How? - Drinny

12. Secret

"Hermione?"

Ginny looked at her with curious eyes, and threw a disgruntled look at her. The girl with bushy brown her, who was her best friend! For so many years! And now, she found her kissing another man ... the man is none other than Draco Malfoy. But possibly, what does she have to say now? After all that? An apology?

"Could please give us some time?" said Hermione to the Healer.

The Healer turned towards Ginny, and Ginny nodded. The Healer went away, as Hermione slowly came to Ginny and sat down on a small chair beside her. Ginny turned her head towards the opposite side, to avoid direct contact with the girl Draco cheated on.

"Ginny -"

"'Mione, look. If you have to come to apologize -"

"No, I'm here to tell you what happened in my sixth year."

"Wait, what?"

"Ginny, i had told Malfoy not tell anyone. I promised not to tell anyone myself, but, you must know. I have brought a Pensieve into our house. After you shall be discharged, i will show you my memories." Hermione took out a small glass bottle.

Ginny nodded, puzzled.

"Um ... Hello ..." Hermione called the Healer.

"Yes?"

"When will she be discharged?"

"By today." said the Healer with a smile

"Thank you." Hermione smiled and looked at Ginny, "I'll be waiting for you."

Ginny nodded with a long breathe. She had to be ready to see it. It must be something big.

*
Ginny walked with Hermione to her room. She ignored everyone and just went straight to Hermione's room. She has to know what it is.

"She has been discharged." the Healer smiled at the large family.

Ginny walked slowly towards her family. All of them came straight to her. Mrs. Weasley's tears could be seen. Even Harry's. Did Harry still love her? At the corner, she saw the blonde-haired boy sitting on a chair, without making any movement. He slowly looked at Ginny and turned his head right away. His face was full of guilt.

Nonetheless, she slowly said, "Hermione?"

"Yeah, I'm here." replied Hermione, "But don't you want to meet your family first?" she whispered.

"No, I wanna see it. Now!"

"Ok." said Hermione slowly.

Ginny looked at the pensieve in Hermione's room. They went towards it and Hermione poured her memories into it. The two of them lowered their heads into it.

Ginny felt as if she was falling, until she felt her feet on the ground. She looked around, it was Hogwarts!

"What are we doing here?" Asked Ginny.

Hermione told her to hush and so Ginny looked ahead. There came Draco, surrounded by girls.

"They're Crabbe and Goyle." Whispered Hermione.

Then, from the opposite side came Hermione, carrying her books. As Draco and Hermione came close, Draco pushed Hermione by the shoulders and her books fell down.

"Malfoy!" Cried Hermione.

Draco looked around and said, "Yes, dear?"

"What's your problem?!"

"My problem? It's your problem, and it's that you're a filthy Mudblood!"

Hermione ignored him and continued to pick up her books.

Ginny looked at Draco's expression when he continued walking, it looked like he felt sorry.

"Let us go back now, there are more memories to explore." Said Hermione as they returned.

Hermione put in another bottle, then they lowered their heads.

This time, it was in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Draco was just stood up from his chair, and walked towards the Gryffindor table. Something was clutched in his hands tightly. He slowly walked towards Hermione. As he went quite near to her, he slowly threw the paper at her, and walked away to the Slytherin table. Hermione felt something hit her face. She looked down, and saw a small paper. She looked behind, but there was no-one. She read:

Dear Granger,
I'm sorry for calling you a Mudblood. Meet me on the seventh floor while you're having a free class. Don't tell about this to Potter or Weaslebee, or anyone! Please. Goyle shall be beside you, tell him in which period you're free.
From Malfoy.

A smile arose on Hermione. Hermione looked around, Goyle wasn't here. She saw him, talking to Draco. Draco suddenly pointed at Hermione. Hermione blushed, and then Draco slightly looked at Hermione. She quickly looked away. Ginny saw Draco smile slightly. Goyle came towards Hermione and she said, "Fourth period."

"Hermione?"

Hermione quickly looked at who was calling her.

"Harry!"

"Yeah, why are you blushing?" asked Harry.

Hermione looked down, Harry smirked.

"OK, this is all for now." Said Hermione, "There are more."

They went back, while Hermione was getting the other bottle, Ginny asked, "Did you like him then?"

Hermione snapped and said, "A bit."

She poured the third memory, and they, again lowered their heads.

This time, it was the seventh floor, where Draco told Hermione to meet him. And, it's the floor containing the Room of Requirement. Ginny saw Hermione sitting beside the walk. Sounds of footsteps could be heard, Draco was running from the Marble staircase to the seventh floor. Hermione looked at Draco, the two of them stared at each other, until Draco said, "Hi ..."

"H-Hi." Replied Hermione.

"How are you?" Smiled Draco.

"Fine, it's been a long since we've talked normally hasn't it?"

"I guess "long" is an understatement. I mean, six years!" Grinned Draco.

Hermione giggled, "Yep, six years."

"What happened six years ago?" Asked Ginny.

"Oh, yes!" Exclaimed Hermione, "I forgot to show it to you! For now, look at this." She nodded at the situation.

Draco put down his hand for Hermione to hold. Hermione held his hand and he pulled her up.

As she stood up, Draco said, "Walk around with me for some time."

"OK." Blushed Hermione.

They walked around for some time, Draco made her go around the floor three times, then a door appeared.

"Wait, isn't that the -"

"The Room of Requirement." Said Draco.

Hermione looked around. Then, suddenly Draco pinned her to the wall. Both of them were breathing heavily and Hermione blushed extremely.

"Granger, promise me you won't tell anyone, about this." said Draco.

Hermione slowly nodded, and Draco kissed her.

"I love you ..." he said slowly and kissed her again.

"No!" snapped Hermione, "Malfoy, no!"

"What?"

"We can't do this! Harry ... Ron ... Ginny ... They'll never accept this!"

"That's why I told you not to tell them."

"I can't hide it from them forever."

With that, she quickly left.

"There's more, let's go." said Hermione, who was beside Ginny. When Hermione looked at Ginny, she could see that she was almost going to cry. This scene was unbearable for her. Hermione didn't know how Ginny could bear the next one.

They left, and Hermione poured the memory into the Pensieve. She asked, "Any questions?"

But Ginny looked speechless by the last memory, she slight shook her head. They lowered their heads, this time, Ginny saw Hermione wiping her eyes and going to an unknown room. In the room, sat Draco beside a window.

"Granger?"

"Malfoy?"

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?!"

"R-Ron ..." shivered Hermione.

"What did he do?"

"He kissed Lavender!"

Draco bit his lips, "It's my fault ..."

Hermione looked at him and said, "What ...?"

"I knew you wanted Gryffindor to win." said Draco, "So, I put a bit of Felix Felicis into his drink. I didn't know that ... that'll happen."

Hermione couldn't control her tears.

"Please," said Draco, wiping her tears, "Don't cry."

Then he kissed her softly on the lips, and walked away.

Hermione stood there, continuing to cry.

"There's one more," said Hermione, "The last one."

They came back and Hermione quickly put in the last memory, they lowered their heads, and this time, Ginny saw Hermione standing on the third floor. Suddenly, Draco came, alone. Hermione was glad to see him alone finally, from Crabbe and Goyle. She wanted to talk him, after Harry used Sectumsempra on him.

"Malfoy .." Hermione ran to him.

"Oh please, Granger." said Draco, "Don't ever talk to me again. I know why Potter did that. You must've told him that I kissed you and so he got angry and wanted to kill me."

"Malfoy, it's nothing like that!"

"Obviously, I can't expect anything more from you. Can't even keep a promise!"

"Malfoy -"

"You are a filthy little Mudblood!"

Hermione couldn't say anything anymore. She just simply walked away.

"It's the last time we talked." said Hermione. Then they got back.

"So, that's it?" asked Ginny.

"Yes, now the only one left is the memory from six years before that." said Hermione.

She poured the memory into the Pensieve. They lowered their heads.

There, it was. A small girl in Diagon Alley, she had bushy brown hair. Ginny guessed it was Hermione. Her hair was quite disastrous that time. She was happily skipping around the place. She was looking from right to left, grinning. Ginny never saw Hermione saw excited and happy. She must've got her letter some time ago. She looked at the left, and thud! She hit someone and fell down. That boy, with blonde hair, must be Draco. He held her by the hand and picked her up.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah!" grinned Hermione.

Draco smiled, and said, "What's your name?"

"Hermione Granger."

"I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. Want to hang out for some time?"

Hermione looked back to see if her parents were there. They weren't, which meant they were still buying books for Hermione. "OK." she replied.

Draco held her by the hand and ran to a place which looked like a cafe to Hermione. The two of them sat in two sits, and Draco asked, "So, you're just getting to your first year?"

"Yep!"

"Excited?" grinned  Draco.

"A lot!"

"You know, I heard that Harry Potter is also going to Hogwarts this year."

"Who's Harry Potter?" asked Hermione.

"You don't know?!" exclaimed Draco, "He's the wizard who defeated You-Know-Who!"

"Who's You-Know-Who?"

Draco silently said, "Voldemort."

"Voldemort?"

Draco quickly told her to hush, "He's the greatest Dark Wizard of all times. Killed a lot of people. No-one could stop him. Until, he went to kill the Potters. He did kill the parents, but when he was about to kill Harry, Harry killed him. Somehow ..."

"Amazing." said Hermione, surprised.

"And now we're free and happy!" smirked Draco.

"Yep."

"So, which House are you going to get sorted into?" asked Draco.

"What?"

"House! There are four houses in Hogwarts: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. No-one knows which House they'll be sorted to. But I know I'll be in Slytherin, everyone from my family were. I hope you go to Slytherin too."

Then Hermione's parents came in there, her mother said, "Hermione?"

"Yes, Mother. Coming." She replied, "Bye."

"Bye." said Draco, "Wait, are your parents Muggles?"

"What?"

"I mean, they don't know magic."

Hermione nodded and Draco bit his lips. A man with long blonde hair also came in. Hermione saw him when she was going out. The man started talking to Draco.

"Made a new friend already?" asked Hermione's dad.

Hermione nodded happily.

"It's over." said Hermione and they got back. "That was the first time we met. Lucius Malfoy must've said somthing to him about Muggle-Borns, that's why he started being rude to me in Hogwarts. And, Ginny, forgive him. Everyone desereves a second chance. I'll need some time, till then I'll be away from here."

Ginny nodded.