The Wedding Rings

Chapter 5: The Truth

She looked around her living room once more, her hands shaking uncontrollably. Everything was perfectly clean and organized what with her book collection filling up the shelves all around the room, but no matter how spotless the place looked, her nerves wouldn't let her calm down. This was something she had never done in her life, but it was also something she couldn't have stopped even if she tried to. Malfoy could be very... persuasive when he wanted something.

Sliding her sweaty palms down her jeans, she counted to ten in her head, feeling her heart beat slow down. Her eyes slid to her family pictures with the Weasley's and especially Ron, and she felt a pressure in her chest. It was getting harder to go with this, too difficult to even think about it, but for the first time in her life she wasn't brave enough to do anything about it.

It was very late at night, while he was sleeping next to her, that she realized she didn't love him anymore. At least, not like he loved her. She was tossing and turning, too frustrated to work or eat or do anything to get her mind off things, but the answer was right there. Truth was sometimes better when avoided, but whether she liked it or not was a different story.

Hermione was the type who liked when things had a pattern. She liked leading a happy life with Ron, liked visiting his family every Sunday for lunch and some good gossip, liked to pretend her life was ideal. But it was far from that. Suddenly, the pattern started boring her. It was all the same. The kisses, the fights, the visits, the stories – they were put on repeat, shaping her life in the way she didn't expect. So when Draco came in, he offered something different. Excitement, fun, passion, hate, it was all merged together and his visits and their moments together affected her and turned him into something she craved.

A sigh escaped her lips and for a moment she thought about removing the pictures and bringing them back once he left. Her wand was in her hands and the Vanishing Spell was on the tip of her tongue when the doorbell rang, making her jump in surprise. She looked at the clock above the mantle and shook her head. Right on time.

Walking up to the door, Hermione licked her lips nervously and tucked her wand in. One, two, three.

"Granger."

"Malfoy."

He stared at her with a smirk on his lips, slowly peeling off his black leather gloves.

"Are you going to invite me in or are we fucking outside?"

She cringed at his bluntness and shook her head, opening the door wider so he could come in.

"You're alone?" the smugness in his voice made her roll her eyes.

"No, I invited my parents and Harry to join us, I thought it'd be nice to spice things up," Hermione deadpanned, eyeing him as he was taking off his coat. He was wearing her favorite gray robe underneath, his dragon skin ankle boots shiny and new.

"Kinky, Granger," he chuckled, raising one eyebrow.

"Yes, yes, just get in."

He extended his hand and signaled for her to walk in first which made raise an eyebrow, but comply nonetheless. As she was walking into the living room a part of her couldn't help but wonder whether he'd like her house. It wasn't as if she and Ron weren't well off, but she knew what he was used to and it made her feel uncomfortable to bring him here in the first place.

"What a lovely home."

"Piss off."

"I beg your pardon? I can't even give you a compliment without you-"

"- compliment, my arse! You were sarcastic and-"

"-it is as if I'm the bad guy no matter what I do-"