Some Secrets Should Be Told

Chapter 10:Truth

Hermione's Point Of View

I must admit that Malfoy's confession really messed me up. He's told me more things about himself in the last two days than I've known in the last six years. Him, admitting to me, that he likes me was obviously one of the hardest things he's ever had to say. I think it was even harder than saying sorry, which is a bit of a feat for him. I left quickly after he said that to me, and I'm trying to figure out what this is going to turn out to be. I'm not afraid when I'm with him, and when he touches me I don't think of anything except for what's happening at that moment. My fears of human contact aren't in place when I'm with him and I like it. The fact that I do like it is hard to accept.

Is this going to be a relationship? Or was he just telling me that to get it off his chest, because I know he wasn't lying. It’s not like… lying about something of this calibre would be a very good idea. He just seemed too sincere about it. I'm not exactly the best choice for him, and our blood status is just a little part of that. We fight a lot, and we are made from completely different moulds. He's smart, gorgeous, Slytherin, and a pureblood. He's everything any Slytherin girl could possibly want. I'm smart, okay looking, Gryffindor, and a Muggle-born. I'm not exactly the most wanted person out there, and I felt blessed when Seamus asked me to date him, never mind Draco-bloody-Malfoy.

So I fled from the situation and he is probably sitting there fuming about my escape. I didn't know what to do. My mind is flying a million miles a minute, and I hate to admit this even to myself, but I like him too… especially since he kicked Ron and Harry's arses. He really did put me in a difficult situation about that with his actions; Harry is going to be furious. I take a steadying breath as I remember the look on Harry's face during the fight. He looked right at me, and I saw so much anger smouldering behind his glasses that I couldn't even move.

Malfoy caused that, but Malfoy wants to protect me. I feel almost like I'm supposed to let him, because of his past mistakes, I suppose. I like him too much to reject his token of redemption. I know that sounds weird, but he feels that it's his duty to protect me. He can't be helping his mother, so I'm the next victim in the queue.

I laugh bitterly for a moment, and then catch myself. That's a really unfair thing for me to think. I want to believe that he is doing this because he likes me, not because I'm just some random person who needs help.

That thought even hurts me.

Well, I guess that I'm just going to have to suck it up and go tell Malfoy how I really feel.

I creep down the stairs quietly. Malfoy is enjoying the use of his favourite piece of furniture, but he isn't reading. He seems to be thinking very hard considering the line between his eyebrows.

"Malfoy," I say clearly, and he jumps when my voice sounds throughout the room. His eyes look over the top of the couch, but he says nothing. "I like you too." I say very clearly, firmly and quickly before I can back down.

He gives me a grin, and I have to say… I love that boys smile.

"Good," he says.

I just stand where I am, not exactly sure what to do now. Malfoy gets up and comes near me, he stops a few feet short and looks at me in the eyes. "It's settled then."

"What's settled?" I ask curiously.

"Were going to get married, and make plenty of babies. You will have to drop out of school early, and don't even think about working in the future."

"What?" I ask loudly, terribly confused.

Malfoy starts laughing, "I was joking."

"Well I don't think that's very funny."

"Well you would if you had a sense of humour. I think they're selling them down at Zonko’s, I'll remember to pick you one up on our next Hogsmeade trip."

"Pick me up one of what?" I ask, totally lost.

"A sense of humour!"

"Oh, very funny, Malfoy."

"I thought so."

I just roll my eyes, and his eyes are shining in mirth.

"So where do we go from here?" I ask.

He looks confused. "From where?"

"This... relationship... whatever it is, what do we do now?"

Draco looks around helplessly. He obviously never thought that far ahead either.

"I'm not sure."

"Is it going to have to be a secret?" I ask.

"Well, I'm not going to pretend that my friends like you, but I'm sure they'll come around sooner or later."

"Great, that's really reassuring."

"Well, your friends don't like me either," he says.

I look at him, "I don't have any friends." I point out bluntly.

He looks at me for a second. "No, I guess you don't."

"Thanks, Malfoy, but you're not doing a very good job at cheering me up." I point out.

He shrugs, "I didn't know I was supposed to be."

I sigh. "Malfoy…"

"Just shut up, Granger," he says and moves in quickly, pressing his lips against mine. My stomach flutters as though twenty butterflies just slipped into my belly.

There's a loud banging on the Portrait and we jump away from each other, almost guiltily.

"Oh, no," I say. Malfoy looks at me curiously.

"It's a teacher, I know it. We're going to be in so much trouble."

"It's not a teacher." He snaps, "Potter would have to be stupider than any of us could even imagine if he went and told a teacher."

I guess so.

Malfoy sweeps forwards and pushes the Portrait Hole wide open as this is going on I press myself firmly into the shadows, hoping with all of my might that I'm hidden.

A dark skinned, very handsome boy comes into the room, smiling wickedly.

"So, I just heard that you beat up Potter," he says, suppressing his laughter.

"Did it seriously spread that quickly?" Malfoy asks.

"Oh yea, the whole school is buzzing about it. For some reason no one is telling the teachers though. I had to sneak up here with the best of my abilities so I didn't-" The boy stops suddenly when his eyes clap onto me. He is the one who was in here last week.

"It's okay," Malfoy says to him, striding towards me. He grabs me by my wrist and pulls me out of the corner.

"Hermione Granger. Blaise Zabini," he says with a flourish towards his friend.

I give the boy a weak smile, the fact that he is looking at me distastefully really isn't helping. He doesn't smile back, but looks towards Malfoy with an angry look gracing his features.

"Draco," he starts menacingly, "What's going on?"

Did he really catch on that quickly? Maybe the fact that Malfoy is still holding me by the wrist gives it away. I pull it gently out of his grasp and take a step away.

"What do you mean?" Malfoy asks.

"You're not as good of a liar as me, and you never will be. Explain," he demands.

Malfoy looks nervously from me to Zabini and back. Then his eyes stay on mine for a moment and I can see the question within them. I shake my head vigorously. "No way," I say, and hope my eyes are as hard as they feel.

"Please," he says softly, grabbing onto my hand, "He needs to understand."

I scoff. "He'll never understand."

Zabini is looking at us curiously. "Merlin, Granger, you once again show your lack of trust in people before you know anything about them. Please, just this one person. I will make him vow not to say anything, but he needs to know. He's my best friend."

I groan. Why does he have to do this?! He looks at me with those eyes, and talks with that soft voice and I can feel my heart melting. I wonder if Zabini's mom suffers the same fate as Malfoy’s.

"Fine," I snap. "Make it quick. Call me when you're done."

"Oh, no," Malfoy says, "You've got to stay too."

"No, Malfoy."

"Yes, Granger."

"Will someone just tell me what the fuck is going on!?" Zabini snaps.

My eyes widen as my cheeks redden and I hurry towards the couch. Malfoy sits beside me and Zabini pulls one of the armchairs in front of the couch on the other side of the table, sitting in it gracefully. Malfoy grabs my hand and I see Zabini's eyes squint in towards each other, displaying quite a menacing glare.

I lean back into the couch and wait for Malfoy to start talking. He tells the story, missing great gaps that I don't fill in for him. He looks at me a few times for assistance, but I'm not offering him any help. I'm barely even listening. I don't need to hear brutal things that I experienced first hand. I'm watching Zabini's face, and he looks more disbelieving than anything. At certain times in the story, he looks almost pitying towards me. I don't want his pity. I'm fidgeting, and I know it's bothering Malfoy because he squeezes my hand at times to stop me from moving. He finally finishes the story and just looks at Zabini.

"So you used Legilimency?" he asks.

"Yes," Malfoy answers.

Zabini falls into a silence and it seems like he's contemplating things.

"You don't think she just planted those memories?"

"What?" I yell, outraged at that comment.

"Shh," Malfoy says, waving me down with his free hand.

"No, she didn't. She didn't even know I was doing it until it was too late. My wand was in my pocket."

Zabini is silent again. It's almost as though we are awaiting his approval. I look to Malfoy for help.

"So, that's it. And then I stormed to Gryffindor and beat up Potter and Weasley." Malfoy says, breaking the uncomfortable silence and trying to supress his pride at the ass-kickings he gave out earlier.

Zabini nods. "Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"Okay, you're with the Mudblood, and there is nothing to do but accept that."

"Don't call her that," Malfoy says harshly.

"You called her that," Zabini answers, almost like he's trying to start a fight between Malfoy and I.

"That was before I knew her, and I will not tolerate that attitude. I know this is wrong! She knows this is wrong, but there is nothing to do to stop it. Trust me. Do you not think I tried to stop it? Do you not think that I know how my fellow classmates are going to act towards me once the truth is out? Of course I know," he says.

Again Zabini just sits there calmly, looking at me this time.

"What Draco is saying is true?" he asks.

"How could you possibly think that I would lie about something like this?" I ask him exasperatedly.

He shrugs. "I don't know you well enough to answer that."

I feel my face becoming stony. "And you probably never will," I say before wrenching my hand from Malfoys grasp and heading towards my staircase.

"Granger," Malfoy says, standing up and watching me retreat. I shut my door and someone whispers, "Hermione." I jump back but feel a hand that I can't see close firmly around my bicep. "Shhh," the voice says, and I can feel a wand pressed firmly against my spinal cord. I straighten up and let the person steer me up my staircase and into my room