A/N: I promised to keep you updates, so I shall. The current standings for my newest fanfiction, in order, are: Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery (35%), Not Another Vampire Story (27%), Sex Ed With Poppy Pomfrey (20%), Kiss and Make It Better (11%), Cut (4%), ??? (3%). There was also some confusion on what type some of the stories fit into (Novel, Short Story, One-shot, etc.), so I reedited the descriptions and the types are now underneath the title. Make sure to keep on voting! The poll will be open for a few more weeks so stop by and see how your top choice is doing. Thank you so much for participating already, though! Thanks to you guys, there are already 97 votes.
Thanks to my favorite beta, Vincent, for making this chapter OD with awesome!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine, you lunatic! You would know if he was…
Enjoy!
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A Masquerade Under the Stars
The nerve of him!
How dare he!
That bastard!
Those were the thoughts that kept racing rapidly through my mind once I'd finished his note. It was sad, really, that my brain could only muster enough strength to repeat those words again and again without end.
The more piteous fact was that it had been a few hours since I'd thrown myself on my bed and had a hissy fit. Yes, I just said hissy fit. I don't think there's any better way to describe how I kept pounding my pillows and kicking my comforter. I probably looked like a five-year-old having a tantrum because they didn't get their ice cream for dessert. How juvenile I must have looked. Then again, it wasn't as if anyone could see me.
I finally gave up taking out my frustrations on my sheets and settled for lying face down on my bed, thinking things through before letting my overreactions get in the way. It took a lot longer than I thought. If anyone would have walked through my doorway, they would probably think I was dead. That, or had just gotten hit with the Full Body Bind curse. I just lay there, trying my best not to let bitterness get in the way of making my decision. Easier said than done, truth be told. I couldn't think of saying "Yes" without having a voice in the back of my head scream of how much he didn't deserve an answer that positive, if he deserved any answer at all. And it was right, to an extent. There was still a part of me who wanted more than anything to see him in person. Even if there was a charm from preventing me from discovering who he really was, I still wanted to touch him. My inner girly-girl needed to make sure that he was real.
But he broke your heart! The voice of my subconscious screamed at me.
Yes, he did. But that didn't change the fact that I still loved him. And love makes you do silly things like overlook all of his flaws for the chance to talk to him for the first time without having to read anything, to hear his voice instead of imagining it. If I said yes, I would see him, hear him, and touch him. Wasn't that what I wanted from the very beginning? Absolutely.
Then what was holding me back?
Sure, he'd totally disregarded my feelings as he confessed his love for another, but the only thing that changed was him. Not me. For once, I could be selfish. I could look past his feelings and focus on mine, fully taking advantage of the hour we would be together. And, if my plan fell though, well, I would only have to bear it for an hour. We would dance, we would converse, and by the time that hour was up I would have the choice to find out who was behind the mask. To see the man I fell in love with. Everything would change. It would all be for that moment. Did the means justify the end? There are two sides to every coin, after all. He would see me for who I really was and I would finally know his reaction of being pen-pals with the school bookworm.
But, since he didn't share my feelings, it wasn't as if he would be suddenly repulsed. He thought of me as a friend and nothing else. If anything, he would just walk away and I would be left in the middle of the dance floor. Alone.
Oh, God, was I a pessimist or what? The only way to find out any of this out was to just go for it. The majority of the dance, I would just be walking around all by my lonesome, making sure everything was going according to plan. I deserved an hour to myself-with Joe. I didn't want to waste a wonderful evening being lonely and wishing that I had given Joe one more chance. Maybe he wouldn't even mention her. After all, it was a pretty momentous occasion. We had been talking to each other since summer and this was the moment that the two of us had been waiting for. At least, that's the impression that I got whenever we talked about it. I let the contents of all of our letters rush through my head and nodded to myself reassuringly.
Yes.
And there was silence from the screaming banshee that was my subconscious.
"Alright, Joe. You win." I mumbled.
I lifted myself up to my elbows and looked around the room, realizing how dark it suddenly looked. My eyes fell upon the clock and saw that it was nearly seven. Shit. I was supposed to be there by seven-fifteen to overlook the preparations with the other prefects. I looked around for my dress box and saw the slightly blood-soaked sheet I had worn this morning lying in a heap at the edge of my bed. I really needed to wash that. But since I was on a tight schedule, it would have to wait.
I rolled off my bed and found the box containing my dress on the floor. Oops. Looks like I accidently took out my emotions on my dress. I opened it up and saw no real damage. Pulling it out, I laid it across my bed and meant to put the box away when I saw a pair of golden heels lying precariously at the bottom. I hadn't even thought about shoes, but apparently whoever had gotten me this dress had.
I quickly stripped and gingerly pulled on my dress, feeling it self-adjust to my body like it had before. It still fit like a glove. I looked at my reflection in the window and smiled to myself. I really did look a picture. The only thing that kept me from looking complete was my hair. My frizzy, overly curled hair. Thinking of some hair charms that I had read about in Witch Weekly once in Sue's shop one slow afternoon, I tried out a few styles that made my hair look somewhat presentable. I ended up choosing a half-up style with my long bangs straightened and pinned to the sides of my face while the rest of my hair was slightly curled and hanging around my shoulders. Applying a small amount of nude makeup, I was ready and out of my door within ten minutes, grabbing my mask on the way out. The shoes were like nothing I had ever worn. I could tell they were also of magical origin, as they adjusted to my feet within seconds of me putting them on.
I had to hold up the front of my dress while descending the stairs to prevent from tripping over it. I paced myself as well, hoping that I could avoid any sort of accident this close to the ball. Little did I know that I was making some sort of an entrance as I reached the bottom of the stairs. Harry was leaning against the sofa and had his eyes glued to me like I was some sort of shiny galleon. Oh, wait.
He didn't look half bad himself. He was wearing dress robes that looked simple but nicely so. They were quite similar to the ones he had worn to the Yule Ball in our fourth year. Yes, I had noticed. The only difference was that they were trimmed with gold. Looks like it was a popular color this evening.
"Hermione you look… wow."
I blushed and bit my bottom lip. "Thank you. You look very wow yourself."
He smiled and extended his arm like the gentleman he was. "Shall we depart? I'm afraid we're cutting it a bit close."
I looped my arm around his and nodded. "We shall."
Exiting the portrait hole, I caught a glance of Marie giving us a smirk on our way out. I shot a glare at her and continued with Harry to the great hall. It wasn't as bad of a trip as I thought it might be. The only thing that bothered me was my stomach, which felt very light at the moment. But I chose to ignore that. It wasn't part of the plan. And if I didn't stick to the plan, the night would end in shambles, I was sure of it. So, I put all of my feelings for Harry at the moment on hold and focused on the night ahead. Again, it was easier said than done. But somehow I managed it and soon after, we arrived at the great hall. There were a few people already gathered there and we had to weasel our way to the front before getting the chance to enter. I removed my arm from around Harry's and was struck by a cold breeze in the absence of his body heat. But never mind that.
I knocked on the closed door three times and Professor McGonagall poked her head out and gave us a look that made Harry and I flinch a little. "You're late."
"By how much?" I squeaked.
"Three minutes." She replied sternly.
I sighed as she pulled open the door to let Harry and I inside. But all of my thoughts of embarrassment in arriving late were immediately extinguished by my awe at the state of the hall. The ceiling was charmed to look like a starry night, complete with a shooting star going across its length every few seconds. There were circular tables covered with sparkling crystal plates and goblets, and navy tablecloths scattered about, outlining the dance floor in the middle of the hall. There was a medium sized band stand complete with drums, guitars, and a keyboard-at least, that's what they resembled. From what I remembered at the Yule Ball, they were very similar to the Muggle instruments, but gave off sounds far more advanced than what I was used to hearing on the radio. It was rather interesting, seeing as the Wizarding world still hadn't moved on from records and turnstiles.
There was a refreshment and snack table filled with punch bowls and appetizers of every shape and size. Seeing as I'd skipped both lunch and dinner, I knew that I would be seeing a lot of that table within the next few hours. Until eleven, that is.
"Alright everyone, gather around!" McGonagall called from the dance floor.
I made my way over to her and was vaguely aware of Harry following closely behind. The rest of the prefects were all here, as far as I could tell. The girls all looked ravishing in their ball gowns, their hair all done up pretty and perfect, and their jewelry shining against their skin. The guys were handsomely dressed in robes varying in color, cut, and trim. Interestingly enough, I still think Harry was the one who remained on top. No surprise there.
"In ten minutes, we will open the doors to let the students inside. Now, Professor Dumbledore - wherever he may be - and I are counting on you to keep your eyes open and alert throughout this evening. A few other teachers will be around as well, but that does not mean that you are to neglect your duties. We took a gamble allowing more people into this event and trust that you will not let us down. But do try to enjoy yourselves. After all, this is a party." There were a few chuckles and she continued. "Please put on your masks at exactly seven-thirty. I trust you all remembered them, and if not, you are to see me immediately as I have a few extras in my office."
She dismissed us a moment later and the crowd dispersed. I was about to sneak over to the refreshment table when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Hayley Elliott, one of the prefects who had been in charge of the decorations. She was dressed in a silky pink number that clung very snugly to her curves, her hair bunched up in the back of her head with a few clips, complete with a necklace of white pearls dangling from her neck. Gods, she looked like Grace Kelly.
"Hey, Hermione."
"Hello, Hayley. What can I do for you?"
"I was just wondering if you liked the decorations. I was a little iffy about the dance floor being in the middle and-"
I cut her off with a smile. "It looks wonderful. You should congratulate yourself on a job well done. You and your fellow group mates."
She let out a visible breath of relief. "Well that's a relief! I thought for sure that you'd hate it."
"Why would I hate it?"
"Well, I was told that you d-oh, hi Harry."
She continued to look glassy eyed behind me and I turned to see Harry shooting her a dazzling smile. I rolled my eyes and snapped my fingers in front of the poor girl's face. She stumbled a bit in her place, but continued to look at Harry as if he was some sort of Roman god or something.
"Hello Hayley. Do you mind if I steal Hermione for a moment?"
She shook her head furiously. "N-no. Not at all, go right ahead."
He grinned and I swear I saw the girl melt into a puddle on the floor. Or maybe it was just my imagination. Yeah, it was probably that.
Harry led me off to one of the tables and sat down. I pulled out one of the chairs and sat next to him. He looked troubled, his confidant demeanor of a few moments ago gone as if a sudden wind blew it. I was about to ask him what was wrong when he spoke up.
"I'm sorry about this morning, Hermione. I was a jerk."
"What? No, you weren't. You were just a bit off your rocker is all."
He chuckled. "That and many other things. I just wanted to apologize for not explaining myself."
I felt something bubble up in my chest. "And you're going to tell me?"
"No."
I groaned as the feeling was squashed.
"Don't look so put out, you'll find out eventually."
I crossed my arms around my chest. "What if I want to find out now?"
He gave me a look. "Then you'll be very disappointed."
I narrowed my eyes at him and he smiled, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. I sat there, frozen, not knowing what to do with the gesture. "What was that for?" I asked softly.
"For not hexing me when you woke up."
"And why didn't you do that this morning?"
"Because you smelt like puke."
My mouth dropped open and I gave him a shove on the shoulder. I meant for it to be more intimidating, but I ended up smiling. I really needed to work on that if I ever wanted to get my point across.
"Well, if it's any consolation, I'm sorry you had to wake up to me." I said.
That certainly got his attention. I should add `Moment Wrecker' to my resume.
"Don't ever say that."
"Why not? You were sorry for being a jerk, and now I'm apologizing for being a bad bed buddy, for lack of a better word."
"Well don't." He said stiffly. "You have nothing to apologize for. From what I remember, you were more than satisfactory in that department."
I felt heat rise up to every visible patch of skin. "Umm… thank you, I guess." I paused for a moment. "But it's okay if you regret it."
"I don't regret it, Hermione. Not one bit. Don't ever think you took advantage of me or any of that other rubbish you were talking about earlier. I wanted it to happen, and if that makes me a horrible person, so be it."
I was speechless.
"I think you're an amazing person. And whoever this Joe guy is that caused you to sleep with me, he's a moron for not seeing that."
"You're gonna make me cry."
"Yeah, that's usually the affect I have on women."
I chuckled. "Not according to Hayley. I think she almost pissed herself when you smiled at her like that."
"Like what?"
"You know that smile that somehow manages to make all the girls in this school go googly-eyed."
"Oh that one." He said mockingly. "Does it manage to get your knickers in a twist as well?"
"Dream on, Harry."
"Always."
I didn't realize that I was smiling until I felt strain on my cheeks. How could he always manage to make me feel better? Maybe it was a wandless charm or something. The same charm, it seemed, that was causing me to lean forward to give him a quick peck on the lips. I pulled back an instant after it happened, surprised that I did such a thing. We were still very close to one another and I could see him looking at me with the familiar hazy eyes he had sported not so long ago. Only this time, I wasn't scared. He began to lean forward, but the chime of a distant bell caused us to jerk apart. I looked at a nearby clock and saw that it was seven-thirty.
Damn it all.
Harry leaned back with a small smile and reached inside his robes to pull out a simple black mask that covered his eyes and the bridge of his nose. I took the hint and stood up, preparing to walk over to the food table, but Harry's hand pulled me back. He was now standing up as well and still hadn't put on his mask. His deep emerald eyes bore into mine and I soon found myself lost in them. He raised my hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on my palm. I shivered at his touch and felt at a loss when he turned and walked the other direction, putting on his mask on in the process.
I sighed and turned away before I could be caught staring. I, too, put on my mask as I retreated to the table. I didn't feel any sudden effect from the charm and instantly became worried. I spun around, looking for someone I recognized to see if they had the same problem. Nothing. I didn't see anyone I knew. That could only mean the charm must be in place. Professor McGonagall had cast it herself, and she would never allow one mask to be void of the enchantment. At least, I hoped so. Regardless, I reached the table just as the double doors opened to admit the other partygoers inside. I heard the ooh's and ahh's that closely resembled how I had felt upon seeing the décor. Hayley and company had really outdone themselves.
As my first conquest, I chose a few slices of bread and marmalade, closely followed by small helping of celery sticks and mini quiches. Man, did I feel like a pig. But then I remembered that I had barely eaten and continued to stuff my face.
There was a much larger turnout than I had expected. When the pen-pal system was first announced, it seemed as though most of the student body couldn't care less. But now that I saw all of the people in attendance, I didn't feel any remorse in saying that I highly underestimated the student body. For once. Although I didn't recognize anyone, I still took into account how elegantly dressed everyone was. I didn't feel as out of place as I once thought. Sure, my dress was all I could wish for in beauty, but there was a small part of me that thought that it would either be too beautiful or too plain. Thankfully, I fit right in. When I first tried it on and pictured this night, I thought that Joe would be by my side and look at me as though I wasn't real. But now that I was here, I had a completely different picture. I wanted him to feel bad-no, I wanted him to feel horrible for breaking my heart. I wanted to show him what he was missing. And hopefully, if things went according to plan, I would.
The band began playing about twenty minutes into the ball. It was of mixed gender this time around and had a name that I didn't recognize. Perhaps they were of local fame and not the same caliber as the Weird Sisters. The music was alright regardless, varying from upbeat tunes with long guitar solos to slow tangos with piano melodies sweet enough to make you cringe. You know what I'm talking about. All in all, it seemed as though everyone was having a grand time. But all the while, I couldn't help but scanning the room and wondering which of the attendees Joe was. Knowing he was this close to me made me feel a little more than uncomfortable. More like antsy or something like that. I guess it was habit to feel this way whenever he was involved. Hopefully I would be rid of it soon enough, because it was becoming a pain.
I kept on glancing at the clock every five minutes. Seven-forty, seven-fifty, eight, eight-thirty…
The time was passing so slowly! These were the times I wished I had my old time turner back. Granted, it could only go back in time, but it was the thought that counted. I should invent a time turner that could go forward in time just for moments like these.
I spent the majority of my evening between going between the food table and a nearby circular table to sit down when my heels became too much to bear. I had also walked the parameter of the hall a good five or six times when I got especially bored. The trips hadn't made it better, though. I saw plenty of couples dancing and in deep conversation as I walked, and that made me more depressed than I was to begin with. That could have been me. Why couldn't Joe have said nine instead of eleven? Stupid boy. I wasn't going to be in a good mood when I met him. I guess that's what I get for agreeing, though. I could always stand him up, but that wouldn't be fair.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
I was dozing off at one of the tables when the clock read five minutes to eleven. I immediately got up and began my journey to the middle of the dance floor. It was more difficult than I had originally planned to get to the direct middle. There were dancing couples and a few groups all around me. I got the familiar sense of déjà vu and shivered. Hopefully I wouldn't have another repeat of that anytime soon.
I ignored the voice that begged to differ.
There was a small space directly in the middle of the floor waiting for me. I was afraid that if I stepped into it, a bright spotlight would bear down on me. But I didn't have the time to second guess anything. It was all or nothing at this point. And Damnit, I wanted it all. I wasn't standing there for a minute when I felt someone come up close behind me, their dress robes only just brushing against me. I stiffened as goose bumps formed on my flesh. This was not part of the plan.
"Anonymous?"
Oh my, was his voice masculine.
I gulped and nodded. "Joe Bloggs?"
"Yes."
I was in deep shit.
I turned around and saw, in human form, Joe Bloggs, the man I had fallen in love with. The man who broke my heart. He was smiling at me, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Was he just as blown away as I was? No, he was probably comparing me to the love of his life with a name like Tiffany or Elizabeth.
"You look absolutely breathtaking."
I felt heat rise up in my cheeks. "Thank you. You look very handsome yourself."
He nodded in thanks and held his hand out in a gesture I found very familiar. Stupid charm! If it wasn't for that, I would know who he was by now. His voice, his clothes, his stance-everything seemed so familiar! Instead of remaining angry at how frustrating this was slowly becoming, I took his hand and he spun me around the way you read about in books. I felt myself becoming dizzy, but before I could catch my breath, he wrapped a strong hand around my waist and pulled me against him. I looked into his eyes, a mind-blowingly familiar emerald color, and saw them glittering like green glass. He moved his feet expertly around our little spot on the floor in rhythm to the song the band was playing. I couldn't hold back a smile. He was living up to my expectations, surpassing them, even.
"So." He drawled. "We meet at last."
"It's been a long time coming, I suppose."
"That it has. I hope I'm not disappointing you."
"Not in the least."
The song soon changed to one much slower and I wrapped my arms around his neck out of reflex. He responded by drawing me even closer to him and letting his arms rest on my lower back. This was the moment. The moment I had imagined. It scared me. I wasn't supposed to give into him. He didn't deserve that for what he did to me. But I couldn't help myself.
His hand began to trace a small circle I could feel through the fabric of my dress. I did my best to try and remain calm, but he wasn't making it easy. Half of me wanted to murder him, while the other half wanted to jump him. Merlin, was I a wreck. The only thing I could think of doing at this moment was make him feel the way I was. I twirled a tuft of his hair between a few of my fingers and felt him respond almost immediately. It wasn't too noticeable, but I had been searching for a reaction and the misstep in his almost flawless dancing was enough of a reaction for me.
"You never did write me back."
I stopped twirling his hair. "No, I didn't."
"I never got your response to my sudden emotional discharge."
"No, you didn't."
He stopped tracing the circle on my back and downgraded our dance style to moving from left to right like most of the other couples near us. "Can I have one now?"
I stiffened, now fully out of the influence of his charming disposition. Looking up at him, I said tensely, "What do you want me to say?"
"Well, I want you to say what you feel."
He was asking for it. I stopped moving with him and gave him a look similar to a glare, but with a little more spunk. "Do you really?"
"Yes." He said, looking confused.
"I think that you have a lot of nerve to get my hopes up like that, only to shoot them down and go running into someone else's arms."
We were both standing still now, no longer moving with the crowd. "What?"
"You know damn well what I'm talking about! I gave you a lot more credit than you deserved. I didn't think you would have the balls to bring it up again. But I guess you're just one big disappointment to add to the list." I said, my voice beginning to waver. "You just lost you chance to make it up to me."
"What chance, what are you talking about?"
"Stop playing dumb!"
"I'm not!"
I removed myself from his arms and began to move backwards. "I've had enough of this. It was a mistake to come here."
I turned around and began to speed walk away before I heard his reaction. But I did. He was calling after me and that alone was enough to get the tears to start. I quickened my pace and as soon I was free of the crowd and began to run towards the doors. I saw a few people turn to look at me, but I didn't care. All I wanted to do was go to my room and cry. I should have listened to that voice in the back of my head that told me to forget him. But no, I had to be noble and give him a chance. A chance he royally screwed up, might I add. I was such an idiot.
I made it to the double doors and was relieved to find them open. I ran through them and stopped to catch my breath. Crying and sprinting do not mix; I don't care what people tell you. I wiped my tear stained cheeks and made to remove my mask, but I heard footsteps behind me. I made to begin running again, but a tight grip on my arm prevented me from doing so. I tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. Nothing he could say would make me forgive him, so I didn't know why he even bothered to come after me. I wasn't the kind of person to give third chances.
"I've never loved another."
Correction: nothing could make me forgive him. Except that.
I turned around and his grip loosened on my arm to allow me to do so. He was staring at me with an intensity to melt glaciers. "Look, I'm sorry if I gave off the impression that I never loved you, because I do. I love you, Hermione."
My stomach dropped to the floor. "How do you know my name? I thought we promised not to go snooping around for each other's identity."
"We did but-it was an accident."
"How do you accidently find out who I am?" I asked angrily.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Fate, I guess."
I shook my head and pulled my arm from his now barely there hold. He let me go probably because he knew I wasn't going to run away. Not yet, anyway. "How long have you known?"
He bit his lip; a gesture I knew signified that I wasn't going to like his answer. "A few months."
I let out a bitter laugh. "And why didn't you ever tell me so we could avoid something like this?"
"I wanted to prove to you that I was worth it."
"That makes no sense. You'd already proved a while ago that you were well worth it."
"I'm not perfect. I didn't necessarily think before taking action."
I rolled my eyes. "That's obvious."
He bowed his head down. The rest of the words that came out of my mouth were word vomit, something that was on my mind ever since the beginning. "Why did you still stick around, anyway, after finding out it was me?"
His head craned back up. "What do you mean?"
"The entire school views me as a shrew, a bookworm not worth anyone's time. What could have possibly kept you around?"
"You don't get it, do you?" He took my silence as a yes. "By the time I found out it was you, I promised myself that whoever you turned out to be, I wouldn't let it affect my feelings. I was already talking to you with such an intensity that it didn't matter who you were, only that you were the only person I had ever talked to like that before. You were such a beautiful person inside that it never occurred to me that I wouldn't like you once I found out who you were. When I first found out, yeah, I was freaked out, but mostly because the truth was so blatantly obvious. I was in love with you when I found out, and I still am now."
I shouldn't have bothered wiping my cheeks before. There were a dozen new tear-stained paths that were leaking down to my chin. I sniffed and shook my head, trying to clear my mind before talking. "Why didn't you just say it, then?"
"I tried, but apparently I used the wrong context."
I let out a small laugh. He smiled at me and I spoke up in a coy voice. "What would happen if I said I didn't love you back?"
"I would call you a liar."
"And why is that?"
He pointed to my chest. "Because you're still wearing the crystal rose I gave you for your birthday."
I looked down and saw that he was right. I hadn't even noticed that I had been wearing it in the first place. Damn. The things I do to give myself away. It was no wonder he'd figured out it was me. And he wasn't even repulsed by it. That was enough to get me grinning like a madwoman. I took a few steps toward him and did the one thing that I knew I needed to do before asking anymore questions or telling him anything else. I kissed him. My arms wrapped around his shoulders and I gave him all the emotion I could in that joining of the lips. He didn't do half bad in response, either. His arms hugged me to him snugly and spun me around. I smiled against his lips and as he put me down, began to pull away. He wasn't ready for that. He pressed himself so close to me that I thought we were molding into one. His tongue plunged into my mouth and I swirled my own around his in a dance that made something in my head begin to ring. Only when we were out of air did we detach. And by the time that happened, we were both smiling and I could swear that I saw a few tears of his own making their way down his face.
I pulled myself back and looked at him. We were still wrapped up in each other, but I didn't mind.
"I love you." I said in a whisper.
He smiled and then let it falter. "Hold onto that."
I tilted my head in question. "Why?" He unwound his arms from my waist and took a few steps back. I looked at him curiously as he began to pace back and forth. "What is it, what's wrong?"
"It's going to be more difficult for you to accept who I am."
"I don't think so. If you can accept me for me, than I'm certain that-"
"Hermione, this is different. I did some things I'm not proud of in order to gain your trust, and now I'm not sure if they were for the best." He paused and looked at me. "Please, just promise me that you'll hold on to your `I love you' when you find out who I really am."
"I don't see why not." I said cautiously. "As long as you're not some sleazy arsehole who enjoys picking on children, I'm sure that I won't freak out too much."
"I'm not Draco Malfoy, if that's what you're implying."
"Well, that's a relief." He didn't smile. "Please, just tell me. Whoever you are, it won't affect my feelings for you. I love you."
"It's not who I am, but what I've done."
"You're scaring me…"
"Please." He said in a despite plea. "Just repeat those three words to yourself, okay? For me."
I sighed and tried my best to put all of my fears behind me. There were a billion different scenarios going through my head, each more terrible than the next. I owed him not to judge, as he didn't disregard me once he had found out my identity. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. When I reopened them, his back was to me as he began to take off his mask.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.
The black mask fell to the floor with a dull thud.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.
He began to turn around and I saw the side of his face come into view.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.
As if in slow motion, his full face came into my vision and I felt the words I was repeating over and over again slipped and faded into the void. My self control followed suite without missing a beat.
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