As I made my way to the owlery tears were still dripping down my face and I tried to avoid people as good as possible. I only wrote a couple of words on my little piece of parchment and didn't care that it was hardly readable before I tied it to the foot of an owl and sent it away.
I need you now, please come!
Tears were probably splattered all over the note, but I couldn't care less. I ran downstairs to my own common room and told Cecilia and Victor the password.
"Oh my, look at that poor child." Cecilia murmured compassionately. "What happened now?"
Victor sighed. "I swear I've never seen that much drama going on in all the years we've hung here. Remember when she sent that Malfoy kid away and Dumbledore had to come?" He shook his head. The portrait finally swung aside and I stepped through it, dried tears all over my cheeks. At least I had stopped crying somewhere along the way from the owlery. Malfoy still sat on the couch, as if he hadn't moved ever since I left. He looked up as soon as the portrait hole closed again.
"What happened?" He asked quietly.
I smiled sadly. "I left the common room. Take my advice and never go out there again."
He smirked a little and I let myself fall on the couch next to him. We stayed silent for a while, both of us caught up in our own thoughts.
"It's funny that the smallest thing can ruin friendships you thought to be indestructible." I finally murmured.
Malfoy bit on his lip. "I never really thought a friendship to be indestructible, so I can't really say I can relate to that feeling." He finally muttered absentmindedly.
I looked up at him, surprised. "Not even with Blaise or Crabbe and Goyle or even Pansy?"
He laughed a little and shook his head. "No, all replaceable. As a matter of fact I think everyone in my life always was replaceable. Just like you said to the chick the other day... she's replaceable to me and so is everyone else..."
Now it was me that bit my lip. "So you never really... loved anyone?" I asked quietly. He thought about it for a second.
"My mother maybe... she and I went through a lot that my father put us through together." He finally replied emotionless.
I stayed silent, not knowing what to say. I guess it was better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all.
"Listen, if that fight you and your friends have has anything to do with me screwing the Weaselette... then I'm sorry about that."
I looked up at him, again surprised. I just eyed him for a couple of seconds and he returned my glance. "You are truly full of surprises, Malfoy." I then said, smiling.
He smirked as well and shrugged. "I just hope you can figure it out. If you don't get along with them, I'll probably be stuck with having you on my back."
I stuck out my tongue and laughed, knowing that he was just joking.
After a couple of minutes he asked again "So since you haven't denied it I'm guessing that it does have something to do with me messing with the Weaselette?"
I sighed. "Malfoy, it has everything to do with that. You really screwed things up when you screwed her."
His tongue licked over his lips for a second and I found myself staring at it. Why did I think it was so sexy when he did something as simple as licking his lips?
"I'm sorry." He then whispered. "I just didn't care. I knew that it would have consequences, but I just didn't care. I didn't care about any of you, but now..." His voice trailed off and he closed his mouth again, looking extremely guilty. It was adorable.
"It's really not your fault. She was the one that had a boyfriend and she knew about the consequences as well. It's her own fault." I assured him.
He shook his head. "No, that's the thing. I left her no choice."
My body tensed. "What do you mean?" I asked him, trying to sound calm. While the inside of me was freaking out. I was getting ready to hear the worst.
"Well, come on, who could really resist this?" He looked down at himself and made a motion with his hand. He smirked jokingly.
I laughed out and raised my eyebrows. "Oh really? Cocky much, Mr. Malfoy?" I asked teasingly.
"Only when it's justified, Miss Granger." He replied smugly.
He looked at me, a spark in his eyes and I couldn't get myself to look away. We were looking at each other for a long moment, then it suddenly knocked on the portrait.
I jumped up, having totally forgotten about the owl that I had sent earlier. I ran to the portrait hole and opened it.
"Vhat's vrong, Hermione?" He asked immediately and stepped through the hole. He saw Malfoy sitting on the couch and glared at him.
"Krum." was all Malfoy said coldly to acknowledge the fact that he was here.
"I should've knovn zat you have somezing to do viz it." Viktor growled and pulled his wand.
I quickly lowered it with my hand and said "Actually he doesn't... well maybe a little bit, but not really..." I saw Malfoy raise his eyebrows. "It's not your fault." I assured him again.
Viktor seemed totally confused. "Vhat's vrong?" He repeated. He looked me up and down. "You don't seem like somezing's vrong..." He then slowly remarked. "I figured the ovl vas coming from you, but I guess..." He continued his train of thoughts and I interrupted him. "Yes, it was my owl." I declared.
I quickly grabbed Viktor's hand and pulled him after me into my room, not trusting him and Malfoy to be in the same room for any longer. I sat down on my bed and motioned to him to do the same thing. He sat next to me and I explained to him everything that had happened. After I was done he just looked at me for a couple of seconds, then he said, "I'm sorry but zat Ginny girl sounds like a bitch."
I nodded slowly. "I think she's just in denial though... I think she really likes Malfoy, even though he doesn't seem to be aware of that. I think he thinks it's just a game to all of the girls he associates with, when really they have far higher expectations than he ever wants to meet." I murmured.
Viktor shook his head, still thinking of Ginny. "Zat's no excuse to talk to you like zat."
I shrugged. "You're right. But if she came right now and apologized I know that I would forgive her."
Viktor smiled weakly. "But zat's exactly ze point – she's not coming."
I nodded and felt tears rise up again. "And Harry and Ron... I know that they hate me right now. I could apologize, but..."
He shook his head. "Vhat for? It's not your fault zat Ginny cheated on Harry and you can't change vho you like. Honestly, I zink if zey're really mad at you zen zey're just acting childish."
I smiled with tears in my eyes. "We're all younger than you, if you haven't noticed yet."
"But at least ze boy vho lived should be grovn up enough after all zat he's gone zrough to act in an adult manner."
My smile grew wider. "Not in interpersonal skills, no."
He frowned. "Vell zen I guess it's time for new friends." I knew that he was just kidding, but I couldn't get myself to find it very funny. Was that it? Was my friendship with them really over? After all that we had been through together? Or would they be able to get over it?
"Vell you still have me." Viktor smiled and I couldn't help but smile along with him. Yes, I did have him. But he didn't even go to this school. I couldn't sit by him at lunch or in class...
"You and Naomi should really come to the Grimmauld Place on Christmas Eve. Lots of people you know are going to be there, like Harry, Ron, and me, all the other Weasleys. A bunch of people you met at the wedding, oh and of course Fleur. You like her, don't you? You came to her wedding."
I didn't like bringing the wedding up to him. After all I had barely talked a word to him then, feeling to bad about not writing him back. He seemed to think about that for a second too.
"Yes, I do like Fleur. But I don't knov if Naomi vants to. I'll do my best." He replied and I nodded.
Looking out of the window I realized that it had already become dark. "What time is it?" I asked him, but looked at my alarm clock myself. It was almost ten o'clock.
"You should probably go if you want to get back to Bristol tonight." I said reluctantly. He scowled at me and I laughed. "I don't want you to go either, but Naomi's probably waiting for you."
He shrugged. "Naomi's fine, she's probably asleep by ze time I get home anyways."
"So does that mean you want to stay?" I asked hopefully. He acted like he thought about it for a second and then nodded enthusiastically.
"Is it okay if I just spend ze night and zen get up really early tomorrov?" He asked and I nodded smiling.
So the next couple of hours we stayed up way too late and talked about everything under the moon. I didn't care that I'd be super tired tomorrow, I didn't even want to think about tomorrow. Having to face everyone again seemed even worse now after the confrontation with Ginny. I just had wanted to let her know the truth so she could get over it. I had wanted to protect her. As soon as I had gotten the news I hadn't cared about whether we had fought anymore. I just had thought that it was my friend who was being hurt. I shook my head, really not wanting to go over it all again.
I woke up when I heard the door to my room open
"Hermione? Sorry I didn't vant to vake you up." I heard Viktor's voice and my eyes flew open. What was he doing in my room? Then I remembered that he had slept on our couch last night.
"That's okay." I muttered sleepily and sat up. He looked at me meekly.
"What?" I wanted to know.
"Can I take a shover?" He asked sheepishly.
I nodded again and laid back down after he had left the room and closed the door to the bathroom behind him. After a couple seconds I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep anymore though, so I moaned and got up. I put on a new uniform and straightened my hair with the help of a spell. Then I went to the common room to wait there for Viktor.
As soon as I sat down the door to Malfoy's room opened.
"Morning." He yawned as he made his way over to me, wearing only his boxershorts and a white wife beater. I couldn't help but admire the way he looked in that simple outfit. I could see his muscles in their true beauty and I had to scold myself so I wouldn't drool. I probably looked at him a little too long, but he didn't notice anyway. He was too sleepy.
"Morning." I replied. "I'm surprised you're already up." Usually he got up about an hour later.
He shrugged. "I woke up when I heard the shower. But that's cool, don't worry about it."
I nodded and he looked at me funnily and I couldn't help but blush a little. "You didn't shower yet, did you?" He finally asked me suspiciously. I slowly shook my head.
"But then who...?" he began, but was cut off by Viktor appearing in the door to my room.
"Vhat should I do viz ze tovel?" He asked me.
This situation was more than just awkward to me. It probably looked like Viktor and I... but it was obvious we weren't like that, right? He had a fiancé. But nobody really knew that here in Hogwarts... and our past spoke for itself... and this situation seemed to be pretty obvious.
"Just throw it on the floor." I replied quickly and he disappeared again.
I looked back up to Malfoy who just stared at me with an expression that I couldn't read for a while. Was that hurt? Or anger? Then his face transformed to a smug grin. "Well well, now I know why you've been so nice lately. Granger's getting some now, huh?" He sneered and made his way back to his room.
"No, Malfoy it isn't..." I began, but he was already gone. "like that."
Right then Viktor came out of my room again. "Vhere did zat boy of yours go?" He asked me smiling.
"Don't ask." was all I replied, frowning.
He smiled even wider. "Told you he vas jealous."
I rolled my eyes. "He is not jealous, Viktor."
"Vhatever." was his only reply. "I have to go nov zough or else I vill never see you again because I vill be beheaded by my lovely bride-to-be." He made a grimace.
"You said she'd be fine with it."
He shrugged. "Oh she vill be... after a vhile." He laughed and so did I.
"Well then you better leave right now!" I got up to give him a hug. After a couple of good-byes he then left and I sighed. Finally things between me and Malfoy had become better and that only because I was fighting with my friends. But I didn't even know how his current mood towards me was now.
A/N: Hey guys,
Another chapter's uploaded. Read & Review please! I love the feedback I'm getting from you people, it truely makes my stressed and awfully busy day soooo much better. You have no idea how crappy my life is right now due to all my obligations. I NEED reviews, it's the only thing that gets me through all of this every day. Well maybe I'm being a little extreme, but it really is true!
Love,
ShayleeRae