Love Is The Darkest Art

Part 5: McGonagall

Scene 7:

"Hermione Granger," Professor McGonagall said, after dismissing the class. 'You seem very distracted today. You are certainly not your usual self."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Hermione replied. She was still seated at her desk, though her Transfiguration teacher walked about the room.

"I noticed a glance between you and Draco Malfoy. Is he bothering you, or threatening you in some way?"

She looked at the professor in mock surprise.  "Oh no, nothing like that. I think he was just asking something about ...um, the question."

"To which you were daydreaming."

"Yes professor, I'm sorry. I've been studying so hard I'm losing sleep I guess."

McGonagall seemed to think about that a moment and then said, "Well, be sure to get your proper rest from now on. The mind must stay sharp in these times." She offered a reassuring smile. "You are dismissed now, Miss Granger."

"Thank you." Hermione gathered her books and got up to leave. But halfway across the room, she stopped. "Professor, can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly, child. What is it?"

"I'm not sure if you can help me."

"I can try."

Hermione looked at her, then glanced away, uncertain on how to proceed. "There's  this...um...boy...and he's ..well..."

"Causing you to lose sleep?"

Hermione smiled shyly. "Not yet. But I'm afraid he will. And I'm not even certain how much I like him....Just that I do. And that I shouldn't. Oh professor, I'm so confused...I shouldn't have dumped this on you, I'm sorry.  I should get to my next class."

McGonagall stopped her. "Granger, I'm no stranger to the confusions and machinations of the heart. We want what we want, after all.   We can all be faced with the should I or shouldn't when it comes to love."

"Love? No wait, i didn't mean..."

"Did you know I was married once, Hermione?"

"Um, I had heard...."

"I had two opportunities at love. Once long ago, a boy proposed to me, and I readily agreed. But I realized to marry me, I would have to expose him to everything about me, including my wizarding abilities. Because he was muggle born I had to make a choice. My wizarding studies or a life of secrecy."

Hermione didnt know what to say. McGonagall always seemed to favor or have more hope in Hermione than some of her other students, but they'd never talked on this personal of a level until now.

"But you married him, right?"

McGonagall glanced out the window. "No, I did not. I married someone else. Someone who was considered...a better fit. Someone i could easily be with, and no one would bat a lash about it. But....I think about my first love all the time. And I wonder..." She looked up at the ceiling, or perhaps something beyond that. "I wonder...what if I had chosen differently. What if I had chosen a life of secrets..."

Suddenly she looked at Hermione in surprise, as if she herself had gotten caught up in a daydream of her own and had just realized it.

"Oh my, child, I'm sorry. I'm sure your dilemma is nothing like mine was."

I'm almost certain it is, thought Hermione.

Scene 8:

Draco Malfoy waited around a corner. He was hoping he wouldn't be seen. He wanted to catch Hermione once she left class. There was something he wanted her to know. A realization he felt the very moment he kissed her in the library. He wasn't sure of his thoughts at the moment, or the change he feared was overcoming him. He had to know for certain what was happening to him, and hopefully her too. But yet for once he was scared. He'd never experienced anything like this before, so he didn't know the proper way to proceed. He wiped his sweaty palms on his clothes and took a deep, calming breath.

The door to Transfiguration class opened and Hermione walked out. Draco stayed where he was and watched her, as she turned and went in the other direction. She hadn't seen him, and he took advantage of that,  admiring her from his hiding place. Everthing about her is magic, he thought. And this was the strangest he ever felt...

He launched himself from his hiding place and walked after her. He caught up to her quickly, snatching her textbook out of her hand before she was even aware of him. Taking a few playful steps backwards, Draco grinned mischievously as she spun around.

Hermione registered surprise,  then mild irritation. "Draco, give me my book back. I'm going to be late for class."

He started backing towards the corner he'd come out of. "What happened in class? I thought you knew how to read lips."

"I do," she said, coming after him. "You were moving your mouth too fast. As always."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Oh yeah? Well, go over there and we'll try it again."

"What?"

He pointed to the opposite side of the hall. "Walk over there and we'll test your real lip reading skills."

"Draco, we don't have time for this. We are already late."

"All the more reason to hurry. Now go."

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Will you give me my book back if I do?"

"If you can read my lips."

She gave him a stern look. "I can read your lips alright.." She turned and took a step toward the opposite wall. Before she could even take step two, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. It was a little rough and surprising, but she didn't mind, because suddenly they were reading lips a different way.

His mouth opened against hers and she welcomed his kiss, his tongue passing her lips and playfully touching hers. She couldn't help but drop her remaining textbooks and let them hit the floor with a dull thud. Draco dropped the one he'd taken and enfolded her in his arms. She fit within his embrace perfect as if her body was meant to be against him.

Draco hadn't forgotten what he'd wanted to tell her and so he did. With his kiss full upon her lips he tried to whisper the truth but it was lost inside her mouth. Neither of them seemed to notice.

Yet someone noticed them. Someone else who was hiding in darkness. The figure scowled. Short and squat with curly mouse brown hair, she stepped into the light of the hall triumphant. Dolores Umbridge let out a "tsk, tsk," and wagged her finger at the startled couple.

"Hermione Granger, I believe you are late for a class," she said a little menacingly.  "And you, Draco, are late for a meeting in my office."