Fairytale Love

Chapter Two: Done…For Now…

Monday mornings were always the worst for Hermione; she’d be wracked with guilt the whole day from the night before. And when she woke up this Monday morning, it was no different. She stayed far too long in the shower and didn’t have any time to apply the sparse makeup she’d started to wear this year. She only made it down to breakfast with fifteen minutes before the first class of the day.

“Are you all right, ‘Mione?” Ron asked when she plopped down into a seat in front of him. “You seem…sad or sick or something.”

She rolled her eyes. “Very astute assessment, Ronald, maybe you should be a Mind Healer or something.”

“Merlin…yesterday you’re riding my cock and today, you’re just riding me,” the redhead snapped. “I would ask if you were on the rag, but I already know you’re not.” The whole of the Gryffindor table – most of the damn Great Hall – went silent; Ron was not known for his naturally quiet voice.

Her amber eyes could not have gotten any wider as she stared at her friend. “H-how…how could you?” She hated it, but she felt tears sting at her eyes. Getting up, she stalked back out of the Great Hall and tried not to let anyone else see her tears. She only got as far as the entrance hall before she had to stop; tears were affecting her ability to see. She sat on one of the benches that lined the walls and began to sob; her whole body was wracked from them.

She was aware when a body sat beside her and thankful when they enveloped her in an embrace and drew her tightly against a firm chest. She thought it had to be Harry – Ron wouldn’t dare come after her. “Shh…Granger…it’s all right…”

She stiffened – that wasn’t Harry. Pulling away, she saw a flash of blonde, and her stomach did a flip. “M-Malfoy? What the bleeding fuck are you doing here!?” She laughed bitterly. “Great…just great…please, rub it in a little more…I could use another reason to jump off the Astronomy Tower later…” She dissolved back into her hysterics and didn’t even notice when he put his arms around her again. When she’d settled down, she pulled away again and wiped her tears with the handkerchief he held out. “T-thank you,” she mumbled. “W-why are you here?”

The blonde shrugged and looked uncomfortable. “I…I’m not really sure, Granger. I heard what the Weasel said, and…and it wasn’t right.”

She laughed. “You say that when you’ve spent the last five years calling me ‘mudblood’ or worse? Honestly, Malfoy, what gives you the right?”

He shrugged again and stood. “I’d never take it there and…and maybe I’ve changed.” He began to leave and then, “You can keep that, by the way, I’ve got more.” She was still holding his embroidered hankie. Hermione watched as he stalked away; he was just out of sight when Ginny came bursting out of the Great Hall.

“Herms!” she squealed and threw herself at Hermione. “I am so sorry…Ron such a git, you know? I’ve spent the last ten minutes chewing him out for you…he feels awful.”

“Then he should be out here apologizing, Gin, not you.” She stood and discreetly hid the handkerchief in her bag. “I have class, a-and I…I need some time, okay? From Sunday nights…just ‘til I figure some stuff out.” She turned and almost got away, but her redheaded friend caught up with her easily.

“What do you mean, some time? W-we can’t have Sunday nights without you, Hermione…it just wouldn’t work. We’re a team.”

Hermione chuckled. “A team. Right. Just…just let everyone know I’m sorry, okay? I need to think a-and get my head on straight.” The bell rang, and Hermione finally lost Ginny in the sea of students coming out of the Great Hall.

She avoided Ron the rest of the day – even though he had tried to apologize at lunch – and Ginny simply wouldn’t speak to her. The only person she wanted to talk to was Harry, and he was in Dumbledore’s office almost the entire day. She found him late that night in the common room, staring pensively into the fire.

“Harry?”

He jumped and then smiled when he saw her. “Oh…hi, Hermione. What are you doing up so late?”

“Couldn’t sleep…and Ginny’s mad at me…and I’m mad at Ron.”

He stared at her. “What happened?”

Hermione giggled. “See what happens when you miss a day of school?” He smiled, and Hermione felt her heart stop just a little. He was so handsome when he smiled. She explained what Ron had said that morning – and had to stop him from going up to the dorms and beating Ron to a “stupid, bloody pulp” – and then how Draco Malfoy had comforted her. He didn’t say much about it, only nodded his head for her to continue, and then she told him what she had said to Ginny.

“You…you don’t like Sundays?” he asked quietly.

“No, I do. I really do, but…I-I’ve been breaking the rules, Harry, a lot, and I don’t think it’s fair for me to continue on until I know where my head is at. Can you understand that?”

“Y-you’ve been breaking rules?”

“Yeah…the whole ‘no lying’, ‘no regrets’, a-and ‘no favorites’.” Her face flushed as she spoke, but she just couldn’t look away. He had ensnared her with his emerald eyes. “D-definitely that last one.”

“No favorites?” She nodded. “And…uh…who’s your favorite?”

Hermione simply stared. “I’m not sure I should talk about this with you,” she murmured and settled into the armchair opposite him.

“Come on, ‘Mione…I won’t tell him, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He smirked. “It’s not Ron, is it?” She shook her head, and Harry’s eyes went wide. “N-Neville?” Once more – after she’d lowered her eyes to the floor – Hermione shook her head. “O-oh…oh, I see.” Silence filled the space between them, thick and nearly touchable.

“Harry,” she began after a moment, “I-I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to a-affect our friendship, see? A-and the s-sex wasn’t really helping…I-I just need s-some time…”

She didn’t notice until Harry was right in front of her that he had moved. “’Mione,” he murmured and knelt. “Hermione.”

“H-Harry?”

“I-I…I love you,” he whispered, and she gasped; her heart definitely stopped. Leaning forward, Harry brushed his lips against hers, lighter than he’d ever done it before. With a soft sigh, she scooted closer to him and pressed her lips more firmly against his. This seemed to be the invitation the dark haired Gryffindor was looking for because Hermione was suddenly being held tight against his broad chest, and his lips were feeding from hers. He plundered her lips almost as roughly as Ron had the night before, but this left her breathless and aching for more. When he finally pulled away, they were both panting…and Harry looked guilty.

“Harry? W-what’s wrong?” She reached out to touch him, and he moved away, eyes averted.

“I meant what I said, ‘Mione. I-I do love you…more than I should.” She smiled, but he didn’t look happy about it. Her heart thumped wildly against her ribs. “But…I need Sundays. I need a way to relieve all the tensions from last year and this summer…a-and Dumbledore training me this year. I need to just fuck someone without having to be all emotional about it.”

Though tears stung at her eyes, she tried not too cry. “I…I understand, Harry. I-I know how h-hard it’s been this year for you.” With a sigh, she stood, “I-I just wish I could change my mind.”

His eyes grew as large as saucers. “Y-you’re still not going to come n-next Sunday…b-but it’s our Sunday.”

Hermione shook her head. “I’m sorry; Harry, but I told you: I have to get my head in the right place.”

“What does that mean though?”

“I keep breaking the rules we’d made at the beginning of the year, Harry, and…and I fantasize about you when I’m with Ron and Neville…it’s not fair to them or me. I-I…I guess I have to get you out of my head before I can come back…I’m going to the library for a bit. Madame Pince usually doesn’t mind…I-I’m sorry, Harry.”

*So...this is just a short chappie R and R!!*