Chapter 14

Hermione stared at Ron, taking a step back as he took one closer, but what she hadn't seen coming was what he did next. He tightly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. 'Thank Merlin you think the same way about it.' Ron said. 'Excuse me?' 'I was thinking same, Hermione, I think we would be better off as friends, you know. I mean that worked for us best. Don't get me wrong, I liked our time together, but it wasn't what it should've been.' 'Really?' Hermione asked, rather surprised by this sudden reveal. 'Yes, like I said we had a good time together, but it'd be best to be just best friends again, just like old times. But without the maniac who's trying to kill our best friend.' Ron said with a smile. 'I'm glad you think the same.' Hermione smiled. 'I'm glad you do.' Ron chuckled. 'If it weren't for you to break up with me now, I'd probably have done it in one of the upcoming days.' Ron said. 'So back to friends again?' Ron nodded, pulling Hermione in for another hug. 'Do you want to go back to the Great Hall?' Ron asked, pulling away. 'You can go, I'm off to the library.' Hermione smiled. 'Are you sure? You haven't eaten breakfast yet.' 'Breakfast is done anyway, I'll just eat more during lunch to compensate.' Hermione smiled. Ron nodded and Hermione turned around to make her way over to the library. 'Oh Hermione?' Ron said. Hermione turned back to face him. 'When are we going to tell everyone?' Ron asked. 'Whenever you want, you can tell them when you see them.' Hermione said. 'Okay.' Ron nodded, turning around and walking back in the direction of the Great Hall. Hermione looked at Ron as he walked away from her before she noticed someone staring at her. She looked past Ron and saw Draco standing just around the corner looking at the both of them. Hermione gave him a small smile and a wave before she turned around and continued towards the library. When she arrived there she searched the book she needed for her assignment and sat down in the library. She stayed in the library for about an hour before getting up from her seat, grabbing the book and making her way out of the library. She walked up the stairs towards the seventh floor and told a bored looking Snape the password before making her way into the common room. Hermione walked up to her room, grabbing one of her own books, placing the library book on her desk, before walking back into the common room and sitting down in the armchair in front of the warm fire.

'Oh shit, I forgot the book in the library.' Draco said. 'Alright, we'll see you at lunch.' Blaise said. Draco nodded and turned around, walking back to the library. He had been too caught up in his thoughts, doubting if he should or shouldn't tell Hermione about his feelings. And what if he would tell her? What did he expect her to do? Break up with her boyfriend? It would be better for her, wouldn't it be? But what if she thought he had a motive behind it all? And what if she didn't feel the same way? Draco passed the corner and looked up from the ground, only to see Hermione hugging Ron in the corridor. No, he wouldn't tell her, it was not the time to say and perhaps that time would never come. 'Do you want to go back to the Great Hall?' Draco heard Ron ask as he pulled away. 'You can go, I'm off to the library.' Hermione said. Draco frowned, not sure whether he wanted to go to escape having to see them together or stay to see where this was headed. Draco looked around him, but they seemed to be the only ones in the hallway. Draco turned back to face the couple and saw Hermione wanting to walk away, only to turn back to Ron a second later. 'When are we going to tell everyone?' he heard Ron ask. 'Whenever you want, you can tell them when you see them.' Hermione told him. 'Okay.' Ro nodded, turning around and disappearing into the Great Hall. Hermione then seemed to notice Draco and gave him a small smile and a wave before she turned around and turned the next corner, disappearing from his view. Draco furrowed his eyebrows, staring at the spot where Hermione had just been standing. What were you talking about? Had something happened? Ron had asked when they would tell everyone, but what was it that they had to tell? What if he asked her to marry him?

Hermione had fallen asleep due to the lack of sleep and the warmth that the fireplace produced. She opened her eyes, yawned and stretched her arms out as her eyes found the clock on the wall. A sigh left her lips, realising she had missed dinner, again. Hermione just closed the book she had been reading when the portrait swung open and Draco walked in, carrying a plate with food. 'Did you bring your dinner?' Hermione asked. 'No actually, I brought dinner.' Draco answered. 'What?' Hermione raised her eyebrows. 'I didn't see you during dinner so I figured you must've dozed off or have been too concentrated on the reading to not have noticed the time.' Draco shrugged, walking up to the couch and placing the plate and a cup of pumpkin juice on the table in front of it. 'This might be an easier place to eat.' Draco said, looking up at her. Hermione nodded, getting up from her seat, only to sit down on the couch next to Draco and taking the plate from the table. 'Thank you.' Hermione smiled. 'No problem.' Hermione quickly ate her dinner, glad Draco brought her some food and she didn't have to go all the way down to the kitchen to get it herself. She'd rather go and lay down, curled up in a nice warm blanket, in front of the fire. Draco got up from his place on the couch and walked towards his room, only to reappear in the common room a moment later, holding a book in his hand. 'Thank you for borrowing it to me, I actually quite liked it.' Draco said, handing Hermione the book. Hermione took it from him and looked at it. 'Romeo and Juliet.' 'I figured you might like it.' Hermione said, giving him a small smile as she placed the book down on the table in front of her before finishing her dinner and placing the plate next to it as Draco sat back down on the couch. Hermione felt his eyes burn on the side of her face, but her eyes stayed firmly on the book in front of her. 'I'm going to take a shower.' she announced, getting up from her seat. She made her way over to her room, grabbed her pyjamas and placed it on her bed, took a shower, wrapped a Gryffindor red towel around her body and walked back into her room where she pulled her pyjamas on before walking back into the common room. 'Uhm- you know we still have to make our rounds, right?' Draco asked, looking up from the Daily Prophet he was reading. 'Shit, I hadn't thought of that.' Hermione muttered, looking down at her pyjamas. 'You look gorgeous in your pyjamas, but I think it might be smart to pull a cloak on over it.' Draco grinned, looking up at her. 'That might be a good idea.' Hermione chuckled, sitting down in the armchair next to Draco's. Hermione turned to look at Draco and saw him absentmindedly stare at the fire. 'What are you thinking about?' she asked. Draco looked up at her. 'Oh nothing.' 'It didn't look like nothing.' Hermione smiled. Draco turned back to the fire, clearly not wanting to go into it. 'Can I ask you something?' Hermione asked. Draco looked up again and nodded, indicating for her to go on. 'This morning, after you know, that thing with Harry-' Hermione started. 'Oh look at the time, it's already 11 o'clock, we have to make our rounds.' Draco interrupted, getting up from his seat. 'Oh, okay.' Hermione muttered, looking at him as he walked up to Hermione's room. 'What are you doing?' Hermione asked. 'Grabbing your cloak.' he answered, walking back into the common room and handing it to her. 'Thanks.' Hermione pulled it on as she followed Draco out of the common room and into the corridor. 'What I was saying, this morning, you wanted to say something before Ron interrupted.' Hermione continued. 'What was it that you wanted to say?' 'It's not important.' Draco answered, wanting to wave it away. 'It didn't sound like it wasn't important.' Hermione remarked. 'Really, it's not important.' 'Draco, you know you can tell me everything, right?' Draco looked up and received a smile from Hermione. Draco sighed and just wanted to open his mouth to say something when someone walked towards them. 'Hermione? Hey.' Harry said. 'Hey Harry.' Hermione smiled, slightly irritated by the fact that Draco was just about to say something and was yet again interrupted. 'I'm proud of you, it has got to be said.' Harry grinned, giving Hermione a quick hug. 'Thanks.' Hermione laughed. 'I assume Ron has told you?' 'Yes, right away when he returned in the Great Hall.' Harry nodded. 'But I have to go, Ginny's waiting for me.' 'Alright, see you later.' Hermione smiled. 'Good night, you two.' Harry smiled before walking away. Hermione turned to Draco and saw his facial features had hardened. 'So, you were saying?' 'Just drop it, like I said, it's not important.' Draco muttered, stepping away from her and continuing down the corridor. Hermione raised her eyebrows, surprised by the sudden change in mood. What had she done to get this kind of reaction? 'Something wrong?' she asked after having caught up with him. 'No.' 'I can see something's bothering you, so spill it.' 'Nothing is bothering me. For Merlin's sake just leave me alone and go arrange your wedding or something.' Draco shot back. Hermione stared at him, taken aback by this odd comment. Had he really just told her to go and arrange her wedding? 'What are you even talking about?' Hermione asked confused. 'Weasley and you in the hallway this morning. I saw you two and heard you talk about something you had to tell people.' Draco told her coldly. 'Jeez Draco, stop walking so fast.' Hermione said, taking his arm and pulling him back. Draco pulled his arm back when he had stopped and turned to look at her. 'Are you trying to tell me that you thought you overheard us talking about a wedding? Our wedding to be precise?' 'Yes, I heard-' 'Draco, we're not engaged. We were talking about the news that we're not together anymore. I broke up with him this morning.' Hermione explained. 'You broke up with him?' Draco asked surprised and Hermione thought she heard some kind of relief in his voice. 'Yes, did you seriously think I would get married? Now? I don't think that would be the smartest decision right now, due to me still being in school.' 'I don't know.' Draco shrugged. 'Relieved?' 'Perhaps a little.' Draco said after a moment of silence. 'I'm sure.' Hermione chuckled. 'Let's finish our round, I'd like to go to bed soon.' she said, pulling Draco with her. When they had finished their rounds they walked back to their dormitory where Draco told Snape the password before they walked into their common room. 'I'm so tired.' Hermione said, letting herself fall back in one of the chairs. 'Me too.' Draco sighed, sitting down in the other one. 'I think I'm going to bed.' Hermione said after a few minutes of silence, getting up from her seat. 'Good night.' Draco said. 'You too.' Hermione said, wanting to walk away, only to stop when she realised something. 'Draco?' 'Yes?' Draco said, looking up. 'You forgot to tell me what you wanted to say this morning.' she said, hoping he would finally tell her because she was rather curious by now. Draco stared at her for a moment before he cracked a smile. 'No, maybe later.' 'Ah come on Malfoy! Just tell me.' she said, stepping towards his chair and kneeling down so she'd be closer on his eyelevel than she was standing. Draco looked down at her, staring into her eyes before he slowly started to move closer to her. Hermione felt her heartbeat skip a beat as the gap between them became smaller and smaller. 'Sorry Granger, you'll have to wait.' he whispered in her ear, before leaning back in his armchair. Hermione rolled her eyes, sighed and stood up again. 'Seriously?' she asked, looking down at him. Draco looked back up at her and smiled. 'Yes, seriously.' 'Alright then, good night.' 'Good night.' Hermione turned around and walked up to her room. 'You still have a chance to tell me.' Hermione called over her shoulder. 'But I'm not going to take it.' he called back. 'And there's still a cha-hance.' she sing songed. 'Good night, Granger.' 'Sweet dreams, Malfoy.' Hermione laughed, slightly shaking her head as she opened her bedroom door.