Butterfly Kisses

~* Butterfly Kisses *~

-I Know What Happened-

“Today, maybe, is the happiest day of my life,” said Ron happily as he took a bite in his toast the next day. “Do you agree, Harry?” he grinned.

“Why, Ron?” Hermione interrupted.

“Why? You asked my why?” he said, as his voice grew louder. Hermione narrowed her eyes. “Oh, alright. I’m happy today because Snape,” he paused and closed her eyes in glee. He opened it slowly and Hermione raised an eyebrow. “He is not gonna teach today,” he smiled.

“Huh?” Hermione said as her eyebrow went higher. “And why is that?” she asked.

“Because—erm—if you were the one who fell Ten feet above without any support, would you have the strength to see the students who did that to you, Hermione?”

Hermione looked down. She remembered the incident. She remembered Issyl; she looked up and found her eyes looking at the Ravenclaw table. She saw Issyl, but only her brunette hair. She noticed that she was crying.

“What’s wrong, Hermione?” Harry asked as he looked at the direction of Hermione’s eyes. “Hermione?” he called again. She was still staring towards the Ravenclaw table.

“Hermione!” Ron gave a small shout.

“Huh—what—erm—huh?” she said.

“Are you alright, Hermione?” Harry asked again. “Don’t you wanna eat?”

“Yes—I—I’m—I’m fine—thank—t you you,” she muttered.


* * *


After the breakfast, all the 6th years are settled in one of the Green Houses. It was the middle of Herbology. Hermione never participates in class and Draco started to bother. He was being bothered by Hermione not paying attention in class. He was being bothered by Hermione not participating. Her was being bothered because he hasn’t heard Hermione’s voice since last night.

“What is happening to her?” he muttered t himself. He was not paying attention to a single word Professor Sprout says. “Why is she not participating?” he said as his voice grew louder.

“What was that, Mr. Malfoy?” Professor Sprout asked as she heard Draco mumble.

“Huh? Nothing—nothing p-professor.” He looked everywhere and noticed that everyone was looking at him… even Hermione.

“Alright, class, now, I want all of you pour the byffidus juice to the soil in front of you. That will make the soil rich and good to plant on.” Professor Sprout explained. And the class did so. Everyone picked up each of their bottles with byffidus juice. The class continued, but Malfoy was paying attention and Hermione was not. She was still looking down.


* * *


After the class, Hermione went out slowly. She walked towards the castle alone and letting the others leave her behind. But before she knew it, she was pulled in a small corner of the Green House without being seen by anyone because she was left behind. She didn’t have time to look at the person who grabbed her. The person pulled her to the castle, or as she thought. She felt her feet rolling because the person didn’t just pull her it carried a small amount of her so that Hermione won’t hurt. She felt the grass (probably in the Quidditch pitch), a stone floor (maybe in they are in the castle by now). It took the time all the way from the Green House to the castle by the pulling of the person. Suddenly, she felt the cold stonewall of the castle. She opened her eyes and the first person she saw was,

“Malfoy?” she mumbled as she saw Draco’s concerned face looked at her. Draco held her shoulders tight. As if he wants to tell Hermione something. He was pushing her body against the wall from her shoulders. “What is it?”

“Why did you do that?” he asked.

“Did what?” she said with surprise.

“Why didn’t you participate?” he said as his eyes narrowed. Hermione did nothing but to look down. She thought of him and Pansy together. Then tears started to flow from her eyes.

“I didn’t do anything,” she mumbled. Draco sighed. “Why? Is it bad for me not to participate and listen? Don’t worry Draco, it’s not about you and Pansy. It is nothing personal.” She exclaimed.

Without any moment to spare, Draco began to hug Hermione. He wrapped his arms around her waist. He took a step closer to her. Hermione couldn’t struggle. She didn’t do anything. She felt warmth against his body. She thought of times when they were still together. Then a tear started to fall. She closed her eyes tight. She began to cry. Draco hugged her tighter. And she did nothing but to accept him and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

They were in each other’s arms for quite a long time, and then Draco started to move his arms. He took it of Hermione’s waist then he started to stroke her hair with his fingers. He took another step towards her. Now, they don’t need to hug each other to be close, because they were against each other’s bodies.

As Draco stroke Hermione’s hair, she looked at Draco’s eyes. They were looking at each other’s eyes as if they hadn’t seen each other for quite a long time. Then, he moved her head. He moved it towards Hermione’s head. She closed her eyes again and the next thing she felt was the softness of Draco’s lips against hers.

She felt warmth.

She felt safe.

She felt love.

She felt his lips caress hers.

She felt him again.

It was like heaven.

It was like home.


* * *


“Where have you been, Hermione?” Ron asked as he took a bite on his lunch.

“Huh?” she said as she looked at Ron.

“Where have you been? You’ve missed Charms.” Harry said as he took another bite from his toast.

“Oh—that? Uhm—my—my head—my head hurts and—and I have t-to go to—” she stopped for a while to think. “To—the—” after a second, the first thing that came to her mind was “Dormitory! yes, the dormitory.” She said as she tilted her head to the Slytherin table.

Draco was laughing along with the other Slytherins. Then he looked at Hermione and his smile faded and nodded at her. She just looked down towards her plate.

She looked everywhere as if she was finding something that cannot be found. As her head circled aimlessly around the Great Hall, something captured her eyes.

Issyl was sitting quietly on her seat on the Ravenclaw table. She looked at Hermione with a slight smile and then Hermione smiled back. But, Issyl just looked down. Hermione knew there was something wrong. But she also knew that she couldn’t nag Issyl from saying it. She just mouthed ‘What’s wrong’ to Issyl as Issyl’s head looked at Hermione again. But Issyl just looked at her and put a little smile on her face and then mouthed back a ‘Nothing’ on her face.


* * *


“Harry, do you think there’s something wrong with Hermione lately?” Ron asked as Harry and him were fixing their bed and getting ready to sleep. Hermione wasn’t there. She was still in the library.

“Huh?” Harry replied as he gathered his blanket. “Why would she be?” he asked back.

“Well—” Ron started but he just rubbed his chin with his index finger as if he was thinking real hard. “Well, you see, she didn’t show up in charms today. She doesn’t eat. She kept talking with that Ishikawa. And—” he paused and looked down.

“And what?” Harry asked as he stopped what he was doing and walked towards Ron. “What is it?”

“She’s not talking to us since that incident in the potions room.” He looked concerned.

“Ron, she’s just busy with work. Like—being a prefect. You know it’s a tough job. And we really need a break from all of this home works.” Harry explained as Ron looked at Harry with a smile.

“You’re right.” He said. “But still—”

“C’mon, Ron, get over it. She’s fine, okay?” Harry assured to Ron.

“Oh, alright.” Ron mumbled. Then a long silence came.

“But you know something?” Harry started again to break the silence.

“What?” Ron asked.

“I know you like Hermione. You don’t have to hide it from me, Ron.” At this point, Ron flushed red.

“Heh,” Ron said as he tilted his head towards his bed.

“C’mon, Ron. I know you do. I’ll just keep it to myself, promise.” Harry added. Ron’s ears are now as red as his red shirt he was wearing.

“Oh—al---alright—I admit.” Harry gave out a loud and ringing laugh. “Go on! Laugh!” Ron hollered.

“You really do!” he said as he kept laughing. Ron arched an eyebrow. “Okay! Okay! I’ll stop. Ron—you know—you can’t blame yourself from having a crush—at—at Hermione—coz—she is—pretty—and all.” Harry said keeping himself from laughing.

“You know—I think you’re right, Harry! Now if you please, I wanna go to sleep.


* * *


It was Thursday, the second week of September. Hermione was now participating in classes. She was being more active than ever before. Ron was trying to stop from doubting Hermione’s actions because she was now as active as ever.

“Now, children, we are done in discussing how to handle a byffidus, how to plant a byffidus, what ingredients can be mixed with it and how to transplant a byffidus we should proceed to chapter 2, The Antarcia. Now, who among you can tell me what an Antarcia means and do.” Professor Sprout begun as they finished discussing all about the byffidus. Hermione was the only one to raise a hand and Draco seemed to look pleased with it but is trying to convince the other Slytherins that he is mad.

“Ah! Yes! Miss Granger.” Professor Sprout called Hermione as she took a stem towards her flowerbox.

“Well, the Antarcia is a strong ingredient for the ‘Love’ potion. It has red leaves with a very sweet aroma, which is commonly used in perfumes. It has a slender yellow stem and red thorns. Its fragrance is used in perfumes but now, it is illegal because the Antarcia is very rare in this time and the smell can hypnotize people. There are some Antarcias with a blue leaf and a green stem but with no thorns. This is called an Anatorma. It is the ‘cousin’ of the Antarcia.” She let out a smile to signal her finish.

“Right, miss Granger! 10 points to Gryffindor.” Professor Sprout said as Hermione went back to her original place.


* * *


After the class, everybody walked towards Charms. Hermione was so attentive that she had earned about forty house points for participating. Every Gryffindor was very proud of her. But in the other hand, the Slytherins hated her more than ever.

“That Slut!” whispered Pansy Parkinson in Charms class as Hermione was, yet, again explaining something Professor Flitwick asked. “She’s makin’ me mad! Ooooh!” she growled.

“Well, we all hate her… No Slytherin does! Right?” Angelica Damsel growled back. The other girls nodded in a violent way.

\"Pansy... Stop being stupid to people who is not half as good as us,\" cried a Slytherin girl.

\"Yeah Pansy, What are you murmuring about? A Mudblood like that is never half as good as a pureblood like us!\" added another Slytherin girl.

\"Well,\" Pansy said as she arched an eyebrow. \"I got a plan! Gather all!\" she called to the other Slytherin girls. They went to a little circle and discussed.


* * *


After Charms, all of the students headed for the Great Hall for Lunch. Hermione, Harry and Ron went, too.

Hermione was walkin on her usual way when she felt a sudden tag onto her shoulder. Ron and Harry didn\'t notice her because the two was on the front and Hermione was left behind. Hermione gave a slight groan when she saw the person who tugged her.

It was Issyl.

\"Oh, Hello Issyl what is it?\" she asked.

\"Can I talk to you for a moment, hermione?\" asked Issyl. She noticed that Ron was narrowing his eyes on her. \"Alone?\" she said as her voice grew louder.

\"Oh, alright, Ron, Harry, I\'ll catch up, okay?\" she said as Harry gave a small nod but Ron just narrowed his eyes.

\"Come one, Hermione,\" she tagged Hermione along.


* * *


Hermione and Issyl went to a dark corner in a corridor. Not to be seen or to be heard by anyone.

\"What is it?\" Hermione started and Issyl looked at Hermione. \"Well?\"

\"Hermione, you promise not to be angry when I tell you this?\" Issyl asked.

\"Yeah--but--what is it?\"Hermione asked again.

\"Yeasterday--\" Issyl started. But something caught her attention.

Draco Malfoy walked passed the two girls. He seemed to notice something. Hermione looked towards the place where Issyl was looking at and saw Draco. Draco\'s face lightened as he stopped. The Issyl\'s face looked awful. Draco returned to his normal, optimistic face and continued to walk.

\"Hermione,\" she said as she tagged Hermione again to look at her.

\"Yeasterday, After Herbology--\" the phrase gave a shock on Hermione\'s face. Issyl looked down and continued to speak. \"Yeasterday after Herbology, I saw you and Malfoy.\"

Hermione was dumbstruck. She couldn\'t evn say a word.

\'What just happened? We were merely just starting over then we just have to end... Again? Issyl saw! She saw my foolishness and carelessness! I should\'ve let him go! So stupid, Hermione! So stupid!\' Hermione thought.

\"I know what happened, Hermione! I know why you suddenly changed and why you suddenly turned back! I know what happened, Hermione\" Issyl explained.

Hermione was really dumbstruck at this moment. She couldn\'t move and inch. She got hurt.

Issyl\'s eyes started to pour with tears. \"I know what happened, Hermione!\" she cried.