Chapter 11:

A whole month has passed since Hermione last saw Draco, and not a day has gone by since she hasn't thought about him. His presence followed her around and his face was permanently embedded in her thoughts.

During potions, they had made Amortentia and his smell, that indescribable smell of his colon, overwhelmed her senses and she nearly fainted.

She also had dreams about him. How they would one day return to their cottage and raise a family, where they would have no worries and no vendettas.

One day, during Herbology, she was nudged out of her reverie by Ron,

"Hermione? Hermione, are you even listening?" he asked.

"What? I'm sorry, I was..."

"I know, 'just thinking.' Is everything okay? You seem to be having a lot of those lately."

"Yes, everything's fine. I know I have been quite...distracted, it's all this...Head business! Yes, it has been pretty stressful lately, from patrols to exams to..."

"Oh, yeah guess that can be pretty stressful..." he said, mumbling off.

Hermione wished she could at least tell someone, anyone. At one point she attempted to talk to Ginny, but for some reason she decided against it. Anyway, Ginny seemed a bit preoccupied with Harry. Honestly, all they do is snog like wild animals.

Sometimes, when she was alone, she would write to him. Telling him how sorry she was, but every time she wrote, it would never be answered back, and it would just break her heart. Has he forgotten me? is it really over? She dared not to think these questions, it will only cause her more harm.

As she sat in the Head common room, daydreaming once again, there was a knock at the door. She opened it and saw Harry, Ron and Ginny.

"Hermione, we know you've been kind of stressed out lately, so we decided we should all go to Hogsmeade for some butterbeers!" Ron exclaimed.

"That sounds really great, but I really should get back to..."

"What? Daydreaming? Honestly, Hermione, sometimes I think that's all you ever do now a days. Come on, live a little."

Pausing for a moment, she thought about it and then smiled, "I guess one butterbeer couldn't hurt."

They all cheered and left for Hogsmeade. It was Autumn and the fallen leaves crunched with their every step. Once again, Ginny was holding Harry close, their hands locked tightly, and Hermione and Ron were awkwardly walking behind them.

Upon entering the bar, it wasn't as full as it normally was. With the war being the 'talk of town,' people just don't seem as happy or excited lately. Surely, it was all Harry could think about. It's probably why Harry is just so lovey-dovey with Ginny, wanting to make every moment count.

They sat down and ordered Butterbeers. As they talked, the drinks began to pile up and they were becoming increasingly drunk.

"So then I said, 'Well, Mum, maybe I should put bars on your window!'" Ron sloshed.

"Did you really say that?" Hermione asked.

"Ha, nope! If she did, my ears will be pulled off!"

They both laughed and ignored the snogging couple sitting across from them. Hermione laughed and looked at her watch.

"Oh my, guess I got to go to patrols!" she yelled, then chuckled yet again.

They had to have fallen about a dozen times on their way to the school, completely sloshed. Harry escorted Ginny back to their dorm and Ron took Hermione to the Head must have laughed the entire way there, and once they reached the door, Hermione had trouble remembering the password.

"Maybe you forgot it!" Ron said surprisingly.

"Haha, guess I have!"

Suddenly, Ron moved towards her and planted a kiss on her lips. She was caught by surprise and her first instinct was to slap him, but instead she put her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer.

Hermione had managed to remember and sputter out the password in between kisses, and he took her in his arms and led them up the stairs to her room, setting a locking and silencing spell on her room.

The next morning, Hermione awoke an arm, snug tightly around her waist. Her first thought was that it was Draco, but then last nights' events had hit her like a wrecking ball, along with a massive headache.

She turned her head slightly, only to glance at the red hair peeking behind her own. Oh no, Merlin, no, she thought as she jumped out of bed. She looked back at him and then her own nude form, grabbing the blanket to cover herself. This only made matters worse when she got a full view of his own male part.

She draped the blanket over his sleeping form and went for her dresser, putting on her night robe. What am I gonna do? I never wanted this to happen! Hermione how could you be so stupid!, she thought, mentally slapping herself in the face.

Just then, he began to move and put his arm over her previous form. When he realized she wasn't there, his eyes shot open and he began to look about the room. His eyes landed on Hermione, who was blushing furiously at the situation.

"Hermione? Why are you..." he began to ask, then took a look at himself.

"Bloody Hell!" he yelled, attempting to cover himself up better.

Hermione began to pace around the room, trying to figure what they were going to do.

"Oh Ronald, how could we let this happen! We were only supposed to go get drinks, not get sloshed and screw each other! What will we tell Harry and Ginny? They'll know something is up because they saw us leave together! What if Zacharias saw us going into my room? What if he tells McGonagall?
What if..."

"What if it wasn't a mistake?"

Hermione turned around and saw him get up, now fully clothed but slightly disheveled.

"What did you say?" she asked shocked.

"I said, what if it wasn't a mistake?" he walked over and put his hand on her shoulder.

He continued, "Hermione...I've been crazy about you ever since fourth year. I've wanted nothing more than to be with you...Hermione, I love you."

He grabbed her and brought her in for a passionate kiss, before she pulled away and slapped him.

"Ron...you have no idea how long I've wanted you to say that. But that gives you no right to take advantage of me! I've waited for you for years to finally get up the courage to be with me, the only time you ever really shown jealousy or concern was when I talked to another man! And what gives you the right to tell me you love me when I already found someone else!" she yelled.

She did not realize what she had said, until she saw the look on his face. He took a step back and removed his hand away from her shoulder.

"You...you love someone else?" he said.

Hermione wanted nothing more than to take it back, to go back and make everything right. To wish she had just said no to going to Hogsmeade, to telling Draco to run away together and forget about his parents and her blood, to just forget.

"Yes, I do." she mumbled.

"Oh, I see. You make love to me, and then treat it as if it were nothing? Do you have any idea how that affects me? To know that you are in love with another man?!" he screamed.

He then stormed out of her room and shoved Zacharias aside, whom was simply standing there astounded. He slammed the common room door, and Hermione fell to the floor, and sobbed.