ocean eyes (dramione)

Chapter 18

Hermione's POV

I woke up snuggled next to Draco, glad that it was still the weekend. He was still fast asleep when I awoke, so I prised his arm from around me and slipped out of bed, crossed over to my side of the room and picked up some clothes.

By the time I'd showered and dressed, Draco was yawning loudly in bed. I marvelled for a while at his bare chest, then tore my eyes away, blushing.

"Sleep well?" I asked, laying back on my bed.

"Yeah," Draco mumbled. "Where are you?" He yawned, surprised to see the vacant space beside him.

"On my bed," I called. "I can't sleep all day, I've got studying to do, Draco."

"I've got Quidditch practice this evening, said Draco, pulling his shirt over his head and buttoning it up. "Come and watch?"

"Of course," I grinned. "I'll bring Ginny, and --"

Draco cut me off. "No," he said firmly. "Just you." I giggled and felt my cheeks flush, but nodded anyway.

I went down to breakfast and sat with Ginny and Luna, who had drifted over to our table and was looking around the place as though she'd never been in the great hall before.

"Hello, Hermione," said Luna dreamily. "Are you seeing Draco Malfoy?"

I jumped with a start and looked at Ginny. "Did you tell her?" I asked quickly.

"No," said Ginny, laughing. She looked at Luna. "How did you know?"

"So you are seeing Draco Malfoy," said Luna.  I hesitated, then nodded.

"Luna, how did you know?" I asked.

"Pansy Parkinson has been telling everybody about the two of you," said Luna airily, as though this didn't really matter. "She's very upset about it. Well, she looks angry, actually. But she's upset. I can tell."

"Pansy Parkinson," I repeated. "I have to talk to Draco, I'll be back soon."

Just as I stood up, I saw him enter the hall, and motioned for him to talk to me outside. Once in the hallway, I cornered him by the hall entrance.

"Luna says that Pansy Parkinson's told everyone about us," I said, unable to hide the tremor in my voice. Draco paled.

"You don't think I told her, do you?" He asked me. I hesitated.

"I wouldn't do that, Hermione! You know I wouldn't, I --" Draco looked angry, and I flinched.

"You need to talk to her," I said in a low voice. "Find out what's going on. I still don't know what's happening between you two. I...I don't know if you're telling the truth."

"Of course I am," he said softly. He brushed my hair with his fingers. "I'll talk to her, I promise. I - I need to go." He pushed past me, though not unkindly, and crossed determinedly to the Slytherin table. I followed after him and sat down next to Ginny, my face flushed.

"What happened?" Asked Ginny at once. I told her what I'd said, and she put her head in her hands.

"Bloody Slytherins," she moaned. "Why can't they just keep themselves to themselves? No offence to dear Draco, of course."

"I don't know," I mumbled. "He's definitely still keeping something from me." I bit my lip, wondering if I should voice my concerns. "I think - I think he's seeing Pansy, too."

"Pansy?" Exploded Ginny. "Hermione, you know he hates her! He loves you, Hermione. He wouldn't be going out with that --"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Ginny," I said finally. I looked darkly over at the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was in a heated discussion with Pansy, who had a smirk plastered all over her face. I stood up instinctively, fists clenched, and I felt like everybody in the hall turned to look at me. I felt my face glow red and I sank back down again, hundreds of emotions crashing down on me like a wave.

"It'll be all right, 'Mione, just wait," said Ginny soothingly. "And if it isn't --" she brandished her wand suggestively at the Slytherins and I laughed.

"I'm going to the library," I said, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach at the sight of Pansy and Draco.

I stood up quickly and strode out of the hall, hearing loud footsteps behind me but choosing to ignore them. When I reached the doorway to the library I felt Draco's hand on my arm and he turned me around so that I was facing him in a little alcove in the wall.

"What happened?" I asked breathlessly, my stomach winding itself into a knot.

Draco looked away, at something far over my shoulder. "She's being indignant," he said slowly, his voice breaking a little. I looked up and saw his eyes glistening with tears and instantly felt guilty. "She's saying that it's all my fault, making things so obvious between us. And...she wants to date me again."

"Again?" I repeated softly.

Draco smacked his forehead. "I didn't - I mean --" he looked at me desperately, totally lost for words.

"So you have been with her all this time?" I asked, suddenly lacking the energy to get angry anymore.

"No," said Draco at once. "Not - not recently. I - I was, until the Room of Requirement, under the love potion, and then --"

"I can't believe this..." I mumbled, putting my head in my hands. Draco gently pulled my hands away and tried to put his lips to mine, but I shoved his chest and ducked out of the alcove and into the girl's toilets, trying to conceal the sob rising in my throat until the cubicle door was shut behind me and I'd placed a silencing charm around its walls.

I cried and cried until my throat ached. I couldn't believe it. Draco Malfoy, the boy I'd really believed I was in love with, and the boy I'd really believed was in love with me, was still the same boy I'd known years ago, before the war.

And the worst part was, it didn't surprise me.