The Battle of the Highest (Dramione)

Chapter 10: See You Soon

*HERMIONE*

"That makes no sense," Harry says.

"That's what we said about the last clue," I say. "It has to be something pretty obvious."

"But we won't be able to figure it out," Ron says, "even if we had enough time. You might as well go into this challenge blind. It won't be that bad."

I raise my eyebrows and my eyes grow wide. "Um... I don't know if you were paying attention during the last challenge, Ron, but I almost died from lack of oxygen because I was trapped in an unbreakable glass box with no holes to let me breathe."

It's Harry's turn for his eyes to grow. "That's why Malfoy ran through the opening with you and you weren't moving?"

I nod. "I was kind of lifeless, literally, for a few minutes."

"Blimey, Hermione, I didn't realize that..." Harry says.

"It's fine. I'm okay now." As soon as I say that I regret it. I'm not okay, at all. I can't stay apart from Draco like this.

"So," Ron says, clearing his throat, "where's the Death Eater now?"

I grit my teeth. "He's not a Death Eater, anymore," I spat. "And he's over at the Slytherin table, of course."

"I saw him come over here before the announcement," Ron says. "Looks like you broke his heart." He puts his hand over his heart dramatically.

"Shut up, Ron! You have no idea how hard this year has been! Why don't you just give me a break! I had no choice what so ever, to tell him to leave. I was forced to."

I stand up and hurry out of the room before any of them reply.

I end up going back to the prefect's house and I slam my door shut.

Why did Ron have to be so infuriating? He doesn't understand what us prefects are going through right now...he doesn't understand what I'm going through right now...

I pace the room. I'm not going to go back out there to see Ron. He's gotten on my nerves for the last time, and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'll just ignore it.

I hear a soft knock on my door and I turn around.

"Who's there?" I ask quickly.

I watch as the knob turns and the door opens slowly.

"Can we talk?" he asks. I shake my head.

"Please leave."

"I think you could use some company." He walks toward me and I keep moving backward.

"Get out of my room," I say sternly.

I feel the back of my legs run into the side of the bed, making my knees bend and I fall back, but I continue to scoot away from Draco.

"Seriously," I say, "get out."

"I'm not leaving. At least not yet. C'mon, give me an explanation for ditching me."

I swallow.

"Must I persuade you, Hermione?" he says slyly, a devilish grin forming on his face. He comes in close, his lips so close to mine.

"There'll be no need for anything of the sort," I say quietly. He puts his hands to my arms, pressing me to the wall, then brings me into a kiss. I don't hesitate as he pulls me on top of him and deepens the kiss.

"Why are you like this?" I manage when we break apart for a moment. He rolls over and flips me over so that my back is on the bed. He starts kissing down my neck.

"Seriously, why are you actually like this? I didn't want this to happen yet," I say, making Draco stop. He grins.

"So you did want to do this?" He smirks.

"Well, umm..." I feel my face get hot. Draco lies down beside me.

"Tell me why you're starting to avoid me," he whispers.

I sigh. "I'm not supposed to tell you," I say.

"Why not?" He frowns. "Do you have something against me?" I hear the anger in his voice start to rise.

"No, no, no! I didn't mean that! It's just..."

"Don't hesitate, Hermione, tell me."

"Well... McGonagall said that I needed to start avoiding you so that we could focus on the tournament and not get hung up in a relationship. Believe me, I told her that that would be extremely difficult for the both of us... She doesn't understand why we, of all people, are in a relationship together."

He frowns. "Remember what we said? That we don't care what other people think of us. I don't care if it's a teacher that is against us, I just want to be with you."

"You see, that's the thing. She says that we're already in a relationship that's growing by the minute, and she said she wants to put a stop to it before it gets out of control. She doesn't want us yearning for each other, since allies aren't allowed, and she doesn't want us to be too depressed when it's our time to die."

"I won't listen to the rules if I have to protect you."

"Please... I'm agreeing with McGonagall right now. This relationship is going to be too deep, and we might as well put a stop to it before it's too hard to control."

I stand and walk to the door; Draco is still on my bed. "You might as well go back to your 'bad boy' Slytherin self and forget me. Go out with Pansy Parkinson or something... Please go, Malfoy." I watch him cringe at me calling him "Malfoy" instead of "Draco", but he stands up and walks over with that Malfoy strut.

"All right then," he says. "Just know I still love you." He walks out the door, but I don't turn around; I stay staring at my room.

"See you at the next challenge, Granger," he says, and a tear rolls down my cheek as I shut the door.