Magnetic Attraction

Chapter 13: Shock and Unsettled Feelings

Friday dawned windy and rainy as the last traces of fall faded into brisk winter with November right around the corner. Chill nipped at Hermione's feet as she slipped out from under the warm comforter on Draco's bed, only to remember she couldn't let go of his hand. Admitting defeat, she crawled back in, reluctant to greet the day at all. After poking him incessantly in the shoulder for what seemed like an hour, which was really only about four minutes, he squinted up at her, his gray eyes running with threads of red. They both stumbled around in a stupor, with one eye open, and both were so out of it that they switched ties by accident, and only realized it halfway through breakfast when they noticed Dean Thomas' snickers were directed at them. She blushed as she undid their knots, as Draco was still fairly blind, and silenced the seventh year Gryffindors with a steely glare.

By first period Potions they had both woken up, although they were lulled by the fumes of the elixir they were creating. Hermione leant her head on Draco's shoulder and no one noticed as he wrapped his arm around her waist, running his fingers against the skin peeking out from between the top of her skirt and the bottom of her shirt. She didn't mind; the soft rubbing of his fingers against her skin felt nice, almost comforting. Add to that the warm aroma around them and Slughorn's droning voice made her want to take a nap, right on Draco's shoulder.

It was the tower again, with snow spiraling around her and the harsh winter cold biting at the skin that the ribbons of her black dress didn't cover. She looked down at the lawn, jaded and desperate for some outlet. 'I hate you,' nipped at her brain, his voice haunting her. 'I don't love you anymore.' She hummed along without realizing it, the words seeming to echo across the silent grounds even though the song was long over. 'It never was and never will be.' She wasn't crying like before, she wasn't lonely and hopeless. She was simply heartbroken, nothing new. Her satin-clad feet poked out over the railing, scuffing softly on the stone. The night seemed poetic in its simplicity, so unlike the rush of three years previous. She didn't know whether to be upset or relieved that there would be no daredevil on a broomstick to swoop under and catch her. His cold eyes seemed to glare up at her from the snow. She smiled back.

It would be so easy to just fall, but what problems had that brought her in the past? It had given her Cedric, and then caused her to open up to Draco. What a bad idea that had been. She ran a hand up her arm, knowing this was a terrible idea. This was cowardly, this finally caving in, giving up again. Wasn't there always something to look forward to? What had happened to that theory?

And yet, the image of him sneering down at her, his face pained, 'You don't know how you betrayed me.' He was being cold for no reason; the boy who she was sure had loved her. She picked up her foot and let it dangle over the edge.

The class bell rang, shocking her out of her slumber. Draco looked down at her curiously, his eyes twinkling. Not cold or hard.

"Problem, Granger?" he drawled, though his eyes showed his true concern. Hermione shivered; almost shocked that she was warm instead of freezing.

"No, Malfoy, I'm fine." She walked in a daze to Charms, knocking her shoulder into people occasionally. Draco led her through the hall, glancing back at her as if to see if she was still there.

That hadn't been a flashback dream; it had been new. It had been so real, so detailed. She had been back on the tower again, but why? And that feeling of her heart snapping in two, what did that mean? Then she remembered the Evanescence music, what had that been about? Frustrated now, Draco doubled back and took her arm, before pulling her into a glass alcove overlooking the lake. She couldn't hide a tremble as she looked at him, and he noticed straight off the bat.

"Mya, what happened? And don't say nothing, because you're acting really odd," he insisted, pushing his hands against her shoulders so that she leant against the wall. Hermione looked away, hiding behind a wave of her hair. He waited, not flicking back her hair for once. Finally she whispered,