Kiss Me Freely (Book 2)

Chapter 12 : Nothing else matters

Nothing else matters

"Hermione, Draco...what is going on between you? From that way you're acting, I would almost assume that you were in a relationship."

It was time. Time to admit the truth, time to let them know.

Time to come clean.

Silence filled the room, deafening, dark, and foreboding, pounding relentlessly against their eardrums as they sat and stood still, waiting impatiently for the answer that could make or break them. Ginny wanted to start shouting, screaming, to do anything that might end the silence that assaulted her ears. A part of her didn't want to know the truth, didn't want to see what was right before her eyes; she loved her family, loved her brother in spite of his problems, and had, for the longest time, secretly wished that Hermione would marry Ron.

She didn't want this. Didn't want to see the affection that was so obvious in their gaze. Didn't want to watch as Hermione held Draco's face or watch as his thumb grazed gently across the back of her hand in the subtle yet compassionately loving gesture. She didn't want to know the truth; she wanted to go back to her First year, back when things were simpler, back when it was okay to dream, when she was able to look to the future with a bright sense of hope that everything would go alright. That everyone else would deal with the grimy bits, that the others would deal with the consequences of their actions.

But it was too late for that; she was grown now, she had dealt with the consequences, and she would have to deal with more. Even if she didn't want to; she had no choice.

The only thing she could do right now was grasp Harry's hand and pray that the damning words never left Hermione's mouth, hope that, in the end, she would somehow become deaf and dumb and be forgiven for her inability to deal with the truth.

She watched as Hermione turned at Harry's words, face pale and drawn, eyes shadowed and dancing, as though lost in thought. She watched as Draco's hand slowly slid down to capture hers, his damn thumb brushing the damn girl's hand, and she wanted to scream some more.

A part of her was willing to accept this possibility, was more open that she used to be, but another part just couldn't see how things could possibly work out. It just couldn't understand why or how, couldn't believe, couldn't begin to comprehend the mechanics of their relationship.

The thing she feared more, however, was Harry's reaction. Would he fight back, would he push and shove and repel the possibility of a relationship, or would he open his arms and accept them with ease? Would he stand with her if she decided to rebel, to fight back? Or would he step aside and let her fight her own battles? Would he laugh at the absurdity of the thought and claim that this was all a ruse, an elaborate joke made up for their sadistic pleasure?

Damn it all.

Staring up at the duo, she narrowed her gaze, chancing a glance at their eyes, wondering briefly just what they were thinking about...
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Damn it; this was not exactly how he had seen things going. He had not expected her to be so open, so ready when just a few weeks ago she had been fighting with him over the mere thought of exposing their relationship. A few weeks back, he had been more than ready and open to expose what they had, had fought with her to the point that she had run off, trying to explain that it would be easier to let everyone know the truth. But now that he was faced with the possibility that everyone might know, now that he might truly have to face the consequences of their actions, he feared what might come next.

Draco Malfoy would never admit it openly, but he had never been so nervous and afraid than he was at this very moment.

How would Potter react if Hermione did speak the truth? Would he try to hex him and then try to 'snap Hermione out of it'? Would he, as uncharacteristic and odd as it would be, accept their relationship with ease and continue to aid them in fighting back Weasel and his obvious psychological ailment?