So let’s talk about your friendship with Harry and Ron?” Elise said. She knew that the ‘Golden Trio’ was famously known for the War against Lord Voldermort. However, the ‘Golden Trio’ was just a name for the History books. It didn’t exist anymore.
Hermione ran her fingers through her hair. She always avoided this question when people asked. “Okay, well things changed after I told Ron how I felt.”
“Changed?”
“Yes, we avoided each other completely. We still sat together at meals and in class. But words were never spoken between us. We knew it was tearing Harry apart, he didn’t know how to be a separate friend to each of us. I couldn’t blame him.”
“So did Harry know how you felt about Ron?”
“Yes, I confided in him about Ron. Harry would just put an arm around me and tell me about his feelings for Ginny. It was nice to have him to talk to. But I knew that Ron and Harry were inseparable, so at times I felt very lonely.”
*
Hermione sat in the library, like she always did. She was alone. Ginny was with Dean and Harry was with Ron. She had other friends she could talk to, but no one she wanted to spend time with. Hermione was working intensely on an Essay for Potions. Professor Slughorn had handed out the assignment earlier in the week, but Hermione was always one to be on top of her homework.
“Well, look who is spending all her free time in the library.”
“What do you want Malfoy?” Hermione said looking up from her book. “I don’t think you want to be seen talking to me.” However, Hermione did take notice to Draco’s changed appearance. He was paler than usual, and he looked exhausted. She shook her head and looked back down at her book
“Well no one is around Granger.” Hermione looked around and noticed the library was fairly empty; except a few second-year Hufflepuffs working on an essay. Draco took a seat straight across from her and folded his hands on the table. “You’ve been avoiding me Granger.”
“I don’t like you Malfoy.”
“What? Did Weasley finally end things with Brown? Has he decided to chase after you now?”
Hermione ignored his last comment. But those words felt like 100 knife stabbing her in her heart. She held her breath, hoping she wouldn’t cry. It had been months since she had spoken to Ron. She spent Halloween alone, instead of joining in the normal festivities and she even decided not to go to the Burrow this Christmas, deciding to stay at school. Ginny strongly opposed to her decision, but Hermione needed to be away from Ron for some time.
“Come on now Granger, there is no need to ignore me.”
“Malfoy, I thought I made it quite clear at the beginning of the year that I didn’t want to talk to you.” She picked up her books and left the library, but Draco was right on her trail.
“You need me around Granger. Look at yourself, you look awful, sick even.” He said to her as they walked quickly through the corridor.
Hermione turned around and walked up to him. “Have you looked in the mirror? You’re not looking so good yourself.” She said harshly.
Malfoy sneered at her. “You don’t know anything Granger.”
“No I don’t Malfoy, I don’t know anything. I don’t know why you even bother with me. I don’t know why I confided in you. I don’t know why Ron doesn’t want me. I don’t know how I can be more like her so that he will want me.” Hermione dropped her books, shaking violently, and began to cry.
Draco just stared at her as he picked up her books, grabbed her arm and took her into an empty classroom. He held her closely as she cried into his chest. “What’s wrong with me? I don’t understand it. Why can’t I just get over him?”
Draco didn’t say a word, but held her tight against him. She pushed back and looked up into his eyes. “I can’t do this Malfoy. I can’t stand you.”
“And I can’t stand you Granger. But here we stand because we keep crawling back.”
*
“So? That was the first time you talked to Draco since your first encounter back at school?”
“Yes it was. It had been at least 3 months since we talked to each other. He didn’t even bother to insult me or my friends when he was around us. But, he watched me intently. I watched him. I think it was only because we found something to escape to. For me, it was my feelings for Ron, but for him it was the agony of the duty he was chosen to do.”
“Did you continue to see each other after that?”
“Almost every night it seemed. It was easy to get away with it because we were both Prefects. And our loathing hate for one another was quite well-known throughout the entire school. But it ended just before Christmas Vacation.”
“What happened before Christmas Vacation?”
*
Hermione was sitting on her bed in the Girl’s Corridor in the Gryffindor Tower. She was reading quietly to herself. She was trying to past the time before curfew; she was going to meet Draco tonight, just like she did almost every night. It was something she had gotten used to in the past couple of weeks. There time together was just like it was during Summer Vacation. However, Hermione never asked why Draco looked so sickly. She shuttered at the thought that something so horrific could affect someone so badly.
At 10:30, Hermione headed out of the Tower, ignoring the other girls in the room, and crossed the common room. Ron was standing in the doorway, staring at her as she came towards him.
“I have to go Ron.” She said to him. He didn’t move just kept looking at her. “Seriously Ron, I have prefect duties.”
“Can we talk Hermione?”
“There is nothing to talk about Ron. I have to go.”
“Just give me 5 minutes of your time and I’ll let you go.” He said with the tone of his voice sounding desperate.
Hermione shook her head. “What is it that you want Ronald?”
“I want my friend back.”
“But, I can’t just be your friend … I can’t put on a friendly face and pretend everything is okay.”
“It’s been weeks since you’ve said one word to me; I know everything is not okay. But we can try Hermione, we can be friends again. You can become friends with Lavender, she’s not as bad as she may seem.”
Hermione closed her eyes and laughed slightly. “Did anything I tell you sink into your pathetic brain? Did you not understand what I was saying?”
Ron stared at her puzzled, confused about what Hermione could mean. “But you haven’t been talking to me…”
“Ron, I told you that I thought that I loved you and you still have NO idea why I have been avoiding you.”
“Hermione I don’t know what you want me to do?”
“Nothing Ron … there isn’t much you can do, but you can do me one thing. You can leave me alone. Just let me do what I can to get over you.”
“Hermione, what if I can’t leave you alone?” Ron said grabbing onto her hands. “What if I don’t want to leave you alone?”
“Ron, you can’t hold onto me. You have to let me go.” Hermione said pulling away from him and quickly left the common room. She found Draco a few minutes later, leaning against the wall in the Astronomy Tower.
“You’re late Granger.” Draco said walking towards her as Hermione closed the door behind her.
“I was held up.” Hermione said wiping away the tears from her eyes. “Ron needed to talk to me.” She said. But as hard as she tried she could stop herself from crying. Draco came towards her and pulled her into his strong arms, letting her cry into his chest.
“Granger, don’t you think you should get over Ron?” Draco said simply. “We have to stop meeting like this, you crying.” Hermione knew that Draco wasn’t trying to be rude, she knew he was right, but she held onto the hope that Ron would fall madly in love with her. But Hermione didn’t say nothing but she wrapped her arms around Draco and squeezed. Hermione took notice that Draco was skinnier, but she didn’t want to upset him. She liked being held, like she was safe. “Granger, we don’t have to talk or do anything tonight. We can just sit here quietly if you wanted?” He said looking down at her. Hermione nodded and the two took a seat against the wall, Hermione huddled up against him, her in his lap, head pressed against his chest. He just held her, and stared out at the sky.
It was almost 6am when Hermione woke up still in Draco’s arms, who had also fallen asleep.
“Draco?” She said stroking his face with her hand. “We fell asleep.”
Draco opened his eyes and took a deep breath. “Oh well, looks like we should head back to our dorms.” He said as the two of the got up and stretched.
“Thanks for last night.” She said quietly.
“Yep.” He said simply. “See you later.”
Hermione smiled and followed behind him and walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room. The tower was still empty, as students were still sleeping. Hermione walked through the common room when she saw Ron curled up on the couch.
“Ron?” She said. “Ron, Wake Up.” She didn’t dare touch him or even get close to him.
Ron arose quickly. “Oh man, what time is it?”
“6:30, why are you down here?”
“6:30? Where have you been? I waited up for you to get back.”
“Fell asleep in the library. Well you should probably start getting ready for class.”
“Hermione wait.”
“Ron?” Hermione said turning to look at him. His hair was messy and his eyes were barely open.
“I want you to come to Christmas at my family’s house. I want you to be there. You’re considered a member of the Weasley Family; you should celebrate Christmas with us.”
Hermione smiled slightly and nodded her head. “Okay Ron, I’ll go.”
*
“So was that the last night you spent with Draco?” Elise said confused about what actually happened.
“Yes, Christmas was just less than a couple of weeks away and we were both caught up in school work and Prefect duties. And I was falling quickly back in love with Ron and we started talking again. Ginny was really excited that I decided that I was going to spend Christmas with the Weasley’s. It was started to feel like a typical Christmas for us all and Draco was displaced out of my mind.”
“So you and Draco just ended smoothly, no feelings were hurt.”
“Well, I said I displaced Draco out of my mind because I believed with every fibre of my being that I was supposed to marry Ronald Weasley. Draco was everything I was against. We were not supposed to end up together but you already know how this story ends.”
Elise laughed a little. “Of course, Mrs. Malfoy.”
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