Dramione: Persuasion (Book 1)

2: Once again

HERMIONE

McLaggen is no gentlemen, not even close. He didn't greet me properly, once he saw me his eyes began raking my body making me feel uncomfortable. His eyes lingered on specific parts of my body. I look away feeling awkward.
We never once danced, he only stared and attempted to kiss me. We walk around until I notice McLaggen look up and smirk.

Mistletoe.

Before I have time to move McLaggen grabs my waist and forces his lips to mine, unlike when I kissed Draco, his lips were rough. And as were his kisses. He attempts to put his tongue farther into my mouth, but I finally pull away. I see a shadow on the figure, they turn away angrily.

I make a run for it, McLaggen is officially the biggest git on the planet.

***

After everything with McLaggen and Harry and
My conversation I went to the steps of the school where I spent my last dance. Like
Deja vu I hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Who'd you come with this time?" The person asks sarcastically.

"Cormec McLaggen. What a git." I say.
"You seemed to like him a few hours ago."
"Please, I was forced into that. Wait... How'd you know about that?"

"I happened to be walking by."

"Is that so?"

Draco sits down next to me, "Care to dance?" He asks.

"Of course not, once again you're here to make me feel like a charity case." I say getting up.
"No... I really do like you. I just... Have some things going on." He says avoiding my eyes.
"We're friends, you can tell me what it is."
"I don't want to be friends." He says after hesitating. "I truly like you and I want you... To be my girlfriend" he breathes out.

I suck in a deep breath, "I want you to be my boyfriend." I say. He smiles and hugs me tightly.

"Thank Merlin." He says into my neck.

"Hey, would you like to dance with me?" He asks.

"Ah, once again you come to save me from a horrible party. I'd love to." I say.

We danced the rest of the party away.

***

After Christmas break, it seemed as though once again Draco was becoming distant. He kept disappearing after classes, and leaving our meets early. Whenever I question him about it he snaps at me and leaves.

Today is Monday, today I follow.

I'm once again early to the Astronomy tower. I hear footsteps and I turn around. Draco walks up with his head down, his eyes have bruise like spots under them from lack of sleep and he seems disoriented. What happened?

"Draco, what's wrong? You can tell me." I say grabbing hold of his cold hand.

"Hermione that's just it, If I told you, you'd never speak to me again." He says."It can't be that bad, what... Do you have the dark mark or something?" I ask sarcastically.

In all honesty, it has been a suspicion of mine, Harry mentions this all the time. I call him paranoid, but I can't bring myself to believe it's false information.

"Of course not! Blimey, Hermione!" He snaps.

"I was only kidding." I whisper. I hate when he does this.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm stressed, it's just- family issues."

He's lying through his teeth. "We should go..." He says. He then rushes down the stairs without another word, it gives me the perfect chance to follow him. I stay behind for just a moment before quietly following suite.

He turns to go towards the stairs.

He goes up, so he doesn't go to his dormitories, shocking. (Note sarcasm here).

He walks to the seventh floor, The room of requirements. I suck in a breath, what does he want with the Room of Requirements?
He opens the door and walks inside. I think about how I needed the door to be left cracked. It was, now. I peak my way through, inside was a maze of things. The center stood a wardrobe. Beside it; Draco Malfoy

My heart raced, if he saw me now, I was in deep trouble. But what is he up to?
He places a bird inside the wardrobe and begins whispering something.

"Harmonia Nictere Passus"
He repeats.
"Harmonia Nictere Passus"

Once more and he opens the cabinet, inside lies a dead bird. He smiles to himself and begins his way out. I position my way behind a large trunk and multiple layers of couch cushion so I'm not seen. The door closes and I move from my hiding spot. What is it he's doing with this cabinet?

I look at the bird, a tear slips from my eye.
This is preposterous.
It was just a bird.
A bird that is dead.

***

The next week I am once again the first to the astronomy tower. He does arrive though looking shaken up.

He seems more pale than before, his hair is a mess and his eyes seem dilated.

"I know what you did." I squeak out avoiding his eyes. He freezes.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The bird."

"Why were you following me?"

"Put yourself in my shoes... How would yo-"
I'm cut off,

"Hermione, stay out of this. We can't be together anymore. I'm not safe, I need you to stay as far away from me as possible. Don't come back, alright?" He says sternly. Well, he tries anyway, his voice cracks and his eyes water.

"Merlin! You tell me you love me, you lie. You come back! Now you're telling me we shouldn't be together?" I say losing my temper.

"Hermione, you don't understand." He says.

"You're right I don't."

***

That was the last words we ever spoke to each other, the next time outside of school that we saw each other was in Malfoy Manor when his aunt Bellatrix tortured me, I soon realized what Draco meant when he said we weren't safe together, he was a death eater, and I was trying to save the world of people like him. People that wanted to destroy everything good in the world. When we saw each other at Malfoy Manor time had stopped, I saw the panic in his eyes as Bellatrix's knife went into my skin.

My screams had echoed throughout the room, I saw him struggle to reach out to me under his fathers firm grasp. I wanted to go to him, tell him I forgive him, but was it really true?

***

The war is over now, things are back to normal, well as normal as it could possibly be, after all the losses we faced. 'Normal' can never again be achieved.

Today while I was spending time with Harry and Ron at Diagon Alley I saw him walking towards one of the many books stores here. Everyone had gotten a letter yesterday about the return for us that haven't finished their school years.

I am Head Girl and Harry is Head Boy.
It was to be expected, yet still left Ron as a third wheel.

***

Arghhh, WRITERS BLOCK...