Chap. 32 Having to Choose
Ginny and Harry were sitting in the Gryffindor common room talking, Harry was a little irritated.
'I cannot believe Hermione is engaged.' Harry said angrily.
'I actually cannot believe it either, Harry.' Ginny said, actually agreeing.
'What is Ron going to say?'
'He's not going to say anything. He's going to kill Draco.' Ginny replied, 'But it doesn't matter what Ron says or thinks. They really don't care what others think of them.'
'I know. Thay suck.' Harry said smiling.
Ginny laughed.
'You are so stupid, Harry.'
She leaned over the couch and kissed him.
'When are we going to tell Ron about us?' Harry asked nervously.
'What do you mean? He already knows we are going out.'
'Yes, but he doesn't know we are steady and stuff.'
'He should expect it. He doesn't have to know every single thing about me.'
'We can't do anything in front of him then. No kissing or anything.'
'We can so, just keep it PG rated.'
'G rated most likely.' Harry sighed.
'Well, Ron isn't here now, is he?'
Harry smiled.
'No, in fact he isn't.'
'We don't have to be PG now...or even PG-13.' Ginny cooed.
'Fine with me, i'm 17 anyways.' Harry said excitedly.
Ginny took his hand and guided him to her room.
---
Hermione and Draco were walking to the stairs when people started arriving from Hogsmeade.
'Malfoy!' Lavender and Parvati cried as they walked in together, 'You're okay!'
Ron followed them closely.
'Oh. You are okay.' he said annoyed.
'Sorry to disappoint you, Weasel, but i'm fine.'
When Hermione saw Ron she let go of Draco's hand. Draco shot her a "look" and grabbed her hand back.
'What happened?' Lavender asked running up to them.
'Yeah? We heard you were in a coma!' Parvati cried.
'He was, but he woke up, got amnesia, forgot me for three days, and then came back to me.' Hermione said smiling as she looked up at Draco's sapphire eyes.
'Ohh...just like a movie...' Parvati cooed as she looked at Draco.
Lavender noticed and hit her, shaking her head 'no'. Parvati shook her head and looked back at Hermione. Ron spoke up.
'So your boyfriend forgot about you?'
'Fuck off Weasley.' Draco snapped.
'Stop, Draco.' Hermione said calmly, 'He didn't do it on purpose, Ron. He remembered me three days later. It was even a miracle he remembered me at all, considering what happened to him. Madame Pomfrey was amazed. We all were.'
'Whatever.'
Lavender was reaching down to grab her luggage when she saw something on Hermione catch the light. Lavender looked to see what it was.
'HOLY CRAP, HERMIONE!' she cried, 'Is that an engagement ring?!?'
Hermione's eyes popped.
'What? Oh, umm...' Hermione stammered.
She looked over at Ron who was pushing his way up to Hermione.
He grabbed her left hand and brought it to his face.
'Hermione, what is this??!' Ron asked, turning red.
'It is! It is an engagement ring!' Parvati cried.
She gave Hermione a big hug, as did Lavender. Then the two girls hugged Malfoy excitedly.
'I can't believe it! Draco and Hermione engaged!' Lavender squealed.
'Shh...do you want to inform the world??' Hermione cried.
Draco looked at her questionably.
Hermione stared at Ron. He just glared at her silently.
'Ron, say something.' Hermione said quietly.
'You so stupid, Hermione Granger.' Ron snapped, 'You are ruining your life. He's ruining your life.'
Draco let go of Hermione's hand and stepped infront of Ron.
'You better shut the fuck up, or i'll shut you up for you.' Draco threatened.
'Draco, stop, please.' Hermione begged.
'What? Hermione? What?' Draco asked, 'Are you going to let Weasley talk about us that way? Talk about YOU that way?'
'No, it's just that-'
'Whatever, Hermione. If you're going to let some punk-ass bitch walk all over you like that fine.' Draco said this angrily and walked away.
Hermione stood there, humilated.
'Ron. I love Draco. He's not ruining my life. I'm not ruining my life. This is the happiest i've been in a long time.' she said calmly, but sadly.
'Your blind, Hermione. Can't you see he's changing you?! He's going to ruin you, take advantage of you! Look at the way he just talked to you and walked away!' Ron yelled.
'Ron, calm down.' Lavender said, grabbing his arm.
He flung his arm from her reach. She stared at him and walked away. Parvati followed.
'Ron, don't take this out on Lavender. She wants to be there for you.' Hermione said.
'Oh. So now that your going out with, err excuse me, engaged to Draco Malfoy, you think you know everything about relationships? What? Because you are with the "hottest" guy in school? You used to be smart, Hermione. Not just book smart, but people smart. But then one day the cool kid looks your way and you abandon all that just to become one of the "popular" kids. Well, way to go Hermione. You're with the popular kids. It's too bad you lost your best friends.' Ron said angrily.
Hermione's eyes were watery and red.
'Don't cry.' he snapped, 'You are the happiest you've ever been, remember?'
And with that last statement he grabbed his things and ran up the stairs.
Hermione was in the hall alone.
Then, to makes Hermione's life suck a little more, Pansy, Goyle, Crabbe and...yup...Lana walk in.
'Well, well, well. Look who it is gang.' Pansy said as they all dropped their luggage.
'Hermione "the mudblood" Granger.' Lana chimed.
'Shut up you whores.' Hermione said quickly wiping her eyes.
'Ouch.' Pansy said sarcastically.
'Where's the man you put that spell on to not like me?' Lana asked snobbishly.
'I didn't do anything like that.' Hermione said angrily.
'Yeah right. You mean you think Draco actually, truly likes you??' Pansy cried.
Crabbe and Goyle laughed.
'He does.'
'No, dear. He doesn't. Stop fuckin' around. Why would he like a filthy little mudblood like you? After all those stories he told us about you! Haha! He could never really like you. He just wanted a challenge. Some fresh meat.' Lana said cruelly.
Hermione glared at her, pretty, but evil face.
'You really think that he would choose you, because he likes you, when he could have us?!' Pansy asked.
They laughed at Hermione.
'Haha, oh poor dear. She does.' Lana said snickering.
'Draco would never like you because you two are all used up. He doesn't want left overs from every other guy who's touched you sluts.'
'Who do you think used us up, Granger?' Pansy snapped, 'There was mainly one guy. Let's see...your supposedly smart, Hermione. Can you think of one? I'll give you a hint. First name rhymes with Maaco and last name rhymes with... Nalfoy.'
'You're lying.' Hermione said.
'I'm sorry, but if you think we're all used up, well your little Drakie is, too.' Lana sneered.
Hermione shook her head and ran away from them. She could hear them laughing at her.
'I won't believe them.' She thought to herself. 'Draco wouldn't lie to me...would he? No, he wouldn't.'
She started to run at a slower pace, and then reduced herself to walking up the staircase. She reached the portrait that allows her enter her room, but she just slid against it and sat on the floor. She buried her face in her hands. Thoughts running through her head.
'Draco actually yelled at me...for being a friend to Ron. I wasn't letting Ron walk all over me. Draco doesn't understand how close Ron and I were...were...Ron was right.' 'Stupid Lana and Pansy...Draco said he's never done anything with them...he told me himself. He wouldn't lie...'
Then she thought about what Lana said about Hermione just being 'Fresh meat' and a 'challenge'.
'No.' Hermione reassured herself, 'He loves me. He wouldn't propose to me if I was just fresh meat. He wouldn't risk his life for me. The girls are wrong.' She then got up.
'Lemon honey.' she said to the portrait. It opened slowly and she walked in.
Draco was laying on the couch, legs thrown over the arm rest. As she entered he turned to look at her and then turned his face away.
She looked at him laying there. She could never figure out how he could look so hot by just laying on a couch, he wasn't even trying, he wasn't even looking at her, but he was the hottest thing she'd ever seen.
She didn't what to say. 'Should I beg for forgiveness?' she thought. 'Should I pretend nothing is wrong?' 'Should I ignore him?' 'Should I tell him to just grow up?'
'Draco,' she said, 'Don't be mad. You have nothing to be mad about.'
She tried to go with the 'I-don't-care-your-mad' attitude.
He didn't respond to her.
'Draco, Ron justs get over-protective sometimes. Don't be upset with him.'
'I don't care about Weasel!' Draco suddenly cried.
He quickly stood up and walked up to her.
'I care about you, Hermione, no one else!' he yelled.
'Then why are you yelling at me?!' she yelled back.
'Because, Hermione! Because. Because you are ashamed of us...' he said walking back to the couch, laying in his same position as before.
'What??' she asked.
She walked over to the couch and knelt on the floor.
'What are you talking about Draco?'
'You and Ron. Whenever Ron comes around you either walk further from me, don't look at me, let go of my hand, or you just try to avoid the whole topic of 'us' all together. For some reason, Ron has this hold on you, Hermione. Like you are ashamed to be seen with me, while he's there.'
'Draco, that's not true.'
He sat up and looked at her. 'Yes, it is. And don't even try to deny it to my face. Just downstairs, as soon as Ron walked into Hogwarts you let go of my hand.'
Hermione looked to the floor.
'And when Ron puts you down for being with me, and I try to speak up for you, you go with Ron. You tell me to be quiet as Ron condemns you. You put up with all of Ron's shit. Why? Why Hermione?'
'Ron and I have always been close, Draco. He's just over-protective.'
'So you two are close. That gives him the right to tell you your stupid for being with me? Is that what you think, Hermione? Do you agree with Ron? Am I just using you??'
'No, Draco! I love you, you just don't understand.'
'Then tell me so I can, because until I understand, I don't feel like you are into this relationship as much as I am. You said you didn’t want the world to know...well, to be honest, Hermione, I wouldn’t care if the world knew. Obviously you do. '
'Draco, don't say that. You know I love you and want to be with you. I will be with you. Ron isn't going to change my mind. I told him I was happy with you after you left. He then he pretty much asked me to choose between you and him...' Tears trickled down her cheeks.
Draco got off the couch and knelt next to her.
'Hermione, he can't be a true friend if he won't be happy for you, and make you feel horrible by choosing between friends and a fiancé.'
'He was so mad. He just kept saying how i'm just with you to be 'popular'.' Hermione said crying.
She looked into Draco's eyes.
'I'm not. I'm not using you for status. I love you, and that's what I told him. He told me I was betraying my friends and said I now lost my best friends.'
'Why do you let him talk to you like that?'
'I don't know. A part of me just wishes he'd be happy for me. I feel like I need his approval. I know I don't though. I shouldn't care what people think, but i'm not like you, Draco. I'm not strong like you.'
'You are. You are very strong. I'll help you. Ron won't stay mad forever. He cares for you, and he'll come back to you eventually. Until then, your stuck with just me.' he smiled.
She smiled back and he kissed her lips tenderly. 'That's all I need.' Hermione sighed.
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