He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up. 'In vain I've tried to fight it, but it's consumed me. If you hadn't put me on that stupid love potion in the first place this wouldn't have to be done!'
~ Malfoy Still Loves Hermione? ~
It was still dark. Hermione could feel her head throbbing; she also felt a lucid, floating sensation throughout her entire body...
'Where...?' she murmured.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her vision was a little blurry at first...
'Ah, you're awake!' said a voice near by. 'Sorry about stunning you, but I need this to run smoothly.'
Hermione began to register her surroundings: she was in a potions lab, one she'd never seen before. There was a black door directly ahead, and large table in the centre of the stone-walled room, littered with potion bottles and ingredients. Flickering light emanated from the torches placed around the walls. What was odd, though, was Hermione felt she was seeing down on all this. Her feeling of floating became more and more apparent. Puzzled, Hermione lowered her eyes to her feet and gasped - she was floating!
'Hello sleepy head!' said the voice, belonging to -
'MALFOY!' Hermione yelled, struggling to get down, but it was no use. He'd cast a hovering charm on her. That indignant little ferret! 'I demand you put me down on the ground this instant and tell me where we are!'
'Quiet!' said Malfoy, working over a steaming cauldron in the corner. 'I'm trying to focus.'
Hermione decidely ignored his request.
'MALFOY!'
'All right already! If you insist on getting hysterical.'
With that, Malfoy abandoned his cauldron and explained, in a very matter-of-fact tone, 'we are in Professor Snape's secret underground laboratory. I told him I wanted to work on an extra credit Potions assignment, so the slime head let me borrow it. He buys anything I tell him these days.' Malfoy said this last part with a distinct note of malicious pride.
Hermione, feeling very angry and violated, continued struggling.
'You're breaking a trillion school rules here, Malfoy, I swear you'll - '
'Would you stop wriggling around like that? It's impossible for you to get down. My wand is aimed right you.'
Malfoy pointed to his wand, propped up against a book on the table. It was the source of the hovering charm. As long as it stayed in position, Hermione would remain stuck in mid-air.
'Come on, Hermione, relax! I'm almost finished here.'
'Relax!' Hermione said in outrage. 'You've unlawfully kidnapped me and stuck me to the roof of Snape's secret laboratory, I am far from RELAXED!
'I know my actions may seem a little unorthodox - '
'A LITTLE?'
'But it's all for the best! I am saving you, after all.'
'From what, GRAVITY?'
'No,' Malfoy laughed, shaking his head. 'From Harry Potter.'
Hermione froze. Saving me from Harry? What is he talking about?
'Potter has obviously bewitched you some how. It's the only way to explain it.'
'Explain what?' said Hermione. At her asking, Malfoy's grey eyes darkened, and his body shuddered with restrained anger.
'Why you fancy him instead of me!' he proclaimed furiously.
Then it dawned on her. Hermione knew exactly what was going on. Of course! Malfoy has love potion relapse as well!
'You had to be a bloody Mudblood, didn't you?' he said, with a sting in his voice, as he circled her floating form. 'I mean, there I was, lying in hospital when I find your name tattooed on my back! What do I do? Panic of course. Can you imagine if anyone saw? Think of my father! But I had to come to terms with it. I couldn't deny what was happening. I, Draco Malfoy, born to one of the most honoured Pureblood families in the wizarding world, was infatuated with Hermione Granger! The Mudblood!'
'Malfoy,' said Hermione, trying to remain calm, 'it's not really you! It's - '
'Love potion relapse! Trust me, I know,' he said before she could. 'Why do you think I knew so much about it in Potions this morning? I've been doing nothing but research on it for the past week!' He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up. 'In vain I've tried to fight it, but it's consumed me. If you hadn't put me on that stupid love potion in the first place this wouldn't have to be done!'
'Wh...what do you mean?' Hermione asked tremulously. `What has to be done?'
Ignoring her, Malfoy strode over to the table and picked up a dishevelled looking red rose, kissed it, and threw it into the cauldron. Instantly, the liquid within bubbled and sparked alight; burning a brilliant bright pink. Hermione's stomach sank as she witnessed Malfoy make his very own batch of the Aphora Bewitching Potion.
'I saw you and Potter in the library earlier,' Malfoy drawled. 'You were having quite the interlude, weren't you? Too bad he's got relapse as well.'
Hermione had realised this the split second before Malfoy knocked her out, so it never really sank in. Harry. Harry had relapse...Harry didn't really love her...
'What kind of spell did he use to make you suddenly fancy him I wonder?' said Malfoy, coming to stand beneath her feet. The glow from the cauldron, and Hermione's heart, began to drain.
'There is no spell on me, Malfoy. My feelings for Harry are real,' she said in a weak voice. Malfoy snorted.
'What do you mean your feelings for Harry are real? Hermione, how can you have feelings for someone who's only "pretending" to feel something for you?'
Sinking her head, Hermione eyes started watering. She felt completely at loss, in danger of breaking down; and yet, a fire was burning inside of her, threatening release.
'Whatever Harry's going through doesn't matter,' she said more firmly.
'Yeah, right!' Malfoy snickered. 'Whatever makes it easier for you, Hermione.'
'IT'S TRUE!' Hermione suddenly shouted, snapping her head up and freeing the fire. 'NOTHING CHANGES THE FACT I'M IN LOVE WITH HIM!'
Malfoy was struck dumb. He didn't move, he didn't even appear to breath. Hermione, on the other hand, was trying to fathom what she'd just declared. She didn't conciously mean to say it. It just...came out.
'In love with Potter?' Malfoy said in an icy voice. 'No...you don't know what you're saying!'
Keeping his eyes on Hermione, Malfoy unearthed a syringe from the pocket of his Slytherin robe.
'Malfoy,' Hermione said in a frightened voice, glaring at the syringe. `What do you think you're doing?'
He answered her by moving to the cauldron and dipping the needle in the awaiting potion, filling it to the brim.
'After I inject you with this,' he said clinically, tapping the needle twice for effect, 'you'll love me - and only me! None of this "in love with Potter" rubbish.'
'Inject me!' Hermione cried, distraught. 'You must be truly out of your mind if you think you're putting that in me!' Overcome with terror, Hermione screamed, at the top of lungs, 'SOMEBODY HELP, PLEASE!'
'No point in screaming, Hermione, nobody can hear you,' said Malfoy casually, standing beneath her feet again. 'We're a floor under the school! Now, hold still...' He pulled over a chair, kneeled on top of it, and attempted to grab Hermione by the leg. Hermione, however, was doing everything in her power to avoid holding still. 'Stop it!'
'NO!' she screamed. 'Stay away from me, Malfoy! Or you'll be sorry, I SWEAR!'
'Fine,' said Malfoy, putting the syringe down for a moment. 'Hermione, you have to be more realistic. Potter doesn't really love you, he has relapse! If he didn't, you'd be back to being his big-haired, boring friend that's pretty handy to suck up to around test time!'
'You're wrong,' said Hermione, her voice cracking.
'Oh, come off it! You know I'm not wrong. Why don't you save yourself the fuss and come with me? I may have relapse too, but once you've had my potion, who could care less? We can pretend to be in love together!'
'NO!' screamed Hermione again, loosing her temper completely. Lashing out, she managed to kick Malfoy hard into the table. The impact threw his wand off aim, breaking the hovering charm. Hermione fell to the ground with a shriek and a resounding 'thump' - but there was no time to sit around on the ground. Using the few precious seconds she had, Hermione jumped to her feet and bolted for the black door.
'GET BACK HERE, HERMIONE!' Malfoy ordered.
The door swung open to a dark, twirling stone staircase. Without a second to loose, Hermione hurled herself up the steps. She climbed and climbed, going round and round, gasping for breath. Despite stumbling on her robes numerous times, she kept going, hoping the stairs would lead to safety.
'CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?' she yelled, her voice echoing all around. 'ANYOBODY!'
In the depths below, Hermione could hear Malfoy's preying foorsteps. He was gaining on her. Ignoring a painful stitch developing in her side, Hermione kept running, as fast as she could - but Malfoy was too quick.
'GOT YA!' he shouted, seizing a handful of her robes.
'NO!' Hermione shrieked. Malfoy tugged her towards him and clasped his arms around her. On impulse, Hermione elbowed him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He let go. Hermione ran.
'That HURT!' he complained, rubbing his stomach and chasing after her.
Hermione strained to keep her pace, to run faster, but the stairs wouldn't end. It was hopeless. Malfoy caught back up; and this time, he levelled her to the step, pinning her down with his weight.
'AAHH! GET OFF ME, MALFOY!' Hermione screamed, struggling more then ever.
'You leave me no choice, Hermione!' His grey eyes were wild, as raised the syringe high above his head like a knife. 'It's for your own good!'
In a last show of disgust, Hermione leant up and spat in Malfoy's face. Least to say, he was very displeased. Wiping the remnants off with his sleave, he gripped Hermione by the hair and slammed her head to the concrete. Hermione saw stars; it put her out of action long enough for him to find a vein in her arm. Hermione yelped painfully, flinching, as she felt the needle penetrate her skin. Malfoy was injecting her now. The potion swam into her blood stream like hot rapids, coursing through her entire body.
'You're going to forget you ever fancied stupid Harry Potter!'
'SHUT UP!' Hermione cried, tears cascading down her cheeks.
'You'll love me more then you ever loved him!'
'NEVER!'
And with that, Malfoy lifted the needle out. It was empty. Mission accomplished.
'See? That wasn't so bad now, was it? You can go now. I'll see you soon.'
Malfoy winked and stood up, letting her go. Hermione teetered to her feet, unable to believe what had happened. Malfoy's Aphora Bewitching Potion was inside her system, spreading like a disease. It wouldn't be long before she'd come running back to him, sick with love.
Clasping her pierced arm, Hermione violently thrust Malfoy out of her way and ran up the remaining stairs - she had, to her despair, been close to the top after all. At first it seemed like a dead end, faced with nothing but a stone wall; but then she traced the outline of an arched door and realised it was embedded into the rock. Haversting what energy she had left, Hermione heaved herself against it. It proved very heavy, and only opened a bit at a time. Voices became audible on the other side. Familiar voices...
'I'm telling you, Ron! I heard her screaming!'
'But, Harry, that's a statue of a Slytherin snake! Besides, Hermione's supposed to be with Ginny, isn't she?'
'I know it's crazy, but I swear I heard Hermione yell for help from behind this wall!'
'Maybe the snake ate her.'
'Shut up, Fred!'
`Well it is time for dinner…'
With one last, agonising push, the door flung open on its own accord. Hermione lost balance and fell out the other side. The door closed automatically, a looming snake statue in its place.
'Hermione!' Harry and Ron exclaimed together.
'Wicked!' said Fred and George, excited at the thought of another untapped, secret entrace to some where.
Hermione was now laying under the bright lights of the Great Hall. Harry, Ron, Fred and George closed in, as well as some other students, nosing in on the commotion.
'Hermione?' said Ron, gaping. 'How the hell did you wind up behind that snake statue?'
'Did he eat you?'
'GEORGE!'
'It's just a question!'
But as Hermione stood up, there were no more questions - for the moment, at least. Everyone could see she looked terribly upset; not to mention a little bruised.
'Hermione?' said Harry, going closer to her. 'What's happened? What were you doing behind that statue?'
There was no helping it. How could she? When Hermione saw Harry, all she could do was cry. She really believed he loved her...that it was nothing to do with a potion. She should say something about Malfoy, she thought vaguely, before it was too late; but she was too overwhelmed.
'Hermione?' said Harry again, very worried now.
Then, to everyone's complete and utter surprise, Hermione flung her arms around Harry and sobbed into his neck.
'Hermione, what's going on?' Harry asked, startled, putting a hand on her back.
'Well somebody better say what's going on!' said Ron, feeling very un-hugged.
Hermione lifted her head and looked into Harry's eyes...his 'relapsing' eyes, that only pretended to see something incredibly beautiful in her. With a pitiful smile and tears rolling down her face, she kissed him. This in turn caused Ron, Fred, George's eyes to almost pop out of their sockets and roll around the floor - not to mention Lavender and Parvati's eyes, which were positively engaged from the background. Unlocking her lips from Harry's, Hermione whispered, so only he could hear: 'I love you.'
And that was it. That was the last time Harry saw Hermione before everything changed. Hermione, unable to bear any more, tore past the crowd that had formed around them and escaped the Great Hall. Harry stayed behind, breathless, to endure a sudden explosion of wolf whistles and cry's like 'go Harry!' or 'score!' from the on-looking crowd. Ron on the other hand, did not show a trace of support.
~ Ron Still Loves Hermione? ~
Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, Harry's roomates, were keeping Harry occupied by attacking him with a number of personal questions. The three of them had congregated to their dormitory room. Neville was there as well, but he'd gone to bed already.
'How long have the two of you liked each other, Harry?'
'Did you know she was going to kiss you?'
'Are you going to be boyfriend and girlfriend now?'
'Is she a good kisser, Harry?'
Dean chuckled. 'Why would you want to know that? Thinking of having a snog with her yourself?'
'No!' said Seamus, chucking a pillow at Dean's head. 'I was just curious. It's not every day a girl comes up to you in the Great Hall for a snog.'
Or to tell you she loves you Harry thought.
It seemed everyone was talking about Hermione snogging Harry. Professor McGonagall even made a point of telling Harry, after she'd found out what had happened, that he and Hermione should keep their business private, and not for the entire school to see. After dinner, Harry searched for Hermione, but with no luck. His mind was reeling with questions: why had she run off? Why was she crying? What was behind that wall? Why did she say...
`So, Harry,' interrupted Seamus' voice. `Are you going to ask Hermione out?'
`Course he is!' said Dean obviously. Seamus rolled his eyes.
`And what are you supposed to be, the expert?'
`That's right,' said Dean smugly. `Harry can take Hermione to the Three Broomsticks tomorrow when we're in Hogsmede and buy her a drink. That's what I - the expert - would do.'
`But I always take Hermione to the Three Broomsticks and buy her a drink,' said Harry pointlessly, speaking for the first time since he entered the room. `Ron too.'
`Oh,' said Dean. `Well, I'm sure you'll think of something.'
`Hey, Harry!' said Seamus, still brimming with questions. `Why was Hermione crying before?'
This was one of the things Harry had been thinking about too.
`I…I don't know.'
`Maybe she was overcome with happiness,' suggested Dean, after which he and Seamus burst into laughter. Harry paid little attention to them. He didn't mean to be rude, but he couldn't stop Hermione's voice reciting the words 'I love you' in his head! Everything was happening so fast; one minute Harry's at Hagrid's coping with puberty, and the next Hermione's in love with him?
`So tell us, Harry - are you, you know...' Dean fluttered his eyelashes like an idiot, `...in love?'
`What?' said Harry, turning as red as Ron's hair. `I don't know! Shut up, Dean.'
Dean winked at Seamus.
`I think that's a yes…'
`I didn't say yes!'
`Didn't say no either...'
`Yeah!' said Seamus, chuckling. `You should see your head, Harry, it's turning into a big red tomato!'
Now they'd all burst into laughter.
`Shut up!' said Harry, chuckling.
`No, seriously! Can we come to the wedding, Harry?'
`I said shut up!'
Harry threw a pillow at Seamus' head. This in turn started a massive pillow fight between the three boys. Two minutes into the fight, Ron came into the room, though he wasn't in the mood to join in.
`Hey Ron!' greeted Seamus.
`Hey Ron!' greeted Dean.
`Hey...' Ron said flatly, going straight to his bed without a glance at Harry. In fact, he seemed to be doing his best to ignore him completely.
`What's eating you, Ron?' asked Seamus. `Grab a pillow, we're going to cover Harry in feathers before he marries Hermione!'
Dean and Seamus expected Ron to laugh, but he didn't.
`Ah...Ron?' tried Harry, but Ron didn't reply. He simply got dressed in his pajamas and hopped into bed.
`I'm tired. Goodnight.'
Harry didn't feel like pillow fighting any more. He said his goodnights to Dean and Seamus and went to bed, laying awake for the longest time. He was pretty certain why Ron was acting so cold; he'd had an inkling of a similar feeling last year, just after the Yule Ball, when Ron was angry with Hermione for accepting Krum as her date. The subject had since become taboo - until now. Ron must, after all, have feelings for Hermione.
A/N: Updating like a crazy person! My computers still down, but I'm able to get these chapters up from ff.net. Kudos to you if you've been reading! I'll slow down with the updates after this, and go back to one at a time. Please, please review! I'd love to accumulate some more feedback.
Also, I realise this chapter was quite dark. I've had a mixed response with it, and was a little worried about releasing it on Portkey. All I can say is, it needed to be done. I actually love this chapter because it changes everything, and the story was much easier to write from this point on. Things will get worse before they get better, and I promise they'll get better.
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