Love's Potion [Dramione]

Chapter 12

Hermione woke up Saturday morning with a redheaded girl sitting at the end of her bed.

Ginny was looking at her with concern in her eyes. At first, Hermione wondered why, and then she remembered: she had returned to the Gryffindor common room last night in tears, refusing to talk to anyone, and then she had proceeded to cry herself to sleep. Come to think of it, Hermione's eyes did feel pretty puffy this morning.

"Okay. What happened?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing," Hermione replied, hiding her face in her pillow.

"Don't give me that," Ginny said with some attitude. "You don't usually come storming into the common room bawling your eyes out for no reason."

"I don't want to talk about it," Hermione groaned.

"Do you honestly think I give a damn whether or not you want to talk about it? I'm one of your best friends, Hermione, and I know that you won't talk about it with Ron or Harry. You need to talk to someone about this. Someone who is neutral...like me."

"Neutral?" Hermione asked curiously. She sat up.

"Yeah. You know...someone who is not one hundred percent against you being in love with Draco Malfoy."

"Ginny Weasley!" Hermione gasped. "You can't just go throwing around accusations like that!"

"Oh," Ginny said, shaking her head, "that wasn't an accusation. I was stating a fact."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Would you like me to kick you out of this room?"

"No, but -"

"Then take back what you said about me being in love with Draco Malfoy!"

"I can't, and I won't," Ginny said stubbornly.

Hermione glared at her friend. "Why are being so obnoxious? I am not in love with Draco Malfoy!"

"You are." Ginny paused only a second before continuing, giving Hermione no time to protest. "Look, I've been debating on whether or not I should tell you this. At first, I had decided not to. But then you came home last night and...you were so sad. Of course, I assumed it had something to do with Malfoy, and I'm pretty sure I'm right, aren't I?"

Hermione glanced down sheepishly at her hands and nodded. "What is it that you want to tell me?"

Ginny took a deep breath before proceeding to tell Hermione everything she learned from eavesdropping on Harry and Ron's conversation the previous night. When she was done, Hermione just sat there looking positively horrified.

"No," she said simply, shaking her head. "You obviously heard wrong. Or...or Harry and Ron misunderstood what that barmaid told them...or..."

"Hermione," Ginny said softly. "This makes perfect sense. Admit it. This would explain why, even though you've taken the anti-potion, you're still upset that you're not with him. It would explain why you're so unhappy."

"No," Hermione cried. "It can't be true. I just can't."

"Why not?"

"B-because," Hermione sobbed. "Because M-Malfoy h-hates me. He doesn't love me. He never will. He told me just that last night. So you see, that p-potion can't be accurate, b-because we don't love each other!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Dear Hermione. Haven't you ever heard of a thing called 'denial'? That's what Malfoy's feeling right now - not hate. And you're in denial too! You need to talk to him."

"No way!" Hermione exclaimed. She jumped out of bed and crossed the room. "I am never talking to that git ever again! I'm through with Draco Malfoy!"