to say. There were tears in her eyes as she pulled her best friend in for a hug, "Congratulations, Gin. You two will be so happy."

As they separated, Ginny slipped the ring back into her pocket. "We don't want anyone to know until we tell my parents over Christmas holiday."

Understanding, Hermione smiled. "Don't worry; your secret is safe with me."

"Thanks. I'm glad you know. It's nice to finally be able to talk to someone about it." Ginny was all smiles.

"Have you guys discussed when you want it to be?" Hermione was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling for her two best friends.

Ginny nodded. "We decided to wait until he gets done with his auror training, so we're banking on July two years from now."

Those last four words repeated themselves in Hermione's head over and over again. Two years from now. Her smile dropped into a frown as her heart skipped beats. Her breathing began to draw irregular and spots started to fill her vision. Ginny and Harry were going to be married two years from now. Her two best friends were going to get married… and she wasn't going to be there.

This just couldn't be happening.

It wasn't possible.

No, this can't be true!

"Hermione?" Ginny's face held concern, "Are you alright?"

Snapping herself out of it, Hermione smiled slightly. It was an awkward smile that almost hurt her face, but it would be enough. She'd learned to be a great actress over the last year. "Of course, Gin! I'm just so excited for you!"

"I'm glad! And I have one question to ask you."

'Please, Gin, don't ask. I know what you're going to ask, but please don't. My heart can't take it.'

"Would you please be my Maid of Honor?"

What could she say? She couldn't just say no. No, not without an explanation! If she denied wanting to be Ginny's maid of honor, she would be giving herself away. She couldn't do that, especially not now that they're so happy and getting married! "Of course, Gin! I wouldn't want anything else!"

Pain stabbed through her chest as her best friend pulled her back in for another fierce hug. The tears that stung her eyes were not from joy any longer. They were from sorrow.

"I'm going to tell Harry. See you later?" Ginny didn't wait for a response before she bounced out of the common room in search of her future husband.

When she was out of sight, Hermione let her smile fall and the pain contort her face. She needed air, she needed to breathe. Everything seemed surreal as she quickly walked through the portrait hole and into the halls of the school. Her head felt heavy as she crossed the lobby and flew out of the doors that lead to the grounds. She was grateful the halls were empty; everyone being in the Great Hall for dinner. There was no way she could keep it together long enough to pretend anymore. Not right then.

The tears were leaking out before she made it out the door. It was just too hard to hold them in. Her mind clouded, Hermione jogged towards her tree. However, she never even made it there, for her legs gave out when she was halfway. Collapsing to the ground, she gasped out sobs and tore at the grass. No matter how much she tried, she would never be able to make it alright. Harry and Ginny would still have to get married without their best friend there. Sooner or later, she had to eventually come clean and tell everyone the truth. Her parents were still going to lose their daughter…

And she was still going to die in less than two years.

"Granger? Are you alright?"

Draco's shocked voice stopped her tears as fear shot through her body. He was not at dinner with everyone else. He had seen everything. Looking down, Hermione saw that her finger were bloody from tearing at the ground; the skin an angry red and yet she felt no pain from it. Her emotional breakdown was no longer a secret; nothing else mattered. Not the pain and not her pathetic little pity party. Turning her head, she made sure her hair covered her red and blotchy face from his view.

"I'm fine, Malfoy. Please, go back inside." Her voice cracked, her nose running.

Draco didn't need to see her face to know she was lying. "You're not fine. Come on, let's get you back to—" He paused as he saw her hands, raw and bleeding. "Bloody hell, Granger, what did you do to yourself?"

Hermione snatched her hands away as he bent over to touch them. Standing on shaking legs, she stepped back and away from him, not caring if he saw her face anymore. It's not like he didn't know now, anyway. "Don't touch me."

Freezing, Draco raised his hands into a surrendering pose. "Fine, I'm sorry. I just want to get you to Madam Pomphrey. Your hands are bleeding pretty badly."

"Why do you care?" The bloody tears started to form again; her voice sad and heartbreaking.

That question seemed to throw him for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "I honestly don't know, Granger. But, that doesn't change the fact that you still need to go to the Hospital Wing."

"No," Hermione started shaking her head, "I don't need to go to the hospital wing. I need you to please go away."

Draco felt a twinge in his heart as she started to cry again. He hated it when women cried. "I can't. You can't expect me to see you hurt and broken up like this and just walk away."

"Please… just…" Hermione started to feel dizzy, her vision going blurry, "Draco… just go a—"

Draco reacted to Hermione falling even before his brain could comprehend it. Catching her before her body hit the ground; Draco looked at her pale, unconscious face and was unsure of what to do. He needed to get her to Pomphrey, sure, but tell her what? He wasn't even sure what happened to her. As far as he knew she just had an emotional overload. Besides, how was he going to explain why he was there?

'Sorry, Madam Pomphrey, but I saw Granger running out the front doors crying and just had to stalk her in the shadows until I couldn't take the sad sobs anymore. Am I a stalker? Of course not, Ma'am!'

Yes, that would certainly not go well.

Either way, that didn't matter. He still needed to get Granger there. So, lifting her extremely light body, Draco carried the witch bridal style towards the hospital wing as fast as he could. The people he passed in the hallways started to whisper. He knew that her friends would soon hear about this and would quite possibly try and find a way to blame him. For some reason, that didn't bother him. All that did was that Hermione Granger was unconscious in his arms.