A Severe Case of a Broken Heart (A Dramione Fanfic)

Chapter 2: Why are boys so clueless?

(A/N) I changed the timeline to after Dumbledore's death. I thought it would help move my plot better. Nothing much has changed otherwise. Thank you so much for all the reads! Love y'all!

Hermione's POV

Over the next few days, Hermione stayed secluded; away from anyone and everyone accept Ginny and the occasional professor she had a question for. Her red-headed confidant had tried to apologize for Ron and Harry on their behalf, but Hermione saw through it. Harry carried himself quietly around Hermione, obviously feeling guilty. When she saw him, shoulders slumped, she felt a pang in her chest that she should apologize for her reaction, but she still needed time. Ron, on the other hand, remained bitter at Hermione, taking extra measures to avoid her. He even went as far as turning to snog Lavender as soon as she began to approach him.

She found solace in her books. The series she had started not long ago in the Hog's Head was how the young witch spent her free time. She had finished the last book in the series by the following Tuesday. She was just about to begin the second series, tucked away in the far corner of the library, when an all too familiar voice reached her ears.

"Where did you say that book was?" said a voice at the far end of library. Great. Draco. His usual condescending tone towards Madame Pince set Hermione even more on edge.

"On the far side of those stacks." replied the librarian, who was clearly impatient.

Hermione attempted to hide her face behind her book as footsteps approached, but she failed to hide her hair.

"Well, if it isn't the Mudblood." Said the blonde, sneering.

Hermione clenched her hands around the book, but they still shook with anger. Between Ron and Draco, she had had enough for a day. Ugh. When will boys learn to stop?

The tears streamed down her cheeks as she shoved her book into her bag, and gave Malfoy a hard glare before she dashed out of the library and went running down the hallway away from the library.

Hermione's breath was almost gone as she reached the Astronomy Tower. She would hide there many times when she wanted to be alone. The cold winter air pummeled her, even as she sat against the wall, so she cast a spell around her to keep herself warm. Retrieving her novel yet again, she attempted to face her attention towards young Perseus Jackson.

But she just couldn't.

She was so tired. Tired of Ron being such an arse. Tired of Harry being sulky. Tired of Ginny being worried about Hermione. Tired of Draco being himself. Tired of everyone dying.

She closed the book and brought her knees up to her chest. Tears began to well up and her vision blurred. No, Hermione. You can't cry. This is stupid.

That didn't help much.

Draco's POV

She hadn't retorted. She didn't bite back, like she always did. She just left crying. Draco was taken aback, but he covered it quickly.

As he descended the stairs that led to the dungeon that houses the Slytherin dormitory, his mind was locked on the way her face had looked. Hermione Granger looked broken. She had tried to hide, to get away from all of the darkness surrounding the wizarding world and Hogwarts, but Draco had to release his anger on someone, and she was the nearest target. He had thought it would have been a normal banter; he would insult her, she would reply with a snide remark, and one of her friends would back her up.

But she didn't. Why didn't she?

Draco turned on his foot, heading back up the dimly lit stairs. He needed to get away. He burst out the castle doors, and ran through the snow towards the Astronomy Tower.

Once he had reached the top, he sought out a spot that would protect him from the cold air. He turned a corner and froze. There she was, Hermione, just sitting there. There seemed to be a glow around her-an orb covering where she sat. It was a type of Shield Charm that Draco had never seen before. Merlin, did she come up with that herself?

He was just about to turn and leave when she looked up. Her cheeks were red, and it wasn't from the cold.  As he approached, she took her wand in her hand, ready for anything. "I suppose you've come to finish what you started?" she said, her voice catching. Draco froze. What could he say? That he... felt bad?

Instead of replying, Draco walked over and stood by her. "How did you do this?" he asked, gesturing to the air around her. She paused, obviously surprised by his question.

"Um... I cast a spell that keeps the wind and cold out." She replied. "Why?"

"I've never seen anything like it, or even read about it. Did you invent it yourself?"

Hermione paused, as if debating whether or not to answer. Looking him in the eye, she spoke. "I did."

Draco's eyes widened. That's bloody brilliant. How did she do that?

Without a word, he stood and walked back towards the castle. As soon as he was out of Hermione's sight, he ran.

He didn't stop running until he reached his house dormitory, collapsing on his bed. His mind was racing. Why couldn't he get her out of his head?! What, for Merlin's sake, was going on? Why didn't he just make a snide remark about her spell like he normally would?

Wait. Was she crying because of me? Surely not. She's never done that before. Right?

"Hey, Malfoy!" someone called, snapping Draco out of his daze. He sat up to see Blaise Zabini walking towards him.

"What do you want?" he replied, annoyed that someone had invaded his thoughtfulness.

"Some of the guys and I are going to put a little damper on a certain party in the Gryffindor common room." He smirked. "Wanna join?"

Draco mulled over the idea. He already knew what he wanted: to be alone and read the book he had just gotten about potions used for healing during the first battle against You-Know-Who sixteen years ago. But he also had a title to keep. As the son of a Death Eater, he was expected to cause trouble. But today, Draco decided to make an exception. "Sorry man, but I've got a Potions final to study for." He said.

Zabini paused, staring Draco in the eye, and Draco thought he saw right through his excuse, but then Zabini gave a small laugh. "You and your Potions, Draco." he said, batting his eyelashes. "Love at first brew."

Draco smirked. "Ha ha, you're funny. Now go crash your party."

Zabini walked off, and Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Now, he had to get out of here.