The Wedding Rings

Chapter 8: The Deal

"Hermione?"

The word sounded shocked and angry, followed with a growl she had heard only once before in her life and never again. She pushed Draco off her as if the action would somehow delete what had happened before Harry walked in on them, the air in the room suddenly gone, leaving the space, Hermione's lungs desperate for some sort of recognition that she was still alive.

"What is going on here? You—Malfoy? You... Hermione...?" Her name was a small whimper, so small she was sure he was looking for a confirmation that this wasn't as it appeared to be, that what he was seeing wasn't her cheating on Ron with Draco right in her office, so carefree as if she didn't care about what her actions might bring.

What she was experiencing on her own was nothing in comparison to what she supposed he was going through. Shock, disbelief, anger, it was all evident on his face and while she was used to seeing that sort of look from him limited only to Malfoy, this time it was all on her. Because, really, was Malfoy to be blamed here? He owed nothing to both Ron and Harry, but she... She did. And she let them down.

"Harry, listen, please—" She said quickly, jumping off the table and flushing in shame at her disheveled state. She smoothed her skirt down and her lip trembled in fear of what was going to happen, Draco completely forgotten.

"Listen? Listen? Why should—you were kissing Malfoy! Fucking Malfoy, Hermione!"

"Yes, we've already established that, Potter," Draco snapped irritably, not at all unaffected by the situation.

"SHUT UP! JUST—SHUT UP!" Harry yelled, making Hermione flinch and take a cautions step back.

She looked from Draco's narrowed eyes to Harry's angry face, his body sagging slightly as he took a step back.

"Harry—"

"How long, Hermione?"

"Harry, please, I—"

"HOW LONG? YOU'RE CHEATING ON RON WITH HIM, YOU LIED TO EVERYONE!" He continued on and Hermione growled and took a defensive stance, her chest raising and falling in anger.

"YES, I DID! BECAUSE I'M UNHAPPY! I DON'T WANT TO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO RON, I DON'T WANT HIM TO BE AN OBLIGATION - I NEED A HUSBAND. NOT A CHORE!" She screamed, her lungs burning from the power she was conveying in the words.

Harry was taken by surprise and he shook his head in disgust, watching her as if he was seeing her true self just then.

Hermione realized that she had snapped and her eyes slid from the forest green to icy pale, noticing the surprise in them. He always reacted in such a way whenever she showed a sign of taking them seriously, whenever she expressed just how miserable she was in her life with Ron. It was a mixture of understanding, pity, guilt and annoyance – annoyance that she dared to be so public about how she felt, something which he was never able to be. His stance was tense and he didn't move an inch, making Hermione feel as though she was alone in the room with Harry rather than with someone else's presence there.

"A chore? I asked you if you were happy, I asked how you felt and you lied to me!"

"You do know not everything is about you, Potter, do you?" Draco spat, turning his eyes from Hermione to Harry.

"Malfoy, I'm warning you, I'll—"

"You'll what? Scream at me until you get an aneurysm? I don't give a fuck, to be honest, just shut up. Shut up. This isn't about you or that twat Weasley, this—"

"DON'T CALL HIM THAT!"

"Draco! Harry, calm do—"

"THIS IS ABOUT GRANGER!" Draco yelled, his booming voice echoing around the room, loud enough to snap Hermione out of her shocked daze and to make Harry focus on him.