Who to Choose? (Finished)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Who to choose

I felt sunlight hit my face. I was scared to open my eyes and see that I was not alive. I just laid there motionless until a felt a fat drop of water hit my cheek. 

~Sunlight and rain? What’s happening?~ 

Then I realized that a shadow blocked the ray of sun. And then there was sobbing.

"'Er...Mione..Yer always be remembered. ..Yer..." A gruff voice said but didn't have time to finish because he was already crying buckets.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw Hagrid standing over me, his huge hands covering his face.

~I'm home..At Hogwarts..~

I reached my hand out to him and touched him gently. "Hagrid.. Why are you crying? I'm here.."

He looked up and colors from his face drained.. "'Ermione? A ghost!!"

Everyone shuffled over to me. That's when I realized that I was lying on a marble table where flowers and stars where engraved. They thought I was dead. I thought I was dead. Then I recognized faces that were scattered around me. Some were surprised, shocked, amused, happy, and I saw some of them tried to wipe tears away including, surprisingly, Draco Malfoy. I glanced at his way and gave a small smile which he returned shyly.

"I'm not a ghost. It's me.. I'm alive." I said, opening my arms out wide.

Everyone cheered and hugged me. They were crying tears of joy and laughing at the same time. Hagrid helped me out of the table and I gave him a big hug. I scanned the area for signs of Harry and Cedric but instead, I saw Malfoy walking towards me alone.

"Hey Granger." He greeted.

"Hi Draco." I greeted back. It was my first time calling him in his first name while having an okay conversation.

He stared at the floor and said "I'm really glad you're alive..I honestly do.."

"Really?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Yeah.. I mean, if you were gone I have no one else to call names and tease except for Potter, Weasley and a few others. What I'm saying is that I would miss you if you were really dead." He explained. "And when we all thought you were a goner, it made me realize that it wouldn't be the same without you. You were loved by many. I'm sure if it was me, only a handful would come and they would probably be celebrating my death."

"Hey." I said, patting his shoulder a little "Don't say that. I would be sorry if you're dead."

"Really?" He asked, surprised. "Well ermm.. so.. I'd just like to apologize.. For everything. I knew I was rude and a jerk but well, I don't really know why I do or say all those things. I'm sorry for everything, Hermione. I promise I would never call you a mud- I would never call you THAT again."

"It's alright.." I smiled then remembered "By the way, Have you seen Cedric-"

"Hermione!!"

Both of us turned around and I saw Cedric rushing to me. He gave me a very big hug that I thought I'd black out. When he finally pulled away. He smiled and said "I really thought you were dead Hermione.. Really. I was on my wits end when I, we, saw you get hit by the killing curse."

Draco cleared his throat and said "Erm..I should leave you guys alone I guess.. See you later Hermione.." He waved then jogged away.

Cedric gave me a weirded out look and said "What was that all about? UGH, Nevermind. The point is, how did you survive? What happened?"

"Long story and it's not that important. I have to tell you something that couldn't wait for another minute." I said.

"Then spill away.." He told me, crossing his arms across his chest.

~This is it Hermione.. It's now or never.~

I took a deep breath and confessed "I love you Diggory. I really do.."

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I ran downhill towards the lake. I saw him there, standing looking over the water. I smiled and called out.

"Harry!!"

He turned and his expression was un-explainable. There was a hint of sadness that was changed into confusion and finally, happiness. But he stood there, rooted on the ground.

I shook my head and smiled while I jog over to him. When I got beside him, I tilted my head a little and asked "Well??"

He chuckled and engaged me into a big embrace. I hugged him back and pulled away after a few minutes.

"I-I can't believe it. You're alive. I..I didn't believe them when they told me but it's true." He said, still not over by the fact that I'm really alive.

"Yeah, I guess it is unbelievable. I couldn't imagine it myself." 

"Hermione.. I'm really sorry that I couldn't rescue you and I know I was the reason that you kinda, died. But how did you..?"

"The exact thing that rescued you from death the night your parents was murdered." I said.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Love. Unrequited love." I simply proclaimed.

"Hermione, before anything else. I-I just gotta tell you this. I-I know we've been best friends for almost four years now. A-And now, I feel dumb for all the things that I did. F-For the things that I didn't do actually.." He stammered, and shifted his feet nervously. "I-I don't know how to break this to you and if you only know, right now, facing a dragon would be a piece of cake than doing this. But I have given much thought in it and I couldn't take to hold it back any longer.. Hermione, I..I." He was looking at the ground and was blushing terribly.

I pulled his chin up so he was facing me. I looked at his eyes and said "You what?"

He gulped but still stammered "Hermione I.."

I laughed and said "Oh Nevermind, you couldn't do it anyway." Then I stopped the fluctuating flow of words from his mouth with my lips. I closed my eyes and held my breath, happy that I've finally gathered up the courage to face the fact that it was Harry, My bestest friend, is the one who I truly deeply love.

Out of breath, I pulled away from him a grinned "Well?"

He was now blushing more than ever but he was grinning too "Well, I never could have imagined. Hermione. I love you. From the very first time that I set my eyes on you, I knew you were the one. Even when Ron thinks you were an insufferable know-it-all,. Even when you were being all goody-goody. And even until just a few hours ago, when all of them thought that you were dead, I still believed that you were the one for me. I never gathered up enough courage to tell you and if you didn't kiss me right now, I don't know if I am telling this to you right now. But Hermione Jean Granger, I love you with all my heart and with all my soul."

I was surprised at the sudden flow of courage on my best friend. I have never dreamed it to be like this. I was finally free to admit my feelings and so was he. It was very beautiful that I started to cry.

He was suddenly startled and stuttered "Hermione! I-I'm sorry.. I didn't know that you mean another thing by that kiss.. I.. I'm sorry..Please don't cry. It's alright if you don't..feel the same way.. I just thought that you did but..Please Hermione, don't cry.."

Still crying, I hit him playfully on the shoulder. "A-are you kidding me? Of course I do! Harry James Potter. I love you MORE than my own life. I've always did.." I sniffed a little and buried my face on his shoulder.

He chuckled a bit and stroked my hair "But why are you crying?"

"Because of you! You're so.." I tried to think of an appropriate word but I failed "Not even in my wildest dreams that you..You would say that to me.."

He pulled away and smiled, "Of course I would." Then he kissed my forehead before wiping my tears away "No more tears, okay? It breaks my heart to see you crying."

I nodded before I remembered. "Hey, Harry. I gotta tell you another thing." We sat down beside the lake then I told him everything that I've talked about with his parents while he just nodded and listened patiently. 

"I understand.. They are right Hermione, At least all of it is over. He's already gone." He said in a sober tone before saying in a light and embarrassed manner "But I just can't believe they showed you that! I mean well, there's actually more like the time when we talked at the bleachers, Well actually when YOU tried to talk to me. I was filled with rage and jealousy back then. I really thought that Cedric stole the world from me. That he stole YOU away from me. But I guess I was wrong, am I not?"

"Yeah. Definitely. I hate to admit but I was a tiny bit jealous of Luna too. Well, but I tried to hide it and I guess I was good." I said, smiling.

"Anyway, you know that Cedric likes you right?" He asked.

I nodded and said "Yeah, I do.."

"What are you planning to do now? I mean, he asked you already to be his girlfriend." he asked again.

"I've talked to him a little while ago about that." I said.

"And what did you and him said?" 

"Well.. I told him I love him. Because I really do. But I explained to him that even though I love him. I can never like him more than a brother. Because there is someone who owns my heart. He told me he understands and that he will be happy which ever decision that I make. He will be happy for both of us." I explained.

"You told him it was me?"

"No. He already knew it from the beginning. He understood all your actions Harry. Hmm.. How did he say it.. Well, he told me that 'Boys are boys' and 'A boy always know how his fellow acts or speak, therefore, I've always knew Harry has the hots for you. Remember the time that I told you that he looks differently at you? That's the major evidence that he's fallen for you. Hard.' and before I left to find you, he actually told me that I should never hurt you, Harry. Because he knows that you're a great guy, even better than him he says, and that you'll never harm me in any manner." I continued to explain. 

"And I guess he's right." He said, smiling. "Because I'll never hurt you. Ever. And I'm glad that he recognizes. I've always felt that he's my biggest rival. In all things especially during the tournament."

"But it's over now. It's in the past. You can never believe that even Draco asked for forgiveness." I told him.

"Well, I guess I can. Because after you were..gone. He's been there for me, you know?" He said.

I smiled and said "Then, I'm not surprised."

Both of us laughed and I leaned over to place my head on his shoulder while he laces his fingers through mine. We sat in comfy silence as we watched the sunset. That moment, I knew I've made the right decision. I've made the right choice. The choice on who to choose.