`This is madness!'
~ Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy ~
During dinner that night, before Harry and the other's went to their dormitory room…
Hermione ran and ran, until she was high in the school, until she could endure it no longer. The potion was taking hold; a wave of debilitating dizziness floored her to her knees.
`No!' she pleaded, crashing down. His name was in her head, pounding over and over.
MalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoy
`NO!' she pleaded more forcefully, her hands pressing against her forehead. `It's not going to work, I won't let it work!'
MalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoy
`I don't love Malfoy! I don't love Malfoy! I don't love Malfoy! I don't love Malfoy!'
MALFOYMALFOYMALFOYMALFOYMALFOYMALFOY
Hermione fought, as hard as she could. `IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK!'
Snap!
It stopped. Did she break it?
Staggering upright, Hermione suddenly felt…refreshed. Invigorated. Everything seemed brighter and immaculate with colour.
`I love him,' she told herself. `I really do.'
Regenerated, Hermione ran back the way she came. She was soon standing outside the Slytherin portrait hole, where he was waiting.
`What took you so long?' said Malfoy, open-armed.
~ A Boy Apart ~
It was now breakfast the following morning, and Harry sat alone. Ron sat at the far end of the table, pretending Harry didn't exist, while Hermione was still missing from yesterday. Care of Magical Creatures preceded breakfast with - groan - Slytherin. As the fifth-years made their way out into the grounds, Harry endeavored to catch up with Ron.
`Ron…Ron! Come on, talk to me!'
Ron marched willfully ahead, saying nothing.
`Ron!'
`What?' he said finally, wheeling around. Harry stopped. Now that he had Ron's attention, he didn't quite know what to say.
`I…' Harry futilely began, `…I don't want you to be like this.'
`And what would you like me to be like, Harry?' said Ron in a wounded voice. `All smiles and Christmas pudding like everyone else?'
`Well…'
`How long have you two been having an affair behind my back?' he accused Harry, ears burning with abandon. `No, wait! I don't want to know. In fact, spare me the details! You guys are only my best friends…'
Ron went to walk away, but Harry pushed in front of him.
`We're not having an affair, Ron! We're - ' Harry searched for the words. `I don't know what we're doing! Hermione and I…this whole thing started yesterday! I never meant for her to do what she did in the Great Hall. I was as shocked as you were!'
`You love her, don't you,' said Ron. It was more of a statement then a question.
`Huh?'
`You heard me.'
`Ron, I told you! This all happened in one day! I mean, I've been thinking I liked her but I never figured - ' Harry trailed off. Could it really be possible? `I didn't mean for you - '
`Answer the question, Harry!'
Harry knew he had to be honest - for his and Ron's sake.
`I think I'm starting to. Yes.'
Harry desperately wanted Ron to say or do something. Yell, wave his arms around - anything! But he didn't. His grim expression did not waver. Croakily, he said, `I hope you're really happy together.'
Ron walked on ahead. Harry didn't try and stop him this time, and followed unhappily a minute later. Class was about to start. Hagrid called for everyone to gather round. Harry was the last to walk over.
`Where's Hermione?' Hagrid asked, looking to Ron, and then Harry, who were standing apart.
`I don't know,' said Ron vacantly. Harry shrugged.
`Neither do…'
But then, Harry saw Hermione coming towards them in the distance - and she wasn't alone.
`Here she comes!' said Hagrid, spotting her for himself. The whole class turned to see.
Harry wanted to clean his glasses, to make sure he was seeing correctly. Surely he wasn't? Hermione was coming towards them while holding the hand of Draco Malfoy? He wasn't the only one amazed at this. It was, after all, common knowledge that Hermione and Malfoy hated each other's guts. Ron was having trouble blinking, Pansy Parkinson looked as though she'd swallowed a cat, and Neville couldn't close his gaping mouth.
`Ah…' said Hagrid wearily, surprised to see Hermione and Malfoy together himself, `…come along there now Hermione…Malfoy.' He glanced at Ron and Harry, trying to determine if they were making sense of this - they weren't. `Class is jus' startin'.'
Harry couldn't contain himself. He didn't want to disturb Hagrid's class, but this situation required some major explaining!
`Hermione?' he said, walking straight for her. `What…?'
Ron, who also couldn't contain himself, stormed over to Harry's side, clenching a fist.
`What in Merlin's name is going on here?' he demanded, glaring at Malfoy with the upmost accusation.
`Good morning Potter, Weasley,' said Malfoy, acting as if nothing unusual was happening. `Sorry we're late, but me and Hermione were very busy this morning.' He glanced at Hermione seductively, and she returned the favour. `I hope we didn't keep everyone waiting?'
Harry ignored Malfoy's dribble and addressed Hermione directly. `Hermione, what are you doing?'
It was impossible not to notice Hermione appeared a bit…well, not herself. She was very dreamy, like she wasn't quite all there.
`Accompanying Draco to class, Harry,' she answered passively.
`Draco?' Ron snapped, revolted.
`I don't know why you're all acting so shocked,' said Malfoy, relishing in every moment. `I mean, we are going out now. What's the big deal?'
`What!' said Harry and Ron, both flabbergasted.
Ron looked from Malfoy, to Hermione, to Malfoy again, as if he were watching a very fast Quidditch match. `But…that's just…Hermione wouldn't…you - '
Harry cut in.
`Hermione you can't be going out with Malfoy! I mean, for one, what about - ' He lowered his voice, `what about us?'
`What?' said Hermione coldly. `Us? You and me? You can't be serious, Harry!'
Harry visibly flinched at these words. `But, yesterday, you said - '
`Harry! Don't tell me you took what I said yesterday to heart? As if I'd ever have feelings for you, honestly! We're just friends.'
`Yes, just friends! Get real, Potter,' said Malfoy, bestowing him with a victory glare.
'It's strange,' Hermione went on. 'I know Draco and I fought all the time, but it must've been a facade. I love him now.'
`This is madness!' cried Ron, loosing it.
`By the way, Harry,' Hermione dug a hand into her robes, retrieving a folded piece of paper that was torn at the edge. `You can take this back. I don't fancy it.'
Loosing it completely, Ron lunged at Malfoy and gripped him by the collar. `This is all your doing, isn't it?' he snarled. `You putrid, stuck-up little GIT! ISN'T IT?'
`Ron, stop!' Hermione implored. `Let go of him!'
`Hey hey hey!' said Hagrid, intervening. `Thas' enough! No fightin' or I'll have to pu' yeh on detention. Easy does it, now,' he said, separating Ron from Malfoy.
`Yes, easy does it, Weasley,' said Malfoy arrogantly. `No need to be so offensive.' And then, he turned to Harry and said, in a low voice (but not low enough for Ron not to hear), `I'll let you know if she's good in bed, Potter.'
Naturally, Ron did not react favourably to this comment at all.
`THAT'S IT!'
Like a ball of unquenchable fire, Ron hurled Malfoy to the grass, punching senselessly.
`RON!' Hermione shrieked, mortified. `Don't! You're hurting him!'
`I HOPE SO!' was the extent of Ron's mercy.
As if this wasn't chaotic enough, a scorned Pansy Parkinson preyed on Hermione, grabbing and ripping at her hair.
`BOYFRIEND STEALER!' she screeched.
`AAHH!' Hermione wailed.
`Oh dear!' said Hagrid, striving to separate everyone.
Despite the upheaval, Harry had an explicit desire to be on his own. Clutching the paper Hermione had given him, he drifted over to the lake near by and sat at the water's edge. There, he opened Hermione's paper. It was the page from her Potions book, the one he'd written on. Harry bitterly tore it apart and tossed it in the water, the torn shreds floating slowly away on the current.
`Harry?' came Hagrid's voice, approaching Harry carefully from behind. `Yeh okay?'
Harry swallowed his breath, willing himself not to cry.
`It's okay if yeh miss class, Harry,' said Hagrid, laying a heavy hand on Harry's shoulder. `Yeh take as long as yeh want.'
Hagrid walked back to class, leaving Harry to himself.
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